Resolutions - Don't expect perfection

One thing I discovered this year was an improved attitude and experience at work. For years I dreaded going to work as I saw my job as a failing life's expectations and part of being trapped in Joliet. Most mornings I had a dread of going to work.As insomnia set in and later depression set in my work phobia got worse. One of the things I addressed in therapy was to accept work as is being thankful to have a job particularly in times like these. The second thing I did was end the debate in my head and consider it as part of the lies of depression. The perseveration over it was getting me nowhere. The last thing I did was to forget the title of job and live in the moment using my skills and education to help students and teachers.

With work no longer being a daily grind and complaint I have more energy and enthusiasm. Moving what I learned at work forward to other areas of my life, I plan to live in the moment with my friends on face book and friends in life. #1 resolution be better on the phone, text messages and find other ways to make and build friends. Resolutions are funny in that we tend to not keep them. Maybe we expect to do so perfectly. One failure and we quit. So in my quest to make more friends I don't need to be perfect.

Walking with the fat man, I am back to walking. Each day my fitness improves. Resolution time. I resolve to walk aerobically 250+ times this year. Roughly 5 times a week. I resolve to do calisthenics 156 times or 3 times a week:
Push ups, sit ups, squats, and a few routines with tubes. Example work on rotator cuffs and some upper body moves.
With fitness I plan to use my total gym and weights twice a week or 104 times. Maybe that will become three time a week. Finally stretching twice a day, with other fitness routines and work on flexibility. There is a routine from Dr. Oz that works with movement and flexibility that also deals with stress I hope to work with.
How about working on losing weight? 50lbs. sounds good. Any lost weight is a win.

All of these resolutions are reasonable. Combined my body will be in motion. If I fall short a little there are a lot of things to pick me up. For example a calisthenic and two workouts with my equipment works. One week four walks and another 3 walks works and most of the them 5 walks works. Throw in some days at the zoo, art museum, swimming in the ocean it all adds up.

Diet 80% good works. How about work for 90%. If I actually do 87% lets see where we are at. Perfection that is not me, never has been but then who is perfect? Keep walking

Set dates? gloom and doom? How about live the moment

We are one day past Christmas and on our way to 2012. We seen the movies, people set the dates, and small groups of people showing the worse self centeredness as they actually carry out harm on others. There is a lot of talk of doomsday and more economic disaster. There are people who wish the hurt of others and for millions to suffer. Can there be any doubt we are sinners and need a Savior?

I for one wish others well and hope the next year. Would it be nice if someone did the will of God by showing love for a change. To have a holy war in doing good for others who they disagree with. That would be a breathe of fresh air. Instead of setting a date, how about living a moment in the present taking in part of this brief life we experience. I don't have answers about facing the future but it be nice if people would focus on improving our lot.

It took work to remodel our house. It was easy to tear down. I like the results of improved living conditions for my family.

I saw a news piece on Monday Night Countdown of a kid with serious health issues. They used a personal robot to link the kid who had to stay in health care to his school. The robot sent a video lead to the kid where he could particapate in school and his friends talk to him. The teachers and students at school could see and hear the kid from his hospital or care unit and relationships and learning could continue. Since the robot has been used the teen has gained weight and really enjoys experiencing the classroom and friends via the connection wit the robot. Now that beats a terrorist bomb or hatred from one person or group to another any day. The child has real health issues which he may not survive but look at what is happening his life is being experienced better regardless the out come.

Would it be great if people could know about "the cause" what ever it is by some act of kindness. Any fool can become a suicide bomber or gang banger and hurt others. What if a gang was known for helpful actions to others. What if a "holy jihad" was known for the care of the less fortunate instead of furthering some man of vain power who really could care less about those who die for the cause or those destroyed. What if the "jihad" was for the less fortuneate in their own number? What if the "jihad" was for the benefit of those whom they disagreed. That would be powerful!

For those who set dates, why? Jesus clearly tells us not to. Instead we are instructed to live in the now. Take note of today. take note of your family take note of your job, with God's help what can you do today to help your family, friends, brothers and sisters, those who are down and out, those whom you might not agree with.

2012 is coming how will you live it? Any fool can hurt another. But to help another now that takes our energy. I took note of my family this holiday and give thanks. This following year who knows what may be around the bend. People will hurt one another and find some reason why they did it.  But what if one by one we did an act of love and found a reason for that. Works for me, keep walking!

Where I don't want to be for Christmas

Merry Christmas

Using satellites they were able to get a picture of the North Pole and Greenland. I know we have grown up with the magical myths of the North Pole being a great place to visit. The fact that no country owns the Arctic should be a clue for us not to plan a vacation there. Particularly in the winter it can reach -94 degrees below zero F. Reading of stories of people who explored and lived there to do research is enough to make me appreciate my humble dwellings right here in Illinois.

The Arctic is actually a sheet of ice the size of the United States. The magnetic pole moves every year about 6 to 25 miles a year. Polar Bears and Killer Whales are top predators on the planet. I once landed in Greenland flying from Europe. It looked to cold for me.

My friend Ken Gill and I agree on one thing, a visit to the North Pole is not on our bucket list. I find the picture fascinating and I don't want to see it melt. If it does you can say goodbye to Florida to say the least.

The Arctic Tern flies to the South Pole in our winter and returns to the Arctic Pole in the summer. That is some serious flying, just under 24,000 miles. If I walk aerobically 2 miles a day I walk 730 miles. If I walk 10,000 steps a day I can cover 1825 miles in a year. I would never catch up to that bird. To keep pace I would have to walk 65 miles a day. There is more chance I would do that then visit the North Pole. Antarctic is even colder and never warms up above zero.

Merry Christmas to you and yours. I visited another place on the planet some 35 years ago where God became man. Bethlehem in Jesus day was just a small village. Today it is a small city. It was off the beaten track as well as Nazareth, where Jesus grew up. The Christmas story as we tell it occurs over two years in actual time. Jesus as a child would have travelled to surrounding villages and worked with his earthly dad, Joseph the carpenter. As a young man in his thirties he would perform many signs and teach and show all of us God in the flesh. He would die on the cross and shed his blood in the Father's plan to save and forgive us. That is the gift of Christmas. We give gifts to our loved ones and have a Christmas meal and other traditions, but take note of the real gift of Christmas.

Burr! it is cold at the North Pole. Keep walking

Lonely this Holiday - You do not have to be alone

One of the websites I regularly visit is a blog by Wayne Styles. Read his blog on Dealing with Holiday Loneliness.  http://waynestiles.blogspot.com/ I had my devotions in the Scriptures he shared.

 Holidays can be a lonely experience for many of us. Family members are no longer with us and for one reason or another we find ourselves alone which can be painful during the holidays. I would encourage you to pray for new friendships but right now you may be alone.

 Jesus on His walk to His baptism I believe was alone for the walk. From the baptism to His temptation I know He did by Himself. We have a Savior who experienced loneliness and its pain and Hebrews 4:15 encourage us who are alone. “For we do not have a high priest incapable of sympathizing with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way just as we are, yet without sin. Jesus was alone for this walk but alone can be an opportunity to fellowship with God. There are things we learn and experience when we are hurting that we can embrace. David had just the same experience as He was being chased by Saul and the Philistines. He was alone when he wrote of His experience in Psalms 142:3-7.

 ³ When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, Then You knew my path.  In the way in which I walk they have secretly set a snare for me. ⁴ Look on my right hand and see, for there is no one who acknowledges me; Refuge has failed me; No one cares for my soul. ⁵ I cried out to You, O LORD: I said, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living. ⁶ Attend to my cry, for I am brought very low; deliver me from my persecutors, for they are stronger than I. ⁷ Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise your name; the righteous shall surround me, for You shall deal bountifully with me.” NKJV

Styles writes, “In Hebrew, the word You stands emphatic, meaning only God truly understood David’s pain. From the depths of this cave, David cried aloud, “You are my refuge” (Psalm 142:5)…So when we feel alone—and I mean really, really alone—we must cling to the Lord’s promises that He will never abandon us . . . never fail us . . . and never forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:8; Matthew 28:20; John 14:18).”

Down the road open yourself up to new friendships. Find a church where people are friendly and supportive. Note Psalms 142:7b “the righteous shall surround me, for You shall deal bountifully with me.” Today on your walk embrace your time of aloneness to know God better and make God your refuge.

Tomorrow and each day reach out and make new friends. We don't have to live alone. Keep walking

What is a friend? friendship

 I am writing tonight hoping to find a friend. I don't think you can have enough of them. Studies tell us if we have them we live longer. If that is so I would like meet friends, not dates. I like to be your friend. Friendship can double our joy and  and that is cool. Friendships may take time and experience for trust. But we can begin a friendship by meeting and talking and sees where it goes. Dating is invested and restricts friendship. If you like take me up on my offer make a comment.

It would be great if I strike a cord  that you like to say something go ahead. Disagree, ouch but go ahead. Love to hear from you. One way or another we take the first steps to friendships. Keep walking

Nobody likes to hear another's misery

In blogging I am probably doing the worse thing. Nobody likes to hear real complaining. When I shared my surgery I discovered most people didn't want to hear the wonders of the details. Person after person I watched the body language as they were saying, "that's great Bill, but I got to go!" I was thrilled to have survived but in health you can give too much information. They would listen out of courtesy but I soon wore out my welcome. I get it, yet here I go again.

For me the blog is attempt to learn how write in an interesting and informative way about a passion I have to walk for better health and encourage others to do the same. For several years I was able to walk daily and could see the difference. This spring and  summer I had health issues with mental health and eye health. In getting treated for insomnia, anxiety and depression my walking was all part of the treatment. With my eyes it was a different matter as I had to become less mobile to heal my eyes. Then in late fall I get hit with viruses that I may be starting to recover.

Writing of my experiences, I hope to connect with people who really have problems that have changed their lifestyles. Can we get back on our feet? Most fitness programs are based on making our bodies feel better but the core making our bodies look better to improve our sexual lives. When you are in your 20's and thirties it sort of makes sense. You are just a little out of shape and you still look young enough to be attractive to somebody, at least in theory. When you look at those ads you picture yourself as you becoming this image of sexuality. For me somehow I missed the boat. My body never did look like it it did in high school and college. I was able to play basketball and tennis into my forties competitively but I never did look like those ads. In my forties and fifties I was fit enough to walk in the hills and mountains. I loved to swim and could swim a mile.  Despite all my effort as I aged so did my body look like it did too.

Fitness also has another message that got through to me. Fitness helps you feel better and keeps you moving as you age. It can actually help against the things that kill us. Things like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Get involved with healthy food and sound medical advise and doing these things can help you in the fight of life. I am now aboard, but the seas are not always smooth. Friends of  mine are battling heart disease, I have high blood pressure. They are also battling cancer and some even diabetes. Me my eyes have chronic problems that won't go away but I have discovered how easy flues, colds can really put you down for to long of time. Lately my experience has been filled with thew things that wear us down.  Not exiting stuff but rather ordinary and a bit boring.

Day to day isn't that what we deal with. Little things that add up to us getting off track and like winter we tend to retreat. But in retreating we become more sedimentary and our health tales a toll.

Today cold still in place, I did an indoor walk which got me breathing deeper and blood flowing and muscle moving. My heart got a workout. I broke into a sweat, you know the kind you have with a virus. After wards I stretched and drank a cup of hot tea. I know the seas aren't smooth and the waves are little rough, but out of the ordinary boring part of life we all faced I did something to say yes to life and health. Keep walking!

Working through the cold and flu season to better health

 I was reading Wayne Styles blog, (a great site if you are interested in how the land of Israel adds an important layer to our understanding of the Bible,) and he was talking about learning that kidney stones happen because of dehydration. Because of the pain experienced he is now converted  to the benefits of hydration to prevent another stone passing. Water is life in an arid place like Israel and as we learn 8 glasses a day is great for our body. Check out the link below.
http://waynestiles.blogspot.com/

In our household we have shared various flu bugs and cold this fall and it has taken awhile to get better. Is it because we are older? Could be. When you are sick for awhile it makes you get back to basics. Plenty of sleep, plenty of fluids and plenty of prayers. Since I have a generalized anxiety disorder I have been thinking about worry that comes with cold and flu that it will turn into illnesses that are more serious, like pneumonia or complications that effect the heart or lungs. Doom and gloom hinders getting better but as we age the risk is there. Read the obits and it gets a little real. Behind it all we fear death.

Right now I am sick of coughing and blowing my nose. I already had a stomach virus that made me sick of other things. My month long battle has put me in touch with people who have chronic health issues. I know what it is like to have eye problems and problems due to CP. These things won't go away. But we can have other health problems that are difficult to deal with. Apostle Paul wrote, "Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day." NKJV 4:16 Now I am not writing that I am dying but I am older. But I want to do things that strengthen the body and improve health for the time I have left. The inward man being renewed I think may give an edge to rebuilding the immune system and restoring health. I admit it is easy to worry and throw a pity party when these bugs hit us and hang on. But I believe it is better to trust sleep to do its magic and nutrition to do its part and trust in God's care as these things work through the body.

Wayne's kidney stone cause great pain. I hated when my digestive system went haywire and now my respiratory system has problems. What are you dealing with? As long as we are in the land of the living, our living has purpose. I lived almost 60 years and it goes by quickly. Soon I will be with the Lord. How soon? 20, 15, 10, 5 years I don't know but there is living and loving to be done and I know walking will help. When we are really sick walking has to wait and that is OK. When we recover our joy will be for one thing we can move again. Won't that feel good!

Unlikely travel companions Include a winter walk

Walking I read today gets you out into the fresh air which in the winter can be a good thing.

Ben Franklin and John Adams travelled together in the dead of winter during the Revolutionary War on an urgent mission. The New England winters were brutal from what I read at this time. They lodged together in an inn where they had to share a room and bed. Today we take for granted our comfortable hotels and motels. Genius they were, they differed on many opinions including to sleep with a window open or closed on a cold winter night. Franklin argued for the window being open to let in the fresh air for better health. Adams convinced of the truth to close the window and try to stay warm. They discussed this for some time. Adams fearing he would not have any sleep, believed Franklin would carry on his debate on the healthy practice. Apparently Adams gave in and they endured the near zero weather the window opened. Thinking of these two great men both unwilling to give in and both loved to talk, wouldn't it be great to record the conversation.

Both men lived a long life and each had their views of physical fitness. Franklin was a weight-lifter as a young man and Adams loved to go for long walks of 10 or so miles. He was on a walk earlier on the day he d died at 94. Adams would be for an aerobic walk Ben the elder at the time would have stroll for a walk and more relaxed  and stress free.

Having gone through two bouts of illnesses this winter makes me appreciate health. Doing the right things are never a guarantee, but I like the odds. Back to what I read today, indoors we have closer contact with people and germs. Outdoors the article argues fresh air is more free of germs that enters our bodies and give a boost to our immune systems. I know walking gets the heart pumping and the lungs taking in more air the optimizes our immune system. So dress up and  enjoy outdoors.

It is no fun being like Adrian Monk or the Jack Nicholson role played  in As Good as It Gets where they constantly are on guard against germs and become prisoners of their phobias. No, it is better to get out and live each day.  Yeah I been under the weather but I am feeling better and today the sun came out for a few hours and the walk was invigorating. Walking, enjoying the quiet time with the Lord, enjoying creation and the people you love. Adams and Franklin enjoyed the thrill of gab, I think that enjoyment of lively ideas  over a favorite beverage (it doesn't have to alcohol)  is always a good idea for health.

CS Lewis and the inkings debated their stories at the pub with the pint. Great stories came out of their fellowship. Life lived full. Lewis and Tolkien loved to walk and walks often ended up in their tales. So take a walk, write your story, debate a point of health, Love life, love the Lord .Keep walking