Peace

Theme:   Seek Peace

To purchase this painting click here:  Peace Lilly Painting

Poem

"Peace"

I release myself. I want no more

Turbulent waters eroding my shore

I'll drift from bad, and focus on good.

Forgive all others, and do as I should

I'll give for giving, anonymous is best.

Count my blessings, and long for less.

I'll pause for nature, and free my mind,

And never forget the gift of time.

I'll share my talents answering Your call

Give to others if ever they fall.

Carry a torch to illuminate Your light

Never surrender the fight of good fights.

Though not deserving I beg for your grace

In helping my soul to finish this race.

Like the hand You laid upon the restless seas

Calm these waters, and grant me Thy peace.

Quote

"Peace"

Peace external

can only be derived from

peace internal.

Haiku

"Nature's Whisper"

When nature whispers,

a soul's inner reflection

is tranquility.

"Peace is Universal" - Peace, Vrede, Paqe, Salaam,
Fridn, Achukma, Paix, Frieden, Mir, Peng On

Commentary

I believe that we all long for peace, and those that don't perhaps have never experienced true turmoil in their lives.  I was one of those individuals, until events happened in my life that made me wish for nothing BUT peace.  For Christmas one year all I asked for was "Peace", but instead all I received was an ugly tie.  Or as Charlie Brown would say, "I got a rock."  Just kidding, I was actually given a Christmas Star ornament with the word "Peace".  That meant a lot to me, and it will always hang in prominence on my tree.

I know the feeling of having others sabotage your peace.  I'm not the guy who thinks that you have ultimate control over all scenarios, however you ARE the person that has the power to improve your chances.  I'm not sure that I will ever find complete peace, but I have learned some things that have helped me get closer to true peace.  Hopefully you can apply these 20 tips to help you on your journey:

Simplify & Organize:  Try to organize the world around you.  Also eliminate obligations, so you can control your own destiny. If you eliminate chaos, you'll eliminate stress.

Respect:  Respect those around you, especially the people you love.  Once you lose respect, everything else starts to crumble.  The Golden Rule is called Golden for a reason, so do unto others as you'd have done unto you!  Be the person that others can respect.

Give Generously:  Nothing beats the feeling of gifting, especially to those less fortunate, and do so anonymously.  Surprise everyone with your generosity. 

Just Say "No":  Learn to say "No", except to those things for which you are truly passionate about.  Volunteer your time, but choose those opportunities wisely.  Don't volunteer for the sake of volunteering, instead choose a couple of events and give it your all.

Trust:  Be the person that others can trust.  Trust people, until you are given reasons to otherwise not.  Surround yourself by positive, loyal family and friends.  Negativity and betrayal stains anyone that's around it.  Remember that people's true colors, good or bad, will shine through.  Trust your gut.

Save Money:  Spending leads to temporary fun, but debt leads to longer term stress.  Save your money for a rainy day, because there will be a rainy day.

"In the End" Rule of Thumb:  If the source of your stress will be nothing but a ridiculous waste of time "in the end", then let it go.  As the saying goes "Don't sweat the small stuff: it's all small stuff."

Release:  Release yourself and matters to a higher being.  Don't fret over things that are out of your control.

Work Hard:  When you've worked as hard as you can, you eliminate any potential regrets, regardless of the outcome.  Failure is not failure when you've given it your all.  You may also find that you'll work your way out of scenarios that might be causing you the stress in the first place.

Embrace Silence:  Re-discover nature through solitary walks, silence, and observance.  Breathe the fresh air.  Take time to pray, or reflect.  Take action on the things that come out of silence, for they may be God's little whispers.

Stop the Bleeding:  Whatever is broken, fix what you can as fast as you can. The rest can heal in time.

Fertilize Your Own Grass:  Improve yourself, and don't compare yourself to others.  Your grass will soon be greener than the other side when you focus on you, instead of the other side. 

Acceptance:  "Accept your imperfections, as God's perfections."  Accept others' imperfections as well.  Everyone is unique, so celebrate those differences, don't anguish in them.

It Ain't All About You:  People have enough of their own problems to not have to worry about yours!  Don't worry what other people are thinking, because chances are: they're not!

Forgive:  In time you will.  You'll have too, regardless of how hard it is to forget.  Time helps the healing.

Marvelous Me: Create a success zone where you can see all the good things you've accomplished in life:  trophy wall, scrapbook, photo gallery, website, something you can get to quickly whenever you're feeling down.  You have had a wonderful life, so remind yourself of that on occasion.

Legacy:  Create a legacy that can last beyond your lifetime, so the world will remember you fondly.  It will make you feel bigger than yourself.  Take tiny steps towards your dreams and goals.  Those baby steps over time will turn into miles!

Cherish Time:  Whether it be grand times that are distant memories, or bad times that are lessons learned, keep moving onto your next grand adventure.  Because in the end, time won't wait for you.

Laugh:  Laugh at yourself, laugh with friends, laugh with family: find humor in everything you see, or do.  Be the person that others can laugh with, and laugh at.

Know True Wealth:  It ain't about the money.  Discover your true wealth, and spend it wisely.  Think of the things you'll cherish as you reflect back on your life, and I bet money won't be at the top of the list.

Peace may sometimes be elusive, and you may not have ultimate control over finding it, but you certainly can improve the odds.  Make sure you take the steps to do so.  I'd be interested in your comments as to what brings you peace.

I wish you "Peace"

-

Coach a Kid

Theme:     Coach a Kid

Poetry

"Coach"

They came with eager hearts

to play a game they love,
Brandishing their uniforms,

baseball bats, and gloves.
Eager to learn, they had no skills,

they could not hit or run.
Until with patience and some care

you taught them to have fun.

At times they lacked attention,

they giggled, or they cried.
At times you watched in marvel

as they hit, or caught pop flies.
At times you had to holler,

"Drop the flowers and the dirt!"
At times you lent a hand

to wipe a tear if they got hurt.

The score it never mattered

as long as they played their best.
Giving their all and having fun

would pass the "winners" test.
Through faded years and grayer hair

a champion you may not boast.
But deep in the hearts of all the kids

you'll forever be their

"Coach"!

Quote

"Proud"
Whether a grin when you win,
Or a frown when you're down,
Nothing can replace

how loud I am proud!

Haiku

"Helping Hand"

When you lend a hand,

you also lend a heart and

miracles follow.

Commentary

I was recruited into coaching in the year 1995 B.C. (before children).  I helped a dad coach a 4th grade basketball team, because the dad never played basketball in his life, and he thought having an "expert" on his staff would help.  If he only knew how little he needed to know to really succeed, perhaps he would have had more confidence.  From then on I was considered "The Go-To-Guy" that the town could count on to always step up and coach, regardless of the sport.  I've been having a ball ever since.

Here are some classic coaching tips and memories:

Provide Direction:  I coached a 4th grade boy in basketball who would accidentally grapple people to the floor.  We would jokingly tell him that he should be a wrestler instead of a basketball player.  He went on to win a state championship in wrestling in the 215 lb. weight class.  Great directional coaching, no doubt.

Teach Fundamentals:  We taught our 3rd grade girls basketball players how to "switch" players on defense if they get stuck behind a pick.  One game they executed a "triple switch" among three of the girls, and as coaches we all looked at each other and said, "Did we teach them that?"

Be A Fan:  My son as a five year old soccer player scored his first two goals ever.  I proudly cheered him on as the rest of the fans remained perplexed. Being a believer in positive reinforcement, I wanted to recognize his efforts, even though he accidentally scored both goals for the OTHER team.

Incentive:  After several games of watching my five year old son run away from the soccer ball when it came near him, we began "bribing" him with Star Wars figurines if he would simply just touch the ball.  The first Star Wars character he received wasn't when he first touched the ball, but when the ball touched HIM.  He got the point quickly, and soon thereafter amassed quite a collection of figurines, and went on to become a high school soccer player (but not that same year!)

Instill Confidence: As softball coaches we always rotated players into every position, regardless of their talents.  We were the only team to continue that practice, even in the playoffs when we weren't required to do so, but it was more important to us that the girls knew we had confidence in them.  In our final game of the season the "Ballerina" on our team, who was not the strongest of talents except when wearing a tutu, caught a running fly ball in the last inning of the game sealing the victory.  Did I mention that it was the CHAMPIONSHIP game?  The entire team ran out to left field to hug her for making the greatest catch ever, and the greatest memory ever.  Our confidence in her, led to her confidence in herself, which led to a team championship!
 
Losing:  My son's first year of kid pitch baseball was a rough one.  The team wasn't that good, and we never won a game.  He really didn't want to continue to play on the team until he and I sat down and wrote a list of the "Top Ten Reasons Why It's Fun to Play on a Losing Team".  The laughter soon followed, and a great lesson was learned, and great memories of the season too.

Cradle of Coaches:  They use to call me the "Cradle of Coaches" for youth soccer.  We really had a fun, and successful program for the tiny tots, and the most rewarding part was when the moms & dads whose kids were on our team went on to be successful coaches themselves.  Scary when you would hear the phrase "Speed & Power" yelled from multiple coaches on the soccer fields Saturday mornings.

Recruiting:  I always thought I was a great soccer coach after winning year after year. Then a few years later I noticed that the kids that played on our team ended up being the big time athletes of their high school: two football running backs, a wide receiver, a basketball star, a baseball pitcher, and a soccer captain.  Perhaps it wasn't my superb coaching after all.

Guidance:  I'd like to think that I was a positive role model laying the foundation for the kid's to make good decisions in the future. And then one day at a high school varsity soccer game a young man gets dropped off at the north end of the stadium, drops his clothes and streaks 100 yards across the field in nothing but his tennis shoes and a mask, and then is picked up in a get-a-way car at the south end of the stadium.  All three of the kids were kids I coached the summer before in high school baseball summer league.  I have to admit I chuckled at the news of "The Winning Streak" as it was referred to in the local newspaper headline. 

Coaching has always been a wonderful experience.  The memories, and friendships I made were priceless.  I encourage everyone to try it at some point.  It will make you a better parent if you do.


Coach a kid.

-

Endless Childhood

Theme:  Be a Kid



Click on his link to purchase this painting:  Little Lady



Poetry


"Poppycock"

Too much work, and not enough fun.
They say that youth is wasted on the young.
"Poppycock" I say, for the time is here,
To begin living life as if you've no care.

I bequeath to the world my worries and stress,
Deadlines, agendas, and ultimate tests.
Replace all of these with frolic and fun.
On my final marquee put "Ornery One"

Before it all ends discover what matters,
Turn off the news, and political chatter.
Think like a child my daughters and sons.
For life is too short to not have fun! 

Quote

"Now & Then"

If you feel now

that you missed too many 'thens',

then refuse to miss any 'nows'.

Haiku

"Child's Laughter"

A child's laughter

can be yours, regardless of

the years you have forged.

Commentary

In military time it was 02300 hours, 11:00 PM to you civilians, when we gathered in secrecy at Central Command.  The enemy was alert, but we knew logistically we had to move tonight under the faint glow of the full moon.  It was a true 'all or nothing' moment.  Mac and David were the lone holdouts, but soon gave into the subtle pressure of their peers.  After all, history was in the making, and they wanted their names forever engraved in the archives of mankind.

Davies led the Diversionary Team (D-Team) down the gravel road on the western side of the waterfront.  Their task was to draw attention to the front of the targeted zone, while the Excursionary Team (E-Team), led by the capable guidance of Easton, Zingale, and Doyle, worked their way through the thickets along the eastern waterfront.  It was from that well protected flank that the actual attack would occur.

D-Team was soon in position to make their charge.  The E-Team was poised to attack upon the signal from the D-Team's flashlight.  In the distance we could hear the roar of the diversionary charge.  Their flickering flash was our signal to attack.  As the D-Team drew the attention of our enemy to the front, we entered through the flank.  There was ensuing chaos as debris was flying everywhere among the horrified screams of panic.

After the first wave, the E-Team retreated 50 yards back into the brush to regroup.  All members of the brigade were present and accounted for, which meant it was time to launch the second strike.  This would be a "Hit & Retreat" mission.  We were all to report back to Central Command.  In a fury of counter fire we launched our attack. 

Off to our right we could see the flashlights of the Diversionary force retreating, so we knew we were risking much by delaying our exit.  The signal to disperse was sounded, and it was an all out sprint back to Central Command.  Lagging behind were David and Mac, but as the good commanders we were, they would not be left behind.  Mac literally ran out of one of his boots, which we scooped up without missing a step, and David's glasses were fogged from the steam of his sweat in the evening mist.  We managed to make it back to Central just as the D-Team arrived.  A quick head count, and all were accounted for.  Mission accomplished.  We would leave no man behind that night.

Such an attack could not go without recourse.  Later that night, while the post was asleep, Central Command was attacked.  This was no ordinary attack.  This was a covert operation in which one of Central Command's finest snuck the enemy into our lair.  This was a "Scream and Grab" attack in which the enemy grabbed anything they could before retreating.  The Central Command defenses were too much for the attackers, as only one of the spoils of war was actually confiscated: an old boot covered in mud from the earlier escapades.

The next day there was a truce called, and peace reigned over the valley.  As both sides gathered around a flagpole as a show of camaraderie, there was only one person who was not embracing the terms of the peace; he with one boot.  As the young man limped to the front of the group wearing one boot, and a wet-bottomed sock, he grew frustrated among the giggling onlookers.  He then glanced skyward in the direction of the multiple stares, and saw why everyone was posed in a common salute to the symbol of our peace: a lone boot tied to the top of the flagpole.  His smile was raised, as his boot was lowered.

So ended just one of the many adventures of the Sacred Heart Parish School fifth grade field trip to Camp Christopher: boys versus girls.

Addendum: The flickering flashlight "attack signal" was no signal at all.  It was the D-Team's commander tripping over a sidewalk edging, launching his flashlight and himself through the air.  When they both came to rest on the ground, they did so at the feet of the REAL commander of the camp, her clipboard in hand, and making her nightly rounds.  This act of military prowess was followed by a waving, authoritative finger in his face as he laid on the ground, retorting her infamous quote "THIS is why we don't allow people to raid other cabins at Camp Christopher!  Now get BACK to your cabins."

Needless to say, the moms and dads who had the privilege of acting as temporary camp counselors, had just as much fun as the kids.  In fact, later that night around midnight a few of us dads were able to sneak our daughters out, and take them to the Mummy's Cave.  Nerves were rattled as we approached the dark cave.  It took some coaxing to get the girls to enter, especially since it was rumored to be haunted.  And then, with a flick of the flashlight switch, the cave became illuminated to reveal hundreds of bats flying in and out of the opening.  After a short period of excessive screaming, the girls (and dads) settled down and marveled at the sight we were witnessing.  A sight that would prove to be the "coolest" part of the "coolest" night of camp, all because a few grown ups decided to act like kids.

Be a kid!  It's never too late to just be a kid.