![]() ![]() Focusing on progress, peace and perspective puts me in a way better place. I think we can all admit there’s a lot of negativity in the world, but I’m choosing to keep a positive attitude. In addition to eating great food, I’ve always thought Thanksgiving provides the perfect opportunity to reflect on what’s good in my life. If you haven’t noticed, I’m a tad excited. Of course, before we can start trimming the tree, we have to trim the turkey first. The lights, decorations and carols - and, yes, shopping! - bring me a little extra comfort and joy every winter. Financial wellness & participant experienceīut it’s officially the holiday season! This may be cheesy to say, but it’s truly the most wonderful time of the year.The church includes several people that knew my father’s ministry, so it feels a bit like returning home.Īnd with all our traveling, home seems like a nice place to be right now. But even better, we’ve found a place to worship. I’m fortunate that my new home is within walking distance to a lake. Those are the places I go, usually near water, to know God’s presence. For several years, I’ve written about something I call God-spots. I’ve now adopted a key financial equation - Happy wife = Happy life.įAITH. Well, Becky grew a bit tired of that uncertain life, so we assumed another mortgage for a small home in the California Sierra Nevada foothills, just above the fog line and below the snowline. Many readers commented when we made the monumental financial decision to downsize our life and sell our McMansion. See /volunteertrip.įINANCES were key to helping us travel. Six of you promised to go with me, but we have room for more. Last week, we drove to upstate New York where I preached twice on Sunday, shared a bit of humor with a Monday night crowd, and spoke for a 9/11 memorial service. Gratefully, Becky allowed me one last hurrah as we are spending September in Quebec City. I’d planned more travel, but the house purchase slowed us down. We called it our “Gap Year” between the end of our 40-hour work life and retirement. ” Most of you followed my adventure through Europe and Central America last summer. However, I’m making a go at it again as Becky and I walk the steep hills around our new home.įLIGHT is the F-word I use for “travel. Conditions made running unsafe, and I’ve not yet returned to a full routine. Unfortunately, I’ve reneged on my fitness goals since spending the winter in Honduras. The well-concealed ink art motivates my future fitness. I wrote about the tattoo I got three years ago to celebrate my completion of two marathons. Becky volunteers at their school while I’ve helped advise our daughter Brittney in her first home purchase.įITNESS continues to challenge me. Fortunately, we’ve settled only an hour from them where we are involved with our three grandsons. However, if you’ve followed the column for the past 17 years, you’ll know that Becky and I adopted three other children. Some readers assume I only have one daughter because I talk so much about Sara, the one starting children’s libraries in Honduras. I’ve also garnered some new converts who enjoyed a talk I give about “Laughing Your Way through Love, Loss and Life.”įAMILY keeps me centered. This year I was able to spread the fun mantra by teaching a marriage class called “Laughing Your Way to a Better Marriage” for military veterans. My regular readers know that between many of the heartbreaking encounters I have as a chaplain, I reserve room for fun. Pause with me a moment as I ask my regular readers how they think I’ve been doing in living this outline.įUN is first on my life-review list. The book was written to encourage the reader to live, as I have attempted, by faith and five other important F-words. Today I’m using the outline from my book “Thriving Beyond Surviving” to revisit the personal topics I’ve raised these past few years. That’s because this is the moment I take every few years to update you on the personal events that I’ve been writing about. If you’re searching for an interesting read, my wife advises that you skip today’s column. Watch Video: Petal First Baptist/Petal Primary partnership
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