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“He always lived with his head in the clouds.”

“The here and now is all that matters.”

What do you see?

Do you see the cornstalk and the perfect symmetry of nature in the details of the curl?

Or, is the stalk an obstruction to the beauty of the colors on the horizon and do you wish what was beyond the “now” was clearer? 

Or, do you see the immediate and the distant in balanced totality?

 The present, “the now”; and the future, “the then”, are part of God’s divine plan for our lives and a fundamental part of His creation.  God integrated balance through symmetry (and demonstrated balance in the contrast of asymmetry) in all of creation.  But as His highest form of creation and in the exercise of our free will, we must maintain a balance between the present and the future. 

If we are myopic as to the present, we ignore the far-reaching impact of our decisions on the lives of others.  If our farsightedness overlooks the present and sees only the future, we lose our sense of purpose. We become an unproductive dreamer and wander aimlessly through our present.

The necessary balance is found when we realize each of our present actions, choices and decisions combine progressively to create our personal future; and therefore, each “now” is added to the next “now” to determine our “then”.

Each of our actions and decisions does change the course of all mankind. It may do it only incrementally and without recognition; but it does change the course of history.  Every event is the beginning of a sequence of events put into motion by the first. If we choose to say or do “something” today, the rest of our personal history is determined in part by that decision.  Likewise, if we choose not to say or do “something” today, our personal history is rewritten from that version which would have existed if we had chosen to say or do that “something”.

Therefore, our choices which create our personal history, even those that appear to be insignificant, are significant in the course of history.  Each affects the future of all mankind.  The “history of the world” is the sum of all the personal histories combined.  And thus, logically, the smallest change in one decision can produce a significant change when combined with all other histories.

Our choices are not made in a vacuum; but are often affected by our focus – on the present, rather than the future; or vice versa, or possibly a balanced view of both.  Great power lies in the exercise of choice.  Decisions made with a balance perspective – of both the present and the future – can positively influence our own personal history; and consequentially, we alter the course of all mankind.

Just imagine, you and I can (and do) change history!

LivExceptionally,

Chris

Being addicted to taking pictures and always searching for the first “perfect photo” and/or the next “really good photo”, I decided I was going to find a good location without obstruction to photograph the sunset last night.  I opened the door to my truck and Cinch and Cowboy eagerly jumped in to keep me company.  The first stop had a good view; but I was too late and the sun had already disappeared over the horizon.  The next stop had a better view; but again, I was too late.  Next thing I know, I’m gunning my truck on gravel roads; power-sliding through turns; and heading farther west and farther from home. 

I finally “caught up” and I jumped out of my truck; ran out in a field; dropped down to my knees to get the right angle; snapped thirty or forty pictures; and the sunset was already gone.  I ran back to my truck; turned around in the middle of the road; and headed further west. 

Three or four minutes later, I found another great view.  I jumped out again and “click, click, click” from the bed of my truck later, I was back in the truck and gunning it again.  For the next 40 minutes, I crisscrossed countless country roads chasing a sunset.

As I drove back home with only a glow left on the horizon in my rearview mirror, I thought “Chris, you were just chasing a sunset.  How stupid is that?”  In reality, I never came close to “catching” the sunset.  It was actually thousands of miles away from me, even when I thought I was close.

But, then I thought – “Isn’t that what most of us do all the time?”

We chase something we can never catch. 

We can appreciate the beauty of it.  We can enjoy its brilliance.  We can relax with it at the end of the day; but we can never catch it no matter how hard we try or how long we are willing to chase it.  It only lasts a few moments.  It is here; and it is gone.

The sunset only represents the end of another day filled with sunshine.  It gets all the glory, all the attention and all the memories.  Everyone stops to appreciate the fleeting beauty of its multi-colored luminescent streaks and threads; but take for granted all the preceding moments of warm sunshine.  It’s the emotional stimulation of a beautiful sunset that we are drawn to; but the consistent moments of sunshine provide life-giving and sustaining power to our lives.

“Chasing sunsets” is how many of us approach relationships.  We want the romantic charge of the sunset rather than the preserving energy of the sun throughout the day.  It’s the “warm fuzzies” that we crave, not the contentment of a lasting relationship.  But in the end, it’s the sunshine of the entire day, not the fleeting moments of a sunset that will nurture us; keep us living exceptionally; and allow us to develop as we were divinely designed.

LivExceptionally (no, it’s not spelled wrong),

Chris

So, what was He saying today?

I think it was more a summary of the weekend, than something new.  He was saying “don’t waste any time and don’t fail to appreciate each moment”.  That was reiterated in a great e-mail from a dear friend I read this morning of how many seconds are in each day and how they are a gift to us daily.

This weekend was “nothing special” in that there were no monumental moments, developments or changes in my life.  But, there were moments that came and now have gone, never to be repeated.  And thus, each is unique and to be treasured. 

So, Cinch being his unusual “bratty self” on Saturday on my way to Anderson, but sitting on my lap as I drove down the road was uniquely special; not because he hadn’t been a brat or set in my lap before, but because he wanted to do it again.

Listening to a horse being chosen for a $2 bet based on their names, like “Dingalingaling” and “Oh Lord” was uniquely special, not because the horse won (cause they didn’t), but because there was laughter during the selection process. 

Listening to Chalisa sing on Sunday with Jeremy Morris and Harvest Road Band at a Pumpkinfest with a bunch of city folk acting like they were from the country was special, not because I hadn’t heard her sing before; but because I got to hear her sing again.

And, even posting again today is special because I was privileged to say something new (or a little the same) to anyone who chooses to read.  And therefore, if you are reading this you’ve allowed me to be a part of your day.

Thank you for making my day unique and special.

 Live Exceptionally,

Chris

Since I was a boy, I’ve always loved railroad tracks.  My dad and I would walk them together hunting groundhogs and rabbits.  Many significant conversations from a father to a son, which contributed to the man I am becoming, happened on a path just like the one I walk alone.  In fact, my dad had the “birds and the bees” conversation with me on a railroad track.  Those tracks are no longer there; but the path remains the same.

And when I would hunt with my dad as a little boy in the snow, I would try to walk in his tracks because it was easier walking where dad had walked than off the path.  And now, although his tracks are no longer visible, his path remains the same. 

In addition to my dad, other influential people have left tracks before me.  Some have been recent and some in the distant past.  Some I knew; some I only knew of; read their works; heard their talks; or experienced in some other way.  They may be gone, as well as their tracks, but the path blazed in my life by each of them remains the same.

And hopefully, as I also walk with a new sense of purpose and direction in my life; and as I leave tracks behind me, others will find my path worth following.  And, my path will remain the same.

Each step we take leaves a track, and collectively our tracks create a path.  Whether we like it or not, someone – a child, a partner, or someone that looks up to us – is watching our steps and may choose to follow our path.  We can only hope when it’s all said and done and their journey is over, they will find our path they chose was worth following because our path remained the same.

Live Exceptionally,

Chris

But as I look back on it now, there were two things that kept me from being a better barrel racer: one, I was more worried about knocking a barrel down than I was excited about running a fast time; and two, I never let myself just have fun.  Failure was a dark cloud that loomed over every arena and the possibility of a clean run.

Since I was a child, the fear of failure has robbed me of the joy of a success; whether it was on a grade school test, the next courtroom battle as an attorney, or something as relatively insignificant as a barrel run at a local show.  But failing was failing! Regardless of the size of the failure, the distaste of a bad run stayed fresh through a whole weekend; but the sweetness of a great run lasted only till I saddled up for the next one.  I could never savor success; but the bitterness of failure remained.

I’ve always thought there was a lot to learn from horses; and I guess, there’s a lot to learn from barrel races. There have been times away from the dirt, the barrels and a time clock, that I’ve been so anxious over the possibility of failing, that there was no way that I could succeed.  And if by chance and against the overwhelming force of self-perceived, impending failure, I did succeed; the celebration and reward would be very short-lived.

Does it really matter if the barrels are standing or we hit the “trifecta”, and all three barrels are lying down in the dirt?

Unless you’re a professional, leaving the barrels up won’t pay the bills; but knocking over all three won’t mean that you can’t drive home and load up to do it again the next weekend. 

But letting yourself enjoy the run – barrels standing or not – will serve as a reward in and of itself; if (and it’s a huge “if” for me but hopefully not for you), we can just enjoy it completely without consideration of the barrels. 

And, when we enjoy it for what it is; then we have reached a point where we have moved from “just existing” to “truly living” (or as I like to say, “We have begun to ‘Live Exceptionally’!”)

If you can’t read to the end, then please, stop reading now and save yourself the frustration and/or dismay.

Why are animals better than people?

Because they enjoy the moment!

Saturday, Cowboy and Cinch had to be in the “shop” all day because I was at the Atlanta Earth Festival.  Before you get sideways on me, the “shop” is a 40′ x 60′ pole barn with concrete floors.  They were given ample food, water and bones to chew on.  So, please do not call the Humane Society and report abuse!

When I got home, both of them jumped up and down; wagged their respective stubby tails; and couldn’t wait for some time with me.  Initially, the “time” lasted only a few minutes, as I was unpacking. But they were not only satisfied with the time we had shared, but followed me everywhere “helping” me with my tasks.  An hour later, we had more time for rubbing and petting, and once again they were completely satisfied with a few minutes.

When it came time for me to go to bed, Cowboy was on one side of me on the bed and Cinch was on the other.  When I woke up they were both cuddled up close to me.  When I put them outside on a cold fall morning, neither one of them was mad at me for “putting them out”.  And amazingly, when I let them back in, they were just as excited to see me as they had been the evening before.

They do not look at this moment from a perspective of the events before or after it.  They are focused on this moment.  And because they are, they are able to enjoy completely this moment for everything it is.  There is no “what have you done lately” to them.  Nor is there any “what are you going to do for me tomorrow” to them, either.

I have not completely lost my mind (yet); so I do recognize that they do not have concerns like we do.  They are not concerned with how to feed themselves because we do it.  They know they will have a roof over their head.  And fortunately for them, they have no bills.  Their life is truly “carefree”.  In that way, they are just like children.

On Saturday, walking around the festival, Nick was just as entertained by a $1 toy consisting of a one cent balloon half filled with free water on the end of a one cent rubber band attached by a loop to his finger (which also made one of the most annoying noises ever), as he would have been playing on a $300 Xbox 360 system with a $60 game stuck in it.  That’s how we need to live more. 

If we are able to be with someone we love, why worry about when the next time will be?  When we get time with someone who we’ve not seen for a long time, why rob ourselves of the joy of the moment by focusing on how long it has been?  

Dogs, may be “man’s best friend”, but they can teach us, just like everything else in God’s creation, if we just pay attention.

Thanks Cowboy and Cinch!  You can send me the bill for the lesson.

Well, God works in mysterious ways, doesn’t He?

Yesterday at the Atlanta New Earth Festival, a lady and three other people walked into my booth.  We began talking; and finally the conversation led to the “USMC” logo on my jacket.  She then introduced herself as Cheryl Atwell, mother of this fallen American soldier.

Over the next 20 minutes, we talked and bragged about our children; we cried; we spoke proudly of the United States Marine Corp and our children’s decisions to enlist; and she gave heartfelt, eyes-full-of-tears advice about “just loving and enjoying our kids everyday”.  I told her about my post and said, “I wrote ’given the chance, I’d say one thing – ‘I’m praying for you’.”  She took my hand and said, “that’s all you can say.”

I’m privileged to have met her and her family.

Thank you, Cheryl Atwell, for giving your son to serve our country.  I’m sure that you never envisioned this tragic end; but somehow looking in your eyes, I know, even considering the loss you have suffered, you are still proud of his service; how he lived and died.”

Semper Fi!

.”

I’ve never liked funerals, memorial services or any other ceremony that goes along with death.  I recognize their social significance, but when families are at their weakest, we asked the most of them.  And no matter how many times I’ve been placed in this situation, I’ve always been at a loss as to what to say to the surviving family members.

But on this beautiful today that whispers the coming of fall and as I walked along with my dogs; I realized not only the power, but the inadequacy of our words.  As I looked toward the Community Prayer event in Kokomo this evening, I wondered what it would be that I would say given the chance to speak to the parents of Sgt. Bradley Atwell, USMC.

And after much contemplation, I realized that no matter how eloquent and carefully chosen my words might be and no matter how much emotion they might carry as they were spoken, they would be completely inadequate today.

I could say “thank you” for the service of their son to our country; but in the enormity of their personal suffering and loss, my gratitude would seem woefully understated.

I could tell them “I’m so sorry for your loss”; but my expression of condolences could not possibly soothe a miniscule part of their grief. 

Or, I might tell them “you should be very proud of your son”; but having pride in our military sons and daughters is what we, military parents, do.  The pride is the “sweet” of the bittersweet pill we swallow every day that our child serves his/her country.

So given the privilege to speak to them, I’ll simply say “I’m praying for you “.  And hopefully, they will understand that in my simplicity I have given them, their family, and their brave son to the only One, who is not inadequate.

You are all in my prayers.