HEADLINE NEWS

I was looking at some historic and some plain newspaper HEADLINES.  Also, some that made me laugh.  Here are a few:

• KING ELVIS DEAD 
• AMERICA UNDER ATTACK
• MYSTERY AIR OBJECTS SEEN IN SKY OVER L.A.
• NIXON QUITS
• PROHIBITION SWEEPS THE STATE!
• NEW TITANIC SINKS
• FIRE CREWS CALLED AFTER SMOKE SEEN IN SKY - TURNED OUT TO BE A CLOUD
• HEADLESS BODY FOUND IN TOPLESS BAR

Here is one for my friend Mark Mason:

• CITY ALMOST BANS THE SAXOPHONE

And for my Nebraska Cornhusker Football fans:

• UCF FANS CAN START PLANNING SCOTT FROST'S GOING AWAY PARTY

What led me down this HEADLINE NEWS road was what is dominating the news RIGHT NOW.

It seems that every day there is a new report about this entertainer, reporter, executive, etc, that is being accused of inappropriate conduct (usually sexual in nature) with others.

CHOICES.

I know we've talked about CHOICES and the results of actions based on those choices here in the BEST YEAR YET blog, but with it being so dominating in the news, I thought we'd mention it again.

I'm sure we all know that our CHOICES not only affect us, but it can have a HUGE ripple affect with others.  Now, this isn't just for BAD CHOICES, but good ones as well...we rarely hear about the good ones.

Usually we don't set out to make bad choices, but we still make them.

MY RESPONSE IS MY RESPONSIBILITY.

When we make ANY choice, we have to OWN it and how we will respond accordingly.

So here's my question to you today, if you were given an opportunity to write the HEADLINE NEWS of your life, what would it be?

It could be your current situation or it could be how you wish it were.

My encouragement to you, if you're good with the HEADLINE of your life, then OWN it.  

If you don't like what the HEADLINE would say, START today to re-write that HEADLINE.  

GROWN UP CHRISTMAS LIST

I asked the CHEERLEADER the other day what she would like for CHRISTMAS.

For the two of us, this has been a really tough question over the years.  

Don't get me wrong, we like gifts, but we look around us and see there are so many more important things we could focus our attention on.

Earlier tonight, I heard of a situation that someone I know is dealing with and I thought, "wow, I wish I could put that on my CHRISTMAS LIST for Santa."

I was reminded of a song that came out 25 years ago, and the lyrics are even more true today.

No more lives torn apart

That wars would never start

And time would heal all hearts

Everyone would have a friend

And right would always win

And love would never end

This is my GROWN UP CHRISTMAS LIST

What's on your GROWN UP CHRISTMAS LIST?

Enjoy this season, but also look beyond yourself to someone who could use a friend.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

GIVING

Today is known as #GivingTuesday all around the world.

It comes off of the heels of BLACK FRIDAY and CYBER MONDAY.  Two days set aside for buying consumer goods.  Today is all about GIVING....primarily money.

I'm even in on this one.  With running the 2018 Boston Marathon, I'm raising money and awareness for ST. JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL (click ➤➤ link to donate).

But what if......

What if GIVING wasn't just associated with one day?

What if GIVING was something we intentionally did every day?

What would GIVING look like to you?

When I started being intentional on having my BEST YEAR YET, beginning in November of 2014, I had a business coach friend of mine ask me, "How do you quantify that?  How can you measure if you are successful?"

I told her, "I want to laugh more.  I want to smile more.  I want to GIVE more."

So what if we all were intentional with #GivingEveryday?

It doesn't have to be just money.  It can be.

It can be:

• A listening ear
• A shoulder to cry on
• Scooping snow for your neighbor
• Mowing your neighbor's yard
• Buying coffee for the person in line behind you, and those behind them
• Ringing the bell at the Red Kettle
• Being a Secret Santa to someone who wouldn't otherwise have gifts
• Picking up trash in your neighborhood
• Inviting others into your home for a meal
• Going down to the local shelter and serving in anyway that they need you to
• Being an encourager
• Bringing HOPE to someone in need
• Loving your neighbor BETTER than yourself
• Doing the dishes (if you're not the one who normally does them in your house)
• Bringing a meal to someone who can't get out
• Help set up the chairs at church
• Help tear down the chairs at church

This list could go on and on.  There is no shortage of what you can do.

Get creative and make it a goal to do something...even if it is one thing, every day, that is not about you but about something you can do for others.

Let's not limit ourselves to #GivingTuesday.  

Instead, let's purpose to have #GivingEveryday.

STRONG

1. strong
   strôNG/

   1. 1.

      having the power to move heavy weights or perform other physically demanding tasks.
   2. 2.

      able to withstand great force or pressure.

   
   

What does STRONG mean to you?

A couple of weeks ago, I was scrolling through my feed on twitter and this came up:

I like Nuun products and use them throughout my marathon training as well as during the marathon.

As I looked at this tweet and the other subsequent replies from a variety of people, there were replies like:

• "Working hard to recover from injuries & return to running."
• "Strong means committing to a program and sticking to it."
• "Strong is giving it all you got with a smile.  No regrets."
• "Strong is MUSCLES upon muscles."

All of these are true.  It does take commitment.  It is going through life with no regrets. And so on.

But as I read this tweet, I remembered back to training for my first marathon over the winter and into early spring of 2014.

I had no idea what I was getting into.

I had committed to run the Country Music Marathon (Now Rock N Roll Nashville) in Nashville for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital to raise money and awareness for this great cause.

I had never run more than 13.1 miles...and that was one time!  

So I set off to train, not knowing how physical as well as mentally challenging it would be.

I was on a long run one day...with a lot of time to think...and I remember thinking about the kids that were battling, EVERYDAY, to LIVE.  I thought about their parents and other family members who were right along side of them.

It was at that moment that I realized that my being sore from a long run was NOTHING in comparison to what they were fighting through.  

Here was my reply to the tweet about what strong means to me:

As I begin to embark on another 18 week marathon training schedule, this time for the Boston Marathon, running again for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, I will remember these words and the patient families who are the TRUE HEROES.

Are you STRONG?

FINAL NOTE:

Tomorrow, November 28, 2017, is #GivingTuesday.  As mentioned, I'm running the Boston Marathon as a St. Jude Hero.  If you are considering giving to a cause tomorrow, I know of a great one!  You can click on this LINK and that will take you to my Crowdrise.com page to give.  Thank you for your STRONG consideration.

RIGGIN UP THE LIGHTS

Today is the day that the CHEERLEADER looks forward to all year.....the day we decorate, inside and out, for CHRISTMAS!

This is her FAV-O-RITE season.  

I remember her commenting on June 25th that it was 6 months to CHRISTMAS (and about every month on the 25th since!).

When it's all said and done, we'll have 5 trees up IN our house.  Yep, you read that correctly, FIVE!

Actually, if you can't the little desk tree I have in my home office, that's 6!

We have our roles:

• She's all things inside
• I am outside

I was fortunate today when putting up the outside lights....it was 60 degrees!

I don't always time it out this good.  

I remember last year...maybe the year before, when we had GREAT weather in mid November and I decided NOT to get the lights up....whoops....by the time I got around to it, it was like it's suppose to be in November in Nebraska....COLD!

Not this year.  NICE WEATHER to get into RIGGIN UP THE LIGHTS!

So for the next month and then some, we'll have the decorations up and the CHRISTMAS lights on at Casa de Peterson.

For me, it's all a reminder to what the season is all about.  

The LIGHT of the World came to dispel the darkness.

Over the next weeks, leading up to CHRISTMAS, we'll talk more about that LIGHT and how it is still shining brightly today and how we can all be RIGGING UP THE LIGHT in our own lives.

Oh, one more thing, if you run into me ringing the Salvation Army Bell (the CHEERLEADER and I have a couple of dates scheduled) or shopping...or really anywhere out in public...for the next month, you'll hear me say:

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

CHARACTER

"There are too many people who think that the only thing that's right is to get by.  And the only thing that's wrong is to get caught."  J.C. Watts

Who are you?

CHARACTER.

Our CHARACTER is on display at all times.

It is either good.....or it is not so good.

I have said for years that our lives are like a tube of toothpaste.  No matter where you get squeezed, what you have on the inside of you will come out.

Either way, your true CHARACTER, good or bad, is what will come out and be on display for all to see.

This ideal was on display today in my state.

The University of Nebraska's Athletic Director displayed it.

The Head Football Coach (who just got relieved of his duties) displayed it.

CHARACTER.

No tantrums.

No pointing the finger at others.

What was on display?  CLASS!

As a fan, the "Wins and Losses" outcome was difficult to watch.  A change had to be made if the program wants to get back to a place of long ago.

But we lost a really good guy today.  

Really good guys don't always win....but they will succeed!

Why?

Because they don't look at their present situation as a final blow.

There's a saying that says, "Every setback is a setup for a comeback!"

I have said recently that as long as there is time on the clock, there is still a chance!

But it takes discipline.....it takes CHARACTER to get through the initial disappointment and focus on that setup for the comeback!

So if you are like the 'ball coach who's looking for a new job, or you are like the AD having to make the tough decisions, whatever place you find yourself in today, remember, CHARACTER...your CHARACTER is what is important...even when no one is looking!

BLACK FRIDAY

Ok....so today is BLACK FRIDAY.

The day after THANKSGIVING.

Did you get out early this morning and hit all the stores with their BLACK FRIDAY door stopper deals?

It was given this name dating back to 1961.  First used in Philadelphia to describe the heavy and disruptive pedestrian and vehicle traffic that would occur the day after THANKSGIVING.

As the phrase became more widespread, it took on a new meaning for the retailers.  As BLACK FRIDAY is the start of the Christmas holiday shopping season, it was understood that this is when most retailer go from being "in the red" to being "in the black" for the year.

To me, BLACK FRIDAY, has been carrying on a different definition.

The Nebraska Cornhusker football team ended their season today, getting beat, pretty solid, by the Iowa Hawkeyes.

This has been the case the past few years and I don't care for it.

I'll go back to the original definition and say that it has been heavy and disruptive to say the least.

There is so much that is unknown, as the Husker program is in limbo right now:

• Will the coach and his staff be fired?
• If so, when?
• Who's the new coach going to be?
• Will the Huskers ever be relevant again?

All good questions and tough ones to answer.

But here's what I do know:

• I love chanting "GO BIG RED!"
• I will support the Huskers through thick and thin.
• Whoever is leading the team has my support (whatever that means!).

And at the end of the day, does it really matter?

In a sense yes, because it is "OUR TEAM."  "OUR STATE!"

In the end, and I said this earlier this season, the sun WILL rise tomorrow and the next day and the day after that for a long, long time.

So even if BLACK FRIDAY isn't enjoyable for you, remember, tomorrow is a new day.  

It is the first day of the rest of your life, filled with unlimited possibility.....better than any sale that you would stand in line at 3am for!

So, pick your heads up, HUSKER nation.....there's always next year!

THANKFUL FOR .........

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

This past Sunday, I through 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.  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), 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, 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 9 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

Earlier this year, I posted this pic (without the 'thankful for us' script) and talked about 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 5 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.

Recently, 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

FIRM GRIP

As I was watching college football today, it seemed like it was raining at almost every game.

I thought to myself, "in these conditions, it's the teams with the least amount of turnovers that will win today."

FIRM GRIP.

In your life, when the "storms" come, what are you holding on to?  Do your struggles cause the very things that will help you to slip from you?

This morning, as the CHEERLEADER was reading a devotional, she read out loud this passage to me:
"When you seem to be sinking in your struggles, it's crucial to hold onto something that will not fail you, something you can trust with your very life.  God's powerful presence not only strengthens you; it holds you close and doesn't let go.  He has a FIRM GRIP on you."

Are you gripping Him back?

In the Bible, Hebrews 10:23 [NLT] says, "Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep His promise."

And later in that same chapter, Hebrews 10:35 [NLT] says, "So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord.  Remember the great reward it brings you!"

Many years ago, I was studying these 2 verses and I found out that in the original language, the writer of Hebrews was saying, "Hold on, as if you are attached....Don't let go of the rudder of your life. Don't let go of the very thing that will help you navigate through the storm."

So, whether it is sunny, calm and peaceful, or a storm in your life, have a FIRM GRIP on what God has promised to you....because He has a FIRM GRIP on you!

ROCCO

Rocco

A friend of mine had to say good-bye to a good friend of his today.

ROCCO!

I never met Rocco, but my friend talked about him...posted pictures of him...I almost felt like I knew him.

It sounds as if he was a friend to all.

He loved going to the beach (who doesn't, right?).

He was usually seen in pics, sporting a red bandana.

My friend met Rocco about 14 years ago and they became fast, best friends.

My friend is also a runner like me.

If he wasn't posting pics of running some marathon, he was posting pics of him and Rocco hanging out...playing in the snow....chilling in front of the fire place....inseparable.

I think about the pics and stories I've read about Rocco and my friend.  One of my favorites is when my friend ran the New York City Marathon in 2016.  If you have never ran that majestic marathon or even seen it on TV, let me tell you, it is something to behold.  Usually, runners, like my friend, will put their names on their race singlets so that when they are running through the streets of New York, you can hear the people from the crowd (about a million deep over the course of the race) calling out the name on your shirt.

So my friend, in honor to Rocco, puts 'ROCCO' across his singlet just so that he can hear "come on ROCCO"  "good job ROCCO"  "you got this ROCCO" for 26.2 miles and use that as motivation to run.  

LOVE.IT!

So, tonight, there's a gap...a HUGE hole in my friends heart.

Unfortunately, sometimes in our BEST YEAR YETs, we have to say good bye.

The pain won't ever go away....but it will ease up as the days, weeks, months and years go by.  But that pain however strong or faint that it will be will be a reminder to the indent that ROCCO made into my friends life.

RIP Rocco.  You will be missed, but never forgotten.

Wish I would have had a chance to meet you!