Faith – Dave Glardon

Tune In and Zone Out

February 6, 2026February 9, 2026 by Dave Glardon, posted in Uncategorized

Good morning! I hope your day is off to a great start, and building toward an awesome weekend! Now, let’s dive into a topic most of us tend to avoid because, on the surface, it smells a little like politics. Rest assured, this is not political. That’s not my style. But I do think we need to consider the effect 24-hour news can have on our emotional and spiritual health.

With all that’s transpired over the past several months, especially these past few days and weeks, it’s hard not to become obsessed with the news. I know people, including my own daughter, who intentionally avoid current events, just to preserve their own sanity. I get it. News can be disheartening, if not downright infuriating. And who wants to watch this stuff all day?

But let’s be real. We should all try to maintain at least a basic awareness of what’s going on around us. I’ve mentioned hurricanes that are threatening my daughter’s home, and more than once she’s asked, “What are you talking about?” Avoiding news is one thing, but we can’t just live in a media vacuum, especially when there are things we need to know to protect ourselves. Agreed?

I try to take a more measured approach. I catch up on the news once a day, maybe more if there’s a developing story. Right now, in my hometown of Tucson, an elderly woman is missing from her home in a story that’s captured global news. I pray for a happy outcome, though I do check the news from time to time to see if there have been any updates.

That said, media obsession is becoming an alarmingly potent force in our society, and I’ve seen a lot of friends fall into that abyss. News, especially politics, can completely consume our thoughts to the point that nothing else can creep in. And when we take those thoughts to work, or church, or social media, or family dinners, we find ourselves embracing the abyss instead of trying to climb back out.

It’s impossible to see anything and not have an opinion on it. That’s your brain processing input and applying your own personal values to it. But let me ask a question. When was the last time you got anybody on social media to change their mind about anything? Or live and in-person, either? I don’t have enough old calendars to go back that far. Do you? If so, we need to talk.

When we obsess over the news and our opinions about it, the only people who pay attention are others who also obsess over the news and already think like we do or are firmly on the other side. We can point out hypocrisy, pass judgment, or call people names. It may make us feel better for the moment, but it does nothing to advance our cause. In fact, most times it has the opposite effect.

By all means, be aware of the world around you. That’s healthy. Discuss your concerns with people who care and may be able to help shape your perspective. Then back away. Find something else to occupy your mind, something that stimulates your mind and body. Play with the kids. Sit on the porch. Take the dog for a walk. Or binge your favorite TV show. Anything to reclaim your mind.

Tune in long enough to see if anything warrants your immediate attention and then zone out. The news will continue just fine without you. Trust me. If you want to take an active role in shaping the news, get involved. Write or call your elected representatives. Draw up a poster and participate in peaceful protest. Record events from a distance that’s safe for you and everyone else.

Then hang up the phone, go home, and do something that restores your mind, body, and soul. Focusing our entire being on things we can’t change won’t fix anything. There’s more to life – enjoy it. And always remember the Serenity Prayer – “God grant me the serenity to accept what I cannot change, the courage to change what I can, and the wisdom always to know the difference.”

This is my prayer for each you, my friends – today and every day. Please share your thoughts in the comments. I’d really like to hear from you. Meanwhile, have a safe and happy Friday, and an even better weekend!

Who Do You Trust?

December 12, 2019 by Dave Glardon, posted in Uncategorized

Good morning! I hope your day is starting off nicely.

As I was waking up this morning, it occurred to me that a year ago I was sitting on the couch recovering from brain surgery. And here I am a genius again! What a difference a year makes. Okay, in all fairness, they only took a small piece and apparently, I wasn’t using that part anyway. It’s been said that we only use 3% of our brain. The rest is just sitting there waiting for something to do.

A few things amazed me about that whole ordeal. First was how quickly you can go from carefree and healthy to a very real danger to your life. Somehow, my brain had worn a hole in the bottom of my skull and spinal fluid was leaking into my inner ear. Which means that part of my brain was exposed to anything that made its way into my ear. So yes, I was the textbook definition of an airhead.

Another thing that amazed me was how quickly I recovered. The surgery itself only took two hours. I spent a night in recovery, a day in ICU, and a day in a regular room. Two days after the surgery I was home. Thirty years ago, I’d have been in the hospital a few weeks. That’s partly due to insurance companies trying to save money, but it’s also because of advances in medical technology.

Finally, it amazes me that I could walk into a hospital of my own free will, put on a gown, lie down on a bed, and let a complete stranger cut a hole in my head. I believe that has to be the epitome of trust, and I’ve ridden in a car with my grandson. Believe me, you don’t fall asleep on that ride.

Sure, I’d met the surgeon once before, but how often do we put our complete faith in people we’ve never even met? We’d like to think they know exactly what they’re doing, but even an airline pilot has checklists and a flight manual to make sure nothing is forgotten. And think of the ground crew who have never flown a plane in their life and are probably getting paid barely above minimum wage.

All through our lives, we place varying levels of trust in people we don’t know. Even a trip to the grocery store involves trust. We see other cars coming our way and trust that they’ll stay in their own lane. We drive through green lights trusting that nobody else will run a red light. And we park our car between two painted lines, confident that whoever parks next to us will do the same.

So, where is that leap of faith when it comes to doing things for ourselves? We see somebody living the life we’d like to enjoy, and think they must be pretty smart. No smarter than us, mind you, but they’ve obviously found some secret to success that we never thought of. Yet, as soon as they say, “It’s simple … let me show you,” our defenses go up. It must be some kind of scam.

Granted, there are people out there who don’t deserve our trust. But, by and large, human beings are pretty honest. And when somebody, especially a friend, offers to help you achieve some of your own dreams, odds are they’re being sincere.

So, all that’s left is your ability to trust the person best able to make these things happen – yourself. And that’s where we usually come up short. We look at an opportunity and think, “Yeah, it may work for some people, but I could never do that.” Yes, you can. I don’t care what it is, if one person on this planet can achieve success at anything, so can you. It’s just a matter of how badly you want it.

You can’t do anything in life without placing a certain amount of trust in others. You flip a switch expecting the light to come on. You turn on a faucet expecting water to flow. But it’s the trust you place in yourself that will allow you to move from where you are to where you want to be. Instead of looking for excuses, look for possibilities. Make it happen. You’re closer than you think.

That’s all for now. Have an awesome day!

Soar With the Faith of a Baby Bird

May 8, 2019 by Dave Glardon, posted in Uncategorized

Good morning. It’s Hump Day! We’re halfway to the weekend. I hope your day is starting off well.

As I was shaving this morning, I heard the sound of birds outside greeting the new day. It’s been a long winter here in southern Ohio, so that’s a sound I haven’t heard in a while. Okay, there are some stubborn species that have never heard of flying south for the winter, but this is typically a sound we associate with springtime. It’s about time.

As I listened to them chirping at one another, two thoughts came to me. First, I’ve never seen or heard of a bird that wakes up in the morning with a scowl on its face, grumpy about the interruption in its sleep. They all seem to wake up happy and full of life, eager to face the new day. Seems to me we could learn a thing or two from that.

I also thought about the little ones taking their first flight. That has to be a scary experience. It’s hard enough to leave the nest for the first time, but that’s when they realize just how high in a tree the nest really is. “Thanks mom! You expect me to step out of this thing and just flap my wings. What if it doesn’t work???”

Years ago, I saw a picture of a baby bird staring over the side of the nest getting ready for that first flight. The caption read, “It can because it thinks it can.” Just as a small child sees its parents walk upright, a baby bird sees its mother fly in from the big blue sky with food for the whole family. There’s never any doubt in their mind that they can do the same thing. It just takes a leap of faith.

Faith is the unwavering belief in something for which we have no physical proof. It means to know something deep down inside that others may doubt. It’s the ability to see into the future and know the outcome before you take the first step. And, for a baby bird, it means flapping your wings just a little harder to turn that long drop to the ground into the miracle of flight.

A friend often asks, “What goals would you set for yourself if you knew you couldn’t fail?” I’ve quoted her before, because I think they’re powerful words. If a wizard waved a magic wand over you and told you that you could now accomplish anything and everything your heart desires, which of your dreams do you think you’d tackle first?

Sure, the first couple of times you might go into it with the mindset that this may work, and it may not. After all, our lives have mostly been a mixed bag of wins and losses. But, unlike a baseball game, we can step up to the plate as many times as we want, and when the game appears to be over, we can declare extra innings. It’s not over until we say it’s over. We just keep playing until we win.

I was listening to a motivational CD yesterday where the speaker said that every time a baseball player steps up to the plate, he expects to get a hit. He stands there because he knows the right pitch will come his way. He swings because he knows he can hit the ball. He never expects to strike out. Yet the Hall of Fame opens its doors for the player who can get a hit one time out of three.

That means the best players return to the bench seven times out of ten. And all they’re thinking about is their next time at bat, and that their own batting average proves they’ve got what it takes to hit the ball and get on base. They don’t step up to the plate knowing they’ll get a hit. They do it because they have faith in their ability to succeed.

You have the ability and the power to succeed at anything you set out to do. Okay, I don’t suggest jumping off a tree limb and flapping your arms, because there’s this thing called gravity that can mess up your day. But you get the idea. There are very few things in life that you can’t accomplish if you have the faith and courage of a baby bird.

So, again, what would your goals be if you knew you couldn’t fail? Would you keep doing what you’re doing today, or do you think you’d set your sights just a little higher? We all dream of things we’d like to have or goals we’d like to accomplish. They may seem a little far-fetched, and others may get a chuckle out of your ambitions. But the only thing holding you back is your own self-doubt.

Remove that doubt and all things become possible. All it takes is a little faith. You can do this!

That’s all for now. Have an awesome day!