ELSIE IS A COW, SHE GIVES MILK....
ELMER IS A BULL, HE HAS A SMIRK
JUST A THOUGHT...
three hundred five
ORDER IS SOOTHING
This was my world for almost 40 years, order was the goal everyday.
The idea of arranging pieces of dead animals in an appealing display at a reasonable price for homemakers to purchase to feed to their families that eventually processed into shit was how I paid my bills. I have no buildings, bridges or inventions to claim, everything I did turned into actual shit. I know this is a blunt statement but bottom line that is what I did.
Enduring cold, working with sharp objects, the steady march of code dates, power mad inspectors, rude customers, back stabbing middle management and repeating the same ritual day, after day, after day, after day was about it.
Now that I have depressed you there was a bright side. I learned how soothing order can be. As I arrived each morning I surveyed the damage from the day before. I would start again not skipping a step. Each step was vital as I reconstructed the perfect display.
Outguessing the public is a fools errand but a "computer assisted" ordering system, warehouse screw ups, special holiday orders, the weather and "dog and pony show" visits from corporate were also part of the fun. It was a combination of traffic controller, jigsaw puzzle champ, fortune teller and weather man.
In the midst of chaos I found those moments when the case was full, fresh, properly signed, on schematic and in code. Every package was aligned, the garnish was fresh, the glass and countertops were spotless and everyone was on time ready to work and in proper dress code. For that one brief moment everything was perfect.
Then, in the blink of an eye, one sweet little old lady would appear. With some strange super power she could in one pass move, flip, poke and destroy my perfect work of art.
Allis-Chalmers CA built in the 1950's
I had four acres of lawn/field that I kept mowed in Ohio. I had a small farm tractor with a brush hog mower that was shaft driven from the power take off. I restored it with new paint, rubber parts, a tuneup and the original decals.The hours and hours of mowing these fields would last until dusk. I would sit on the front stoop with a glass of sun tea smelling the fresh cut grass and admiring the perfect pattern of my wheels. After 30 minutes it was dark.
I would eat, sleep and leave for work before sunrise to return to see the spring rain had produced four inches of new grass/weeds.
There are many things in life that are like this. I shave my head and have for around three decades. Every two to four days I shave my head but it is only perfect for about four hours.
We wash dishes, sweep floors, wash windows, wash cars, shovel snow, dust, do laundry, mow lawns, shower, eat and sleep. No awards, fan fare, parades or trophy, only the satisfaction of doing it to the best of our ability.
This is a Martin Luther King Jr quote that is rarely heard, as a young man I took this to heart.
I did not fall into the trap of resenting my employer. I worked for some real characters in some very miserable conditions but I agreed to work for the wage they offered and always had the choice to stay or leave.
The economy was bad, good jobs were scarce and inflation was as bad as today. I worked the jobs I could find but I was never oppressed, a servant or a slave. I was a man in a working agreement to do a task for an agreed wage, nothing more and nothing less.
I found that pride that he talked about, I took pride in my work and always tried to do it well, I was my own man. The secret I had discovered was not to expect praise or recognition. I had higher expectations for my performance then my employer. This insulated me from their criticism.
I wrote this post because of a conversation I had with a group of men. A few were whining about how they hated their jobs because they were not getting recognition for their hard work. I guess I sound heartless because I asked if they had been paid for their work and when they said yes I asked them if they were waiting for a hug to go with it.
Maybe I'm old school, not woke and out of touch but I survived a life of toil and sweat with very few resentments. I have a few regrets about my choices but they were my choices.
I still seek that precious moment when everything is in order, clean, fresh, spotless and perfect. If my external world is in order somehow my mind, body and spirit are also in order.......
....but I could have more issues.
There are some things that are just not right.
three hundred four
Ready or not.....
I have been walking seven miles, lost a little weight and doing yoga stretching. I see a chiropractor next week to evaluate my lower back. I want to know if I have a skeletal issue, muscular or I'm just getting old.
My back hurts when I get up in the morning then settles down after a half an hour. My new knee has little limitations and feels like a normal knee. The biggest issue about it is in my head.
New prescription glasses, a small low risk cancer removed from my chin and next the dentist.
My BP is under control and my last physical went well. I'm about as prepared as I can be except for conditioning.
It is raining today but the next phase is about to begin.....
three hundred three
Aleksandr Isayevich Solzhenitsyn
"We know they are lying,
they know they are lying,
they know we know they are lying,
but they are still lying."
He was a Russian novelist and one of the most famous dissidents. Solzhenitsyn was an outspoken critic of communism, in particular propaganda state media and the Gulag system.
He was born into a religious family active in protesting the Soviet Anti Religious campaign in the 1920's. In spite of his religious upbringing he became an atheist and Marxist-Leninist.
Gradually he became a philosophically minded Christian because of his families experience in the Soviet prison system and camps.
During World War II he served in the Red Army. He was arrested by Stalin's secret police SMERSH for criticizing Joseph Stalin (a joke about his mustache) in a private letter. He was sentenced to eight long years of hard labor in a Siberian Gulag.
Eventually Premier Nikita Khrushchev came to power and he was released. During his years of imprisonment he fully embraced Christianity. He began to write several books critical of the Communist system.
This was tolerated until Khrushchev was removed from power when Solzhenitsyn was stripped of his citizenship and sent into exile in West Germany.
He then moved his family to the United States, continued to write and speak on college campuses where he was still welcome.
I do not believe he would be welcome today because of his criticism of Marxism and support for Christianity. Sad how things have changed.
His books are a tough read but there are plenty of his speeches on line. It is disturbing how pertinent his observations of the Soviet system and the use of propaganda are today.
He speaks bluntly about our ignorance and naivety. Today I'm sure he would have long ago lost his social media rights because of his thoughts and opinions about government corruption, media lies, the need for faith and exercising freedom......Hmmmmm sound familiar?
This guy was a brave bad ass, he spoke his mind to power and was willing to pay the price. He did not yield to threats, imprisonment and physical punishments.
He warned us in order to keep what we have we need to understand it, embrace it and defend it. He was not an optimistic feel good motivational speaker, he was frank, honest and blunt. This is a trait I admire, no bull shit truth backed up with a track record.
After his years of speaking to Americans he said that he didn't think the majority of Americans understand what they have and how easy it is to lose.
These are some hard truths, I myself intend to prove him wrong.
Nothing to do with bicycles today. Just a rainy day of reading.
three hundred two
GOOD vs BAD
if it were only that simple.
There was a time you could tell the good guys from the bad guys, black or white hat, law enforcement or criminal, soldier or terrorist, preacher or drug lord and nun or prostitute. I know there are bad cops, soldiers, preachers and nuns but today if you watch entertainment media these are usually the bad guys.
I'll agree the old good vs bad plots get predictable and in a way boring. In the rebellious 60's the bad guys started to win and the good guys started losing. At first it was an interesting twist but eventually it became even more predictable.
Today American flags are symbols of hate, preachers are perverts, being a virgin is a laugh line, Santa Claus is a serial killer, war veterans are deranged and police officers are all corrupt.
This began in movies and television and soon oozed into news opinion. Virtue is not expected or valued, in fact it is mocked as old fashioned or conservative.
I've noticed popular shows like Breaking Bad, Ray Donavan, Dexter and Deadwood have added a new twist. There are no good guys, everyone is compromised. Half way through we realize we are rooting for the hero of the story but they are a drug dealer, murderer or thief.
DEADWOOD
RAY DONAVAN
DEXTER
Over the decades the value of virtue or any sense of shame have been eroded. It is more then a sense of right and wrong, it is the idea that right and wrong no longer matters.
Diverting responsibility, a sense of entitlement, justified envy and the right to feed our cravings is deemed normal. Once these basic principles have been devalued we drift further towards tyranny or anarchy.
The bar has been lowered by a double standard justus system, corrupt government, bias media and a move away from the acknowledgment of God.
This has not only effected the individual but it has effected us as a free nation. It is assumed that all of our leaders are tarnished and the few that are practicing virtue are mocked or discounted. We have lost our heroes, at least the virtuous ones.
John Adams was one of the signers of the Constitution. He had a couple quotes I have found insightful.
I may sound old-fashioned or naive but an acknowledgment of God and a sense of virtue must be restored before it is too late. I see a pendulum swing in our country.
Not Republican or Democrat, left or right, liberal or conservative, pro or con, man or woman but a turning back to the basic foundation of freedom and liberty, virtue. Virtue is a yielding to our conscience to do the right thing when no one is looking.
I'm just a guy on a bicycle but observing the people of this amazing country over the miles has taught me not to discount the love for freedom and liberty of it's people. I do not lose hope because I have met the American people.
Most organizations or movements are pulled along by a very small percentage of the people involved. Our country was established and founded by a very small minority at first. It is always possible for things to change no matter where it begins. It is already beginning in the hearts of virtuous people who yearn to remain free, it is contagious.
With this and with God's blessing tomorrow will be a brighter day.
three hundred one
INFORMATION OVERLOAD
If you have read my blog you know I'm not a fan of todays media. I'm also disappointed when people blindly settle for whatever a media outlet says and regards it as the definitive truth.
Our media in America has a constitutionally protected charge to be our critical eyes and ears on government. They claim to do in-depth investigation and research. They claim to bring us the most current and accurate information.
They claim to witness wars, natural disasters, catastrophic accidents, crime and scandals, but it has been revealed that they sometimes never leave the office. This is all to be without bias, agenda or omission.
1950's DRAGNET Sargent Joe Friday
The days of the trusted news anchor with great hair, reading the days events into our living rooms are over. My parents believed every word these trusted individuals said but history has revealed that even they had clear biases.
Today the new version of these overpaid beautiful people have revealed their biases and at times a complete lack of ethics. They don't even try to hide it because most think the consumer is unable to hold the correct opinion so they shape what we hear "for our own good".
One reason for this is the corporate nature of news outlets. Being paid millions by a large corporation demands loyalty to the interests of that corporation, it may not be an official agreement it is just human nature.
If you desire success, a luxurious lifestyle and enjoy being one of the cool kids more power to you but claiming your first interest is integrity and truth is the height of hypocrisy.
Jet to your summer homes, give yourselves awards, live in your bubble but don't underestimate the average consumer.
The world wide web isn't the Wild West as it was in the beginning. There are powers trying to control the flow of information but the Genie is out of the bottle. With a little effort and a desire to find information the truth is still out there.
There are always idealistic tech savvy truth tellers willing to risk persecution to report the truth. Over time some will be corrupted by fame, money and power, some will yield to pressure and go away but a few will endure and stay devoted to the truth no matter the sacrifice. That too is human nature.
The key is the curiosity and willingness of the consumer. We have the tools, we have access and an endless amount of information. The key is developing the ability to discern what the truth really is.
It is easier to blindly trust a few sources but I suggest trust no-one, not even me. Many sources may have reliable information but most have an agenda that ranges from a slight slant to out right lies.
Omission is the most deceptive because their defense is we didn't lie we just didn't report on it. This is the most commonly practiced tactic today. If a news outlet does report on it it can be characterized as a fringe conspiracy. Facts aren't up to a popular vote.
I trust a few principles. I believe the truth will hold up under scrutiny. Test everything, beat it up and challenge it, if it is true it will hold up. If not you will know it is not true.
Read everything, find those side stories that only a few are reporting. If they are attacking a person or organization for their bias, intelligence or character, perhaps they don't want you to hear what they have to say.
Is the argument fact based or emotional? Avoid the so called self proclaimed "fact checking" organizations, they are all corrupted. Be your own fact checker. Read the bill, speech, hearing, interview, report, study or video. You are your best "fact checker".
Avoid the silly school yard adolescent name calling nonsense it is always a distraction.
If they are all talking about it look for the things they aren't talking about. The media can be like a slight of hand magician, they use the art of distraction to hide things they don't want you to see.
First you need to ask yourself the question, do I want to know what is actually true or do I want to settle for my truth or what I want to be true.
I know, this is a bicycle blog. I have been distracted lately with world and national events. When I get frustrated and overwhelmed I find a quiet place and focus on the amazing people I have met along the way.
They were average Americans doing the deal everyday, building something, raising a family, defending the innocent and enforcing the laws. They haul our goods, build our cars, clean our messes and prepare our food. They deserve the truth.
Unfortunately the unwashed are considered incapable of grasping the wisdom they are offering. If it were just a matter of arrogance that is fine but some want to control, subjugate and suppress with the use of propaganda. Then they wonder why we don't trust them.
I do not think this will change but we can change how we consume news and shape our own opinions.
I was once told to have an opinion but make sure it's my own opinion not someone else's.
Okay, I'm finished with my rant. The weather is changing in Oregon. I have been walking seven miles per day. I'm losing weight, stretching and loosening up my muscles and joints. Mostly I'm trying to ignore my aches and pains and push forward trying not to feel 70. The next couple of weeks the bicycle is coming out and a full on slog to get my bicycle mojo back begins.
three hundred
FAT AND HAPPY....
THE AMERICAN DREAM?
My parents were part of possibly the last generation that saved their money to buy things. Today we don't look in our savings account, that is if we even have one, instead we check our credit line.
My parents were shaped by the depression and the Second World War. After the war, the returning soldiers got married and began to build the American dream.
My Dad built the small house I was raised in. He worked full time as a machinist, rented a room from a relative and spent his off time salvaging materials from a two story house he had contracted to demolish to make room for the new high school.
He saved everything, lumber, windows, nails, doors and whatever he could reuse to build our tiny house. He did all of this with the help of an eccentric local farmer named Drexel Harris.
Drexel still farmed with horses so my Dad scooped out the tiny basement and graded the hillside lot using his horses. He built the house himself as he got the money and never borrowed a dime.
I'm one of the sixties rebels who rebelled and questioned the social and moral norms. Music, fast cars and the sexual revolution, that I am grateful I missed, and a new way to feed our impulsive wants, revolving credit.
Living up to and beyond our means with a line of credit was becoming normal. I was responsible in the beginning but later on I dabbled in high interest credit card debt. This was partly because of circumstances but for decades I lived under a cloud of these plastic taskmasters.
I have righted the ship and have things under control but I still don't own a home or anything building equity. I do however have an excellent 816 credit rating (whatever that means) and a long line of credit waiting in the shaddows for another weak moment.
I fought with my parents over this issue like most kids. I bought new cars, had the latest toys and refused to live by a budget. I paid my bills but investments and compounding interest would have ment a very comfortable retirement.
"I have enough" and "simplify, simplify, simplify" have been a guiding principle for much of my life. I have learned to be creative with what I have, avoid giving a damn what the cool kids think and living below my means.
My bike trips have taught me the adventure gets better when I have less money to spend. I would not camp as often or cook as much if I could stay in nice motels, eat in restaurants and get massages.
Connecting with people is now my goal so asking for permission from a farmer to camp in a pasture or asking the local police about a safe place where they "don't look" is much more interesting then negotiating with a motel office employee.
I have shared meals with hungry strangers along the road. We usually combine whatever ingredients we have to create a unique hobo stew. I love that I have a humble bicycle rig. I have learned what I really need and what I really don't need.
Perhaps this has nothing to do with how smart or wise I am it is how this mode of travel has made me learn this. My mistakes have forced me to change, I take no credit for this other then my initial selfcentered mistakes.
The Natural
The only good thing about this movie was this quote: "We all have two lives, the one you learn with and the one you live".
I doubt I have a unique story. This younger generation is living the life they will learn with and hopefully they will move on to the life they will live. I'm just grateful I survived my stupid past.
If you can keep wealth in perspective I admire you. Many if not most have learned these things the easy way. Unfortunately that has never been my style.
two hundred ninety nine
THE BIG LEBOWSKI
The Big Lebowski is a cult classic that came out in 1998. The laid back lead character "The Dude" Jeff Bridges captured the hearts of many.
His irreverent character had no cause, agenda or need to change the world. Credence, Black Russians and candle light bubble baths with good weed were his simple pleasures but bowling was his religion.
I grew up in the stay cool and never let them see you sweat generation so I could relate to his character. He may not have been aware of his poor social skills but one thing for sure he really didn't care.
He didn't go out of his way to be obnoxious or rude he simply existed in his own world. He didn't seek confrontation other then hating the Eagles and demanding justice for his piss stained rug.
He was defiant and sarcastic in the midst of an interrogation swirly or getting his private parts nibbled by a wild nihilist attack Ferret.
Going with the flow, doing your own thing or feeling the vibe is summed up in one phrase, the Dude abides.
The Dude had a sense of honor and showed loyalty to his friends. The movie does not explain how they became friends but I assume it had something to do with their bowling averages.
I don't recommend his lifestyle but I can relate to his place in the theater of life. Everyone plays a part but I am not the director or critic, I'm just part of the audience. The Dude lived in the moment as a casual observer of the people and events around him.
We do need to be disciplined and except responsibility but we all need a little "Dude" in our lives. Sometimes we just need to let life flow over us, feel the vibe or live in the moment.
Life is a trip full of constantly changing circumstances with a cast of outrageous characters. The reality is we can't change circumstances or people. You can walk your own path, live your own values and be loyal to your friends.
The Dude was by no means a perfect role model but he did have one thing right, "the Dude abides" and if all else fails, go bowling.
Take breaks, enjoy simple pleasures and just be. If life gets too crazy go bowling or that place you find refuge.
I ride my bike.
two hundred ninety eight
THIS IS SPINAL TAP
Each time I watch it, I find more and more comedic nuggets. This is one of the most famous lines that has found its way into todays culture.
Nigel Tufnel, lead guitar player while giving a tour of the bands equipment says"You see our amplifiers and guitars all go to 11, you see that is one more then 10".
(link)
The movie captures the rock and roll lifestyle and rock band drama were captured perfectly. These guys had a passion to do something epic. They were rock gods on a Saturday night, they had ventured out of the box to chase a dream.
Living and loving at full volume has been a phrase I've used for many years. I know being excited like a kid on Christmas morning everyday is just not realistic but I do jump around on the furniture when I buy a new pair of sneakers.
When strangers ask how I'm doing I say "I'm Livin large and livin the dream". This always brings a laugh and a conversation.
If a close friend asks that question it is different, somedays life kinda sucks so I have learned to say it out loud. After that acknowledgment I move on to realizing it is my perseption of things that actually sucks. After a mutual laugh I'm back on track again. Living life at 11 is a choice plus it is "one more then 10".
Do I choose to see a sunset or bitch because it's getting dark? In a Restaurant do I complain about the service and the prices or do I have a conversation with the person I'm with?
It is the difference between eating and dining. Eating is a focus on food with a side of conversation, dining is a focus on conversation while enjoying food.
Human interaction feeds our heart and soul while food feeds our stomach. Both are nessesary and should be enjoyed.
Climbing a mountain, facing a headwind, days in the rain or even a flat tire can be enjoyed if you have the right perspective. A day of bitching and moaning never got me over a mountain, a single extra mile, kept me dry or fixed a flat tire.
These things are not 11 material but I can manage an 8 or 9. I'm that nut climbing a 6% grade mountain pass with a stupid grin on my face. People actually ask me why the hell am I smiling aren't you tired? I'm exhausted but I'm exactly where I want to be doing exactly what I want to do, it's perfect.
If you find that place or thing, do it with all of your might, life is way too short to bitch and grumble it away.
I found two perfect places that I fit, one is on my bicycle in the middle of nowhere. This is my 11.....that is one more than 10.
two hundred ninety seven
MORNING RANT
To the best of my ability I try to say exactly what I mean. Yes I'm a hypocrite at times, I'm human, but when it is pointed out I own it.
My defects of character are a moving target, I claim progress not perfection. In my arguments I think about the words I use.
I do this because my ability to manipulate is the character defect I hate the most. I can turn on my BS machine to get my way and make you believe it is your idea. I have and ability to charm my way out of problems and avoid consequences.
In my dark past I used whatever it took to get my way and keep my"nice guy" image. I am profoundly ashamed of my past behavior. This is a vital part of my journey to find serenity.
After 31 years of sobriety turning on my BS power to manipulate others feels unnatural but manipulating myself is much harder to detect. That is why I rely on other recovering friends to call me out on this.
One upside of this character defect is the ability to see these tactics in others. I value straight talk even if I don't agree with what is said. Clarity is more important then agreeing, but to debate, discuss or argue seems to be a lost art.
Any level of discussion seems to derail quickly. The focus on winning a debate by discrediting or demeaning the opponent has taken the place of arguing with facts or ideas.
Skin color, sex or sexual preference, age, profession, education, accent, religious belief or non belief, political affiliation or philosophy, accent, social standing or any perceived flaw is fair game.
The search to find a perceived flaw to discredit the person is common today. Everyone says something I agree with and something I disagree with. The all or nothing tactic is simply a cheap manipulative tool.
One misspoken word, wrong action or opinion no matter how long ago or the circumstance, whether it is true or not is used to cancel an entire person. I thought the Puritans were a tough crowd but compared to the "cancel culture mob" they seem reasonable.
Guilt by association is another all too common tactic. Find or create a member of any group that has an extreme opinion or looks funny to taint the entire group or movement. No real facts are required just a sound bite or picture and a caption. Truth has little to do with this just winning at all cost matters.
Todays conversations focus on implied associations, defining or redefining words and assigning motives to ideas.
Debate today is more of a talking point, discrediting and insult war, ideas and facts need not apply. Selective or made up"Facts" and Science" are used as clubs, all past behavior is fair game and victim status is a wild card.
Occasionally I find someone who actually wants to learn something. They are open to new ideas, they want to know more facts and entertain the option to change their mind. Unfortunately they are just sitting ducks for the skilled insult artist disguised as leaders, experts or scholars.
Navigating the "woke" minefield, never admitting wrong and adopting the latest fashionable outrage or guilt. An honest question, opinion or misdirected attitude can cause you to lose a job, career, friends and livelihood.
I'm retired now and don't have to lose sleep over being politically correct. I have this blog to talk about my ideas. It is as political as I get. My personal politics are personal but if you want to know, ask me.
Please please please don't imply my motives, redefine my words or assign me to a group. I would love to hear what YOU think so I won't do those things to you.
two hundred ninety six
So this is this it?
The average expected human lifespan has increased over the last century and a half and quite dramatically over the past 70 years.
Before this an average life expectancy of 26 to 35 years was the norm. Plagues, poor sanitation, famine, wars, natural disasters, accidents, violence, low child mortality, a lack of medicines, medical knowledge and availability.
In prehistoric times hunting and gathering filled their short lives. Food, clothing, shelter and protection were the main focus. Fighting the elements, animals, insects, disease, famine and other humans was all consuming. This example of art was rare because day to day survival took precedent.
Death was so much a part of life all through ancient history. Mercy was defined as a quick death with minimal suffering. Families lost 214 children out of a thousand in 1880, today it is considered extremely high at 6 out of a thousand.
Even with the development of modern weaponry the majority of casualties in all recorded wars has been spears, swords, arrows and clubs. A wound was usually fatal because of infection and poor medical treatment.
Travel by land and sea was extremely dangerous. Hundreds of millions died doing what today is considered safe and normal.
The availability of food in first world countries has produced new modern life threatening problems, obesity, diabetes and other health issues. There are still starving people in parts of the world but even the poorest in America have access to an abundance of food and medical care.
There are many Americans who have no clue where or how their food is produced. They live in safe communities, drive safe cars, fly in safe planes and have access to modern medicine.
There are exceptions but we live in amazing times. The internet and mapping the gene-gnome have been giant strides but the availability of clean water and sanitation have had the largest impact on increasing life expectancy.
We now face an even more ominous problem. What are we doing with our extended lifespans? What do we do with our leisure time? What do we do with our wealth?
I grew up near Amish and Mennonite communities, their lifestyle confuses many people. They have a central theme, dependance on the community and connection to the land. They do this by limiting the use of technology and focus on reliance on family, neighbors and God.
This is an extreme example as to how people choose to live out their lives. There are countless other ways to live but far too many submerge themselves in entertainment and self indulgence. Sadly their focus on comfort and pleasure can cause them to miss their lives completely.
Psychiatrist, political commentator and syndicated columnist Charles Krauthammer wrote several best selling books and a syndicated column in 400 outlets. His last two books "The Point Of It All" and "Things That Matter" were his most important to me.
Charles was limited physically from a spinal accident in his youth and battled cancer that eventually took his life. As he faced death over his last years his writing turned to what he thought was important. These books plus the book of Ecclesiastes got me thinking about my own life.
Do I take my own life for granted? How can I live it fully and what does that even mean? Does my life matter, do I matter? What happens after I'm dead? Is this it? These questions have occupied the thoughts of every living human since the beginning of time.
People have worshiped the elements, the earth and powerful people. Others have searched for God and the meaning of life. Today artificial intelligence, technology and space exploration has become it's own religion.
The fitness and health craze have become another form of religion. Health and fitness are important but worshiping our bodies is a form of Narcissism.
Narcissism named for Narcissus, a figure from Greek mythology who was so impeccably handsome that he fell in love with his own image in a pool of water, the original selfie.
The question today is; am I preserving my life and saving life for a rainy day, or am I living it?
We may have the worst of times because we can become complacent and distracted. Did we lose the sense of urgency to live a life that matters?
I don't think a short life is less meaningful then a long life. Compared to the thousands or billions of years lives have been lived there is little difference between 26 years and 86 years. The only difference may be the urgency to answer the eternal questions.
I personally do not believe this is all that there is. If I believed this was it what would be the point of right and wrong. I don't worship a score keeping God, I worship a God who says I am made in his image.
I don't know if that means arms and legs, fingers and toes or eyes and ears. This could be it but what I have found he means he has the same needs as I do, a need to love and be loved.
I trust he is good for his word not just that he exists. He said if I enter into his covenant and strive to keep my end of it I can be with him forever. I have no idea how that happens but I trust his word because he has always kept his promises by honoring his covenants throughout history.
I put my trust in this particular verse along with many others.
Jude 1:24 To him who is able to keep you (me) from stumbling and present you (me) before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy---
The baseball movie "The Natural" had a line about living two lives. "The life we learn with and the life we live with after that", I think I'm in the learning one right now.
If you are honest with yourself there is a question you must answer. Drowning it out or ignoring it takes it's toll. It is the most nagging question that is rarely discussed.
Sorry if I have pointed at the big fat smelly elephant taking a steaming dump in the middle of the room.
Finish your organic smoothy, climb off of your Peloton and go out and live your life, you have some questions to answer.
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