Thoughts

Happy New Year

It's New Year's Eve as I sit and write this blog. My last post was July 1, 2024. For me, summer is definitely a great temptation to just stay outdoors and soak up the warmth. Excuses have never been in my vocabulary, but I find myself making excuses more often these days. Maybe it's my age. Maybe it's my health challenges. Maybe I've just gotten a little lazy. I don't know, but I was riding home from Emory Atlanta today and the itch to write and share some thoughts bubbled up inside me. My desire to spark something positive with a reader still burns inside my heart. I'm sure I've lost most of my audience, but the fact that one person may benefit from some story, or thought is good enough to take the time to write, and besides, it's therapeutic for me.

One of the primary reasons I took a break from my writing was my health challenges. The last time I discussed in detail my health journey I was in a treatment called Pluvicto. It was new and exciting to think about the technology that might rescue me from cancer. It did work a little at first, but within a few months my tumor markers began to rise quickly and dramatically. I found myself staring death in the face yet again. To be totally transparent with you, my knees and my faith buckled a bit. I was referred to the Emory Winship Cancer Institute where I enrolled in a trial treatment that focuses on Immune Therapy as the method to battle this very aggressive form of prostate cancer. So far so good. I'm seeing very encouraging results after only one treatment, praise God! There are so many family and friends who have been my personal prayer warriors and a source of encouragement during these last six years of treatments. It's very humbling to ponder all the love and faith that so many have shown me. You know who you are, and I thank you with all the sincerity I can muster.

So, what are my thoughts at the moment. What have I learned this past year? I've learned that the human condition is quite confusing and sometimes can feel like a lost cause. Every human that you meet is fighting some kind of personal battle. I've learned that love and kindness is a real game changer. That faith can actually move mountains, but it takes an unyielding commitment and focus like training for the Olympics. I've learned that humanity is facing a lot of monster sized challenges, and one of them is the ability to engage in and use digital technology as a helpful tool without turning people into brainwashed zombies. Allow me to expand on this topic for a moment because it has become so crucial for us to recognize this clear and present danger.

A sad existence

I'm sorry if this offends you, but most people I meet are truly sheep, lost souls who are wandering around on this planet quite clueless about a great many truths, and most are addicted to the screen. The input of information from their screens control their thoughts, their time, their egos and their perception of this life. Their lives have been hijacked by something extremely sinister. Try taking a smart phone from a teen and watch what happens next. It won't be a pretty sight I can guarantee. Folks, we are in trouble with this one. A new generation is truly in a "matrix" of sorts. The lines between reality and fiction are very blurred for these desperate souls. Lies and deception lurk behind every other post on social media. Gaming addictions have also stolen the lives of many boys who can't figure out how to become a man, and so they retreat back to their dark rooms, put on headphones and engage in their fictional existence. I'm not sure of a solution, but I do know it begins with a recognition that humanity has a very real problem. People I speak with don't recognize that one of the greatest gifts of the human race is that we can verbally communicate with one another. We were created with the ability to reason, to share our dreams with one another and to build a better community in which to thrive. No other animal has this ability. Why would we simply stare into a fake world without ever looking up to see and engage in our fellow humans who are all around us. It's truly quite sad and narcissism is spreading like a wild fire as a result.

Makes me want to puke.

Okay, more random thoughts. It's no surprise to most readers that I'm a follower of Jesus. When I launched Chill Life I decided to be subtle about my faith often using scripture based wisdom without shoving Jesus in peoples faces. I thought that this might gain a broader audience, while at the same time, help keep the peace and provide me an opportunity for subtle evangelism. Well, I'm done with that strategy moving forward. God has shown and taught me some things this year that are critical for living a life of love, and for navigating life with an inner peace that only faith in Jesus Christ can provide. There are absolute truths that, until perceived and understood, people will be lost and confused about their lives and the world around them. Make no mistake, there is good and there is evil in this universe.

Truth

Proverbs 1:7 says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction." It begins here folks. Believe what you want, but if you read this scripture carefully and understand what is written then you will understand that without a belief in, and reverent respect for God, then you actually are void of real knowledge. Notice that scripture states that a reverent respect is only the "beginning" of knowledge. You may believe you are intelligent and knowledgeable, you may have a Masters degree, or even a Phd, but if you are void of God in your life then you are blind as a bat. You can't even begin to understand this life, your existence, your role in this world, eternity and all the other life pursuits that truly matter. You will never have true peace and contentment, and you will wander through this life missing all the important truths and opportunities that would actually feed your mind, spirit and soul.

Healthy Alone Time

I've learned that people have also lost their ability to sit alone in silence with their thoughts. Clarity and peace in this life will never be realized if every time you have a free moment you grab your phone, text a friend, play a game, turn on programming and surf for entertainment. It's no wonder mental illness and depression are at an all time high. Most can't sit with their own thoughts for even five minutes. I'm not saying that these activities are evil and should never be done, I'm just saying that these activities should be done with thoughtful intent and not a default, brainless, automatic response to a free moment. There is a real world out there for you to discover, enjoy and ponder.

As I bring this blog to a close, I want to leave you with words of encouragement since this sounded like a bitch session and I'm supposed to be delivering a positive and motivating message. There is no way to know what 2025 will hold for each of us, but I can guarantee there will be some wonderful moments, some scary moments, some challenges, some victories and some defeats. Would you like to know the secret to truly living a "chill" life? It's a total surrender to Jesus Christ. When you attain the knowledge of who Jesus is, what he's done and what he's going to do in the future then you can truly rest. You can cease striving and carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. Your values will shift. Your prioities will change. Understand that you will not be absolved from all the pains of this life, nor will your life become perfect and easy. This kind of utopian existence will be reserved for the Kingdom of Heaven when we get to see Jesus face to face. In the meantime, we are navigating this life in a broken and fallen world, however, if you let Jesus rule in your life then you will find inner strength and peace that "truly transcends all understanding." Let me know if you want to learn more about Jesus of Nazareth. I'd be honored to tell you more about the greatest gift of love the world has ever known. Maybe you can even get off that blood pressure medicine. I wish you a blessed 2025 and I hope that you take a moment to sit with your thoughts... without your phone.