Day 2,139

If I am prepared and watch for opportunities there are always ways to be more productive. Today that has taken on a couple of different forms.

This morning I took my car in for an oil change. I loaded up my laptop, prepped a task list, and went to town in the waiting area (which, by the way, is FANTASTIC at Dahl Toyota in Winona and greatly appreciated). I had my own little work station and crushed my list.

This evening we’re heading up north for some camping. Rather than driving like I normally do (because I’m a bit of a control freak 😉) I opted to head all the way to the back of the car. Sitting in the Uecker seats (if you’re not a Brewer fan I apologize for the laughs you’re not having) I’ve been able to knock out even more on my list.

Today has been fantastic! I’ve been focused, productive, and gotten myself set up for an excellent week next week already. Im so glad I’ve found pockets of productivity to knock it all out.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,138

There is always a choice to make. While I have no control over almost anything in life I can control my emotions and reactions to everything. I can choose to be frustrated and angered or I can feel grateful and blessed. The choice is always up to each of us.

Ugh… why didn’t they use their blinker? Why is this person driving 10 below the speed limit in the left lane? How could they not see me when they decided to switch lanes into the exact space I was already occupying? Don’t they have cruise control?

Yup, all of these thought flooded through my. Rain while driving today. For sure, I’m not going to win any awards for my driving prowess, but how people managed to step on almost every pet peeve in less than eight hours still blows my mind. By the third time I was beyond frustrated…

…and then I laughed. I laughed so hard I almost had tears in my eyes. I shook my head, gave a quick look up, and said “Thank you!”

Yes, these situations happened, but they didn’t have to be frustrating. They were reminders to me of why I should drive certain ways. They were reminders of all the times when I’ve done the same thing and then wondered why the other driver seemed upset. Each of these moments were opportunities to grow. To show grace and compassion. To learn to relax. To be thankful for opportunities to learn. Here I was getting angry when I really should be thanking The Bug Dude Upstairs for having the foresight to see that I had more to learn, a gap that I could work to close.

I’m thankful for each of these moments today. They were all opportunities to learn, to grow, and to remember to focus on being a better me. What a blessing!

Thanks!!!

Day 2,137

This morning I awoke with hopes of a thunderstorm or at least some rain. The temperature looked a little gross outside and I was thinking it’d be a day when I’d rather run in the treadmill. My hope was misplaced and off we went to run in what felt like a sauna.

It was thick, gross, and altogether unpleasant. I was sweating constantly, felt like I was cooking, and each mile felt like three. It even close to ideal running weather.

That said, we finished the run. We sucked it up and dealt with the discomfort. I know I can run through sauna like weather the next time. Not ideal and I won’t be wishing for it anytime soon, it I know I can deal with it.

Starting the day with a little win like that helps remind me throughout the day that I can choose to work through discomfort in the pursuit of the right dream. Having that well to go back to today was truly therapeutic.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,136

Short and sweet, there are definitely some zzz’s in my future!

My day was full from start until finish with the following:

• Thought provoking book
• Very productive day at work, progress towards our long term goals
• Yoga date night with Becky
• Games on the deck with the boys
• Crashing in bed

Completely full, so many wonderful aspects of the day!

Thanks!!!

Day 2,135

I must not be either the best of listeners or the most trusting of other people. So many times in life others have done their best to impart wisdom only for me to disregard it until after I’d pounded my head flat on the wall they were hoping to help me avoid. Something about learning it firsthand just fits me so much better. Definitely not one of my more desirable attributes.

Once I’ve bloodied my nose I am quick to remember the advice given me in the past. While my head is pounding I immediately think back to the words of wisdom and wonder why I didn’t believe it or listen to it the first time around. At least I’ll usually learn from the misstep and trust the advice moving forward.

Today I was able to pass along one of the finer pieces of advice from a mentor. Way back they pushed me to dream bigger for myself and helped me start to take a peek at the future I could create. I struggled mightily with it at first but eventually I realized how much they helped me grow in that moment. Today that wisdom was passed on and it will likely be passed on a few more times over the next few days. Fingers crossed they are quicker studies than I!

Thanks!!!

Day 2,134

This evening we hosted a small get together with some friends and grilled out. Nothing crazy and elaborate, more of an excuse to all hangout together and catch up.

The boys both decided they wanted to hang out with us for most of the I time rather than go off and do their own thing. Having them join us was pretty awesome. They got to experience some interesting conversations as well as jump in with a few questions and thoughts of their own. In so many ways they were adults hanging out with other adults.

When I was young I remember wanting to sit in on these conversations and hear and participate in the dialogue. Sometimes I was asked to go do something else and other times my shyness and my feelings of inferiority got in the way and I didn’t feel like I could jump in and participate. I was worried I’d say the wrong thing or sound awkward. In many ways I’d get in my own way before I even had the chance to do what I wanted to do.

Seeing the comfort level the boys have in interacting with adults leave me smiling from ear to ear. They seem to have no fear of jumping in to insert an idea or to ask a question to help them understand the concepts were talking about. I’m so glad they’ve gotten past the nervousness of talking with adults, it leaves me smiling from ear to ear.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,133

So much has gone on in the past week… highs, lows, and everything in between. There have been many moments of chaos, of tears, of laughter, of smiles, and of frustration. When I went to bed Sunday night I thought it was going to be a pretty chill week. By the time I went to bed last night it had been a pretty ridiculous one instead!

After Dominic cleaned up the wreckage of a sleepover with friends and a zombie-Gavin rose from the grave known as his bed after a post-week of scout cam slumber, we all headed out to the pontoon and got settled on our normal sandbar on the Mississippi River. Even LuLu was back to her almost puppy like self as we relaxed on the beach. We all read, relaxed, talked a little, but mainly just enjoyed each others company while relaxing.

Once we got home we each showered up and headed out to church. Becky took us out to the Greek restaurant downtown and we had a meal as a family. It was pretty chill as we are all pretty zonked, but it was a perfect opportunity to kick back and chill.

To wrap up the night we’re all out on the deck enjoying the incredible weather. Dominic and Gavin are both laying next to LuLu and joking around about some goofy game on their phones. Becky is reading a book that I’m excited to talk about more in the future and I’m here blogging and soon to be reading. We may not be all interacting, playing a game, or doing something big as a family, but we are all relaxing and enjoying quiet time as a family. Just being in the presence of each other to relax and enjoy quiet after such a wild week is exactly what I needed.

Sure, I’m usually a dude of action. Tonight I’m enjoying the opportunity to share a night of inaction with my family as we all soak in the quiet on the deck together.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,132

Tonight was Gavin’s last day of Scout camp. This year he was the Senior Patrol Leader (SPL) for the troop which meant he was responsible for leading his fellow scouts for the week. This involved organizing who was doing what, keeping their camp clean, and making sure everyone was in the right place at the right time. He helped his troop win the Honor Troop award for being the most organized and spirited troop – woo hoo!

On our way home he was telling us about what he learned about leading and he summed it up pretty well in one sentence…

When you’re the leader it like you have to do all of the jobs, but it’s also like you’re really doing none of them.

Gavin Kreiling

Amen bud!!!! You nailed it in so many ways!

Congrats on also being elected to Order of the Arrow – super proud of you dude!!!

Thanks!!!

Day 2,131

There are some moments in life when a little levity can make all the difference. Today was one of those days.

I forgot how much I love this book!

Thanks!!!

2,130

At Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP) yoga there was a moment when I was arching back into a modified bridge on my board. There was a great deal of wind and the water was a bit bumpy, yet somehow I still managed to find myself looking at the world from an inverted view in which the shimmering water was on top and the sun peeking through the clouds was on the bottom. I was spellbound by the beauty of the clouds in the sky, they were positioned just right to scatter the sunlight into a dozen or so bright beams of light. The clouds blocked the sun directly but still created beauty.

In my head I kept thinking back to the Anthony de Mello line from an old saying. “The nature of rain is the same, yet it grows thorns in the marshes and flowers in the garden.”

As that line was echoing through my head a slightly bigger wave of gust of wind or my own lack of coordination caused me to completely lose my balance. I barely caught myself before falling off the board and into the lake.

I took a deep breath, focused, and got back at it… with wisdom which can only be learned through trial and error.

…and that’s when it all started to slip into place.

So much of the last week has been a cycle of being balanced and the knocked off balance. Valleys followed by peaks and peaks followed by valleys. Just as I get my code centered and my feet under me there’s something else pushing me off balance. For sure, it has really frustrated the shit out of me!

In that moment on the board it all came together though. While many of the events causing the imbalance really suck, like the prospect of losing a beloved dog, they are all lessons I can learn from, events I can grow through. They still profoundly hurt, but I can be better if I learn from them.

Being knocked off balance strengthens us. Our muscles strengthen, our coordination gets smoother, and it will take a much larger or different force to knock us off again. If I remember to learn from this, to grow through this, I will be better because of it. The events that hurt and sting are the ones which can help me better balance myself in the future.

I would really appreciate some calm water, some stable ground, but if that’s not what’s presented I’ll use the experiences to grow stronger, to better close the gap between who I am and who I am called to be.

Thanks!!!