"You're gonna get arrested!!"

The water was frigid. All of our legs were numb to the touch.

We stepped out of the river to walk back up to the car.

At the time, it seemed like a good decision.

Until...

We didn't know whose property we were walking on.

As we approach the main road that runs along the Nantahala River in the plush green mountains of North Carolina, we hear a loud voice.

A lady across the street came barreling out of a shed that looked about a hundred years old.

With the anger on her face and the fire in her voice, we knew it wasn't a good situation.

Like an automatic gun fired off...

"Get off my property!"

"I'm calling the police!!"

.....

"You're gonna get arrested!!!"

I decided not to engage.

We walked up to our truck as fast as we could.

We moved upriver to find another spot.

Didn’t have much luck at any other fishing spots so…

We found ourselves back at the original location.

We waded downriver, and I ended up in front of (we'll call her Ms. A) the property covered in every kind of Trump flag.

I'm freezing, standing in the middle of the river (catching fish, mind you).

There is Ms. A standing guard on the property where the land meets the water. Her phone is out as she films me to capture any possible infraction.

After 10 minutes of me not going near her property, she hopped on her four-wheeler and zoomed off like a bat out of hell.

As I stood in the middle of the river, I was captivated by her response and the situation. I came to one conclusion about why she responded the way she did.

As I pondered this crazy situation, I started wading back up the river against the current.

I get up the truck where my son Jacob, his friend Evan, and my Drew are engaged with Ms. A.

She zoomed up to give the a "what's for"” and take all the necessary pictures of the license plates and the trespassing terrorists that a couple of hours earlier crossed her boundaries.

As soon as I walked up, I could feel tension. I could also see the weight of fear she'd carried for years.

At that moment, my thoughts were confirmed.

Ms. A was steeped in a life ruled by fear. She thought I was someone who trespassed on her land before and encouraged others to do the same.

It was confirmed that I was not the perp, and we entered into a friendly conversation. I started asking her questions.

I was intrigued by her and why she responded the way she did.

She was afraid, almost scared for her life of any potential danger.

Her life (literally) was ruled by fear.

Our responses in life reveal what rules us.

If we're ruled by fear, our response will be fear.

If we're ruled by peace, that will be our response.

If we're ruled by greed, we'll respond to life in a greed-fueled way.

Ms. A started telling me about all the immigrants coming across the border. She mentioned the amount of guns she had in her house. She said, "You don't know who will come down this river."

Listen, I don't know what experiences in life have led her to this point.

Here are two things I do know:

1. That is a miserable way to live

2. She has the power to change what runs her life

Same with you and me.

We're all ruled by something.

Fear, greed, peace, joy, people's opinions, etc.

The way to have a miserable life is to not have awareness and not direct our minds, hearts, and souls in the direction we want it to go.

So my question is: what rules do you have? How do you respond to life?

Let me know…

C

I turned the big 43 this week. I started working on a list of 43 bits of wisdom for 43 years. This is from a free-flow writing session I did that I want to share with you.

1. The slow life is the most beautiful

2. Patterns need a lot of intentionality to be changed

3. Everyone has unique gifts the world needs, and part of our purpose is to discover that purpose, strengthen it, and pour it out

4. It's okay to be child-like

5. I'm so self-reliant, and it's exhausting. I only want to rely on God.

6. It's a fool’s errand to think we can control much.

7. Freedom is in the ability to let go and know it will turn out for our good

8. Some of the greatest gifts in life come from some of the greatest struggles in life

9. Struggle isn't something to avoid; rather, it's something to embrace

10. There are diminishing returns to wealth

11. Learn when enough is enough

12. Find your "art" and stay in the studio

13. We're all created to create

14. I judge myself so much more than I realized

15. Intentional vulnerability is powerful and freeing

16. Nothing lasts forever

17. Life and beauty are fleeting

18. Don't let the special moments pass you by

19. Live in the moment and don't worry about tomorrow

20. Worry doesn't add to your life; it takes away

21. Spend significant time on knowing who you are

22. There is no greater love but to lay your life down for your brother

23. True friends are the ones willing to risk having difficult conversations

24. To understand peoples' actions, follow the incentives

25. How we treat people is a reflection of what we think about ourselves

26. Rest is drastically undervalued in our culture

27. People hurry because of the undercurrent of pain in their soul

28. Security will never be found in a bank account

29. Find your art and get to it

30. Work to build memories and keep those memories; that's all we truly have

31. We're not guaranteed tomorrow. Stop waiting to live.

32. In living, remember death

33. Read more

34. Reflect more

35. Rest more

36. External things will never satisfy

37. Experiences with important people trump things

38. Let your life speak to you

39. Let important things take the necessary time to develop naturally, like nature

40. Lean into your gifts and talents and orient your life around that

41. Practice silence and solitude daily

42. Write down all your ideas and be intentional about them

43. Trust God with everything