Rest & Balance
Articles mainly about rest, sabbath, balance, slowing down, solitude and renewal.
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When despair comes
Dad loved the Ignatian spiritual exercises. He used them diligently to listen and discern God’s will in decision making. When in despair, Ignatian cautions not to change course or make decisions when experiencing hardship and difficulty.
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Drive-rhythm-margin
Life without balance between drive, rhythm, and margin is like driving an automobile with tires out of balance. It can be done; however, the journey is unpleasant.
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Take a Planned Timeout!
Coaching basketball taught me many life-related concepts. These principles just appeared on the court! One example is a timeout. To take a break, intermission, breather becomes a time to refocus.
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Timeout
My dad loved timeouts. This is not a punishment and it’s unfortunate that this language is connected to punishment. Timeouts are crucial for our health, for taking a step back, and for reevaluating.
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Tranquility
My dad loved spontaneity, but he also loved ceremony. He believed events required the joy of planning, the importance of tangible ways to talk about the event, and the remembrance of an event.
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Slow the Bus Down
During staff prayer, we selected words we needed for our week. A few staff members chose the word, “Energy.” One of the people I love is a man named Danny Beard who worked at NBC Camps for many…
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Christmas Intention
The world outside my window is covered in snow, the trees flocked with hoarfrost. A palpable stillness descends with the snow. I have a quiet, almost solemn but still joyful feeling as I look out in wonder.
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Energy Crisis
Dad and I often discussed energy. Navigating cancer requires tremendous energy expenditures, which results in less energy for other aspects of life.
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Daily Grace
I am reading Ulysses by James Joyce. Truly not the easiest read but entertaining nonetheless.
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Garden
As I plan for Dad’s Celebration of Life, the person helping me organize the décor told me that because the stage is large, she imagined we could make it like a garden and asked if my Dad liked…
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Messenger
Today is my Dad’s birthday. Do I write that it would have been his 80th or that it is his 80th birthday? I will say it is Dad’s 80th birthday.
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Caesura Pause
I have been thinking about my Dad’s skills and gifts that I aspire to have in my life. One skill he had was the caesura pause.
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True Peace
Dad sat down with me in the New Year of 2018. He asked me to consider a few tasks for my life. I will be sharing these in the New Year as a form of inner resolution.
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Psalm 23
Dad and I often talked about life balance. Dad was a juggernaut of energy when he was younger. He was a make it happen person. But as he developed cancer, his ability to power through became harder.
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Creating Your Own Secret Garden
I have felt fairly bereft with dad’s passing, so I have decided to set a daily intention, something he would encourage me to consider for the day.
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Sacred Silence or Selfishness
Written near the end of his life, Soren Kierkegaard gives insights into what we call “infinite resignation.” This is in his book The Lily of the Field and the Bird of the Air.
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Comfort in Silence
Years ago, Henry David Thoreau said: “The mass of men live lives of QUIET desperation.” Yet today, I (meaning Fred Crowell) say: “Most people live lives of ACTIVE desperation.” Why?
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Sleep Is Precious and Priceless
“I think of you through the watches of the night because you are my help.” After three full, long days at a camp, the 75-year-old body was ready for sleep. I slept 12 hours in one day.
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Healthy Silence
The base note of our lives is silence. The trees must be in it, the birds sing, the dogs bark, cars beep – people speak – but the silence is the deep ground.
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Priceless Vacation Absolutely Free
Sounds too good to be true. Well, truthfully it is priceless but it is not absolutely free. This priceless vacation does not cost one red cent; however, it costs your time and your devoted attention.
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Sacred Place – Secret Garden
The most beautiful and blessed place on earth. Slow the bus down is a favorite expression in the Crowell home when one of us gets too busy, anxious or troubled.
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17 Minutes, 17 Seconds
These two 17’s are the best moments of my day! This is time dedicated to entering my personal secret garden. The psalmist called this a secret place.
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Relax
Slow the bus down. Relax. Breath. Call Time Out. When the pace gets too fast, relax. When words flow too quickly, relax. When the conversation heats up, relax. When anger seethes, relax.
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Wake in Darkness
When I awaken in darkness in the middle of the night with a sudden thought that cancer will defeat me, fear grips my heart like a villain.
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Human Being or Human Doing?
“What is man that you are mindful of him?” Circumstances have motivated me to do some existential self-diagnosis.
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Westerners Have Watches
An African proverb says, “Westerners have watches, Africans have time.” The meaning: Africans work with goals and targets but do not relate them to a time deadline. Therefore, there is no hurry in Africa.
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Existential Diagnosis of Self-love, Part 2
For the best subconscious nanosecond’s response, I suggest these four literary prose are worth reading repeatedly. They will support our inward peace and rest.
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One or Two Fisted Living
Solomon has wisdom for those of us willing to listen, learn and do. “Fools fold their hands leading to ruin.” And yet.
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Mindful Management & Self-regulation, Part 2
One great mind once said, “If you spend 15 minutes a day in Mindful Management with Self-Regulation, you will be able to solve nearly all of your problems.” Fifteen minutes!
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Space Phenomena
Without space, life is absent from rhythm. Life is rhythm therefore life is dead without rhythm. Space is integral to life. Living in the USA is a precious gift for millions of people.
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The It Phenomena
Key Statement: The IT of life is anything and everything that is on our radar screen. The IT demands our time, energy, and attention.
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A Special Rest
“So, there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God.” My beloved Susie asked me an elegant question last week.
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Walk Alone Time
It is not possible to stand or walk in a crowd until you can stand and walk alone. The best gift you can give to those you love is a healthy you.
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Timeouts Are Vital
TIMEOUTS ARE VITAL Athletics prove time outs are critically important. The mark of great coaches is having the skill to take the complex and make it simple.
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17 Minutes – 17 Seconds
17:17 is now my magic number! It replaces 15:00. Why is it magic? It is my ALONE TIME within a personal private place. It is my stop-everything time to bring every thought under control with deep breaths.
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Quicksand and Roto-rooters
KEY STATEMENT: Too much to do. Spent the past two months trying to clear my plate, feels like running in quicksand. In what way or manner would any or all of the quote above describe you?
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Body Truth – Heart Truth
The skill to know when the body and the mind are telling us the truth is equally important as knowing when the body and the mind are telling us a lie.
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Doing Nothing Is Difficult
Coach Jim Harrick delights in saying, “I am doing nothing today and I won’t start until noon.” As my wife Susie recovers from a car accident that resulted in a broken sternum, which has rendered her helpless, we…
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Enemy #1 – Too Busy
“If we are BUSY, we are too BUSY.” The problem with being busy is the second we finish one task, we add another busy task to our to do list. Crowell’s Law of BIZZY .
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Protect Your Sacred Place
Famous motivational leader, Earl Nightingale, said, “If you spend 15 minutes alone each day, you can solve most of the world’s problems.” 17 years ago, I began an intense study of St. Ignatius theology.
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Crowell Life Skills Board Room
Key statement: America’s number one Airline Company is Alaska Airlines. This claim is based on two factors: Exceptional customer service, based on professional excellence at every level, and personally.
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Coach Crowell on April to November Basketball
Key Statement: School ball season is ALL about the team. The player sacrifices for the team. Off-season is all about the player; not the team. In-season selfishness is team poison.
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15 Minutes
“Such a short period of time, yet so difficult to set aside too be still, to be quiet.” Often I told my dear friend, who is racked with MS pain and needs help with things like transportation and…
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The Secret of Silence
“Be still and know that I am God.” A friend likes to tell me, “I am going to do nothing today, and I don’t plan to start until noon.” About 17 years ago, I began the interior journey.…
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Sleep Protect the Asset
Each night when I go to sleep, I die, in the next morning, when I wake up, I am reborn.
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The Secret Garden
The world’s best vacation destination and it’s free! IN CABO SAN LUCAS ESPERANZA and La Pamilla battle for the number one best resort. On the seas the major cruise lines boast to be the best.
