Ordinary got you down

Dig deeper in Prov. 31:10-31 - A homemaker is an challenging
occupation these days. Even in the workplace moms often have
unchallengeing jobs.

Wayne Styles in his blog poses a good concern, "Making it through  an ordinary day." By ordinary the problem can be boring, routine, same old thing. If I dig a little deeper, it has to mean my work is over looked or I am undervalued, taken for granted. Wayne makes a valid point that it is from the daily routine that comes surprising opportunities. He cites David who had exciting adventures as a shepherd in protecting his sheep from wild animals but he was on a family errand when he confronted Goliath when nobody else was willing. Those earlier experience gave David confidence he could defeat the giant. If we are faithful in doing the little things of life we will be prepared to go greater things. In my daily walks and workouts I will be able to continue to live well as I age. Opportunities to go on outings or hikes will remain a possibility for years to come.
But what if ordinary is unchallenging or unrewarded. That is what I see in the photo he used on the blog. How many moms feel unappreciated? How many people are in dead in jobs with routines and expectations are low? No matter where we live this is the stuff that wears us down. Many routines are good and part of us don't have to think or fret about. But all of us want to have work and life where we are esteemed and what we do helps us and those we serve. In one blog or many blogs I want to tell you I am working these things out in my own life.
This year I have quit beating myself up about my job. I help kids and teachers and I have benefits and a paycheck. Not bad in a time of economic uncertainties. I have looked at each day as an opportunity to improve the learning environment with my talents and effort.  I will this summer look at training to become certified to run groups and help people with therapy. How ever far I get I will be able to do pastoral work and I can do these things in my retirement years. What am I doing now and how does it help me and my family? What value is it for others? And is there changes I can do to improve my lot? What I can not change can I come to terms with it?

We all been there

Work by its very nature provides a living and helps others. If my option are to come to terms with it; what can I do to change my attitude or expect to be treated with respect. If I have to make changes, what can I do each day to implement those changes? What help can I get for support? Can I hang in there long enough? Tough things to work through. These things aren't answers per say but things to work through, you are worth it.
At 55 I realized I needed to make changes for my health. I learned it would take weeks of walking before I would start to see a change. Some changes like better blood work, cholesterol, weight, artery health, would take months. Making the 3/4 plate my portion could take 5 months to make a new habit. I stayed at the walks and diet changes and things began to change. Two years ago I had some set backs and worked through them and I am back on track. Was it worth it? Absolutely! I am alive and I am looking forward to what is ahead. Today I cut my grass and everything about the chore was better. Aerobically I was in good shape for the task. Later today I will take an indoor walk. I am already at 8,000 steps. I haven't even told you today is my jello day for tomorrow will be my colostomy. Tomorrow I am giving my self a free pass. After the test I will eat very light and take it easy. I will do the same Sunday. Monday it will be back to walking. Keep walking

Walking the dog at night on more sedimentry days

Leslie Sansone is pretty upbeat to walk with

This is me being honest again, my walk at work was cut back today because of exam schedules and different tasks today. I had all good intentions of mowing the lawn today but I didn't. Watched a little TV or maybe a little more than a little. I could feel that I needed to move a little so I did some evening shores an wanted to test my ankle brace with Leslie's Sandsone's video I have under pages "Online Workouts featuring Leslie's one mile walk which is perfect late at night with easy movements which you easily cool down and begin to relax with a good book with decaf tea. You will be in bed in no time,
It did the ticket, muscles loosen up, I got the blood moving, push breathing deeper in to the body and most of muscles in the body got involved. What look like a step count too low for the day I added 3000 extra to the day leaving me a total of over 8000 steps.I nice end of the day. I did a cool down and read for about 15 minutes and I was ready to sleep. When Dr. Cooper had a TV program he called such a walk as walking the dog. Leslie' video stayed with about 6 easy moves. Her walk was about 15 minutes.
There are days when we don't get a good walk of 30 minutes in. There are days when we don't get enough steps to move us out of a sedimentary day. I nice easy walk at the end of the day is good for those days. Leslie's walks add muscles we don't use on a walk. Leslie has more challenging walks we can do earlier in the day that are a real workout. The value of indoor walking is huge due to bad weather days or times when it would not be safe to walk outdoors.
I did not get to 10,000 steps but any day you do it is like your body had a thirty minute work out. Keep walking.

Taking care of colon health....God and me ain't wrong, girls you are worth walking



Real people walking are beautiful just
as they are

Well it is time for my colostomy this weekend. The fat man waking started with a checkup. Unlike a very funny episode about tree friends taking a special trip to Palm Springs where they thought they would have a good time in Men of a Certain Age, I know better. Why do we laugh at bathroom behavior? I guess we never really leave 7th grade. The episode was very funny. There are risks and nobody I know likes to have their system cleared out. I have had four polyps removed and it worth going through it if I can prevent colon cancer. In the show Ray has a friend being treated for colon cancer. If we can prevent something why not?
I will say I have ate less fatty food and more fruits and  vegetables.
On a completely different subject, I just read a study done in the UK about women not exorcising outdoors after the age of 30 due to poor body image. The survey also revealed a tendency for older women to retreat and become loners. When we look  at health articles and ads for exercise who is pictured? Almost exclusively beautiful women with very slender figures. The very articles which seek to get us moving use images that may discourage us if we are over weight. What can I say? I am a guy and I can't experience how a woman views their world.
Tonight I am going to step out on a limb a little bit. I do know something about changing from my 20's when I was an avid tennis player with a tennis body where today I am bald, overweight with wrinkles. I know longer like to wear a one piece bathing suit and at the gym I wear loose clothes. I am sorry but I won't wear a speedo or spandex. Guys who were robust like myself often when aging happens couldn't handle it. I don't know if I qualify girls, but I have seen women of different shapes and sizes and ages they are still pretty, beautiful, sexy through what ever changes they go through. Moving through your 30's (from my point of view still a teen) lol, 40's, 50's 60's and beyond is no time to draw back from life. Girls there are plenty of sudies that show this is the best time of life. Take a look at your peers, forget the media, they look just like you. Don't beat yourself up, you look OK! In fact, I would venture others would view you better than you do yourself. Remember there were only less than 1% that could wear spandex to begin with.

Carlyn walks for health as she
recovers

So join me in spirit and put on beautiful comfortable clothes and go for a walk. Here is the secret and I m giving it away for free, "walking, eating healthy, growing spiritually, growing as a person is real beauty." Doing what we can and move away from what ever that perfect image is can really be liberating. There is a strength in a woman that God gave that the most amazing thing I have ever seen. Women get things done and they show great courage daily.
Walk and be seen, you will feel better. The UK study pointed out how exercise helps fight depression and isolation. When you walk knees a little bent, shoulder blades back and head up looking at God's creation. Walk with a friend, walk with a dog. See the beautiful world around you. Pay attention to people your age and a little older. Look at the confident older walkers. Believe me .shapes and sizes and most have a smile on their face. Ladies feel how good you feel walking, you are beautiful.  Now I will give you a majority vote on the subject. I think you are beautiful and God thinks "you are fearfully and wonderfully made". God and me are a majority on this one and if any one else sees it our way, well they got good sense. Check out the article at http://psychcentral.com/news/2012/04/26/most-women-shy-away-from-outdoor-exercise/37851.html Keep walking

Understand why? Not all of it



maybe not how I remember it

Aren't there lots of strange things that happen that we can't explain? Have you ever watched human or animal behavior that defies explanation? Some days ago there was a story of a woman who uses a tanning bed and you could see the harm she did to her skin. Why would she go to that extreme? When I was a kid I remember a washer machine over flowing  with suds and the woman was pouring more soap into the machine. I still hear my dad laughing and that was 50 years ago. Sometimes even when you find the reason for some strange behavior it is still crazy.
Earlier this week Mart Dehahn in his blog presented the problem of the ostrich in Job 39:13-18. http://beenthinking.org/
It is part of God's counsel to Job who had undergone tremendous suffering. Job and his so called friends had been trying to explain why God allowed Job to go through his experiences. Job's friends basically blamed Job for his problems. God in His answer explained lots of things we can't explain about the created world and happenings. So off I went and the last couple of days I took a closer look at the ostrich. Part of our problem with animal behavior is our tendency to give the animals human qualities. I like to think of it as the "Disney effect." In every Disney movie animals are given human qualities and even speech. The problem is animals don't act that way. An Ostrich we observe lacks the parenting skills of other birds but the destroyed eggs become food for the birds that do hatch. But when it comes running, the speed of the horse and brains of a rider can't keep up with the bird. There are allot of things we are trying to understand. Look at Job 39:13-18 and what do you think?
There are times when Jesus posed questions and problems and He let His disciples think on it. It is good for our brains to dig deeper. I think we are used to the 30 minute plot that is all tied together. Life is much more interesting and sometimes we just don't get it.

I actually had one of these birds walk right up to me in
Africa. It wasn't one of my braver moments.

As for Job he decided to listen to God and not on his reasoning or that of his friends. Human suffering can overwhelm us. It can test our faith and reveal or strengths and weaknesses and it can help us draw closer to God. Viktor Frankl observed the horrors of the concentration camp increased the faith of those who went through it.
Understanding the ostrich is easier then understanding pain and suffering. So thanks Mart for giving me something to think about. The bigger problems of a fallen world I am glad God sent His Son to give us faith, hope and love.
Today's temperature was in the high 80's and 90's. A good day for indoor walking or a gym. Walking for me is part of a recovery for me when I had problems. Walking doesn't solve all of our problems or understand the funny way of humans, but it helps. Keep walking

Walking and education

Joliet Central 1907, many times bigger today

Using the pedometer this week I have averaged over 11,000 steps a day. That is about 5 1/2 miles a day. I am walking the stairs at work and breathing very normal after a flight of stairs. My ankle feels good later at night as long as I walk with the insert. On the steps there is even a bounce to my step.
Some thoughts on walking and working in a high school...
Walking is an activity that improves our quality of life. I read an article years ago where the average teacher walks a mile and 1/2 a day. That would put teachers in the category of being sedimentary. In my job I travel from class to class. It is easy for me to walk at JT, the school is huge. This year I have tried to find little ways to move in the classroom. I would rather sit than stand, but I like moving in the class to help the kids. Their problems are why I am there. If they had no problems I would have no job. All these steps add up. If you work in classrooms find ways to move. For me I walk 3 + miles at work. Being involved with kids helps my health.

In Africa I taught and was a principal - My rule you could
wear shorts. Not a bad rule for 94 degrees

I said my good byes to seniors I have worked with. It has been my good fortune to work with these kids when they were freshman and four years later as seniors. To see how they have matured and have become young men and women floors me. They have earned good grades and have taken on some challenging classes. They have exceeded my expectations and in the process have taught an old guy some new things. I know we often think teens know everything, but sometimes an old guy like me is set in his ways. Most of the teachers I work with now are the age of my own kids. I feed off their energy and hard work. It is actually pretty cool. Don't write off our young people, when you get to know them they are a decent lot.  Keep walking

Pedometers work, Walkers smile for free

Sitting having lunch the flowers were beautiful

I have had a chance to check my normal walks at work. I am blessed to work at a big high school. (By the way I really do like working with the kids and staff there, In 30 years the place is like my second home.) In my normal duties I get a chance to walk the campus. It was built with limestone to look like a castle. The new parts of the building have been built with a facade to match the theme. May is a great month to eat outdoors. For two days I tracked my steps and I average over 6000 steps a day. Walking after work with Barb and I easily get to 10,000 + a day. Today I walked over 12,000 steps. Find ways to move and the steps add up. Pedometers work.
My insert works as well. Walking those steps at work with no discomfort still blows my mind.
Today on our walk we saw a blue bird fly from the field to high in the tree in front of us. We watched for awhile and the bird flew back into the field. We believe it was a Eastern bluebird female. We heard a cardinal calling in the area we have spotted orioles in the past. This year it looks like the cardinals won the area. The Canadian geese are protecting their areas and in the middle of the pond we saw a loon. Walking it is fun to identify birds by their call. We heard the bluebird first before we spotted the bird. Birds of color are harder to spot than you would think. The sun light helps them to blend into the grasslands reflecting light. All this activity adds to the walk. Sirens sound off you can hear the family of foxes in the middle of the grass lands.

Two pair of geese, I never tire of this view

Today there were several older gents walking. On warm days there are the fitness people jogging, and older people walking. If you walk on a regular basis you can manage the weather. When it gets hot the walkers will come early or later. Barb and I will actually have water with us as we walk. I love my big sun hat. Simple joys and inexpensive clothes where comfort rules.
All in all I enjoyed the day. I worked with the kids but I had fun doing it. I could be tough and demanding, but I have found I get more from them if I am relaxed and easy going. The guidelines  of respect and working in an teaching environment I am all for. But the way I figure it why not smile as I do it. It may be the only smile a kid sees that day. I gave it for free. Walkers or runners it is hands down, walkers smile.
Work ain't easy...It is easy to get our minds wrapped about toxic people or ideas and ruin our pleasure at work. It is easy to spend the day with this spin or that. This year I let all that go and focused on the moment in the class. What can I do to help someone else? This year there is always someone or something I can do that helps bring about a better teaching enviroment or relationship. There are skills to be experienced and most behaviors melt away. You got a job, what is it about that job do you love? What is it that helps others? Much of that may be what it gives to your family and home. Finding pleasure in work is a big thing. There will be bad days, (it can't just be me)  but tomorrow...Keep walking!

Walking indoors or out, pedometers help

Scott with Daughter Jen is in happy way encouraging me
to longer trail walks this summer

Walking today was an indoor walk with Leslie Sansone. Like the lost coin I found my pocket pedometer. Having one I know increases daily steps. For me I just don't want to see a low count at the end of the day. The devise acts like a conscious. If I have had a day of travel or too much sit time, a walk at the end of the day helps me unwind and loosen up. Many will tell you to exercise two to three hours before bedtime but sometimes that is not possible. Late night movement works for me because of my CP. Taking a cool down and then read a book or listen to music helps with the relaxation part. Dr. Oz on his web site has evening workouts at http://www.realage.com/
I was viewing some pictures of people taking walks on trails around the country. Barb and I this summer are going to hit some trails here in the Midwest. Walking as a hobby can lead to some cool vacation ideas. Having these experiences in mind helps get out for daily walks. There are trails and hikes everywhere. When my son was younger we played tennis in every state we visited. One tennis court out west there was a rattler on the court. We encouraged the snake to move and if we hit the ball off the court we left it there until we done. We visited allot of states. Well maybe it is time for Barb and I to have a walk countdown of the states we visit and maybe a country or two.
Since my ankle improved and walking again, I have done better with how I am eating. Habits can be good. For me "five is fine, nine divine" servings of fruits and vegetables is a daily reminder. Thanks Dr. Ken Cooper.

Men of a Certain Age go for a walk.
In LA in the mountains are great walks

Went out to breakfast the other day with retired friends at work. It is sort of like the program, "Men of a Certain Age." I think it is why I like face book as it is a way to connect with people from the past. It is good to have a good laugh. Billy and I were watching "Last Man Standing" with Tim Allen and laughing together. I remember doing that with my dad with shows like "Get Smart" and the "Hogans Heroes" "Andy Griffin Show." I am a luck fellow to have friends and family to laugh with. One good friend I have Ken Gill has great recall of many good and bad TV shows and it was a hoot working together remembering funny comics. The kids we worked with didn't get it, but they liked us laughing. For 15 years I worked with mentally challenged children who loved to laugh. Putting the work into their success was easy. You will find they love the music and shows of the caregivers and parents. Some of them will be hip to day but for the most they love there parents world.
Walking and enjoying both work and life with friends who get who we are, that ain't bad, Keep walking.
I came accross a photo of poor children smiling. The thought was given that they seemed content while children who have whine and complain, The happy child is the noble savage better off without the evil of civilization. But we need to lookcoser, the posed peicure is just that
next day walked 10,000 +steps pedometers work