by

Half Full Or Half Empty, What Kind Of Person Are You?

You’ve likely heard of looking at something as being half empty or half full. People who have a positive view on life are usually half full people. Negative people – those who focus on the problems of the world – are usually half empty. 

half full or half empty, what kind of person are you

I would say that I’m more of a half full person. Even when things are not the best, I can usually find something that is good about them. 

But I have to say that my phone is more of a half empty device now. 

It wasn’t always like this. My phone has worked really well. I’ve had no desire to upgrade to the latest and greatest iPhone … well, until lately. 

Now my phone can barely make it through a day on its battery. It’s strange because this is not something that has happened gradually … or at least I haven’t noticed a gradual decline. 

It just started happening that my battery was running low near the end of each day. Now it needs a charge partly through the day. 

I didn’t know what the problem was so I took to Google. 

I found out that battery life does deteriorate over time. My phone is three and half years old … which in people years isn’t much, but in dog years would be like thirty. In phone years that translates to about fifty-five years.

My research also gave me some tips of what I could do to help preserve my battery life. Some of them were helpful; one I found strange. 

The tip was to put the phone in airplane mode. In airplane mode you can’t receive phone calls, texts or connect to wifi, but it really reduces the battery usage. In other words, if you render your phone useless, this will preserve your battery. Great tip!

I checked out the battery tab in my settings and discovered something very interesting about my phone. My phone is only running on 89 percent of its battery. In other words, when my phone says it is fully charged, it’s really only at 89 percent. 

My phone is a half empty kind of phone. 

Even when I first take it off its charger, I’m not getting 100 percent of battery out of it. 

The setting didn’t say that the battery was in bad health, I just took it as it was old. The battery doesn’t have the same stamina it used to. 

I kind of understand how my phone feels because I don’t have the same stamina I once had either. There are times when I could go for a nap in the afternoon to recharge myself. 

The difference is I’m not looking to exchange myself for a new me.  

But I did hear that my cell phone company has a good deal on the latest iPhone. Maybe I need to look into getting a new one and sending my current phone off to cell phone heaven. 

Here’s the thing: How you look at life now could have something to do with what you believe about the future. If you believe that it all ends when you die, then the older you get the more half empty life is. But if you have your faith in Jesus Christ, you have an eternity to look forward to. So, as this life runs down, you still can view life as half full. I recommend it.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: Are you a half empty or half full person? Leave your comments and questions below. 

Subscribe to my blog and receive posts like this one delivered to your email inbox twice weekly.

by

Love It And Hate It At The Same Time

I love it and hate it all at the same time. That’s how I feel about our dehumidifier in our basement. 

love it and hate it at the same time

There is a show on TV called, “Love it or List it”. It’s a real estate show about couples who are at odds with whether they should renovate their current home or buy a new one. 

These couples usually place great restrictions on the show’s two hosts – one who has a plan to renovate their home to suit their needs, the other who wants to find and sell them the perfect new home. 

At the end of the show, when the renovation is complete and the couple have seen some great homes, the hosts ask them, “will you love it (keep your home) or list it (buy the new one)?”

The couple is usually very torn and there is a suspenseful pause before they reveal what they want to do.

The thing is they love what the one host has done with their home, but they still hate some of the things that could not be fixed … which makes the new home look so attractive. 

They love and hate their current home all at the same time. 

And that is how I feel about what’s happening in our home. 

This spring and summer’s weather have made our basement very damp. I can tell because it is freezing in our basement – probably 3-5 degrees cooler downstairs than upstairs. 

But it is not a nice cool, or dry cool. It’s hard to describe other than it feels damp.

So this spring I hauled out our dehumidifier. It’s getting older but is still pretty good. With it working away in the corner, our family room has been transformed into a very liveable environment. 

But what I hate now about our downstairs is that the loud noise of the dehumidifier makes it very hard to hear. 

The TV has to be turned up and, if I have a conversation with Lily, it’s like we are under the “cone of silence” from the Get Smart show. We are always saying, “WHAT?” to each other. 

When important things are on TV – like a hockey game – I turn the dehumidifier off. But then sometimes I forget to turn it back on and it gets cold down there again. 

I’m not ready to go on the show “Love it or List it”, but man, I love and hate our basement all at the same time.

In reality it is not the basement that is the issue, it’s the dehumidifier. 

It sounds like a diesel truck is idling in our family room. And we’ve had the unit for so long that I can’t remember if it always sounded that way or if there is a bearing that is gone in it. 

Either way, there is no “quiet” setting on it for when the desired humidity has been reached. 

Maybe it’s time to “list it” and buy a new dehumidifier.

Here’s the thing: There are some sins that can become habits. When they do, they, in a sense,  become very comfortable. We get used to them. But they also become a main source of guilt. We love them and hate them at the same time. You can try to clean the sin up, but in the end it will still be there. You have to deal with that sin and move out of the habit. That you can only do with the help of God in your life. 

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What do you love and hate about you life all at the same time? Leave your comments and questions below.

Subscribe to my blog and receive posts like this one delivered to your email inbox twice weekly.

by

Haircut – Who needs a Haircut Right Now?

The time is getting close to when I can finally get a haircut, but should I do it?

haircut - Who needs a haircut right now?

I haven’t had a haircut since the last week in March. I haven’t gone this long without cutting my hair since 1975, when three months with no haircut was normal and maybe not long enough.

But that was then.

Things are much different now than back at the end of high school. Styles changed and I got older. My hair got shorter … though I still had a bit of a mullet when I got married in 1985. 

My hair has also gone through some changes over the years. I now have a balding spot at the back of my head and my hair is getting thinner. 

The texture of my hair has also changed. It used to be thicker and more wiry. I could not get a regular comb through my hair. When I did comb it, my hair stayed in place. Even if the wind was strong and blew it a little, one stroke with my hands and it all went back into place. 

Now my hair is more straight and limp. I basically need a mirror if it hits the wind. My hair will be all over the place. 

When I used to wash my hair, it was never a big deal. Now every time I wash it, I feel like “I can’t do anything with my hair”. … That was a line from a commercial back in the sixties and seventies. Now I finally understand what they were talking about. 

I played golf with my son last week and when I put my head down to putt, my hair fell down all over my face.

Based on the fact that my hair is getting longer, it’s a no brainer to get it cut, right?

Right! 

Well, that’s what I thought. But I have people telling me they like my flow. It’s driving me crazy, but they like it. It’s not just random people saying this to me, it’s people who are close to me – people whose opinions matter to me: my wife, my kids, my friends. 

So I’m having second thoughts about getting my hair cut as soon as my hair guy has a space free in his chair. 

But when I go out in the wind, I’m reminded how much I really do need a haircut. 

In a couple of days I will be able to say goodbye to being creative with how I take care of my hair. It won’t have to be something that is on my mind throughout the day. 

But will I? When I long for something, sometimes when it comes about I’m not as eager to jump at it. Sometimes I will see how much longer I can go without it. 

I just may do that with my hair. We will have to see what happens.

Here’s the thing: Some people think they have lots of time to decide to follow Jesus. Right now you may like your life and not want to submit to Christ just yet. But when will that time be? And when that time does come, will you think about waiting a little longer to make that change? Perhaps even wait too long? Now is the time to choose Christ as your Saviour. You will have lots of life to enjoy with Him in the lead. 

That’s Life! 

Paul

Question: What are you delaying that you know you should move on right now? Leave your comments and questions below.

Subscribe to my blog and receive posts like this one delivered to your email inbox twice weekly.

by

Major Milestone Check, But Let’s Keep Going

I hit a major milestone last week, but in many ways it’s just like any other marker on the journey. 

major milestone check but let's keep going

I’m not sure you do this, but my wife for sure does it when we travel. She takes notice of the exit numbers on the highway. I’m not sure how they work anywhere else in the world, but along the 400 highway system in Ontario the exit numbers represent a kilometre number. 

So if you take the 667 exit off the 401, you are 667 kilometres from where the 401 starts in Windsor.

Every exit is a mileage marker. You always know where you are on the highway because of those exits. They kind of work like milestones when you know what the exit numbers means. 

You can be traveling an hour on the highway but, when you see an exit number, you know how far you’ve gone and how far you need to go.

I never used to pay much attention to the exit numbers but Lily has tuned me in to them. Once you get it in your head, you can’t help but mentally check off a chunk of your trip as you pass them. 

What we don’t think much about, however, is that there are other mileage markers along the highway every kilometre. They are not advertised and they don’t stand out like the big exit signs. These mileage markers are just small green blades with numbers on them – mileage numbers calculated from the beginning of the highway.

We pass those mileage markers quickly when we are traveling 120 km/hr down the 401. But most of us don’t pay attention to them; we don’t even really notice them at all. 

They go by so fast that they are virtually unnoticeable. Yet when we pass by one of those exit signs, we realize we’ve travelled quite a distance. 

It’s much like aging. 

We have days, months, years that go by pretty fast and regularly, yet often times we don’t take too much notice of them. 

It’s not until we hit one of those milestones that we start to think, “Wait a minute. I’ve really covered quite a distance.” 

Last week I passed a milestone. I turned 65. 

It was kind of like noticing the big exit sign. Mind you, I have no intention of taking the exit at this point. 

Leading up to this milestone, I’ve passed mileage marker after mileage marker. 

They go by quickly.

We travel at high speeds. 

In reality, other than the fact that the exit sign is advertised several kilometres before you get there, and when you do, there is a big sign with the exit number on it, it’s really just another mileage blade marker. 

… And you pass by it as fast as you do any other mileage marker on the highway. 

It’s a blip and then it is gone. Maybe that is best so we don’t dwell on that milestone too long and take the exit. 

Here’s the thing: We move through life at high speeds. The older we get, the more we realize the speed at which we travel. It is important, therefore, to make wise decisions along the way. The best decision I’ve ever made was to put my faith in Jesus Christ for forgiveness of my sin and for eternal life. The result is that I don’t carry guilt with me and I am looking forward with certainty to spending eternity in heaven when this life comes to a halt. I hope you do the same.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What milestone are you coming up to? Leave your comments and questions below.

Subscribe to my blog and receive posts like this one delivered to your email inbox twice weekly.

by

Big Day For Shopping After A Long Layoff

Like for most people in Ontario, Saturday was a big day for me. 

big day for shopping after a long layoff

It was the first day in three months we could shop in stores for something other than groceries. 

That three months seemed like it was six or seven, so when the gates opened on Friday, people flooded to the stores.

For me and many others, Saturday was the first chance we had to do some real shopping … and I took advantage of it. 

There were several things I needed to get so I had a route planned out for the morning. 

Not surprising, there were lineups outside most stores. With limited capacity at this time, there were far more people who wanted to shop than were allowed in stores at one time. 

I had four stores I needed to drop in on – I waited in lines for three of them. 

Thankfully the lines moved fast. It was like everyone had a list of stores to get to so they didn’t want to linger around in just one. People seemed to have a business mentality to get in, get what you need and get out.

The last store I visited I had a return to make. What was I thinking?

Lily and I had bought two globes for ceiling fans at our cottage. We found out they didn’t fit when we opened up the cottage this spring.

Why I thought it would be an easy matter to take them back on the first day of shopping in three months, I don’t know. 

It was like trying to make a return on the day after Christmas. While everybody is piling into the stores to get the bargains, there is a long, sad line of people waiting for two return clerks to process their unwanted items. They wait longingly so they can get in on all the bargains with their new found money. 

Well, while everyone was filing directly into Lowes, I was rerouted outside the store to join a line – the sad line of people who were not smart enough to know this was not the day for returns. 

I waited a long time for the people ahead of me to have their excess building products all sorted through – plumbing items, flooring, fasteners. … It was like watching a cashier at Canadian Tire count out the Canadian Tire money someone presented them to pay for a $150 item. 

It was painful. 

Finally I got my turn. Without a receipt though, I was given a gift card for all of $16.07. 

I immediately went into the store to look for globes that would fit our fans. I found two that I liked, headed to the nearest cashier, and promptly forgot to use my gift card. 

I’ll use it on my next trip, which may not be for a while. I got my fill of shopping in that one morning. 

Here’s the thing: Do you know when it’s the best time to get right with God? If you have sin in your life, do you know when you should confess that sin? Or if you’ve never placed your faith in Christ, do you know when the optimal time is to make Christ your Lord? Well, unlike shopping the day after Christmas or the day after the end of a provincial lockdown, the best time to get right with God is NOW. There are no lines, no waiting; just do it now. The Bible says this is the day, this is the hour of salvation. Don’t wait. 

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What have you been waiting on for the right time? Leave your comments and questions below.

Subscribe to my blog and receive posts like this one delivered to your email inbox twice weekly.

by

Be Open To Something New

“Be Open”, from time to time I will repost an article from the past. This post is from June 2016. Enjoy.

Yesterday my daughter got me to try something new, and that’s pretty amazing. What’s even more amazing is that it was food.

be open to something new

When your kids are young, you are constantly coaxing, encouraging, coercing them to try new and different things. To just be open to them.

As they grow up, you do it so much that you never think there will be a time when the shoe is on the other foot. 

I have to admit, I’ve had to take a few fashion tips from my son, and he’s gotten me to watch the odd movie he recommended. 

But the other night was something else. It involved eating and I’m pretty set in my ways when it comes to that.

I think it goes back to the days when my mother tried to feed me squash for dinner. It seemed to be a staple in our house, like once a week at the very least. 

I alway refused, but there was alway a tiny pile of it on my plate, with the understanding that there would not be dessert without the downing of the squash. 

I tried to hide the flavour by mixing it into other foods like potato, but the taste always made me shiver as it went down.

As hard as my Mom tried, and as often as she persisted, to this day I don’t eat squash. 

I don’t eat guacamole either. Well, maybe I shouldn’t be so hasty …

Lily and I were on our way to Toronto for me to catch a plane the next day. We were staying the night at our daughter Karlie’s home.

Normally when we get there, we go out to eat or order in. Karlie does cook but there never seems to be any food in the house when we arrive. I’m not positive, but maybe it’s just a ploy to get a free meal. 

This trip, however, we left late so I thought we would just get fast food on the way. Not this time. Karlie apparently had food for us. 

Still, we weren’t going to get there until nearly 8 pm, and since I was hungry when we left home, I thought about just passing on her offer this time. 

But there was something about the offer that gave me the impression she would be disappointed if we didn’t eat there. So I said we’d be there for dinner, and hit the gas pedal.

I told myself, be open.

Well, Karlie is into this clean eating thing. I don’t really know what that means … I’m pretty sure Lily washes the food we eat too. 

When we got there, to my surprise, the bbq was on and the chicken was smelling pretty good. I’d been waiting so long to eat, I almost had to catch myself from salivating down my chin.

We were having chicken tacos which is not a stretch for me at all. I like hitting up Taco Bell for some grub sometimes. But this was a little different. 

The tacos were basically chicken, red cabbage and that’s it. I thought maybe I needed some hot sauce or something, but there was none. The only thing to put on for flavour was guacamole. 

But I don’t eat guac! However, since there was nothing else, and with a little coaxing from Lily, I tried it. 

Crazy thing! – it was pretty good. … Look at that, me trying something new my daughter suggested. 

Here’s the thing: Don’t get so stuck in your ways spiritually, that if God were to move you to try something new, you won’t do it. Always be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit in your life.

That’s life!

Paul

Question: What’s something new you’ve recently tried? Leave your comment below.

Subscribe to my blog and receive posts like this one delivered to your email inbox twice weekly.

by

Being A User Versus Being A Maintainer

I am a user, because I’m better at using things than I am at taking care of things. Is there anyone out there who’s like me?

being a user verses being a maintainer

When I was growing up, my mother thought my brother and I should go into the wrecking business when we grew up. We were so good at it.

Some people are very good at maintaining things. They care for their lawns, their cars, and maintain all the necessary things in their homes. 

But I’m not wired up that way. I was built to use things. I don’t have time to care for things because after I have used them, I’m on to something else.

The truth is, I like the idea of caring for my things. … I would really like to have a car that sparkles all the time, but I’m too busy using it to take the time to make it sparkle. 

I chalk it up to my genes. This propensity to care for things or to just use things comes to us from our parents and their parents before them.

I figure my user mentality has just been passed down to me. 

The upside to my bent on life is that I get to enjoy a lot of things. The downside is when they break down they end up costing me more … more time to fix them or more money to get them repaired. 

I kind of do that with my cars. I’d never own a car until it became an antique. It just wouldn’t last that long for me. 

Unfortunately, I discovered this week that I also do that with my bike.

Over the last year I’ve broken the chain on my bike at least twice – maybe three times, I can’t remember. 

If it happens once, it’s no big deal, but if it keeps happening, there’s something wrong. 

This week I took my bike in to get a tune-up and a new chain.  

When the mechanic looked at my bike, he said “Man, look at those rear chain rings! I’m surprised you haven’t broken your neck!”

I figured from that comment that I’d be purchasing new rear chain rings. 

He didn’t like the look of my front chain ring either. And my rear derailleur was pretty worn. 

The bottom line was my bike was a mess. 

My mechanic called me later and said my front brake rotor was all bent too and should be replaced. 

I replied, “just put in on the tab”.

A few days later, he called me back to tell me my bike was all ready to go – ready for me to use it again, that is. 

The bill was pricey. Some people would spend as much as I paid to buy a new bike from Canadian Tire. 

When I got it home, I vowed that I was going to take care of my bike from now on. 

But who am I kidding? I’m a user and it’s tough to break old habits. 

Here’s the thing: Some people care more about the set up when relating to God. They need the  proper things to be in place to ensure their time with God will be optimal. Other people just focus on meeting with God. It may be different each time and sometimes it might be messy. But the thing is, there is no right or wrong way to meet with God. Figure out how you best relate to Him and make it happen.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: Are you someone who cares for things or just uses them? Leave your comments and questions below.

Subscribe to my blog and receive posts like this one delivered to your email inbox twice weekly.

by

Flashback To Something I’d Like To Forget

I’ve been having a flashback lately and it scares me from moving forward.

flashback to something I'd like to forget

Recently we completed a couple of projects in our basement. We put new flooring in our downstairs bathroom and added rubber flooring mats throughout our workout room. 

This was all well and good, but there is still one more step in order to be finished with these projects: I have to put three doors back on their hinges. 

It’s not that hard a task. But, because of the height of the new flooring, I have to cut the bottoms off each of the doors. 

That’s what has caused my flashback. 

I’ve been sleeping restlessly lately. Maybe our bedroom has been too hot, but the real reason could be that I’m dreading having to cut these doors.

You see, I have some history with these doors. I was the one who originally hung them in the first place. I was the one who cut the bottoms of the doors off when they were first installed.

And in those days I was having issues with sharp objects.

In a short period of time I cut myself for stitches twice! The worst time was when I was cutting off the bottom of one of these doors. 

There were a couple of things working against me then: I didn’t have the proper saw and I didn’t have the doors lying flat on a table or workbench of some kind. 

Instead, I held the end of the door up with one hand and sawed it with my other. It was not stable at all. 

The saw I was using was a keyhole saw which had a thin, tapered, toothy blade. 

Well, with the instability, the blade easily found my finger – the base of my index finger on my left hand. 

There was blood everywhere. Three ceiling panels were ruined with blood splatter that could have made it on the set of a CSI television show. 

I couldn’t stop the bleeding, so I had to hold my finger with my other hand while Lily drove me to the hospital. 

I got about seven stitches and the doctor was stunned that I hadn’t cut the tendon that was right close to the cut. 

All in all, I haven’t forgotten that incident. 

So as I’m anticipating having to cut the bottoms off of three doors – one of them being the very door I went to the hospital over – ya, I’m having a flashback. 

What I have going for me this time, though, is more tools to get the job done … and I have quite a few of them now. 

My most recent weapon is an oscillating multi-tool. This tool has come in really handy cutting off the bottoms of the door moulding. 

That tool is not going to work on the doors themselves, but now I have a circular saw. So with the circular saw and a firm base to work on, I should be able to keep the cuts just on the doors.

Here’s the thing: Though sins that we repeat over and over are difficult to deal with, try using some new tools to keep you from those sins. Intentionally guard and protect your circumstances and settings to keep you from giving in to the temptation to sin. When you do, you’ll also eliminate the flashbacks and be able to move forward. 

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What causes a flashback for you? Leave your comments and questions below. 

Subscribe to this blog and receive posts like this one delivered to your email inbox twice weekly.

by

Cheered In Such An Unexpected Way

It’s true, I have now been officially cheered up … after having been officially saddened.

cheered in such an unexpected way

… The Toronto Maple Leafs’ loss in game 7 to Montreal was particularly hard to take this year. There was more expectation for the team than ever before. They finished first in their division in I don’t know how long. They were the favourite to come out of the North Division.

So when the Leafs lost to the Habs, I felt a crushing in my spirit. I had a sadness that went deep and didn’t want to leave. 

But the other day I had my sadness lifted. It happened quickly and completely unexpectedly.

Team Canada won the IIWHF World Championships! 

And what cheered me so much about this win was how they did it. 

They were not favoured to win. My wife, Lily, had asked me who was on the team and I had replied, “You won’t know anyone.” There were only a few names I knew. No superstars on this team. 

Early on the team didn’t look good at all. They lost their first three games – a first for Canada.

It was ugly; they looked ugly.

One of our play-by-play announcers was interviewed on Swedish television and was asked if he was embarrassed by Team Canada. 

Team Canada went on to record 4 losses in the round robin portion of the tournament. 

It didn’t look good.

To get into the medal round, Team Canada needed a combination of a tie in regulation in their last game and two other teams deciding their games in regulation. 

It was a nail biter, but miraculously Canada managed to squeak into the quarter finals.

And from there the competition would just get more intense. This team that snuck into the playoff round had to face Russia and then the USA. 

It was a daunting task.

But Canada started to come alive and beat both those teams to make it to the gold medal game. 

The unthinkable had happened. How did they turn it around?

Who knows, but one Russian player commented, “Somehow when Canadians put on the Team Canada jersey they get better.”

Canada trailed Finland twice in the gold medal game, but tied it up both times. The game went to overtime and about six minutes in Canada scored to win the gold. 

Canada is the first team to ever start the World Tournament 0-3 and finish as champions. And no team in IIHF history at any top-level event has ever won gold after losing four games. 

Well, Canada did it with a bunch of guys you’ve never heard of, and a few you will hear about in the coming years. 

I’m proud of these guys. They stuck to it and didn’t give up. They just kept at it and formed together as a team until they won. 

It’s official: I am cheered.

Here’s the thing: There is a lot in life that can make you sad, disappoint you, and send you into a downward spiral. No one likes being there and sometimes it’s really difficult getting out of that condition. You need to know that God is the God of all comfort. When you are down, turn to Him, go to Him, trust Him with your sadness, worry and depression. He can lift you up out of it. It doesn’t seem possible and He does it in miraculous ways, but He can put joy back into your life in the midst of despair. Seek Him. 

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What has put you in the doldrums lately? Leave your comments and questions below.

Subscribe to my blog and receive posts like this one delivered to your email inbox twice weekly.

by

The Signs Led To Quite A Ride

You can’t alway anticipate how things are going to go, but you should read the signs. Sometimes they tell you to take a different approach or change your plan. 

the signs led to quite a ride

The other day I didn’t read the signs – or should I say, I just ignored the signs – and that made for a very interesting event. 

I went for a bike ride and was looking forward to trying a new section of the trails I ride. I had heard that this new section had some tough features on it – lots of loose rock and off-camber paths.

It’s early in the year, I’ve only ridden twice so far, I’m still out of shape but, hey, what could go wrong? 

I had already gone to the bike store and picked up some new cleats for my shoes after noticing that my shoes have unclipped from my pedals at unexpected times. 

With my new gear I drove to my mountain biking club, “The Farm”. And here is where I kind of ignored the signs. 

When I got out of my car I realized I didn’t have my padded biking shorts on. I had forgotten to put them on and just put my shell shorts on. … I had thought they were a little loose fitting; now I knew why.

I had a decision to make: do I forget about my ride, change my ride to a shorter, simpler route, or continue on with my plans to ride the new section? 

I decided to continue on. 

This proved to be a mistake on several levels. 

About 7 kms into the ride, my chain broke. I could have backtracked and walked my bike the 7 kms back to my car, but I had a replacement chainlink with me. 

I decided to fix my chain and complete my ride which was about 11 more kms.

It took me a while to put the chain back together … I had to remember how to restring the chain around my sprocket cassettes and the rear derailleur.

As I was trying to snap the link into place, I gashed the back of my hand on the front sprocket.

I had no bandages with me so I poured a little water on my hand and shoved my glove on before it started bleeding again. 

Those new cleats I bought earlier worked great, but a couple of times on some rocky terrain, I didn’t clip out in time and fell, scraping my left arm. 

And riding without biking shorts, well, I have a new appreciation for them and it’s not because they make riding easier on your butt … but that’s all I’ll say about that. 

I did make it all the way around. It’s a great trail, but I think I’ll get into better shape before I ride it again.

Here’s the thing: There are lots of signs that we don’t have unlimited time left on this earth – perpetual tension in the Middle East, increased natural disasters, climate change, and now a virus that’s different from any other. World troubles like these were written about in the Bible. The Bible even says that near the end people will have to take a mark in order to buy basic things, and now it’s easy to see how that could come about. These signs, and many others, are to help us make wise decisions for how to prepare for what will come. Jesus came and died for your sins to prepare you for all that will happen, including your death. Read the signs and place your faith in Jesus Christ. 

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What sign have you ignored lately? Leave your comments and questions below.

Subscribe to this blog and receive posts like this one delivered to your email inbox twice weekly.