spring

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Too Many Things Means I Have To Make More Choices

Spring is a time when I have too many things to do – a statement most people could probably make all year long. 

too many things means I have to make more choices

But I’m not talking about work or all the things that I am pressured to accomplish. I just have too many things I want to do right now.

Now that spring weather is fully on us, I have a hard time deciding what to do on my day off. I have too many options and I can’t do them all. 

It’s sort of like going into a candy store with too many options of what to buy. You have to sort out what you feel like eating right then. Do you want chocolate, and if you do there are all kinds of options. Will it be a Big Turk or a Kit Kat? Those are very different bars. 

Maybe you don’t feel like chocolate. Rather you have a hankering for some candy. But what kind of candy? Licorice? Mike and Ikes? Or maybe some Sour Patch (sweet and sour candies)?

There are so many options that it’s sometimes hard to decide which way to go. 

When it comes to the things I want to do on my day off, sometimes the decision-making process takes too long. It can take so long that I have to scrap one or two things I had wanted to do because I no longer have the time to do them. 

I find I don’t schedule my activities on my day off in the same way I schedule my work day. 

At work I have a time frame in which I will work on a particular task or assignment. When the time is up, I move on to the next task. But on my day off I just have a list of things I want to do. If something takes longer than I thought, I might not get to those other things I wanted to do. 

This is especially an issue in the spring because I want to do all the things I haven’t been able to do throughout the winter. 

Like today for instance, I want to go mountain biking, I want to fly my drone, I want to edit a video I’ve been working on … and I have two things I don’t want to do but have to get moving on.

If I go mountain biking, that will take two and a half hours. With the other things I must do, it will not leave me enough time to fly my drone. 

Some time later … 

I got interrupted by an unexpected visitor and, of course, that pushed back the finishing of this blog. Then it started to rain. 

So no biking and no droning today. I guess my circumstances have narrowed what I can do. I’ll work on video editing and one task I really don’t want to do but must. 

Sometimes your choices for what you will get to do are decided for you and there’s nothing you can do about that. 

Here’s the thing: If you want to spend time with God, you have to schedule that time. But more precisely, you have to schedule it so that nothing can crowd out that time with God. For me that’s the first part of my day. It’s the first thing I do before anything can interrupt me. 

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What interrupts your schedule more than anything else? Leave your comments and questions below. 

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Not The Prettiest Time Of Year But I Will Take It

It’s not the prettiest time of year, but it is a welcomed time of year just the same. 

not the prettiest time of year but I will take it

The other day signalled the first day of spring, but I didn’t even realize it because I was more focussed on the dull and dirty landscape. 

Still lining parking lots were rows of snow piled up almost like a screen to keep you from seeing what was in the parking lot next to it. Not that long ago these piles of snow looked more like a mountain range. But with all the melting, the snow piles quickly resembled rolling hills. 

To add to the look, the snow that is left is no longer white but rather grey and filled with gravel and sand to give it an old, rugged appearance.

That’s the start of spring and it’s not very appealing. The grass is still all matted down from the pressure of the snow that has now melted away above it. Our streets have mounds of sand and grime just to add to the dingy appearance of the neighbourhoods.

I remember two years ago, when winter was over, there was so much sand on our church parking lot that we could have created a beach with it all!

It’s also right at the beginning of spring when you also realize how bad we all are at putting garbage in garbage cans. Strewn along curbs and sitting on the lawns, there are cups and paper and lids, plastic of all kinds. 

I take pride in throwing my garbage into waste cans like I’m making a three point shot on a basketball court. But if I miss, I don’t leave my trash; I go pick it up and drop into the bin.

However, it seems like many people assumed that if they missed the garbage can, their trash would melt like the snow by the end of winter. Well, it didn’t melt. And now we are left with lawn decorations that are not fitting at any time of year.

We all know what the signs of spring are – trees beginning to bud, flower sprouts poking ever so slightly out of the ground. And, of course, grass beginning to look like it is alive once more. 

But on the first day of spring, none of these signs are there. There is no hint of what is to come, just the dull, dirty reminder of what we’ve come through.

We welcome this time of year just the same. We do it, not for what it is, but for what will come after it. 

It’s that in between stage, not the prettiest time of year.

You know when your child gets to the stage where their baby teeth are falling out and the new ones aren’t all the way in. And they have started to get a little gangly and their facial features are starting to change? We know that soon their beauty will emerge again, but for right now they are not in their prettiest stage. 

This stage of spring will not last long. And I, for one, am happy about it because I know what’s on the way.

Here’s the thing: You may be going through a not-so-pleasant time in your life. In my experience, those times don’t last forever. One thing I do is pray to God who loves me. I ask Him to bring the change that will be best for me … and God always does.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What good thing is right around the corner from what you are going through now?  Leave your questions and comments below.

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I’m Missing Something This Spring

There is something missing right now that would make spring just that much better. 

I'm missing something this spring

Some years what’s missing in early spring is half decent weather. Well, I can’t say we are missing that this year.

I went biking the other day for the first time this year and it felt like a mid-summer ride. It was 25 degrees Celsius.

We’ve had a mild winter and now a fantastic start to spring. What is there to complain about, except COVID?

But I feel it. There is still something missing and the nicer weather has brought it to my attention: I’m missing my drone. 

Right now I would be getting my drone out and looking for places to fly it. But it’s not happening this spring. 

It’s not that I’ve lost my drone or can’t find it, I have it. In fact, it’s right beside me now. But my drone is broken.

Back in December I flew it into a tree and it fell about thirty feet to the ground, and not just the ground, it fell onto ice. 

I knew it was finished then, but I put it back in its case and have kept it around. 

Then about a week ago, I watched a video of a guy who fixed his broken drone. 

Well, I got inspired. I hauled out my drone, viewed the video once again, and then looked at the damage on my drone. 

My heart sank again, just like it had done in December. The damage to my drone was way more extensive than the one in the video. 

I have a couple of wires extending to the props that are disconnected and I just don’t have the skill to be able to reattached them. 

Besides that, there is damage to the forward sensor and two places on one of the prop arms that are cracked and left dangling. 

The drone is just too far gone.

And so I’m reminded that I’m missing what I would normally be doing, finding places to fly my drone … and getting some great drone footage to use in video projects. 

When things go missing, often times they come back or are found again.

When children lose a tooth, they may have a gaping hole in their smile, but they won’t be missing that tooth for long. A bigger, stronger tooth is on its way.

When you’re older, however, and a tooth goes missing, there is not any hope of it coming back. You must look at different ways to fill what is missing from your smile.

One thing I know for sure about my drone is that it is not going to fly again. The only way I will be replace my missing drone is with a new one. 

It’s too bad that my birthday isn’t until mid June. 

Like a young child without his tooth, I will be missing my drone for a while. 

Here’s the thing: The only sad thing about heaven is that there will be people missing from it. You will, undoubtedly, be missing someone you loved and wanted to share all eternity with. There will be no replacement. Therefore, it is important to do what you can to ensure your loved ones have an opportunity to choose Christ, so they won’t be missing in heaven. Do not wait for someone else to share Jesus with them; take the initiative yourself. 

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: Who or what is missing in your life right now? Leave your comments and questions below.

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How To Get Moving On Spring Cleaning

This post is from May of 2015. From time to time I repost articles from the past. I hope you will get a smile as you contemplate your own spring cleaning.

You know it’s spring when you get invited to sweep out your garage. The other day my wife informed me that she was going out to sweep all the dirt and grit from the winter out of our garage.  

I knew right away that this information was intel that I was to gather for a secret mission that was coming up – specifically the mission was to come on out and help her sweep.  

I pretended that I was still gathering data on the subject to delay my decision, but after a few minutes I decided to at least check up on the operation in the garage. 

Just as I thought, she was doing a great job. But the work had halted because she was talking to our neighbour. That’s one of the problems with working outside in the spring – everyone’s outside. 

To make it worse, we haven’t seen them or talked to them much because all winter we drive right into our garage and go in the house. Now that the weather is sort of, thinking about turning warmer, people are outside and we have to catch up.

That makes tasks like sweeping out the garage take twice as long. I had joined the conversation but when we were done I grabbed the other broom and started sweeping with Lily.  

Of course I wasn’t doing it quite the way she likes it done. Apparently the broom I was using creates a little more dust in the air than her broom. Or was it the technique that she used that kept the dust from forming clouds in the air? I’m not sure.

Once we settled that dust issue, however, we really were working like a machine. I wouldn’t say I would eat off the garage floor but it was looking pretty clean.  

That’s not to say that there won’t be other missions out to the garage to clean and put things away. I noticed that we have a mission to the dump coming up soon.  

This operation will have to take place in the next few days and it will involve our son who has a large vehicle this week. I’m just concerned that our communications have some outside interference (his friends) and we may miss the target unless we move in quickly.

All these covert operations that are signs that spring is upon us gave me a desire to try an overt operation. I’ve been waiting to do this for a while now.  

I took my bike rack that I got for Christmas and mounted it on the roof of my car. There was no camouflaging this from aerial surveillance or from ground recon work. 

The rack is in plain view and is a clear signal to all that spring is here, even though we need the temperature to warm up a bit to feel like it’s spring.

Here’s the thing: Having a quiet time with God is so important because though it is more of a covert action – something that no one else really sees – it is something that prepares you for what lies ahead. You will be far more prepared to face the challenges and opportunities that will come if you have prepared your heart with God first, in your private time with Him. 

That’s Life!

Paul

Question:  What do you have to clean up that won’t be noticed too much but will make a big difference just the same? I’d love to hear from you. You can leave a comment below. 

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It’s Spring and I’m Sick Already

I hate getting sick; I really hate getting sick in the spring. When the weather starts to warm up and there is more to do outside, that’s when being sick is the worst.

cough.png

If it’s cold out, you don’t want to go outside anyway – that’s the time to be sick. You’re going to be inside, so what does it matter if you’re wearing jeans and a sweatshirt or a few layers of clothing and a heavy blanket?

No one is going to see you anyway; they are all at home too, unwilling to go out in the cold.

But you can’t live like that when it’s nice outside, and you certainly don’t want to live that way when it’s warm out. Every time you go by a window you wish you felt better so you weren’t stuck inside.

I don’t like admitting it, but I think I’ve come down with a cold or something. All week I’ve had this dry cold; there’s been a catch in my throat that makes me bark. I’ve felt fine, but the cough hasn’t gotten better – if anything, as the week progressed, it’s getting worse.

I’ve been thinking that maybe I’m reacting to some of my medications, or possibly I’m developing an allergy. But this morning, after playing hockey, I’m feeling a little weak and achy.

Now that’s a sure sign for me that I’m under the weather. That achy feeling combined with being a little clammy, that’s summertime sickness.

What makes it worse is that we’re going on vacation for a couple of weeks. It’s not a good time to be feeling this way.

I’ve heard some say that when we carry stress for a while and then we get a break, our bodies say, “That’s it! I’ve had enough!” and go on strike.

Others say when we push ourselves too hard and don’t recharge our bodies they are not able to fight off the germs floating around in the air and we become more susceptible to getting sick.

So I guess there is something worse that being sick in the spring or summer, and that is being sick in the spring when you’re on vacation.

The whole purpose of taking a vacation right now is to get some needed rest. Well, I’m going to be restless if I’m only able to look out the window at birds, see the trees bud and watch the grass turn green.

I wouldn’t mind it so much if all I had to do outside is rake the lawn or clean the deck, but the trails are opening up for mountain biking and golf courses are right ready to put the pins on the greens.

What I need is some kind of pill that will fast-track me back to health. Since my heart attack three years ago I now take pills every day … what’s one more pill if it will get me the results I’m looking for?

The reality is I’m just going to have to slow down, get some rest and wait it out. Oh, and take vitamin C.

Here’s the thing: The need for rest is built into us. We need it, but often times we don’t get enough of it because we are doing too much. Sickness is a forced rest for the body. Spiritually speaking, falling to sin is a sign you need to find rest in God. When temptation to sin is too much for you, that’s an indicator you need to spend time resting in the Lord.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What are your indicators that you need to take a rest? Leave your comment below.

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Why You Get Springtime Colds

There’s nothing worse than a springtime cold – partly because you’re not supposed to get a cold when the weather is warm (or just “warmer” this spring).

springtime cold

Colds are for the dead of winter when it’s nasty outside, -30 and everyone is trapped inside to spread their germs around like kids trading hockey cards in Johnny’s basement.

But I could see this one coming on. I could have predicted it. I let myself get run-down and then put myself in situations where I could easily catch what someone else was trying to get rid of.

I had a couple of late nights and then a trip to Toronto and back the same night. The next morning I had to be up for a seven o’clock meeting, so I only got a few hours of sleep.

I knew right then I was vulnerable. My office is rather frigid at this “in between seasons” time of year, so I was also a little chilled during the day.

Then on the weekend, at a family get together, there were several who were fighting off colds and other bugs, and Sunday I shook a lot of hands at church, hands that are filled with germs.

Monday I started sneezing and blowing my nose. I don’t think I’ve ever sneezed as much as I have this week. I would say for the first four days I must have sneezed about thirty times each day.

I normally sneeze in two’s. My brother’s sneeze pattern is about 4 or 5 in a row. This week I was sneezing like my brother, multiple sneezes almost every time.

Friday morning I woke up with a sore throat and I worried that I wouldn’t have a voice to preach on Sunday. I know my congregation prays for me … I’m just hoping they’re praying that I have a voice and not the other way around!

The last two days I really haven’t felt all that great. But this morning, after a very restless night, I thought playing hockey would be the ticket to get me feeling better.

There was no sore throat when I got up so I put on an extra sweatshirt and let my pores push all those bad bugs out of me while I sweat. I wrote about this method in my blog “Guaranteed To Cure The Common Cold” (you can read it here).

This is not the time of year to be having a lingering cold. It’s no fun BBQ-ing and not being able to taste the Montreal Steak Spice on your steak, or being able to smell the fresh breeze while you’re outside doing yard work.

No one wants to be looking out the window at the green grass, budding trees and feeling too lousy to get out there to do anything.

It’s a different story in the middle of the winter with the snow piled up to the window sills and the wind howling at the front door. When it’s like that you’re almost glad you don’t feel like going outside.

I guess I better pay closer attention to the needs of my body.

Here’s the Thing: Like a springtime cold, when you find yourself in a situation when you think, “This shouldn’t be happening to me”, take time to dissect it. God may be trying to teach you through your experience. Don’t just accept it without seeking to find what God wants you to learn from it.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What have you learned from a situation you didn’t think you should be in? I’d really like to hear from you. You can leave a message below.