Who's watching you?

I have a habit.  I like to spit.  Don't know why, just something I've done for years.  That extra saliva in my mouth, I take it, roll it onto my tongue, and spit it out.  I know, it sounds a bit disgusting, because it is!
This past Sunday as I walked my youngest son around the yard (him being on my shoulders), out of habit, I spit on the ground.  Next thing I knew, the top of my head was being showered with spit from the mouth of my three year old son.  I didn't get upset, he was just doing what I did!  He was watching me, imitating me.  He wanted to do what I was doing, just like I did with my Dad when I was his age.
That moment provoked me into thinking about how many other habits I have that are seen on a daily basis, good and bad.  It encouraged me to focus on the good.
We all have areas in our life in which we want to change.  It takes some acknowledgment.  It takes some effort.  Sometimes it takes being literally spit on to take a good look at ourselves and know that we can have a positive impact on the lives around us, if we are willing to do so.  What is standing in the way of us being who we were truly meant to be?
We can do this, together.
Until next time.
-Luke

Dad of the Year (Three ways Fatherhood has made my life better)!

This past Sunday was the day of the year our nation sets aside to celebrate Dad's. For the past eight years I've been able to experience the pride of Father's Day.  As I consider those years, I realize how much being a Daddy has changed my life, and I'd like to share three ways in which I have been blessed to experience these positive changes. 

1.  Embracing Self-Doubt.  As much as I want to say that I hold the title of this blog ("Dad of the Year"), I'm far from the title, and the best part is, I can recognize that fact. I don't have all of the answers, and I'm tying to figure it out, day by day. Like every parent, I want what's best for my kids, and many days I end up wondering if I'm doing this parenting thing right. If you're reading this blog right now, I'm ninety-nine percent sure you've had the same thoughts. Let's embrace our self-doubt and allow it to motivate us to be present in our kids lives, and show them how much we love and care for them by being transparent, honest, genuine and compassionate. 

2.  I have experienced true joy. There are memorable, defining moments that occur in our lives, many of them I hope are one's in which you have experienced true joy. The first time I saw and held each of my kids I experienced joy to the fulllest.  Experiencing joy encourages us to lead a life filled with gratitude.

3.  I have become a better problem solver .Life as a Daddy is often unpredictable.  Each day I am faced with unique situation's and circumstances that force me into thinking things through in the hopes to turn thought into positive action, not negative reaction. 

Life is challenging. I'm thankful I have been given the opportunity to face the challenge of parenthood. We can do this, together.

Until next time.

-Luke

The last time.

This past Sunday as I opened the case and took hold of my 2008 Gibson Les Paul guitar, it occurred to me that the last time I had played it publicly was at the funeral for my good friend's and band-mates Dave and Rita Jennings 

(see more about that day here: http://lukeandlife.blogspot.com/2016/01/moving-on-when-it-hurts.html).  As I picked up and slung the guitar over my shoulder, floods of memories washed over me.  I thought about how many times I had done this same thing in the past, without one thought that this time may be the last time I get to experience these moments, and time spent doing something I love, with people I love.  

Let's take today and consider the precious moments we experience each and every day.

Let's be filled with gratitude. We can do this, together.

Until next time.

-Luke

I dare you.

It was a beautiful Sunday summer afternoon. My brothers and I sat out on our porch deck railing with some delicious chocolate pudding my Mom had made us for dessert that day. As I sat across from my oldest brother, he took a big spoon full of chocolate pudding, created a catapult with his spoon and hands and pointed it in my direction. I looked at him and his big grin and said "I dare you." 

Before the last word left my lips, he launched the spoon full of pudding at me.  I didn't even have time to move out of the way, and the chocolate pudding hit me right in the eye. 

We erupted in laughter.  My mom, not so much at first, but eventually! 

We experienced this fun little afternoon about thirty years ago, and it seems like only yesterday. 

What will you do today to enjoy life? I dare you to take the chance.

Until next time.

-Luke

Life is full of surprises.

About a year ago my daily routine was slightly disrupted. Like normal, I got up, got ready, and headed out to work. I stepped out onto my back porch to put my boots on, and a surprise awaited me. As I slid my right foot into my boot, I felt something by my toes. This was not uncommon, as my kids would drop things in there on occasion. As I thought to myself, "what did they drop in there this time?" I felt the thing in my boot begin to wiggle around.  A bit startled, I quickly pulled my foot out of my boot, and turned my boot upside down to dump the thing inside my boot out. 

It didn't come out. 

I had to decide that if I really wanted to wear those boots today, I needed to pull out whatever was in there by hand. I took a deep breath, not sure what I would find, reached in, and pulled out a small garter snake!

As I let out a not-so-manly squeal, I whipped the door open and released the snake back to nature, rapidly, to say the least!

As I stood there in utter disbelief as to what just occurred, I couldn't help but chuckle, thinking, "I could not make this stuff up."

I am completely predictable, and struggle with taking life a bit too seriously at times.  This moment forced me to stop a minute and laugh. It is so good to laugh.  Life is unpredictable at times, let's step out of the perpetual motion we are in, take a look at our lives, and laugh. We can do this, together.

Until next time.

-Luke

What are you wearing?

What is your disposition today? If you're anything like me, it's written all over your face. When I'm experiencing the frustrations and struggles of daily life, and finding it difficult to stay positive, all it takes is one look in the mirror to see the physical toll it has taken. Guess what? It's what everyone else see's too. 

I know the solution. 

When that guy I see in the mirror smiles back at me, my cycle of negativity slows down. My disposition changes. My countenance softens, and I like that guy who's looking back at me!  

Life is challenging. Donning a positive attitude as part of our daily attire will help us make a difference. We can do this, together. 

Until next time,

Luke

Digging Deep.

During the summer of 1994 I had a job working at a summer camp. Half the summer I worked in the kitchen, (meal prepping, washing dishes), and the other half in maintenance (cutting grass, and upkeep of the camp).  It was a great summer, one that I think of often.

One particular task I was given while working maintenance was to locate a leak in an underground waterline. My boss showed me where he thought it may be located, handed me a shovel, and said "it's probably not buried too deep, so dig slowly."

As a headstrong and independent seventeen year old boy, "slowly" was not a word in my vocabulary.
As I pierced the rock embedded soil of NE Pennsylvania with the round point of the shovel, I decided there may be a better tool for the job.  I hiked up to the tool shed and found myself a pick.  I made my way back to where I began to dig and with all my might buried that pick into the ground, pulled, and loosened up the dirt.  I was feeling pretty proud of myself for this brilliant and quick solution, until the fourth swing.  As I swung the pick into the ground for the fourth time I felt a thud, and it occurred to me that it may not be just the soil, and that I had found the buried water-line.  Unconvinced that I had hit the waterline, I yanked on the pick handle, and it came loose, with a burst of water behind it, slapping me in the face, knocking me back, off balance, and drenching me with water and mud.  I quickly tried to put my hand over the spray, but the pressure was too much, and it just got me more wet as I stumbled around wondering what I was going to do, and how I was going to explain this.  Soon, the water pressure subsided to a trickle, and I looked around to see who was watching my foolishness. As I canvased the area, I looked over to see my boss standing at the shut off valve, head hung, looking at me, and then the wet ground.

That day I learned three things:

1. Think things through, develop a plan, listen, and take advice, as my solution is not always the best one.  

2.  It's important to select the right tool for the job.

3. How to repair an inch and a half  poly waterline.

The simple truth is that we often make mistakes in haste.  Mistakes are not "failures" unless we refuse to learn each and every day.

Until next time.
-Luke