Anywhere But Where I Am

By Cynthia Ruchti

Alanna ran through the concourses to her gate, and then sat for nearly an hour waiting for the attendant at the desk to call her name from among the dozen other stand-bys hoping to get on that plane. She eyed the gates near hers. Denver. Detroit. Dallas. Des Moines. Duluth. All the “D” locations. Any one of them would do.

“Alanna Blake?”

She barely caught the announcement above the din of stir-crazy toddlers and people mid-conversation on their cell phones. “I’m sorry, Ms. Blake. This flight is full. All passengers have checked in. We have another flight later this afternoon, but prospects are iffy for that one as well.” “The destination doesn’t matter. Can you get me on a flight to…what’s boarding for other locations right now?” The gate attendant looked up from her computer. “Where are you headed?” “Anywhere but where I am.”

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Surrounded By The Garden Of God

By Peter Lundell

I whispered, “Speak to me, God.” And a whippoorwill sang. But I was hurrying between appointments. I shouted, “God, speak to me!” And thunder clapped from the sky. But I dashed inside to escape the rain. When the storm cleared I prayed, “God, I want to see you.” And the stars shone from behind the passing clouds. But my cell phone rang, and I didn’t want to miss the call. As the days passed, I asked, “God, show me a miracle.” And a child was born. But I only took photos and said a quick prayer. Finally, I raised my hands and pleaded, “Touch me, God.” And the wind caressed my face. But I turned away and put on a jacket, disappointed that God did not respond.

When we insulate ourselves from nature, we insulate ourselves from God as well, because God connects with us through the natural world. Earth is another word for God’s garden.

Our souls can become anesthetized. This happens when we drift into the artificial respiration of needing to be constantly busy or when we focus on something electronic.

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Setting Realistic Goals for the Journey

By Don Otis

What is on your “bucket list?” If you saw the film starring Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson, you know what I mean. What do you want to accomplish in life? What habits do you want to change? As the old saying goes, “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there.” In fitness, as in any area of our lives, spiritual, intellectual, emotional, change must be intentional.

As a personal trainer, I know how important goals are. We need to define them so there is no ambiguity. For example, I reached the summits of two 14,000-foot peaks in Colorado this weekend. My long-term goal is to do all 54 of them in the state. While it is a lofty goal (pun intended), it is achievable. Maybe your goal is to lose 15 pounds or to finish a 5 K run. Whatever it is, start now, start slow, and be realistic.

In two weeks, I will tick off another item from my own bucket list. It is the Pikes Peak Ascent. Ever since I first read about this race, I wanted to do it. It is a 13.3-mile race to the top of 14,110-foot Pikes Peak. I realized earlier this year that if I was ever going to get it done, I had better sign up for it now. What do you want to accomplish?  Write down some goals for yourself. Then, tell someone who will hold you accountable.

Bigger goals take littler steps. For example, if you want to run a marathon, you have to start with what you can do–shorter runs. You need a plan. You need direction. Because we live in an instant-everything society, we want our success to be easy. The things in life that mean the most to us rarely come easily. They take work. They require sacrifice.

A week ago I did a 10-mile training run at 10,000 feet in the pouring rain. It was no fun. I was cold and muddy. My knees ached. My quadriceps screamed. In reaching for any goal, we learn to push through discomfort and excuses. There will always be distractions. Expect resistance. Expect setbacks. Expect to feel lousy some days. Keep your eye on your goals. No one will ever care as much about whether you reach your goals as you do.

To get you going with goal setting, keep these principles in mind:

1.Your goal must be achievable. If you set your goals too high, you will become discouraged. It is better to set realistic goals that you can meet within one to three months. You can always revise and rework your goals.

2.Your goal must be measurable. Be specific. For example, “to lose weight” is not specific. It is better to say, “To lose 10 pounds in two months.”

3.You must have a plan. How will you lose 10 pounds in two months? Write it down. This can be as simple as saying, “I will walk 30 minutes a day five days a week.”

Be patient. Be consistent. Remember that anything new takes time getting used to doing. Our lives are short. Our bodies are wearing down, but God calls us to be stewards of this marvelous machine.

Don S. Otis is the author of Staying Fit After Forty and a personal trainer living in Canon City, Colorado. He can be reached at Don@veritasincorporated.com © 200

Glue Gun Control

By Lynn Rebuck

I am not good with a glue gun.

I can shoot a pistol with great accuracy at a paper target, but ask me to glue together paper from Target, and it’s a whole different story.

The glue gun is the weapon of choice for crafters worldwide, and quite frankly, I think we need stricter glue gun laws. This suggestion may upset some of you (especially members of the NGGA, the National Glue Gun Association), but hear me out. I think there needs to be a “cooling off” period before one is allowed to buy a glue gun.

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The Smell of Fresh Bread

By Julie Cosgrove

In the town where I grew up there was a bread factory. During the Viet Nam War years, that factory received a contract to bake for the troops.. The aroma of freshly baked bread penetrated for blocks each day, weekends too, spreading out into business parking lots, playgrounds, and neighborhood backyards. Whenever the folks smelled the bread, they thought of the troops.

We’d pass the factory on Sunday mornings as we drove to church. As soon as we got within a mile or so, the aroma would fill the car. Our mouths would water at the very thought of those loaves  meandering slowly on the maze of stainless steel carousels from the oven to the  packaging area, gradually cooling, giving off that enticing whiff of heaven.  

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