48 Things

Yesterday I completed my 48th trip around the sun. It was good. It was compelling. It was remarkable. So I wanted to take a moment to reflect on a few things that made June 27, 2018 to June 27, 2019 so good, so compelling, and so remarkable.

Love

for God, for each other, for this world, and for something bigger than ourselves

Joy

that is deep and full

Peace

of mind, a sense of calm

Patience

with ourselves and with others

Kindness

in words and in gestures

Goodness

knowing that it does exist and that we should seek it

Faithfulness

in our responsibilities to each other

Gentleness

in our words and actions

Self Control

and self discipline which builds strength and freedom

Compassion

for self and others

Empathy

to our neighbors near and far

Forgiveness

for our imperfections and for the imperfections of others

Gratitude

for every day and for every moment

Hope

for the future

Presence

and awareness, being right here right now

Wellness

and understanding that we all need to be intentional about this

Yesterdays

to remember and learn from

Tomorrows

to look forward to

Todays

to enjoy and cherish

Character

and dignity, teaching it, modeling it, and practicing it

Teaching

and sharing, building relationships, realizing that I have a very good gig

BCS

working for such a great school corporation filled with amazing people doing great work for our kids and this community

Tennis

and coaching, using a sport to teach important life lessons

Jail

and serving as a faith support a loving, compassionate, ministry team, growing and learning together

BCSD

working with the incredible people at the sheriff’s department who selflessly serve and protect our community

Church

and growing in faith together seeking together and finding unity in our common humanity both near and far

Commonality

and realization that we all have so much in common when we look for it and notice it

Preparation

for action and simply getting to the starting line

Focus

in our daily work for something bigger and buying into the process of life

Fearlessness

in trying new things and taking small bets that can help us live life better and help others live life better

Flexibility

when things don’t go as planned so we can continue to move forward

Habits

and routines and systems that help us get things done

Reading

every day

Writing

every day

Questioning

and thinking and contemplating

Learning

and being curious and understanding that learning is a never ending process

Growing

slowly and steadily in all areas of life

Eye Contact

and paying attention to those around us

Listening

and hearing before speaking, and sometimes not speaking at all

Smiles

are so nice to give and receive

Hugs

are too

Swimming

and the joy of the glide

Biking

and the joy of the ride

Running

and the freedom and the community and the feeling

Friends

to enjoy and share

Family

to cherish and love

Memories

to make and hold dear

and Jill

my best friend, my bride and joy

There you go. 48 things that have made my last trip around the sun so good, so compelling, and so remarkable. So how about you? What are the things making your year good, compelling, and remarkable? Make a list. And enjoy the day!