Archive for June 2009
Hiking Half Dome
Just back from the gym, sweat still on my brow. I always keep in good shape but train a little bit different when planning an event… like my Half Dome hike. For that I focus on endurance and legs. I get a couple of 10ks in a week and a couple shorter run/walks. I probably over train since most of the people who hike Half Dome do it with out any pre-training.
Bye-the-way… I hope you will join me next week for my second full moon night hike up Half Dome. How can I describe the full moon hike… COOLER! In fact we were cold up top last time. As you can imagine, there is not a lot of traffic on the trail at night. I won’t go to Yosemite on the weekends in the summer because of the traffic. One year we made a weekend trek but couldn’t ascend because the cables were too crowded and, like the Santa Ana freeway, it was at a stand still and there was a long line of people waiting to go up! On the other hand we had the trail entirely to our selves on our last full moon hike. How would I describe it? Surrealistic, mysterious, exciting.
Half Dome is a strenuous 8+ mile hike up the hill (gaining over 4000 feet elevation) and a challenging 8+ miles back down. Most guides state that it takes 10-12 hours round trip. That’s how long my 55 year old legs take to do it. One recent group of 30 year old women that I started out with did it in a couple hours less than that.
Anyway, the next full moon hike is next Tuesday July 7. We will be heading to Yosemite after work and I imagine we will begin our hike around 9 pm. We should get down the hill in time for breakfast at Yosemite lodge. If you would like to go let me know. I will fill you in on all the details.
Hiking Half Dome is one of my favorite activities in the whole world. I have done this trip well over twenty times, lost count a long time ago. It is a spiritual event for me, I feel in touch with creation at a deep level. It is a physical event for me, it challenges my body to do more that I usually do, It is and emotional event for me, it clears my head and gives me perspective.
I hope you get a chance to do it soon. Let me know soon if you want to go next Tuesday July 7.
I love you – Bryan Martin
Boy! It Is Going to be a Hot One!
At work make sure the water cooler is well stocked and when your clients and customers come in make sure you offer them some water. Water is the hot weather healthy drink of choice. You will conserve energy and keep cool if you set the thermostat at 78 or 79; that is just about thirty degrees cooler than outside this afternoon.
If you have to go out in the heat make sure you take water with you and wear a hat and keep the sun off your head. Going in and out of a cool car is hard on you so organize your trips well.
Keep you eyes open for vulnerable ones especially the elderly (you had better call and check on them) children (make sure they have plenty of water) and pets. DON”T LET ANYBODY WAIT IN THE HOT CAR NOT EVEN FOR A MINUTE.
While you are busy noticing people today, look for ways to bless, encourage, bring hope and otherwise love… especially people in the midst of some kind of change, watch them carefully. Take every opportunity to say something nice and kind. Gently touch them if it is appropriate. Your touch of love conveys much. Tell them that you love them, even if they are not family members, it will touch their hearts. I love you. If you get a chance, pray for some one. Make it short and sweet. Offer wisdom to those who need it and are receptive.
Remember this; even though it is hot God’s love does not change. Neither does the opportunity to love, help encourage and make whole.
Resist the temptation to complain about the heat or anything else for that matter. Your complaining won’t help and nobody wants to hear it. In stead, tell something good.
It is hot, there is a lot of change happening in the world and you are an ambassador of God’s love and grace. God be with you!
Have a great business day, sell a house!
I love you – Bryan Martin
Where Were You When Michael Jackson Died?
I was sitting at my desk looking at Google news when some obscure news outlet said that 50 year old Michael Jackson died of a heart attack. “Naw, that can’t be right… 50 is too young… must be wrong.” Just then office mate Justin picked up the phone, called a friend and announced, “Michael Jackson is dead.”
For the next hour or so I watch for some credible news report. What I’ll remember twenty years from now is my interaction, brief as it was, with Justin.
Farrah Fawcett had died earlier in the day. Hollywood was still talking about Ed McMahon’s death.
Jackson and Fawcett were cultural icons. I am five years older that Jackson and I remember being amazed at that little kid’s giftedness when I was a young teenager. I lusted over that famous Farrah Fawcett poster around the same time.
It is interesting to me that people have such a strong impact. David became a facebook friend last week. I haven’t seen he or Ellen for… geeezzz… a million years. But David holds a vivid place in my memory.
My son Justus was telling me about his college friend Ryan. It was clear that Ryan had a very strong impact on him that will last a lifetime.
Al became a new facebook friend, too. I will never forget those kinship groups in his home… twenty years ago! I hardly ever see Al, but he is there big in my heart.
One lesson I take from this is that we can never underestimate how we impact other’s lives; those cultural icons, yes, but even more important those sub-iconic figures that factor so significantly in our real lives.
Just now I am thinking about all those people I know who read my blog. I actually know many of you or have heard about you through others, like Larry. I think about you and pray for you because you have a place in my heart and mind. I don’t recall praying for Fawcett (I was too busy lusting) or Jackson, but I am think about and praying for you. Thank you for your impact in my life.
I love you – Bryan Martin
Financial Healing
Sunday’s Gospel lesson is a dramatic healing story. We recently helped a family who, in this economy, needed a financial healing. Other than throwing money at urgent financial crises (somebody said you are either in a crisis, coming out of a crisis or going into a crisis), how do you accomplish a financial healing.
Our family in urgent financial need is not alone in the need for financial healing; as you know huge businesses, banks, cities, counties, and states need financial healing.
I’ve noticed the first tendency is to look for fault. What follows is spirited discussion about the government, the character problems of the underclass. Where is the healing in that?
I think there are only two groups of people when it comes to financial healing; those who heal and those who don’t. Christians are supposed to be in the healing business.
Any contemporary financial healing ministry has to begin with love. Love leads to compassion and compassion will lead to action.
The first action is knowledge and learning. It surprises me that in this day in age in United States that most people are using economic models from the 1st century; we live from day to day financially. There are more resources, information and trainings available today than ever before. For instance, most people measure their finances by their income rather of their net worth. In fact most people don’t even know their net worth! We need to heal our understanding.
The second Christian action is the ability to respond to crisis. Crisis makes Christians out of people; they make us cry out “OH JESUS!” Crises are extremely emotional time limited events. Being with out food or under the treat of losing your job or home is a crisis. Since we know that we are either in a crisis, coming out of a crisis, or going into a crisis we can plan better. Our church has contingencies to respond to financial crisis.
The third action is to engage in Christian Wealth Building. That term seems like such an oxymoron. My guess is that in Jesus’ time 90+ percent of the population lived in poverty. Today, even with the global recession, the United States has a huge middle class. We have poverty, to be sure, but not like in the first century. There are more ways to gain wealth now than ever before. Christians need wealth to do the work of God in the world. Wouldn’t you like to give a million dollars to help drought victims get clean water, or help cure aids, or build new churches world wide? Sure you would.
But we don’t because we too need financial healing. We need God to touch our hearts and minds so that we can escape our ineffective, or should I say “diseased” approaches to money and financial matters and be the kind of financial healers that our world and community needs.
I love you – Bryan Martin.
God Priorities?
You can tell a person’s priorities just by observing what they do. What concerns me is when people get up, go to work, run home, have a bite to eat, say a few words to their family, go to bed and start all over again the next day. What kind of life is that? And what are their priorities? Many times these people just live from pay check to pay check and barely squeak out an existence.
Some people have a group of friends they relate to. They talk, text, facebook, and occasionally play together. It is important to them, it is a priority to connect with and love their friends.
Others are really good about spending quality time with their children. They go to the park, wrestle, walk the dog, play video games, go to events, and teach by precept and example. It is clearly a priority to love and train their kids.
Many have sets of priorities, such combining friendship, with wealth building, and philanthropy, parenting and social action. When I look at these lives I wonder how they fit it all in, but it is just they way they live, and they seem very happy.
The one thing I am sure of is that those who have an intentional set of priorities in life have a more dynamic, energetic life than those who don’t.
Sometimes I want to ask people “Where are you going and how are you going to get there? What are your priorities?” I don’t think most people know… they think they know and they will tell you haltingly that their priorities are to have a good life, raise their kids well, do a little traveling, etc. But you can tell by their life that they really are just winging it.
What about you. If I sat down with you and asked, “What are your priorities?” could you give me a list of five or six items clear priorities evidenced by your real life actions?
That’s a challenging question isn’t it?
So here is the real life challenge. Send me your list of priorities and the evidence in your life that you are actually living them.
If you find that you are just existing without priorities, don’t fret! That won’t help! Use this moment to reset your priorities and start living the kind of life God intended for you. What a wonderful and exciting challenge for you! Email me and I’ll give you a guide to establishing and living your priorities.
I love you – Bryan Martin
Dream A Little Dream With Me
I remember watching a video from his lab where a distressed couple was arguing about money. The husband spoke with contempt to his wife about her failure with some money matter. To her credit she made several repair attempts, but they were ignored. Gottman pointed out that the husband had a clear idea, a dream, about how money was to be handled. His anger reflected more about his failure to achieve certain financial dreams than her mishandling one single situation. The failure to achieve his unarticulated hidden dream about life and money made him bitter, angry and hostile.
When people say, “I don’t have any goals” or “I don’t have any big dreams in life” is just smile because I know that there really is something inside there that is pushing them along, or unfortunately and sadly making them feel disappointed about their life because they feel like they haven’t achieved “it.”
Such is the case with many people.
Fortunate are the couples who have found something in life to do together. They have found a ways to play together, be in business together, help others together, create together and share common dreams. Parenting does this for many young couples for a while. Traveling seems to work with some couples for a while too.
The key for dreaming together is not in the dream itself. Dreams vary, die, grow, evolve and other wise change. The key is in the sharing, talking planning, implementing, working through, achieving, and creating new ones.
One of the best ways to dream is to sit down together, each one with a single 8 ½ x 11 sheet of paper divided up into five sections; Family/Friends, Work/Money/Things, Spirituality/Helping, Health/Fitness, Fun/Recreation. In each section write down no more that three bullet points representing what you want in each area. Put a target date next to each item. Now begin to talk together and work together on these dream areas. Guess what; now you are dreaming together.
Don’t live in the misery of regret or perpetual emptiness because your hidden dreams are being repressed. Dreaming never ends and you are never too old, too busy, or too wrapped up in current of life to start dreaming. Every single happy person and couple I know is living their dream. Why not you? You can too! It really isn’t that complicated.
I love you – Bryan Martin
p.s. If you want more insight on dreaming together drop me a line.
God Family Business, My Blog’s New Name
Keep Moving Forward
My buddy Jason works two jobs and burns the candle at both ends. He is tired physically and emotionally, He knows this economy is temporary. He knows other have it worse than he does. He knows that better days are coming. But he is tired, mentally and physically. It is taking a toll.
So what do you tell someone like Jason? How do you encourage and pump him up to keep going. He is already doing the right things. What more is there to help?
I have some ideas. And I am qualified to share them because I have been there, I am there and I have seen and touched the light.
First, it is time to revisit the dream, you know, that thing that keeps us going. Some people call it the big WHY? You have to know what you are working for, what you are shooting for. What drives you? Is it love, world peace, stamping out hunger and poverty? Is it being free financially? Do you want something so much that you are willing to keep on going? You must have a big WHY, otherwise there just isn’t a good reason to continue when the going get difficult, like now.
Fill in the blank; The reason I keep going every day is ____________________________________.
Second, you have to take a lot of little vacations. I don’t mean trips to Paris, but trips to Starbucks. These mini vacations give you the opportunity to pump yourself up. We have a wonderful little bakery in town that serves a great al fresco lunch. Sometimes a musician plays while we eat. These little events I regard as vacations in the middle of the day… they really help.
Fill in the blank: My favorite mini-vacation is ___________________________________________.
Third, I can go on these mini vacations because I block my time. My life is scheduled from 5am to 10pm. I only have that much time to get everything done, so I block my time and stick to it. I focus on the important things that contribute to my big Why. All the other stuff just has to go… Bye Bye!
Answer yes or no. I religiously follow a schedule. Yes [ ] No [ ].
Fourth, I see the world through spiritual lens. For me everything is a God thing, the good, the bad and the ugly. This totally affects my mindset because… nothing can happen in my life apart from the knowledge of God… AND … if God is for me who can be against me? Sure, bad things happen to good people. The difference is the unflappable belief that God flips even the worst situations.
Repeat this affirmation: God is with me and I am with God.
Last week I wrote: There is no balance in life. I believe this. There are natural ups and downs in life and the occasional deep deep dips, like the current economy. Rather than living by well worn platitudes let’s continue to move forward in the love and grace of God, no matter what happen.
I Love You – Bryan Martin
It Is Good to Review Your It Is Good List
It is necessary and good to occasionally recall the good things of life.
It is good to live in the USA where we are free to worship and be, thanks to the work and sacrifice of millions of Americans.
It is good to love and be loved.
It is good to be God’s people; to let the love of God flow through your heart to the world.
It is good to generate wealth to share with charities and those in need.
It is good to know that all things work together of good for those who love God.
It is good to enjoy relative good health, better to enjoy excellent health.
It is good to exercise and keep fit the body God has given you.
It is good to enjoy intimacy with your spouse as often as possible.
It is good to work.
It is good to worship God with the people of God.
It is good to sing and for people to hear it.
It is good to stretch and do more than you think you are capable of doing.
It is good to climb Half Dome.
It is good to eat healthy food all the time.
It is good to be full of integrity.
It is good to talk a lot with friends and share life’s goodness.
It is good to refrain from talking poorly about others.
It is good to say something good rather than something negative.
It is good to never be contemptuous or otherwise violent.
It is good to channel the anger into something constructive.
It is good to breath.
It is good to eliminate distractions and focus.
It is good to pray.
It is good to recite scripture like the Lord’s Prayer and the 23rd Psalm.
It is good to caress your spouse.
It is good to compliment others.
It is good to feel the other’s sorry and pain.
It is good delay gratification… for a long time.
It is good to walk hand in hand.
It is good to listen to the birds sing.
It is good to feel the warmth of the sun.
It is good to run for miles at a time.
It is good to laugh at the repetitious stories that old people tell.
It is good to chase children and make animal sounds.
It is good to quit smoking… again.
It is good to make a huge mistake and learn from it.
It is good to be religious and spiritual; proud and bold to be a Christian.
It is good to be humble… once in a while… even though you are a great person.
It is good to eat dark chocolate after lunch… before lunch, too.
It is good to be serious, when appropriate and funny all the time.
It is good to have fun making up lists like this.
It is good to say “I love you” to another person, even to a man. I love you, Todd!
It is good to let the love of God flow through your heart to your world.
It is good to leave your “it is good” list incomplete.
I love you – Bryan Martin
It is Friday and I Am Inspired by Courtnee Hunt and Benjamin Martin
I am inspired by Courtnee because she taught me how to say “I love you.” She was not the first to show me the value of expressing love to others. But she was the first to teach me how to be open and verbally express love to people around me. I use to think that I needed to express love just to those closest to me, like my family. But she showed me the value of saying, and meaning it, that I love everybody around me. When I tell Todd, “Todd, I love you,” a big smile comes to his face and he replies, “I love you, too, Bryan.” I think Todd may think that it is sort of a game to say “I love you” to another man. That’s okay. But Courtnee taught me that it wasn’t just a game or just a personal greeting. She taught me that she really means it. She loves people. I always tell people that they should let the love of God flow through their heart to their world. Courtnee does that, plus she let that love be verbalized. I have discovered that when you tell someone you love them something happens. So I’m going to stick with it. I love you and I love Courtnee for teaching me something about love.
I am inspired by my son Benjamin. Benjamin just took the Team Leader position for the Keller Williams market center in Eugene, Oregon. In a conversation with his mother and Grandma June last night he told them, “I have discovered my big WHY.” In Keller Williams and other sales organizations knowing WHY you are in business is important. It is your inner motivation. It is what drives you. For many people the big WHY is to pay cash for a new Bentley. For others it is to provide for their children’s college education. Ben’s is more altruistic. He said, “My big WHY is to love people and empower them to be the best they can be.” As a Team Lead that is exactly what he does. What Ben does not know yet, is the reward of having such a lofty WHY is the returns. He will be loved and empowered himself in ways that he can not comprehend. This will be fun to watch. I am not only inspired by Benjamin, I am impressed!
I love to watch you, listen to you and hear what you say. Being around great people like you makes my task so much more meaningful. Thank you being there. Thank you for reading my blog and thank you for your love.
I Love You – Bryan Martin
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