Lots of lessons this week; seems like there are always lessons. And often they seem to be repeats. Maybe we keep learning the lessons we need most?

I round out another week, thinking about the mistakes I made, the things I could have done better, the victories I had, the tidbits of getting better I picked up.  I think about the highs and the lows with my family, with a co-worker, with those around me otherwise.

Many of the lows are in my own head, my own perception or reaction to things that occurred.   What could I have done differently?  How could I have handled things in a more balanced manner, taken more of the active high road, lived up to being my best self more often?  It’s a weekly, daily, even hourly journey and path we must stay on to be that best self.  Would that I could be that more often.

And then in the end, Friday afternoon became Friday evening on a field at Hoover.  Our kids playing with their teammates, getting ready for another Saturday soccer game.

There’s been challenges there too; tough getting a bunch of kids who don’t know each other, haven’t played much soccer, and aren’t terribly enthusiastic about playing the game to do so. Then again, that’s how you learn. Try, fail, keep trying.

Good lessons all around. And here’s to the weekend now. Make it GOOD.

I value it so SO much: Quiet Time. Sometimes I don’t get much, so when I do, I try to savor it all the more.

I get up pretty early on work days, but otherwise I love the roll over for another hour of ZZZZZs. If magic happens at my house and everyone is in bed with lights out early, say before 9pm, the joy is palpable in the room. It’s scribble a few words down (like now), read a couple pages, and boom, lights out.

For sure it’s not just kids who benefit from Quiet Time. For sure I benefit from it too. Whether after dark and in bed early or up early before the sun, or sitting in my car or a vacant conference room reading…Quiet Time is GOOD.

Got a little this week; maybe I can find a little more this weekend.  Fingers crossed. GOOD.

This song is the first one on a playlist my wife created to get fired up.

Mission Accomplished, I’ll say that.  Our kids love the music, and so do I. Our oldest said recently, “Mom, these songs have a lot of power…”, or something like that.

Yes honey, YES THEY DO.  And this one kicks it off…

The Champion by Carrie Underwood, featuring Ludacris;

Lyricists:  Brett James, Carrie Underwood, Chris DeStefano, Christopher Bridges

I’ll be the last one standing

Two hands in the air, I’m a champion

You’ll be looking up at me when it’s over

I live for the battle, I’m a soldier, yeah

I’m a fighter like Rocky

Put you flat on your back like Ali

Yeah, I’m the greatest, I’m stronger

Paid my dues, can’t lose, Imma own ya, ay

I’ve been working my whole life

And now it’s do or die

I am invincible, unbreakable

Unstoppable, unshakeable

They knock me down, I get up again

I am the champion

You’re gonna know my name

You can’t hurt me now

I can’t feel the pain

I was made for this, yeah, I was born to win

I am the champion

When they write my story

They’re gonna say that I did it for the glory

But don’t think that I did it for the fame, yeah

I did it for the love of the game, yeah

And this is my chance I’m taking

All them old records I’m breaking

All you people watching on the TV

You go ahead and put your bets on me, ay

I’ve been waiting my whole life

To see my name in lights

I am invincible, unbreakable

Unstoppable, unshakeable

They knock me down, I get up again

I am the champion

You’re gonna know my name

You can’t hurt me now

I can’t feel the pain

I was made for this, yeah, I was born to win

I am the champion, oh

Born champion, Luda

The C is for the courage I possess through the drama

H is for the hurt but it’s all for the honor

A is for my attitude working through the patience

Money comes and goes so the M is for motivation

Gotta stay consistent, the P is to persevere

The I is for integrity, innovative career

The O is optimistic, open and never shut

And the N is necessary ’cause I’m never giving up

See they ask me how I did it, I just did it from the heart

Crushing the competition, been doing it from the start

They say that every champion is all about his principles

Carrie

I am invincible, unbreakable

Unstoppable, unshakeable

They knock me down, I get up again

I am the champion

You’re gonna know my name

You can’t hurt me now

I can’t feel the pain

I was made for this, yeah, I was born to win

I am the champion

I’m the champion, yeah

Surpassed all rivals

It’s all about who wants it the most (I am the champion)

Fight for what we believe in

That’s what champions are made of

I am the champion

Eighteen years ago America was attacked.

Almost 3,000 people were killed in that attack.

We came to understand in an ugly, vicious, and history-changing way how much hatred there is for the country by some others.

Those haters, those evil-doers, are still out there.

America is still at war EIGHTEEN years later fighting the extremism that attacked America in 2001.

In that war alone more than 2,000 US soldiers have died; more than 20,000 US soldiers have been wounded.

And that’s not the only place this hatred lives. And that’s not only place blood has been spilled fighting the hate.

And so as an American I ask myself, what is our future? How do we battle the evil but also address the hatred.

I don’t know. But I know we have to figure it out. That’s the only way we can really protect ourselves. Changing the minds. And fighting the hate.

I started this blog five years and two months back.  The first post was 10 July, 2014.  Our third child had been born a few months prior; now all three are in grade school.   My wife and I had been married just about six years;  we’ll soon be celebrating eleven years of marriage.

A lot of life has been lived, that’s for sure.

The blog has certainly had it’s ebb and flow.  The publishing hasn’t always been consistent — though now I’m on a pretty good run started recently — with full intent to keep the content churning, as my mind buzzes along and more to share comes to mind.

That said, we did recently pass over the 500th post; that says something about the volume of content produced.

And so a reminder as to why I started five years back, seems appropriate to share the content of my first post.  The mission hasn’t changed.  MORE GOOD.    Thanks for coming along.

From 10 JULY 2014:  “Half Full, All GOOD:  What’s it All About”

“Half Full, All GOOD” was a phrase that came to my mind some time ago as perhaps the most succinct description of the attitude I try to maintain, and energy I try to share with those around me.
The gist of phrase (and the blog, the tweets, the message, the mission) is to find and share positive stories woven through our shared humanity. The Half Full, All GOOD Blog will do just that:

Encourage others to…

Think Positive.

Be thankful.

Maintain a Positive Perspective.

Find good things where ever and whenever you can.

Look on the bright side.

And bundle all that GOOD up, to share it with those around you.

Such a path in life will create more GOOD.

That’s what I offer, that’s what I’m about, that’s why I’m here.

Hope you take a little good away when you leave, and spread it around.

And come back often to get more.  I got plenty more where that came from.”

–END–

Yep, I still got buckets to share.  Come back often for sure.

Look forward to seeing you.

“Full Gas!” You hear pro cyclists make this reference frequently. It means racing all out, up tempo the whole way.

The second, two-word phrase is the motto of Lions International, and all of the 45,000 plus clubs that make up the world of Lionism.  Over a million people committed in the service of others.  We Serve.

Service comes in many, MANY ways; at the core of all efforts, if we’re doing it right, is that we focus on filling a need, attending to someone who needs a hand.  Lions are called the “Knights of the Blind” — first given this title by Helen Keller in 1925 — and from then until now we have always had a special concentration on sight-related issues.

But there are many other issues and causes and emergencies where Lions step in to lend a hand.  From the most basic — like having clean water — to the unexpected — like dealing with the aftermath of a massive hurricane — to providing free health services, resources for education, and on and on and on…

This past weekend one of the local Lions clubs in the Santa Clara Valley (a.k.a. Silicon Valley), the Cupertino De Anza Lions Club — held a local charity bike ride to raise awareness and funds for programs that fight diabetes.  The Ride 4 Diabetes featured some fifty volunteers coming together to produce an event with about 100 riders on three different routes, all out to enjoy a Sunday morning bike ride. It was a successful event, and a great foundation for the event to be held annually.

We were full gas from start to finish.

I was out early with another volunteer putting out route signs in the pre-dawn darkness.  Many other volunteers showed up just as the sun was coming up to set up. The guy I was with early had me drop him off at his house nearby, and then road the ride as well. Full Gas.

Several hours later we were gathering up those signs, breaking down rest stops, etc.   I got a bit sun-baked, but otherwise felt good about the efforts and certainly the event and so much good work done by so many good people.

Simple enough.  Full Gas. WE SERVE.

“…And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”  This simple instruction came from Jesus talking about following his path and teachings.

It states a very direct and explicit call to face life’s difficulties and handle them according to the lessons Jesus left us:  Love God; Love one another; Be humble toward God and others; Help those who need help, those who have less than you do; Speak truth to power.

I’m no scripture buff, and certainly not an expert otherwise on things biblical, but I think the reference to “carrying one’s cross” is a distinctly Christian reference.  That said, it’s a mentality that really applies to everyone, not just believers of Christ.

Confront your fears. Face difficulty with courage and intent to persevere.  Do not let life’s trials dissuade you from living and acting according to your true beliefs.   “Carry your cross” means carry your burden forward.  Do not shy away from your goals because it is difficult, even like carrying a heavy wooden cross.

Be not afraid.   Let’s go forward, together.

—

Full Gospel Reading for 09/08/2019:  Luke 14:25-33.