Tonight I went to see the new Batman movie and it was nothing short of amazing. That being said, there is something interesting that I learned. Our lives are so manipulated by the things around us that I think we completely lose track of what life is really about.
It is so easy to live and be happy when things are going well and according to plan but it seems as though we all fall apart when something we don't expect or didn't plan happens to us; when in reality that is when it is the most important to show who we are and what we stand for...I guess in that sense most of us do show our true colors. The problem is, those may not be our best moments, especially if our backs are to the wall.
In truth our lives shouldn't be spent trying to "become" something...they should be spent in "being" someone. We work so hard at want we want that we overlook the experiences we go through to get there. Even worse, we stop at intervals along the way to judge what our progress is based on our perception at that time of whether or not we think we will make it. How on earth can you do that? They say you start a journey of a hundered miles with one footstep...but there is no way that footstep is going to tell you whether or not you are going to make it the rest of the way.
I think that tonight, strangely, I learned that life is NOT about what you want to be, its about who you need to be. We will never be measured by our desire to be good, nice or charitable...we will be measured by the what we did at the times we needed to do something. I am always amazed by the people that say, I was going to stop and help but...{enter excuse}. It's as though saying that is enough to make it better. They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions. What about the road to heaven?
I don't think there is a road, I think its a staircase, better yet a ladder and its not about how high you climb; its about how many people you raise up on your shoulders. If we stop looking at who we WANT to be and evaluate whether or not we are the person others NEED us to be, then we will reach our true potential.
You can reach for the stars all you want...but only by lifting another will we ever get closer to them. (And yes, I just made that up.) ;-)
A while back I posted the video for this song...it is a truly amazing song. Brett Dennen has become a favorite of mine. I thought I would share his insight and poetry with you. The lyrics and song are by Brett Dennen, I list them here for you to read.
There ain't no reason things are this way. Its how they always been and they intend to stay. I can't explain why we live this way, we do it everyday. Preachers on the podium speakin' of saints, Prophets on the sidewalk beggin' for change, Old ladies laughing from the fire escape, cursing my name. I got a basket full of lemons and they all taste the same, A window and a pigeon with a broken wing, You can spend your whole life workin' for something Just to have it taken away. People walk around pushing back their debts, Wearing pay checks like necklaces and bracelets, Talking 'bout nothing, not thinking 'bout death, Every little heartbeat, every little breath. People walk a tight rope on a razors edge Carrying their hurt and hatred and weapons. It could be a bomb or a bullet or a pen Or a thought or a word or a sentence.
There Ain't no reason things are this way. It's how they always been and they intend to stay I don't know why I say the things I say, but I say them anyway. But love will come set me free Love will come set me free,*I do believe* Love will come set me free, *I know it will* Love will come set me free, yes.
Prison walls still standing tall, Some things never change at all. Keep on buildin' prisons, gonna fill them all, Keep on buildin' bombs, gonna drop them all. Working your fingers bear to the bone, Breaking your back, make you sell your soul. Like a lung that's filled with coal, suffocatin' slow. The wind blows wild and I may move, The politicians lie and I am not fooled. You don't need no reason or a three piece suit to argue the truth. The air on my skin and the world under my toes, Slavery stitched into the fabric of my clothes, Chaos and commotion wherever I go, love I try to follow.
Love will come set me free Love will come set me free, I do believe Love will come set me free, I know it will Love will come set me free, yes.
There ain't no reason things are this way It's how they always been and they intend to stay I can't explain why we live this way, we do it everyday.
There are so many references to the strife and situations that we face as a society. I hope that you were able to pick up on all of them. If you have any songs that you would consider modern poetry, I encourage you to post them.
Currently
listening
:
So Much More
By
Brett Dennen
Release date: 2006-11-21
I was on my way to the airport today. I purchased a sandwich the night before and kept it in the refrigerator for my trip down.When I began traveling I wasn't that hungry and I had let the sandwich sit for quite a while in the seat next to me. Well, about two hours into the trip I decided I was hungry and I opened up the sandwich and took a couple bites.It wasn't the most appetizing thing, the lettuce had begun to wilt, the meat was warmish and I decided that I wasn't really that hungry and placed the sandwich beck in its bag and left it on the seat.
As, I got closer the airport I realized that I needed to fill the gas tank in my rental to avoid paying for the rental agency to fill it up. I stopped at a gas station and began to fill up the tank. I stood filling my tank and a man came walking into the station with a garbage bag. He rummaged through the garbage cans pulling out recyclable containers. I thought I would be charitable and reached into my car and pulled out a plastic container for the vitamin water I drank on the way to the airport and offered it to the man. While grabbing my bottle, I saw the sandwich and a couple other things and decided I would throw those away. So I tossed them into the garbage can. The man continued around the gas station, stopping across from me. When he set his bag down to check his next can, I couldn't believe my eyes, I saw there among the discarded bottles and cans, the sandwich I had just thrown away.
Now, before anyone ruins my story by jumping down the wrong path, I want to let you know how ashamed I felt at that moment. It was the epitome of the line parents give to children, who don't eat their vegetables, "you better eat those, don't you know there are people starving, that would love to have that?" I didn't even think to offer the man my sandwich.I didn't eat it because, it wasn't to my liking. I was wasteful instead. Yet, this man had the humility to take what he could get.
I wonder if we are truly grateful, for what the Lord blesses us with.I we really grateful for every meal we get.How often do we pray before a meal and then complain during or after that there was something wrong with it.?I know that I am guilty of it, more frequently than I would like to admit. But, I never really considered it. I have to say that I was really struck by the situation today.
I think that I need to live a less decadent life, I think that I shouldn't be so wasteful and that I should learn what being grateful really means.
I think that too many times we keep our mouths shut when something needs to be said. I don't mean criticizing or laying into people when you are upset. I mean caring enough to say something to let them know that they are loved and important.
I think that in life we put up too many walls and isolate ourselves from others. Maybe its a defense mechanism. Maybe its fear...but we are all here trying to make sense out of life and figure it out. There is no manual, no directions.
We have to stop thinking about ourselves and think about others...effect change.
Stuck in an airport in Utah.... All of the flights are delayed...
That's what I am doing right now sitting in the Salt Lake airport. My flight is delayed as well as several others because of high wind advisories all across the Western United States. I have an extra couple hours that I don't have anything to do so I thought I would update everyone on what is going on with me.
We found a place in Lehi, UT. It's actually pretty nice. I moved in at the beginning of March but it is in the process of being upgraded. They are laying tile. I was excited about it at first but the person who is doing the work only works on Fridays and Mondays. It has take three weeks, still isn't finished and I haven't had a stove since. Kinda funny too, he put the toilet from the upstairs bathroom in the doorway to my closet with all my clothes so I have to climb over it everytime that I have to get dressed. I am amazed at what you can cook in the mmicrowave these days. I am also very grateful for the snack box at work. They have a basket full of snack food that has sustained me the last couple weeks.
This weekend is pretty big weekend. I am going home to work. I have to get stuff packed and have a garage sale. Hopefully we can raise enough money to pay for some of the move. It has become so expensive. I can't even believe it. It's stressful, but there aren't very many other options at this point. :-)
The company I work for is fantastic, I am currently working on a project for the church. Way cool...we start every meeting with a prayer. Wild! Anyway, we do all kinds of other things too and they are hiring so let me know if you are interested.
I think it is very interesing how sometimes in our lives things reach or call out to us in ways we don't expect. I was watchind TV tonight and a show came on that was featuring YouTube clips. They began to play this one clip and it involved the history of the song Amazing Grace. When my grandma past away, I suggested the song to be played at her funeral. It was my understanding that it was one her favorite songs.
I doubt my grandmother ever heard the story about the song, but for some reason I think that the song's meaning reached out to her in a way that I just discovered tonight. So even though she passed several years ago, I think I learned something from her tonight. Watch the video and I think you may learn something too.
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound That sav'd a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found, Was blind, but now I see.
'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, And grace my fears reliev'd; How precious did that grace appear, The hour I first believ'd!
Thro' many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come; 'Tis grace has brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home.
The Lord has promis'd good to me, His word my hope secures; He will my shield and portion be, As long as life endures.
Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail, And mortal life shall cease; I shall possess, within the veil, A life of joy and peace.
The earth shall soon dissolve like snow, The sun forbear to shine; But God, who call'd me here below, Will be forever mine.
I have often thought about what it would take to change the world to make it a better place not just for me and my chidren, but for people through out the world. Then I am overwhelmed and do nothing. I think that there are a lot of us who do nothing. What if the reality of what was out in the world was there for us to see everyday? What would I do then?
I was just thinking tonight about my children. My wonderful children who I miss so much. I kinda had this little trip down memory lane. I hope so much to watch them grow up and that I can make their lives fun. Every one of them are special and important in their own ways and I can't wait for them to move out here.
So, its been six weeks without soda, excercising, and trying to eat healthier. I feel like I am definitely getting stronger. I am lifting as much at the gym as I was in high school. I haven't quite gotten to the point I was when playing football in college and I'm not sure I ever will. I am changing my workouts a little next week, hopefully, I am going to try and do cardio in the mornings and then lift at night. I am hoping that I can give each a little more attention that way.
I was talking to a guy and he said that your body uses what it has available and then uses what it has stored for about 30 minutes and then it begins to start burning you muscle as it tries to kick into overdrive. The example is terrific...imagine this, you want to start a fire in your fireplace...your start with the stuff that burns easy (paper, cardboard that you have on hand)...then once you get the fire started you throw on logs that you have collected. Well you only have so many logs collected...once you burn them up you have to go collect more...unless of course you want to start throwing in furniture or pieces of your house.
He was more eloquent and actually made sense...since I have started working out my body fat percentage has dropped 18%...I don't even want to tell you what it started at. My goal isn't a specific weight or weight loss, it is a body fat percentage...I would like to hit less than 15% body fat. I think at 35 that is a good goal. I still have about 13% to go to meet that goal. Which is about 25-30lbs.
I still have about 8 weeks left before my family moves out here so I am hoping to continue my progress..I have also noticed that the gym has started to become a habit...like I feel like I can't miss going. I think that is a good thing.
For anyone out there contemplating losing weight, I encourage you to stop contemplating and do something about it. I am hoping that this change in my life will give me more time with my family in the future. If I can get up off my lazy but then I am sure you can too. :-)
Here is one of those moments in life you are just glad there was a video camera around and you have friend like Twitch. My embarassment it your gain.ENJOY!
I am so going to get in trouble for this, but it is easier to ask forgiveness than permission...or something like that.
While I have been away, I have given my family some scavenger hunt photo challenges. The last group of items being some more simple things, including some shapes. One of the shapes I gave them was a picture of six stars...my family being as creative as they are went above and beyond and came up with one of my favorite pictures to date...I am sharing it with you for its sheer smile factor...
Remember the challenge was take a picture of six stars...this is what they came up with. I share it with you as a proud father.
So, I’m actually starting this blog in week four because I wasn’t sure if I would continue going or not and I didn’t want to be embarrassed by quitting in front of everyone. That being said...I have gone on the bachelor diet. With being away from home for the last four weeks, I have been exercising four to six times a week every week. It has been death...the first couple weeks I couldn’t walk upright and I am slowly evolving to upright and hope to prove Darwin correct in just a few more weeks.
The problem is that when you look in the mirror every day, you really don’t see the changes you hope for with all your effort. However, when I went back to a picture I took the day I interviewed to come to Utah, I couldn’t believe it. Granted, it may not be the before and after pictures you see in diet ads, but it is progress none the less. SOOOO...I thought I would post this blog and see if any of you agree with me. If you are wondering whether or not I am fishing for compliments...think of it more as encouragement. So, if that goes against your rules of flattery than that’s OK too, everyone that doesn’t respond, I will assume you are speechless.
I have this song in my music collect...but I found the article on the internet. I think it is fantastic and I give kudos to the author cited below.
Everybody’s Free (to wear sunscreen) -Mary Schmich, Chicago Tribune
Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of ’97... wear sunscreen. If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be IT.
The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience.
I will dispense this advice now.
Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth. Never mind. You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded. But trust me, in 20 years you’ll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked.
You are NOT as fat as you imagine.
Don’t worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday.
Do one thing every day that scares you.
Sing.
Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts, don’t put up with people who are reckless with yours.
Floss.
Don’t waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind. The race is long, and in the end, it’s only with yourself.
Remember compliments you receive, forget the insults; if you succeed in doing this, tell me how.
Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements.
Stretch.
Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your life. The most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don’t.
Get plenty of calcium.
Be kind to your knees, you’ll miss them when they’re gone.
Maybe you’ll marry, maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll have children, maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll divorce at 40, maybe you’ll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary. Whatever you do, don’t congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself, either. Your choices are half chance, so are everybody else’s. Enjoy your body, use it every way you can. Don’t be afraid of it, or what other people think of it, it’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever own.
Dance. Even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room.
Read the directions, even if you don’t follow them.
Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly.
Get to know your parents, you never know when they’ll be gone for good.
Be nice to your siblings; they are your best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.
Understand that friends come and go, but for the precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography in lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you knew when you were young.
Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard; live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.
Travel.
Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will philander, you too will get old, and when you do you’ll fantasize that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were noble and children respected their elders.
Respect your elders.
Don’t expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund, maybe you’ll have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one might run out.
Don’t mess too much with your hair, or by the time you’re 40, it will look 85.
Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it’s worth.
