47 Meters Down

A friend suggested that we see a movie, so my wife and I joined him. To be perfectly honest, I had no intention of watching this particular movie. I held very low expectations for it.  The movie was not as bad as I believed it would be. It was, however, very predictable as most movies of this genre appear to be.

As the movie progresses, it is abundantly clear that the reason for the main characters to be in such a bad situation is because of a ridiculous motive. Once they started on this expedition, one bad decision after another created more hazards. At some point, you hoped the characters would at least make one sound decision and not respond out of fear every time. This would not be the case. It actually got to the point where I began wishing that more bad things would happen because, with the decision-making, they must have wanted more terror. If only they would have listened to the simple directions, they were given.

Sometimes we make decisions based on the wrong motivation. We may be trying to impress someone. We may be trying to feel better about ourselves. We may even make a decision just because we do not know what else to do. Before making any decision, ask yourself, “Why am I doing this?” If the answer you give yourself seems to be a shaky excuse, you may want to rethink your path before taking the first step.

Some situations look bad before we get into them. Avoid bad situations. We put ourselves in harm’s way by being at the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong people. Investigate your path before starting it. Understand the dangers and what to do if more arise. 

Fear is also a problem. When we start making decisions based on fear, we tend to make the wrong decisions. You can always plan for problems to arrive, but we should base most of our decisions on a positive outcome. Expecting bad things to happen normally result in bad things happening. Obviously, even the best-laid plans can result in failure, but as plans fail, then we can adjust. Fear causes us to adjust before they fail and more often than not, lead to failure.

Just like in the movie, listening to sound advice is the way to go. Obeying it is even more important. Not every decision we make is life threatening, but following directions can save you from many terrible outcomes. The “I’ll do it my way” approach rarely works when you are out of your experience level. Listen to people who know. Follow their lead. Make sure you trust the person to whose advice you are taking.

While the saying “Doing something is better than doing nothing” has some credible thinking behind it, doing the wrong thing can have some incredible consequences. Do not be afraid to do something, but plan and do the right thing. Do not let fear hold you back. More importantly, do not let fear guide your decisions.  

Father's Day

Father's Day is a national holiday day to honor our fathers. The first celebration of Father’s Day was on June 10, 1910. Richard Nixon made it a national holiday in 1972. This was 58 years after Woodrow Wilson made Mother's Day a national holiday. 

I have spoken to quite a few people whose relationships with their fathers are from ideal. Some children hate their dads. Some dads are absent, some are abusive, and some just do not seem to care. There are many other reasons that some are distant with their fathers. 

I had a very good relationship with my dad. Growing up, my dad worked out of town most of the time but was home on weekends. He still found a way to attend the things in which I was involved. He brought me to practices. He would occasionally play basketball with me. (Apparently not enough, because I still stink at the game.) When I was in college, he drove 4 hours to come see me just to give me encouraging words and returned home the same day. 

My dad was a very loving man, a very generous man, and a very trustworthy dad. My dad also had the same stories as other dads did. He walked uphill to school in the snow both ways every day. He only slightly exaggerated since he grew up in a place with no hills and no snow. I know one thing. I always wanted to be like him. 

When it came to discipline, it was there when needed. When it came to love, he demonstrated it. When it came to his kids' needs, he provided for them. My dad enjoyed life. I still want to be like him.

This makes me think of my heavenly Father. Some people tend to stay clear of God because base their understanding of God on an earthly father figure. If you did not see your father in a good way, it is hard to honor God as Father. However, we cannot compare God to our biological links into this world. 

God's love is unconditional. If you mess up, he still loves you. If you do not mess up, he loves you. God is just and disciplines us when we do something wrong, but he mixes mercy with it. God wants us to have a relationship with him. He is always there for us. Our problem is that we do not always see Him because we shift focus to other things. 

I hope you had a dad as great as mine. However, if you did not, I hope you will honor your heavenly Father who cares for you and wants the best for you. 

The Comeback

The LSU Tigers won two games this weekend to go to the College World Series. In both games, they had to come from behind to win. This made me think of several other come from behind victories and the emotions that went with them. 

On December 7, 1980, the Saints led the San Francisco 49ers 35-7 at halftime only to lose in overtime 38-35. They were 0-13 going into the game, and while the first half of football looked to be a sliver of hope for the team, this game dashed our dreams. Following this game, the fans began wearing bags on their heads when they went to the game and referred to the team as "The Aints". The Saints would win their only game of the year the following week and lose the week after to finish with a league low 1-15 record. It would take seven more seasons before the Saints would finish with a winning record. While the Saints continually lost, the San Francisco comeback stuck in my heart. It was a devastating loss. 

On February 5, 2017, The Atlanta Falcons has taken a 28-3 league about midway through the third quarter. They would not score again, and the New England Patriots would win the Super Bowl 34-28. As a Saints' fan, we are bitter rivals with the Falcons. While not a fan of the Patriots, this comeback was a moment of jubilation. 

Games like this fascinate me. How a team responds to being ahead or behind on the scoreboard says a lot about a team.  

Some teams see that they have a big lead and play as if they have already won. They take their eye off the prize and start basking in their own glory. Other teams never quit fighting and believe that they can still win. They will fight until the end. 

Life can be that way. Sometimes things are going so well, that we forget what our goals we have. We live as if the small victories are just as important as our main objective. They may be important but only as a means to an end. Do not lose focus of your goals or your purpose. 

Maybe life has been nothing but hardships. That does not mean you should stop playing. It means keep your focus. Do the basic things that create opportunities and seize the possibilities that present themselves to you. Do not give up on your game plan, but adjust it when appropriate. 

Thinking too much or too little of ourselves can change the outcome of a situation. Fight the good fight. Finish the race. Keep the Faith.   

 

Jury Duty Day

Some people enjoy fulfilling their civic duty with jury duty. However, I do not know any of them personally. My wife is definitely not one of those people. Nevertheless, it was her turn once again to serve.  

The problem with jury duty is that it throws everything out of whack. It puts your normal life and routine on hold. You are responsible for changing everything to accommodate the courts. Babysitters, transportation, and rearranging schedules are all a part of this civic duty. I have had jury duty in all three parishes in which I have lived. There seems to be nothing worse than sitting in a room for hours with complete strangers waiting for the clerk to call your number. Getting questioned means more than a one-day commitment is possible. Sometimes it could take weeks or even longer if selected to sit on the jury. 

Fortunately, this was not my turn to serve. It was my wife's service. 

However, I did have to make some changes. With only one car, I had to make sure she was able to get there. I took a vacation day from work and spent the day in the area the courthouse is located. My second job scheduled me to work that evening, so I made sure my son was available to pick her up if her time was longer than anticipated. 

I was not about to just sit there and do nothing. I also did not want to drive home in case she finished early. With jury duty, there is no timetable established for the day. Many feel like a hostage. 

While my wife served, I decided to explore the town. I ate breakfast at a nice coffee shop. I visited a historical general store, a trading post, and an interesting yet peculiar art museum. I brought lunch to my wife when she called. Shortly after lunch, she was free to go for this particular day. My day was in stark contrast to my wife's day. I was at peace. She was ready to escape. 

As I reflect, I see the simple things in life that make it enjoyable. It is easy to go through life and miss the fascinating things that are out there. Our minds get lost on the big things. Many times, the big things cause us stress. The simple things can bring us refreshment and relaxation.

We recently purchased some patio furniture. I forgot how calming it is to watch the birds, the squirrels, and the sunset. I enjoy the quiet. We all need to enjoy the things that are out there. Some work too hard and miss everything, including their children growing up. Step back. Smell the roses. Enjoy your favorite beverage while relaxing from the stress of this world.

Stress is always available, but so is peace if you take the time to search for it.