The Blog of Tom Dale

Have you ever thought of what it would be like to never grow old? There is something in all of us that yearns for immortality. We remember our childhood and how seemingly innocent and carefree we were. Even if we had less than perfect memories, almost all of us would want to relive our youth. Like Peter Pan in Neverland, we yearn to be children. What happened? As time passed, our parents instructed us to become more “mature” and “responsible”. Schools prepared us for “adulthood” and “productive, meaningful careers”. We felt pressure to conform to standards of what adults should meet. We were told to “grow up”. But that’s not what Jesus told us. Jesus, in fact, told us the exact opposite. Three biblical writers- Matthew, Mark, and Luke- all record that Jesus was held in high esteem by the crowds. People walked for miles to hear him. And people would bring their entire families, including young children, to hear what Jesus would speak about. Parents began to b

Have you ever felt that you had so many things to accomplish, but did not have the energy to do them all? We live in a busy world. Between work, travel, and play, there seems an endless amount of tasks to do. Many of us feel worn out at the end of the day. We lack the energy to keep up with our schedules. To gain energy, we try a variety of activities, including: Drinking lots of coffee Taking naps Working out at the gym Reading a book called “100 Ways to Re-Energize Your Life!” Reading a sequel to that book, called “100 More Ways to Re-Energize Your Life!” These may all be valid ways to gain energy for what we need to do in our lives. But it is a scientific fact that energy cannot be completed or destroyed; it can be changed from one state or form to another. This is true for all the forms of energy that we can think  of, including Gravitational Heat Chemical Electrical Wind Nuclear Therefore, we can’t truly credit these fo

I am excited for 2015! Like many people, there are some things I'd like to  differently for this new year. Here is a list of some of my New Year Resolutions and action plans: Be Healthier Run a Half Marathon in spring Exercise daily through cardio, stretching, or weight lifting Eat full servings of fruits and veggies at every meal Manage Money Better Give more for God’s Kingdom through church Start saving for retirement (not as if I ever will retire, but it doesn't hurt to plan for the worst) Open IRA on one year work anniversary in March Learn More Learn new languages Study Spanish through Duolingo and daily Bible readings Learn major Greek and Hebrew words in biblical texts Learn some self-defense Sign up for local classes Learn to shoot a gun Finish General Education Credits I'm sure that I'll eventually add more. I am an ENFP, after all. But truthfully, I may break some of these resolution

It was a slow time at work. There were not as many incoming phone calls in the call center as usual. Although I try to keep my mind focused on work while I'm in the office (after all, that's why I'm there!), my mind drifted to thinking about the new year. What should I write down as my New Year's Resolutions? I was having trouble thinking of good resolutions. Most people write down, "Make more money" or "Lose more weight". But I was satisfied with my paycheck, and if I lost any more weight I would be invisible when I turned sideways. Then I had a brilliant thought: I'll ask my co-workers to write a list for me! I opened up a Google Doc, named it "Tom Dale's New Year's Resolutions", and sent an informal link to some of my co-workers/friends. Within minutes the document was filled with their suggestions. Here is their list. Repent from being reformed and turn to the truth of being an Arminian Grow 2 inches Hike the Grand