Is This Really Living?

It is good, right?

There is a term that has been around since the 1950s called Activities of Daily Living... ADL. The term is used to describe the 6 most basic functional "skills" that adults should possess. They are:

• Ambulating- moving from point to point and walking independently
• Feeding- feeding yourself
• Dressing- choosing appropriate clothing and dressing yourself
• Personal hygiene- bathing, grooming, maintaining your dental hygiene, nails and hair
• Continence- controlling your bladder and bowel function
• Toileting- getting to and from the toilet and "tidying up" afterwards

According to the National Institute of Health, there is also a list of "Instrumental" ADLs. These are:

• Transportation and shopping
• Managing finances
• Shopping and meal preparation (shopping is evidently important)
• Housecleaning and home maintenance
• Managing communication with others
• Managing medications

I can't help but stay focused on the term "daily living." I know these described capabilities are primarily used to assess the degree to which adults may or may not need to be dependent on someone else to navigate pretty basic but necessary things. (I am intimately familiar with all of this these days.) And I don't really have a better description to offer to what they call "daily living." But there has to be more to daily living than the 6 basics and 6 bonus items above, right? I mean, wouldn't this be better described as "daily existing?" Is what's listed above... really living?

I vaguely remember my high school psychology class but I do remember reading about Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. It was like the food pyramid only completely different. I know I need nuts, grains, and vegetables but, according to Maslow,  I also need intimate relationships and self actualization, among other things.

Source: Chiquo, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

So, if I have all these needed things, does that mean that I am truly living? Or am I just surviving, or existing, or is there some other basal term that is appropriate?

There has to be more to life than food, and shelter, and toileting, and shopping, and holding a fork, and being creative, and balancing a checkbook, right? I realize my question smacks of a myopic, first-world interrogatory but, my question remains nonetheless.

Isn't there more to life than having these core needs met?

Maybe the bible can help me out here. I'm not looking to merely get by, to only navigate from one day to the next until death us do part. So, I went looking to see what scripture says about life's intention. Well, as it turns out, there is a whole lot to be found there about how we should live our life and what our expectations can be in doing so. In fact, there is so much there that this blog won't remotely be able to do it justice. But one verse in particular stands out.

Jesus is answering the Pharisees in John chapter 10 (Jesus had just healed a man who was born blind and the Pharisees were fixated on his potential rule breaking and the reason for the man's blindness rather than the miracle Jesus had just performed.) In Chapter 10, Jesus explains why He came and uses the metaphorical image of being the Good Shepherd. The shepherd would lay down his life for his sheep. His sheep know him and know him so well that they can pick out his voice above all the noisy voices that might surround them. And then Jesus says this at the end of verse 10 (I'm quoting from the New American Standard version because this was my very first bible... given to me by my wife.) "...I came so that they may have life, and have it abundantly." (emphasis mine) Now that sounds better than activities and needs.

The Greek word used for abundant is περισσὸν (perissos) and Barnes' Notes on the Bible commentary translates it this way:

"Literally, that they may have abundance, or that which abounds. The word denotes that which is not absolutely essential to life, but which is superadded to make life happy. They shall not merely have life – simple, bare existence – but they shall have all those superadded things which are needful to make that life eminently blessed and happy.”

Thayer's Greek Lexicon defines perissos/ abundant as: "over and above, more than is necessary, superadded"

With all due respect to Sidney Katz' ADLs and Maslow's pyramid of needs, I'm pretty sure I want an abundant life. 

I want what Jesus is offering. I don't want to just get by day-by-day. And I'm not talking about material things or what the world would say is an abundant life. I want to live life with a different perspective and a different priority. I want what my Creator intended for me.

And that's why I have been a Jesus follower since 1984. And He is faithful.

Carol and I could not navigate our "daily living" without Him.

To the main page

New American Standard Bible Copyright© 1960 - 2020 by The Lockman Foundation.

Why Georgia?

Greetings from Georgia

About a year and a half ago I wrote a blog titled Why Florida? (link) Six months earlier, we had packed up everything we owned, loaded a truck (or 2) and trekked 400 miles south, rented a house, and became residents of Florida. About six months later, we sold our old house in Georgia. Carol had moved away from the only town she had ever really lived and, that I had lived for over 45 years (you can read the blog I linked above to to see why we moved.)

But the main reason why we moved to Florida has now changed. Because Florida wasn't ever going to be our permanent home, we had to make a decision of where we would live next. We are blessed to both be retired and honestly, we can choose to live anywhere we want. But, no matter where we live, we need it to be a place that can be "home." Back in 2012, when our daughter and son-in law were living in Korea, I wrote a blog titled Where's Home? (link) While the idea of moving to some exotic place sounds tempting... the beach, the mountains... some foreign country (I loved the idea of living in Ecuador,) the truth is, no matter where you live, you still have to wake up on Tuesday morning and live your life. In most cases, people choose where to live, during their working years, by where the job takes them. When that is not an issue, what is the appropriate criteria of where to live?

So many beautiful places in America

Based on my own travel experiences, if I wanted to live where the overall weather was great, I'd live in San Diego. If scenic beauty was the priority, I might move to Breckenridge, or Sedona, or Bar Harbor, or Naples, or... (honestly, there are way too many to list.) If I wanted to live where the overall surroundings and lifestyle are appealing, I'd live in Blowing Rock, or Asheville, or Charleston, or Knoxville, or Chattanooga. If I wanted to live in a place that is vibrant, I'd live in Nashville, or Athens, GA (or most any SEC college town for that matter... but not Gainesville...can't live in Gator country.) There are so many places where I have loved spending time... San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, New Orleans, but... I wouldn't want to live there.

We have two beautiful grandchildren. We loved living near them when they were here in Florida. But, they are now in NE North Carolina. We could always move there and remain just a few minutes away. That idea was very, very tempting. But, just like our last move, we didn't know a soul (except our kids and grandkids) here in Florida, and we wouldn't know a soul in Moyock, NC.

So, we've decided, despite the difficulty of the decision, that it is time to go "home" ...back to the area where we previously lived. In 2016, Carol was diagnosed with some memory related challenges (although she is still doing remarkably well.) My first priority was and is to do what is best for her. Our son lives in Augusta and will be getting married in November. We'd like to be nearby as he and our daughter-in-law embark on the beginning of their married life. We have a church in Augusta that we have been a part of since 1984. We have all of Carol's doctors in Augusta. Carol's sister and her husband are nearby. And there are some other important people in Augusta. As her husband, I can serve in many capacities for her... but there is one thing I cannot be...her girlfriend. She (and I) have some very special people in our life that, for decades, we have called friends. I think it is important for Carol to have her girlfriends nearby. I mean, she needs someone to whom she can complain about her husband!!

HaRVy- our 38 foot home on wheels, pulling Dolly and Taurus

If you follow or occasionally read my blogs, you know that we purchased a motorhome. Our daughter, son-in-law, and grandkids live 450 miles away from Augusta. Since traveling has become more difficult for Carol, we discovered that traveling by motorhome, allowing her to wake up in familiar surroundings (albeit smaller,) makes it easy for us to visit and spend time away from where our house is.

So, while we are now officially renters in Evans, GA... we will keep our motorhome HaRVy busy as he takes us to reuinite with our other family members and with friends as often as I can afford to put gas in him.

Where we belong

Why Georgia? Well, it just seemed like that is where we are supposed to be.

Can't see the steeple for the trees

First Baptist Church of Augusta steeple

There is a familiar idiom that goes like this- "he can't see the forest for the trees." We know it to mean that sometimes we get so caught up in the details that we miss the big picture.

Yesterday morning on my way to work, I took my usual route...left turn out of my driveway, right turn at the end of my street, another right turn at the four way intersection and about 70 yards later as the road curves to the left and heads downhill, over the trees I can see the very top part of the iconic steeple of my church- First Baptist Church of Augusta. It is only in view for a brief time because the road drops in elevation and eventually the steeple is lost behind the distant pine trees on the nearer horizon. But this morning, I noticed that I could no longer see the steeple at all. Those mighty pine trees have continued to grow taller every year and I am afraid that they have now reached  a height such that my view of the steeple is no more...at least from one of my favorite vantage points. I can't see the steeple for the trees.

The steeple of First Baptist Church is one of the most beautiful ones you'll find. It is no longer common for churches to be built in that architectural style and that beautiful spire, painted a lovely cream color, rises high into the air as if pointing towards God Himself. At the very top of the steeple sits a cross...that symbol of hope for Christians everywhere. First Baptist Church's sanctuary was built in the early 1980's and that massive steeple became and remains a very familiar landmark in our area. But to me, it is more than just a landmark. Whenever I see that steeple from the many vantage points in our town, it reminds me that I am close to home...yes it is true that my house is nearby but, that's not what I am talking about. I know that my church home is near.

This is the place where I walked the aisle to publicly profess my faith in Jesus Christ at the age of 28. It is where I was baptized as a believer (28 years after the emergency Catholic baptism I received a few hours after my premature birth.) It is where our children were dedicated as babies and where they later made their professions of faith and followed in baptism. It is where I was ordained as a deacon and hands were laid on me in prayer and affirmation. It is where we joyously celebrated our daughter's wedding and where we mourned the loss of friends that had passed.

Yesterday, I lost sight of the steeple...I couldn't see it because it had become obscured by the trees. I thought about that throughout the day yesterday and wondered if I don't sometimes find myself living that kind of faith journey. I said earlier that not seeing the forest because of the trees means missing the big picture...the most important things. What are the trees that are blocking my ability to see? Maybe I get caught up in all the "works" I do in and around the church...oh sure they can be important and good things. Maybe it is the committees and meetings I take part in. Maybe it is the prickly debates about denominational distinctions and theological doctrine that can obscure what is more important. Maybe it is a misguided attention to budgets and attendance figures and positive congregational feedback. Maybe it is the busy-ness of life and my lack of time with God. Maybe it is my myopic focus on what God can do for me while being blind to those in need around me. I have a lot of big trees in my life that, while not necessarily bad things (though some are,) can be blocking the view of that to which I should be focusing.

Matthew, in the 22nd chapter of his gospel, recounts the story of the Pharisees coming to Jesus asking Him a question in an attempt to trip Him up. Verses 36- 39 say: "'Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?' Jesus replied, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'love your neighbor as yourself.'"

How about you? Is there anything keeping you from "seeing" the steeple?

My race car

We've all seen the race cars of NASCAR...every conceivable color combination is out there. One of the things I like about them is all the decals on the cars and driver suits. The labels allow the team to identify who they are and who sponsors them. In many cases, the announcers don't even refer to the cars by the driver or race team name...it's simply "the 18 car." (NASCAR fans know all the car numbers.)

Imagine if each of us wore labels on the outside that identified who we are. What kind of decals or patches would we apply? What would others say we should wear? We might be surprised to learn that our self-described labels are probably different from the ones others would suggest for us. You may disagree and argue that people shouldn't be given labels. But don't all of us, when we think of or see others, label them?

There are the familiar labels...labels for our gender, sexual orientation, political party, ideological position, ethnicity, socio-economic status, citizenship, marital status, personality, health status, age, interests, geographic identification.... and on and on.

Let's see...my "car" could be labeled: short bald pudgy healthy white married American straight baby-boomer male Republican conservative middle-class Southerner ESTP (Myers Briggs personality type) business owner Bulldawg musician camper dog-lover...and that's just a start. Man...wouldn't my car look cool?

Every race fan knows that the most important decal goes on the hood...that's the major sponsor's position. What label would go on your car's hood? Are you most identified by your job? the initials after your name? your social status? your financial status? your relationship status? your family heritage?

As a Christian, my desire is for my relationship with Jesus Christ to have the primary position..the most important label. But honestly, I think there are times when I relegate that decal to the quarter panel. Seems I have other sponsors that I allow to become most important. But my job, my money, my social status have no eternal value. My relationship with Christ does...

How do you want to be identified? What would your car look like?