Thoughts on 70 Laps around the Sun

 

 

Wow! I’ve now made 70 laps around the sun and am hoping to log a few, or many, more. Here are my first 70 thoughts, possibly worth sharing.

1.    God is good

2.    God is holy.

3.    God is love.

4.    God loves you.

5.    Life is Good.

6.    Life can be tough, but it’s still life and still good.

7.    Jesus is Lord.

8.    That #4 should govern our lives.

9.    Integrity matters, and there are no small matters of integrity.

10.                       Love one another is a lifestyle, not an occasion.

11.                       Baseball is medicine. Prescriptions are still available.

12.                       The smell of horsehide is more soothing than a stiff drink.

13.                       Salvation is a gift of God alone. It’s a gift.

14.                       Discipleship takes work and requires discipline.

15.                       Your life choices are always clear.

16.                       Your life choices come with consequences—good, bad, and not sure yet.

17.                       Purpose matters.

18.                       Focus matters.

19.                       Effort matters.

20.                       Work as if you were working for the Lord matters.

21.                       Lead, follow, or get out of the way applies in most circumstances.

22.                       It’s Jordan. Case closed.

23.                       Yes, the wind still blows in Oklahoma. When it doesn’t, you’ll wish it did.

24.                       Taco Tuesday, Throwback Thursday, and RED Fridays are important. IYKYK.

25.                       Gun control is essential: Body alignment, sight alignment, sight picture, and trigger control are usually sufficient for most occasions.

26.                       No guts. No glory. Hold my beer.

27.                       Consider the target audience before you spend your time in an online diatribe.

28.                       Faith = action, even if the action is waiting.

29.                       GSR is the best men's cologne ever.

30.                       Social media is great for kids and grandkids pictures, reminding me of your birthday, and connecting with other Leathernecks from days gone by. Scroll on through most of the rest.

31.                       JUST DO IT gets you up the hill. I should have copyrighted and trademarked that before Nike stole it from me.

32.                       Cycling uses different muscles than running. (Lesson #1 after my first RAGBRAI)

33.                       Being in command is mostly TAKE THE HILL and FOLLOW ME.

34.                       Always keep a written copy of your sermons. When your memory goes, preach them. They will be new to you.

35.                       Hey, TDS people. Get a life. This hating one man is killing our nation and destroying your credibility. Let’s do positive things, and being governed by hate is blinding.

36.                       Read more.

37.                       If you read mostly nonfiction as I do, make sure you read one fiction book a year, and vice versa.

38.                       Do the math in your head whenever possible.

39.                       Travel. There is a lot to see in this miraculous creation.

40.                       Take the cruise, then book the next one.

41.                       Sit by a fire more often.

42.                       Make sure you keep a hard copy of a Bible that you trust the translation. Deception is on the rise exponentially.

43.                       Budget. It’s a mark of self-discipline (only if you stick to it).

44.                       "Stick-to-itiveness" is a word, and one worth being known by.

45.                       Your kids are always your kids, but only kids for a short time. Enjoy them while they are young and bring them up in the way they should go to enjoy future relationships with these men and women.

46.                       Two genders. ‘Nuff said.

47.                       If you are serious about leadership, learn logistics.

48.                       Eternal life began the moment you believed and professed Jesus is Lord. Quit trying to earn it and live in loving response to it.

49.                       Write. It doesn’t have to be much, but writing and thinking are inextricably linked, and one pays dividends in the other.

50.                       Best rule of public speaking I know. Put on your best clothes, talk only about what you know, and when you have said all that needs to be said, stop talking.

51.                       Parenting, coaching, and umpiring are No Wimps endeavors.

52.                       Also, Christian discipleship:  No Wimps.

53.                       Bill Russell was right. If you’ve got a good shot, take it. Don’t pass off.

54.                       Speaking the truth in love is more about our Christian maturity than the topic or recipient of our words.

55.                       Know how to bunt.

56.                       Keep a kid handy to open child-proof containers or fix your phone.

57.                       Johnny Carson stands alone as a late-night talk show host. I’m glad I watched him while I could still stay up late. Turn off this late-night poison that’s on now.

58.                       Say good morning, open doors for people, check on your neighbors, and never turn down an opportunity to take a nap.

59.                       Don’t walk by a bathroom without giving it a try once you hit 50.

60.                       Drink your coffee hot and your beer cold. Don’t get them confused.

61.                       Don’t use the same Q-Tip that you swabbed your rifle with to get the wax out of your ear, or so they say.

62.                       This take a knee business was skubalon. The NBA and NFL can live without me until those overpaid babies offer the nation an apology. It was a placebo in place of doing something of substance, which all of them were financially equipped to do.

63.                       Don’t spend too much time looking in the mirror at your appearance. Crazy hair scares off enough people to keep your schedule clear.

64.                       Spend much time in reflection—heart, mind, and soul.

65.                       Share the good news. You are commissioned to do this.

66.                       Forgive.

67.                       Hang in there. Even the Cubs win the Series once a century.

68.                       Get these right. James L. Jones when you need to get to the heart of the matter. Morgan Freeman, when the meter is essential, and Donald Sutherland to explain a mystery where the unbelievable makes sense.

69.                       Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.

70.                       When the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.

 

 

As soon as these are published, another dozen or so thoughts worth sharing will pop into my mind. Will see if they are still there at 75.