HOW DID WE GET HERE

Today, I “had” to fly to Memphis.

I have the opportunity to be one of 12 or so runners, representing ST. JUDE CHILDREN’S RESEARCH HOSPITAL in this year’s Boston Marathon as a St. Jude Hero.

This is the 5th time I have ran a marathon where I have raised money and awareness for St. Jude.

Every time I run for St. Jude, I am honored to do so.

I am meeting up with all those who are running Boston, like me, as a St. Jude Hero.  

We are doing some “team building” and also having an opportunity to visit the Hospital tomorrow.

HOW DID WE GET HERE?

Sometimes I look at ALL of this and ask this question.

I started this marathon journey 4 years ago and when I toe the line at Boston on April 16th, this will be my 10 full marathon...and 5th as a St. Jude Hero.

Today, flying from Omaha to Memphis, I had a quick....and I mean quick....layover/connection in Atlanta.

After boarding in the ATL, we took off for our 50 minute flight.

About 30 minutes into the flight, I was listening to some music, and I was startled by someone.  The guy sitting right behind me got up and touched my arm and I dropped my phone.

After I realized what was happening, I turned off the music and he said to me, pointing to my sweatshirt (I was wearing a special hoodie for our Boston St. Jude Heroes team that had said “St. Jude Heroes” on the back), “Do you do that?”  I said, “Yes.”  What happened next is something that I will never forget.

HOW DID WE GET HERE?

4 years ago, I ran my first marathon.  The Country Music Marathon - Nashville, which was part of the Rock-n-Roll Marathon series, and this one, the charity was St. Jude.

I was running this with a friend who had a direct association with St. Jude as their son had been treated at St. Jude years before (and was doing, on going check ups at the time).  Their lives were impacted greatly.

They told stories of all that St. Jude did for their son....did for them.   They told of how grateful they were to have St. Jude because without it, they don’t know what they would have done, financially, to provide the care for their son.  Well, they would have done what ever it took.

When we ran that first marathon in April of 2014, at the night before pasta dinner, we got a small glimpse, from our friends, the impact of the St. Jude Heroes and what that means to a patient family.

You see, no family every pays when their child is treated at St. Jude.

It’s all because of the donations of people that it is so.

HOW DID WE GET HERE?

 I’m running Boston.  I’m once again raising money.

Why?

So that no family will have to worry about anything other than the health of their child.

THAT is how I got here.

The guy on the plane?  

He reached out his hand, shook mine and said, “THANK YOU.”  And then sat down.

There is probably so much more I could say, but that alone was enough for me.  

It is enough to keep me going.


 To be a part of helping St. Jude through my running the Boston Marathon, go to: https://www.crowdrise.com/o/en/campaign/stjudeheroes2018/timpete To donate.

Thank You. 

WHAT IF

Have you ever played the "WHAT IF" game?

I'm sure you've at least considered it.

In the "WHAT IF" game, you come up with different scenarios about almost anything in life.

• WHAT IF I didn't shave for a year?
• WHAT IF I didn't use shampoo for a month? (this one doesn't pertain to me!)
• WHAT IF I got serious about my degree?
• WHAT IF I DID lose those 10 pounds?
• WHAT IF....WHAT IF....WHAT IF.....

As you can see, you can play this game in your mind forever.

But, WHAT IF you did something really radical?

WHAT IF you put action to it and did some little experiments on your WHAT IFs?

I think my "don't shave for a year" might be a bit radical...but hey, it's your WHAT IF!

Here are a few rules:

1. WHAT IFs are all experiments.  They are fun.  Nothing about the outcome is a very big deal.  It's fun to play.
2. This is your WHAT IFs, and it really doesn't matter what other people think about your experiments you are running.
3.  If you don't like the outcomes after a few trial runs, adjust or move on.  I would suggest keeping your WHAT IFs to a maximum of 90 days...but stick with it!
4. REMEMBER, if you play this game truthfully, what ever the outcome is, success or failure...YOU STILL WIN because you learned something new about your life.

So take some time and identify something that is causing your pain (health; weight; relationship; etc) or discomfort (anger; being critical of others; etc) or something else, and ask yourself, "WHAT IF I did ___________.  How would my life be different?"

Next, put a plan together that you can control for your experiment and START!

If you think about it, this BEST YEAR YET blog was really a "WHAT IF" experiment.  On January 28, 2017, I started this and committed to myself to write here, everyday, for one full year.  Next Saturday, January 27, 2018 will be number 365 in a row.  

WHAT IF I wouldn't have started?  That's a WHAT IF I don't want to think about!

So, be bold and have at it!

Let's make 2018 your BEST YEAR YET!

THE LIGHTHOUSE

light·house

ˈlītˌhous/

1. a tower or other structure containing a beacon light to warn or guide ships at sea.

I like LIGHTHOUSES.

They were once widely used, but due to technology with electronic navigational systems, as well as the expense of maintenance, you don't see as many operational LIGHTHOUSES anymore.

But there is so much symbolism in them.

The towering structure omitting a beacon of light in the face of danger, risk, adversity or challenge.

The offer of guidance, safety, salvation.  

The warm glow of the light lets us know and reminds us that security and home are within reach.

The LIGHTHOUSE shows us the way forward in navigating our way through the rough waters of life.

The Keeper is there to illustrate to us about our eyes looking forward and being alert.

Nothing else speaks of safety and security in the face of adversity and challenge quite the way a LIGHTHOUSE does.

Is your life a reflection of a LIGHTHOUSE?

Jesus said in Matthew 5:14-16 [NLT]; 
"You are the light of the world - like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.  No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket.  Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father."

Do you live in such a way as to offer guidance, safety, salvation, security to yourself and others in the face of danger, risk, adversity or challenge?

Be a LIGHTHOUSE and SHINE!

SHANGRI-LA

Shangri-La.

Do you know what it is?

Or better  yet, do you know WHERE it is?

This was the name of the fictional place in author James Hilton's novel, LOST HORIZON. 

Hilton describes Shangri-La as mystical, harmonious valley, set in the Kunlun Moutains in Tibet.

Somewhat of an earthly paradise where those that are there age slowly and live well beyond the normal life expectancy by hundreds of years.

It's described as a place where there is no anxiety, pressure, or any of the day to day things that people outside of Shangri-La deal with.

A paradise hidden from modern man.

Why do I bring this up?

Over the past year, in the BEST YEAR YET blog, we've talked about choices; owning decisions; my response is my responsibility; etc.  To me, the place described as SHANGRI-LA is not some unattainable place, but one we can choose for our lives.

The Apostle Paul, writing to the church at Philippi said this, "Be anxious for nothing (which simply means, Don't worry about anything); instead, pray about everything.  Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done."  Philippians 4:6

CHOICES.

We have a choice whether to be anxious. 

We have a choice to be a carrier of worry.

BUT.....

We have a choice to not worry.

We have a choice to be a carrier of JOY!

My encouragement to you today is to pursue YOUR own Shangri-La.

WHAT DO YOU CHOOSE....TODAY?

SMILE

Smile tho' your heart is aching

Smile even tho' it's breaking

When there are clouds in the sky

You'll get by

If you smile

Thro' your fear and sorrow

Smile and maybe tomorrow

You'll see the sun come shin-ing thro' for you

Light up your face with gladness

Hide ev-'ry trace of sadness

Altho' a tear may be ever so near

That's the time

You must keep on trying

Smile, what's the use of crying

You'll find that life is still worth-while

[SMILE: Composer: Charlie Chaplin; Lyricist(s): John Turner, Geoffrey Parsons]

THE FINISH LINE

"The need to finish is great."  Jim Tracy

90 days from today, my plan is to run across THE FINISH LINE at the Boston Marathon.

THE FINISH LINE.

It's the goal in any race.

It's the goal in life.

The Apostle Paul, in 2 Timothy 4:7 [NLT] said, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful."

The Message Bible says it this way, "This is the only race worth running.  I've run hard right to the finish, believed all the way."

Recently, I watched a documentary about a high school coach in California, Jim Tracy and his San Francisco University High School Girls Cross Country Team.  The documentary is called, "Running for Jim."

I won't tell the whole story, as I think EVERYONE should watch it, whether you like running or not, but it starts out by showing brief clips, new papers, TV reports, etc, of the finish of the state cross country meet, where one of his runners, due to dehydration, collapsed just a few yards short of the finish line. (To see a great piece that ESPN did about this in 2010, click HERE)

There is a statement in the ESPN piece as well as in the documentary that caught my attention.  

"It's not HOW you cross the finish line and why, 

but who you cross the finish line with."

On April 16th, so many will "cross the finish line" with me.  Those who:  

• Have sacrificed
• Have encouraged 
• Gave of themselves 
• Gave of their time
• Gave of their knowledge 
• Gave of their resources 

Also:

• The patients and patient families of ST. JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL
• Those who have impacted me my whole life whether they are with us today, or have gone on before 
• ALL will be with me as I run 

My perspective is such:  I.RUN.FOR.A.REASON!  I.WILL.FINISH.MY.RACE!

So, whether in the RACE of LIFE or in an endurance RACE, I'll continue to run to that FINISH LINE.

Who will cross the line with me?

"The greatest accomplishment is not in never falling but rising up again."
Vince Lombardi

If you would like to get involved and donate to St. Jude and my efforts as as St. Jude Hero for the Boston Marathon, you can click this link:  

Support St. Jude through Tim Peterson's St. Jude Heroes Page

Thank you.

LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION

Today, January 15th, is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.  It is an American Federal Holiday that is observed the 3rd Monday of January every year, to celebrate the birth of Dr. King (his actual day of birth is January 15th!).

There are so many tributes on social media, print media and TV that are happening today.

I love quotes.....and Dr. King had MANY that ring true to me.

My favorite quote of Dr. King's is today's topic: 
"Life's most persistent and urgent question is:  What are YOU doing for others?"

Earlier this year, in one of the BEST YEAR YET posts, I said, "It's NOT about YOU!"

We were not just put here to fill all of our individual desires.

I continually ask myself the question, "What can I do that will help to improve the life of someone else?"

If we enter each day with this mind set and offer up even the smallest act of kindness, it could have a lasting and even an eternal impact on the recipient.

One day and lawyer who was an expert in religious law asked Jesus a question (trying to test Him, the Bible says in Luke 10) about inheriting eternal life.  Jesus responded to his question with a question, "What does the law of Moses say?  How do you read it?"

The lawyer's reply, "'You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength, and all your mind.' And, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"

Jesus replied that he was right and told him to "...do this and you will live."

But just like many of us...just like me, the lawyer wanted to justify his actions....how I read it is he was wanting to know how little he could do and still "get in!"  He asked, "And WHO is my neighbor?"

Many of us live in a house. Normally, we'll have a neighbor on our left or right.  We might even say those that live across the street from us...and if we are really bold, we'll say all those that live on our block are our neighbors....but no more than that.

Is that really the depth of who are neighbors are?

In Luke 10:30-37, Jesus told the lawyer a story about someone who was an outcast in their society who showed love, mercy and kindness to someone he didn't know.  It was compassion that caused him to do these things (read the story).

So the question again to us today, that was posed by Dr. King many years ago, "WHAT are you doing for others?"

Here is a list.  It's not an all inclusive list.  We'll call it a "starter list" to give you ideas of what you can do.  Think outside the box on this one:

• Shovel your neighbor's sidewalks AND driveway (if applicable)
• Mow your neighbor's yard
• Take them to the doctor
• Offer to watch their kids (no charge) so the parents can have a date
• Go to the shelter and volunteer
• Go around and pick up trash in your neighbor hood
• Do a charity race or event or whatever that helps to raise money for others

See what you can come up with that goes WAY beyond these few ideas.

Albert Einstein once said, "Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile"

As you continue throughout your BEST YEAR YET, make it a habit to ask yourself, "What am I doing for others that goes beyond ME?"

Happy Birthday Dr. King.