Getting Ready for Miracles in May

 Doors are opening.  I can't wait.  Deep down inside I have a feeling I need to pace myself, however, the excitement I feel is making my heart skip a beat.  The original friends and family "Live Long and Prosper" launch party scheduled for St. Patrick's Day was scrubbed when I got word my mother's older brother passed away in Arizona.  There will be a small gathering at a friend's house to thank my friends and family for all their support during my book writing journey.  Once the celebration concludes the real work begins on May 1.  That's when the fund raising goes into high gear for the sick kids at University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital.

There is a tentative meeting scheduled for May 1 at City Hall to propose four outdoor Pickleball courts for our community.  My hope is that enough committee members are available to hear our pleas.  The community is garnering grass roots support for the idea.  We now have 72 people in our newly established Iowa County Pickleball Club.  The volunteers who run the club have already ordered special shirts.  You've heard of the "men in black."  Well, these volunteers are "the women in black."  When they get moving, I'm certain the men in the community will follow.  They know how to get things done.  If all goes well I will count our shared success as the first miracle in May.  Stay tuned.  Have a great day.

I Found My Pickleball Passion in Eau Claire, Wisconsin

My tennis friends may think I'm abandoning them when they read today's story.  That's probably because there seems to be some kind of division between tennis players and pickleball players.  I see things differently.  For me, there's plenty of room to get along for those who play tennis exclusively, pickleball only or hybrid players like me who enjoy both sports.

The learning curve for tennis is much longer.  In fact, I didn't weaponize my tennis backhand until about six weeks ago when Jim, my captain for all my teams in multiple age groups, worked one-on-one with me to implement some minor changes that changed everything.

Maybe you're asking, "why does someone who grew up playing tennis want to play pickleball?"  The answer is simple..."I love my wife and I'm looking for activities we can do together."  Tennis is her spectator sport.  Give her a good book and she's quite comfortable cheering us on from the sidelines.  Pickleball is different.  My wife, like our daughter who played high school tennis with her first cousin, Amy, has an amazing backhand.  Unlike me who needed 49 years to master the backhand on the tennis courts, my wife started hitting great pickleball backhands on day one.  We discovered this in Eau Claire, Wisconsin where I was on a day job assignment.  

There is something else unique to pickleball.  It's community.  My friend, Jodi, one of the newly appointed pickleball leaders in our hometown, introduced our club's first FaceBook page yesterday.  Click here for the link.  She states, "Pickleball is for everyone from grandparents to the young... Pickleball is community."

Ask any of the 62 FaceBook followers who joined the group on the first day yesterday why they are jumping on the Pickleball Express Train, and they will tell you it's all about coming together for fun, exercise and quality time.  

I'm thankful for the visionaries I met in Eau Claire who showed me what's possible when you come together.  Our group will be showing up at City Hall on May 1 to ask for outdoor Pickleball courts at our community center located next door to our home.  Stay tuned.  Have a great day.

Do You Believe in Miracles?

In two weeks, something truly remarkable begins: The Caveman Miracle Network kicks into high gear for the entire month of May. Before this month of fundraising for the sick kids at the University of Iowa Stead Family Hospital, we're hosting a kickoff event at a private residence. It's a chance to express gratitude to friends and family who've inspired me to step out of my comfort zone and embrace a higher calling.

Do you believe in miracles? I'm absolutely certain they occur with great frequency. There's no other explanation for the series of events or the extraordinary people I've encountered who are orchestrating what's about to unfold. It feels like someone is directing this symphony, with beautiful music resonating through the halls. The One who has risen from the dead is making all things new, and the Holy Spirit is moving mountains. Stay tuned for more updates. Have a great day!

By the Numbers

I have shared my life on this daily blog 5,352 times but I've never done a post by the numbers, a summary of my life.  Here goes:

10  – The average number of times I need to do something new until I get it right.

  9  – The number of close calls I've had with death.  

  8  – The number of hours I attempt to sleep nightly.

  7  –  Multiplied by 70 = the number of times I need to forgive my enemies when they hurt me.

  6  –  The number of offspring my parents brought into this world.  

  5  –  The target number of hours I spend on the tennis courts per week.

  4  –  The number of weeks I need to make a new habit stick.

  3  –  The number of books I've written.

  2  –  The average number of meals I consume daily.

  1  –  The number of people who came to Jesus because of the stories they found on this blog.

Like my Kindergarten teacher who issued me a report card which was carefully preserved by my mother for over fifty years before sharing it with me, this "report card" could use some improvement.  I'm sharing because as flawed as my life may be, there may be something here for somebody somewhere.  If you are that somebody, thank you for visiting.  Have a great day.

When Serendipity Strikes

Serendipity and I are quickly becoming close friends. The first time Serendipity appeared in my life was during a challenging period when I was grappling with writer's block. Writer's block can feel like being trapped, with closed doors everywhere you turn, akin to the feeling of depression. When I needed a break, a volleyball suddenly materialized out of nowhere, reminiscent of a scene from the movie "Castaway." There it was, just like Wilson! A new story began to unfold right before my eyes, and Wilson helped me break free from my funk, reigniting my passion for writing.

Then the pandemic hit, and everything shut down. I lost the opportunity to travel with my newfound companion, Wilson, and once again, I found myself facing writer's block. But Serendipity revisited me, inspiring me to dive back into the writing process. I'm not ready to reveal how Wilson's story concludes just yet; I still need Serendipity's guidance to figure it out. What I do know is that Serendipity played a significant role in launching "Live Long and Prosper." Every morning, Serendipity greets me with fresh ideas to keep me moving forward, though I'll delve into that further later. For now, I need to piece together all the dots. All I can say is when Serendipity comes knocking, it's time to rise and seize the day. Have a great day.

Food Pyramids and Egyptians

 There is one thing food pyramids and Egyptians have in common – grains.  The average Egyptian ate up to four pounds of bread daily.  In case you're wondering why a male Egyptian is depicted with big boobs and a big belly, it may be because of all the grains which, according to the food peeps at the Department of Nutrition, are at the base of the modern day food pyramids.  

If you happen to have big boobs and a big belly, you may wish to flip that modern day food pyramid over and do something I discovered to be really good for belly trimming – eat red meat and butter.  Yes, lots of butter.  Put butter on everything.  Say goodbye to whole grains and say goodbye to your oversized belly.  Eat what your ancestors ate prior to the introduction of grains in the days of the Egyptians.  Have a great day.

Crank Up Your Endorphins

The Righteous Brothers song, You've Lost That Loving Feeling, could have been written about one of the greatest losses a human can suffer – decreases in endorphins.  Sadly, low endorphins mean you no longer have that loving feeling when you wake up to face the world.  Is the main chorus from the song a reflection of your life without enough endorphins?

You lost that lovin' feelin'
Whoa, that lovin' feelin'
You lost that lovin' feelin'
Now it's gone, gone, gone, whoa-oh

Don't worry.  It's not too late to crank up your endorphins.  The fastest way I know is to head straight for the shower and jump in before the water heats up.  This is not easy for me.  My body hates this part of my morning routine.  I do my best to muffle my moaning and groaning during the most challenging two to three minutes of my day.  Something special happens when I do this.  The loving feeling returns.  Much to my surprise, this loving feeling persists for hours.  This is the best way I know to release a flood of long-lasting endorphins.  On a day like today when I move on to one hour of cardio tennis followed by two more hours of tennis doubles, I find the endorphins crank up yet another notch.  Next is my first meal of the day; a juicy burger with sides of bacon, avocado, cottage cheese and other David Sinclair inspired molecules keep me going in a positive direction.  

If you're having trouble getting out of bed, try the cold shower routine for 30 days and see what happens.  Make sure you increase your exercise routine.  Have a great day.