Shoot for the "Mooney"

How high is your spirit going to fly today?  Are you going to embrace life with the ardor and zest of Dan Mooney?  Dan Mooney????  Who's that?  He was one of my friends, but we all know a Dan Mooney.  He's the guy or gal that illuminates everything with which they come into contact.  They're gregarious, hilarious, intelligent, successful.  They're special.  They're an homage to the indomitable human spirit and a gracious gift from heaven above.  They play hard and live fast.  They make 50 foot putts for birdie and win the last poker jackpot at the end of the night.  Even as you watch them rake your pile of money across the table, you find yourself smiling all the same. 

My Dan Mooney passed away last year after a seven year battle with cancer.  I only knew him about three of those years, but he finds his way into my thoughts often.  Maybe its because he was about my age, maybe its because he was the kind of guy everyone wants to love, maybe its because he had accomplished so much at such a young age.  I think mostly though it's because he was naturally filled with what the Bible calls the fruits of the spirit.  Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control.  I strive in my life to be filled with those qualities.  It's easy to claim those traits when things are going well, but to truly be filled is to have them exposed during terrible challenges.  Maybe that's why I think of Dan so often.  Our true nature is revealed during crisis, and for him crisis revealed the truth of his Love, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control.

  When Dan did finally pass, his wife, Amy, prepared a compilation of music for his memorial service.  Included in the disc was a recording of her singing the Bob Dylan classic Download 01_youre_gonna_make_me_lonesome_whe.m4a "You're Going to Make Me Lonesome When You Go."  Hearing it last night reminded me again of the bittersweet joys and challenges of this life.  One of the greatest joys is being able to choose what your heart will be filled with.  So how will you begin this week?  How will you focus your mind and body and soul to deal with the challenges you know you'll face?  I'm know I'm going to remember my friend and "Shoot for the Mooney".