I couldn’t say it any better.

To you, and to finding a New Year of Life.

Jim

(To read it you’ll need an iPhone, iPad, iTouch, or download iTunes on your PC and read it for free that way.)

Here’s the link: http://tinyurl.com/6vkl3vg

Just thought you might like know.

Hope your Thanksgiving is fab, full of life and joy.

Jim

Here tiz: http://tinyurl.com/753gmbw

And yes, there is great hope I will up my posting frequency. I’m thinking maybe as often as once a month.

I know, that would be a deluge.

Jim

(Check out his art here.)

Sometimes he hears a voice that shouts, “Who do you think you’re fooling? You can’t do this!”

I told him I know that voice. It’s the same one that whispers to my heart, “Pretty soon they’re all going to find out you can’t write, Jim.”

I know none of you reading this post hear that voice. Ever. You take the gifts God has given you and with utter confidence offer back to Him an expression of those talents.

But in case you have a microscopic sliver of doubt sometime in the future, I wanted you to know you’re not alone.

Growing up, I knew it wouldn’t ever happen.

No way.

Not while I lived with my parents. My mom was not a fan of the two-wheeled neck breakers. I was strictly forbidden from ever getting on a motorcycle. It was a non-negotiable.

(No, I won’t mention the time during high school I jumped on friend’s street bike and screamed past my mom who just happened to be traveling the same road going the opposite direction. Dinner was not fun that night. Nor breakfast the next morning, etc, etc.)

But four years ago I did something about that dream that kept flitting around my heart; I bought  dirt bikes for my boys and me.

We’ve all wiped out multiple times.

I’ve hurt myself—badly.

The bikes take work to maintain.

Is it worth it? Are you kidding? They’ve given us eternal memories that are gold. The first time Taylor and Micah rode out in front of me I couldn’t stop a massive grin from bursting out on my face. It was so fun. So freeing. So full of life.

It was just a small dream. To ride dirt bikes with

my sons. But it came true because I stopped putting it off and took action. And when Micah said it was the best gift I’d ever given Taylor and him, I smiled that big goofy grin again.

What’s yours? That little dream you’ve been meaning to do for years. That dream that won’t go away.

That dream that whispers to you just before you go to sleep.

I’d love to know what it is. And I’d love to see it come true.

Lake Chelan is in the middle of Washington State. It’s a summer Mecca for tourists looking for sun, water adventures, and great family memories.

To have a vacation home there? Slice of paradise.

My friend and his wife had dreamed of having a place in Chelan for eons—and ten years ago they’d inherited enough money to buy a nice chunk of land and build a very fine summer casa. Darci and I thought it would be fun to go along and watch our friend’s dream come true.

We spent two days looking at land with them and had a blast. A month later our friends bought a half acre overlooking Lake Chelan.

Gorgeous view. Close to the small town of Manson.

A few weeks ago I was in Chelan and on a whim drove by my friend’s property. We lost touch five or six years ago and I wanted to see what he’d done with his land.

When I reached his property my heart sank. No house. No building permit signs. There was a sign, but it said For Sale.

I wondered what happened. Did they lose their inheritance money in a bad stock deal? Did they keep putting off building until they felt it was too late for them and their kids? Were they never able to decide on house plans?

Why did the dream die?

As I drove away I realized I’ve done the same thing. Many times. So have you.

We’ve let life crowd out our dreams.

We’ve let our regimented schedules get in the way of our beautiful visions.

We’ve let circumstances eat away at our someday isles till there is no sand left.

I regret letting some of my dreams disappear, but the other day my youngest son reminded me of one that came true. “Dad, those are the best gifts you’ve ever bought Taylor and I.”

Stay tuned, in a few days I’ll tell you all about it.

We are a galaxy, and but a mite of dust,

We are children of the King of kings, and a slave to the least of those who walk the earth,

We are joy and sorrow,

Peace and war,

And in the end we are nothing,

And in the end we are everything because of Him who is all, and is Life and is the fulfillment of our every longing.

Yep. Each sticker said things like, ―Far out, Jim!‖ ―LOVE Jim!‖ ―Genius Jim Award!

Now you understand my post headline, don’t you? I couldn’t use stickers like these just anywhere. No way. I had to find the perfect place. So I held onto them.

Weeks. Months. Years. Uh, yes, decades.

I found them recently, thirty years later, in a shoe box stuffed with hot wheels and other childhood memories. And I had a light bulb moment.

I have a friend that says anything worth doing, is worth doing badly. In other words, the perfectt moment to attempt something, the perfect circumstances to use your gifts almost never happens. The planets rarely align while birds outside your window sing Handel’s Messiah, signaling you to take action.

Maybe never.

You’re probably never going to get it exactly right. But if you take action, even the tiniest action, at least you’ve done something.

So peel off your favorite sticker and use it. Today. God says walk as wise men and make the most of your time (stickers) because the days are evil.

My stickers? I was in the garage when I found them, so now they’re on the sides of my table saw.

Pretty groovy huh?

It’s time. For all of us; to leap for the ring. Grab it hard. Don’t let go. Never.

It’s beyond your ability? Good. When it comes true you’ll know it wasn’t on your strength alone.

You’re afraid of failing? There isn’t any such thing as failing. In taking action there is success that cannot be diminished by outcomes.

Grab the ring, it was made for you.

“No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it.” Paul of Tarsus.

Stay strong, stay faithful, you’re not alone.