J.E. Solinski
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From the Head to the Heart . . .

6/30/2015

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“The longest journey you will ever take is the 18 inches from your head to your heart.” Moikanos

I came across this quote the other day and it got me thinking, and the more I thought about it, the more I agreed with it. For instance, I have often found myself in total agreement with the following statements.
  

I need to exercise more often.

I should eat less and eat healthier.
I should be more patient, less selfish.
God is faithful and trustworthy.

     The problem is that often when I make these statements, they are only intellectual in nature, which means I agree with them, but I do not act on them. Somehow, that statement has to make the 18 inch journey from my head to my heart and only then will it be something I truly believe in. So though I know I need to exercise more often, not until I take it to heart will I actually act on it.
    
This realization brought back an illustration I once heard that I think brings this truth to light. Perhaps many of you have also heard it.
     It is the story of Charles Blondin, the 1800s French tightrope walker who would perform various tightrope stunts, many across Niagara Falls. One particular time after performing a few different feats successfully, he then brought out a wheelbarrow and asked the crowd how many believed he could successfully cross Niagara Falls pushing the wheelbarrow. Either all or the vast majority raised their hands. He then asked for a volunteer to get into the wheelbarrow. Not one volunteered. Though all believed intellectually he could do it, none believed in their heart he could.
     Unfortunately, that is sometimes our view of God. We say we believe He is trustworthy, that we can trust Him with our lives, but in reality we aren’t willing to get in the wheelbarrow and give Him control. Why? There could be many reasons, but here are a couple I have had to work through. First, many of us really don’t want to leave this side of the falls. We like the life we have and even though we say we believe Him when He says He has an even better, more fulfilling life on the other side (and I’m not talking Heaven, just life here on earth), we say no. Second, we don’t trust Him to hold onto us as we cross some great chasms and fearful moments on this journey.
     To say we accept Jesus as our Lord and savior is one thing, to mean it means we are willing to get into the wheelbarrow, to give Him control of our lives. That’s step one. Then, as most of us have realized, throughout our lives, on our daily walk with Him, we have to choose again and again in various areas of our lives to willingly get into the wheelbarrow. We finally surrender one area of our lives after we have mucked it up enough times only to watch Him make something beautiful out of the mess. Yet we balk at giving Him control over the next area because we seem to be managing it okay for the moment. Our memories are short . . . both on His faithfulness a goodness and our ability to screw things up.
     A lot of us say we believe in many things: selflessness, generosity, commitment, God . . . but I would hazard to guess that in reality that list is much smaller than we think, for somewhere in that eighteen inch journey, probably right about where our mouth is, that belief gets stuck right in the back of our throat.

 

 

 

 


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Golf . . .

6/24/2015

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It seems only appropriate that after the men’s US Open golf tournament that we should take a look at golf.

Growing up, tennis was my sport of choice. I played through high school and college, a touch of semi-pro (a very slight touch and very little pro) followed by adult tournaments. However, as I have “matured,” I have switched to golf. Somehow, walking on grass seemed to be much more compassionate on the body than running on cement. Many people who watch golf (well, I guess if you are watching golf to begin with then you are a fan, so let me rephrase that) . . . many people who see golf on television don’t even view it as a sport, since it seems to have very little physical activity involved in it. In fact, some researchers claim that in a four to five hour round of golf, a person is actually swinging the club for only about 2 minutes. Therein lies the problem. Too much time to think.

Though tennis is hugely mental as well, once the ball is in play I often have to react more than think; therefore, I find it easier to hit a moving ball with a moving racket when I’m moving than just standing there trying to hit a little white ball that is just sitting there daring me to strike it. Plus, just lining up for my first drive sometimes finds me thinking about alignment, grip, posture, backswing before I even hit the ball, and then I get to start the whole cycle over again as I walk to my next shot. That whole repetitive process eventually constitutes 18 holes or 72 shots (for the good guys . . . just keep adding “opportunities” for the rest of us). That is a lot of time for thinking.

I realize that many (if not all) sports will provide good spiritual analogies, but I think golf is an excellent sport simply because so much of the game is between the ears. Our minds cause us all sorts of problems. We would like to think we are more than what we our minds think about but the bible is very clear about both the implications of our thoughts and their power.

Proverbs 23:7 states “As he thinks in his heart, so is he.” What we think about and how we view ourselves and others reflects who we are, as much as we would like to say it is not.

Furthermore, in golf and in life, we hang on to the past . . . that last errant drive, flubbed chip, missed putt, or in life that last failure, hurtful word, or missed opportunity, but Paul, in Philippians 3:13, tells us that we should be “forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.”

Finally, we often, both in golf and in life, paralyze ourselves from either performing well or taking action at all, and once again, Paul has some words of advice as he admonishes us in Philippians 4:6-7 to “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;” and if we do then “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

I enjoy golf, and especially love to reflect on my round on the days that I played well. But I must admit, the greater learning experiences come on the days when I have to face my weaknesses: my anxiousness or fear, my dwelling on the past, or my thoughts, and hopefully, follow one more bit of advice from Paul: “bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” I wish you both happy golfing and victorious living.


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Drought . . .

6/16/2015

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Just in case you are one of the few that might not know this, California is suffering from a drought and has been for four years. Those who live through a drought go through a series of adjustments. At first, we just look in dismay at the decrease in water in the lakes and reservoirs, but because it hasn’t yet required any change in our approach to living, we live in hope that the drought will soon be over. There are no water restrictions and really not too many suggested precautions.

Year two of the drought brings more concern. Now there are not only precautions to be taken but also some restrictions. Water allotments are divvied out, and fines assessed for overuse. Buckets are placed in showers and sinks. Water barrels are purchased to store any rain or excess water whatsoever.  

Years three and four are even rougher. Decisions have to be made. Lawns are often left to die while trees and plants are babied through the heat, which just seems hotter with the lack of water. Camp showers are taken, toilets aren’t flushed.

Any drops of rain are savored and if by chance there is an unexpected downpour it is welcomed even when it disrupts plans. So thirsty is the land and the people for the water.

Sometimes in our lives as Christians we go through spiritual droughts. For fear of being theologically incorrect, I am not going to get into the reasons for these droughts, so just let it suffice to say that we do go through them. When we do, we often go through the same pattern, often not overly concerned year one as we don’t feel any real consequences from the drought, but by year four we are praying for precious raindrops of God’s love . . . grace . . . mercy. We savor each word that soothes our parched hearts and relish the unexpected downpours.

One thing I have realized though is that the closer I stay to God’s Word, the source of the “rain”, the easier it is to come out of the drought. May God bless you this week through the refreshing of His Word.


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Hiking . . .

6/9/2015

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Now that summer is here, I am looking forward to enjoying one of my favorite activities––hiking. Do you know what I enjoy the most? I love walking through the foliage, in the cool of the trees. I love looking at what is right in front of me and beside me. I love anticipating what is around the corner and then thoroughly enjoying the surprise of a beautiful waterfall or river or the quiet of an open meadow. Even those trails I have hiked before and know some of what is around the bend still offer sweet surprises.

Though I probably prefer the mild hikes that have gentle alterations in altitude, I do enjoy the more strenuous ones because often they have the more spectacular views when I reach the end and I feel deeply satisfied despite the pain and difficulty getting there.

Sooooo . . . why can’t I transfer what I love about hiking to my life and my trust in God? Why in life do I not enjoy what is right next to me or right in front of me but instead want God to show me what is a mile down the road? Why do I worry or why am I anxious about what is around the corner rather than excited with anticipation about what God might have in store for me.? And why do I balk at the difficult or challenging or just downright hard journeys when I know what God has in store for me is so much more spectacular than the place I started?

Psalm 119:105 says, “Thy word is a lamp to my feet, And a light to my path.” We were never meant to look too far down the road or see what is around the bend. God wants us to enjoy the present and leave the future and all its sweet surprises to Him.

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Graduation . . .

6/3/2015

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I don’t think there is a more quintessential rite of passage in the United States than high school graduation. Yes, there are kindergarten and eighth grade graduations and even the big college graduation, but in our culture, high school graduation signifies the first step into adulthood and freedom.
    First of all, it is the end of compulsory education. So okay, even though parents might still be putting the pressure on to continue one's education or possibly handing out the ultimatum about “live under my roof––go to school,” the reality is we now have a choice. We don’t have to go to school. We could indeed move out and get a job. Scary as that might be.
    Second, we start choosing our own direction in life, either by conscious decision or by default. Ironically, this is often the time that we are willing to sacrifice some of that hard earned independence if it means we can lay a little of the blame for poor choices somewhere else. Sorry, it really doesn’t work that way.
    Finally, though we have been raised with certain beliefs and values, this is often the time that we decide for ourselves if those are the values and beliefs we want to keep. Some will discard them strictly out of principle––I don’t have to life by them anymore, so I won’t. Others, will never question them, and blindly follow them as they always have. I am hoping most of us take the middle approach. Step back, and then in the quietness of our aloneness, we evaluate each and decide if that value system or belief is one we will continue to adhere to or discard. Only then, is it truly ours. I pray that as we each do that, we are not working off of what we want to be true or hope to be true, but that we do indeed have a solid foundation for why we believe what we do.
    So, if you are one of those standing on the threshold of adulthood and independence,  congratulations. These last eighteen years were meant to prepare you for this moment and these next steps. If you are one of those who has already passed this milestone, that’s okay, because in the years after the official high school graduation, we need every so often to come back and revisit and reevaluate those decisions, principles, and paradigms.


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    Author

    Jody Eileen Solinski spent her career teaching in the California public school system where she enjoyed helping young adults take their place in society. A native Californian, she enjoys the outdoors and so loves living in Northern California where she can enjoy the beauty of God’s creation up close.

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