Rethinking Coldplay

I finally picked up a copy of the new Coldplay CD, Viva La Vida. I've always enjoyed the way Coldplay starts a song slow and mellow and then allows it to rise to a powerful and emotional crescendo. I tend to find one or two songs on an album that really speak to me and listen to them over and over again. The lyrics to the song Viva La Vida have been drawing my attention lately. It's a good idea to pay attention to the things you pay attention to. The lyrics are below...

I used to rule the world Seas would rise when I gave the word Now in the morning I sleep alone Sweep the streets I used to own I used to roll the dice Feel the fear in my enemies eyes Listen as the crowd would sing: "Now the old king is dead! Long live the king!"

When things are going well in our lives, we feel like we are on top of the world. We feel invincible. But, when adversity rears its ugly head, we suddenly feel helpless. The earth quakes beneath our feet.

One minute I held the key Next the walls were closed on me And I discovered that my castles stand Upon pillars of salt, and pillars of sand

"My castles stand upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand." Adversity makes us look beneath our "castles" to see what under girds them. What are the castles in your life? Your career? Your looks? What are the things that define who you are? Are they what is most true about you?

I'll write more about this song later...it's getting late.

Rethinking Challenges II

As many of you know, I have been participating in the National Advisory Board for O2Max Fitness, an organization in Santa Monica, CA, that is dedicated to promoting healthy lifestyles among teens in the area and around the country. This summer, O2Max Fitness will be offering opportunities for teens to get into shape over the summer, including:

• Six-week summer fitness camp for teens
• Beat the Freshman Fifteen” program
• Sunday workouts in the park
• Pre-season high school sports program

Remember, your mind, spirit, AND body are integral parts of who you are. We need to be mindful of each part of the whole. Don't miss these great offerings! Even if you don't live in the Santa Monica area, you can still participate in O2Max Fitness online.

Rethinking Paths

Yes there are two paths you can go by... - Led Zeppelin

The more I think about it, the more I realize that our every thought, word, and action brings us one step further down a road that leads to either life...or destruction. Do your thoughts dwell on the negative? Are you consumed with worry or fear? Anger perhaps? Those are all normal emotions depending upon various life circumstances, so look at patterns in your thought life over a period of time. Are your thoughts leading to life or to destruction?

But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart... - Matthew 15:18

Pay attention to the words you speak. Do they encourage others or do they spread doubt and fear? Do your words bring people together or do they sow division?

What do your actions tell you about the road you're on? Are your actions destructive? Take a moment to reflect upon what you do. Play your actions out over the course of time. Will they lead to blessing and life or will they lead to death? So often we cruise through life without ever considering where we are headed. There is hope in all of this though. It's not too late.

...but in the long run, there's still time to change the road you're on - Led Zeppelin