LEGACY

"when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also."  2 Timothy 1:5 (NKJV)

LEGACY!  In the summer of 1973, when I was 7 1/2 (gotta get in the 1/2), my family moved to Plano, Texas from Lincoln, Nebraska.  I'm sure it was a HUGE adjustment for us all to move away from lifelong friends to start our new adventure.  On New Year's Day, 1974, we had a "mini-reunion" of sorts with a BUNCH of Nebraska folks, as Nebraska was playing in the Cotton Bowl against Texas.  I remember driving to the Cotton Bowl Stadium on the fairgrounds of the Texas State Fair.  We sat with/near some very close friends and one of them, Mr. (Ed) Cantwell, gave me his red felt cowboy hat with a white "N" on it.  You know, the one like "Harry Husker" wore.

There I sat, with this cool Husker cowboy hat on!  I remember it like it was yesterday....but it was 43 years ago.  LEGACY.   

Mr. Cantwell has since gone on to his eternal reward.  Today, my Mom called to tell me that Mrs. Canwell passed on yesterday.  I have "spotty" memories of both of them...but they mostly include them giving of themselves for others.  LEGACY.

When my Mom told me about Mrs. Cantwell (as an adult, I still have not gotten use to calling my parents friends by their first names. #respect), the above verse in 2 Timothy is what first came to mind.  The Apostle Paul was writing a letter of encouragement to this young Pastor, Timothy...one of Paul's "pupils" so to speak.  In this portion, Paul is encouraging Timothy on his faith and that whatever he is going through, he can make it.  But if you read a bit closer, Paul is recognizing the LEGACY key that was left to Timothy by the demonstration of it from his Grandmother and Mother.

What are you doing today that will have a lasting impact on someone's life 43 years from now?  Are you demonstrating something that is worth replicating...for the positive?  

One of the BEST YEAR YET action keys I want to have is to make an impact, daily, to those that come in contact with me.  Some days it just flows out....others I have to MAKE a decision on how I'm going to act; to respond; etc.; to the things that come at me.

As you read and ponder this post, think about who is watching you and the impact you are having on them.  How about we go out and strive for a positive impact that will be talked about and possibly written about 43 years later!  LEGACY!

RIP Miss Pat!

THE AIR MASK

Out on a run today, I was reflecting on this day, WORLD CANCER DAY.  As I was thinking about it, I was also thinking of my own "cancer journey" and how important my health and taking care of myself is.

*SPOILER ALERT* I run marathons...I know, if you know me, that's really not a surprise or a spoiler....but running marathons mean that I usually have an active training schedule that pulls for my time.  I also have a specific nutrition and other eating program that to some spouses/significant others, might be an inconvenience.  I have such an awesome wife (she's the one who is usually preparing my food and the one at home when I'm out on a long run on the weekend) who also understands that my health is a priority.  SHE'S.THE.BEST!

So, on today's run, I thought about, "Is what I do selfish?"  "Am I only thinking about myself?"  "I could do something else that would be less time consuming with my workouts and/or my nutrition?"  When I was thinking these things, I thought about an illustration I have used for years in remembering the WHY behind what I do:  THE PLANE AIR-MASK! 

Over the years I have traveled on many planes, multiple airline, many flight segments.  On each of them, although the flight attendants pre-flight speech is slightly different, one thing that is a constant is what they say about what will happen if the cabin loses air pressure: "From the ceiling will drop the air-masks."  They go on to tell how to put it on to get the air flowing.  Then they say something VERY profound to todays blog, "IF you are traveling with small children of those who cannot help themselves, put the mask on yourself FIRST!"  Why first?  Because if you don't TAKE CARE of yourself FIRST, you will be NO GOOD to those around you!

If I don't first consider my health, not in a purely selfish way, but in a way that says, "I do this because I love my wife....I love my sons," how can I truly demonstrate my love for them?  If we are going to live our BEST YEAR YET, this also include what we do on an everyday basis FOR OTHERS!  And taking care of yourself is not just for you, but for others as well!

So today, WORLD CANCER DAY, whether you are battling, surviving, or have gone on before us....I salute you and honor you.  Let's all go out and have our BEST YEAR YET...one day at at time!

THE CHOICE IS YOURS

Do you know that to truly have your BEST YEAR YET, it takes 365 days to do just that?  I'm sure most of you are thinking, "Thanks for that Captain Obvious!"  Think about it:  how many times do we wish the day or the week were over?  Many times we are in such a rush to get to the the next day...the next weekend..."if I can just hold on to my vacation!"  

I was faced with these feelings today.  It's February and cold right now.  On days like this, I like to say, "it's cold, but it is one day closer to Spring."  That is a true statement, but am I just looking past this day to get to warmer weather?

WHAT ABOUT TODAY?  What can you do to maximize each day you have?

What if you were told that you would die peacefully in 14 days or 14 weeks but you didn't know which one.  What would you do in the next 14 days?  If you lived past the first 14 days, how would you live out the following 12 weeks?  Are the things that are truly important to you the only things you want to do?  Think about it and write those things down.  After you have them down, could you do any of them RIGHT NOW?  

Don't wait until your time is running out before you have that opportunity to make an impact TODAY!  My wife tells me all the time that I drive like an old man.  Honestly, I just like the journey.  Make each day count and continue on our journey, together.  We have a CHOICE to make this our BEST YEAR YET!  I'm going to....YOU?

HOLD ON!

"So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord.  Remember the great reward it brings you!"  Hebrews 10:35 (NLT)

What do you do when things don't go as you planned?  This was a question that I had to ponder today for someone I know.  A few years ago this person made a business decision that they thought was the right thing moving forward, but since then, the "appearance" of that decision doesn't look the best.  HOLD ON!

I faced a similar situation last year, not with a business decision, but with my health.  Many know my story, but just to recap, I set out to have another BEST YEAR YET in 2016; I was planning on running 4 full marathons and just continue with the great momentum of 2015.  What took place wasn't something I had planned:  Prostate Cancer Diagnosis.  HOLD ON!

The above Bible verse from Hebrews is, to me, the best HOLD ON verse there is!  Years ago I was studying this out and found out that the first part of this verse ("...don't throw away...") had a nautical meaning to it.  It means to not let go of the rudder.  A "rudder" is a "guiding force" according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary.  Let's look at this a bit closer:

Let's say you are out on a lake in a small sailboat that had an old fashioned "stick" that you use to control the rudder...control the direction of the boat.  Now, imagine, all of a sudden, it get's VERY windy/stormy as you are out there.  This "storm" wasn't in the forecast, you didn't plan for it...get the picture?  THE hardest thing, physically, is to not let go.  Think about the strength it will take, the burn in your muscles as you fight against the pressure of the wind, so that you won't tip over.  It would be easy to let go and get, what you feel, is some type of relief from the agony and pain.  In order to not capsize, you MUST no let go or throw away or cast away the one thing that is keeping your from sinking.  THIS is what Heb. 10:35 is talking about:  HOLD ON!!  Hold on to what you know to be true even in the midst of the storm.  

This is what I had to do last May and what I continue to do today.  HOLD ON!  This is the VERY words of encouragement I voiced to my friend who is doubting his business decision from a couple of years ago.  

Having a BEST YEAR YET doesn't mean you are not going to be challenged with "stuff."  It might not come in a struggling business or health issues...but it might.  The question is, are you going to let go or HOLD ON?  Notice the final part of Heb. 10:35, "Remember the great reward it brings you!"  Having a BEST YEAR YET means that through it all, you will not let go or compromise what you believe whether there's a storm on the horizon or the sky is sunny!  

Don't let go and HOLD ON to your BEST YEAR YET!

U CAN DO IT!

I have this friend who is a WORLD IMPACT LEADER!  I'm not kidding...he and his wife, for the past 22+ years have made a HUGE dent in peoples lives... ALL.OVER.THE.WORLD!  They have invested in others, who have invested in others, who have invested in others....I think you get the picture.  They have a "we can do this" faith/way of life.

So this morning I wake up (quick note:  I don't know what time zone he's in right now, I'm guessing he's in Africa, but he could just be a night owl) and I see that my friend, at 3am, sends my a "Facebook Messenger" post showing the medals of someone who recently completed the WORLD MARATHON CHALLENGE with his text, "Tim - maybe next year???.  The WORLD MARATHON CHALLENGE is 7 full Marathons (26.2 miles) in 7 Days on 7 Continents.  I know of this person that did this challenge and he's not an elite or professional runner, but really an "everyday champion" runner.  Here was our exchange (my reply is in blue):

As I point out, I run marathons but this, THIS.IS.CRAZY!  The one thing that did go through my head, "If he (the "everyday champion" runner) can do this...why not me?"  And my friend, the World Changer, says, "u can do it.....Go for it"

Later in the day, I have another runner friend who is getting ready to run a 100 Mile Race called the "Rocky Raccoon 100" to celebrate turning 55!  She posts a blog with a graphic that says, "I'm going to succeed because I'm crazy enough to think I can!"

Now, let me say, I don't know if I'll ever run a 100 mile Ultra Marathon or even the WORLD MARATHON CHALLENGE....but these 2 things today got me thinking about my VISION about my PURPOSE in my life.  I asked myself, "even though I do marathons and I think I think BIG...do I limit what I can do by my own "self limiting beliefs?"

I began to think about this and this what I came up with today to help me...and maybe help you to have your BEST YEAR YET:

• DREAM BIG
• for years I've told others: "Dream the BIGGEST dream you can and go after it with everything that is within you."
• One of my BIG DREAMS is to run the 6 Abbott World Marathon Majors before I turn 60.  I have 2 done (New York City and Chicago Marathons) but still have Boston, Tokyo, Berlin and London to do.  Not sure how, but I will do this
• I have others, but let me ask you, "What BIG DREAMS do you have?"  Like my friend said to me, "U.CAN.DO.IT!"  

• SET GOALS
• Let me say, setting goals is different than dreaming dreams.  The DREAM is the target....the GOAL is the "road map" to get you there.  
• Every GOAL should start with a DREAM
• Which leads to the next point:

• TAKE ACTION
• What is the controllable action plan you need to realize your BIG DREAM?
• Once you have laid out the plan....GET GOING!

What will make your BEST YEAR YET?   I talk about running, but what you have doesn't have to be about an athletic challenge.  What do you have hidden inside of you that is screaming to be revealed to the world around you?  I give you permission to unlock and unleash your potential.  I had an instructor in college that would say, "Always shoot for the Moon, because even if you miss, you'll still land among the stars!"

U CAN DO IT!  GO FOR IT and have your BEST YEAR YET!

WHAT'S IN THE SAUCE?

Have you ever wondered why the successful are they way they are?  Have you ever seen someone and thought, "well, if they can do it, so can I!"  But only to let that dream fade away?

I heard, long ago, a quote that said, "The successful are successful because they are willing to do what the unsuccessful are unwilling to do!"

Does your New Year's Resolution list look exactly the same, year after year, with only the year being different?  I want to let you in on a little secret.....here are 5 Characteristics of people who get what they want:

1.  BELIEVE you can!  Do you...really?  There seems to be a shortage of confidence these days.  If you need some, go get some.  It's as close as making a decision that YOU CAN!

2.  Get past your past!  Luke 9:62 says, "Jesus replied, "No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." The point here is keep your eyes fixed in front of you.  Yah, maybe things in past have been not so good or maybe things in the past have been great.  Either way, let them stay there and use then only as learning tools to move forward.

3.  Set the right kind of goals for yourself.  I plan on doing a whole blog just on Goal Planning later this year, but for now, when talking about the RIGHT KINDS OF GOALS FOR YOU, put them through a little test or certification.  A guy I know has developed a process he puts his goals through called, SMAC Certification:
S - SPECIFIC; are your goals very specific?  It's vague to say, "I want to lose weight."  Specific would say, "I will lose 10 lbs. by March 15th."  Be Specific!
M - MEASURABLE; They say what gets measured gets done.  Do your goals have an element to them that you can track and measure?  If not, change it up.
A - ATTAINABLE; This just means you have a 50/50 chance of hitting your goal. Don't set the bar so low you can step over it and don't set it too high you will never have a shot at reaching it.  I like to say, live the life of a rubberband:  a rubberband is NOT at it's greatest potential until it's been stretched!
C - COMPATIBLE to your vision; Do the goals you want to accomplish line up with your values? Roy Disney once said, "When your values are clear, decisions become easier."  If you goals and the action items you need to do to reach those goals go against your values, then question your goals.

4.  Connect with your WHY.  What motivates you?  You will lose your way when you lose your WHY.  Be connected with what is at stake.

5.  START!  An old Chinese proverb says it this way: "The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The next best time is today."  A year from now you'll be glad you started today!

So, really there is no SECRET SAUCE, just 5 simple things that you have a choice of either doing them or not.  So, choose wisely today and make this your BEST YEAR YET!

MY CHEERLEADER....BE ONE, HAVE ONE

"A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer.  Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken."

Who's your CHEERLEADER?  Better yet, whose CHEERLEADER are you?  I think we all need someone in our corner....like Mick was to Rocky....or that we need to be in someone else's corner.  Sometimes being a CHEERLEADER, or being the "corner person" for someone else gets messy.  Life isn't always perfect and sometimes we find ourselves in a mess, whether it was self induced or an attack from the outside.  Either way, it's good...NO, it's GREAT to have someone who is with you through it all.

I have one such person like that (and I hope I'm the same way back to them); my wife, Chris.  She is the epitome of CHEERLEADER.  First, she was one growing up in Junior High and High School.  It didn't stop there.  I truly believe she has been gifted as an encourager.  In the Bible, the book of Romans, chapter 12, verse 8 (New Living Translation) says, "If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging."  THAT right there is Chris.  

Over the past 30 plus years we have been married, she has been by my side through great times and not so good times...all the while letting you know that it's going to be ok and that you can do it.  I could site so many instances where she has done that with me, but let me just say that each time it is genuine and very needed.  

She's not just relegated to cheering me on during competitions, but that is what I want to tell you about here.  A few years ago I took up running and have since got really into it.  I did my first 5k and first 10k in the fall of 2012 about a week apart, then I had this crazy idea to train over the winter and run a half marathon.  She was right there telling me I could do it...even though the farthest I had ever run was 6.2 miles and that was the one time I ran the 10k. Also, to make it a bit muddy, back in 2008 I had surgery to remove 75% of the meniscus in my right knee, but once again, she's there telling me, "You've got this!"  Well, I got through that half, and then another and then another and then my first full marathon in April of 2014.  Since then I have many other half marathons, 6 other full marathons and many, many miles of training....with her traveling all over the place with me cheering me on and ringing her monster cowbell.  That cowbell has become a part of our race travel check list.  It has such a distinct sound that I can pick it out over all the other noise, and when I hear it, it is a reminder of the one who is in my corner.

Is your "sound" of encouragement distinct to others?  Are you words, words of encouragement or defeat?  My wife has shown me what it truly means to "cheer" when the circumstances look bad or really good.

Be an encourager...be someone's CHEERLEADER today!  You'll be glad you did!

Have Cowbell...will travel!