so neato

i eat stories like this UP!

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0810/NH_Dem_wishes_Palin_ill.html?showall

seriously, what a neat thing to happen. imagine the joy in that family right now and the cool stories they will be able to tell for years and the happiness they will share. that's the kinda stuff that makes the world go 'round.

and this is the kinda thing i hunt for everywhere. i know the trade deficit is high; i'm aware that the united states is in existential trouble; i am apprised of the desperation around me. but THIS kind of story carves through the misery.

so pleasant.  

wisdom for the ages

i have never been one to automatically assign a level of wisdom to somebody simply because they are old. i have met many wise young people. so i post this one simply because it's a neat way to recognize the contributions of our wiser aged population.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/09/AR2010080904177.html?wprss=rss_health 


but it does pay to have a mentor: somebody to rely on for wisdom when you have trouble. find some person close to you whom you can trust and ask them when you need help. i promise they will give it to you, if for no other reason than because you asked and they want to be a part of your life. plus, your showing that level of respect will be seen as a great honor and they will focus on the help they give.

i have a mentor who i have not spoken to in a very long time and i am gonna get in touch with him today. he has been missing from my life and i want his wisdom to reach me and my thoughts again. his name is darrell pehr and he is one of the greatest people i know.

find yours, and you will unlock pieces of your potential you never knew existed.

just like you

what do you like to do?

we all have hobbies and pursuits and things we love spending our time on, and in most of those cases people around us have no idea why we are pursuing the things we enjoy. whether it's running or lifting weights or fishing or coaching, those activities dominate our experiences and daily lives.

when those experiences cross over into inspiration is where i get excited. reading about people who inspire others is one of my favorite pastimes, and i enjoy finding stories about folks who have changed their environments. like this family, whose passion for running is without peer. this is the kinda stuff that brings me joy:

http://www.fergusfallsjournal.com/news/2010/aug/03/runnings-family/

i hunt high and low for these stories, and while they are easy to find not everybody gravitates to this kind of news. there is a market for it, i believe, and we should all start finding some good news to follow. i have had enough of politics and acrimony and nastiness.

i made a decision to leave all that garbage behind and do things differently. from now on, my goals are to find the silver linings in everything i can. with the beat-down world we live in, i know it will be hard. but it's attainable. i want it and i need it to make sense of things. 

maybe i can change the environment around me in such a way where i build something long-lasting, maybe i will meet like-minded people who share my passions and joy, maybe i will find that thing that has eluded me for so long. who knows? 

but here goes ...

the success is best

you know, i love reading success stories. one of my criticisms of DIY programs and weight-loss programs like "the biggest loser" is that people use them as a surrogate for their own demands. meaning: if you need to build a backyard barbeque, build it; if you want to lose 30 pounds, get off your ass and go lose 'em. don't sit there and watch somebody else do it!

so success stories inspire me to continue on the path i have chosen. i enjoy working out nowadays to the point where i would rather have a gym membership than cable TV and i go work out almost every day. therefore, when i see people who use that tactic to get back into their 'skinny clothes' it makes me happy.

for the record, i detest yahoo news' regular reports. their take on politics and national news is garbage and their sports coverage is lame. BUT their health and fitness reporting is significantly better than the average site. i love their little articles on eating right and exercise, and they have the largest number of success stories anywhere.

it's inspiring. like this one.

http://health.yahoo.net/articles/weight-loss/better-body-after-baby 

so if you have some issues you need to tackle seek out the inspirational stories that edify you and keep you on the right track. there are plenty out there, and some can even be found on so-called 'mainstream' websites.

get moving!

a passionate belief

you have to be gutsy to stand out as a believer in indonesia, a predominantly muslim country with an ever-increasing number of anti-Christian zealots and attacks. so it is with great joy that i read about places like this where belief in the Gospel is on the rise.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1982223,00.html

it makes me take a long look at my own devotion. how passionate am i; do i have that spark that brings people closer to the Word? how can i help make the world a little sweeter to deal with and understand?

it's just knowing that these folks are out there that makes me happy to be part of His family. and while the anti-Christian murders and attacks continue, these strong-willed, faithful servants keep sowing the seeds.

Chi-Rho.