Tag: Jeff Noel Blogs

When Will You Be Happy?

It felt good to attend Mass this morning.

Having just spent a week in Finland, it felt uncommonly special this morning to be around familiar people and familiar routines. And Deacon Jack gave the homily.

“When will you be happy”?, he asked.

He spoke about experiences from being a young boy first going to school, to graduating and becoming a young man, to getting married, to having children, to having grandchildren, to finally retiring.

Each achievement along the way was supposed to bring happiness. Each one did not. There was always something more ahead that would be the better thing, the thing that would bring real happiness.

Until he retired and said, “Is this all there is”?

He asked all of us, “What will it take to make you happy”?

To make a long story short, he concluded with:

“We may never get tomorrow, so why not be happy today, right now? We should be happy to know that God loves each of us, but many ask, how do you know God loves you? Deacon Jack simply pointed to the crucifix on the wall behind him”.

Be happy today, it’s a choice. Perhaps it’s the only real choice we ever get to make. Carpe diem, jeff noel 🙂

Do you mind?

Yesterday, I was asked by someone I’ve known for about 20 years, if I would mind if they posted a link to my blog(s) on their youth soccer website.

I emailed back, “You just made my day”!

Keep in mind I’m in Lahti, Finland at the Master’s World Championships, so it’s really gonna be difficult to top any of that.

But top it it did.

Why? To think that what God inspires me to see, might be what some others may also want to see, especially youth and their parents.

Are you kiddin’ me?!

There’s an old saying, “It doesn’t get much better than this”.

Indeed. Carpe diem, jeff noel 🙂

Cat’s in the Cradle?

Our son, almost nine, just told me, “Your Family is the best thing you have”.

He’s in Orlando and I’m in Lahti, Finland.

I awoke at 4AM, which is 9PM in Florida, my wife and son were watching “So You Think You Can Dance”.

Two amazing things happened at his summer camp, as the Disney World-YMCA facility celebrated their fifth anniversary with a big party:

  1. He danced with other children in front of all the Parents, Staff and Guests.
  2. Using a microphone, he read a poem to everyone. He also wrote it.

It was great to hear his excitement when I told him, “I’m amazed you did those two things in front of all those people”.

He said, “I’m amazed that you’re amazed”.

I could tell in his voice that he felt he had done something out of his comfort zone, and that he felt more confident for having done so.

What I didn’t tell him, was the fact that being here in Finland is making me feel that way too.

“And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me
He’d grown up just like me
My boy was just like me

And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin’ home son?
I don’t know when, but we’ll get together then son

You know we’ll have a good time then” — Harry Chapin

Carpe diem, jeff noel 🙂

Very Interesting Breakfast

Just had breakfast at the Sokos Hotel, here in Lahti, Finland with a fellow Team USA member.

We’ve enjoyed each other’s company the past couple days, and have quite a bit in common. We are even in the same age group. In Master’s track, that’s like a bonus.

Our conversation made me think, “Do I start every day on my knees because of obligation or guilt?”

It took a split second for the answer, “Those reasons never crossed my mind. Ever”.

The reason for doing it is simple.

It is a symbolic habit.

Symbols help provide a frame work from which we can trigger important things in our thoughts, and be better prepared to act on our thoughts.

Thinking good thoughts is not enough for me. Action is what is required.

Always has been, always will be. At least in my world. Carpe diem, jeff noel 🙂

I Must Confess

I Must Confess, please forgive me, but the last four days, I forgot to start on my knees.

In Finland since Sunday, and trying diligently to adapt to many things: Language, signage, food, customs, directions, and most challenging – the seven hour time difference.

The good news, it’s not very long after awakening that I remember, and take appropriate action to honor the commitment.

Ever find yourself making a commitment, working through some challenges, then hitting your stride so to speak – and then in just a few short days, the commitment seems like it could become a memory?

Right there with you. Let’s commit to each other that we won’t give up, even when we have a million distractions, which is about, oh, every single day.

Carpe diem, jeff noel 🙂