It's Magic! NOT!

Uri Geller

I have a small fascination with magic. It’s not what you think. I am not a wizard!  I like to do small tricks with items you can find at thrift shops or dollar stores.I like having something I can do to bring a bit of wonder to an otherwise ordinary day.  I can do the classic cups and balls trick, pick your card out of the deck and vanish a coin. Pretty basic stuff, but I have never claimed to have special powers!

In the 1970’s there was a craze about psychic phenomena. One man, in particular, captured the public's attention by claiming to be able to bend spoons and manipulate magnetic fields. His name was Uri Gellar. He was big on the talk show circuit, bending cutlery, guessing hidden drawings and starting stopped watches, and nobody it seemed questioned his seemingly genuine abilities. That is until a Canadian conjuror named James Randi wrote a book called “The Truth About Uri Geller”

James Randi

Randi is a paranormal investigator who offered a million-dollar prize to anyone who could prove they had psychic or paranormal abilities under scientific scrutiny. The money has never been claimed. In his discussion on the spoon bending illusion on an Australian television morning program, Randi said something interesting that I find applies to our lives. When asked how Gellar bent the spoon, Randi replied that he did it when you weren’t looking! 

The secret was in the misdirection. When you were looking one way, something else was happening in your blind spot and the result was mystifying to the point where you were convinced that he had supernatural powers. 

Sometimes we can consider someone to be superhuman by what they demonstrate to us, forgetting the fact that something else was going on outside our observation.

Here’s what I am driving at.

Some of us have gifts and some of us have to work at it. Those with gifts sometimes don’t know the value of those gifts and never explore the possibilities they offer.

Have you ever seen someone super fit? They have 0% body fat and can run like the wind? How did they get like that? You might see before and after pictures of people who have gone through a weight loss journey. ow did that happen? It happened between photo one and photo two. 

It happened when you weren't looking!

It seems miraculous, even super-human! But it’s not! It happened in the kitchen when they made a healthy meal, it happened in the basement by riding a stationary bike, it happened at a gym where they chose to sweat and do awkward uncomfortable things. It happened when no one was looking.

There really is no mystery to what can be achieved once the mind and will get involved.

Let’s take the example of Jesus Christ. He was born to an average family with modest means. His birth was a big deal. It made some people happy and some people angry and jealous enough to commit mass murder. Pretty intense. After the birth, Jesus and his family disappeared into Egypt for years. Let’s call this the time between photo one and photo two. Not much is known about what happened in His growing up years. It was unobserved and undocumented, living only in the memory of His parents and siblings. I am going to guess that during that time he was not wasting the majority of his time doing trivial things. I think he was raised to study the history of his people, the scriptures and the family trade. All good things that became very important to Him in later years.

The flip side of this is that if you neglect to do the important things out of the public eye, it becomes evident when the need arises. If you go to the gym and don’t put in the work, you won’t see the results at the beach! If you don’t take time to pray and think about the scriptures, things like doubt and fear will have a greater influence over you, which could lead to things like anxiety and even weight gain! What you do in secret always becomes evident in one way or another. It’s just a fact. You can’t magically wish yourself to a better life.

Today is your day to start!

What will you do in secret today that will improve your relationships? Your body? Your faith?

We’re all waiting to see!

Matthew 2:13-23, Luke 12:2, Matthew 6:6

Neil Peart and Drumming

I was very sad to hear the news on the weekend of the passing of a drumming hero of mine, Neil Peart. His passion was life and drumming!

It was in the early 80's when my friend Shawn introduced me to a band called Rush. It was the Moving Pictures album and the only comment he made was that this record has "really great drums". It did, boy did it ever. I had never heard anything like the style Neil was playing. It was intense and creative. Just when you think you had the pattern figured out, he would change it! There were odd time signatures, there were weird sounds! It was wild and I was hooked. I have been a Rush fan ever since. I even got to see a concert!

As I dove deeper into the band I began to enjoy the writing of the lyrics. Neil was a guy who would pass the time on the tour bus and backstage by reading. It caused him to be a deep thinker and a prolific writer. He wrote several books which I have read. I was impressed by his style and voice. He would write about his travels in a way that made you feel like you were on the road with him! He was a really shy guy that liked to stay out of the spotlight, yet he could not avoid it! He suffered some terrible losses in the 90's. His daughter was killed in a collision and his wife died of cancer. Wow. that's rough. I know for a fact that he was not a man who believed in organized religion, but he could write about the search for meaning in a very thoughtful way.

My hope is that we all find our passion, as he did and then give our all to it. He inspired so many people to play drums and think deeper. What will other people be inspired to do because of YOUR passion?

Redeeming The Time

Have you ever heard someone say "I wish I had the time to do the things I really want to do". I have heard it and I have said it to. Does it seem as though the life you want is just out of reach because of the multitude of commitments you have on your day? Have you wanted more time, but failed to see where you could get it? You think "Maybe if I had better time management skills, that would be the answer."

I recently heard someone say that "time management" is a myth.

He said that you cannot manage time, it ticks away, second after second and there isn't anything you can do about it. The only thing you can manage is yourself. 

In our human experience, time, such as we understand it, is a limited commodity. I am 53 years old as I write this. If I keep on living healthy and avoid doing anything risky, I will live to about my mid-eighties. Let's say 85. That means I have 32 years left. It sounds like a lot of time, right? But think about it like this. It means I have 32 summers left. I have 32 Christmas left. I have 32 Anniversaries. It puts a little more perspective on how we can best use our time, doesn't it? If I have 32 summers left, I want to be slim and trim for all of them! So, at all of my remaining Thanksgivings, I will say "No more pie for me thanks! Summer's coming!"

There is an interesting scripture in the New Testament. It's Ephesians 5:16. It says we should "redeem the time because the days are evil"

That verse and the ones around it talk about being careful about how we live because the time is short and we don't want to be careless about it. You get the sense that the Apostle Paul is encouraging us to live on purpose, and not to let this life slip away from us. It's an important message especially today when so many things that seem really important want to take our time and attention. It becomes quality over quantity.

For me, I can be distracted very easily by the internet.  Before you know what's happening, you've spent an hour catching up with the cast of H.R Puffenstuff and you forgot that you went online to check the time of a movie you want to take your wife to. It's so easy! In a flash, all the productivity that could have happened in that time is gone. Any creativity you had will have dried up! You can't get that time back, ever.

Living on purpose means, making the most of your time. Not doing more necessarily, but making the time you have meaningful and productive. If you are with people, give them your attention, your eye-contact! If you are going to do any exercise, do it with energy! If you are going on the internet, make it a worthwhile time! Contribute something instead of just creeping on other people's Facebook to see what they're up to! You have done it! I know!

Here's a bit of wisdom that may help you. Break big goals into small chunks. If we use the example of fitness, you may want to transform your body by doing some kind of activity. It does not happen in one day, so don't feel the pressure to climb the whole mountain in one workout! A little bit each day is all you need. Your time is limited so, set a small goal and hit it every day. Walk a block, stretch, ride a bike, whatever. Over time, those small deposits will add up and compound. Climb a bit of the mountain and then rest and take in the view. Redeem the time!

Jesus had a three-year ministry plan. It seems that it was to have 12 disciples, travel to a certain amount of towns, and spread the message where he could. This plan was relatively short compared to other stories in the bible.

Some of God's plans for his people seem to be contained in a span of hundreds of years. That's hard for us to grasp. We want results NOW!

I think that once we pass beyond the threshold of death and come into another reality of being, time will not have the same meaning for us as it does now. But while we are here on this wonderful planet with these amazing people we call fellow humans, let's make the most of it. Let's redeem the time!

Obsessions

I have a new obsession every few years, you can ask my wife. I will be into something for a while and then my attention will be drawn elsewhere.

Are you like this too?

My current areas of interest are as follows:

Kombucha

It's an ancient drink that I have just discovered. My friend served me some this summer and I instantly felt amazing. It's fermented black tea. Supposedly chock full of health benefits. Here's the Wikipedia entry on it -  

Kombucha is a fermented, slightly alcoholic, lightly effervescent, sweetened black or green tea drink commonly intended as a functional beverage for its supposed health benefits. Sometimes the beverage is called kombucha tea to distinguish it from the culture of bacteria and yeast. Juice, spices, or other flavorings are often added to enhance the taste of the beverage.

The exact origins of kombucha are not known. It is thought to have originated in Manchuria where the drink is traditionally consumed, or in Russia and Eastern Europe. Kombucha is now homebrewed globally, and also bottled and sold commercially by various companies.

I bought myself a few bottles at the grocery store and I still enjoyed it so much, I did some research on making it myself. I have since started making my own at home and I love it.

Drones

I have two. I did not spend a lot of money on them. I know I'll crash them so I don't want to be heartbroken if they are worth a small fortune. Super duper drones can be in the thousands of dollars and take amazing photos and videos. I enjoy filming a bit of drone footage wherever I happen to be and the two I have are small enough to fit in a backpack.

Hubsan X4 Desire

DJI Tello

I like flying them and I like sharing the pictures they take. The Tello does flips and can take some great selfie shots. The Hubsan has GPS and can follow you or follow a pre-planned route. Great fun.

Online Auctions

I like getting a deal on something cool and unique. Online auctions are the place to get those things. I have bid on and won some cool items! A few of the latest were some screen used pieces of fitness equipment from a Nickelodeon show! I got them for an outstanding price and as a bonus, I could see them on YouTube clips from the show! I like to look for deals on collectibles and household things. It's a little crazy how many things you can look at in 5 minutes, but you get to know which sites have the things you are interested in!

It's a lot of fun to get into a bidding war and then come away with a treasure! I have even developed a bit of a customer base. I know some guys who like certain things and I keep my eyes out for them!

There are a few more obsessions I have right now but those are the main ones.

What are yours?

Why I Think You Should Read My Book.

I wrote a novella called Conexus because I had a story idea and I wanted to see where it went.

What if artificial intelligence had us all figured out and did the right thing, even when we wouldn't?

The cast of characters includes a guy named, Lance. He's a guy who would rather talk to machines. He finds human contact tedious and slow. He has a big part to play in the story because it's his attitude that a lot of us have. We would rather text or message before actually speaking and making eye contact. Sound familiar? The more we bury our faces in devices, the more handicapped we become in relationships. In my story, artificial intelligence knows this too and takes steps to correct it!

How does it end?

No spoilers!

Get a copy today and find out the ending! Conexus is now available in the LIFE 100.3 Online Superstore. Shipping is a bit cheaper that way! Click HERE!

Enjoy!

Conexus

After months of sitting at the computer keyboard and working through my idea for an adventure story involving robots and relationships, it's finally in print! "Conexus" is done! My first book is complete and it's out there now!

I joke that one day, artificial intelligence will try and take over the world. It's what we want. We design programs and robots to do the things we don't want to do. So where does that leave us? We should have all the time in the world to get to know one another and connect like never before! With robots running things, humans should thrive! But all evidence to the contrary! We are more disconnected than ever!

Imagine a day when artificial intelligence will offer us what we need the most, a chance to remember what life is really all about, relationships!

For some of us, relationships come easy, others have difficulty forming and maintaining good connections. Selfishness, greed, narcissism, and religiousness are obstacles to true connections. Can we overcome them? Yes! Is it hard? Yes! Is it worth it? Yes!

The main character in the story is confronted with making a choice between being alone and risking his heart, not just to others but to a Higher Power! He and a group of spiritually hungry seekers board a plane to a place they never thought they would go!

I hope you love this story as much as I do!

You can grab the E-Book HERE.

You can get a softcover copy HERE.

Leave a comment with your thoughts about the story!

Wow Enough!

I love this clip from Jurassic World. Particularly the quote "They're dinosaurs, wow enough!"

It highlights a danger we can all fall into, HYPE! Some thing in and of themselves need little to no embellishment to be awesome, they just are! Like the dinosaurs who inspire awe and wonder, we don't need to build up excitement in order to appreciate these massive killer lizards.

In spiritual things we can also become victim to hype.

Here are a few titles to articles in a popular Christian online magazine...

• Why God Is Highlighting Gatekeepers in This Hour - This biblical intercessory ministry has Holy Spirit wind on it.
• How You Can Root Out Strongholds Through Accelerated Discernment.
• How This Supernatural Anointing Can Set You Ablaze With Holy Ghost Fire
• Why the Enemy Cowers From This Powerful Holy Spirit Punch

Wow! Those all sound intense don't they? 

When did the message of the gospel suddenly need to be punched-up with such big terms?

The God who created the universe and all its wonders, came to our world and related to us out of PURE love.

Wow enough!