Thoughts Of An Everyday Life

Spiritualness

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 02:48:00 -0500

When catching up with people I don’t see frequently I’m often asked questions like Are you still at such-and-such church? or Where are you going to church now?

After a brief or extensive answer I’m usually asked the oddest of questions; is it spirit-filled? Meaning, the inquirer wants to know if the church is charismatic and speaking in tongues. The question is a valid one, however, the usual context is too narrow! To ask that particular question in such a narrow context is to say that speaking in tongues is the only or the best gift of the Holy Spirit. How awful it would be if I did go to a church where everyone spoke in tongues but did not love, did not have wisdom or knowledge, etc!

I’m not here to provide my opinion on speaking in tongues, I simply want the term spirit-filled to be represented in its true meaning - 1 Corinthians 12.

-JD

"Money, Money, Money, Money . . . Money"

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 01:55:53 -0500

It’s the little things that count.

The other day I made a note to post about how much snus has cost me over the years. With that in mind, the above saying could not be truer when it comes to buying tobacco. Snus costs about an average of $3 per can. At the time, three dollars per can didn’t really seem like that much money; then again with tobacco addiction it doesn’t really matter how much it costs.

While I was waiting for my computer to boot up I made some quick calculations on my iPhone and ended up being shocked myself. I knew I had spent a good amount on snus but apparently I wasn’t truly aware of how much. Here’s what I calculated:

36 months (3 years) - 3 months (quitting months/weeks added up) = 33 months
1 month = Avg. of $90
33 x $90/month = $2,970

I’ve spent close to $3,000! I was shocked and saddened when I made the calculation! That’s a REALLY nice guitar I could’ve been saving for, that’s a good amount towards a car, the list goes on. Lucky for me, the past is unchangeable and the future completely moldable. I no longer have that $3,000 but thank God I still have my health, my family, and people always supporting me - I truly have everything thing to look forward to! Whatever the case, remember, it’s the small things that count. They always add up to be something great, negatively or positively.

In closing, here is an update on my addiction. I’ve bought one can since the first post, which lasted me for about 3 days. Since then I’ve been using sunflower seeds as a substitute for when I would normally use snus and finding it easier and easier to say no. The journey is far from over but your support is much appreciated.

-JD

Give Thanks (a repost from Thanksgiving)

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 01:54:12 -0500

In light of today’s holiday, I wanted to retreat to the second level of my grandparents’ (Granny & Pawpaw) house and say a quick word of thanks. Keeping things simple, I want to list two things of thanks. One that I am sincerely and often thankful for and one that I rarely give thanks for:

I’m deeply and sincerely thankful for my family! My most cherished, joyous, and heart-warming times are spent with them.
A healthy and able mind, body, and soul. Nothing that I enjoy would be possible without the health off those three things.

Following the above format; what are two things you are thankful for?

Now if you’ll excuse me, I must be getting back to my favorite addiction of all; family.

Here’s to a life fully lived and a mind honestly spoken

-JD

Perfection With An -ism

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 01:51:57 -0500

With the first post underway and saying NO YOU CAN’T numerous times since then, I’ve found myself consumed about the ultimate direction of this blog.

Should the blog be about my addictions only? Should it include posts about where I’m honestly at in life? Should I make a separate blog for just honest thoughts? Should I write with the thought that I have readers? If I do change to the direction, should I change the name of the blog? Or should I just let this blog be about the journey of quitting my addiction to tobacco?

Then it hit me, I’m addicted to perfection! I have created this thought that I must have everything in order before I can start the project. I must have the ultimate goal pictured before beginning the process. Where is the freedom in that? Unfortunately, this is the case for many of my endeavors and I’m beginning to realize it’s no way to live life. Life isn’t lived on the sidelines dreaming up the ultimate play, it’s lived doing what you know and allowing the development of it all to be the ultimate play!

With that said, I have no future goals for this blog, as I have so often found myself doing with other blogs. I’ll just let the development of each post take things where it must.

*Side note - I realize goals are important in life, they create drive, they create ambition and I certainly aspire to have goals in my life. My qualm is when my goals become the roadblock to my action. Don’t let your goals become a roadblock to what you’re wanting to do, allow yourself a little freedom to dive in and get messy!

Here’s to a life fully lived and a mind honestly spoken

-JD

Let's Be Honest

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 01:50:28 -0500

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”

-Albert Einstein (according to Psych. Today source of quote is actually an unknown)

In thinking of how I wanted this first blog entry to go, the above quote came to mind and in the context of this blog I find it rather fitting. In my aspirations to quit various “bad” things, I’ve done the same things over and over expecting different results; attacking the habit on my own, setting up reward systems for myself, tried saying, “I’ll start tomorrow,” blah blah blah. These are all fine ambitions but there is one thing missing, no fear of failure, I was the only one who really knew about the battle. Therefore, I suppose I’d be insane to keep going on in that manner thinking change will eventually come to fruition. As I type I find myself saying no, don’t do this, you will embarrass yourself, you will have to be accountable, you’re letting people in who don’t really know you or your situation! You’ll be a hypocrite if you fail!

Well, thank the Lord I’m not perfect and don’t have to hold myself to that standard! I’m no longer playing the game of “saving face,” there is no freedom in that! Instead, I’m allowing myself to be honest and open; certainly there is liberation in throwing off the mask!

Jonathan, stop talking about how honest you are and get on with it man!

Ok, priority numero uno is my addiction to the tobacco product, snus. While not quite as bad and disgusting as regular dipping tobacco, it certainly has potentially very serious health risks. It’s been off and on for the last 3 years and daily for at least 2 of those years with a handful of months being clean. During those months I was able to stop immediately without a need for tapering off, which proves that I can stop but unable to stick with it.

Not only is this an unhealthy habit, period, it could also have repercussions for my future career as a singer/worship leader due to gum disease, cancer of the mouth, throat cancer (since it is swallowed rather than spat), and Lord only knows what it’s doing inside of me. Not only could it affect my career but possibly my life, my future family, etc. How selfish it would be for me to continue going on thinking I was invincible because I’m young!

Well, now that my opening comments have been posted I hope you’ll take the initiative to hound me about this. Ask if I bought a can and if I did refuse to go anywhere until I give it to you. Post it all over Facebook and Twitter, I’m positive people enjoy reading about honest thoughts and situations.

Here’s to a life lived to fullest and a mind spoken in honest!

Homemade Sports Drink

Thu, 09 Aug 2012 01:16:00 -0500

I’ve been doing a good amount of exercise recently and with that have been realizing the importance of sports drinks when doing high-exertion activity. Although I’ve found some good deals on Powerade (2 for $2.50), the idea of making my own sports drink has been on my mind. Well, considering my tendencies I inevitably Googled “homemade sports drinks.” My research led me to the following recipe developed by Olympic Sports Nutritionist Nancy Clark:

Ingredients:

1/4 cup sugar - I used natural cane sugar for this
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup orange juice (not concentrate) - Kroger brand natural OJ is the best deal I found
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup hot water
3 1/2 cups cold water

Method:

Use pitcher of your liking and dissolve the sugar and salt in hot water
Once dissolved add remaining ingredients and stir
Yields 1 quart

Nutrition*:

Calories: 50 per 8 oz (total of 200)
Carbohydrate: 12 g
Sodium: 110 mg

*Note: This is the same nutritional profile of efficient, popular sports drinks

Reference: Nancy Clark’s Homemade Sports Drink - Developed by US Olympic Committee and taken from TeamUSA.org/resources/usoc-sport-performance

A Chronicle

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 05:37:59 -0600

“In this life we cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love.”

- Mother Teresa

I did a small thing tonight but it brought such satisfaction from doing it that I must share my experience. Not only for myself to look back on but to possibly inspire another human to do something for another. The following is a chronicle of my day:

Once upon a time (today) …

I was driving my step-dad’s Jeep Grand Cherokee because my beloved Nissan Maxima is in the shop being worked on. There was still some concern about driving the jeep since it had been randomly dying while being driven; unfortunately the jeep did not make an exception for me. It died yesterday while driving on the interstate and again, today in the middle of a road in my neighborhood where a few passed but none asked if I needed help. Usually it would start back up but these past few times it took a plethora of tries before starting back up; definitely not safe! Fortunately my step-dad had another car I could borrow so I called him and my mom to see if it’d be alright to switch out rides. Of course, they were willing to assist me and I made my way to their house to spend some time with them and get the key to the Lexus. After a while we said our goodbyes and I headed to church where my step-dad’s car was. I parked the jeep but instead of hopping in the Lexus right away I took some time to do some socializing on Facebook and Twitter before heading home. As I’m socializing with friends, tiredness takes over my body at a rapid rate. Although it was 1:00am I shouldn’t have been tired as I had slept in rather late today. Nonetheless, since it was pouring down rain I certainly did not want to drive while being so tired. I leaned the seat back and fell asleep within minutes. Next thing I know it’s almost 2:00am and most certainly time to go home! I take all my things from the jeep, put them in the Lexus and I’m on my way down the wet, slippery asphalt. About half way home, rain pouring, my wipers rapidly going left to right, I see a beam of light to the right of the road. At this particular point I’m passing a mountain bike trail and I’m thinking this guy is night riding in the rain and having the time of his life! As I zoom past the source of light I realize it’s not on the trail at all and it’s someone walking, in the rain, definitely not having the time of their life. Immediately I have the sense, I need to give this guy a ride but then I forcibly bring my intuition to a stop and point out a few things to myself. Rain … 2:14 in the morning … random guy walking with no broken down car in sight… horror story waiting to happen. As someone who believes in the Divine, in God, I firmly believe He redirected my thoughts to earlier in my day when I was stuck in the middle of the road with cars passing by without offering any help. It was then I realized the same helplessness I felt earlier, this guy was experiencing to the nth degree. Needless to say, my intuition took the win. I made a few turns and headed back to where I initially passed the light but this time there was no light. Driving slowly, straining to see through the darkness and rain, I finally see the silhouette I was looking for. I stop, roll down the window, and ask the distraught, dark figure if he needed a ride. I could feel the waves of relief come over him as he said, “Man, you have no idea!” The man, in his sopping wet clothes and cold skin introduces himself as Bryan and we shake hands as two strangers do on a cold, rainy night. Bryan goes on to tell me he’s been walking for a straight 4 hours. However, his journey did not begin there, it started at 8:00pm the night before. Bryan had been walking from 8:00pm, all through the next day and until I picked him up at 2:14am. Not a single person offered him a ride even after asking for a ride at a few gas stations; I was dumbfounded and curious but did not want to intrude on personal matters. I meant to continue the conversation by asking what he does for a living but the question came out as, what’s going on in life, what’s the story? Bryan did not hesitate and began to explain how his walking journey started in Moscow, TN. He and his wife had been visiting family ten hours away and on their way back, going through Moscow, they got into a fight. The fight became so heated that she kicked him out of the car and literally left him there to find his way home. He didn’t think she’d actually leave him but she did and so he started walking to the only place he knew to go, his sister’s house. In turn, I shared how I had gotten to where I was and that had I not fallen asleep our paths would’ve never crossed. I told Bryan that I firmly believed that God had orchestrated my day’s events so that he and I could meet, a Divine appointment as my mentor would say. He went on to share about his four kids, two having severe autism who bring him immense joy and that he builds fences for a living. After about an eight-minute drive (almost a two-hour walk) we were at his sister’s house. As I put the car in park, I asked Bryan if I could pray over his current situation, his life, his kids, and his wife and he gratefully accepted. After I said amen, Bryan looked at me with his kind, sincere eyes and says, “Thank you so much Jonathan, you are truly a Godsend, an angel.” We said our goodbyes and Bryan was walking again, but only for a few seconds this time.

THE END

I share this story, not to boast but to share how doing something “small” for others can bring about the greatest satisfaction on both ends. With that said, my prayer is that we would all allow our eyes and hearts to focus on what’s around us to see the small things we can do for others. You never know when you might be someone’s angel that day.

Musical inspiration.

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 04:12:00 -0600

Musical inspiration.

Nature’s phenomenons. Happenstance.

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 11:18:00 -0500

Nature’s phenomenons. Happenstance.

Next time you’re heading to the grill with some thick pork...

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 14:28:00 -0500

Next time you’re heading to the grill with some thick pork chops in hand, use this guide from Livestrong.com to do it the right way.

organic-chemistry: (by racheljw) New book nook.

Sun, 02 Oct 2011 23:56:00 -0500

organic-chemistry:

(by racheljw)

New book nook.

alwaysscomingbackhometoyou: “I was born deaf and 8 weeks ago I...

Sun, 02 Oct 2011 23:53:00 -0500

alwaysscomingbackhometoyou:

“I was born deaf and 8 weeks ago I received a hearing implant. This is the video of them turning it on and me hearing myself for the first time :) Edit: For those of you who have asked the implant I received was Esteem offered by Envoy Medical”

-sloanchurman

this is not me! this is a lady i found on youtube. all the credit should go to her awesome and inspiring story. this is her youtube name “sloanchurman”

Beautiful.

modernhepburn: Perfect Fall date.

Sun, 02 Oct 2011 23:47:00 -0500

modernhepburn:

Perfect Fall date.

hoveringcat: Pablo Amargo creates brilliantly witty conceptual...

Sat, 13 Aug 2011 15:47:24 -0500

hoveringcat:

Pablo Amargo creates brilliantly witty conceptual illustrations.

Found via Designers Go To Heaven.

Summer, My Lover

Sat, 16 Jul 2011 09:39:00 -0500

Dear Summer,

Perfect lover, that’s what you are. You love me tenderly and wonderfully! I wake every ~~morning~~ afternoon to a kiss that covers my body as a radiant ray of light. Every night you soothe my body to sleep, I can only describe it as nature’s perfect melody. Sometimes you shower me during the day, which I think is silly, but you do it anyway because you enjoy watching me take naps, I love that about you.

You are the perfect lover.

You make me feel certain ways that no other lover can. You create a very distinct sense of freedom, freedom to do as I please. Freedom to spend all my time with friends, to take extended vacations with them and all the while I feel you with me everywhere I go. You inspire me. Inspire me to take control of my day by creating my own schedule and you’re consistent no matter how crazy my schedule gets. You inspire me to be spontaneous, encouraging me to partake in life experiences as they present themselves to me.

You are the perfect lover.

I am looking out of my living room windows right now, just watching you. Watching you play with nature, you are so attractive when you do that. Oop, you just caught me looking at you and you’re begging me to come play. I suppose I will continue my thoughts another day.

I love you, Summer, you are my perfect lover.

Sincerely,

-JD

jenniferabbott: this is my life.

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 15:08:01 -0500

jenniferabbott:

this is my life.

Blogging

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 04:41:00 -0500

I found myself aimlessly surfing the many waves found within the word wide web (this is a daily endeavor) when I came across a blog by Kate Kift that unexpectedly motivated me to blog more and ultimately live more. ~~Tonight’s~~ This morning’s internet browsing brought forth a common theme, minimalist running shoes; I’ll start from the beginning.

_____SKIP TO BOTTOM FOR MAIN POINT_____ During the Fall of 2010 I was running quite frequently and eventually found myself on my very first trail run with my Vibram Five Fingers. It was an exhilarating, life-giving, breath-taking experience that I will never forget. Never had I experienced so much energy while running, I was a kid again, running through the woods. The whole experience made running seem right, it made running an experience with creation rather than something I had to force myself to do. Why I didn’t solely do trail running from then on, I’m not so sure. Fast forward to yesterday, I could feel my body aching for an experience with creation; the trees were waving their branches, asking me to come play. I strapped on my Vibrams, hit the trails, and found myself in the same amazement I had felt in the Fall. My love had been rekindled, trail running is here to stay and will predominantly make up most of my miles. I’m a sucker for the whole minimalist movement, not because of hype but because I’ve experienced it. The minimalist shoe allows for natural movement and enhances the feel of creation beneath your God-created feet, it’s such a rush! Although I love my Vibram’s, they don’t provide enough heel protection when it comes to rocky/gravel trails; the search for my next shoe began. The research was extensive, reading many reviews of particular minimalist trail shoes and one seemed to dominate most of my reading, the New Balance Minimus Trail shoe. I dug deeper and deeper, and finally after reading a friend’s Facebook status today that read The New Balance Minimus Trail is the best shoe I have ever put on my feet, I decided that I would fork out the money to purchase the shoe. I rushed over to Fleet Feet, tried on the shoes, bought them and headed straight for the trails. I can confidently say that they are everything I hoped they would be! Now rewind to a few hours ago, of course I want to continue reading reviews of my shoes so that I can agree with the praises that they receive and by the end of the article say I have these shoes that have been so wonderfully praised in this article. As I read through the reviews I came across one that stuck out, written by a guy who seemed to be in love with running for all the right reasons.

____SKIP TO HERE____

I then went to the homepage and clicked on a post titled [the] Definition of a Perfect Runner. As I began reading, I found myself unexpectedly motivated to be who I am, to embrace my natural instincts and listen to what my mind, body, and soul are saying. It inspired me to stop living with the end goal in mind but rather be in tune with my current surroundings and feelings. I need to stop being who people (and even I) think I need to be and start being who I AM. I’m motivated, I truly am, motivated to figure who I actually am and I just might do some trail running along the way.

Sony NEX-5. Time with friends.

Tue, 07 Jun 2011 00:46:00 -0500

Sony NEX-5. Time with friends.

Simplifying

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 09:23:53 -0600

I’m on a mission to simplify my life, to rid myself of unimportant things in order to interact with people and things in a more organic, natural, and spiritual way. Ever since I deactivated my Facebook account I’ve been on a simplifying rant. I’m trying to rid myself of things that bring physical enjoyment so that my mind and spirit may be more focused and dependent on things of the Spirit and things heavenly. In a summary statement, I’m simplifying the physical in order to find the complexities of the Spiritual. I’ve unplugged my internet at the house to try living life without internet, so that I only use internet when it’s actually needed instead of just aimlessly killing time. Maybe, just maybe, by not having internet I’ll one day need to stop by the public library to get on the internet and come across another human being in person and strike up a conversation that changes my life or maybe even their’s! Or maybe I’ll spend more time being creative with my guitar and create a sound that becomes my signature sound and enables me to inspire others. Or maybe I’ll spend more time in the Presence of the Father and become addicted to it and as a result begin to see supernatural things be apart of my daily life. The possibilities are really endless, and that’s only with taking internet out of the picture! What’s something you could do to simplify your life?

one forty plus.: Twitter Isn't "Over", I'm Over It.

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 02:03:48 -0500

one forty plus.: Twitter Isn't "Over", I'm Over It. :

Last week in Los Angeles I participated in a live Q&A as part of an ASCAP expo on songwriting. When the topic of Twitter came up, I explained my waning interest in it being part of my daily life. By no means do I think it’s over as a medium altogether, but I do think that the days of “Twitter: The…