I came to the coffee shop to work but got sidetracked by a photography series called “Rust Never Sleeps.” It’s basically a very well-done series of crisp, defined pictures and angles of old rusty cars abandoned in fields with no purpose left to serve.  I love the aesthetics of it, but it also makes me introspective and sad.

These cars were once young, fresh, and new.

They were sought after, desired, status symbols.

Now they are an eye-sore, waste, litter.

DeSoto by Teresa Moore

The artist found a purpose for them, but no one else could. Most of us are too busy in the race for the next best status symbol that we give up on what we have – we throw it away – and we refuse to see the beauty in it until someone with the right lens prints a big enough, high enough quality picture of it to slap us in the face and say “look at the beauty that still exists in me.”

Psychedelic Rust by Scott Mais

This was written by my wife, Casey.  It’s about a life changing experience she had while on a mission trip to El Salvador.  I’m encouraging her to share her writing more, as she is a wonderful storyteller.  I hope this inspires you as it has me.  – Cole

When I was seventeen I went to El Salvador with my church youth group.  I really didn’t go for any of the right reasons at all.  I didn’t go down there because I had this huge urge to help people; I thought that would be an added bonus.  The main reason I went down there was for me.  I thought it would be nice to have a vacation…to go to another country…to hang out with a couple of my friends who were going down there with me, etc.

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Wrecked is one of those books that can change you, if you let it.  I’d go as far as say it’s a must read.

Why?

The message within it’s pages is quite literally the opposite of the way our culture lives.  As the book starts making you uncomfortable, you begin to understand why – it is speaking directly to the heart of humanity:

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Over the last week, my friend Joe and I have been discussing balance.  I was asking him if he found balance, particularly when applied to writing.  I’ve always liked to entertain the idea of balance – it sounds awesome – but it seems like an outdated concept when applied to real life.

This morning Joe sent me an email.  It was one of Keith Jennings’ Root Notes (you can subscribe here, I just did).  It talked about harmony instead of balance.

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Have you ever desired to change the world with your words?  To make your own dent in the universe?  If you know what I’m talking about, then we have something in common.

We want to be writers.

We want to be communicators.

We want to be influencers.  But…

Wanting is not enough.  How do we remove the shroud and become writers?

Enter: You Are a Writer by Jeff Goins.

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Near the end of the year when I’m taking stock of how I spent my life over the past 12 months, it helps to have inspiration to see the big picture.  It is easy for me to get lost in the details and goals (especially ones not met), but remembering my mission and the why behind what I’m doing brings it back into perspective.

This excerpt from Theodore Roosevelt’s Citizenship in a Republic speech has always been both uplifting and motivating to me, I hope it will be to you as well.

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.  [buy this as a poster]

truth

What does this mean to me?  

Devote yourself to something great, shed the cynicism of the world, don’t be afraid to begin, fail a time or two, learn from it, and build character.  Do these things next year and I promise your life will be different, mine has been.

What are you striving for?  Share in the comments, I’d love to hear from you.

Today I would like to share a story with you from an unknown author.  It is applicable in many ways, but as you are reading it, think of yourself as the carpenter of your body.  You hold within you the power to lead a long, healthy life if you use the right materials and the right effort.  God supplied the blueprint, and daily we provide the materials to rebuild.  Build wisely, and live abundantly.

The Carpenter’s Story

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family. He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire. They could get by.   (more…)

I have been spending the weekend at the Grove Park Inn, where B.J. Palmer, the developer of our great chiropractic profession would stay and work on philosophy. His picture is hanging up in the hall next to Presidents, where they honor him as “the father of chiropractic,” (though erroneous, I was still very excited to see him up on the wall).

It is easy to see why he chose this place, it drips of inspiration with an amazing view of the Smoky Mountains. You can really shut out the world here and be still, an art that is all but lost in my generation. Being here in his temporal footsteps is not only motivating, but challenging. Can I contribute a fraction of what he did? Will I leave chiropractic better than when I entered it? My heart declares a resounding yes, and I know it can be done as long as I stay true to the purpose and vision for the second century of chiropractic.   (more…)