Turning Points

Have been meditating a bit on turning points; events or things that have lasting impact and shape you.

Here's a list of some biggies in my own life:

* Treasury

I had always struggled with my daily prayers. I used a variety of prayer books and Bible reading plans and so forth over the years. But when Treasury came out, that really changed for me. At first I was trying to use it like a Breviary, but that proved a bit frustrating. Two comments from friends help me sort this out. Bill Cwirla observed "I'm not a monk" and so he didn't try to pray the Daily Office in its full round. David Petersen observed "It's really a single office book" and so trying to divy it all up ends up making it a bit more complicated than it needs be. The result? Cindi and I have settled into using it all at one sitting. After breakfast we pull out our Treasury (when we're home) or our PrayNow app (when we're travelling), and we pray. Simple as can be and it takes us about fifteen or twenty minutes. I think we both have come to treasure (sic!) the time in God's Word and this resource has simply made our Bible reading and prayer together be easier than ever in our lives.

* Financial Peace University 

It was my friend Randy Asburry who introduced us to this gem. Our finances weren't awful, but neither Cindi nor I really "got" how money works and so we were always a tad short. FPU simply changed all that. For the first time in our lives, we weren't worrying about money. I cannot recommend it highly enough. Like nearly everyone who's ever attended, the big regret is that this turning point didn't come much, much earlier in our lives.

* Primal

I no longer even remember how we found Mark Sisson, but he's been a powerful influence in our lives when it comes to things like how we eat (think REAL whole food), how we sleep (trying to stay close to circadian rhythm), how we seek to spend time outside in the sunlight, how we exercise (goodbye chronic cardio!), and even how I work (standing station!). 

* Carlo

I've sung in many a choir over the years with some outstanding directors. Still, I've never had ANYONE come close to teaching me music so profoundly as our choirmaster and organist at St. Paul's. I find myself sightreading way beyond anything I used to be able to do. He has me working on Bach organ music, appreciating even the Romantics (that I used to think I disliked, nothing like singing them to change your mind). David and I were talking about this the other day and how we look forward to choir each week so much and how much a joy it is to sing for the congregation.

I could list out more turning points, but those are ones that really strike me in the last decade or so. What about you guys?