Recirculate

You never know where you might find inspiration. Sometimes, it appears on a valve control.

Huh?

This morning, I was adding the final round of chemicals to the pool for the year. The directions indicated the importance of making sure those chemicals were distributed throughout the entire pool, for maximum effectiveness in keeping algae and other undesired material from settling in during the winter months.

All of this is fine and good…except when it’s not getting distributed. That was my dilemma, as the filter did not want to kick in.

Turns out, there’s a feature on the valve control called “Recirculate”. Basically, it bypasses the filter and just shoots the water back into the pool, moving it all around and, in this case, making sure those important chemicals would get distributed.

It got me thinking…recirculate. To circulate something by definition means to move or cause to move continuously or freely through a closed system or area. To recirculate is to circulate continuously.

I don’t know about you, but there are some things I need to start making sure to circulate and then recirculate inside me, more often. God’s truth and equally, His grace. The eternal hope we have in Jesus – no matter what life brings our way. Positive self-talk and thoughts. You know, good stuff.

Problem is, the things I tend to have circulating in my mind aren’t always good. I get bogged down with yuck so easily. It’s been too easy for me to forget He has a good plan for my life.

The things circulating – moving continuously or freely through our minds – can be detrimental to us. Negative thoughts circulating continuously will only take us away from the destiny God has for us and the peace we can have during this life, even when the challenges are many.

It’s time to grab onto the hope which can make me glad at all times, and recirculate it until it is all that is flowing inside of me. But, why stop there?

Circulate also means pass or cause to pass from place to place or person to person. I want to share hope with everyone, pass it from place to place. Admittedly, it’s been a little while; some chapters of life are more difficult than others. But, God is still good, through it all.

I’m going to hit the “recirculate” button on hope, joy, peace, and everything good He wants inside me. We’ll see what happens next.

Have a great day.

The Only Antidote for Revenge

Are you mad at someone right now? Have you ever been?

Alright, it’s a guaranteed “yes” for the second question; but it’s very possibly a “yes” for the first question, too.

They should pay for what they did. Right? Face it, we just tend to feel that way in some fashion – at least for a moment or two – when something happens that makes us upset.

But, what does that really gain for you, if the other person suffers? Nothing.

It doesn’t change the hurt that you feel. It doesn’t change the lack of peace from what happened.

So, what can change that?

Photo credit: Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune

Longtime Chicago sports national anthem singer Wayne Messmer was shot in the neck in April 1994.

Read this article for the full story. Here’s an excerpt:

Around 1:50 a.m. after a Blackhawks victory that April night, Messmer walked the 1 1/2 blocks to his car after leaving Hawkeye’s Bar and Grill at 1458 W. Taylor St. When Messmer attempted to drive away, two men approached the vehicle and one, a 15-year-old, shot him in the neck from point-blank range with a 9 mm pistol.

Somehow, Messmer drove back to the bar where he stumbled out of the car and into an ambulance that rushed him to Cook County Hospital. The “Save The Children Foundation” tie they used to stop the bleeding from Messmer’s neck until they reached the hospital now hangs in a frame on a wall at his home. After 10 hours of surgery and 2 1/2 days asleep, Messmer woke up feeling like the luckiest man in the city. One doctor later told Messmer he had no medical explanation why he survived, and with his voice intact.

“When you get that close to death, you get past why did it happen and ask why did I get better? What am I going to do with this gift?” said Messmer, who also still has the leather Blackhawks jacket with a bullet hole in the collar. “It was nothing short of miraculous. So I can’t possibly have a day I’m not totally grateful.”

With that spirit of gratefulness, Messmer visited the men who were responsible for his injuries and personally forgave them. This is what he had to say about that experience:

“I discovered that the only antidote for revenge is forgiveness.”

Amen. Thank you for the inspiration, sir.

Have a great day.

Positive Press

Teen With Multiple Sclerosis Inspires Grads by Walking

Pretty inspiring stuff right here. Way to go, Fernando!

Sportsmanship Defined

Take two minutes and watch this. I promise, you’ll be glad you did. (Be sure to watch the video before reading ahead in the script.)

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57570865/act-of-sportsmanship-gives-texas-high-schooler-shot-at-glory/

That’s what it’s all about right there.

I hope my kids grow up to be the type of people Peter Morales and Jonathon Montanez are. Just, wow.

Have a good day everyone.

Jimmy and Jaimie

This story has a personal connection and for those of you out there who aren’t familiar with what that is from previous posts, I’ll explain right after you take a look: http://www.11alive.com/news/article/241175/40/News-photographer-captures-new-meaning-of-life

Those are two dear friends of mine in that video. I’ve known Jimmy for a decade and Jaimie for nearly that long. Both are wonderful human beings. Full of life and as the video shows, full of love for each other.

As is mentioned in the video, their one year anniversary is coming up. I was at their wedding, less than two months before the day that changed their lives, but not the love they share.

Their smiles through the difficult times that neither of them ever thought they would have to endure are powerful reminders to me that no matter what happens in life, there is always room for joy.

Their positive attitudes are, for lack of a better word, awesome and I just thought I’d share their story with you today. Perhaps it will inspire you as much as it continues to inspire me.

Keep smiling, you two. Miss you guys and hope to see you soon!