Have fears about health, don't procrastinate!

I have lost some friends recently, and I really don't know whole story behind their loss. I know they died young and they were in their late 50s or early 60s. I could see some risk factors but I didn't know all the risk factors. To be fair you could look at me and I'm sure you could guess that I have risk factors. and you be right. You may read about it or hear about my death Someday. And you might be thinking "See"! I will give you that one. I think it's important to consider:
You know it's real important for us to see where we are at physically. Have you ever wondered where ou are at physically. Did you think that there was something wrong? Have you ever been afraid to check it out?  Have you had the thought that if you checked it out you might find out your fears are realized? In someway all of us have been there. We may read some how to articles and  look at some lifestyle changes we heard about, but we just don't go to the doctor to check it out. Our fears may really be a problem here. From what I read this is especially true man but we're not exclusive girls have the same thoughts. 

We really need to really get over this, I cannot stress how important this is for us to actually put in the action going to see a doctor. It is more than a game changer, it is life saving. One of the problems that we have in common anytime is sudden death. Fatalism doesn't do any good here. When we become adults we have to start making a habit of, is having a yearly checkup. We are no longer kids where her parents make the appointment. And we were in our 20s we may not even be thinking about our yearly check up. We move into our 30s and maybe we have a family, and we start looking into life insurance. But this is the time to really start finding out about your family health. It is good to know if your family has I problems, hearing problems, heart problems, and issues with cancer. Are there people in your family with diabetes, problems with your teeth, or maybe some other not so common problems but there's people in your family who have them. You may or may not have any problems with these things. But it is time for you check with your doctor and let him know about your family history. I swear that I have most of the things that my family has as wrong, why me? By your 40s you should be aware of how healthy are you. Do you need to get checked out for different types of cancer. There are some things that happen Inside our bodies that can be detected with lab tests,  some kind of x-ray or examination. 

Buy your 40s you should be aware if your risk for heart disease, obesity, cancer and diabetes. You might not be but only having a consistent relationship with your doctor can you really know. When we get into the 50s we start paying the piper, and problems start showing up. Again you may be  perfect health but having your health monitored  by a doctor is a strength. When you get into your 60s there is probably something that you have to be aware but you might be healthy or you already having problems. For about 15 years you may be dealing with those fears and I talked about at the beginning of this article. You are on bowered time and I cannot stress strongly enough how important it is to get a check up with your doctor. This is a time not to put it off and procrastinate, this is the time to act and to do so quickly. 

We are living in a time where seeing our doctor healthy or not can give us years on our life. There are a lot of people who are sick and not healthy but they're alive because they go see their doctor. 

I know that people go to their doctor, and do the right things and they lose the battle against heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. But I know many people who have problems and they don't go see their doctor. The medicines that could help them, the advice that could help them with lifestyle changes that really matter, The medical operations that could save her life won't do them any good. Why, because they never checked it out and I just lived in fear and it passed away. They never took the prescription that would help them with their blood pressure, or the medicine that they needed to control their diabetes, or the many successful Interventions with cancer they could put the disease in remission. Check with people who go to your senior center in your community, or talk to people in your family who are older and they have problems but they're taking medicines, following what the doctors are telling them, their still alive. Sometimes only think about are the people who had a problem and dying but we don't consider the bigger number of people who are being helped through medical care. 

Most the time with my blog I talk about lifestyle changes that help us. But there really is the other part of it that we live longer because there is better medicine. And we have to be aware of that. Aging can be scary as hell, and filled with uncertainty, and we may have questions that keep us up at night. And for me walking with the fat man is all about finding the right support to give me the best advantage. But not taking advantage of the resources that could be available to us in particular I going and having a doctor check out our questions in our problems is just plain foolish and we can't do it. Keep walking

Note the little things

When my shirt dries I go back in the
water, great way to stay cool on the Gulf

I was reminded last night if someone follows me and Twitter to notice the little things in life. It is easy to go through life and you realize little things were actually the important things. Life had a lot of opportunities to observe a lot of things in my time so I really have little regrets about this. It is true my favorite photograph about me was made 39 years ago. I can go back to the location and put on a similar outfit with the loose fitting backpack, canteen, hunters knife but it wouldn't be the same. My hair is gone, I am heavier, my face is weathered and I am sure the location is changed as well. 

But that's not the point about noticing the little things, it is really about today. The therapist leaning a little bit into the new age may say be mindful, be in the moment. Jesus long time ago reminded us worry about today, tomorrow will have its own problems. Of course there something about now, wherever we find ourselves. Living the now probably will give us the greatest satisfaction. 

Today I really enjoyed my quiet time and Bible study. I have been looking at the book of Job.

Little things are sometimes easy

I was listening to an introduction by Dr. Ken Boa. Last week I was listening to a introduction to the book by Dr. Wayne Styles. But really what made their inductions' so good was reading Job and developing my own my own outline or overview. I have read and studied Job before, but I did not read it or study it when I was depressed or recovering from depression. In my mind, I recalled an old professor who was depressed and I saw him in the library poring over scholarly Studies of Job but I feared it didn’t do him any good. He was a WWII vet who had part of his skull replaced due to a bomb exploding. I took upon myself to take an interest in him and invite him to dinner. I also talked to other students about adopting him and in one of the tables in the student center where married students love the banter. I got them to include the old professor in the crazy debates. From what I could see he really liked it. 

back when I was crunch
not munch

What I told myself from these experiences was that I would never studied Job or dark subjects if I was at a place of depression. But I am now five years down the line from my recovery from depression and I feel like I'm in a good place to look at the book. Down the road I will share my insights with Walking with Job. 

There are a lot of important stories to be aware of in a news these days. And I'm glad for online newspapers and reporting to see what's happening. The Internet truly brings the world right in view. In the middle of my Studies and surfing the net I am my exercise equipment right at hand and I can walk, workout, climb stairs, give my old man exercises working in moment throughout the day. I also have my share chores around the house that I look at as keep the body moving. Of course it has another for practical outcome with my wife loving the idea that I’m pitching in. 

Around here it is actually a nice day and worth spending some it outside. 

Finally, I am in the process of writing several books. I have the time to do these things now and for me there's little bit of fun in it. And there you have it part of the life of the fat man walking. My mind is alive and engaged and looking at now it looks pretty good. Tomorrow who knows? Well time for me to get moving and keep walking.

Henry Hawk 77 isn't done but he shows us how to finish well

Henry Hawk working with Robert

I know a lot of people have negative ideas about the Internet. And there are a lot of bad ideas, but I have to tell you that I really enjoy surfing the net for health, news, travel, things of interest, other people's experiences and a lot of times there's the untold story of someone doing good. Such is the case with the story of Henry Hawk A 77-year-old fitness instructor from Arkansas. From the article Henry has a fitness routine that keeps him fit and he teacher two classes to help others in their fitness. As you can see from the picture Henry practices what he preaches. 

He has goals for himself as he gets into his 80s. He doesn't consider himself old. 

For me the story stands out with Henry how he helps others who would have had any spinal injuries where they have difficulty moving. There is a short movie called true athlete about a rising star Lucas Verzbicas. There was a patient that Henry work with name Robert in the film who was a quadriplegic. With the injury it was recommended that they would let them die. Henry has worked with him and he's made progress. 

http://www.outsideonline.com/fitness/bodywork/in-stride/The-Unlikely-Athlete-Changing-Lives.html

Another story was of the lady Emma Jean Smith A bright lady in her 60s who could barely get out of her wheelchair with assistance he used a technique of negative resistance where two people would hold a weight adapting what could move by Emma with as the weights she could.  The weight was brought down and not lifting weight up. Within two years Emma could walk unassisted between two tables. 

The people here are real people who experienced slow progress but here it is active man is trying to help them in their recoveries. I know firsthand how much rehab can help us with our injuries. We should never give up and we should seek the best help possible. If we are outside professional help because the inability to get insurance or pay the cost then we should be doing our best to check out ideas that we can do. Of course we all need to follow some medical opinion but if we can move it's a better alternative. 

To me Henry Hawk is a brilliant example of finishing well. Walking with the fat man by the very principal involves a philosophy of continually working on ourselves even in retirement. We can save the rocking chair until after we are gone. As your read Henry’s story part of his day is committed to fitness. The matter who we are there's always something that we can modify that gets us moving in keeps is healthy. There's not one idea here but many. Thanks Henry for your story and example, keep walking! 

(Strength training for us or older has real positive results when we consider modifications and building ourselves up. We can see progress of how we've gotten stronger. Modified push-ups off the countertop, Wall, stairs; squints where we put her back against the wall, put two hands lightly on the counter look straight ahead with your back straight and squat, stand up from a chair or bed are great way to do squats; lunges assisted again by our friendly counter can really build up the muscles to get off the floor; in some type of core exercise to strengthen your abs and lower back are four types of movement that really help us.)

LESLIE LEYLAND FIELDS: Fin Whale Videos, A God-Encounter+The Maddening Pa...

LESLIE LEYLAND FIELDS: Fin Whale Videos, A God-Encounter+The Maddening Pa...:    A few days ago I went on an errand in the skiff, skimming across the bay on a gorgeous bright day. I did not know what awaited me....

George McDonald wrote a book that Bethany House retitled The Fisherman's Lady. Well she was a wee bonnie lass.

I have been following Leslie's blog for a while and found it very encouraging. It has been my pleasure to see a gray whale and I've swam with dolphins and porpoises and sometime sharks. My pictures did not compare to these wonderful shots of the fin whale.

Leslie's blog I am enjoyed following, give it a look. Insights from a Fisherman's lady.

Dealing with difficult emotions, God can Help

I was studying my Bible with Thomas Constable's  Notes (https://lumina.bible.org/bible/John+20) and came up with the following key insights into how the Lord help the negative emotions of grief, fear, and doubt. When you read John 20: 1 to 29, you find the people who benefited by seeing the resurrected Lord who all were engulf with certain human emotions. 

• Mary Magdalene we find her experiencing great grief. With her we see the emphasis of love and our Lord giving her a mission.

How often in our grief do we get a new direction in our life. When I was being treated for depression I received two things I wanted to explore and help others with. 

1. That there is hope today for recovering from depression. 
2. To listen to and encourage others who had stories of their lives to tell.

• We find the disciples locked in a room filled with fear, with them Jesus emphasizes hope and as a result they are filled with joy. 

Fear often makes us withdraw and has a way of limiting what we do. Rightly so the disciples were scared for life, but they didn't know how their shepherd already protected them. When they see the Lord whom had the marks that killed him resurrected He gives them hope that no matter what happens in their life, eternal life is real. There was more to Jesus's story then crucifixion, He was more than man, what he said was true in like he predicted their sadness was turned to joy. 

We are made to run or fight to face's struggles that we encounter. 

Our fears can cripple us, but we can face our worst-case scenarios knowing 

1. that our trials are temporary 
2. life is eternal.

• With Thomas he is overwhelmed with doubts. Jesus gives him a lesson in faith and as a result he becomes a man of faith.

We have come to some sense of reality in our experience. When we encounter things that are different then it that new reality we doubt. I may tell a man in the jungle about things he has never seen. He may doubt it but I have experienced it. I may tell him stories or show him pictures and maybe I even show him a movie. By the way what I'm showing him he may never have seen before. To him these are even more incredible. But if I were to take him back with us and buy a week pass to Disneyland where he can see it and experience it for himself he may say this is unbelievable but at the same time he now believes that. 

We may have the same problem with the realities of heaven. We have been living on this planet for 62 years, but eternity we may only have been given words, the testimony of others who experience it firsthand. We long for that first-hand experience with the spiritual. 

A parable illustrates A earthly truth to show a heavenly one. We understand what happened on earth but the spiritual part we hope to understand. Thomas sees the nail marks on Jesus's hands and feet that happen at the crucifixion when Jesus died. He is now talking to the resurrected Lord. What do you thought couldn't be real is now real and he believes. 

1. When my eyes were clouded over with cataracts and a disease lens was removed and replaced with a clear lens, my eyesight now could see things I never saw better. Just think how many people in the past with cataracts would be amazed at the procedure. Removed at the same time was my stigmatism. I can almost consider it a miracle. Ben Franklin who invented bifocals would be blown away with cataract surgery.
2. Today I walk by faith, but in heaven I will walk by sight. My body will be made for heaven. Life in a new sphere may have similarities with what I know today but there will be drastic differences. There're a lot of ways by reality here on earth changes and in the same way my reality will change in heaven. 

We all experience grief, fear and doubt. In what ways does the Lord love us to lift our grief and give us hope of new possibilities? How does God renew our hope to give us joy to overcome fear? How does God increase our reality to walk in faith to comprehend me eternal life? 

You may have other negative emotion besides what is shared here that you're dealing with, but the Lord can meet them in love, hope, and faith:Keep walking

Why Exercise Helps with Depression Older People.

Scott Douglas from runners world reports Why Exercise Helps with Depression Older People. He writes, "by some estimates, As many as 20% of older Americans report some level of depression, compared to about 10% for overall population. I have read studies as I have reported of 25% of Americans are clinically depressed at age 63 and often going to living with depression as they age." The study is for Douglas reported on have to do with becoming an aerobic runner after 16 weeks. Does aerobic exercise help us to raise our tryptophan levels which increase our serotonin output which improve our depressions. 

http://www.runnersworld.com/health/why-exercise-helps-with-depression-in-older-people

We know that aerobic exercise can prove mild depression. People can experience a runners high. Since we have known this we have learned things that reproduce dopamine and serotonin in our brains. As we age our ability to make these transmitters decreases. This could be one of the reasons why depression becomes a bigger factor as we are older. By increasing our exercise we can improve our bodies ability to manufacture the transmitters that we need. 

The participants in the study became aerobic and runners who had the ability to run at a pace where they could talk while they ran. In practical terms the Cooper aerobic center has demonstrated that you can do this with aerobic walking. At their website or in my pages there is a walking schedule that you can do it in 12 weeks to get yourself aerobically walking. As always get your doctors input and know your body. 

Several years ago I read the big difference short walks do for people or older. Moving is always good. 

Mr. Douglas report was not clear enough on the one hour workouts in the test, so we'll have to keep in mind this type of study and how it helps us. 

I consistently shared aerobic, strength training, and flexibility are all areas are physical fitness that really improve our health. In older people we can pick up running, walking, biking, swimming all which help us become more aerobic. We can work around the house, yard do strength training at least twice a week and continued to add muscle to our bodies into our 90s. We can do yoga all kinds of exercise programs where body moves, stretching to improve our flexibility. Having a balance ID on these types of physical exercise Will help us to handle our aging a whole lot better. As more and more research comes out I believe these activities will also help for mental health. 

If your depression hangs around for more than two weeks, or you lose hope, or make plans of suicide your body is telling you need to go see a doctor and put a psychiatrist on your medical team and get a mental health check up. Depression is as common as being treated for heart, cancer, and diabetes. You're not alone and it's very common experience awful as it is. Getting treated and working at it is worth the loss of pain of it. Keep walking

Flashback to Liberia and the present Ebola crisis.

It has been 36 years since I lived in Liberia served as a missionary involved in educational and the medical ministries over seeing pastoring a church and planting churches in villages. Our school was in elementary school and our clinic was run by 2 nurses. Medical services in Liberia have not changed that much. There may be more doctors today. Today there is one doctor for every 71,429 people. I believe the number was little bit worse back then. 

The two American missionaries who received treatment in North Carolina, Dr. Brantley and Nancy Writebol we're working in an SIM hospital just outside of Monrovia. When I lived in Liberia SIM hospital though small if you were treated there your chances of surviving were probably the best. Their efforts not prevent them from coming down with the disease.

They just set up two locations to specialize in the care of the Ebola patients. The JFK hospital is the main Government hospital in the country. The other location sounds to me like the rubber plantation at Firestone where they would've had a small hospital. Firestone is American Company and through the years I've been generous with their care for their workers and community. 

One of the first symptoms or complaints of Ebola is a head ache and

flu like symptoms. Without a lab it's complicated because these are also the symptoms of malaria and other tropical diseases. Keep in mind how few doctors there are around and labs and lab techs. When we were there we had to use our eyes and common checklist for basic diseases. We did not use rubber gloves that I recall back then but with the two different outbreaks in the 80s and today I think rubber gloves would've been very common. Part of my job was to be a gofer to get the medical supplies that we needed. It is like a business and you got to think ahead. Any epidemic would challenge any planning. Being there  that I can see other problems that they would've had. Medical supplies sent to Africa often gets caught up into the black market. 

Where we lived is right by the L in the work Liberia on the map. There are no confirmed cases at our

location means there is no longer any medical service in that location. When we were there we served an area about the size of a Will County where I now live. We had to leave before the wars began in 1979.

Imagine working in the isolation suits in tropical heat in the 90s. This time year is the rainy season in jungle locations your water which comes from the Rainwater. In the dry season your water comes from the local streams which you have to boil and filter. Liberians themselves have very poor sanitation practices. 

For people coming in to Liberia right now to help out with the epidemic they will enter a place far different from where they came. In viral war they will need great courage. They will have to engineer the best hygiene they can and manage the medical war that may lack planning and managing. 

Ebola they say will run another 6 months which will be in the 1st part of the dry season. Right now be ready for rain every day. Nobody in the news has talked about the rainy season and the impact it makes. Most roads are very difficult this time of year. 

Be thankful that here in US we have one Doctor for 408 people. We have problems but think what it would be like if we had one doctor for every 71,000 of us. Keep walking

Aging does factor into depression

I wrote early on in my blog concerning the death of Robin Williams the possibility that aging was a factor. Initially reports indicated long-term alcohol and drug and depression issues were the cause to his suicide. And then there's the omission by his wife that Robin was struggling with early signs of Parkinson's. I was reading a brochure by the national institute of mental-health about depression and Parkinson's and I heard and read different psychiatrists talking about it and I learned that Parkinson’s disease destroys our brain cells that produce dopamine. And for those people who are fighting depression anyway they are more prone to have Parkinson's contribute to their depression. 

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/depression-and-parkinsons-disease/index.shtml

There are many medications which replenish our dopamine and serotonin which work very well with people who suffer depression because of Parkinson's. Parkinson's is a disorder that generally has an onset with males after the age of 50. Mr. Williams at the age of 63 had early signs of it. So it seems that aging did play a factor in this particular suicide attempt that led to his tragic death. His long-term problems and self-esteem are also part of the equation. But in his mind with this attempt did he lose hope and did he see failure as an aging actor who was soon be showing signs of visible disease. 

Loss of hope and making a plan to commit suicide is always something to take note.

Dr. Thomas Insel in his blog dated August 13, 2014 commenting on Robin Williams mentioned that suicide is in the top 10 of things that kills and we need to pay attention to it like we do cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. 

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/about/director/2014/robin-williams.shtml

For all of us Robin Williams raises a red flag that we should pay attention to; as we age there are changes that happened that can make is blue. Winston Churchill referred to it as the “black dog”. Keep in mind that Winston Churchill was in the 60s when he was dealing with World War Two and he chose two coping strategies to deal with. For him there was work and alcohol. Churchill didn't lose hope nor make a plan to end his life. The possibility that things happen to us as we get older which could bring on depression points out to our need to identify the symptoms of depression like we would to identify symptoms of heart attack or stroke so that, we get treatment right away. We are less likely to do that with depression because depression distorts our judgment and thinking where we don't see it. 

So many people shared how they are friends with Robin Williams, but if you were they able too really help him see what's going on. The red flag for us is to have people around who can intervene when we need it. There is effective therapy that can help us to change our thinking and combat the lies of depression. We also need a doctor who knows us and if we have a history of depression and show signs of Parkinson's can put two and two together. 

Many of you have read articles about how to identify the signs of a heart attack. Yet when these signs occur how many of those have argued with ourselves about what they mean. Sometimes we just have to trust the instinct to go and have an expert check it out. The same is true with depression, loss of hope, thoughts of failure, helplessness, withdrawal from others,  making a plan to commit suicide. We may not know all the reasons why so we need someone to help us sort it out. Right now there're around 25% of seniors or sitting around depressed and not doing nothing about it. They are living in a dark mood trying to carry on. If that describes you, talk to people you love and see what they say, talk to your General practitioner and see if he has a recommendation of a doctor that you can see. Walking with the fat man means we choose to do something healthy for us so that whatever days we have left to live are the best days that we can do. Keep walking

Big picture for baby boomers on depression and aging

Got an article in today's Wall Street Journal about Robin Williams suicide as it relates to suicide rates of the BBB boomers between the ages 35 and 64. Reported by Zusha Ellison. Traditionally suicide occurs more often in older people. This is consistent with two recent blogs that I wrote about. Aging I believe brings its own problems of suicide. Lifelong struggles with self-esteem and mental health, stress can pay a toll on people as they age. Sometimes the older we live our options seem less. Certainly in our health issues we can face problems that are life-threatening. There is also something that happens to our very minds as we get older like every other part of her body our brains can show where and tear. 

It seems suicide is declining for people who live past 75. This makes sense to me for two reasons: one, if you lived to 75 you were probably healthier to begin with both in the mind and body. And the longer you live the truer that would seem to be. I have read studies from different countries and those who live a long life are going to be people who more likely can handle stress. People who had health problems earlier in their 50s and 60s like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes have a harder time living older and need more medical invention. Two, people who have economic and social stress along with drug abuse and alcohol were themselves at higher risk for suicide. I read a quote that Robin Williams apparently said, "I used to think the worst thing in life was to end up all alone. It’s not. The worst thing in life is to end up with people who make you feel all alone." – Robin Williams No matter what problems you have I believe there's hope if you're willing to want to deal with it.

Like many comedians who say good things, they often have insight into their emotional sides. One of the things that article brought out is our increasing isolation from each other. It's ironic that the very blessing sharing on my blog shows another phenomena of our life on the computer. People spend more time under devices than they do with each other.

I noticed a trend in education. 25 to 30 years ago the teachers lounge, due to having a place for people to smoke, created quite a place for dialogue and debate. At the time I was just a young guy listening to the old sea lions as they bellowed their sage wisdom. For me it was actually informative, funny, entertaining and at least worth three graduate courses of knowledge. When I retired from education, we were healthier because of non-smoking, but the teachers lounge was more isolated with individual groups staying within their little friendships. And as I walked the halls of the school I notice more and more teachers would spend time under computers rather than their comrades of arms. Even when the kids were in the classroom teachers would be on their computers and not engage with their students. To be fair in the good old days teachers may have spent time reading the newspaper or book and not be engage with the students. Different tools with the same problem, people not engaged in a dynamic classroom.

Believe it or not, I would rather bring back the smoking and bull sessions over one's favorite drink then the corporation training that education has become. It is always more refreshing to hear honest opinion than political correctness that bores me to tears.

So Robin Williams makes us more aware of the problem of drugs both prescription and not and alcohol and how that those things hinder dealing with depression. It seems everybody who knew him or had contact with him made a similar observation, “Robin is a class act and often took time to cheer others up,” like Christopher Reeve when he underwent back surgery. Many were asking today, “Why he couldn't get help?” That will always remain to me an unanswered question. Depression will always remain a complicated and painful experience where there are victories and defeats. 

One of the last good points that was pointed out is the fact that baby boomers wanted to deny aging. And when ageing happens, they seem less prepared for that then earlier generations. On one hand we have the AARP ideal of happy sunset experiences. I am actually all for that at least most of my days. But then there's the other side of aging which has its challenges that we have to do our best to cope with. If we can't face our challenges, they may do us in. 

For now what can we learn from our explorations with depression: 

• Put a psychiatric expert on our medical team as we get older. It is always good to be prepared if something does come up.
• Be more aware of drugs and alcohol and how they affect our discernment and mental state. 
• Become more aware of how our mind changes as we get older. Like every other system in the body there's always something. 
• If you have stress in your life, don't deny it, don't do nothing about it. Stress can hurt the body and mind and finding ways to reduce it is always a good idea. 
• Live life, keep developing friends. Remember computers are a thing and a tool, people are the real deal. Give less time to negative people and more time to people that really care about you. And don't forget care about them. 

Keep walking

http://online.wsj.com/articles/robin-williamss-age-group-at-heightened-suicide-risk-1407875597

Robin Williams lost to depression, encourages us to not be blue senior.

Robin Williams 1951-2014

In the world of depression and the many forms it takes at stake is a battle for one life at a time. Just yesterday we learned of the death of Robin Williams, age 63 from a suicide. I hope the police do a thorough investigation to be accurate on the cause of death of this great actor. 

I actually thought this about Robin, I would love to have met him not for an autograph or a picture, but just say thanks to someone who I come to believe is nice guy. But in the world of celebrity I can see how that wish multiplied by millions of has its own problems. I will continue to watch his work for years to come. That's the magic of film.

In a recent blog I wrote of depressions affecting 25% of us at the age of 63. I was initially thinking of depression on setting due to aging. The factors of depression can also be going on for a long time as we see here with Mr. Williams. Isn't it amazing this amazing talent with so many wonderful performances has struggled with his worth. Throwing problems with alcohol and drugs this problem with depression accelerates. The lies of depression become believable. How did aging factor into this attempt that ended his life? 

I hope this story doesn't become another chapter of Hollywood going dark. For me this is a story that's bigger, more human that touches all of us. It is not just actors, but people of any profession or talent who may struggle with self-worth, high expectations and I believe that, “I'm failing and whatever it is it's not good enough”. There is a lie in depression that distorts reality. When I was depressed all I heard was I failed, my career wasn't good enough, I couldn't do enough for my kids, I failed in my ministry, I disappointed my wife, my life wasn't worth living. Now listen very carefully to what I'm saying, everything I thought about at that time was wrong. The truth was I was well-liked at work and just about every kid that I work with benefited by me being there. Both of my kids accepted me and told me how I was always there for them and despite my thinking, I was a good dad. In my ministry there was a long line of kids walking with the Lord today and I was part of that. My wife being straightforward told me, “This isn’t who you are. You are not a failure.” In fact it was my son and my wife who intervene to win the argument that I should go for help. 

In the following weeks I learned how depression works and how to confront the lies of depression. I began getting better weeks before the medicine would kick in by just applying to therapy I was learning. It would take work but at stake was my very life. I was considering suicide which was a very real thought for me back then. 

The lies of depression can interpret what we read, think and feel but, I know that God didn't think this way. I was “accepted in the beloved” Ephesians 1:6. My devotions in the hospital were simple and clear. There was no need to pray over and over, I would pray once and then leave it in the hands of the one who loves me. At the time I would perseverate experiencing anxiety attacks. In the next five years I participated in treatment and therapy in which I made a recovery from depression and I am able to control my anxiety. In fact right now my anxiety rarely occurs. 

I am sure that they'll be a lot of sensational stories come out about Robin Williams. I think he was a good guy, always made me laugh or think. I am sorry that depression won in his life. It is part of a big issue where 25% of us at age 63 and over battle with depression. Don't believe the lie of it, you can fight it. You don't need drugs or booze to deal with it, it can be treated and we are a long way from “one flew over the cuckoo nest”. Don't be a blue senior, look into the best treatment options that can help you. Keep walking

Aging can be hard for big men

 I talked about before how aging brings depression. Researchers have pointed out that 25% of us become clinically depressed by 63. That does correspond with the time that for many of us the effects of aging seemed to kick in. I read where we could be on two tracks of health. The unhealthy track of health which includes people who are overweight, sedimentary, smokers, heavy drinkers of alcohol or have already encountered diseases such as heart disease, cancer or diabetes. It is very possible by our early 60s we could be in poor health. Others who don't have heart disease, cancer, diabetes or other factors such as weight, smoking, actively exercise, practice good diet can be on a track where they are very healthy until their late 70s or 80s. 

If this is the case then depression could result from poor health. There is it would seem another factor, the onset of mental illness. If a person has had a lifelong struggle with mental illness such as depression, mood disorders, schizophrenia, drug and alcohol abuse, Post dramatic stress depression could be part of a life. 

I am interested in how aging effects are well-being. Another time I'd like to look at what we think and believe and how that affects our State of depression as we age. 

In my mind I see three different man. Every one of them as they got older went into decline. The actually how different believes and probably encountered three different problems. 

When it comes to writing, Ernest Hemingway has few equals. His real-life parallel his fictional writing. In many ways it was

almost auto biographical. He was a man's man, he Love to drink, Love many women, and was constantly on some kind of adventure. He stayed involved in the most dangerous times in his life. There were adventures of hunting and fishing as a child in Michigan. He fought in World War I before America got involved. After the war he was engaged with the most dynamic personalities of this time. He went to Africa and face many dangers. He got involved in the Spanish Civil War and later and World War II. He then becomes a legend in the Caribbean always living life on the edge. 

In his late 50s and 60s, we see his decline. He finds it harder to finish writing projects and he hates getting older. What he believe about himself, his world I think has a lot to do with his inability to cope with aging. So he decides to kill him self somewhat in the way in which you live. 

Theodore Roosevelt has the same robust feel about life as Hemingway did. He is more optimistic and enthusiastic about what can be done about things. His life was taking on one challenge after another. He liked physical things such as boxing, riding, and adventures. He took on the crime bosses of New York and updated the Police Department and fought corruption. He personally got involved in the Spanish-American war and was part of a real battle. As president he took on monopolies and lead in conservation by setting aside lands for public use. 

After he was done with the presidency I believed he had a hard time with the more challenges.  He takes and adventure to Panama and 55 and suffers a Health problem which he never really recovered. Liked Hemingway he puts on weight. It seems to me that he suffered depression. 

My third man who declined in age was DL Moody. He like Billy Graham was a

famous evangelist of this time. It was a self educated man and spoke to millions of people. He established many Bible institutes and colleges encourage hundredths to go into the mission field. It was a man of great energy and robust in his approach to life. His philosophy and thinking was different then Hemingway and Roosevelt. In a similar way he was a big man like they were and when you look at his pictures you can see a physical decline in the last few years of his life. One can argue whether or not he was depressed but he's certainly showed less vitality. He was dead by 62 or 63. 

These men were bigger then life. What they accomplished was remarkable. But all three maybe partly due to the weight they put on emotionally declined as they age early. 

Does this happen to people today? I think so. I think it is important for us to look at how are we doing with heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. When are in our 50s we cannot put off seeing the doctor? And when we are on our 60s it is time to take care of her emotional needs. Who cares what other people think? Let us take the initiative to take care of our emotional health. And maybe we can walk longer then Hemingway, Roosevelt, and Moody. Keep walking

In our walk with God, who talks like this anymore?

Give me the grace to crucify the natural man in me, Lord, until all unbelief is removed." Steven Olford

Who even talks like that anymore? Or even knows the teaching behind it?

That was said back in 1941 in London England during the bombings. The idea of the natural man was self-centered man opposed to God. Today self-centeredness kind of considered a virtue. Living or doing in a life to better others is frowned upon. Granted in 1941 there was great evil spreading across the planet through political ideologies turned evil. And that selfish desires of a few paid a big price for millions of people. 

There was also this idea among Christian folk to live for God and pick up the challenge to share his love with others. Today that seems to be out of vogue as well.

I was impressed with that message to actually go to Africa where today you know viruses spread like crazy. It seems insane but even today there's thousands and maybe even millions of people were dying under the wave of Islamic movement as it moves south. And I was there sharing my faith we were focused on medical clinic, school, and places of worship in the villages. A far cry from the insane ideologies that are either political or religious that are killing people today. 

Yeah who talks about Christ centered love today? Keep walk