Like A Flask Filled With...Hope.

If you've never heard of Brett Dennen, and if you have $9.99 to spare, go out and purchase his new album called "Hope for the Hopeless." His lyrics are fresh, innovative, and authentic. Even if folk music doesn't "make you go crazy" you just might enjoy the positivism in his message. Check it out.

http://brettdennen.net/

Take care of each other. KL.

Flip It

We can all agree that our country is going through a challenging time. Everyone is talking about it, which is ideal because conversations (hopefully) lead to action, which then (inevitably) leads to change. And we can also all agree that change is necessary - especially now.

Last weekend I was having a conversation about the state of America and my buddy said he thinks the next president is walking into one of the worst times our country has ever seen. Although there's a grain of truth here, I'd like to flip the negative into a positive:

I think the next president has the opportunity to be remembered as the leader who walked us out of the desert - who creates more jobs, who helps stabilize our economy, who helps make our world a more positive place. He has the chance to go down as the man who spurred us back toward greatness.

The intention here isn't political. It goes much deeper than that. Let's flip all the negatives in our experiences and discover the positives. Seeing the negative is natural, seeing the positive isn't.

Let's flip it. KL.

Daughters

After having lunch with a great friend, I realized how important it is to be good to your daughters - and to tell them that they put the color inside your world. She always makes me smile, no matter what we're talking about - and I really care about our friendship.

Here's the point of this short post:

When someone makes you happier than a 6 year old on Christmas morning, be sure they know. When you have a friend that you would do anything for, be sure to make every effort to show it. Be good to each other, think about others before yourself.

That's all for now. KL.

So High - for all the Right Reasons

I love this feeling, of being high.

Now before you assume, hear me out. There's more than one road that can get you "high". After trying almost every approach to living, I've found what doesn't work, still in search for what does. Sometimes you have to go around the block a few times, get frustrated enough, and keep pushing forward (never losing the optimism and the progression) to be able to see and feel which approach is best.

Here's a few approaches I've tried:

-Buying cool new stuff. Only satisfies until the newer, faster, cooler version comes out, which will inevitably be in a couple weeks/months.
-Drinking and other. Doesn't work.
-Selfishness. Really doesn't work.

It's essential to invest in yourself, to take time and discover who you are - and I've spent the last year and a half doing just that. I feel renewed and refueled to be able to reciprocate and give back. I've been thinking about my weekly rhythms and the habits I've developed. I'm not what you would consider a "structured" person. I'm very spontaneous, sometimes unorganized and irresponsible, mostly easy-going with a smile in my heart.

But now I'm reclaiming rhythm in my life.

Yesterday I ran at Peace Valley Park without knowing how far or how long I would run - I just knew I wasn't going to stop, no matter what. Currently I can run 2-3 miles and feel good about the workout, but usually around mile 3, I'm ready for the couch and some Propel - Strawberry Kiwi please.

Today I found out that the trail is 7.2 miles. That's more than double what I usually can run - and it felt like 3 miles after I finished. It really made me wonder about the limitations I subconsciously set in my mind. I wonder what it would look like if I stopped setting limits in my mind and just gave my heart holistically.

When you set a personal goal, and not only reach your goal, but exceed it, you get really high. When you push yourself to your limits and you know that you gave it (whatever the "it" is) everything you had, you'll sleep better, feel better, and love who you are.

Things have really just been going my way lately, so I'm gonna embrace the high as long as I can. KL.

One Word Can Change the World

There is so much to say and sometimes it's all about consolidation, so here's my effort at telling her story.

She used to wear a smile all day long, everything was warm, even the rain felt pleasant. He brought warmth into her heart and she trusted him deeply. But his hands that were once comforting somehow became cold, his smile that was once welcoming somehow became angry. Things changed quite abruptly and she didn't understand why.

She refused to trust, she slept with one eye open - waiting for someone to abandon her again. She thought it was her fault. She felt guilty, ashamed, and lonely.

Years later, she woke to this wonderful realization that life is only as beautiful as she wanted it to be. She found a love in Him that would never let her down, a love that she could actually trust, a love that she welcomed into her heart. She realized that He died on the cross so all injustice might be abolished, so all peace might be rescued, so all trust might be restored.

She realized that there was only one word that could set her free:

LOVE.

She found a way to change the insecure into confident, the awkward into accessible, the guard into an open door. And she discovered it was a beautiful way to live.

Jesus, thank you for loving everyone equally. Thank you for giving your life so we might have peace. Thank you for not throwing the stone. Thank you for running to us.

Thank you for your consistent LOVE.

KL

When You Get to the Finish Line, You've Got to Finish

I'm making a bold prediction:

The Phillies will be the World Series Champions in 2008.

After listening to some Journey, I was reminded...

"Don't stop believin"

So hold on baseball fans, here comes the Fightin Phils.