Forty Plus Miles

        Give yourself grace today. Remember where victories happened. Open faith in good even in hardships. Walking through good, constructive living. Sidenote: If any of the writing on this blog has made a good impact on your life in someway (EVEN if it was something you may have enjoyed reading for a particular reason), please feel free to share this blog with someone else who could be blessed also. Thank you for your support!

        When you can't, hope. When it's a struggle, believe. When it's unclear, trust. Rest in the faith that says believe regardless of circumstances, faith that isn't limited by ever changing variables that enter our lives, that cannot be stopped unless we choose unbelief. Believe; for such a faith is the bravest thing of all. Sidenote: If any of the writing on this blog has made a good impact on your life in someway (EVEN if it was something you may have enjoyed reading for a particular reason), please feel free to share this blog with someone else who could be blessed also. Thank you for your support!

            One thing, in the rush. One task, in the hurried. Sixty in a thirty and I'm slowing down again, for a moment again, to refocus. A million cars called thoughts and I'm looking at each one as they come, one by one. I'm listening as life moves all at once, adjusting speed and focusing in the rush; this is how to thrive.             The traffic of living may be busy, but I'll take it one by one, where I'll find life again in the rush.  Sidenote: If any of the writing on this blog has made a good impact on your life in someway (EVEN if it was something you may have enjoyed reading for a particular reason), please feel free to share this blog with someone else who could be blessed also. Thank you for your support!

 Hoping (6-Word Nonfiction Experiment) Hoping heat hinders. Praying perseverance prevails. Wonderously (6-Word Nonfiction Experiment) Maybe messy matters. Perhaps purpose prevails. Maybe meaning multiples, when weakness works wellness wonderously. Sidenote: If any of the writing on this blog has made a good impact on your life in someway (EVEN if it was something you may have enjoyed reading for a particular reason), please feel free to share this blog with someone else who could be blessed also. Thank you for your support!

         Mr. Morton needed a new pair of shoes. Looking over these well worn shoes he reflected on the stories they told in their broken state. The long walks with his wife before she passed. The marathon run with his brother to help him raise money and awareness for a debilitating disease he carried that needed treatment. The times he traveled to his children and grandchildren's homes, running around the backyards (and various other places) with his grandchildren. The many times he invested in his children with each visit to their homes, and the long walks they would take on occasion around their neighborhoods; stories of moments that spoke loudly to him.          He thought about those in his neighborhood, like his neighbor Steve that he was able to help with his vehicle when it had to be pushed to his house down the street after it had died (that was a hard task). He considered the many times he traveled to the senior center to simply...

 Nothing famous in this day. Still I'm writing regardless. Simply taking a moment to empty myself. Nothing famous in this day. No fancy words, just a worn life seeking expression. No great breakthroughs, just one trying to break through the busy and the hustling. Nothing famous in this day. Still I'm writing regardless. Sidenote: If any of the writing on this blog has made a good impact on your life in someway (EVEN if it was something you may have enjoyed reading for a particular reason), please feel free to share this blog with someone else who could be blessed also. Thank you for your support!

 Shaded sanctuary. Cautious cat. Heat hindered. Sidenote: If any of the writing on this blog has made a good impact on your life in someway (EVEN if it was something you may have enjoyed reading for a particular reason), please feel free to share this blog with someone else who could be blessed also. Thank you for your support!

       Sitting as one speaking stories of long ago, there remains the old place on the hill. The large old house of red brick stands steady yet worn, tired, though not enough to speak of it's long years long forgotten now. It speaks and none seem to listen....almost none. Years of lives lived there and it remains quiet, simply is, and this is it's final story.         Representing it's small "community" of dwellings, it stands to listen as they speak. I pass by and listen if they'll speak, though they never do. Only memories of old echo from their worn and tired frames, some old narrow trailer and a carport that seems to want to retire, though it can't; I pass by and listen to see if they'll speak.          Down the paved road just outside the city I pass by, listening to and watching the old memories of services long ago that were done there. I consider the brief encounters, the unusual encounters, the times travelled thr...

         I would try, faster and faster, as each one moved farther and farther forward, and I moved farther and farther back. No gears to apply. No tricks to try. Just some unimpressive bike, and unimpressive me. I wasn't meant to keep up though, only show up. If they stayed, it was for a reason. If they left, it was for a reason. Not necessarily bad or good; it just was.           Fast forward to now and I'm still trying to "keep up", when I just need to show up, give MY best, and live. Those who stay were meant to. Those who go weren't. I'm not famous, or genius level anything. I do have expertise God's granted me though, and I've better ways to "pedal" in life that help me do well and inspire others, whether I keep up with them or not.  Sidenote: If any of the writing on this blog has made a good impact on your life in someway (EVEN if it was something you may have enjoyed reading for a particular reason), please feel free to sha...

         One, two, three and I'll keep going. Four, five, six and I'll move again, put effort toward that thing again, that task done, that creative endeavor undertaken, not out of compulsion but enthusiasm, working my way toward a better way. Counting the times taken as creativity and productivity meet me here, where we journey together and find good and fun on this strange journey of a day one, two , three steps at a time. Sidenote: If any of the writing on this blog has made a good impact on your life in someway (EVEN if it was something you may have enjoyed reading for a particular reason), please feel free to share this blog with someone else who could be blessed also. Thank you for your support!

          From the rain, keep looking. When it's cloudy and storms of all kinds persist. From the fall, keep trying. When it's not pleasant and the weight of it all tries to crush hope; keep looking.           Keep looking; past the trials and hardships. Keep listening; to the voice of Hope again. Keep walking; through it all, where Hope does call, Jesus, the Great Redeemer. Keep looking for good and constructive, from the rain and storms of all kinds, both inside and out.  Sidenote: If any of the writing on this blog has made a good impact on your life in someway (EVEN if it was something you may have enjoyed reading for a particular reason), please feel free to share this blog with someone else who could be blessed also. Thank you for your support!

 Poem 1.) Finding (A Poetic Experiment) Forward from faith,  faith fighting fear,  finding freedom. Poem 2.) Embrace (A Poetic Experiment) Even encountering everyday endeavors, embrace encouragement, embrace endurance.  Poem 3.) Shorter (A Poetic Experiment) Shorter, small still, sharpening stanzas, slicing sloppiness. Poem 4.) Trying (A Poetic Experiment) Today, trying. Trying though tired. Trying to triumph. Trying today. Poem 5.) Look, Listen (A Poetic Experiment) Look, listen. Love looks. Love listens. Poem 6.) Something Still (A Poetic Experiment) Silly sounding syllables; speaking something still. Poem 7.) Walking (A Poetic Experiment) Walking, weary. Walking worn. Walking while working, where Wednesday waits with welcome. Poem 8.)  Pursue (An 11-Word Poetic Experiment) Pursue purpose; persisting past pain, past painful problems!  Pursue purpose passionately! Poem 9.) Rest (A Poetic Experiment) Rest, remember rest. Remember rightfully rest; rest readi...

          I saw the child before me, showing joy and innocence, present in the present and fully embracing jubilation even in the everyday. I witnessed the fun still evident in the fundamental responsibilities of daily living as the aging youth went about their day. I saw dancing, then the timid pulling back of a child-like nature. "Dance! Have fun! Don't be afraid of that!", I spoke unashamed to the child still evident within such a one, where a child-like nature dared to emerge from life "growing up".              I passed through and beheld the invitation to join in the fun of a day, innocent moments of pure childhood fun and the call to live beyond simply "getting stuff done". I saw, recognized it, and accepted fully, tooting the horn of "I see you, and I'll join in such welcoming time of play", allowing my inner child to "come out and play" for a while. Two kids jumped for joy with excitement as I drove past through an ord...