jeff noel.org

Tales From The Road

Recently received an email from an occasional reader. It’s a random comment like this that makes the journey’s effort so worthwhile.  What keeps you motivated to keep pushing forward?

“Hey Jeff, We met a couple of years ago in the Orlando airport. You were admiring my little netbook computer and we had a nice chat. I just wanted to let you know that I read your blogs from time to time, when I have time, and I enjoy your insights. I love this bit about the 1 to 10 scale and your son’s answer. You’re a lucky man to receive that sort of love. And I think your son is lucky too. Keep touching lives.”

If you blog, or pray, or exercise, or raise a family, or try to help others, don’t give up.

When you least expect it, something or someone will feed your soul. It’s God’s way of reminding you that life is hard, but also virtuous.

Doubtful This Was Planned

It seems the harder I work and the more my perfectly-imperfect actions align with my noble and lofty thoughts, the more God keeps encouraging the effort.

This is a blessing and a motivation that was not predictable.

Life isn’t without setbacks, nor is it without enormous stress and pressure. You know exactly what I’m talking about.

Laying it out there, for the whole world to see, is a bold move that God recognizes.

It could all come crumbling down in an instant.

Fall down seven times, get up eight.

Same for you.

The Ride Is For Life

“Love is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. That is just being “in love” which any of us can convince ourselves we are. Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. Your mother and I had it, we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two.”

-St. Augustine

How does St Augustine’s definition compare with your definition of Love?

Life and love are never easy.  Everything requires work.  Hard work.

Today’s a new day, a fresh opportunity.  Do what you do – with Love.

Or, you could opt to do the opposite. But don’t complain if your results are not what you hope or wish for.

Hard work is the only way.

Corner Stone

Perhaps, all our “good fortune” can be summed up by his quote I found, tucked away in a folder from 2004.

“Coincidence is a small miracle which God wishes to remain anonymous.” — unknown

Ya with me?

PS.  Assertiveness is a trait. Arrogance a burden.

Cloudy Feelings?

After re-reading yesterday’s post, I’m having second thoughts about whether to continue down this path.

Why?

Because it feels like it goes against being humble, and it feels very awkward.

What is driving me, compelling me, to want to share this, is so that you see that I have no special privilege or talent.

I just work really hard.  Hard work is the only antidote to life’s challenges.

And even then, it’s not 100% guaranteed.

But one thing is guaranteed. If you don’t try, you will never know.

Wide Open Spaces

What makes humans feel guilt?

What makes you feel guilty?

Know what makes me feel guilty?

Goodness.

This week, my son and I have taken several sunset walks. We end up in our back yard. A really big back yard. The sun has set, and now it’s twilight.

“Son, look around. Do you see how much space is here in this yard, from one side to the other?”

He says, “Yes.”

“I’m not saying that other sized yards are better or worse. I’m just saying that Mommy and Daddy worked really, really hard to make this yard possible.”

For something like seven years, Cheryl and I spent, what seemed like a majority of our weekends looking for a big yard near Walt Disney World.

The first 15 years in Central Florida, I worked every weekend, and had either a Saturday or a Sunday off, but never both.

And on that lone weekend day off, we combed the area north of Disney, south of Disney, east of Disney, west of Disney.

The result?  Nothing. Year after year. Nothing.

Until one day….