Tracks In The Dust

A Father's Advice About Learning the Mission of Life

05 Nov 2012

The Deserted Island Question

So here’s the challenge that a few my friends and I started around the bar stools the other day.

These are pretty common questions, but there is always interesting answers.

1) What are the 5 musical artists (complete works) you would want while stranded on a deserted island? ( Yes you would have some way to listen to them)

2) What are the 5 books you would want to while stranded on a deserted island?

3) What are the 5 movies you would want to have to watch while stranded on a deserted island? (Yes you would have a way to watch them too)

And yes you have all the other key stuff to survive. No you don’t have any idea when or if you would be rescued so these have to last for potentially the rest of your life.

I know it is standard issue kind of question. But waiting for your answers, then I can share mine too I guess. Just wondering what others would say.

Posted in Doing Things That Will Change Your Life, Life's Sound Track (Music) and tagged choices, Favorite Books, Favorite Movies, Favorite Music, Music, Reality Check, Self-Awareness, Stranded Deserted Island, Who Are You

31 Oct 2012

1 Comment

Imperfection is Perfect

As the song goes “that’s the way God planned it”.

It seems that perfection (like beauty) is in the eye of the beholder. Imperfection is what makes things so right. Nothing is perfect- there are blemishes in nature, and humankind is far from it. So many strive for it, but the harder they work toward it the farther it seems.

So what about this imperfect life we live? Some of the rough parts are hidden, some of them are there for all to see. Some things are ugly, others are beautiful. There is not going to be a way to be perfect in everything. Only one man on Earth was and He died on the cross.

Today in the media, it seems there is always some story about a gaffe or mistake that fromcelebrity or politician doing or saying something. People put under the microscope of public media. Scrutinized for any mistake, or unexpected action not commonly fitting the in the “perfect form” we think we want. Awk! Like pictures of celebrities in regular every day circumstances, women celeb’s without their make up on (really?) or politicians making comments that don’t fit what we think they should be saying (especially for the opposition during election).

All this just appears to reinforce our expectations for what the media or some portion of the community wants to paint as “the standard” of perfection . It feels like a bad trend. It makes others feel inferior when they shouldn’t It sets the bar so high that others feel they cannot ever reach it.

Sadly, so many continue to live up to expectations of perfection they will be hard-pressed to ever achieve. They look for approval that never comes, and in their frustration they get angry or sad. Sometimes the emotion leads to violence or suicide. Other times it leads to depression and hopelessness.

We have to accept imperfection. God embraces it. We have to understand that in itself there is the beauty of uniqueness ( is that a word?). There is something that makes everyone and every thing worthwhile. If we put that under the microscope instead and rejoiced in it… relished its imperfection. Celebrate the exceptions.

So what can we look for in our striving for perfection? What do you believe? Do you believe?

Posted in Learning Lessons Along the Journey Of Life and tagged Acceptance, Advice, Beauty, Definitions, Emotion, God, Grace, Imperfection, life is precious, Perfection, Postive Thinking, Self-Awareness, tracks in the dust

18 Oct 2012

2 Comments

Paint It Black

I see a red door and I want it painted black.

I look inside myself and see my heart is black
I see my red door and I must have it painted black
Maybe then I’ll fade away and not have to face the facts
It’s not easy facing up when your whole world is black

No more will my green sea go turn a deeper blue
I could not foresee this thing happening to you
If I look hard enough into the setting sun
My love will laugh with me before the morning comes

(Thanks Mick and Keith)

Black and Red. Kind of like there are those contrasting days, those moments that we come up against when things change. I think they are my favorite colors (is black a color anyway?)

It reminds me of the song in Les Misarables ( the great musical) Red and Black.

Red – the blood of angry men!
Black – the dark of ages past!
Red – a world about to dawn!
Black – the night that ends at last!

Change happens, sometimes for change-sake, sometimes because it has to. But it is.

You can change things from red to black. You may end up changing it back.

There may be times you just feel like painting it black – but red will have to do.

Posted in Life's Sound Track (Music) and tagged Black and Red, Change, choices, Les Miz, life is precious, mick and keith, moments, Music, Paint It Black, Rock music, Self-Awareness

15 Oct 2012

Being Significant

Just watching the recap of the Felix Baumgartner who just successfully landed after free-falling 24 miles down to the ground. It is pretty significant achievement. It really makes me think about what could be something significant I should be planning in my life.

But then I realize that not everyone is going to have the opportunity to do something hugely significant and record-breaking in their lives. I mean for many (most?) of us, life is an everyday thing that has highs and lows, good days and bad, easy days and hard days. The measure of a lot of what we are is contained in a small span of our version of 24 hours.

Not copping out I think, there are plenty of inspirational books and successful people who make videos about going for the golden ring. It’s not impossible. And I am not saying that we all shouldn’t focus on the prize. But we also have opportunities much closer to home. We all possess ways to be significant to others. To our family, friends and the people we meet every day. Sometimes that significance may not be obvious to you, other times to them. At least not at the time. It may not be complicated, or produce a some profound moment.

It feels like its more about sharing what you can offer with others, paving the way for the “possible’ – for some one who in turn may create new horizons for the future, or just pay it forward to someone who will begin a whole new direction in their lives. However subtle or small it may seem. Each of us are unique. We are significant in our own way. We don’t necessarily have to perform a world record free fall, or climb the highest mountain.

What you do could cause a chain reaction of other things to happen and you may never know it. You may see it later. You may not. The start of it all is to understand that God made each of us to be unique, and to make a difference in our lives for others. Take the opportunity to be significant.

Posted in Learning Lessons Along the Journey Of Life and tagged Acceptance, Advice, Felix Baumgartner, Grace, Postive Thinking, Self-Awareness, Significant, Slow Down, Who Are You

05 Oct 2012

2 Comments

No One Gets Out of Here Alive

We all know it. We don’t often talk about it except when someone passes on in our lives or we know someone who has lost someone. That time is unpredictable, for some more than others. For a lot of us we all hope we can live to a ripe old age, be aware of life and all it has to offer right to the end of it all.

So we know it. It will be a day some day in our lives. We need to live till we die. And along the way we have our mission to share what brings us purpose. Many people seem lost and angry these days, so many unsure of the meaning of it, while yet others ignore their lives meaning altogether, and live with no purpose at all.

In the last couple of weeks I have known two wonderfully God-centered people who have experienced a loss in their lives. One a father and another a husband. They are mourning like those of us left here on Earth are supposed to do. They are also comfortable with the fact that there is a place afterward that their loved ones will be. Happy in the place that believers will be for eternity after this life. This grace continues to be profound in my life. Something I cannot ignore. That is something that is in the heart of a Christian.

So the reality of it is – no one gets out of here alive. ( Thanks Jim Morrison) No one lives forever in this life on Earth. While we are here, we touch other lives and make a difference in a million ways through our timeline (it’s not just a Facebook thing).

We can choose to be part of that movement in our life.

The lost choices lead to hopelessness, confusion, being unsure about the future or the present or eternity. Sadly there are so many out there that will spend that life until the end without purpose. How empty that must be. The found choices can be to make life what it is- a journey, an adventure, the opportunity to give back to those around us the grace that God has give us. Until the next eternal life. And since each moment could be our last, we need to cherish them and make them count.