JLab Epic2 Bluetooth Wireless Sport Earbuds

JLab Epic2

I bought these Bluetooth earbuds a couple of weeks ago. I am more than thrilled. I had resisted going wireless for a long time. My main reason was battery life. I didn't want to get ready to head out and find out the battery is low or dead. These have a 12 hour battery life.

The second thing I wanted was to be able to hear ambient sound. I wanted to be able to hear what is going on around me as I am walking, running or biking. These work great for that. They come with a varied selection of tips for ear size.

They are waterproof so sweat or rain don't matter.

Another requirement was seamless integration with my phone. I wanted to be able to answer and initiate phone calls and access Siri. Some other brands and models don't do that at all or very easy.

I'm thinking of getting a second set to use at work. Not having a dangling cord would be great.

Sound and clarity are great as well. I am very happy.

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JLab Audio Epic2 Bluetooth Wireless Sport Earbuds

Reluctant Generosity

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I am on my morning walk. I'm almost to a corner where I always make a turn. I see him ahead, past the turn. I feel contempt. He looks like a disheveled drunk. It's 7am.

I sense God telling me to go straight to where he is. Instead, I make the turn. The man calls out to me. Okay, now I know it's God for sure. I head his direction and say hi. He says he is in trouble. He says he is intoxicated. He is sad, upset with himself. He says he just got out yesterday and now here he is again, in trouble. He is disoriented.

I ask him if he wants me to call an ambulance. He says yes.

While we wait, he walks over to where his things are: a small backpack and a big black trash bag full of his stuff. He lies down. He says thanks to me and asks my name. His is Daniel.

On my Sunday morning walk, I listen to podcasts about generous giving and living. As I approached that corner, I was hearing a story about a woman helping someone desperately in need. Should I be surprised that my heart was revealed? Not generosity but contempt and avoidance. I almost missed a God opportunity.

But God is so good. He didn't let it pass

Interesting: some work I was doing just yesterday was about feeling contempt for other people. One of the lessons was to see the person through God's eyes. Could I see Daniel that way? Could I see God looking at him with compassion, not anger, disgust or rejection? How God must hurt to see one of his creatures trapped and being destroyed. How he must see the same thing with me sometimes.

So all that God was asking from me this morning was to express love to a hurting person by making a phone call and giving him ten minutes of my time. I almost missed it.

Philip

I Am Afraid

"I shouldn't be afraid." "You shouldn't be afraid. " "That's ridiculous, don't worry about it." "I feel ridiculous, I shouldn't worry about it." "I am afraid!"

The loud crash of thunder woke me up. It was around midnight and dark except for the flashes of lightning. Then the other sound began, the sound of hail. Then the thoughts began: car damage, roof damage, what if it breaks the window above me and water comes pouring in? I felt fearful and helpless.

I told God I was afraid and asked for his help. Would he prevent the actuality of these fears? Most of all I want my insides calmed. I want to trust in his care and goodness even if it doesn't stop, even if the hail gets bigger.

I feel wide awake now. Will I be able to get back to sleep?

I hear our dog Bandit in the other room. I know he is afraid and freaking out. The loud noises make him almost inconsolable. I feel sorry for him, a creature marred by the fall, yet "sinless." He too feels fear. I now wonder, does he have any communication with God? Does he ask for consolation? Or is it just up to us frail humans to offer help and an apology for our part in the fall of man that makes this kind of thing happen?

The hail slows down; the sound seems to be getting farther away. The thunder seems more distant. I fall back to sleep.

This morning I think about it and I want to write about it. I will tell everyone who cares to read about it of what I feel. God already knows but I want to break through the wall of admitting my emotions and fears to others. I risk some thinking or saying, "That's ridiculous." I don't care.

Philip

Train Your Brain for Success by Roger Seip

This book has been very influential in a lot of the growth that has happened in my life in the last year.

It's not a book that you can read, set aside, and then expect results. It requires a lot of work but the payoff is huge.

The most powerful thing I received from this book is a set of core values. These are the things I most want to happen in my life but will not come about on their own. As I review them daily, I am amazed how clear and concise they are. That is a result of the exercises in the book that helped me develop them. As I go through my day and life I question whether what I am doing lines up with these core values. The decision is then easy: I either choose growth or regression.

My Core Values - click to enlarge

Here are some of the other things this book covers: improving your memory, increasing reading speed and comprehension, how to set and accomplish goals, how to overcome the barriers to good changes in your life, myths of time management and how to accomplish what is really important, how to take some time each week to analyze the week ahead so that all of the good things get done, how to manage your energy.

As I said, to do these things will require a lot of hard work. The other option is to live a mediocre and wasted life.

Get after it!

Train Your Brain for Success at Amazon