Almost Always Fun

I was golfing with my friend, Dave, last week and after I hit a good shot and then hit a bad shot, we started talking about how golf is a lot like life. It is almost always fun, but yet extremely challenging and totally impossible to master.

And that got me thinking. He is right. I am 67 years old now and although I’m having a lot of fun, I’m still finding life to be very challenging at times. And what upsets me the most is that I still make stupid mistakes, mistakes that could easily be avoided. I know I’m a lot smarter than I was when I was younger, so why is that? How can I avoid making stupid mistakes?

As I pondered that question, I realized something. One of the biggest faults I have is spending too much time focusing on myself and my problems, instead of thinking of others. So what if I were to turn that question around and ask, “How can I help others avoid making mistakes?”

The answer might be simple… as simple as words and stories. Words can be extremely powerful, whether spoken or written, and when they’re weaved into personal stories, real events that happened to us, or life lessons we have learned along the way, they can truly make a dramatic impact. But they have to be shared.

Therefore, today I will pick one person that I love. It might be a friend, it might be my wife, it might be one of my children. But whoever I choose, I will write them a short letter about a life lesson that I learned. I encourage you to do the same. At the same time, let them know they are loved and offer them encouragement because even though life is challenging, hearing that someone loves you and cares about you, is definitely always fun!

Life Lesson #582

Try to see things from the other person's perspective

The greatest mistake you can make in this life is to be continually fearing you will make one.

  ~ Elbert Hubbard

Self-Cut Hair

I recently lost my Mom whom I loved very much. At the same time, I also became reacquainted with a woman I knew as a child. She is a decade older than I, and she obviously leads a spiritually faithful life. This path has blessed her with abundant joy in every one of her days, no matter the circumstance. This woman stands out in a crowd. She lives to please Him and to be in praise of Jesus for her rich blessings. Her focus is on Him, continuously throughout her day. 

When she rises in the morning, she prays and gives thanks. She then runs a comb through her self-cut hair, pulls on simple clothing and shoes that she has had for years, and proceeds to tend to her family. She spends no time in a mirror or a closet, nor with a makeup tray. She ignores social media and television. She is plain, natural, some might even say homely, and yet abundantly beautiful. Happiness just radiates from her. No makeup or outfit can enhance the boundless joy that she finds simply by living a day fully with Him.

Her children and grandchildren are drawn to her delightful energy. She recognizes the smallest wonders the unfolding day provides and whispers a word of thanks. This awareness provides a shield for her heart when the tide turns and challenges present themselves. For this she whispers thank you; for adversity allows her to grow in her faith with Him. She knows with certainty that the good and the bad are equally part of Gods plan for us, and she knows that Jesus is at her side as she tackles both gracefully.

There is so much for me to learn from this wonderful woman… at a time when I really need it. She is proof that if we put our focus on Him and trust Him wholeheartedly, praying “Jesus, help me to be in your Peace”, we can relax in the certainty that Jesus listens and is with us always. If we choose to give thanks we will overflow with happiness… no matter what our hair looks like!  

“You will call to me and come and pray to me and I will listen to you. 

You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart”.

~ Jeremiah 29:12-13

Ever Bubbly

I pride myself on being a fairly positive person, but I have to admit that life can be pretty hard at times. I say that partly because I attended a funeral for a beloved family member this weekend, which was really heart breaking, but also because just making it safely down the 405 on a typical Monday morning can be extremely difficult.

Fortunately, I had visitors at my home this weekend. My son, his wife, and their two young children came all the way from Washington to attend the funeral. It was fun to have them stay with us for a few days, and while they were here I was reminded that kids can often express the type of worldly wisdom that we adults too easily tend to ignore.

I will explain. My super cute, red-haired, ever bubbly, always smiling, 9-year-old grand-daughter took me aside Sunday morning and told me she wanted to show me something that she created. Curious, I stepped out onto the patio in the back yard, and she handed me something she wrote. She explained to me, “if you ever have a rough day, just read this!” I read it, it’s simple, and yet it makes so much sense!

Stay Positive and you got it.

It’s that easy!

I love these little people. And it is not a slight thing 

when they, who are so fresh from God, love us.

~ Charles Dickens

Made To Bloom

What would the world be like without flowers? Strange question, but I asked myself that question as I stood on my patio last week looking at the most beautiful pink and yellow rose I have ever seen. Our new home has a planter that surrounds our patio, filled with a wide variety of roses and other colorful flowers, and beyond the planter is a huge expanse of manmade green grass framing the 9^th hole of the Coto de Caza golf course. The golf course view is awesome, but I often find myself focusing on the bright colors brought forth by the flowers and can’t help but smile. There is just something about natural beauty, created by God, that can’t be outdone by man. Or can it?

Flowers start as the tiniest of seeds, rising from the dust of the earth to become objects of beauty. (Hmm, that story sounds familiar.) It takes a while for them to grow, and they definitely need water. But if they are nurtured with loving care (and maybe a little manure) they will eventually bloom and create joy for all who have the good fortune to pass their way.

And that got me thinking… Didn’t we start out as the tiniest of seeds, rising from the earth just like a flower, to become objects of joy, not just for our Creator, but for each other as well? And if God has placed so much beauty in something as simple as a plant in a garden, how much more beauty has He placed in His finest creation. And yet it’s up to us to remember that we are at our most beautiful… only when we make others smile!

Every flower is a soul, blossoming in nature.

~ Gerard de Nerval

A Dog's Life

My wife and I are dog-sitting for a few days for our daughter. His name is “Fitzgerald Muenster”… “Fitz” for short … and his personality fits! He is a French Bull Dog, small and strong like a bull, handsome and charming like your typical Frenchman, and smart as a whip. But he is also fun and really funny.

When I take Fitz for a walk, he struts up the street like he owns the town. If a car goes by, he gives it a serious warning. And if another dog would actually have the nerve to attempt to walk on our street (excuse me… his street) he will go into full guard-dog mode to protect me. I really enjoy the little guy, and I think he likes me to, although he totally loves my wife a whole lot more. (Maybe something to do with her cooking?)

Anyway, at one point my wife and I needed to go to the store and we had to leave Fitz behind at home. As we were leaving, Fitz jumped up into my leather recliner and made himself comfortable (doesn’t he know he is violating the master’s chair!} and just yawned as we left.

While we were at the store, I kept thinking about Fitz being alone at home. He is a dog after all, and therefore has no idea where we went, when we are coming back, where his next meal is coming from, or even scarier than that, he has no idea if we will ever come home! And yet, upon our return, there he is lounging upside down in my recliner, with the tip of his tongue hanging out, probably dreaming of French female canines. Apparently not a care in the world.

And that got me thinking… Maybe we can learn something from Fitz, who isn’t much worried about anything. I mean, look at us, we worry about everything. We don’t know what tomorrow has in store. We don’t know if or when the pandemic will end. We don’t know if our boss is going to close the business down, or whether our kids will graduate, or how we are going to pay for our parents’ medical care. Our worries and questions are so many, and yet it seems like the answers are so few. But don’t we already have the answer, the answer to the most important question of all? That in the end, all of us if, we simply believe, will make it home.  

Your place in heaven will seem to be made for you alone, because you were made for it.

~ C. S. Lewis

 

Forgetness

I know it’s not a word, but maybe it should be.  The “Forgetness” I refer to above is not related to forgetfulness, although that is an ongoing problem I’ve been having lately. It is in fact, related to  “Forgiveness” which can surely be a complicated concept at times. I received a reminder of that yesterday.

The text message was from a young man I hadn’t seen or heard from in years. He asked for my email address and mentioned something about a long-ago conversation, and how he might have been wrong. That got my curiosity going!

He started the email saying, “I know this note comes out of the blue.” He then went on to say, “I recently went through the book of Luke and noticed something I hadn’t caught before. I think God may be tapping me on the shoulder.”

His email went on to explain. “We had a conversation many years ago while waiting to make a customer presentation. It was about Jim (not his real name). I don’t remember the details of what he did, but seem to recall it was about claiming to own a piece of the company, which he was not entitled to. You said something about never forgiving him, and I replied something to the effect that “you must forgive him” Anyway, after reading the bible verse (below) I realized that Luke is saying that if he repents then he must be forgiven.  I surely don’t have all the answers on this topic, but I recalled our conversation and think you might have felt judged by me - which was not my intent. I simply wanted to give you the truth, for your well-being.  The reality is there are tons of scriptures about forgiveness and it’s not always perfectly clear when to let go, and when to set boundaries, or even when to cut someone off.  I am sorry if I offended you then. I hope you and your family are well.”

Funny how a simple conversation more than 12 years ago, can find it’s way back into my life at a time when I really need to remember it. I wrote back saying I wasn’t offended at all. In fact, I appreciated his perspective at the time because it helped me to make a decision that I still believe is right today. That decision… the concept of “Forgetness”… to forget about the wrongs done to you, so they won’t continue to hurt you, but to forgive the person if they ever truly show remorse. Perhaps a simple solution to a complicated problem.

So watch yourselves. If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.”                ~ Luke 17 vs 3-4

I Think

I think this is absolutely the best time of year. With the Spring Season finally here, the flowers are really starting to bloom, the sunsets are clearly more spectacular, and the air itself seems to just smell a whole lot fresher. While I no longer have an ocean view, I do have a gorgeous view of the Coto de Caza Golf Course framed by Saddleback Mountain, the highest peak in all of Orange County. Rabbits and squirrels scurry by (along with squirrely golfers as well), and at the moment nature is dressed in its finest apparel, making me grateful to be alive to witness it.

In fact, a mother dove created a nest on our front porch this week, on top of a pillar protected by the roof. For the past few days she is always there, never leaving, so her eggs must be ready to hatch. She doesn’t seem to be bothered by us as we go in and out of our house, and we are certainly not bothered by her presence either. To me, she is a symbol of spring and a precious reminder of Easter and the promise of new beginnings.

Right now, I think the world needs the promise of new beginnings and a hopeful future more than ever. I thought this pandemic would only last two weeks. Instead it has lasted more than two years, and is still going on. There are bombs being dropped on Ukraine, never thought that would happen. And lately there have been so many of my friends and family members who have lost loved ones due to Covid, cancer and car crashes, that it blows my mind. So my thoughts and prayers are stronger, and my prayer list is longer, than it’s ever been!

With all that has gone wrong lately, it could make us sad. But as I arrive home after a long day of work and pass by that dove huddled quietly over her babies, and then gaze out at the gorgeous view from my patio, I feel encouraged. Life will always have its ups and downs, but for me, Springtime and the upcoming Easter Season combine to create the promise of a better life ahead. At Easter we don’t just celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we celebrate His promise of a new beginning and a life everlasting. I think...I will think about that… instead!

Sunset  view from the top of Saddleback Mountain

Spring shows us what God can do 

with a drab and dirty world. 

~ Virgil A. Kraft