Yes Can Do

Every person is the born with the ability to do something worthwhile, if only he takes the chance.

Just an observation, but it has become apparent to me in my 46 years of life that we all can do a lot if we put our minds to it.  However, there is also lot we perceive we can’t do and for some odd reason we far too often judge ourselves by that.  An old song by Hall and Oates, called, “No Can Do” tends to sum up how many of us do life.

The following is a list of things I can’t do:

-Can’t swim underwater

-Can’t dance

-Can’t type without looking at the keys. 

-Can’t do a fundraiser to save my life

-Can’t relive yesterday

-Can’t do anything right at times

-Can’t do anything of eternal significance without God’s help

-Can’t stay awake after 9 pm without nodding off a bit

-Can’t handle the pain at times

-Can’t help but get lost when driving to an unfamiliar location

 

The following is a list of things I can do:

-Can give free bug advice to those who need it

-Can die to myself daily

-Can do my best to be less annoying

-Can try to empty myself of all but love on my wife first and then my kids

-Can try to improve everyday

-Can be more helpful than hurtful

-Can pick up family and friends from the airport

-Can live today to the best of my ability

-Can make chocolate Swavels (homemade shakes) for family and friends

-Can be there for someone when they need me to be there

 

With that being said, several months ago someone very dear to me asked if I could do something that was on my can’t do list. Normally I would have politely declined because this request was far outside my comfort zone.  However, I was willing to risk the embarrassment since the person asking was someone very special.  Not to mention, I was filling in for someone else who was very exceptional in their own right and couldn’t rightfully fulfill the unique role at hand.  However in the end, yes can do won out, and it turned out to be an extraordinary moment I will always cherish.  One I will never forget and a beautiful opportunity for both of us to shed happy tears.

Another can’t on my list I had to shed was the one that says, can’t handle the pain at times.  Many years ago, for a prolonged period of time, pain ruled my life and I wore it.   I didn’t have a love for life and possessed an “I don’t care” kind of attitude.  Problems arise when can’t turns into won’t try and life becomes colored with agony.  People certainly stop calling you up and asking to do things for them or with you. Never buy into the lie you can’t do anything right, that is just the pain talking.

Thankfully, that mentality has worn off.  If it hadn’t I would have missed out on so much, including the above mentioned shedding of  happy tears. My point is that when someone in your life needs you to do something for them, even if it is not your strong suite, strongly consider doing it any way.

No can do is turned into yes can do when love motivates us be compassionate over comfortable.

Swavel

 

About Time

 

 

Whether we like it or not, time is how we as humans mark things.

When it comes to time I have a love-hate relationship with it.  At times, I care not about it. At other times it guides my every move. Nevertheless, regardless of my opinion, time remains ever present.

Someday, I would like to have a large clock in my house, much like the one pictured above.  Perhaps, I could hang it in the living room, sort of like a decoration and an incentive all rolled into one, set five minutes early in an effort to motivate myself to be on time.

This past father’s day I was without a watch, so my wife got me one. However, this watch was far different than any I had ever had before and only once I got it out of the package was that apparent. It had a wraparound band designed like a ladies’ watch that did not fit my wrist and it had gold hands on a gold background that made it difficult to read. 

My wife suggested the watch might not be suitable and to just take it back.  But, after a month I cut the band and put some holes in it so it would fit correctly.  Initially it made my wrist break out in a rash, but a band aid on the back corrected that misfortune and I have worn it ever since. It is nice to have the time again, even if it requires a little effort to read.   In the long run the reason I kept the watch was I loved the person who gave it to me and decided to just make it work.

Many years ago there was a day that time was the enemy.  During this moment I was sitting in a locker room in the Hershey Hospital while I waited to say goodbye to someone irreplaceable in my life.  Strangely, time seemed to be all that mattered and at the same time didn’t matter at all.  The clock looming right in front of me was one similar to the school clocks I remember when I was a child.  It had a white face, black hands and I believe a red second hand. 

Whether it was ticking or not, I can’t remember, but I do recall watching the clock hoping it would just stay frozen.  To make time stand still would be unfair, because living is moving forward, like any good clock does and time stands still for no one. With that clock looming in front of me something was telling me to make the most of a no-win situation.  So, when the time came, with all the dignity I could muster, I bid my loved one goodbye for now.

As mentioned before, time remains ever present, which reminds me of the timepiece I can still vividly recall from my childhood in my Pop Pop’s kitchen.  Can’t remember if it was a mantle clock or a grandfather clock, but when the house was quiet it was the only noise you could hear.  It gave me great perspective to listen to time pass.  Tick tock, tick tock, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. 

All these references to time remind me that God works on his own time and not mine.  With that said I would love to see God’s timepiece someday. Although at times it may appear God is hard to read, like the watch I currently wear, sometimes you must tilt your head and be observant to what God wants us to do with our allotted time. No matter our predicament, as long as there is time on the clock, it  means that God has more for us to do.

Time doesn’t change anything; it’s what we do during the time we are given that makes all the difference.

Swavel

Just Right

 

In life, like on vacation, simplicity often gets mucked up by expectation.

We all have must have lists in our heads.  In my opinion the underlying thought of vacationers,   home buyers, soon to be brides, kids at Christmas, etc. is: “if you give me what I want I’ll be happy.” 

My family and I visited the Jersey Shore just a week ago, the last weekend of September.  The following is a makeshift must have list I had in my head in order to have a perfect vacation:

-Motel with an ocean front view

- Dolphins jumping amidst the waves

- Sun bright, not blinding

-Waves breaking just right

- Ships a plenty sailing in the ocean distance

- Seagulls on telephone poles

- 80 degrees or so

- Sunny, not cloudy

- The smell of salt in the air, but not overwhelming

- My wife to catch something in the crane game

- Special coffee from the unique coffee shop

- Not to lose anything of value

- Ride the go-karts beating all family members

- Outdoor pool warm at the motel for the kids

- Riding a four passenger bicycle together with my family

- Just enough people for shops to be open, but not overcrowded

- Enough socks for the weekend

- My son from Iowa to join us for the weekend

- Everybody having fun

 

All my requests were plausible, right?  Well, not really. Point is we all expect way too much.

With that in mind, a little reality check seems to be in order.  The following are two exceptional examples that helped to rein me back in and gain the proper perspective.

First example- The other day a good friend of my wife and I posted one of her husband’s favorite scripture passages on Facebook.  It was Matthew 9: 25-26 which speaks basically of not worrying about the cares of this life, but instead trusting God to take care of us.  Worrying about uncertainty will just wear you out. Making this even more profound is that her husband changed his address to heaven six months ago. Now that’s some real perspective. 

Second example- On the last day we were at the shore I met a guy in orange shorts on the beach talking about his experiences of being a missionary.  He was a tall man in his late sixties, balding, very forthright and with little thought of impressing me.  He spoke of living by faith in impoverished countries like Africa, India, and China.   He spoke of people being healed and other acts of God and living according to what God wants, not what we want.  I left our conversation thinking that success is a matter of being obedient to God, not just striving to be comfortable.   Now my reality check is complete. 

For the record, the day my family and I left the ocean, the weather was overcast, one ship was on the horizon , and a dolphin or two were jumping amidst the fairly calm waves.  I’ll take it. 

Just right is an illusion I chase that robs me of the joy that God has in store for me today. 

Swavel