Now, let me clearly state that I am not a criminal nor do I endorse committing crimes. I was taught from a very early age that you “don’t do the crime, if you aren’t willing to do the time.” Keeping this in mind, I have never been able to think of a crime that was [...]
Like most people, when I read the Bible, I would gloss over the ‘and so and so begat so and so’ sections as they are very dry and hard to follow. But then it occurred to me that if God felt it important to list all that begetting, then it must be important. This made [...]
As each new year dawns, my mind is brought to think about a new beginning, a new start. I supposed I am not alone in this as the most common thing to do upon the new year is to make resolutions. I think psychologically that we look at the new year as a way to reset ourselves. It allows us to say to ourselves, that all our failures and mistakes over the last year do not matter and we will start fresh, start anew. For those that embrace this belief, it gives hope that things can change, that our life is not as miserable as we think because we can change it, starting now. Ironically, most people fail to actually change anything about their lives over the coming year. I guess it is the hope that is the important thing.
For me, this new beginning is always more poignant as I get depressed during the holiday time. Yes I admit that I am one of those people that get depressed at Christmas. Now understand, I do not get so depressed that I begin to think of thoughts of ending it all, but the depression does put me in the frame of mind to take a hard long look at my life. A few years ago, I hit the dreaded Mid Life Crisis (yes I am old enough to appreciate the movie ‘Lost In Translation’). Now, I didn’t get the ‘Divorce your wife, get a sports car and a 20 year old blond’ version of that affliction. No, instead I got the ‘make a list of things you want to do in your life’ variant. (This version of the crisis was much more appealing to my wife.) After I made the list, I went back in figured out why each item was on the list and it was very eye opening about myself (but that is another blog entry). Two years ago, I began working on that list. The first two items kind of went hand in hand: get back into shape (ie, lose 130 pounds) and participate in some endurance event. For the weight lose, I started with Weight Watchers, mainly because I was traveling for work and they didn’t require me to each special food that I would have to take with me. In that year I managed to lose 70 pounds. For my endurance event, my thought was to do some long distance bicycle race. Running a foot race was the last thing on my mind as I did not like running. Well, when you are travelling all the time, it become problematic to haul around a bicycle with you to train with. Most hotels have an exercise room (and the elliptical equipment is almost always busy), so I started using the treadmill. As it turned out, the project I was one, many of my co-workers were marathon runners. including the guy that was sitting next to me. In fact, he could be called a marathon maniac. However, the title of maniac implies someone that eats, drinks, breaths and thinks only marathons and that is not this guy. Although he as run over 27 marathons in his life (and a could of ultra marathons), he had the best attitude about marathon running. If you look at books and magazines on running marathons, they all talk about running faster, like that is all that matters in a marathon. This guy’s attitude was not about running the fasted marathon, it was about just finishing the marathon and having fun doing. He was (and is) a great coach and I am proud to say a dear friend. With his help, I managed to run a 1/2 marathon that same year. This last year, I managed to run another 1/2 marathon in the spring before I hurt my foot and was forced off my feet. As for my weight loss, that has stalled over the last year. So, that is where I am at today, with two of my life goals being 1/2 done and I am not happy about it.
I think the key for anyone in meeting a goal is to understand what motivates you. What makes you do something. For me, I am a deadline kind of person. If I make a date to reach a goal, then I will work hard to make that goal (especially if there is money involved like spending money for admission for a marathon). Now, believe it or not, you do NOT have to be in shape to run a marathon (not if your only goal is to finish). However, since losing the weight is another goal and the two go so well together, those are my goals (resolutions?) for this year. Of course, if I am going to make it, then I need to set a deadline. And that deadline is May 15. That is when the Famous Idaho Potato Marathon is. It is a local marathon (so I get to sleep in my own bed) and I did the 1/2 marathon last year. I have 18 weeks till the big race.
Dear Santa,
After doing some work on my roof, I now understand why, in the three years that I have lived in this house, you have never stopped. I can appreciate your concern for your safety and the the safety of your rain-deer, but please be informed that neither my wife, nor myself were involved in trying to pop a cap into you upon your last visit (please see attached photo of bullet found embedded in shingle of my house). My wife and I hold no ill will towards you and look forward to your visit this Christmas.
Sincerely,
Mike Chrisman
PS. Please reiterate my deepest apologies to Rudolf for my comments that caused our last altercation. It was very inconsiderate of me to tell him how much I enjoy rain-deer sausage for breakfast and do not blame him for attacking me. I am very sorry for my rudeness and hope he can forgive me.
Dear Uncle Scrooge,
I have been giving your last letter a lot of thought. I think you might be right that in my quest to find the true meaning of Christmas, I have found but overlooked the real answer. In comparing the acts of celebration today with the Bible, I found that although they did not line up, there were Bible verses that made it all right. Of course I am talking of 1 Corinthians 10:
31 Therefore whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense, either to the Jews, or to the Greeks or to the church of God; 33 even as I please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, so that they may be saved.
At first, I thought these to be just catch-all verses, but now I think they is the key to Christmas. On the surface, these verses would appear to be a way that a Christian can get away with doing anything, but these verses go much deeper. They are not a license to do anything but rather are guideline on how to tell if what you are doing is right. These verse are very clear that it is not about the act but about the heart. The Bible states this more clearly in Matthew 15:
17 Do you not yet understand that whatever enters in at the mouth goes into the belly, and is cast out into the waste-bowl? 18 But the things which come out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile the man. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies; 20 these are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.
Clearly God is saying that what is in your heart matters and not what you say or what you do. Our intensions matter more than our actions (although our actions to do matter).
So what does this have to do with the true meaning of Christmas? The secret to the holiday is not what you do or even why. The secret is in your relationship with God. If we have an active relationship with God then our hearts will rejoice at Christmas and it will not matter what we do. If however, a person lacks that close relationship with God, then the holiday can hold no meaning as without God in our hearts, there is not meaning in Christmas. It is clear that the place for me to search for the meaning of Christmas is to work on my relationship with God. Christmas is not in any action, any carol, any gift, or any lights or decoration. Christmas is found in the hearts of men when God dwells within.
I want to thank you for your guidance and wisdom in this issue. I see now how I must proceed. I hope all is well with you and wish you a very Merry Christmas.
Your loving great nephew
E. Cliff