Moments In Time

Being bold is hard. Have you ever been asked to speak in public? Or called on in the classroom to give an answer? Or asked to give a toast at a wedding? Having the courage to speak up in front of others is never easy. But there are times when it is really important to speak up or find some way to share your opinion or an important message that might benefit others.

That is in essence the purpose of my Monday Messages, to relate an inspiring message without sounding like I am preaching. But it’s very difficult at times. I want to inspire people to think about the important things in life, yet I am not a pastor, and therefore not qualified to preach. I have however, lived a life made incredibly amazing by my faith. So how do I boldly share my faith with my wife, my family, my friends, and even strangers… without turning them off? The answer isn’t that difficult!

This weekend, my wife and I went wine tasting in Temecula. My youngest daughter’s birthday is today, and my wife’s birthday is tomorrow. So we wanted to spend time this weekend, with both of our daughters and their husbands, celebrating birthdays. Six of us got together (with me as the designated driver - bummer dude!) and visited several wineries off of Rancho California Road. At the first stop, Miramonte Vineyards, we were seated on couches in a really classy private Cabana with a table filled with charcuterie and excellent wine flights. Before we tasted anything, my wife handed me a piece of paper and asked the group if “Dad” could read something before we started. What she handed me was an inspiring parable about the importance of all the unique passengers we meet as we “ride through the different train stations of life”. We didn’t realize the waitress was listening nearby, but afterwards, she commented that she admired a family that started their wine tasting with an inspiring parable!

Our second stop was at Doffo Vineyards, which was a very different vibe. More of a biker gang hangout, with dozens of antique motorcycles on display. After the heavily tattooed waitress approached our table and took our order, she asked me a question. “What does the I Am Second on your bracelet mean?” She laughed and said, “Does it mean You Are Second to None?” I laughed and said, “No. It’s a reminder that I should always consider myself second to God, and put Him first.” She smiled thoughtfully… and said, “I like that!”

There were a couple of unique moments in time this weekend, where I didn’t stand up in front of a crowd and I didn’t preach either. Or just maybe I did!

Faith makes things possible, not easy.

~ Anonymous 

Random Acts

What is the cost of a random act of kindness? Probably not very much.

Last Monday I was leaving my house with my wife, and we were running late. As I pulled out from my parking spot on the street, I noticed a jogger running by. What I didn’t notice was that I was bumping into a trash can. Which then knocked over another trash can. Which then spilled the contents of both trash cans all over the street. I pulled over, but before I even got back. the jogger had turned around and was picking up the trash for me.

On Tuesday, I was working on a Light Pole Inspection Project at a large shopping center. I was having trouble with the poles along the perimeter because of thick hedges and heavy brush, when I suddenly noticed movement. I thought it was an animal, but when I parted the bushes to take a look, I saw a woman and a young child laying on an old blanket on the ground, trying to stay in the shade. They didn’t notice me, and I didn’t want to scare them, so I walked away. But then I walked over to the In-And-Out Restaurant nearby, bought a couple of gift cards, and took them back and dropped them over the fence.

On Wednesday, when I went to my regular weekly golf match with my buddy Scott, I forgot my Yeti Bag with my food and drinks. It was really hot out, and I was getting thirsty. When we made the turn and were on the back nine, my competitor, without me even asking, walked over and handed me a large Gatorade.

On Thursday I was having a really rough day. I was having trouble getting an insurance certificate approved from my insurance company, one of my ultrasonic machines was acting up and was obviously going to need some expensive repair work, and my back was hurting me way more than usual. Around 9:00pm I just wanted to call it a day and go to bed, when I got a random text from one of my kids that simply said, “Love you Dad.”

What is a random act of kindness worth? Probably more than you think!

No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.

~ Aesop 

The Love In Your Heart

I love playing golf because it’s always outdoors in a beautiful environment, and most often played with good friends or family. The other benefit is that you can often discover a lot of life lessons from playing the game. In fact, today’s Monday Message was inspired by golf, not so much by playing it, as by not being able to play it. Let me explain…

The past couple of weeks I have been struggling with back pain. So, I’ve had to limit the amount of golf I play. Granted, most people my age have problems with back pain, but luckily mine seems intermittent. (Although some would say that I am a pain in the ass all the time!) Fortunately, most of the time, even when I struggle to get out of bed in the morning, I can still swing a golf club. But not this past Saturday.

My wife and I were scheduled to play golf with my daughter, Nikki, and her husband, Andrew. I was really looking forward to it because I love golf and I love my son-in-law. He is an amazing young man, a hard worker who treats my daughter with a ton of respect, while always treating her like he is madly in love with her. We are blessed to have him in our lives, and since it was his birthday coming up, I really wanted to show him (and her) a good time.

When we arrived at the golf course, I did not do my usual warm up routine. Mainly because after only two practice swings, my back started barking very loudly at me. But then Andrew and Nikki pulled up, laughing and smiling, just two young people in love out to have a good time together. I thought about bailing out, but after seeing their big smiles I decided to suck it up instead and play for as long as possible because Saturday wasn’t about me, it was about showing love to others.

On the first tee, I somehow hit one of the best drives I’ve ever hit on that hole and made PAR. More importantly, my back only hurt a little. On the second tee, I drove the ball straighter and farther than I ever have on that hole, and made PAR again. Nikki and Andrew were having fun too. Nikki doesn’t golf much, but on Saturday she was hitting drives off the tee like a pro. We were all laughing and having a great time. By the time 9 holes were over my back was killing me, but I had just played some of the best golf of my life. More importantly, I got to spend time with people I care about and show them my love.

Even though my back was hurting, and I wasn’t able to finish the round, I had a great time and hopefully my family enjoyed it even more. Despite the pain, on the drive home I was really happy! But I kept thinking, “How on earth was I able to hit so many great drives with such a screwed up back?” And then I remembered the lesson from last week’s Monday Message. “To find happiness, we must seek for it in a focus outside ourselves.”

The love in your heart wasn’t put there to stay, 

love isn’t love until you give it away.

~ Oscar Hammerstein