THANKFUL FOR _______________

 HAPPY (day after) THANKSGIVING!

On Monday, I threw out a little CHALLENGE to all of us (me included).

It is Day 5 of our 5 DAY THANKFUL CHALLENGE.  Today.....

• I'm THANKFUL for _______________

I think today, I just need to FILL IN THE BLANK!

Have you ever been so down...so beat up....so uncomfortable with how you feel?

You are so tired you can't sleep.

You are so angry you are sad.

What in the world is there to be THANKFUL FOR?

Ever been there?

Maybe you are there today.

I've been there.

Every time I'm encouraged to be THANKFUL, I say, "but, you don't know....."  Except I realize that no matter how big my "but" is, what I need to be THANKFUL FOR is SO much BIGGER!

I know things are missing....BUT what do I have?

• When I'm hurting, I have FRIENDS, FAMILY and my CHEERLEADER that are ALWAYS here for me
• When I'm lost, I have my relationship with the Lord that guides me back to where I need to be
• I have a great family (parents; siblings; spouse; sons; etc)
• I get to WAKE up every day and impact the world around me

Take inventory......NOT to what is missing.  NOT to what was lost.

Take inventory to what you do have.  Some are things....most are not.

Have an Attitude of Gratitude!

Find even the little things and be THANKFUL FOR ___________. 

How about you take the last 5 days as a CHALLENGE to look for things, EVERY day that you are THANKFUL FOR?  I know you can.

TIM'S 5 DAY THANKFUL CHALLENGE:

• DAY 1
• I'm THANKFUL for my relationship with the Lord
• DAY 2
• I'm THANKFUL for US
• DAY 3
• I'm THANKFUL for FAMILY
• DAY 4
• I'm THANKFUL for HEALTH
• DAY 5
• I'm THANKFUL for __________

THANKFUL FOR HEALTH

 It is Day 4 of our 5 DAY THANKFUL CHALLENGE.  And today is THANKSGIVING!

Today.....

• I'm THANKFUL for HEALTH!

HEALTH.

Have you ever taken your HEALTH for granted?

I know I have.

In my life, over the years, as I have "seasoned," I realized there were certain things I either couldn't do or shouldn't do.  Things I could control.

But when your HEALTH is compromised by something you can't control, that is a whole different level.

I have talked about my diagnosis and treatment for prostate cancer here in the BEST YEAR YET blog, but during this 5 DAY THANKFUL CHALLENGE, I thought I would share some more.

Speaking for myself (I hope this will encourage someone else too), I can't speak for how others approach what they are going through.

I felt, and still feel, that my FAITH is a driving force in my life.   I have leaned in, heavily, on it for years...and this would not be an exception.  

Even with STRONG FAITH, I had times where I struggled....not knowing how I would be in 6 months, a year, 5 years, etc.

I took my HEALTH for granted.

I had things I still wanted to do:

• Run a marathon in every state
• Run all 6 of the World Marathon Majors (at the time of the diagnosis IN 2016, I had run 1)
• Play with my grandkids someday (none yet)
• Travel the world with the CHEERLEADER
• Write a book
• Go to all the Major League Baseball stadiums
• and on and on my list goes

Would my "LIVE LIST" be compromised because my HEALTH wouldn't allow me to LIVE like I wanted to?

I am blessed and very fortunate.

The cancer that was in my body was caught early.  It was contained to one area (my prostate) and had not spread.  When my prostate was removed, so to was all the cancer.

Today, I am cancer free!  As a precaution for the next 10 years (now 6 years), every 6 months I have to go in for a check up and blood work.  Small price to pay to take care of my HEALTH!

I don't take my HEALTH for granted anymore.   No matter how much more "seasoned" I become, I am very aware of the gift I have been given called LIFE.

How about you?

When was the last time you went to the doctor to get a physical?

Maybe for you it isn't physical.  Maybe it's the mental side of dealing with stress, perceived failure and such.

Go in for a check up.  Go talk to someone.  Go get help.

Don't take your HEALTH (physically and/or mentally) for granted.

Take care of your body and your mind....they are the only ones you will ever have.

Today, I'm THANKFUL for HEALTH!

TIM'S 5 DAY THANKFUL CHALLENGE:

• DAY 1
• I'm THANKFUL for my relationship with the Lord
• DAY 2
• I'm THANKFUL for US
• DAY 3
• I'm THANKFUL for FAMILY
• DAY 4
• I'm THANKFUL for HEALTH

THANKFUL FOR FAMILY

 

It is Day 3 of our 5 DAY THANKFUL CHALLENGE.  Today....

• I'm THANKFUL for FAMILY!

FAMILY....I was just thinking about the "perfect" family.  

My FAMILY's not perfect.....I'm in it and since I'm not perfect, there goes perfection!

Just like in a marriage, a FAMILY is made up of individuals with different ideas, up-bringing, styles, etc....ALL in one FAMILY!

I come from a family of 8 kids.

I have 3 kids (now adults).

My 3 sons have differing opinions.

My 7 other siblings have differing opinions.

The CHEERLEADER and I, at times, have differing opinions.

The commonality.....WE.ARE.FAMILY!

No matter what is going on, at the end of the day, WE.ARE.FAMILY!

We've been there, for each other for births, deaths, joys, pains, birthdays, weddings, events, etc. 

We've cried with each other.

We've laughed with each other.

We've laughed AT each other.

We've welcomed new FAMILY members in.

We've sadly said good-bye to others.

All the while...the fact remains, WE.ARE.FAMILY!

During this time of THANKSGIVING and in our 5 DAY THANKFUL CHALLENGE, remember the FAMILY that you have or come from.  

Reach out...mend fences....it's never too late to fix things....NEVER!

What are you THANKFUL for?

TIM'S 5 DAY THANKFUL CHALLENGE:

• DAY 1
• I'm THANKFUL for my relationship with the Lord
• DAY 2
• I'm THANKFUL for US
• DAY 3
• I'm THANKFUL for FAMILY

THANKFUL FOR US

In this week of the "5 DAY THANKFUL CHALLENGE," I wanted to make this my DAY 2 entry:

• I'm THANKFUL for US!

This is one of my favorite pictures of the two of us for a couple reasons:

• It not 100% in focus
• Like our lives, we haven't always been "in focus" when it comes to doing life.  There were many times I "dropped the ball"...maybe a few times she did too.  But through it all, we always get back into focus.

• I'm hunched over
• Not the best of posture....but I am holding her up.  We went through more "stuff" in the last 9 years then we had in the previous 26...at least it seemed that way.  But one thing continues to remain, we hold each other up.  WE.ARE.TEAM.PETERSON.

THIS.IS.US!

Going forward, we'll probably "drop the ball" somewhere along the line and we'll most likely have more "stuff" to deal with, but we'll fight through it TOGETHER.

A few years ago, my mom sent me this couch pillow, for my birthday, with a graphic of a tandem bike that said, "BETTER TOGETHER."  She knows us well.

What are you THANKFUL for today?  If you haven't, go back and read through yesterday's BEST YEAR YET blog, "BE THANKFUL," and join us on this "5 DAY THANKFUL CHALLENGE."

TIM'S 5 DAY THANKFUL CHALLENGE:

• DAY 1
• I'm THANKFUL for my relationship with the Lord
• DAY 2
• I'm THANKFUL for US

BE THANKFUL

 

Thanksgiving is in 3 days.

I thought I would take the next few days and focus on the subject of THANKFULNESS.

Earlier this year, I did a "21 day Gratitude Challenge" with some co-workers where we thought about 3 things each day that we were GRATEFUL for.

BE THANKFUL.

What I would like to do, beginning today, and going through Friday, November 27th , is to think about 1...yes just 1 thing that you are THANKFUL for each day.

Be deliberate.

Be intentional.

Be thoughtful.

Is it...

• your family
• your job
• your church
• your health
• your friends
• your house
• your pet

Whatever it is, get creative. 

Write it down.

Share it with others.

If your THANKFULNESS is associated with a person or persons, do something tangible to express that to them.

• If it's work, bring in donuts or coffee or donuts and coffee this week
• It it's a family member, find something that you can do for them to express your THANKFULNESS (send a card; give them a call; wash their car; watch their kids; etc)
• If it's your health, do something for someone who's health is a struggle right now (you can always go to my ST. JUDE HEROES link and donate to St. Jude through my efforts as a St. Jude Hero running the 2020 St. Jude Memphis Virtual Half-Marathon)
• If it's your church, see where you can be a blessing and volunteer. Believe me, they need and want your assistance....just be open to help wherever

You know, you're going to see mine over the next 5 days, so why don't you share yours?

"5 DAY THANKFUL CHALLENGE"

Who's in?

DAY 1 of my 5 DAY THANKFUL CHALLENGE:

I am THANKFUL for my relationship with the Lord.  

I made a decision over 34 years ago that I couldn't do life on my own.  Some said, "oh, that's just a crutch" to which I would agree and THANKFUL that He holds me up when I can't!  

I want my life to reflect Him to others.  At times, I don't do the best job, but He is faithful to forgive, dust me off, and set me back on the road!  Not perfect....just forgiven!

AIM HIGH

Recently, I've been thinking a lot about goals and going after them.  I have written a few posts, regarding this topic and I can't get away from the subject right now because I believe, at least for me, there is a LIFE QUEST that is to be had.

In the Bible, Habakkuk 2:2 says, "Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it."  Your "vision," my "vision," are those GOALS that you have to go after. They are not designed to just be in your head or on a piece of paper, but to be executed and implemented on.  I have said (probably saw it on Pinterest) for years that "Goals without controllable actions are just wishes or dreams."  I have DREAMS, but I'm going to put actions to them and make them become a reality.

Eleanor Roosevelt once said, "You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.  Do the thing you think you cannot do."  She also went on to say, "Do one thing every day that scares you!"

With today's post, I want to encourage you to "AIM HIGH!"  What is that thing you REALLY want but think it cannot be obtained?  Have you ever heard of going after the "low hanging fruit?"  This is the easy to reach, instant gratification, stuff.  I want to encourage you AIM HIGH and go after the "HIGH HANGING FRUIT!"  That which others aren't willing to go after.  

There is a quote I have mentioned before, by Albert Gray, in his talk called, "The Common Denominator To Success."  He gave this talk back in the 1940's.  In it, he said, "Successful people are successful because they form the habits of doing those things that failures don't like to do."  If you want it, what are you prepared to do?  

Study the successful.  See what they have done.  You don't have to copy them and be exactly like them.  Study what it is they do and make it your own...be authentically you! Success leaves clues...emulate the process not the person!

So what is the "high hanging fruit" you are going to reach for that will help to make this your BEST YEAR YET?  I want to encourage you....NO, I give you permission, to get out of your comfort zone, AIM HIGH, reach for the sky and go after that thing that's been "burning" in you to do:

• Write a book
• Start a business
• Do a pilgrimage to Santiago (Camino de Santiago)
• Run the World Marathon Majors
• Run a 5K
• Be a stand up comedian
• And on and on.....

Whatever it is, GO.FOR.IT!    I leave you with this......

Final note:  Today ends my 21 days of posting "My 3 things I'm GRATEFUL for Today" items. It's been fun, challenging, thought provoking, etc., to do this exercise everyday.  We all have SO MUCH to be thankful/grateful for.  I believe I'll keep it up...I just won't post it everyday moving forward...but I will drop them in here from time to time.  I hope you have enjoyed them and maybe even started your own Positive Habit of daily GRATITUDE.  

My 3 Things I'm Grateful for Today:

• Sunshine
• Sleep
• Air travel

YOUR FUTURE IS SO BRIGHT

"No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead..." Philippians 3: 13 (NLT)

I really like what the Apostle Paul said here, "...I haven't achieved it...I haven't arrived..YET...but here is what I do...THIS ONE THING...."  If we are still breathing...still alive, we also haven't "achieved it" or "haven't arrived" YET!

What about you?  What is your ONE THING?  Paul's is a good one for most of us to grab ahold of and incorporate in our lives as well, "Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead..."  But so many times, it seems, we are still STUCK in failures or struggles that we have had, that it stops us from pushing forward.  I LOVE today's start off quote: 

"Your past is NOT strong enough to shut down your future!"

I, personally, have "things" in my past that I'm not real proud of.  Thing that I said and did that I can't get back.  "They" say you "can't un-ring the bell," (which is another post for another day), and even though I can't, what I can do is "own my past" and keep my focus...my vision in front of me.  I have said many times before, "My response is my responsibility," and if I own the past, it's up to me to be disciplined to the actions I CAN control, moving forward.

There is so much potential in front of you that if your future self found a DeLorean and came back to you, he/she would tell you to not look back...but press on/press forward because there are GREAT things in store for you.  I'm guessing your future self would thank your current self for not giving up or giving in. Today, you might not be able to see it...but I'm here to tell you that it is THERE.

So, don't look back, because you are not going that way.  Keep you "hand to the plow" and "eyes forward" because your future's so bright...you gotta wear shades!

My 3 things I'm GRATEFUL for today:

• Fresh sheets on my bed
• Friends who inspire
• Opportunity to travel