Almost 60 Life's walks affirm

Happy 60th These kids got a kick out of it

Well I have 9 more days until I am 60. Spring break so we celebrated a little early. I am pretty proud of all the kids I worked with this year. For my part I being recharged got into helping each one with an accepting environment to improve and work hard. They have done their part so the smile on my face is genuine. Affirmation and smile, maybe the best thing I do.
The sun has come out so I am off for a walk. I will post a picture of today later. Inserts improving my ankle by unpinching my nerve.
I have written a new page on inductive Bible Study. I could say more but if we just read the bible book by book it would help.


Liam stops for pose

For all those inclined to be a couch potato, read the page to start walking and you will see an easy schedule from Mayo Clinic that I think can get you going. On my walk today I warmed up for 5 minutes and did aerobics for 7 minutes and cooled down for 5 minutes walk. Just like week one in the Mayo plan. After the walk I stretched  out my muscles and enjoyed sitting by the pond. The inserts are helping. Barb and I went to the movies and after walking out to the car was pain free.


This week I will get into daily walks and therapy.
In my Bible Inductive page I referred to ideas Andy Rooney said about not understanding the Bible. While I contrasted his idea I always liked his rantings.
Here are a couple of  good quotes:

The best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.

Being kind is more important than being right.

Love, not time, heals all wounds.

Orthotics are working, Enjoying Spring

Time to look for these guys

Good news on walking. I have inserts for my shoes that help my foot not go outward. This helps not to pinch a nerve. I am having another one made with a stronger design to do this. My problems won't go away but less pain is good. I am also working on therapy to strengthen and stretch my foot. Three weeks with better eating and losing weight. My goals are to walk  30 + minutes and move in my day.
Do you have a battle in your life? Yours is probably different from mine. Don't you find long term issues are hard to deal with. We see conflicting articles, we have different things that happen to us that make it harder to deal with. We learn so much and yet that doesn't mean we are free of our fight for some aspect of health. It can be discouraging.
If you have followed my blog, you know I think it is OK to share our pain. But who wants to stay in that moment? Not me! Hey if there is something I can do that relieves my pain, I'm all for it.
One blogger I am following Carolyn Scott Kortge (The Spirited Walker) uses walking as part of her battle with cancer. That is something that touches all of us. In her battle she is living each day enjoying each moment she has. I can do that. I have no idea what I may do about my CP as I age. My hope is I will be walking at 70, 75, 80, 83? The key for me is what am I doing today? Like Jesus said,  "So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself." Matt. 6:34 Our long term problems need to seen in the moment. You bet we need intelligent counsel and a treatment plan. We already know it is not easy.
Consider the blue bird. The male pictured here has a wonderful song. When you see them they are striking. I am looking at the changes of spring that way. Each day the weather may be different but I floored by the flowers, shades of green, blue sky, trees getting their leaves; all of these thing are God's gifts. This week I am planting a tree. As I look out my window I will see its flowers in early spring. Years ahead others will enjoy it. Today I walked and soaked in a spring day. At work I laughed with kids as we worked through their classwork. It was easier laughing because my shoe implant eased my pain. Not bad, keep walking

Yo Ho me harties, Yo Ho! We are blessed with life

Always protect the dome!

What happens if you throw a green rock into the Red Sea? It gets wet
What happens if you throw a yellow rock into the Black Sea? It sinks to the bottom.
Ta dum de dum
Recieved good news about a week in Florida. One of my hobbies that I am quite good at is listening to the wind and watching the waves. I love watching sea birds and sunsets. Indian Rocks has a great beach. Key lime pie is on and under a umbrella lots of cool drinks and a mystery. Need to cool off relax in the Gulf. It is all good. (Thanks Ray)
 I cut my grass today. 50 minutes of aerobic workout. Paying attention to my walking form, I was able to finish the job. Tomorrow I see about support for my ankle. PT has already begun. Empasis on movement, strength and flexibility. When I walk I am going to focus on better movemnt.
Had a good Bible study. Called a few friends and enjoyed the cool air fill the house.

This sunset is for you

Liam has been fun to have around. Grand kids have a way of keeping us willing to think about enjoying them to grow up and see them as adults. Everyone of my grandkids helps me one way or another want to hang in there. To see a movie or frisbee golf or have them on vacation it is all good. All of them love to tease me in some way. Liam at 15 months he walks up to me gives and big smile and turns on a dime and runs before I can get him.
In the last few years I have noticed how much our troubles and struggles define our lives. Self preservation is a powerful thing. There have been a few things I have become passionate about that isn't about me. Enjoying a walk is bigger than me. It is good for all of us. We feel better and our bodies say thanks. I was reading about a woman who walks as part of her battle against Cancer. Many are passionate to raise money and awareness to help them yes, but also to help others as well. Whatever happens to me I am going to choose walking, movement for as long as I can. It is good to have a big God.
Thanks for reading my blog. Over 2,000 hits from all over the world have visited the fat man walking. I will publish your comments or not if you wish. Love to hear from you. Keep walking

Life's Changes...can be Painful

Signs of Spring

Our summer will end for awhile as he weather changes. Oh, it is March and it is supposed to be a little colder.
Changes in life are often good. Changing how I think about work has been good. Changes in my home has made my family's experience there better.
What we worry about is when changes are bad and we have to try and deal with them. In the Bible we are presented with changes that are called trials, Peter says "grieved by various trials," James uses the same words but the Message Bible translates, "when tests and challenges come at you from all sides" and the Living Bible translates, "troubles" we get the idea that in life changes can be negative.
But the funny thing is we are to great these troubles as with joy.
Why? I think I could write a book or two on that. Troubles come to all of us. Darby O'Gill reasoning in the pub felt "humans need the bad with the good." I don't know, but I do know we do get the bad with thee good. I know from experience and what is taught in 1 Peter, 2 Corinthians and James that God uses the troubles as trails that test us and strengthen us. As we draw near to the Lord, He works through the trial and makes us more in character like Jesus. Many of my troubles have been resolved. Many of my past worries have faded in my memory. Some trials have been life long.
Paul talked about a condition many people think that made it hard to see. He called it, "a thorn in the flesh." We may have treatments for his disease today, but he didn't. Many of my trials have been over come. They do indeed make us who we are today.
My Cerebral Palsy has taken a turn for the worse. My bones are good but the tissue and structures in my foot have been stressed and probably will require complicated surgery and a long recovery. I am going to try braces and whatever physical therapy I can do first, but surgery may be what I will have to do. I can't quit moving for that outcome is worse. Trials are not always brief, they actually can be a life time. I know that each and everyone of us has something we battle with.  I am committed to taking these trials on and do so in a way that I continue to enjoy life and be useful in my service to my Lord. I didn't want the CP to get worse, but I can lean on the Lord and look at what I can do.


Flowering trees at Joliet Central

I like a fight analogy because there is real pain and draining of energy that I am experiencing. It has been a fight. Some fights you lose a bout. You may take a beating that takes time to recover. Returning to the ring may be unthinkable. The body recovers and with recovery comes renewal. The fighter retrains and the rematch happens. The outcome of the fight could go either way. The fighter retires but still trains because that has been his life.
I am not perfect, thus the fat man walks. Problems and trials can't be ignored. They hit us in the face everyday. I do what I can, walk, exercise, read, pray, relate to others around me.  My goal is to continue to live life and enjoy life, getting the most out of my trials and troubles to move ahead. The flowering trees at work caught my eye. Joliet Central is a beautiful campus. The staff are skilled and hard working people. Teens can drive you crazy, but I like the students at Central. Most of the staff are much younger than I am. They are good people. I have been blessed with good friends and family. Hey I will continue to walk, bike, swim because life is worth living, keep walking.

Walking a trail at night to see the stars

Jupiter Venus and the Moon

Last Weekend I took a walk at night to move away from the lights of the lodge and parking lot. The lights are all part of the light pollution we have all around us that prevents several generations now from seeing the night sky. We can't get away from lights but I hope someday we figure out the use of lights and to bring back viewing our night sky. This summer I hope to take a few trips to see the sky like I did when I was a kid. I was in awe of the night sky as I watched it from my back porch or sleeping under the stars on a warm summer night. On the occasion I was with my dad fishing we would sleep out with no camp gear. With my dad it was all about the fishing. For me, I would look at the stars and I would pick out a constellation or two. I could view the stars in the city where I lived. The night sky has always fascinated me.

Northern Arizona

When I lived in Africa, I got to see the sky where the only light was from the campfires of near by villages. Here I viewed new constellations. I traveled out west and viewed the night sky many nights.  The best night ever for me seeing the stars was sleeping in the Hava Supai parking light under the stars waiting to hike down the canyon at 4 O Clock in the morning. The stars were like balls in the sky being so high in elevations.
NKJV Amos 5:8 "He made the Pleiades and Orion; He turns the shadow of death into morning And makes the day dark as night; He calls for the waters of the sea And pours them out on the face of the earth; The LORD is His name."
A couple of things I get out of stargazing is I get in touch with my Creator, another thing I get is a perspective of time. Abraham, Job, David, Moses, have all look up at the night sky and prayed and thought with the backdrop of the night sky. Jesus and His disciples would have looked up and seen the sky as they slept out under the stars. They have seen the night sky as I have seen it. I know time and light has passed but Amos saw the same constellations we see today. 4,000 years is not a lot of time in anybody's view of the cosmos. We share the view with those who have gone before us. Today we live our lives where this view is blocked. I think it effects our thinking. Missing what we need for contemplative thought. I know I sound like an old man, but get out and see the night sky where you can view a couple of thousand stars with your own eyes. Keep walking 

Walking with out falling...hoorah!



Trail marker

Impressions of today and a weekend well spent. It is not a bad idea to walk where the are some inclines. great for strength training ab muscles and lower body. It is also a calorie burner and instant aorobics. In the moutains or canyons like you experience here it is not how far you walk but how much energy you spend walking up and down. Our walk today we were on the trail 2 1/2 hours. It takes my body time to warm up then the walk is easier. Maybe I am like a horse going back to the barn?
Water played a part in today's walk. Isn't water sweet on a hot day? I loose plenty of water when I am moving on a warm day. We drank our water on the hike and hydrated on our way back home.
It is still late winter and the trees are blooming at the same time the wild flowers are coming in Usually this time of year the flolour growth in the woods lands are worth seeing. This indian spring we shall see.

An old miner on the way side

How did I do today? I did not fall all weekend, I was careful, I used my walking stick and Barb helped me a few times. While climbing stairs when I got tired on my right side I took a momment to get my breathe. I was then able to walk up the trail with uneven boards and roots hidden in the leaves. Most of you would have no thought at all but I have to break down the task at hand to keep from tripping over an footwanting to drop rather than pick up. View comes when ground is level or I stop to look around. the rest of my time walk is work. Barb looks out for hazzards that I may experience. On these walks there is more to discover so there is more talking. For Barb and I it is walk talk. We are totally into the experience.
Earlier it rained heavily for the brooks and small falls we seen today had water. On the trails took today there were more fit walkers, young and old alike. Being a four mile + round trip sort of difined who would be walking there.
From reading, praying, fine dining, star filled night, hiking with my new friend the walking stick, atmosphere of a logged lodge and  friendly people great weekend. Little kids came our way the whole weekend. I hope parents see in ther kids what we see, active, smart,  full of life and wonder. Yea they will need limits and discipline and no but they also will be ablessing to their parents as time goes by.  Thanks to Barb who likes these kind of adventures. She has benefited from our walks, able to walk with out heavy breathing. With CPI have balance problems and a pride to do it all my self. The stick gives me a third needed point of balance and at a few points Barb gives me a forth. So up and down into the canyons I go. Venturing on the trails at night see the milky way. Some 40 years ago Mark Huber worked with me as we saw miles of the of the canyons very few have see, Mark with your skills you used my bullheaded bavery  to explore...that joy continues. Keep walking

A GREAT SATURDAY

so Barb walking to French waterfall

One thing about Starved Rock hikes there is is alot of stairs and inclines. People when they walk down are all smiles including me. But it is a different story climbing up. My fellow walkers over fifty all said the same thing. "This was alot easier when I was younger" Most of the younger people bounded up the stairs and down. I let a lot of them pass me. A tip for all my friends. When you are on a hike in the hills or mountains bring a digital camera and take lots of pictures. Take your time setting the picture up and viewing the shot. It is a natural way to catch your breath. I got a good workout today.
I have quietly decided I need to look at what I am eating. It is very easy to overeat a little each day. Walking I think helps me to pay attention to my diet. This last week I have ate less and burned a few calories more. The walking stick in the picture was what I used on uneven ground today. Barb was holding it while I took the picture. Between the stick and a hand from Barb I did not fall this weekend. I am going to use the walking stick when Frisbee Golfing. Having a third point helps my balance. It also burns a few extra calories. I may consider Nordic poles for aerobic walking. I see a few people using them and it would help with upper body as well. I like not falling.

Lodge at Starved Rock

 This was the first time I stayed at the Lodge overnight. I will plan to do this at other State Parks and National Parks. Day walks and a good read in a place like this in the evening is a treat. This summer I am also going to do a little tent camping as well. I remember seeing a 75 year old Grandpa with his granddaughter on a trail really moving. He had a backpack. There were some senior citizens today who were pretty impressive walking.
It was summer like today with a breeze. I wore a sun hat which really paid off on a 1 1/2 hour walk.
The weekend was really uplifting and it is not over with yet. Weather permitting another trail awaits or if not time well spent. Keep walking

Night walk to view stars

Barb at Bridge near lodge

We got to Starved Rock State Park after dark. Went for a walk. The evening was like in May. No bugs. We walked on a trail to get away from lights to see the stars. We viewed the Milky Way, Orion, The dippers, Venus and Jupiter.Sat out by the lodge. The walk was about 40 minutes.
While we out on the trail some young couples, (in their 30's) had lost their way. We helped them back to the lodge. We weren't that far but in the dark it would be easy to feel lost.

Driving at sunset, looking forward to star gazing

It was night to take a walk at night. Someday I will form a walk group for night time walking.

Milky way

Looking back on our evening it was good to stretch ourlegs after a walk. The weekend had very comfortable tempatures to star gaze. I hope in the future cities cites use lighting that helps bring back the night ski. Our kids need to see the stars and planets to develop reflective thought of the Kosmos. I believe in Creation and as Ps. 19:1-4 puts it, ¹ The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. ² Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.  ³ They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. ⁴ Yet their voice^[b] goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. NIV. Keep walking










The stroll did what it is supposed to. Sleep will be sweet. Keep walking

Weekend at Starve Rock

Today we will drive about an hour to Starve Rock state Park. I will take some pictures. Hiking, reading and being with Barb should be a good weekend.
Later this spring and summer we will visit other trails and campgrounds. It will be fun to see more of what is around.

Walking with kids and lovers

I was stretching out at a picnic table Rock Run

I was reading Scott's Walking in Retirement blog and he photographed a 8 mile walk on the Appalachian Trail. Scott trains in his walks for longer walks. That is a great way to look at walking. Long walks are wonderful for fitness and weight control.
Dr. Ken Cooper documented a story of an eighty year old woman learned to take a five mile walk everyday. She has maintained that habit into her nineties. As her daughter put it, "she went for a walk and she is still walking." One thing she did was eliminated a slow decline to a nursing home.
For me I am timing my walks for 30 minutes. I have been able to walk 5 times a week. I've been laid up with one problem after another for a while. I am out of shape.
But true to form, with each walk I am breathing better and as I stretch my body's range of motion is improving. My pace is steady but it will improve. I can walk forward fairly pain free but side to side is painful. I use the stairs to climb 4 flights a day. Going down is more stressful on ankle joints.

Just a little different angle

This time of year has the most walkers. When it warms up from winter and not to hot, the paths are full of walkers, families and bikers and runners. From now until June the trail is busy. The rest of the year the trail belongs to those who are walking for some kind of fitness. I like to see the kids and lovers walking hand in hand. They often walk on the wrong side of the walking path. Like a flower that has a brief season they will come and go. They will return when the weather gets back to the 60's and 70's.

I know it is sad but I have enjoyed the sweat of exercise. It could be that my body enjoys being loose from the warmth. When I played competitive tennis I always liked to play in the 80's and 90's. I am a sweater. I think in part because my muscles are always switching on and off. The skies are clear and the air is fresh and I can only say, thank you, Lord. Keep walking

Walked with Liam, reminded to end abuse

Liam's shoe in my hand

Watch out for pet peeves? This is one of mine. Forgive my ranting.  This year I have picked up a new passion. I am committed to helping abused people by listening and praying and being willing to face the bullies. I will stand with the abused and fight evil in its most base forms. I was thinking today of a photo sent to me of a child severely beaten with a bruised and cut lip and a black eye. I had a hard time looking at the photo. There was nothing that poor child did to deserve the beating she received. She could have had a tantrum, disobeyed her parents, transgressed in some way and none of those things was a reason for the beating she received. That beating was insane, out of control and evil. The parent or parents who did it violated their trust. The beating went beyond what should have been done and the act became the sin. To them (parents) is committed the tasks of  love and training of the child which may include many different forms of disciplines and boundaries. Loosing control and abusing a child is a transgression against God's institution of parenting. The child's action does not meet the horrible reaction of the parental abuse.
Mal. 3:5b “and those who exploit... orphans”

1) to press upon, oppress, violate, defraud, do violence, get deceitfully, wrong, extort 1a) to oppress, wrong, extort 1a2) to oppress 1b) to be exploited, be crushed



This what a child need when being corrected.
COME UNTO ME FOR I AM GENTLE

Note exploit and the words I put in bold print. They are words of abuse. The child pictured is an orphan. It is a sin to abuse a child. God will judge such sins. I have chosen to send a picture of a shoe worn by Liam my grandson. It reminds me how small he is. I am to him huge. Will Liam need limits? Nos? Timeouts? Training? and other disciplines as tools to help Liam grow to be a mature, loving adult ? Yes but he will never need abuse. That little shoe reminds me that my hands seek to be gentle and strong enough to be used for Liam's good. Let's end abuse in our time. I was abused differently then the little girl. That is important to me. But I was abused. It was insane and evil. Since my ealy20's I have agressively tried to come to terms with it and end it.

My walk today was a good one. I am encouraged at my breathing getting easier. This no small point. Even walking these past two weeks and I am already seeing my breathing more relaxed and blood flowing through out my body. After my walk I took time to stretch and bask in the warm sunshine. I am very thankful I can walk my 30 minutes. Keep walking


 

Embrase life as we age.

Papa big as life

Walking tip of the day: Comes from Carolyn Scott Kortge, Spirited Walking "find a walking partner who will keep quiet for 10 minutes." Great for aerobic walking and experiencing the outdoors and walk. Both of you will enjoy it.
Getting older isn't easy. We are not prepared for it and it happens any way despite our best efforts. As we age we may even take on childlike qualities and dependence. We took care  of our children and towards the end of life they take care of us. We of course will return to our terrible twos and put our feet down for our last stab to stay in dependant. Erma Bombeck wrote of this as she got older.
I believe in rounding out the curve we should be able to care for ourselves as long as we can. Exercise and diet are our allies to maintain the dignity of ourselves. I also think reading and useful hobbies with help our brains continue to renew it self and keep life interesting. One reason I tackled depression was to resist the impulse to retreat but keep focusing outward, enjoying the simple things in life. Looking at the years in my sixties as years to have opportunity and experience the joys of living. If I approach my 70's to eights I hope to make similar goals. We can't take it for granted so it is good to live one day at a time. My motto is walk today a good chance I will be walking tomorrow. I am really into taking care of today, making good choices and enjoying now.

Bully on life

One of the first writers I enjoyed was Papa Hemingway. I read Old Man in the Sea because it was a short book. What I got was a great read. I was no longer interested in the grade but my time spent reading that book, flew by. I lived in Africa so I read his books on Africa. Going back in time was wonderful. Papa was a man who lived life hard. When he got older he couldn't handle the changes so he committed suicide.
Teddy Roosevelt was bully on life. He tackled life head on. At 55 he goes to Panama and breaks down physically. It seems he went into a depression and declines at age 60 dies. Health and weight are strong factors.
Charles Darwin loved nature and science but toward the end of his life he lost his love of nature and his love of art. You know as we age our eyesight struggles, we loose some of our ability to taste, as our senses decline art and creation would be harder to experience. Thank God for eyecare and flavorble spices.
These three dynamic men as they aged lost their love for life. Probably suffering depression and were not ready for the affects of aging. Who is?
People battle life threatening diseases, lost of love ones, physical and mental decline and these stresses push us to the max.

Loss love of nature

Having a hope beyond the grave and that life continues I think can make all the difference in the world. In this brief life we have is just a intro into our next life. Charles, Teddy, Papa put their marbles into one bag of our lives down here. As they aged they had nothing to look forward to. Freud thought such hope in the afterlife was a crutch. I couldn't disagree with him more. Life is fragile at best. We were designed to have a relationship with our Creator. What do we live to? If we live in our 100's we still live a brief life. Dependance on God is critical.  Clearly each of them could have done things better to round off the curve and extend the quality of their life longer. Treatment for depression and anxiety is so much better today than in their time. Look around you and you can see robust people give up.
Consider getting ready for your senior years. Get informed. Look for support where you need it. Choose to live your retirement years a day and a time. Keep walking. 

OK I am not Arnald



Working out on cruise ship

Barb and I had a couple of nice workouts while we cruised the Caribbean. We had a great view of the ocean as we worked out. I love seeing the curve of the earth. There may have been people who believed the earth was flat, but the Bible teaches otherwise. Isa. 40:22 "It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in." Also Proverbs 8:27, "When He established the heavens, I was there, When He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep," You can see the curved horizon on mountains by the sea. I viewed the curve of the earth at Laguna Beach, California and off Dimondhead in Hawaii. Next time I go to a skyscraper I will check out over land. It is cool seeing it with your eyes.


View of ocean while working out

One of the things that has improved is strength in my upper body. bench press, overhead press, muscles in the rotator cuff have all improved and less pain. No pain when  I sleep on my side and more strength in movements measure in increased weight handled. When I play Frisbee golf the throwing motion has more range and distance in the throw. Push ups, total gym, weights, and tubing have all contributed to this improvement. Doing the exercises through their full range of motion helps. The other thing that helps is stretching and moving.
There has been studies showing people gaining muscle in their 90's with strength training. (Cooper) Over all strength training can slow down muscle loss. I have never looked like a body builder, I never will. But working out will keep me in the game. It will help my bones stay strong with the falls that will happen. I fall less because I am more careful but I can not prevent falling.
I love to walk. I actually love it more than working out. It is nice to know when I can't walk like I like to I can do other things. It is good to have a variety of ways to move the body. Isn't that true in life? Options and multiple ways of seeing things help us when roadblocks come. I enjoyed my workout today. keep walking

Ruth McGinnus made the violin sing

Ruth McGinnis 1957-2009

I was reading a book by Ruth McGinnus, Total Health for Body and Soul the other night. I bought the book a few years back. Reading the pages I regret I didn't read sooner.  It was an easy book to read and like. Ruth as a creative artist opened up the good life to the art of it. When it comes to health I like reading the science of it, but health isn't just x's and o's. Reading several chapters I decided to get to know this wonderful person. I google her name and went to her web site. Up to reading her book I never knew her. You find a friend through ideas and thoughts penned and then you discover she is gone. In that moment in time I went from wanting to know more about her life and work to grieving her loss.
For the first time, I listened to her music and was memorized by her ability to make the violin sing. That happened before with my sweet friend Diane Kolmadene, who 16 years ago also loss her battle with cancer. Diane had world-class talent.She played a solo in a Judy Collins concert and Collins took note of her play and told the audience something like "we are hearing something special tonight." When Diane played, this east side kid from the wrong side of the tracks was moved to a new world.
Ruth's music did the same. I am sold, I will  now collect her CD's for times of refeshment to the soul can have over and over. Thank You Ruth. I am glad people are maintaining her website. There are several websites I regularly go to of people who are with the Lord. Their lives and works still bless us. With Ruth you can hear and see her speak and play her music. We are lucky to have the internet. I know we think of all the bad things, but there is a lot of good. Health is about making choices which yes refers to foods and exercise but also the soul and mind have choices to give health.
There are several good books written by people whose lives were cut short due to disease. Rex Russell a doctor who wrote about eating a healthier diet dies of diabetes. Here, Ruth wrote a book of note about health cut down by cancer. We probably think if you are living healthy you live long like Dr. Ken Cooper or Jack Lalanne lived to 96. Ruth's friend Amy Grant Gill continues to live and is blessed with the truths Ruth wrote about. To me Ruth discovered some good things and she followed good ideas to a better way of life. She fought a disease as best she could. She lived life well.
Ruth had faith in the Lord Jesus and she stepped in eternity where life goes on back in October of 2009. Having saving faith is a huge factor in a life well lived. We all whether we live to a hundred or pass at 50, life is something that moves quickly. One of the things we need is to come to our Creator by faith while our time passes. I wrote a brief page on how to begin a relationship with God. I hope you find helpful.
Who has blessed your life and you got to know them after their death through reading or seeing or hearing something they did and left for us? Amazing isn't it.
My workout today is resistance. Tomorrow I will take an aerobic walk. Keep walking

Groaning and moving ahead

"The Older you get the stronger the wind is, and it is always in your face" Pablo Picasso

George and Gracie

"Getting older is no problem. You just have to live long enough."Groucho Marx
"Like everyone else who makes the mistake of getting older, I begin each day with coffee and obituaries." Bill Cosby
"You can't help getting older, but you don't have to get old." George Burns
Aren't these great quotes. Note the contrast between Burns and Picasso. They both lived full lives and they catch for us the the energy it takes to age. This is two quotes about life facing the wind I read this week. It is not easy to age. Burns who lived to be a centurion hit a truth we age but we don't give in. We keep looking for ways to live.
 I have gone through some tough times in the last six years. I have won most of the battles but not all of them.That is part of why I share my problems. We don't take this "snake oil" or use this gadget and turn back the clock of time. If you have looked at health studies they may say if you do this 70% percent of the people in the study improved. What about the 30%? What happened to them? Did they stay the same? Did the get worse? I have to say it... sometimes we do the right things and stuff happens anyway. Now I just got over a battle of depression, do I give up? Seems a possibility. But no, I actually feel pretty good about being me right now.
Let me try to be clear about my problem. My right ankle is showing no improvement, in fact it is getting worse. Barb and I talked about it and we have decided to recheck my options. We are going to checking out medical advise from people who deal with people with Cerebral Palsy and chronic pain. Tonight I have no idea if there is a solution to my ankle, the possibility is out there that I will just have to find ways of coping. I don't like the idea that I will have to put up with pain but getting drugged up can have worse complications.
I was watching a program of an older fellow who ran everyday even though his foot and ankle was getting more deformed and painful. His heart fitness was great but his foot was a mess. He was actually running 9 miles a day. He has done this all of his adult life and that is the reason he finds hard to scale back. I understand where he is coming from. I pushed life having CP and now I have chronic issues. I do what I can to reduce the possibilities of falls and I pay attention to my form. But would I not play football, wrestle, and tennis in college. Would I not do many of the trails I have walked. I played competitive basketball into my early 40's. I have played just about every sport but my activities now are much safer and they should be. Pushing the limits I enjoyed and I am not sure I would not have difficulties anyway. Inactivity would have made life very painful.
Paul says in Romans 8:22, "For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now." One thing about getting older, you can hear the groans. Life is hard but as long as we are alive we have have a chance to regroup and try something else. Keep walking

Happy Birthday Becki and Frisbee



Happy Birthday , Becki


Becki

I am very proud of you. You didn't have it easy and you hung in there. I really like doing stuff with you and I have many good memories of things we did together. I thought the train ride to Michigan on the Amtrak with the food car was cool. The ski trips with the youth groups was really a ski trip for you. I knew at that time skiing wasn't meant to be for me. I love it, but no balance for it. Our vacations together are a highlight for me. We will have more times down the road Lord willing. Our dates are special, considering all things we have grown to care and love each other. I wouldn't trade you for anyone.
I trust you and I think you are wise and have your mother's and I's back.
I could not imagine life with out Spencer, Addison, Donavan and Kendall. They are another reason why I walk and try to improve my health. Where else can you go and have all four gang up on me in nerf wars. I win except I have three darts stuck to my forhead, five stuck to my heart and the rest are flesh wounds.

Highland Park near by

I am looking forward to the Frisbee season. I'm going to use a walking stick this year to aid me in balance and right ankle. Doing the West Park and Channahan Courses I will walk two to three miles following the colorful orbs. I have strengthen my rotators cuff and my throws should be OK. I will take plenty of pictures this year and on vacation I will visit some courses. Frisbee golf will help me train and obtain a better general fitness.
If the spring is dry enough we may start this weekend. I have my grandsons golfing with me and it is a great game to give to your family.
Walking the courses is More up and down and therefore aerobic.
I have been cross training lately with a stationary bike and weight routine designed with multiple reps as I move from exercise to exercise. Working out has many ways to achieve aerobic conditioning.
How many of you frisbee golf, Let me know. Keep walking