peddling along

A summer day in the '70s, I'll take it. I went for a very long bike ride. On my Liberty bike peddling is not hard at all. I kept my bike at the lower speeds cruising along at 7 miles an hour. Going up inclines I put the power up a notch or two. I wore my sun shirt and it was perfect. Along the way, an elementary girl was selling lemonade like in the old days. I took a second look and said to self, "I got to stop." The drink was cool and I threw it in the basket when I was done.
I am still in the game with my app to lose weight. The one thing I noticed is how easy it is to regain the weight. Vacation I stayed pretty close to the target and I got a lot out of swimming every day. I still enjoy swimming in the Gulf. I think I was quite a sight with my hat, sun shirt. In the water it all worked, no burn, no tan swimming was easy.
Listening to The Grey Mask written by Patricia Wentworth 1928 of a retired school teacher now investigator mostly of thefts. The reader with a British accent sets the

mood for the mystery. Always nice to go back in time without the writer rewriting history to make it fit today's trends and sensibilities. The time period goes back to when my parents were born. My paternal grandparents were in their 20's. My maternal grandparents were a little older. My grandfather Criss would have been 43 and Grandma Criss would have been 30. Before the depression and after WWI. Just imagine if they had the live photos you can take today. To see them in animation. The book was popular in its day and like many novels, we read a different place, people of money different from our own. I enjoy audible books.
My Florida book this year was a Jack Reacher novel. Nothing like a hero who can do anything he wants to defend or get justice and keep moving.
Finished my month with Dr. Roy Zuck devotions on Ecclesiastes. In Devotions for Kindred Spirits the month of May, Dr. Zuck challenge me to rethink the book in a more positive message. A life lived with God pondering life's difficulties or a life without God leading to its own consequences.
Summer cool to experience. Keep walking

Learning from tragety and a funeral

I was reading a counselor who was instructed what to say and what not to say at a funeral of a tragedy. I created a note highlighted below in blue as a response. I think it is easy to say the wrong thing at a funeral. We may know the survivor or maybe we know the deceased. We may or may not know both of them. 

With each of us, there is our first funeral. I know many people who never going to funerals. My first funeral was at age 16 when a childhood friend had died with two others in a car accident. More and more people are getting cremated. More and more people are not connected to a church. Many people do not even like to talk about death. Many children are not encouraged to go funerals. Family seeking to protect the children also keep children ignorant about death and loss. For many adolescents,  funerals are first attended at the death of the schoolmate killed in an accident or suicide. With little experience and knowledge, they have to encounter death so tragic we are all wresting for understanding.

Nobody is encouraged to read the Scriptures and learn from the Lord about these things and there we are grasping at the wind.

The counselor went on to encourage the reader not to say anything to offend, but in essence really not saying anything except I am here for you. Which in itself is a good thing to say at a funeral especially if it's true?

This is what the counselor said 

What NOT to say:

• “I know how you feel.”
• “I understand.”
• “I’ve been there.”
• “This reminds me of when I… (your personal experience of tragedy).”
• “I’m sure God has a reason for this.”
• “I know that (the person who is gone, hurt, etc.) is in a better place now.”

I suppose each line there can be anger - do you!

Here is my response in part not to be said at a funeral. Loss and death are big issues. I quote ancient wisdom that should force us to battle this in our brains. Each funeral should teach us something and give us wisdom regarding our own death. Only in God can our spirits rise to heaven upon death. We need God.

(I get it, to listen. But to not say anything may not be of the Spirit either. We are to grieve with those who grieve. We too may be experiencing the pain of the loss. There are words of comfort. We live in an age that encourages ignorance and non-offense. We refuse to learn at funerals. 

Consider Ecclesiastes 7:2-4

2 It is better to go to a funeral than a feast. For death is the destiny of every person, and the living should take this to heart. 3 Sorrow is better than laughter because sober reflection is good for the heart. 4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of merrymaking.

Also Ecclesiastes 8:17 “NET© then I discerned all that God has done: No one really comprehends what happens on earth. Despite all human efforts to discover it, no one can ever grasp it. Even if a wise person claimed that he understood, he would not really comprehend it.” 

We are to wrestle with these things not avoid them. The Bible reveals more and our loss should drive us to seek God’s wisdom.

Instead, we cremate and are quickly encouraged to move on. Many now avoid the experience altogether. Ignorant, not learning, we ignore our own death and refuse to come to the Lord. Reeves) Keep walking

Like most crime novels we vicariously enjoy the world of the rich and famous. Life is full of puzzles to solve or not

Sitting at pool site in Naples,
Florida. Looking out waterway
to the Gulf

It is said, you can't take it with you. This was my first trip to Naples, Florida other than a prior pass-throughs on the way to the everglades. Stayed at a Charter club in Old Naples. Affluence everywhere. Water, tropical and money. We all seem to love it.
Looking at the homes of the rich and famous tell interesting stories. Many of the homes are not even lived in but for a few weeks a year. One home bought a neighbor's home, for around 20 million, tore it down and uses the land for a dog park for their dog.
Tom Selleck built a home designed like the one used in Magnum PI. He never lived there. Politicians from both parties live there and the who's who from business, writers, famous from all walks of life.
Where I was located is near the city's dock where boats are entered. Took a sunset cruise and had the view these homes have every night. That day had rained all day but the evening the skies cleared had we a had a great sunset.
Vicariously I think we all enjoyed being in the world of the rich. Our novels, movies,

A floating mushroom

media place our imaginations with the rich and powerful. No matter your political view we strive to be on top. One of the themes of the wisdom books of the Bible deals with our relationship with money and power. It can be a blessing or a curse. Wealth can benefit many or oppress many. Reading the ancient writings helps us gain insight
"For he will take nothing with him when he dies; his wealth will not follow him down into the grave." Ps. 49:17
Along with the homes of Port Royal, the home valued at millions will be torn down upon the sale or death of the owner only to be rebuilt for bigger homes or even a dog park for an owner's dog to do his business. One owner needed 8 more inches in a room for a statue he bought traveling to Italy. He tore down the mansion and rebuilt the same mansion only the room was given 8 more inches. I have many friends travel to Italy and take in the sights (we all like to be affluent) and wish they could buy art, products but don't have enough room to fly it back. Unless they are a hoarder there is no room in the house. 
The problems of wealth and poverty will always be with us and it is good to read, study, meditate, apply what we learn in Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon throughout our life. Not that we figure it all out, which is impossible, but that we grow in skills with our relationship to God and others.

Out on the Gulf- Can you see the curve of the earth? God's paintbrush

Consider the blessings of wealth enjoyed or not.
Ecc 5:19 To every man whom God has given wealth, and possessions, he has also given him the ability to eat from them, to receive his reward and to find enjoyment in his toil; these things are the gift of God.
Ecc 6:2 God gives a man riches, property, and wealth so that he lacks nothing that his heart desires, yet God does not enable him to enjoy the fruit of his labor –instead, someone else enjoys it! This is fruitless and a grave misfortune.
In my devotions the other night I came across curious verses, 
"Be not overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself? Be not overly wicked, neither be a fool. Why should you die before your time?" ESV "It is best to take hold of one warning without letting go of the other warning; for the one who fears God will follow both warnings." NET 
I know we are all sinners and we all sin, but thankfully we did not sin to our deaths. We learned from our past sins to a wiser life. I also know we can never reach perfection in this life, nor solve every life riddle we encounter. No, it is good to enjoy a sunset, enjoy the blessings God gives and learn from our trials to trust the One who can take us to heaven. Politics, power, money, poverty are always in conflict. How are we living, loving, sharing and caring? We have enough to deal with ourselves. Keep walking

Act of kindness

Sometimes an act of kindness comes your way in unexpected ways. This 4th of July I was with my family down in Naples Florida enjoying the beach, the Gulf, grandkids, kids. I was going down to the water and as I entered the water a rather gentle wave got me off balance and down I went. Two young men quickly came to my aid and brought me back to my feet where I reach the depth to swim and move. I went from feeling like a beached whale to a confident swimmer.
I really appreciated their help and even tossed a football around with them on overthrows. I have to say I enjoyed my sun shirt, played all day in the sun without a burn.
Later that day sitting in a chair that wasn't meant for the beach broke, a family behind me loaned me a

chair for my size. I fella with broken English said to me "happy 4th of July." I was able to see the sunset and fireworks. I returned the chair upon leaving to a family I did not know but gave me an act of kindness I will not soon forget.
Having Cerebral Palsy can be very humbling at times. I hate it to have a need of others, I would rather give. But there are times when people bring out their best.
I was 8 years old at a camp for CP kids when I was promoted to help other kids more disabled than myself. It was in the water again where I was helping kids enjoy the water. I still remember a girl about 16 who was so tight she could hardly move. As I remembered her she had the face of an angel. She passed away later that summer, but on that day I helped her she had a smile on her face.
I must have played in the water for two hours. So thanks fellas for picking me up and thanks again to strangers for the use of a chair. I know they won't read this, but I won't forget. Keep walking  

Helping the little grey cells spiritually. Online support - cool

One of the challenges we face as we get older is continuing our own growth spiritually. I have been personally talking to friends fighting burn out and are depressed. As they share their stories it helps me in my own life to focus on activities that build up and encourage the mind and spirit.
It seems my interests are many but new studies through the net have really encouraged me. Listed below are 6 sites with excellent resources for continual growth.
For my friends they have their work cut out for them.
https://www.biblicaltraining.org
I am taking a graduate class on Proverbs that is really stimulating my mind and spirit. Many of these teachers have different theological prospectives than I do, but the desire to know the truth of it makes it worthwhile. Good stuff
http://bible.org is a Cadillac of Bible study. The Lumina study tool is outstanding. Follow the menu and there is a lot to experience and learn.
https://www.biblegateway.com tops
https://www.studylight.org I have used this site for years. With many of these sites, you will find interactive material with great library support.
https://waynestiles.com/livethebible/ I do a lot of internet travel with Wayne to the Holylands. I am doing a study with the podcasts in the Gospel of Mark. A very good study.

Below is a blog entry on Biblegateway. It gives you reading levels of various popular translations.

Two levels are given for example. I worked 15+ years helping kids improve their reading. A Big thanks to Nancy, Dee, Marci who helped this ole boy learn how to help the kids.
KJV 12+ - 17+ which means it was written at 12th grade+ reading level and is best understood at a graduate level after 4 years of college. Many people through the years through vocabulary acquired have learned to understand this Bible at a lower reading level but it takes work. It can be a great Bible to work the little grey cells as we age. Much like studying a foreign language.
My favorite Bible NASB 1964 11th+ and understood with a senior college 16+. It definitely helped raise my reading level. After reading the NASB the KJV was a breeze.

My new favorite translations for study and reading pleasure the NIV, NET, NKJV, HCSB are at 7+ level and best understood at a 12+ (senior in HS) reading level. These translations are easy to read as you grow in vocabulary understanding. Not everybody agrees with the writer including me. Working with HS students generally finding books that are 2 years below their own lexile level they could read well for comprehension and understanding. So I would say NIV 7+, 9+ and so on.
Newspapers tend to be a 5+ understood best at 7+-10+ reading levels.
What happens if one has a lower lexile level than the Bible translation? Over time low readers may have higher listening skills and audio Bibles are wonderful. People can gain experience and growth in vocabulary acquisition. With greater recognition comes understanding. It takes work and learning coping skills such as listening, The Bible acted out. Preaching and explaining the meaning in language and experience people understand. Why Bible art in churches? Was this a way to help lower readers understand? A picture is a thousand words. We can never underestimate people who are often smarter than you might think. Of course, there is the other side of it where people have college degrees and are dumber than rocks.
Of course, there is God Himself interacting with the reader revealing His truth to the simplest of saints. How do you measure that? Keep walking

bible-translation-reading-levels

Sharing new ideas to help strength and weightless as we age.

I came across an article from the Cooperized newsletter related to strength training as we age. It is to our advantage to learn to use resistance training as we age. I have read many studies that show we can slow the rate of muscle loss or even add muscle well into our 90's. We are not all at the same level of health and with our doctor, we can design a fitness program tailored to our needs and health.
There are a variety of tools out there and gyms to use at home or the gym fit for seniors.
Combining walking, biking, running, swimming, gardening, housework there are ways to boost our war to 150 minutes of active movement we need as we age.
In the Article, Lean In and Tone Up Patrick Fisher Cooper Fitness Center Professional Trainer shares the benefits of building lean muscle and practical ways to develop a routine. Because most of us are on some calorie reduction diet we are not taking in the time or calorie intake of muscle builders to bulk up.

60 and after he recommends 45% of our fitness is
strength training. This helps muscle loss and bone
density.

In the article, he talks about changing reps from 12 to 20 or 30 reps which will keep the body challenged to develop muscle definition. 12 reps more weight, 20 to 30 less weight. Several weeks for each one.
Dr. Ken Cooper shares a chart on how the % of cardio and strength training changes as we age. The older we get the more strength training we need.
In practical terms, this helps our heart, brain, and ability to keep us independent able to do what we need to do. Muscle is one way to increase our metabolic rate. Losing muscle makes it harder to lose weight. Keep walking

https://cooperaerobics.com/Health-Tips/Fitness-Files/Lean-in-and-Tone-Up.aspx

I ran across a good article giving four reasons why it is difficult to lose weight, by K. Alicia Fetters contributor to USNews June 10, 2016. You can read the article by clicking the reference follow.

Who we are genetically influenced is health. In 2007, researchers identified a common gene variant by 20 or 30%. "The genes are in our jeans."

In the past 30 years, this gene is not changed but our environment sure has. Fetters writes, “Modern society is set up for us to consume more calories than we burn every day. We just eat more than we did in the past. A lot of food that makes us fat is advertised healthy. Woe is me!

Our bodies are programmed to not want us to starve. In the past, this is many people alive, but today this drive is easily manipulated by her current environment of food, food, food! Our biology and hormones actually working against us to lose weight.

If we lose weight there is a drop in our basal metabolic rate, the number of calories you burn just being alive.

Fetters illustrates this by comparing two men who both way 200 pounds. One of them has always weighed 200 pounds. The other used to weigh 300 pounds and lost weight to two 200 pounds. They are now not equal, for the one who lost weight will have a lower metabolic rate. They will actually walk and fidget less than they used to.

I wonder if the 300 pounders always tended to exercise less than the 200 pounders? If the exercise habit doesn’t change that might explain the metabolic difference?

Obesity can contribute to long-term dysfunction in appetite and rewards centers of the brain, as well as insulin and leptin resistance encouraging fat storage, increased hunger, Fetters reports. 

Not surprising with age there's a natural decline in the metabolic rate.

Binge eating disorder affects approximately 2,000,000 Americans any a clinical level. Why do we eat pass what we need, memories, emotions coping skills learned in childhood affect how we look at food.

What can you do to make weight loss easier?

Just realizing that weight loss is hard can relieve some of the confusion and frustration for those who are 

struggling to lose weight. Almost 2 months ago I started with the premise that losing weight is hard. The reasons may be complicated and in personal experience compromised by so many difficulties. Knowing that losing weight is hard has a way of taking away the lifetime burden of it. My effort right now is can it be done. This is part of a long-range goal for me to attempt. 

We need may not be able to control the environment around us, we can take control of our personal environment in our reaction to it. I can use the app my net dairy to eat only what I have investigated and planned and ignore the calorie-rich environment. Divide what I eat out to fit my plan. Choose portions within my range to lose weight, including my fun foods. Use the information gained to live within a plan to lose. 

Like any health plan get the support you need. 

One idea as weight is loss learn to do muscle resistance known to increase our metabolic rate

Weight loss is hard, especially if we have been fat for a long time. Can weight loss really be done? The US News article explores the problems. If I lose weight, what might then can I expect? What information and plan gives me the best chance? Think through the article and questions for yourself and keep walking.

https://health.usnews.com/wellness/articles/2016-06-10/4-reasons-its-so-hard-to-lose-weight-and-how-to-bust-through-them