HELP

I was thinking today about the word "help". What does it mean to ask for it, to need it, to give it. As I get older, I notice that I don't ask for help as much. I am teaching the meaning of it to my children--especially that if they need something or are struggling with something they should ask for assistance or help. So, why is it as adults we get stuck and forget or refuse to engage in the same advice. 

Maybe we (or me) struggle with something that we think no one can help us with. Or it's too small and insignificant. Are we robbing ourselves of the benefits of asking for and receiving help?  I love the story of Moses (in Exodus) where Moses' father-in-law steps in and tells him to ask for help.  His father-in-law saw that what he (Moses) was doing was overwhelming and  "... you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone."  Alone.... that's a good word. 

Self-reliance is overrated! Sure we need to be able to stand on our own two feet, etc., but when we begin to close ourselves off or think we can do it all on our own, we begin to dig ourselves a hole that is hard to get out of. That is where I am very thankful for those around me that I can ask for help.  My hope is that I give to others like those that give to me. The friend you can call at 2 o'clock in the morning, the shoulder you can cry on, the one who sees a need and helps you with it; I'm grateful for them. 

~Reggie

The 2AM blog

After at least a month of no writing on here, I find myself up at 2 o'clock in the morning and restless. Maybe it was the I-ordered-small-but-they-gave-me-medium ice latté late in the afternoon or the tall glass of  Paradise sun tea I had with dinner....and because it tasted so good, why not have another one with the late movie you stayed up to watch.  Did I mention that the movie was action packed and somewhat stressful??  So, here I am up in what should be good sleeping time Googling "caffeine hangover" and wondering if I'm getting too old and can't handle the stuff. :(

I will admit that I have missed blogging.  After all the self-imposed hoopla, it kind of fizzled out, but not for lack of wanting to blog. I think I got lost in the "what to blog about" part that it overshadowed the "just do it" part. Couple all that in with my unstructured, somewhat overwhelmed self and it just fell to the wayside.

So, what's next? I'm not exactly sure. There are moments when the light bulb goes off over my head and a great idea comes to mind. Maybe I should run with those..... There is one thought that keeps coming back to me and that is that life is short.  Yeah, it's a cliché, but it's starting to feel real.  At this point in life, I want to say, "Hey, can we slow down? I feel like I just got here and the party is half over!".  One thing is for sure, I don't want to live my life with regrets or fears. I want to live it to the full extent of what God created it/me for.

I think I have successfully wore myself out so that sleep should soon ensue.  I sure hope so....

~Reggie

Reactions to an Unknown World.

A couple evenings ago, my youngest took part in her Pre-K Graduation ceremony. This event was attended by parents and grandparents and siblings, a like. The feeling of  excitement was in the air as the multitudes gathered in the cramped hall waiting to get a glimpse of their young star.

I arrived a little later than the rest of the tide and thusly had to take a seat in the back; the stage far from my view and furthermore blocked by heads and balloons and tall bodies holding larger than life cameras just waiting to get the best picture (as if the rest of us didn't want the same thing).

However, much to my surprise and joy, the door right behind me opened and I found myself having a front row seat to each small graduate as they made their way from the back of the room to the front and to their place in front of the stage.  As I watched each of them pass by me, I became keenly aware of something.... something that made me have one of those "bing" moments in my head.

What was unfolding right before my eyes was the very first reactions to an unknown world that  just moments before had been hidden by an unassuming brown door to those on the other side of it. It was like watching the bus being pulled out of sight and seeing the reactions of those whose lives had changed by having a TV reality show take over their home.  It was wonderful!

For the next several minutes, the room was statically-charged with the sounds of cameras at work and people cheering. However, not everyone was so happy to be greeted with this reaction. Some of those small graduates showed fear when entering, having to be coerced into leaving their quiet, outdoor calm and entering into a crowded room full of mostly strangers. And yet others chose to face it head on and walk in proudly, looking about to catch the eye of a familiar face. For some, it was an opportunity to showcase their sparkling personalities which only made the onlookers even more pleased.

It was that variety of personalities that thrilled me; experiencing each of them first-hand.  I look forward to watching some of these young stars shine and grow in the coming years and hope to share in more first-hand experiences.

~Reggie

5 Things That Motivate Me

It's been at least 2 weeks since I've blogged last.  What happened? Where did my motivation go? I could make excuses and say "I've been busy" or "I have nothing to say", but both are lame attempts (for myself) to mask what is really a lack of discipline.  Of course, no one is pushing me to blog, there is no deadline, and more so there isn't even any monetary gain from doing it. But, I honestly want to do it--to blog. So, I took a quick look at things that motivate me in life and hope to use those to motivate me to blog.

1. Sunshine.  

    The power of sunlight is extraordinary. I feel "alive" when days are bright and the sun is clear.

2. Inspiration.
    Often I am surprised by what inspires me because it comes without seeking it. Those moments when you walk away and find yourself moving a little faster or lighter; I call that inspiration.

3. Support.
    Probably one of the biggest motivators for me is support.  Studies have shown that people live healthier lives when they are supported and encouraged in their daily activities. Why do you think they have things called "Support Groups"!

4. Exercise/Fresh Air/Outdoors
   I lumped those all together because I feel they go hand-in-hand.  They can be separated, but usually they end up going all together for me. There is something in nature that motivates me. Maybe it's more that it gives me a fresh outlook on things and from there I find myself being able to think clearer.

5. Passions/Hobbies/Interests
    Like the category above this, these are similar.  For example, I am passionate about food and travel, to name a couple. These are my "go to" items. I can almost always talk about these two items and do it with fervor.

Do you have something that motivates you? If so, please share. I would love to know.

~Reggie
    

     

    

Time....

Often I stumble upon things through what I like to call, "the rabbit trails of my thoughts". They hop and skip and jump all over the place; like that old game of Telephone where one person whispers a phrase or word in the ear of the person next to them and then that person turns and passes what they hear on to the next, until the last person hears it and announces what they've been told. Quite often, the end result is far off from the beginning.

So, today I was reminded of one of my favorite hymns as we sang it in church-- "Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee". Set to the tune of Beethoven's 9th Symphony, its words are descriptive and set my mind ablaze with  wonderful word pictures.  Songs about nature typically do that for me and I can't think of a better analogy for rejoicing and many things in life than nature and her surroundings. The author of this hymn was Henry Van Dyke, a writer, poet and essayist who lived during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

You may be wondering what Mr. Van Dyke's hymn has to do with time.  Well, that is where the rabbit trail begins.  Time has been on my mind a lot lately, no pun intended, and while researching time, I happened upon a quote from Henry. So, I thought it seemed appropriate to put all the pieces together and come full circle with my thoughts.

"Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity.”




I could not say it better myself.

~Reggie

Thoughts of Japan

Postcard image of Mount Asama

It would be almost impossible to not recognize or be aware of the situation in Japan, at present. Even upon the writing of this, the story is still unfolding; it's a tragic story. One whose ramifications  we will all feel in one way or another. However, my goal is not to focus on the doom and gloom that is and may lay ahead, but rather to remember a country that is one of my favorites to explore.

In the summer of 1993, I spent 3 weeks in Japan visiting family friends. During this time we travelled to different regions of the country and spent many hours talking to Japanese college students who were eager to converse (in English) to Americans. It was a wonderful time for me, a Geography major, who loved cultural experiences. The people were gracious and hospitable. The older generation was more steeped in tradition, but the younger ones loved to talk politics and pop-culture.  Former President Clinton was a hot topic at the time and the Japanese loved to ask questions about him.

Omotesando Dori, Tokyo, 1993.
Presently, 100,000 cars drive down this street daily. 

Spending an extended period of time in another culture leaves its mark on you. I remember having thoughts of what Japan would be like, but nothing really prepared me for the modern, technologically advanced country that I experienced during my stay. The Land of the Rising Sun surprised me with its evergreen beauty, moonlit rice fields,  magestic mountains, and miles of coastline (it is an island nation with over 6800 islands to it's name) along with the uber-dense metropolis that is Tokyo and its surrounding prefectures. I was introduced to new and interesting flavors in food (not your typical sushi) and was thoroughly impressed by its state of the art technology. In a funny sidenote, only in Japan have I seen and used a gold plated bathroom, including toilet that was outfitted with more features than I could think posssible!

This country holds a fond spot in my heart. And right now, especially, I'm praying for its people.

~Reggie

Food, food, glorious food!

No, I'm not quoting a line from  Dilbert or the song from the musical Oliver!.  In pondering my daily thoughts, I realize that much of my day is surrounded by food. Granted, it is the sustaining element to keep one healthy and alive, but it's more than that.  Food is comfort; it's a relationship; it's (a foundation for) a relationship with others; it's work; it's celebration; it can be an enemy and yet without it we will die. I thoroughly enjoy food and believe it's one of those things that God gave us to enjoy. At this point I could talk about changes in food over the history of time and such, but that is really for another time.

As a food aficionado, I often admire the subject on my plate or in my cup or the ones grandfully displayed in window and upon farmer's market table, so much so that I like to capture their image for future admiration and memory. With that said, a quick peruse of hundreds, possibly thousands of pictures from just the last year or so proved my photography food fetish to be correct. So, I compiled (and condensed) a little album of sorts to let pictures speak for themselves.

Bon appétit!

Reggie