Tracks In The Dust

A Father's Advice About Learning the Mission of Life

Archive for the tag “Faith”

18 Nov 2013

Embrace the Journey

When I was a child I remember fondly the idea that my family was going on a “vacation” – a road trip.

There was an excitement about the “journey” and all that came with it. Sure there was the superhighway, but there was also roadside stops. Places along the way to stop. The restaurants strategically placed, the car-parks to stop, attractions worthwhile to get out of the car. There was “time” actually… at least it seemed to be more of it.

We may be weren’t as much in a hurry back then it seems. We had interest in what was going by the windows as we drove by. “Getting there” was still important, but taking a planned detour… heading down a rural route, was just as important.

Which is why I sometimes ponder what makes me in such a “hurry”. Perhaps it is because everything is instant these days. In my life seems like most inventions have all designed to be moving things along quicker. Faster cars, faster cooking, faster Internet with faster search engines, faster travel, faster answers.

Even the movies we watch are faster. Watching an “old” mystery movie the other nite with my daughter from 1995 (gasp) it was amazing how slow the plot moved, how slow the dialog moved. We both noticed. My daughter was wondering if people were just slower back in ’95. We both were thinking that we hit the FF button we could get to the mysterious conclusion.

Guess its time to work on slowing things down a bit. Cherish the journey. I have been so busy thinking about being in a hurry at work, that I have even ignored the most important person in my life, the love of my life, and hurt her more than I can imagine. Just thinking about how to get the job done at work I have missed what is around me. What’s with that?

How many things have you let pass by because you were so focused on the destination?

How often have you missed the most interesting things in your life as you drove ahead to reach where you thought you needed to be?

Embrace the journey. Bring your loved ones with you. Take life’s trip, but take some time to stop along the way and enjoy the ride.

Detour. (jcolbear03.wordpress.com)

Posted in Learning Lessons Along the Journey Of Life and tagged cherish, choices, Embrace the Journey, Faith, life is precious, moments, Moving too fast, Postive Thinking, Self-Awareness, Slow Down, tracks in the dust

15 Nov 2013

2 Comments

Wearing A Disguise

I think there is always something to be considered about how people see each other, but how we see ourselves may be even more of a challenge.

We can see the outer people in our lives. We see what people want us to see. But it could be that we are practicing what we are in the process. Perhaps we want to conjure up an image of what we think other people want us to be.

But in the end that it seems to be really hard to keep doing. We can take life as “what it is” – and be what we are without wearing a disguise. Our potential to be someone significant may be at risk, getting approval from all of those around us. But maybe we could have more time to just be something important to ourselves. What other people think is going to have to suffice to just “be”.

Maybe they won’t like us, or maybe they aren’t going to care. What a shock that would be, but then perhaps we should ask the question: do we like ourselves.

Be true to yourself – be sure you know who and what you are. Seems so darned easy, and yet often we can work hard to try to be what others think we should be. And then we convince ourselves that we are that person.

Related Tracks Posts

Who Are You?

What it is to be Authentic

Posted in Doing Things That Will Change Your Life, Learning Lessons Along the Journey Of Life and tagged Acceptance, being remembered, Being Yourself, choices, Faith, Personality, Postive Thinking, Self-Awareness, tracks in the dust, Who Are You

05 Nov 2013

A Simple Grain Of Sand

I have learned, never take a day for granted. My dad used to say “the world is your oyster”. There are plenty of pearls I suppose out there. But it all starts with a grain of sand.

Microscopic view of sand on the beach

Our lives have to mean something while we are here on earth. The one grain of truth can be shared to make a beautiful thing or can ignite hate and fear. One simple thought can generate the grace of the spirit or it could be something that contributes to the darkness of wasted time and an energy that leads nowhere.

So we have a choice, to make the best of each day whether it starts with the smallest things or is full of events that make up your life. Staying at home behind your doors and drowning in the circumstance of life can waste away the gift of the time we have and wear away at the spirit of our being.

So whatever life we have left ( a minute, a day, a year, many years?) is ours to do with what we want. Choose grace. Choose to let each grain of sand become a pearl that will last much longer than you will be allowed. It is what matters most I think. Of course that depends on your perspective.

Posted in Doing Things That Will Change Your Life, Learning Lessons Along the Journey Of Life and tagged Acceptance, Faith, Grace, Happiness, Joy, Memories, Philosophy, Reality Check, Sprituality, The World is Your Oyster, tracks in the dust

31 Oct 2013

2 Comments

All That I’m Allowed

I get so sad sometimes. Just watching people wasting their lives away.

They consume so much of their time feeling that they are victims, or looking at the dark side of their life and being angry at everyone and every thing around them.

Sometimes I want to shake them and tell them to stop it! Quit sinking in the quicksand that is wrapping itself around them and slowing them down. It is tough to say how to help them. They don’t want to listen, they believe that “others” are creating their circumstances and that there is no way out. They are looking for more.

There is a look of hopelessness in their eyes. I cannot tell them the hopelessness I have experienced fighting a disease in my body that is not curable. It will always be there and my wife and I had to make a choice. Let it consume our lives or do something about it. We turned to our faith in God. We also turned to each other to help understand that His love is stronger than anything when it comes to life. We know that life is not eternal here on earth. We know that there is an ending to our timeline here, and that it is eternity that will matter most.

What we have learned: Have faith in each other, have faith in Him. Look at life as something to embrace no matter what the future holds. It has to be part of the equation. I feel bad for those with no hope, with no feeling of what “comes next”. They need to take another look at make something better out of the time we are allowed.

Standing Firm in Faith while in the Midst of Uncertainty (leslieannvarela.com)
Cancer survivor finds healing in faith (times-news.com)

Posted in Learning Lessons Along the Journey Of Life, Life's Sound Track (Music) and tagged Elton John, Faith, Grace, Happiness, Hope, Hopelessness, Joy, life is precious, Music, Postive Thinking, Religion and Spirituality

27 Oct 2013

Sleeping

I used to think that sleep was great. I could “sleep in” on a Saturday till noon.

I don’t remember any more what that feels like. I was a young buck when that happened last I think.

I went through my period of thought that “sleep was under-rated” – the old adage that I will “sleep when I am dead.”

But really sleep is obviously something we need to have to recharge. I need to recharge more some days than others. But I have those days. You probably do to. Your mind won’t shut off at the end of the day. You are tired but you can’t sleep. The alarm-clock will not give extra time back. So there you are… Or worse when you finally get to sleep and the alarm goes off and now you are dead tired! Even though you weren’t hours before.

I have my days where the early bed time sounds great, but my head is just going too fast to shut off.

Maybe it’s because I am getting older. Thinking about a million things that I really can’t change, things that could definitely wait till morning. Reviewing what happened, thinking about what could happen tomorrow.

Deep breaths, getting in the zone to drift “miles away” , making warm milk or something. Seems like sleep would be nice.

Have to work on that… how about you?