11.09.2010

What I'm all about...

Kind of a big title for a blog post.
I am all about finding my truth.
Like I posted before...I got it from my big brother..who may be screwed up in a few aspects of his life, but he said one true thing to me when I was in third grade that I never forgot...
to paraphrase (and skip the profanity)
"It's not what other people think, it's what you know."
I have questions.
numerous, unending questions....for the longest time I would just ask questions..as if the asking were enough.
It made me feel intellectual to never commit.
To keep an 'open mind'.
then a few years ago I finally realized that to truly live, you had to pick a side.
It's kind of like watching a sports game.
If you are watching two teams from an objective standpoint...the outcome doesn't matter.
But if you were say, a rabid detroit pistons fan, (back in the day of Isaiah Thomas) who were playing say...the L.A. Lakers....and you rooted for your team and they sweep it in four, well...that is a completely different feeling. (sorry TJ)
You have to pick a truth, take a side...grab on to some principles.
Asking questions is fine, but finding the answers...even better.
A particular truth of mine when I was growing up was 'to thine own self be true'.
It's a pretty good one.
It got me through some crap.
I went inside, I hollowed out a little safe zone within myself that no one could touch.
I call it my unchangeable core.
It's the part that believes I was created and planned from the foundation of the universe and that my worth isn't based on human calculations...it's based on the intrinsic value I have as a child of God.
That is my truth.
Then I had my children and there were little people dropping socks and leaving fingerprints all over my core.
Love only makes things bigger.
My truth changed to 'know who I am, be strong and steady so they can grow roots and then wings".
That involved a lot of questions about the way I was raised, what I wanted to do differently, what was best for me vs. what was best for my kids.
What I believed about life and the nature of God, and the purpose of life.
It is still evolving. I am still growing.
But my principles, what I believe...those are the same.
That is the thing about principles, they are guideposts.
They help you recognize when you are on track...
The principle that every person I meet is a child of God, it colors how I view the people I meet daily, even if they don't think of themselves that way.
I see them that way.
I am all about asking questions and getting answers.
then using the answers to move me forward and to help me grow as a person.
That's why I leave comments asking questions.
A good question can be the doorway to a new realization or an altered path.
Telling someone is never as powerful as that person discovering it on their own.
That is why, unlike a lot of people with their kids....I answer my kids questions.
the endless questions.
Because I never want them to stop asking.
When you stop asking you stop learning.
And you should never stop learning.
I am feeling introspective this evening.
You probably couldn't tell. lol.
Went to the gym..
did 20 minutes stair stepper
20 minutes bike
20 minutes treadmill.
tomorrow will be the elliptical.
I am planning my meals for the rest of the week tomorrow...
will pop in with the details.
I went grocery shopping today with coupons and stocking up in mind.
I don't like all this 'quantitative easing'. It's giving me the willies.
that much money printed and forced into the economy can only devalue the dollar..
So, much like the Mormons I have decided to make my house a storage facility for food.
at least if the dollar turns to crap, I will be able to eat Hormel chili and wipe my rear.
so....
for something to make you smile go here
about the time the poor kid substitutes porn for corn I nearly peed my pants.
(don't want to go too deep on this blog...lol)
Hugs,
Chris

9 comments:

Purple Cow said...

You're awesome!
I am more of an objective observer than a liver...taking the cop-out inward trail...but you are so right!
And your pictures are also an inspiration to me to lose some weight...
Go girl!

Beth said...

great post. and yeah, I agree, your pictures are inspiring.

that link was hilarious. best laugh of the day.

Retta said...

Sounds like we are reading the same book. I first listened to Stephen Covey's book on CD from the library. It was so good, I wanted one to read and mark up, LOL! Found a cheap used copy of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People on Amazon. Now I can underline and scribble in the margin to my hearts content. :-)

Loretta
=^..^=

Karen Butler Ogle said...

Thank you. This is a wonderful post and something I really needed to hear today. I need to create that unchangeable core for myself.

'Yellow Rose' Jasmine said...

Chris- Yet another one of those times I wonder if you live inside my head... I too share an unchangable core, but have been ridiculed by family for having such. It just doesn't fit with their 'anything goes' lifestyle. My most painful moments on said topic: sitting my sister down to tell her not to change what's deep inside, she deserves to succeed even if our parents don't want that for her. Only to realize her core is eroded and she'd rather take the easy way out. Haunts me to this day, but I will never give up the idea that an ember burns in her and could reignite at any time.
As you can see, you hit a big nerve with me. I always struggled ,growing up, with feeling like I had a direction and a purpose. Knew that I had an internal compass, but was constantly told how wrong my beliefs were. Your kids will have the gifts of you believing in them and their unchangable core and being the first to appreciate them as children of God that you have been given temporary watch over. Did your family or others ever give you a hard time for your unchangeable core?

Robin said...

I think that when we stop growing we start to die. It is one way or the other. You can only idle for so long. Asking questions is good. Looking for answers is good. Always searching is good. Be proactive and not reactive with your life is good.

Today has been a terrible migraine day. Not going into specifics, but I finally became somewhat human about dinnertime. Mom shared with me the same concerns about the devaluation of the dollar that you mentioned. Of course, printing more money only devalues it. Even I, who knows very little about politics, knows that. The value of the dollar is based upon the gold in storage. It is represenational. If you print more money and don't add more gold... well, a monkey can figure this out. It has my parents very worried. I hope that someone in govt stops this train wreck. Printing more money is NOT the answer.

Anonymous said...

I ask the questions too. It is funny how uncomfortable that makes some people. I am fortunate in that I get paid to ask questions, which fits my personality well. Make it a great day Chris!

~South Beach Steve

Putz said...

FIRST WE HAD JESUS , THE PROPHET JOSEPH SMITh, AND NOW WE HAVE CHRIS>>>>i knew this was NOT a blog about weight loss>>>i just knew it wasn't ,,,but a larger thing that you had in mind for us>>>and now here it comes>>>great truths spoken by you as you learn them from all your various sources in heaven and hear on wearth and i hope none from hell{just teasing my dear}

Fiona said...

wonderful to know some of the answers :)