The last day of January 2014

Today is a day to reflect.  A day to look back at the month.  I have a couple of stories to share: 

His name was  Bruce.  Bruce passed away the first week in January.  Bruce was a very nice gentleman that worked in my building.  Bruce worked for  Bolt Brothers.   Bolt Brothers is a firm that does the maintenance around our break rooms, bathroom and any clean up in our building.  Bruce would pass long my floor 3-4 times a day.  I would run into him often and I often made it point to thank him for taking good care of us and for keeping all the areas neat and clean.   Three weeks after his passing, I noticed that things just are not the same.  Those areas that were always spic and span are just a little messier.  The trash bins do not get emptied as often.  The bathroom use to always have plenty of supplies and had a good smell.  That is not the case anymore.  The smiling face that would chat for a few short seconds each day is no longer there.   I am certain that someone is now doing Bruce’s job but I can sure see the difference. 

I think Bruce was in his 60’s.  I do not know this for sure.  However in my mind I would guess at some time in his life Bruce held a much more prestigious job.  He dressed impeccably and had such a nice demeanor.  Perhaps his job with Bolt Brothers was a part time job he took after retiring or maybe he had raised his family and could take on a less stressful job.  I will never know.  

I will go out on a limb and say that I believe the Bruce was a very content man. Today I question what makes a person content.  Is it the job a person holds?  Is it the quality of work a person does in the job they have accepted? Is it knowing that in your life you will have great jobs and some OK job and you need to do the best with whatever you are doing?  Is it knowing that you raised an amazing set of kids?  Is it attaining a certain salary?  Is it paying off your house?  Is it looking for all that is good in the world? Is it stopping each day and talking with someone who you come into contact with?  Is it taking time to listen to those around you, knowing that you would rather be doing something else? 

Bruce emptied those trashcans, wiped out those sinks, replaced the paper towels, swept up the spills on the floors, pushed a utility cart around all day long and made my working environment just a little bit better.  He seemed content with his life.  I want to take the lead from Bruce and live my life that way. 

His name was Todd.  Todd was a coworker who passed away on Jan 14.  Todd was a developer on our team.  Todd was a great guy. He always smiled and found the best in things.  He was funny and was always a joy to be around.  Todd was married to a great girl and had 3 sons.  I could tell he was a great husband and father.  Todd also had an strong belief in God and that belief funneled to his wife and his boys. 

After his passing many folks posted on his Facebook page tons of stories about him. At the wake, they celebrated his life.   There was some tears along with times of laughter.  My take away from that service was that each of us should live our days like Todd, with a smile on our face and always being upbeat and positive.  That way Todd's impact on us (even for a short time) will not be in vain.  

I would wager that Todd was a content man.  

I celebrated my 55th birthday in January.  I got lots of nice gifts from my family.  They always do things to make me feel very special.  I think the best gift this year was having my Dad be here with me.  After the end of 2013 with all of his heart issues this is something I can no longer take for granted.  However with his surgery, I am confident that I will have him with me for a few more years.  

Am I content? Oh this month, there have been times when I have wanted for things!  However today, as I look back on the month, I am content knowing that I have my dad with me for more time and I am content knowing that I have been touched by many people this month and that I have learned things from all of these interactions that will benefit me the rest of my life.  

Today I say a prayer in memory of Bruce and Todd.  I hope that they are looking down on me and this blog.  Content.  Knowing that their lives have inspired me to be a better person!!  I say a prayer for my Dad. Thanking God for watching over him during his surgery and giving him to me for a few more years in my life.  What a gift!

In closing - so long January and I have my eyes rooted on February and all that is before me.  I will be watching for more ways to channel being content into my life!!  :0) Stay tuned.  

Yoga and being content

It has been about 3 months since I last took a yoga class.  I put  yoga class on hold while I helped my parents as my dad went through open heart surgery at the end of 2013.  I am so happy that tonight the next 10 week session has kicked off.  It is good go get back into yoga. 

There is something about the structure and yet the freedom of the class that is very appealing to me.  Our instructor, Kathy does such a nice job of balancing the class out.  There are all skill levels and Kathy patiently gives instructions and modifications to poses that allows everyone to be successful.  In the past, I have found that some weeks I can be content to just hold or attempt a pose but other weeks I need to push myself a bit to go a little further in the stretch or attempt that pose where I might look silly or even fall (literally) flat on my face. 

Yoga is much like life.  There are times when I am content with my life and other times when it is good for me to push a little bit or try something new and exciting.  In taking chances or pushing myself I find that I can get to a whole new level of being content.  For those unfamiliar with yoga there is a posture called Shavasana.  It is the relaxation pose done at the end of every practice.  In our class it is 10 minutes after 50 minutes of hard work.  During Shavasana you lay on the floor on your back.  You allow the earth to hold you up so you can just let totally go of everything.  Your mind goes to a place, a place of total contentment.  Prior to leave the room tonight Kathy shared with us a few words, prayerful words to live by. In her prayer she used the word content.  Nothing happens by accident.  That words was included in her parting words for a reason.  It was there as a reminder to me to be content in my life.

Tonight I am contemplating where in my life I need to push myself to get to that next level of being content. Perhaps my push is to become more content with my exercise routine. Or maybe it is to remember to live my life as if I were in Shavasana.  I need to live knowing that I am supported by my faith and by my family and that it is OK to just totally let go and live in a state of being content.  Or maybe it is both.  Keep watch for updates. 

What a difference a week makes

Last Sunday STL was snowed in.  My wife and I had no place to go however many times that day we commented that we longed to be able to get out of the house. More snow hit mid week, we had record chilling temps and overall it was just a good week to stay inside!  Today, the total opposite.  St Louis got to right around 60 degrees and it was sunny.  Our day was made up of cleaning up the cars, a wonderful hike at Powder Valley Nature Center and BBQ burgers for dinner. 

Wow what a difference a week makes!

So what did I learn from this week.  I think the best thing to take away is that we need to be flexible and be content with whatever is dealt us.  Last week when we had the big snow, we grabbed a nap in the afternoon. When was the last time you took time to take a nap?  Our lives are so busy and we never take time to just relax.  Being content and taking a nap - that was good.  

Tonight I am contemplating today.  January 11 and 60 degrees.  I had the chance to get out and have a great hike.  I am content tonight knowing that I used this day to its fullest.  

My wife and I took a selfie while hiking.  It is of our shadows overlooking a small creek surrounded by small piles of snow and amazing looking trees.  The sun shined through the leafless trees and in some crazy way, gave me a real sense of being content!!

The word according to Duck Commander

For Christmas I got the Duck Commander family calendar.   My wife and I love watching Duck Dynasty and the crazy antics that come along with the show.  The message for a recent day, Willy writes, “ At the dinner table we learned to respect our elders.  In a lot of homes, the kids made their plates first, but it was never that way in the Robertson house.  At our house, the kids always ate last.  We would get what was left over after the adults made their plates.  We learned to be content with what we had and that the world didn’t revolve around us.” 

Since I selected the word Content as my one word for 365 days it is funny how often I see that word written down or spoken.  Maybe it is like when you buy the blue car, you immediately start noticing all the blue cars on the road.  Before buying the blue car, the other blue cars just passed you by.  After buying the blue car you have something in common with the other blue car drivers and you pay attention.  The same things seems to be happening to me . . . the reminder to be content is everywhere if I just look for it. 

I am going to try to adopt the message from Willy and today I will try to not let the world revolve around me.  I need to remember to be content with what I have.  I have so much . . .  I am blessed.  I have a great family, a house to keep me warm in the winter and cool in the summer, a good job, a car that run, the opportunity to go on vacations, both of my parents, good friends, my faith in God, and so many more things that this list could go on forever.  

As we move through this year, I hope to have the opportunity to expand on each of these things in future postings.  

A Time for Everything

This past weekend St Louis got hammered by a very huge snowstorm and extremely cold temps.  Knowing this was coming in on Sunday, my wife and I attended church services on Saturday night.  Our minister was suppose to kick off a new series for the new year.  However with the prediction of bad weather the staff decided to put together a preview of the new series and in just a day developed a service with all new music, new sermon and the passage from Ecclesiastes 3:1-13. 

I have been attending the Crossing Church in Chesterfield for the past 3 years and I have come to learn that nothing happens by chance at this church.  God works his way in everything that happens at the church.  

I feel that the Ecclesiastes 3:1-13 passage goes directly to my word for the year - Content.  

As I read this passage and reflect on the words of the writer, I take away that there is a time for everything and my goal for this year is to be content with whatever season I am on any given day.  Some will be good days, some will be tough.  Some with be good and some will bad.  Some days things will go my way and other days I will need to compromise.  People will sing and rejoice and people will cry and mourn. I think the key to this passage comes at the end, when the writer documents: 

So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.

This is how I am going to try to live my life this year.  A year of being Content. 

Ecclesiastes 3:1-13

A Time for Everything

1For everything there is a season,

a time for every activity under heaven.

2A time to be born and a time to die.

A time to plant and a time to harvest.

3A time to kill and a time to heal.

A time to tear down and a time to build up.

4A time to cry and a time to laugh.

A time to grieve and a time to dance.

5A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.

A time to embrace and a time to turn away.

6A time to search and a time to quit searching.

A time to keep and a time to throw away.

7A time to tear and a time to mend.

A time to be quiet and a time to speak.

8A time to love and a time to hate.

A time for war and a time for peace.

9What do people really get for all their hard work? 10I have seen the burden God has placed on us all. 11Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. 

12So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. 13And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.

Where will this take me . . . I hope to find out!!

While driving in the car today Kim, a radio personality from 99.1 Joy FM here in St Louis, was talking about the website http://oneword365.com/.  I checked it out. It is a pretty cool concept and I decided to give it a go for 2014.  So after some thought I have decided that my word for the year will be:

Content  

I am not sure where this journey is going to take me but my goal is to take some time each and every day to reflect on my life, reflect on each day, and focus on how truly lucky I am to be in a place where I am content. 

This does not mean that all my days are perfect but I hope to find in the year to come that each day, no matter what is handed to me, that I will look for ways to be content.  

Feel free to follow along.  Feel free to give me comments and suggestions and at the end of the year, I am hoping to be a better person for doing this.  

Ken
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