Gratefully

Yellow, red, cold, dying; of changing days the signs are clear
Surely a season of reflection, Thanksgiving is here
The world in its ways claim a year of nothing but bad
Bankrupt nations, wars, and occupation; it's natural to be sad

Of personal note, please let me competently say
Tasting success in business and baseball is well underway
Children growing strong and marriage passionately sweet
Challenges at home and maturing faith makes life valuable and complete

Family together loving and healthy.  We all cheer
A spring break in New York City make new memories so dear
Starting Upside and coaching a blessing hands down
Instructing the best this summer down in Tiger Town

Serving in the Queen City new life is carefully seeded
Uptown is the spot where God's call is faithfully heeded
Reminded of His provision and grace overwhelmingly
A full year, so much, so good I offer this gratefully

Running Again: What I've Learned

Running is hard on the body.  Being an amateur I did not know what I was doing when I started the long distances some 4 years ago.  I have learned some things along the way but still consider myself a novice.

There is nothing like adversity to teach the lessons that stick.  I have had my share.  I am just now back on the running trail after a year of recovering from some hip issues.  The miles of pounding caught up to me.  I am running again and feeling great.

From me to you the lessons I have learned:
#1)  Know your body.  Your body has its own voice.  Listen carefully and respond accordingly.  I am the kind of guy that reads line by line the instructions on the build/fix it yourself project and will not deviate from it.  Running smarter means backing off when my energy level is down or cutting back the mileage when my knees start barking.  Adjust the running program to fit your body on any given day.  I have learned that because of my hip issues I need more rest in between runs, especially in preparation for a long run.  I may not run the prescribed distances during a given week but when I run my performance is good, physically and mentally.

#2)  Engage your mind.  The hardest part about running is not the physical but the mental.  Strengthening the mind is an important component of distance running.  I have tried lots of things to get stronger mentally.  I read, constantly.  This helps...I think.  I have loaded my ipod with the typical motivational tunes to cheer me on.  I have also listened to familiar music to keep me comfortable and entertained.  I have even gone wireless.  No earbuds, period.  The familiar stuff tends to neither motivate nor entertain.  For me, it becomes background noise for my brain to focus on the physical and mental distress of the moment.

Here is where I should say that I do not run recreationally.  This is not fun.  Competition is fun, but running is not.  It is for the competition effect plus the health benefits that I run.

Back to the tunes.  Lately, I am running to the orchestral sounds of Tchaikovsky.  Because I am not familiar with the music--it is richly complex--my mind becomes engaged.  Locked in and focused my run suddenly moves along hardly noticing the physical demands required.  My best thinking comes while running.  Ideas, plans, prayers, and even questions flow more readily.  May I recommend Tchaikovsky's masterpiece opera, Eugene Onegin?

#3)  Ignore time during training.  I am so competitive that this is a tough one.  My über competitive spirit probably is the chief cause of my running injuries.  Running hard too soon not only wears the joints prematurely but wears out the mind when seeking top performance every day plus on race day.  Just put the miles in and forget the time.  The time is irrelevant until you cross the start line.  Do the work of conditioning and preparation during training.  Compete during the race.  Maybe this is not practical advice for those of you trying to qualify for Boston.  I care deeply about time, but for now have learned not to care during training.  I will save up all that energy for the Pig.

With the words of Forrest Gump, an avid runner himself, I will conclude.

Now, you wouldn't believe it if I told you, but I could run like the wind blows.  From that day on, if I was going somewhere, I was running.

Triple W: A Philosophy of Winning

There is a beautiful passage in Isaiah that has inspired me.  More than that, these poetic (and purposeful) words have reminded me of God's confirmation of His favor in my life.

The spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
Because the Lord has anointed me
To bring good news to the afflicted;
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn,
To grant those who mourn in Zion,
Giving them a garland instead of ashes,
The oil of gladness instead of mourning,
The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting.
So they will be called oaks of righteousness,
The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.
Isaiah 61:1-3 (NAS)

A friend and I recently shared a breakfast table discussing the dwindling influence of the (lower case) church and exploring examples from other friends of how God is on the move within the (upper case) church.  My friend and I are encouraged to know confirmation of God's favor by granting us success in our desired interests.  A new (old) model of ministry, my friend explained, falls outside the context of organizational church but into the places where Christians live and work.

This conversation corresponds with the triple W philosophy of winning, which is a "map" to getting to that ultimate place of personal ministry.

The first stop on the road to personal victory is to Watch.  Study and learn.  Be attentive with eyes and ears, listening carefully to the voice of God.  Observe every detail about others, and especially yourself.  Know yourself inside and out, even at the risk of being confronted with scars, warts and deeply embedded thorns.  The person who ought to know me best is me.  Seeing the living God at work in my life is the point of the Watch.  The process of making sense of identity and being (coming to terms with the real me) pumps fresh energy into this otherwise mundane existence.

Next, while the Watch is on, the Work must begin and never end.  Success demands hard work. You knew that already.  The observations that have been made now require some analysis and conclusions.  Form a game plan, adjust when necessary and put in both the time and effort enacting that plan toward the goal.  The goal, remember, was/is being realized while watching.  The Work then is thinking, decision making, trial and error, networking, risk taking; in other words, blood, sweat and tears.

Finally, while watching and working, it is also important to Wait.  This stop on the road can either be the easiest or hardest.  For some, to wait is a positive spin on just being lazy, and so becomes a justified step although misguided.  For others, impatience makes waiting almost impossible.  This is tricky.  Waiting is simply developing patience and not jumping too quickly or too slowly at opportunities.  It is sifting through the mine of glowing rocks discovered at the Work stop and determining if the rocks are gems or just shiny rocks.  Waiting requires productive inaction.  Wait, this does make sense.  Waiting requires action but of the wise sort.  It is being smart and letting the best stuff come to you.

Watch--Work--Wait.  Winning means success and living a life that comes a little easier on most days because despite the normal challenges, being what God intended is so refreshing and exciting and inspirational and productive.  The Church marches on as we serve and love each other, sinner and saint alike, enjoying the fabric of our own skin.  Not hiding behind the walls of history or being threatened by the noose of doctrine, the Church lives and breathes and praises God by simply offering the greatest gift we can give...ourselves.

Finding Pleasure in the Grind

How do you get from here to there?

Pursuing dreams and realizing goals accomplished is of course an important pursuit.  And for those who are into all that "chase your dreams" stuff, that pursuit is a valid answer to the above question.  I've written a post or two about goals and dreams and chasing in the past, so I won't add on here to that specific discussion.

The question persists.  Aside from cheating and behavior unbecoming of a decent human being (if there is such a thing--decency that is) how does one accomplish anything of value?  Answer:  Pay attention to the little things in life and find enjoyment in those small moments.  I like to refer to the day-to-day movements of life as the "grind."  To find pleasure in the grind means to find purpose in tasks that are as interesting as grandmother's sea shell soap that you're not allowed to use.  The mundane needs to be welcomed, not pushed away for some opportunity that never comes.  Know your routine and follow that guide daily.  In fact, create a routine that is made of building blocks.  Stack daily successes one on top of the other until those blocks have created something of beauty.

An aspiring gourmet chef must scrub pots and pans for a long while before their opportunity to inventory produce comes.  A salesman must make call after call after call (repeat) before getting that one 15 minute appointment with a potential customer.  A parent must communicate and model their expectations to their children every day for 18 plus years before sending them out into the world alone.

Seth says to "First Make Rice" and Dan interviews Josh Shipp and explains this concept in terms of breaking it down into smaller parts.  Both of these individuals I read regularly and believe you should too.  These guys are much smarter than me.

Don't wait until your desired creation emerges to enjoy it.  Love it now before it's fully formed.  Like an artist, excel in the craft of creating.  Find joy in the process.  Grind it out.  The end of a 162 game baseball season will come.  When the end arrives maybe you'll find yourself in the playoffs.

Do what you have to do today or else tomorrow won't matter.

A Table

(poem written for and enclosed in the birthday card to my wife)

A Table

Standing in a room, stoic and strong
The grains move about like a well written song
Legs four always together and never bending
The top smooth and useful, ever extending

A grand host so many things to do
Place settings for family meals, especially cheese fondue
Clean and clear for Lego pieces piled up
Quiet for family to talk over a steaming cup

A piece of furniture, it holds an esteemed place
The centerpiece of the home, a symbol of grace
Not a spot to stash and store junk waiting to get rid of
But a gathering place for all to receive love, love, love