What is it about us that makes that old cliché ring so true? Last Friday, Kim and I went to an Andrew Peterson concert. It was a pretty small venue, and we got great seats. After only a few songs, I was in total awe. I was mesmerized by Andrew’s musical gifts, melodic harmonies, and brilliant songwriting. I secretly wished that I could be so musically inclined. I was bummed — and a bit jealous — that God had not bestowed upon me the ability to play a guitar in a fashion that wasn’t reminiscent of a train derailment.
I know, I know, I should feel lucky that I have been blessed with my artistic abilities, a fairly good sense of humor, and a homemade alfredo sauce to die for. But I hardly think I’m alone. Don’t you ever sometimes feel like the gifts you have just don’t seem to be as thrilling or important or useful as the next guy’s?
I really like this story about a king and his garden:
A story is told of a king who went into his garden one morning, only to find everything withered and dying. He asked the oak tree that stood near the gate what the trouble was. The oak tree said it was tired of life and determined to die because it was not tall and beautiful like the pine tree. The pine was troubled because it could not bear grapes like the grapevine. The grapevine was determined to throw its life away because it could not stand erect and produce fruit as large as peaches. The geranium was fretting because it was not tall and fragrant like the lilac.
And so it went throughout the garden. Yet coming to a violet, the king found its face as bright and happy as ever and said, "Well, violet, I’m glad to find one brave little flower in the midst of this discouragement. You don’t seem to be the least bit disheartened." The violet responded, "No, I’m not. I know I’m small, yet I thought if you wanted an oak or a pine or a peach tree or even a lilac, you would have planted one. Since I knew you wanted a violet, I’m determined to be the best little violet I can be."
I think that’s a good reminder that each of us has a specific role to play in this world. Like fingerprints and snowflakes, we each have a unique set of skills and talents. If only we could embrace our individuality, know that we were created on purpose, and adopt the attitude of the little violet, who knows how different–and better–the world would be?
Never downplay your gifts. Somebody out there wishes they were as lucky as you.
Attention bloggers, web site owners, and e-zine administrators: If you’re interested in the idea of making some money with very little effort, take a gander at the brand new Kim & Jason affiliate program.
We’ve had some requests for this, and finally, I am proud to say, it is here. Believe it or not, I am still primarily responsible for the bulk of the coding and maintenance of this web site. This little project took a good chunk of time to pull together. Digging into the back end code sufficiently satisfies my testosterone-fueled itch to tinker with mechanical things (which makes up for the fact that I am fairly useless when it comes to the engine part of a car.)
The commission rate is an obscene 20% (Amazon.com offers around 5%), so you really can’t go wrong. Add a banner or a link to your site and you get a check for any sales that you’re responsible for. If you’re really energetic, you can even link to specific products. I thank you in advance for sharing Kim & Jason with the world.
I love books that give me ideas of things to do to either make my life more fun, more fulfilling, or more simple. Usually these books make their points quickly in short chapters, which happens to be a style I enjoy. Without slamming this title, I picked up a book the other day that seemed as though it was going to give me ideas of things to do to recapture ‘my youth.’ I thought I had found something right up my alley until I read a few of the chapter titles. Some of the ideas were just plain irresponsible and dumb, things such as ‘Yell at someone,’ ‘Pierce something other than your ear,’ and ‘Charm your way into our out of something.’ You get the idea. I don’t think this is the youth that is worth recapturing. Yes, all of us ‘Adults’ were once immature teenagers. I really have no desire to return to the teenage years.
Some people think that in order to be free from the stresses of everyday life, they also must be free of making morally sound decisions. You know the whole “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” mantra. Does ‘living for today’ mean I should be rude to the teenager in the check-out line…or that I should I go ‘clubbing’ with my girlfriends and act irresponsibly? Don’t get me wrong, ‘being your own person’ and ‘carpe diem’ are great, but I think some people interpret this in strange ways.
What are you passionate about? What do you absolutely, unequivocally LOVE to do? The one thing that makes time fly by like a caffienated roadrunner?
Now for the Ed Sullivan "really big" question: How much time do you spend doing it?
If stress has its death grip on you and you REALLY want to Escape Adulthood (and if you don’t, why are you here?) you need to spend more time on the things you are passionate about.
One of my favoritest bloggers and fellow artist, the French Toast Girl, recently shared in a recent post (January 24, 2006) how painting helps her get through the ups and downs of life. When you’re sick, tired, frustrated, bored, or feeling down and out, your passion has the almost medicinal power to lift your spirit and make your soul sing. It recharges your batteries and makes it easier to tackle the challenges of life.
Maybe you like to paint. Or garden. Or tinker with that old Ford. Or collect stamps like Mr. Newland, my 7th grade history teacher. Whatever it is, do it. That gift is a built-in stress release valve. It also gets you more in tune with God (the one who planted that very passion within you) and gives you a clear head to deal with the craziness that is life.
Jen Robinson has a pretty cool blog promoting "the love of books by children and the continued reading of children’s books by adults." I was particularly struck by a post entitled, "Why You Should Read Children’s Books as an Adult." She outlines some really great points. Here’s my favorite:
If you read as a child, and loved it, then re-reading those books is like entering a time machine that takes you back to the child you once were. It’s amazing, because the books are still available — you can read them any time. It doesn’t cost much, you don’t have to travel, you don’t need anyone to help you. You can just time travel at will.
Sometimes life can get a tad overwhelming, and the welcome relief that can come from spending a few moments with a children’s book should not be taken lightly. The whimsy, hope, and imagination they contain are good for the soul. When the world seems to be out of control, children’s books have the remarkable ability to strip away the superfluous and make it easy to regain perspective on the important things in life.
Make it a point to dig out one of your old favorites. If you’re not already convinced, check out Jen’s Top 10 list. And if you’re taking The Escape Plan challenge, this might be the perfect solution to #3.
In this podcast, brought to you from Madison, Wisconsin, we discuss our plan to annihilate Adultitis, interview someone who is joining us on our crusade, reveal the winner of the promotion from our last podcast, and talk about our newest favorite TV show. All this plus a money back enjoyment guarantee. What a deal, huh?
Listen now by clicking play below.
Show Notes:
• Check out The Escape Plan…Start with Challenge #1 and turn your Adultitis-stricken life around!
• The Perfect Match: buy any framed print at the Lemonade Stand and get a FREE copy of Escape Adulthood.
• Read all about our recent trip to San Francisco (Kim’s take | Jason’s take)
• Book Jason to speak at your organization.
• Congrats to Ian Tyrrell, winner of last show’s promo and winner of a complimentary Kim & Jason Print.
• Love Monkey. Check out this cool new show on CBS.
• Remember: Anyone who starts The Escape Plan before our next show is automatically entered in a drawing to win a 2006 Kim & Jason Calendar.
". . . in all our efforts to provide "advantages" we have actually produced the busiest, most competitive, highly pressured and over-organized generation of youngsters in our history and possibly the unhappiest." Eda LeShan, US writer
I couldn’t agree more. If we don’t get our acts together, it’s going to be awfully hard to find someone twenty years from now that has a childhood worth looking back on. Shame on us. (See also Einstein on Ritalin)
I was interviewed on a Catholic radio station (Relevant Radio) a few weeks back. Here’s a link for those of you interested in listening. (You can find my ramblings about halfway through.)
I know, I know, I should feel lucky that I have been blessed with my artistic abilities, a fairly good sense of humor, and a homemade alfredo sauce to die for. But I hardly think I’m alone. Don’t you ever sometimes feel like the gifts you have just don’t seem to be as thrilling or important or useful as the next guy’s?
Attention bloggers, web site owners, and e-zine administrators: If you’re interested in the idea of making some money with very little effort, take a gander at the brand new 
that in order to be free from the stresses of everyday life, they also must be free of making morally sound decisions. You know the whole “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” mantra. Does ‘living for today’ mean I should be rude to the teenager in the check-out line…or that I should I go ‘clubbing’ with my girlfriends and act irresponsibly? Don’t get me wrong, ‘being your own person’ and ‘carpe diem’ are great, but I think some people interpret this in strange ways.
Be honest. When was the last time you read a children’s book…minus the audience of a child nearby? It’s been a while for me, but I can easily remember some of my favorites: 
In this podcast, brought to you from Madison, Wisconsin, we discuss our plan to annihilate Adultitis, interview someone who is joining us on our crusade, reveal the winner of the promotion from our last podcast, and talk about our newest favorite TV show. All this plus a money back enjoyment guarantee. What a deal, huh?
• Check out 
