What is the bottom line?

Sometimes praying we don't know how things will go.
We don't always see clearly but we can trust the One who
cares, 1 Peter 5:7

I am in an emergency room waiting room praying and waiting concerning Barb's dad here with chest pains. He is a good man and honest to the bone. He is a good father strong and gentle and a grandfather. At 83, these things are serious.
Through out the hospital there are all kinds of needs. Being here reminds me at any time we may find our selves in need of care and prayer. While we are in the land of the living we are right to pray for healing. One desire I believe God wants is our care. I know there are people tonight who will pass away. Death of God's own is precious to Him. My father in law is undergoing tests, praying for grace for him to recover is on my heart, but I know God loves and cares. (Good news on tests)
Praying for God's will isn't a negative submission for a bad outcome, but a ongoing trust into his care. When I was between life and death I trusted God either way. God many times helps us through health concerns, but with all who belong to him, He will bring us home. Read (John 14:1-3: 2 Corinthians 5:6-8)
We need a bottom line truth we can trust at our worse moments. Knowing Christ as our Savior transcends our church ties, or even if we go to church. Eternity awaits all of us regardless of our belief. For one who puts their faith in Jesus they go into eternity forgiven to a place our Creator prepared for us.
We walk for better health, but our life continues after death and meeting the Savior is the bottom line. Keep walking

I am making progress

John and Maria Gelsthorpe
Under a shade tree

I have been encouraged to find my blog has encourage people to walk. My walking has become daily now that my foot is positioned in a way to relieve a pinch nerve. Right now my walking time has been 30 minutes. My walks at work increase my steps in my day. At this time at night my foot feels pretty comfortable. Wow and thanks are my response. I will increase my time as the summer approaches. Right now my aerobic time in my walks is a little over twenty minutes. I start with a warm up and end with a cool down pace. With each day I find my breathing is less winded. My pace has slightly increased. With out pain I can work on my fitness.
Having a positive walking experience has encourage me to make moderate choices in my diet. My focus is on each day. A healthy breakfast and lunch with smart eating at dinner. One plate not filled. This week no after supper eating. My fruits and veggies have been 5 to 8 servings. In one way I am  throwing out a time line about weight loss. As I think this through I have to take a day at a time, be more mindful of my choices and be encouraged as I go. I know the attack the snack diet works, but I am modifying a bit to focus more on each day with good choices. Let me know some good choices you have made that help you.
The weather has been cooler and I have noticed a drop off on the trails. A cool day though is a good day for walking. Dress for the weather and within a few minutes you won't notice the cool temperatures.
For those of you who are starting to walk, remember it is your walk. You will make progress if you make walking a habit. Work with your doctor in making good health choices and hang in there. I have had my share of setbacks, but I know walking works.
I have noticed this year alot of progress with the kids I work with at school. Being an encourager and a gentle support has paid off in the long run. I have also worked with a competent staff who floor me with their skill and insight into the the task of educating. This stuff doesn't make the headlines but it should. Keep walking

fat talk doesn't work!

Having a good perspective on
sunsets is easy

Does fat talk ever benefit us? By fat talk I am referring to body bashing self talk. I could write of wrinkle talk where we beat ourselves up because we have aged. If you have followed my blog I have written about a number of issues I have had that require some kind of change. When I had cataracts my eyes required surgery? There is a risk and eyes take special care and I was scared particularly with the first eye surgery. I battled insomnia and anxiety then depression. Having worked in a mental hospital I was resistant to seek help. Things got bad enough I went for help. I knew enough to seek the best I could. With Cerebral Palsy I have a chronic condition in my ankle. Trying to find the right help took time. Beating myself up with any of these problems would have been useless. (And by the way was useless) Perceverating is counter productive. The focus may be on the problem, but it is not on possible solutions.
We all get old. There was a time when I thought I knew what it was to get older, but I didn't. At 30 we really don't know what it will be like at 60. We think we will have gray hair, but in our minds we will still have our health and little real changes. Some of you are older and you might be thinking, wait Billy you haven't seen anything yet, wait until you are 70 or 80. I hear you. Health care needs the voice of wisdom that aging brings. 20 year old's have no idea.
Walking with the fat man you know I am over weight. I could have a blog that says walking with the bald man. Like Old Man in the Sea, my blog could have many titles. Beating my self up and saying negative things about being fat won't move me to change. Hating myself because I am old will only increase my problems. It is so easy to fall into looking at self and complain. Add some real aches and pains and watch us moan.
The goal of Walking with the fat man is spelled out by Dr. Ken Cooper by using preventative and curative medicine with lifestyle changes that will help us round off the curve of our aging where more of our life is enjoying living and being productive with the things we involve ourselves with.
Negative bashing, fat talk won't help. What do you think? The issues mentioned slowed down my walking and weight control. In the last few weeks I have been able to get out for walking. With each walk I am making other changes as well. What can I control? Right now, something I learned in therapy is "mindfulness". Living in the now. It changed my attitude about work. It has helped change my attitude about sleep. And I believe it is a better option than griping for the changes I need to make about exercising and weight control. I will probably be overweight for the rest of my life, but I can weigh less. I can feel better. If I made all the changes where I was walking 1 or 2 hours a day. More flexible and stronger, weighed 80 lbs. less, I would still look in the mirror and see a 60 year old. My head would seem bigger with a smaller body and I would have more wrinkles. If I am looking at the outside, I think I would miss the whole point. It is not how we look but how healthy are we and how do we feel. We are alive and enjoying what God has given us. Try to catch that vision for yourself. Were old guys, but we are alive and enjoying each day. Keep walking!

Something Chuck Colson teaches all of us

Spring is still on

I had a good thirty minute walk workout today. After the walk I strolled back to take some pictures of flowers in bloom now. Wild flowers will come in bloom throughout the growing season. In neighborhoods flowers will bloom gardeners everywhere will share there displays for all to enjoy. Writing tonight I am almost pain free in my right ankle.

My blog I believe some of you may disagree. We may disagree with politics or actions and ideas a person has but can we see that God can forgive someone and give them a new hope and direction in life?

He did this for 39 years,
you can't fake that.

Reading the reports of Chuck Colson's death today, I think he finished well. I've been thinking about "he got religion" "He claimed to be born again". Both statements were given by the press in a skeptical tone. Most of the time in the press, these terms are used negatively. Hardball in politics is nothing new. Getting caught is the unforgivable sin. Colson was one of Nixon's bad boys. What they did was illegal, and they got caught. Colson trusts in the Lord and sets to turn his life around. I took my copy of Born Again off the shelf and copy right 1976. That was the year I got married. He was saved in 1973 and we have had a long time to see if he really did get religion or was born again. I don't know to many people referring to him as Dr. Colson but in 1959 he earned a doctorate from George Washington University. He was a Captain in the Marine Corp, but what he will be remembered before he came to Christ was his involvement in dirty politics. It proves to us all that the end doesn't justify the means and that the means matters.

I didn't agree with Colson on several points as a believer, but he did live his life after jail as a man of faith. His ideas on prison reform have merit and I have met people who lives were changed because of his prison ministries. His legal and political training didn't go away but his message was different. I think he would have benefited if he could have spent time for the Lord to teach him before he was thrust into a Christian leadership role. To his credit money earned from books and awards went into the ministry and not to himself.

These flowers were in the tall grass

The Boston Globe wrote in 1973, "If Mr. Colson can repent of his sins, there just has to be hope for everyone." There are many who dislike Colson for what he did, and his politics as a "Nixon fanatic." To the crimes of it, he went to jail. He admitted his sins. I think it is wonderful that God can forgive an unlikable person who played dirty and change their life so that they help people that have been cast off as losers. Thirty nine years we have been watching Dr. Chuck Colson, sinner forgiven. If God can forgive and change an unlikable guy like Chuck Colson then he can forgive any of us. WE have watched Chuck Colson for 39 years live for Christ. Chuck became a likable guy for millions of people. Working among the disatvantaged. He finished well don't you think. Keep walking.

A look at Thomas Kinkade, gone too soon

My Favorite Kinkade painting

Thomas Kinkade passed away last week at 54 years of age. He reminds me of my favorite Uncle Bruce Criss. My uncle passed at 55 years of age. Sudden death can come way to early to good people. To me, there wasn't a nicer man than my Uncle Bruce. He always had a nice word for me. With Mr. Kinkade, I thought it was interesting the negative press he received upon his death. The art world look down on his work and that to me is too bad.
I love going to art museums and I love art. I actually love all kinds of art. But just as interesting is watching people look at art. There are many paintings that seem to have an universal appeal. Then there are paintings where people look at the art and you can see them trying to find some reason why they think it is art. "I am spending time in front of this piece and I can't figure it out, but there must be some reason why it is here in the museum and I am looking at it.. I don't want to non appreciative..." Body language tells you they think it isn't art but they are struggling to like it. The term "artsy fartsy" comes to mind. But then that may be harsh. 
Kinkade produced art that people liked to have in their homes. He actually made money. And that may have been his crime. His art appealed to people of faith and that also may be unforgivable in the art world.

Lighthouses have always fasinated me. Water
can be a hostile place, safety and salvation not
so bad.

I like the above piece and a few others. My dad was a fisherman. He actually was a very good fisherman. He never looked a nice as the man in the art piece, but he was at peace with himself when he fished. I am glad he enjoyed the sport of it and the skill of it. When he took me fishing, I would be bored with in a half hour and I would go for walks. I could be out for hours walking, observing the wild as my dad fished. He taught me how to clean and prepare fish for eating and some of the how to rubbed off. I have taken alot of kids fishing where they learned to bait their hooks, cast and land their fish. About half of them learned to take the fish off the hook. For me I could throw a line out and never real it in and just sit and enjoy the moment.
Kinkade called himself a "painter of light." I like to think my dad enjoyed many a sunrises and sunsets as he fished.
Kinkade's Rock of Ages is interesting to me as well. Kinkade's last years may have been rocky for him.  For some aging and life's stressors can over come us. I am not privy to his difficulties, but it is very possible to stumble if life becomes dark. What can we do to fight sudden death to early? For me, when my Uncle Bruce passed, I have been careful to see my doctor. I have controlled my blood pressure, I have walked into better health indicators. I have taken time to deal with mental health. Will I live to 83? I am not sure, but the changes I have made make today a good day. Mowed the grass for my walk today. When I do go to the Art museum it usually means a day where I walk 5 to 7 miles. Keep walking!

Consider walking as a hobby

Scott - Walking to Retirement

It is the end of the day, I took a two mile walk and on my feet alot and I feel pretty good. I have noticed as I walk I am walking more even. A couple things the insert has addressed, my ankle is in a better position where I am not pinching the nerve and my shorter right leg is now even with my left leg. Standing has been easier on the back. Having less pain is wonderful. One fella noticed my walk and asked me about it. He told me I could dance now. I said, "old guys don't move their feet any way." I did my old man dance and we bothed laughed.

Why we walk? - Walking to Retirement

It was perfect walking weather in the high 50's and clear sky. My conditioning is starting to kick in and if this keeps up I may do some hour walks before too long. Walking outdoors on walking trails is my favorite type of walking. The views and creation pick up my spirits. Scott in his Walking to Retirement blog walks different races and trails in the Southeast. His latest walk was in The  Appalachian Trail. He walked I believe 8 miles. He is walking in the mountians and that is a workout. His walk included some great views and fog. Scott is a real inspiration to me as he writes of his walks. It is a motivation to me to get back into the swing of things as I rehab my ankle. I have walked part of the Appalachian Trail before. As a trail goes it is not an easy trail. It can be very hard on the feet. But the views can be breathe taking.

Wouldn't that be a great trek in the fog

Consider walking as a hobby. Check with your doctor and go your own pace, but get out and walk. 10, 20, 30 minute walks it is up to you. Check out local trails and hikes. Your daily walks can get you ready for trail walks. It is easy to pace your self. Walk on a trail 10, 15 minutes in and walk back. As you get in shape you can walk longer. Don't over do it. walks don't have to exhaust you. On a trail pick up a walking stick. It is great for balance and support when needed. Notice Scott has one for his walks when needed. In retirement pick up resistance bands and stretch. You may have other interests the more the better. Walking will help you do what you want for years to come. Keep walking.

Went to a play on today's walk and was surprised



Nick Sandys and Melanie Keller

Walking once again is more enjoyable as I am able to move with less pain. Today I strolled the grounds of the Peabody Mansion which today houses the 1st Folio Theatre. Barb and I went and saw Turn of the Screw. Well acted by Melanie Keller and Nick Sandys who acted several parts. The story line unfolded the hidden world of child abuse. A 19th century ghost story which reality was much darker and deadlier. It was a painful story, well done and left you with the need of children to be loved, have affection and be protected. These were the words said by Melanie before the play and after.
I was expecting a murder mystery, a who done it. I was not expecting the victims would be unloved children. It would be easy to accept a ghost story but the actors gave many clues as to the real intent of evil in the story being quite human.
We can't blame Victorian England for even today child abuse is often hidden and may take years to uncover. last year I encountered several stories of hidden abuse and the result like walking, I am passionate to be a part of recovery and prevention of abuse when ever possible. The play is a book that I am going to check out. Child abuse is hard to look at. It is painful and dark, but like the Holocaust and many horrid tales of human suffering in today's world we have to look at it. I would say every child needs love, acceptance, and safety. For the record and believe that is biblically and psychologically  sound. They won't all get it and that hurts badly, but we can do what we can.
Like books and art, plays can enrich our walk. Keep walking