Aug 8, 2017 |
by Josie Siler @josie_siler
One of my happy places is way out in the country. It’s located down a back road and you need to go through a gate to get in. Once you’re in you’ll park in a small lot next to everything from motorcycles and jacked-up Jeeps to trucks and nondescript cars.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Fun Faith Adventures with Josie Siler: Choose Your Battles
In this happy place I meet with family, friends, and strangers whose lives are as diverse as their vehicles. We swap magazines, actively engage our surroundings, and learn from the best.
What is this magical place? A gym? A school? Perhaps a gated community? In a sense, all of those answers are correct.
It’s a shooting range!
I know this might sound terrifying to some of you, but I’m a Wisconsin girl and shooting is in my blood. It’s part of the culture here and an absolutely normal part of life. I’ve been shooting my entire life, but it wasn’t until a few years ago that I really got into training.
My family met Dirk and Jo of Jasco Defense Strategies at a gun show held at our church. Yes, I said church; it really is part of our culture here! Dirk is a firearms instructor and a dang good one. My entire family took his concealed carry class and we were hooked.
Last summer I took Defensive Handgun 1. This class teaches you how to shoot from various positions including on your knees, leaning back on an elbow, or even flat on your back shooting between your feet. The whole time I was reciting in my head, “Don’t shoot your toe off, don’t shoot you toe off, don’t shoot your toe off . . .”
We learned how to shoot from behind and around shelter, what targets to engage first, how to assess the risk, and how not to get in trouble in the first place. You guys (that’s like “y’all” for us northerners), it was So Much Fun!
Living with chronic illness, shooting can be a challenge. Often it will take me days to recover from a night at the range and sometimes a week or more to recover from a class.
But sometimes in life you have to make the choice to have fun anyway because the joy you get from doing something is worth the pain.
There have been a lot of classes and range nights that I’ve had to miss, but I do everything I can to help my body be ready for fun. I schedule things so I can have energy before and time to rest after because I like it so much. There are a lot of reasons why:
One: It’s a stress reliever. If life is stressing you out, an hour or two at the shooting range is good medicine. I mean, you literally get to shoot your worries away – how awesome is that?!
Two: It’s family bonding at its finest. My entire family likes to shoot so when we all go to the range or take a class together it’s a blast. (Ha, blast!) We get to watch each other improve and celebrate victories together.
Three: It’s a confidence builder. I don’t know if I’ve ever done anything that has built my confidence as much. When you can load and rack your handgun, understand the situation before you, and run a course, hitting every target and swapping mags[1] on the fly, you feel like a million bucks. You can face any problems head on because you just rocked that course and if you can do that you can do anything.
Four: I’m better prepared to live life safely. Let’s face it, today’s world is dangerous. Through shooting classes I’ve learned situational awareness[2]. I don’t walk to the car while playing on my cellphone, I keep my head up and eyes open. I don’t just check my six[3] out on the range; I check my six at the grocery store and in the parking lot. I walk with confidence and my body language shows that I’m not an easy target, even if I am small female. I’m a person who will fight back if necessary.
Five: It deepens my faith in God. I can see you scratching your head, but hear me out on this one. First of all, anything I do in nature deepens my faith in God. I love being in His creation. But beyond that, I’m learning how to be confident in the person God made me to be and learning lessons that can be applied to life and faith. For example, when my instructor gives me a command, I don’t always understand why he wants me to that, but I know that if I don’t obey I could be injured or someone else could be injured. Eventually I understand the “why” but by golly I better obey or I could be in trouble. It’s the same way with the commands God gives us in Scripture. I may not always understand the “why” right away, but I know that God is good and that His commands are for my benefit and safety. If I don’t obey God I’m going to find myself in trouble.
This Saturday I will be taking the Defensive Handgun 2 class and it’s going to be awesome! Do I have any shooting buddies out there? I’d love to meet you in the comments! Let me know what you like to shoot and what God has taught you through shooting.
Not a shooter? That’s okay! I think that any hobby we have or activity we enjoy can teach us something about God. Fun and faith are not mutually exclusive! I’d love to hear about something you love to do and what God has taught through it.
Footnotes:
[1] A magazine is what holds the rounds in a handgun. Rounds are what most people call bullets, but a bullet is only part of the round. The round is made up of the bullet, the gun powder, the primer, and the casing which holds it all together – see you learn things when you take classes!
[2] Situational awareness is knowing what’s going on around you. Be aware of your surroundings and have plans in place for those “what if” scenarios.
[3] Checking your six is looking behind you. Picture a clock: 12:00 is what’s in front of you; 6:00 is what’s behind you. Checking your six is being aware of what happening all around you.
TWEET THIS: Making the choice to have fun is worth the pain. @RealMojo @josie_siler #chronicillness #chooseyourbattles
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
Josie Siler
Josie Siler loves sharing God’s gifts of beauty, hope, and adventure. She’s an award-winning writer, a published author, and an award-winning photographer. She can’t seem to separate her two loves so she brings them together each week in a #BehindThePhotoFriday story. Josie is also the Vice President of Broken but Priceless Ministries and the Editorial Assistant for “Broken but Priceless: The Magazine.” When she’s not writing or taking pictures, you’ll find this biker chick riding her motorcycle, reading a good book, drinking coffee, eating chocolate, or shooting something at the range. Learn more about Josie at josiesiler.com.
Jan 1, 2016 |
Do y’all know me? Do you know you how I like my stability and security? You do? So it’s a surprise then, right, that change is my word for the year? Maybe it should be perspective but that only allows for a view shift. I think change is more dynamically inclusive of the unknown or irregular. And it gets the heart beating a little better.
Yeah. It surprises me too. I’m the one who likes to know things. I can go with the flow only so long as I know where the flow goes.
Life is either a daring adventure or it’s nothing. ~Helen Keller
Change is fluid. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing, this or that. It can be subtle or strong. What I’m sweetly discovering is change doesn’t always mean replacement. It can mean addition, alteration, shift.
My Penny Jar
I’ve traded up my small glass penny jar for a larger plastic bottle that holds more ~ coins and bills. I haven’t stopped my saving. I’ve amped it up. That’s a change I can get on board with.
Embracing change can also mean not embracing change. I’m a creature of habit and schedule. I’ll grow my hair to almost shoulder length and then once or twice a year have it cut short and sassy. This week, I chose to change by not changing. I had my hair trimmed and colored, but not cut. I changed my habit of changing.
A Perspective Change
Last weekend I replaced the calendar pages in my day planner. I stood on the desk chair for this photo. Did my calendar change? Was there different tea in my NOLA mug? Did those thumb drives leap to life with pages ready for print? No. You already know that. But my perspective changed. Taking a step back from the task at hand allowed me to view the larger picture of my goals and tasks for the upcoming year.
Some change is necessary. If I stick my roots down too firmly in the familiar, I won’t bend but I might break with the storms. I am reminded to stop fighting and be still.
“Stop forcing a catastrophe where there’s not even a storm.”
I’m embracing change this year because I’m ready for the adventure it brings. I’m ready to move beyond my comfort zone. I’m not changing everything, but I’m refusing to remain stagnant.
As I write this, it’s New Year’s Eve and I’m watching The Poseidon Adventure with Mom. Now there’s an adventure movie. It’s our usual NYE fare, a tradition for many years. This year, I’m watching it differently. It’s the same movie, but my viewing has changed. It’s Al Gansky’s fault. He referenced it in the Spirituality in Fiction episode of the Firsts in Fiction podcast. It created another perspective shift for me.
The survivors of the Poseidon have to change their perspective, or they won’t survive. (I’d say “spoiler alert,” but I’m thinking you already know this.) The ship is turned upside down and they have to venture up which is down to find their way out. The world is in chaos, but they work together. Some make it, some don’t. But it’s the ones who stuck to their stability in the beginning, who clung to the familiar even in disarray, who never even had a chance. They believed the ordinary was still working, and they died before our protagonists’ adventure began.
The survivors realize that change was thrust upon them, and they choose to work through it, even creating some of their own. Dependencies, relationships, and strengths are born through the adventure of finding their salvation.
So maybe I’ll take two words this year. Change and Perspective. I can have one without the other, but together, it’s going to be quite an adventurous year.
There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind. C.S. Lewis
And Frankly, My Dear . . . that’s all she wrote!
Mar 1, 2015 |
For several months, I’ve not been writing. At least not to the extent I was last summer.
It wasn’t writer’s block, exactly. I had a lot to say. I just got in my own way of saying it.
The thought had come upon me that what I had to say was far less valuable than what others had to say. That my words were less worthwhile than life.
I stumbled over the thought that perhaps
I am insignificant.
I’ve been going through the motions, attending critique groups, writers club, and special events. I’ve been editing and socializing and marketing and networking and doing all the things a successful writer does . . . except writing.
There are some moments that belong to others, stories I shouldn’t share. Seasons that are too personal to blog about. And life that moves too quickly to put it on paper.
February brought adventure into my world that I didn’t know it needed. Not only did Dot get engaged, they are already married and next week, heading to Seattle for a great opportunity for both of them. I’m utterly sad to see them leave, but it’s with open arms that I can let them go, and embrace the new part of my life.
“You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”
~ A. A. Milne, “Winnie the Pooh”
I was suffocated with a momentary fear that I don’t know how to be my own person. I’ve lived my live so consistently for other people . . . what will it be like to live alone?
And I saw the doors open on a new horizon.
I’m already chatting with WinCo Foods to create new #CookingForOne recipes.
My friends want me to share my journey of being pushed into an Empty Nest so quickly.
I’ve discovered that girlfriends, writers, and God are more important now than before.
There’s no lack of writing material for this new life.
I’m going to turn the extra room into a media/workout room.
I can write late into the evenings without interruption.
I’m able to stay out later, go out more often, and do more things because there’s not a second person’s schedule or dinner plans to coordinate with.
I’m no longer a single mom. I’m just single. And I’m okay with that.
Of course, I still have five cats and writing and home improvement projects. Those haven’t changed. But I’m seeing life differently.
I’m seeing it boldly and in living color.
I’m seeing HOPE.
HOPE is the thing with feathers . . .
Later this month, I’m having an Empty Nest party to celebrate my new adventures.
And I’ve decided that celebrating every day is an adventure in itself.
And Frankly, My Dear . . . that’s all she wrote!
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2015: HOPE
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I am Defined. And I am a Mystery.
Mar 30, 2012
I hate the end of any month. I really do. It means I have to spend several hours going over the budget for the next month and trying to figure out how to make ends meet.
But it means seeing how we got through this month when we weren’t sure four weeks ago how we’d do it.
It means planning another month of meals and snacks and extras that usually include more than one dollar sign.
But it means fine tuning the Meal Memo in a Jar plan we started in March, which is saving us time and money, and giving us quality family time around the dinner table.
It means stepping into the unknown which I’m not always good at because I like my stability.
But it means having a blank page to start with, which I find refreshing.
It means a new writing commitment, sometimes more than one.
But it means striving toward that ultimate goal.
It means the unexpected, the uncertain.
It means adventure.
And arms open wide to embrace whatever comes my way.
I’m ready….
… I think!
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
Oct 10, 2011 |
by Molly Jo Realy @MollyJoRealy
On Saturday, I took my daughter and her friend, Nathan, to Disneyland. Since we live in Southern California, we’re lucky enough to have annual passes so we try to get there at least once every two months.
This trip I spent some time alone, wandering through the Parks. Instead of riding the bigger roller-coasters, I slowed my pace, enjoying the shops and attractions. On Main Street USA next to the timeless favorite Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, I found myself pulled into the Disney Gallery, currently showcasing the art of Mary Blair. It was, in typical Disney fashion, quite magical.
This was a place with no young children calling and pulling their parents along. No loud noises. No big crowds. It was simply a journey into the mind and beauty of one of Walt’s favorite animators, responsible for the themes behind Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan and Cinderella. She was also the designer/inspiration for that iconic ride, it’s a small world.
Throughout the rest of my day, it was a pleasant surprise to see those little touches throughout the Park. Of course, we had to ride the ride together just after twilight. I’m not sure why we usually do it then, since it’s an indoor ride. For me, I think, it’s because the line is shorter and you have the added thrill of exiting the ride into the lit-up world of Fantasyland. It’s never the same. There are so many details that can be so easily lost in the larger picture. So there we were, Hannah, Nathan, and myself, floating smoothly and singing along to the soundtrack that’s as integral to Disney as Walt himself. I found myself ignoring the big picture in order to selectively view those dolls and settings created by Mary Blair. It was just as exciting when Nathan pointed out the doll for Cinderella, which he’d never noticed before, and when, after all these years, I realized that I’d known the entire soundtrack, including Italian scene lyrics, since I was a child (thanks, Disney long-playing records!).
The other thrill of the day, was finding a Hidden Mickey that I’d been searching for, for about two years. I’m not big on stopping traffic in order to look about. Disneyland works better, for me and others, when someone doesn’t suddenly cease walking and gaze about in foot traffic. With Hannah and Nathan over at Disney’s California Adventure, and no plan for the immediate time, I strolled again down Main Street USA, taking it the sights, sounds, and smells of a century ago. Slowly passing the areas I knew had Hidden Mickeys – those head-and-ears icons that are stylishly designed into the structure of the park. It can be quite a challenge to see them, as there often are people blocking the view. But not this time. I glanced up at a mock-door, and there they were. Two of them, in fact. One at the top, the other at the bottom. To make it even more special, it was on the door of the Casting Agency, with a painted quote by Walt: “It takes People to Make the Dream a Reality”. I immediately snapped a picture with my cell phone and sent it to Megan.
There were other new experiences as well. This is the third time all three of us have gone together, and each time we try to eat at somewhere new. My daughter’s favorite, Rancho del Zocalo Restaurante, was our first trip. She loves Mexican food! Our second trip, we stopped at my favorite, the French Market, sitting on the outside patio reminiscent of jazzy New Orleans and right next to the Haunted Mansion (always our first ride). But this trip, we chose to eat in California Adventure and found ourselves at the Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grill. Yes, another Mexican grill. But this one had different offerings, and they were just as uniquely delicious as Zocalo.
I rode Pinocchio’s Daring Adventure while Hannah and Nathan enjoyed “ElecTRONica”. Sure. It’s for young kids. But Pinocchio is my favorite Disney movie (he wears red, he’s Italian, it’s full of adventure and color… what’s not to love?!). So I took a ride. It was great. And not once did I feel awkward being alone (well, maybe just a little, but once I saw Jiminy Cricket, that feeling ended!).
They filled their afternoon with Tower of Terror, Space Mountain’s Ghost Galaxy, and the animation studios.
We ended the day as Nathan took us to D Street, a store in Downtown Disney District (which is a great place by itself, even if you don’t go into the Resort Parks). D Street is the place to purchase Disney Vinylmation: cute Mickey icons designed like, well, almost anything. It’s a new collection obsession that I have resisted for several years… until Nathan bought one each for me and Hannah. He collects the “blind box” ones where you can’t tell what you have until you open the box. That’s part of the fun, he says. Purchasing, keeping, and trading (I’d tried pin trading, but could never get into it… I like the few pins I have and don’t want to give them up…).
There’s all kinds of themed sets. I was hooked as soon as Nathan let me open a Star Wars blind box he’d purchased, only to discover it was a “chaser” that was more rare than the regulars, and necessary to the completion of his friend’s collection. Within five seconds, he was on the phone, arranging a trade.
Seeing our intrigue, he went into the store and purchased an “Animation Series 1” for Hannah, and a “Have a Laugh Series 1” for me. I thought it was cute and fun: I didn’t plan to get hooked. But apparently I am, because I’m already saving for my next Day at Disney.
After nearly 12 hours of walking, riding, shopping and seeing, it was time to head home. A short day by usual standards, but an exiting one.
All in all, it was a pretty great adventure: the familiar feeling of Disneyland, combined with the thrill of new experiences.
I can’t wait to go back. Each trip is an adventure.
