It has been a month. I have made it one solid month on my 100 Days Strong goal. I am almost a third of the way through and I am excited to keep going.

When I set out on this journey it seemed like a spur of the moment thing. I made a decision. I wrote a list. I started following what I wrote. It was very straightforward. Why did it take me so long to get there?

I think the answer is…I finally wrote down what I wanted and listed out the steps I needed to take to get there. No, it isn’t magical. It is extremely practical. It is working.

I am down 13 pounds in one month. I got my first weight loss compliment at work today. My clothes fit better. This feels good.

Tomorrow starts month 2. Onward and upward. I want to see where this goes.

We were in church a few weeks ago and the pastor shared this verse while talking about the Apostle John. The verse below became central to how John lived his life.

So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.

John 13:34-35 NLT

Per the pastor, as John got older he became a man of few words. He was the last living Apostle. Folks in the church knew him. They knew he had been with Jesus. The only thing he would say to people is love each other. That was his message.

I think that instruction is just as true today as ever. There are problems all around. What is the solution? Love each other. There are hungry people around. What is the solution? Show them love and feed them. There are hurting people around. Show them love and bind up their hurts.

Jesus says it this way:

Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.

Matthew 22:37-40 NLT

Love God. Loves others. This is the way.

I hope my brother reads this post:

It was the early 90s. I think 1993, but it might have been early 1994. My brother was moving to a new place and my parents and I went to help. Not having spent much time around him while I was younger, I was enjoying getting to see him.

I had grown a lot over the previous two summers. By that point I was almost 6 feet tall, if not already there. I was around 175 pounds and had been lifting weights and getting stronger. Enter my brother, 10 years my senior. After a fair amount of banter, it was obvious that there would be a wrestling match of some sort that day.

He thought he had me unaware. I was putting down a piece of furniture when he pounced. We were evenly sized. He was older. He was taller. It seemed he might have the advantage. That made the victory of pinning him to the ground much sweeter. I can still remember it well nearly 30 years later.

I am going to assume that he went easy on me that day. He had been through Army Basic. He was a stout guy. Maybe I caught him off guard. Maybe I was stronger than he expected. It doesn’t matter. He doesn’t know it, but I appreciate that moment for reasons I have never expressed.

When I was younger, I didn’t get to see him much. He had moved out by the time I was 7. For the next several years I saw him once in a while. He was living life, trying to figure it all out. He made mistakes along they way, but he kept moving forward. Through hard times he kept going. Even when he felt defeated he kept going. I find that admirable. He is still going in the face of adversity today.

He helped me see my strength that day. It may not have felt like that was happened, but it meant a lot to a younger guy. He could have played dirty. He could have hurt me but he let me have my moment, even when he most likely could have bested me if needed. He was showing a strength that I only later realized. Restraint.

So, if you are reading this…I love you. I am proud to be your brother. You help make me better. I pray I do the same for you. Keep moving forward.

It’s been a new experience sharing thoughts every day in this medium. I keep hoping that it comes easier and easier. In some ways, it has. Sometimes I’m still concerned with how to share things in the right way where the whole world can read it. I am hopeful that I will find this balance.

For today, I want to share something that happened this morning. The family and I set out for the State Fair of Texas. Aside from a few years we missed from Covid, we try to make it out every year. It isn’t a cheap excursion, but generally a lot of fun.

I like to head out early. Call me old school, but getting places on time is important. The fair opened at 10 this morning and that was when I wanted to be there. We got under way and the map said we would arrive on time. Enter Dallas traffic. Nothing is ever on time in Dallas traffic. We arrived about 20 after, but we were able to park close to the gate so I figured we were doing good.

When I got out of the car, the attendant headed over and tried to charge me 30 buck to park. The sign on the fence nearby said 20. I told him I wasn’t paying more than the posted rate. He relented and I handed over the cash. We were then off to see the sights.

After a fun few hours which included that enormous pig above, we headed back to the car. Thankfully the lot was not too far from the gate. When we got back to the car, we realized our car was buried. I parked right next to the road, but the attendant blocked us in. The only way out was to hope the curb.

My darling bride went to find the parking lot attendant. It was then we found out…we had been parked by a homeless guy that morning. Half the lot was already full when the real attendant showed up. Apparently the homeless guy made a few hundred bucks and was on his merry way. No wonder he tried to charge me 30.

The lady was gracious and laughed about it with us. We hopped in the car and hopped the curb. It was a funny end to a good day at the fair. Though I don’t like what the homeless guy was doing, I admire his hustle.

I took a rest day today. I still accomplished all of my daily goals, but it was a low key/chill kind of day. I needed it more than I thought I did. It has been too long.

Rest is vital. Recuperating in a purposeful way is a must. I am not got at it. Once upon a time I was a free spirit that had no problem taking a day and doing nothing. That is not who I am anymore. Resting does not come easy.

That is why days like today are so important. And having someone that will make you take a day like today. My beautiful wife did that for me. She told me to relax and just piddle around the house. I did. I needed it.

When was the last time you unplugged? If you are anything like me, it has been too long. Don’t forget to take a rest here and there. It is very needed.