Thoughts for the new year...

From Mark Batterson....

Postcompletion Error
Have you ever left your gas cap at a gas station after filling up? Or what about leaving your bank card at ATM machine after making a withdrawal? I know. Most cars come equipped with an attached gas cap so you can't forget. And most ATM machines beep when the card is ejected. But that phenomenon of forgetting is something psychologists call a postcompletion error. It is the tendency, after completing a task, to forget the steps that got you there.
I think the postcompletion error is one of the dangers we face going into a new year. Let me put it this way. I know lots of people who have been Christians for twenty-five years. But they don't have twenty-five years of experience. They have one year of experience repeated twenty-five times. Why? Because God has to re-teach them the same lessons over and over and over again.
What lessons has God taught you this past year? Let's not forget the old lessons so God can teach us new lessons next year.
I think a huge part of discipleship is overcoming this postcompletion error. If you've overcome an addiction, don't forget the steps you took. If your marriage has been reconciled, don't forget the steps. If you've experienced success in business, don't forget the steps. Share the steps with others. That's called discipleship.



Anything you need to double-back on? Hopefully so, as that would be a successful year. I know that I am thinking about this heading into the new year.

Choosing my books for the new year....

Charles Spurgeon counseled his students to be discriminating about what they read, and to bathe in good books "until they saturate you." He said, "A student will find that his mental constitution is more affected by one book thoroughly mastered than by twenty books merely skimmed."
While my goal of 36 books for the year is a good goal...I am not only convicted to ensure I make good choices but to make sure that I am a learner and not just a consumer of what I read.

Goals for 2009

Writing down a couple of the goals I have for myself this year:

1. Last year I read 24 books (12 Fiction, 12 Non-fiction). I would like to improve on that and hit 36 this year (18 Fiction, 18 Non-fiction).

2. Kristen and I did not make it a priority to have date nights and it resulted in us going out once or twice last year....in total. We will have at least 6 date nights this year.

3. We haven't done a great job exploring the New England area unless we have had visitors. We will make 6 local trips to new places this year.

4. I will complete the Old Testament Bethel class in 2009.

5. I bought the P90X workout series a little while back. I will complete this 90 day program in 2009.

6. Learn one cool magic trick for the boys

7. Clean, organize and paint my office

8. Since I have started to create little movies with activities we have done or from trips we have taken, I want something at the beginning of each of these that is constistent and says that it came from us...our own logo. So, I will create a feature presentation logo for all "Moffitt" movies we make moving forward.

9. To do 40 hours of community service


There are still a number of other things I am thinking through...and I need to talk with Kristen on others still, but, at least this is a good start :)

Jude's First Tooth

What a great memory. Jude cut his first tooth this morning. We will try to get a picture posted of it...but Jude is not too helpful with that request so far.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone.
Hope that you enjoy it.

Wish that we could share it with you all. But we are there with you in spirit :)

Time for Christmas

Is it just me, or does Christmas time get busier every year? Seems like things are always so busy right up to the morning of Christmas. Kristen went off to bed and just before going to bed, she was going through the list of things that we still need to do. It will be another late night on Christmas Eve to get ready...just like last year. I don't imagine it will get better, but, it doesn't stop from surprising me evey year.

Goals for 2009

Are you planning for your goals for 2009? I know that it hit me that in about a week's time, the calendar will roll over to a new year and I have to take stock in what I have accomplished in 2008 and what I want to accomplish in 2009.
I had to do this for work and I always struggle with it. It is frustrating to have to work through some things in that capacity...but it also makes me think about what I spend my time on and how I will ultimately justify it to myself and my company....
I have to have that same accountability with my life, my family and my faith.
Am I any closer to some of my goals?
What things do I need to start doing?
What things do I need to stop doing?
Being honest with myself, and really doing this exercise will hopefully make things clearer for the upcoming year. It is way to easy to just keep going and getting through each day without doing this...but then another year will be gone and I may not have any good responses to these questions.

Broncos blow another game

I am almost glad that I can't get the games out here...their slide is brutal.

Sunday and snow

Either I or Kristen will post some pictures from the current snow storm we are having...it is a pretty good one...schools closed down around the state (not ours), people without power, looting in the abandoned homes...amazing stuff.

Luckily, we were able to make it to church and back today despite the conditions and then enjoyed an afternoon at home. Kristen worked on getting our Christmas letters out...she is almost there:) and I was able to finish a book The Marketing of Evil by David Kupelian.

I am doing two sessions at my church on the book and needed to finish it up so that I can write up my talk as soon as possible. I know that the 3 weeks I have to get it done will go by VERY quickly.

Overall, a nice day at home.

Spirit of God and Word of God....

This is Perry Noble...from a church in South Carolina

I love that way he is flat out honest



Spirit of God/Word of God from NewSpring Media on Vimeo.

Flat tire

Well...had a little excitement this evening on my way to class. Managed to catch part of a divider covered in snow and got a flat tire. Not exactly the evening I had planned...but it sure did wake me up.

Christmas Letter

Amazing how quickly it is time to do this every year. Just finished it up today and I am looking forward to sending it out. I will also post it out here at the beginning of January...after everyone has received it via snail-mail :)

More Birthday Cards

My wife:

Always great with the sentimental...she is too good to me :)

Jeremy:

I think Jeremy has decided that he is stuck with us as his family and has decided to revel in it...

Dad and Linda:

Sweet and supportive...

Awesome Cards for my birthday this year...

Let me share with everyone...

Janelle's card:

Now family never lets family forget ANYTHING...and in the spirit of this my sister gave me this card...

Now as cute and funny as this is...it gets better...as the card opened up, it sang...Your Unbelievable by EMF...AND, of course, this is EXTREMELY FUNNY because I shared with my family once that I had terribly misunderstood these lyrics when I was younger...score 1 for Janelle :)

Emily's Card:

She gets an award for sweetness and poignancy due to timing about missing us and my wife's heart breaking for not being in Colorado at this time...

More to follow....

Upside Down - Summary

I will be posting more quotes and thoughts from the book...but now that I added it to my GoodReads site, I figured I would post my quick summary...

Upside Down: The Paradox of Servant Leadership by Stacy T. Rinehart

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Was Jesus's leadership style different than the structures we have come to know in the business and military world? Rinehart takes us through many examples of the dichotomy of servant leadership, as demonstrated by Jesus, and power leadership model that is the standard in the world today.

This book is based on what Stacy believes to be lessons learned from his time in leadership positions, those things he has gleaned from the Bible and Jesus's words and actions and the results within the various teams he has been a part of that have exhibited some of these leadership dynamics. There are many great quotes and lines in this book and Stacy does a great job not only attacking the distinctions between sevant and power leadership, but he speaks to what the ultimate results tend to be based upon using these structures. If you are in a ministry environment, this is certainly relevant, but even if you are not in ministry, there are a multitude of things to pick up that could be effective in the secular world if leveraged in the right way.


View all my reviews.

My Birthday

Yes, happy birthday to me.
My family called and gave me cards and brownies, my wife and kids gave me gifts (I will post pictures soon), and I enjoyed a couple hours with my boys reading, playing and hanging out. It was a good day :)

Christmas in public Schools......

From the www.crosswalk.com
Definately check out the additional link within the article for the specific guidelines referenced.


Christmas in Public Schools? Yes, We Can!
Barbara Curtis

Several Christmases ago, my daughter's art teacher gave this assignment: Make holiday posters.
She also made it clear: No religion allowed.
I guess it wouldn't be Christmas without the fear of a lawsuit, would it?
But such skittishness about religious expression in schools is unfounded. I know because I've been researching and reporting on this subject since 1998, when a couple of my kids were attending a small elementary school in dairy farm land an hour north of San Francisco.
My wake-up call came at the "Winter Program" where families sat through songs about Santa, chimneys, and reindeer, plus three songs about Chanukah and one about Kwanzaa -- this though the school boasted only one Jewish family (non-practicing) and not a single African-American.
Ninety musical minutes with nary a note about Jesus.
While I have no fear that Christianity will survive whether censored out of public schools or not, that's not the issue. The issue is the First Amendment.
Are schools supposed to support freedom from religion or freedom of religion? There's a big difference.
I share my California experience because it shows what can happen when schools become overzealous in their efforts to avoid promulgating a certain religion. And -- let's face it -- the religion we're always worried about not promulgating is Christianity. It's this worry which leads some teachers to err on caution's side, nixing potential conflict by controlling the creativity and spontaneous expression of students.
I understand their dilemma, I really do.
But for those of faith -- and I speak here of several faith traditions -- this month marks a holy season. Some parents have worked hard to raise children whose faith is a vital, integral part of who they are as individuals -- not just a label or a rote activity. If such parents have succeeded, teachers should not be surprised that what bubbles up creatively from their students reflects their faith rather than glittering generalities or superficial, materialistic aspects of the season.
This is a good thing -- kids with convictions. And I promise not to be offended by your child's Menorah, if you promise not to be offended by my child's Manger.
But we don't need to hash these things out on a case-by-case basis. The answers are already in place. A few years ago, President Clinton, concerned that some educators and community members had incorrectly assumed that schools must be religious-free zones, asked U. S. Secretary of Education Richard Riley to issue guidelines. The result is a remarkably concise, clear and sensible document titled Religious Expression in Public Schools: a Statement of Principles.
The guidelines affirm that while teachers may not encourage or join in students' religious activity, the school's official religious neutrality requires that:
"Teachers and administrators are also prohibited from discouraging activity because of its religious content, and from soliciting or encouraging antireligious activity."
In addition to allowing student religious expression, the law is clear -- on federal and state level as well as in courts -- that teachers may teach in historical context the biblical origin of Christmas, just as they may teach that Chanukah celebrates the victory of the Maccabees and the rededication of the Jerusalem Temple.
As for Christmas carols, not only have courts ruled consistently that they may be sung in public school programs, but teachers who neglect religious-themed music limit themselves and their students not only quantitatively, but qualitatively. Carols, spiritual anthems and choruses are among the most beautiful pieces of music ever written.
That first year, when I asked the principal why Christmas carols had not been included, she said, "Well, there were -- Jingle Bells, Jolly Old Saint Nicholas. . . ."
"But those aren't Christmas carols," I said. "What about the birth of Jesus?"
She looked at me like I'd gone mad. That a parent might suggest singing songs about Christ at Christmas!
"You know, I understand we're trying for multiculturalism," I forged on, "But we're part of the culture too. What about representing us?"
Today, our family lives in Virginia, where the phrase "In God We Trust" is posted in every public school because it's required by law, and where educators seem to have a better grasp of what is legally permissible and what is not.
Still, there are always threats to our freedom. I remember waiting after one middle school event to shake the principal's hand and express my gratitude. A very tall, very unhappy looking father got to her first and began berating her for a biblical reference he noticed in his son's literature class. I saw her confident, generous smile fade and her shoulders sag. Out of 1200 families at that school, this one angry man might in the end have the most impact. Sure enough, the Spring Concert at that school -- for the first time -- was completely secular.
Since then, I've made it a point to befriend this principal, sharing the information she needs to counter this tyranny of the minority and rejoicing to see the school shift back to religious inclusion. But I'm just one individual. While I have more impact than most with my large family spread among several schools, I still feel very much like the Dutch boy sticking his finger in the dike.
When we see signs of Christian history, art, music, and culture wane, what we need to understand is that it's not anyone's fault but our own. Legislators and courts have already done their part to uphold religious freedom. The question is: Have we done ours?
Christian parents need to recognize that even when we delegate responsibility for our children's education to public schools, we are still responsible for oversight. We are still responsible for challenging censorship of Christian elements in literature and the arts.
The Christmas season reminds us that our job is to stay informed and involved year-round. Don't wait until something goes wrong to complain. Build relationships with principals and teachers. Know the law and be prepared to share it. But also learn as much as you can about the relationship between Christianity and the arts so you can discuss the importance of our cultural history in a winsome way.
I'm reminded of one high school teacher whose penchant for medieval music guaranteed a Winter Program filled with sacred music. Here's his reaction to one complaint: "When they write other music that's any good, I'll use it. My job is to teach music, and I only teach the best."
Whether this teacher is a believer or not, Christian parents can learn from him. We need to stop thinking defensively and start taking back ground that has been lost through intimidation and fear in public schools.
The fact is that taking Christ out of Christmas doesn't hurt Christianity -- after all Jesus said that even if his disciples were silenced, the rocks would cry out (Luke 19:40). But the historical interconnectedness of faith, inspiration and artistic expression means that any anti-religion attacks on music, art or literature in the public schools must be resisted for the good of all students.
Which is exactly why the law is on our side -- and why we need to defend it.

Neat article on thankfulness

From Live It!, a free newsletter from Crosswalk.com

Giving Thanks (not for, but) in Everything
Kelley Mathews

The tooth fairy visited our house last night, for the gazillionth time. Okay, so it's been only seven. Still, each time my son grins at me with a new gap between his teeth, I wonder what on earth that original "tooth fairy" was thinking to offer cash in exchange for a jagged-edged, vaguely nauseating DNA sample. I just don't get it.
Typically, my son leaves his offering in a pocket sewn into a tiny pillow made just for the occasion. This time around--and I have it on good authority that it has never happened before--the tooth fairy discovered a note alongside the pillow.

"Read after get tooth... How much? _____? Please 20 cents? Please?? THANK YOU!!!!"

My husband and I had a good chuckle at his low-ball plea. Twenty cents? Our son raked in five bucks for his first tooth when he lost it at Grandma's house (her tooth fairy has deeper pockets). The other teeth had been averaging 50 cents to a dollar. But he's only eight, so his concept of money might be skewed.

The more I reflected on the note, the more I focused on the ending. "Thank you!" He thought to include a "thank you" even before he knew the amount he would receive. Sure, he mentioned what he hoped to get, but he didn't have any guarantees.

Good manners? Maybe. I think it was more of an expectant gratitude, an attitude that said "I don't know what I'll get, but any amount is more than I had before. It will be a gift, and I'm grateful for whatever I'm given."

There's nothing like the words of a child to smite a mother's hard heart. How often do I fail to give thanks until after I've been presented the gift? After the fact I already know what loot I've taken home, what blessings I've received, what kind words have been spoken about me. It's easy to say "thank you" to all that. I have what I asked for, got what I wanted, enjoyed what makes me feel good.

And while there's nothing wrong with being grateful for gifts given, God's Word shows us a more excellent way:

"Always rejoice, constantly pray, in everything give thanks. For this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thess. 5:16--18).

Yikes! "In everything"? Give thanks in hard times? When my kids are sick, when my husband's job is in danger, when our bottom line seems to be bottoming out? Be thankful during holidays that bring sorrow to my widowed mother's eyes? Be thankful in my prayers even before I know the answers to them? This is God's will for me?

In his letter to the Philippians, Paul elaborates: "Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God" (Phil. 4:6).

An attitude of gratitude should envelop our prayers and petitions, which the Lord expects us to bring to Him.

Don't skip the prepositions here -- "in everything give thanks"... "with thanksgiving..." -- what we don't see is "be thankful for everything." The difference is profound. While we may never be grateful for certain painful experiences, we can still be grateful during them. We can still pray with a thankful heart.

Why? Because our hope is not in the potential answers to our prayers. Our hope is in the God to whom we pray! In Him we trust. He has given us life itself -- freedom, salvation, grace, mercy. He chose us to be his children. "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God" (1 John 3:1). Who can't be thankful for that?

Thanks and hope work in tandem. We wait expectantly, with hope, believing that He will keep His promises to see us through the hard times, to provide all we need, to make us more like Him. We are grateful to love and be loved by the God of the universe, our Creator, Sustainer, Redeemer, Father, Comforter, Savior.

This Thanksgiving, I'm thankful for my son's example. He was thrilled with the 50 cents he found on his little pillow. "It's more than I asked for!" he said, beaming his gap-toothed grin the next morning.

To an even greater degree, our Lord delights to give us more than we could ever ask or imagine. So pray. Even if you've asked him for the same thing a gazillion times, keep seeking His face. And don't forget to give thanks to Him in everything.

Kelley Mathews, Th.M. (Dallas Theological Seminary), married and blessed with three young children, spends her spare time freelancing as a writer and editor. She served several years as the Women's Ministry Director at Rowlett Bible Fellowship. Her newest book release is Mixed Ministry: Working Together as Brothers and Sisters in an Oversexed Culture, which can be found on her web site www.newdoors.info.

Happy Thanksgiving

It's a day late, but Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.
A couple of things I am thankful for:
1. My wife - How did I end up so lucky?
2. My kids - I am blessed to be watching them grow up.
3. Jesus - I am thankful that He dies for me to live.
4. Blessed - We are so blessed with friends, family, material blessings and in pretty much every way you can imagine.

This video was taken yesterday just before dessert. Kristen's sister Annette and her husband Todd came over with their kids...Cordell, Sydney and Piper...everyone is reading off their leaf that was what they were thankful for...

Jude has learned to wave!

Biblical cross-references

Thought this was too amazing not to share....from Christianity Today at

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2008/novemberweb-only/147-41.0.html

Reference Rainbow
When Christoph Römhild, a Lutheran pastor in Hamburg, Germany, sent Carnegie Mellon Ph.D. student Chris Harrison a list of 63,779 cross-references between the Bible's 1,189 chapters, the two became enthralled with elegantly showing the interconnected nature of Scripture. Each bar along the horizontal axis represents a chapter, with the length determined by the number of verses. (Books alternate in color between white and light gray.) Colors represent the distance between references. Graphic by Chris Harrison, Carnegie Mellon University

Creepy and funny

You have to see this to believe it. Here is the background from YouTube...

"This was the opening video for our Student Fall Retreat called "You've Got Talent." Everyone is asking what inspired this. Here is goes... 1) We needed a great opening video that caught everyone off guard, and set the the tone for the weekend. 2) With this idea in mind, we thought we could use this video as a great object lesson about media choices (kinda creepy hearing your grandparents sing some of this), and 3) this has been a GREAT transgenerational culture experiment. It has totally bridged a gap with our Senior adults and our students. Hope you enjoy!"

Parenting tips

I came upon a list at MSN titled "The 50 Best Parenting Tips Ever". Now, I am not the biggest fan of these types of articles, but...on occasion they will have snippets that are worth capturing. That was the case with this article as well...while I can do away with some of the mundane suggestions, there are a few that grabbed me...

4. Praise your partner. Never finish a day without acknowledging -- at least once -- your spouse's role in the life of your children. (We all know how hard parenting is and how easy it is to not appreciate the role the other plays. I for one don't always do a good job of this and it is a good reminder to be active in that appreciation.)

15. Be romantic. Go out on dates, kiss in front of your kids, and say, "I love you" to your partner (with your kids in earshot). (Who are our kids going to learn from about how marriage is supposed to work? If we don't exhibit it, then they are likely to end up with marriages that don't have the traits that we are praying for them to have when they find their partner later in life.)

25. Put your baby down when she's awake. Letting her self-soothe is the key to her sleeping through the night. If you nurse or bottle-feed her before bed and she falls asleep, change her diaper one last time to wake her up. (I am putting this one in here for my wife :) )

50. Break the rules sometimes. Have ice cream for dinner, or wear pajamas all day on a snowy weekend. (These will be some of the best memories!)

Odds and ends

A few updates:

Jaden's school is having a couple half days as we have hit parent teacher conference time...we are excited to talk with the teacher and hear her comments on how Jaden is doing. For his part, he is excited to be home earlier and hopes this will let him watch a little more TV

Jacob is still doing his school as well. He seems to do pretty well socially, we think...but he also has some time before he will be moving on to kindergarten anyway. He is quite the complex character as we are learning to deal with a child that likes to go from one extreme emotion to the other in a blink of an eye. He is keeping us on our toes.

Jude is crawling and getting close to walking. I know I need to post more pictures and do some new videos, so hopefully I will do that soon. He is getting very big and is very close to being turned around in the car. I know that he is very excited about that, since Kristen gave him a test ride this week.

Kristen has an A going in her class through the mid-point and is very excited. It is well deserved as she has worked hard thus far...time to bring it on home, babe :)

More to follow....

Getting cold here

Well, it is officially getting to be winter out here. It was just this weekend and we had some fairly nice weather...now, it is cold and not pleasant at all with the winds...

We definitely need to do some winterizing around here so that our house can stay a little warmer and our bills can hopefully stay a little lower. Wish me luck.

President-Elect

Just a quick comment on the President-Elect. Whether you were for him or against him, you have to appreciate certain things he has done during his campaign and now during the transition period. I just came upon Obama's transition site...
www.change.gov
The amazing thing to me is the way he is leveraging technology and the communications tools that are now available to make people feel closer to him and to communicate his message. Within the site is a blog that includes a YouTube video address that he has committed to doing every week now and while he is in office. Here is the link:
http://www.change.gov/newsroom/blog/
I imagine that this type of communication and leveraging of websites, blogs, social networking sites and such will be in stark contrast to everything before now. Will it result in him being a good President? I don't know, but I do think it will be a very different presidency.

Upside Down - part 1

I was reading this interesting book on the plane today on my way to Vegas for my company's kick-off event. It goes into the dichotomy of secular/business/military leadership tactics strategies and styles versus what the author believes is demonstrated in scriptures from Jesus and ultimately the early church...that of "servant leadership". I got through about half of the book on the way here, and I am certain I will be done by the time I get home. Some quick highlights from what I have read so far:

- Jesus never reprimanded his disciples for wanting to be "great"...according to the world's standard for being leaders...He did, however, correct them and then demonstrate it for them (Mark 10:43-44)
- Leadership models are based on values, assumptions and principles and we must look at those before we accept the leadership model is valid...in leveraging secular leadership theories and overlaying with biblical principles, we are dressing up things that do not have a solid foundation to start from.
- "They attempt to accomplish God's work using a management philosophy diametrically opposed to biblical principles"
- They think..."If it worked for the world, it must work for Christians too...."
- Secular or "Power" Leadership models are built on standardization, conformity, pragmatism, productivity and centralization
- Servant Leadership models are built on diversity, empowerment, scriptures, and authenticity.
- Paul's criteria for leadership in his letters was entirely built on relationships...his perspective..."Do not consider an individual for spiritual leadership until you have examined the integrity of his personal relationships.
- "The church is not a chain of command but a network of love"
- A leader cannot demand what he has not earned
- Who can argue with success
- Authenticity of authority is the issue. Does it bear the mark of its originator - the character of the King?
- In our flesh, we constantly attempt to wrest control, even from God, because we fear failure
- Controlling others...is an unattainable goal

Money, Money, Money, Money.......Money!

Money is one of the most frequent topics in the Bible and it was the subject of this week's Bible study with my Thursday night group. We stayed strictly in Proverbs and only on the verses outlined from the study sheet from our pastor and had a lively discussion that was quite engaging.
(The thing I love about this group is that, thus far anyway, everyone feels free to speak up and talk about their opinion and even ask questions. I think it sets a great tone for everyone to be able to learn from each other and hopefully learn more about the Bible and the truths therein.)
The main take-aways were:
1. How we perceive others due to money or the lack thereof based upon the culture and generally our own first take vs how we should perceive others based on how God values them
2. If we put ourselves in a place where money can control our lives, it will.
3. Money is so intertwined in all parts of our lives the it is probably one of the strongest reflections of our true selves that we have. The way we live our life with our money, how we use it and value it is one of the strongest "tells" of who we really are as a Christian.

First Bethel Class

Just some thoughts from my first night.
- About 2 hours and lots of handouts. Kate, the teacher, said that handouts are equal to love...and she loved us a bunch.
- Only 7 people are taking the class, but, when you are committing to something that will take 2 years to complete...I guess that doesn't surprise me.
- One of the comments made this evening was "Biblical literacy of the average person who is a Christian is that of what a 11 year old knows and understands of the secular world." Not sue exactly how you measure that, but it doesn't sound terribly off either. Definitely makes you think.
- I have 25 Chapters in Genesis to get through this week!
- I have 7 tests, oral reports, 29 assignments to go until summer break...that'll shock the system...

Interesting conversation

I happened to be speaking with some acquaintances, Beth and Therrin, at Jaden's soccer practice / game awhile back and the conversation turned to school. Since Kristen was going back, they asked themselves..."What would you go back to school for?" After asking the question of themselves, they turned and asked me, to which I replied..."I would go to seminary."
"For theology, or to be a pastor?" They pressed...
"To be a pastor, I think..." I continued. To which Beth calmly inquired:
"So, God is calling you into his service and you are ignoring the call?"
I just stared at her. Her husband, Therrin, said "Honey, we don't know him well enough for you to say things like that!" :)
It was light-hearted, we all laughed a little and it both before and after we had great conversations, but it was also one of those moments where you end up wondering if that was truth being unmasked for a moment. We even joked about the fact that you never know when God is using someone to speak into your life. The fact that it hasn't left me over the last two weeks further presses on that point.
I don't know what that means for me at this point, as I don't really feel that I am supposed to be making a life change at the moment, but, I do think that I have to keep my eyes open to see if God is opening up my life to other possibilities. Who knows what 1 year, 3 years or 5 years from now may look like?

Bethel Class

So Wednesday starts my 2 year class at our church on in-depth Bible training. The website for Bethel training says:
'This unique format uses the Bible as textbook, with the basic concept of an overview that ties Old Testament concepts to New Testament themes. It is in-depth Bible study that gives the Scriptures relevancy and equips students for mission and ministry, as they are able to apply the Word to their daily lives.'
I am excited to get started and to have a schedule that I need to work through to get all the work done. We will get all the way through the Bible in the 2 years, meeting 3 out of every 5 weeks during the 2 years. It will be interesting!

Passion

I haven't been writing much lately...a few different reasons for that...but, one of the things that has crossed my mind is about passion. What do you have passion for? There are sooooo many sites and blogs and books and channels of stuff that are all associated with the passions of these peoples lives. They breathe this stuff. They could talk all day about it and start again the next day without skipping a beat. What are you passionate like that about?
I have done 200+ posts already on this blog...that is pretty cool, but...am I going to run out of things to say? What am I passionate enough about that I will continue to post on this site for? It is an interesting question...because there are other things to spend my time doing (I find this out each time I miss posting for several days at a time...). I have a feeling that as I get back into some of my books, I will have plenty to post about, and the fact that I am starting a 2 year class going in depth through the Bible will also provide tons of material....and there is my family, whom I love to post about :)
I suppose you are all in for many posts to come :)

Filters

My bible study tonight talked a little about filters. We were talking about how things, people, media, etc influence our views on life and how we need to control that influence with filters. Philippians 4:8 was our source topic and we went through many other verses as well. I am amazed at how easily we can fall prey to these influences and how attentive we really should be...Jaden's favorite restaurant in the whole world in 'the 99' cause he can recite the song he learned from commercials...he doesn't really remember what food he ate, or if he even liked it...but he loves to sing the song and it makes him excited to go eat there...Jacob is already self-conscious about the clothes he wears and is concerned about what others will think about it...it really is amazing. It makes me almost want to home school them like my cousin is doing with her kids and turn off the Internet, radio and TV at our house. I certainly cannot control all the content they get, even when I am trying to be vigilant. But, I guess that was a good reason for the study. If I can help instill some filters that my kids will know and use as they hear and are exposed to all of this stuff, at least they will be able to discern some truth and know what is not truth. Pray for us to teach them well and pray for the kids to learn about the filters and how to use them.

Midweek already!

I am going through end of quarter at work. Kristen had school on Tuesday. I worked out Monday night...it is already late Wednesday and I am amazed at how quickly time flies by in a week sometimes. No time to post...or even to think about topics to post about. Haven't been reading as much (though I am halfway through an interesting read called The Marketing of Evil) and even feel like the hours at work haven't been as productive as I would like...Time really has been like sand through my fingers :)
Kristen and I did get to watch a movie together Sunday night called The Great Debaters. I thought it was a good movie. Kristen asked me if I was on the debate team in school...I am not sure if that was supposed to be a complement or a jab :)

Apple Crisp

It's a little grainy since all the videos came from my phone...but, it is still a good bit of fun.

QIK is cool

I was pretty impressed that by using this site (http://qik.com), and my sister Janelle graciously using her phone, both Kristen and I were able to see my sister Joy's session at David's Bridal in Colorado Springs as she tried on her dresses for her upcoming wedding. Though the time delay was a little difficult to get used to, just being able to share in that memory with my family was really unexpected. So, thanks to the family for putting up with us being 2,000 miles away and interjecting ourselves...and for dealing with the camera and constant phone discussion. We really appreciated it!

Apple Picking

We went apple picking this weekend in what was BEAUTIFUL weather. There were tons of people out with the same idea, so traffic was terrible, however, once we were there, we had a great time. I did get a couple of goods pictures too, which is always nice.

Look at the amazing color changes right now!

















This is a nice looking group of folks hanging out in the pumpkin patch right before we left...

















Even Jude got into the act in the orchard! He now LOVES apples. We start it for him and he goes to town on the juice. It was awesome.


















Overall, I think we had a pretty good day. Jacob seemed pretty happy :)

Our view of God

I read this article in the October issue of Fast Company that got me thinking about how we experience and view God. This article was an adaptation of a book called Iconoclast that was looking at some of the most creative people in the business world. The article is entitled "Rewiring the Creative Mind" and it looks at what neuroscience is saying about how people think and come up with new ideas.
According to neuroscience these days, our brain is essentially a "lazy piece of meat". "Neuroscientists have observed that while an entire network of neurons might process a stimulus initially by about the sixth presentation, the heavy lifting is performed by only a subset of neurons." Essentially, our brain has become efficient at processing this stimulus and helps jump to the end...thus, what seems to be the same, will be viewed as the same because your brain will process it down that path.
This really got me thinking about God and they way I think about Him and have perceived Him in my life. I started forming 'neural connections' about God WAY back when I was a kid. Those connections have essentially created a highway down which my thoughts want to race to get to the conclusion...or the way I see and think, recognize and understand God. It is effectively programmed in me to analyze stimuli that way.Anyway...if this is how the brain reacts...how difficult is it for every person to see God in a way that is different than the first way we experienced God? The way we first talked with and to others about God, the way we first experienced worship or our first 'spiritual' moment were the initial stimulus as we formed our neural highways. Our 'understanding of God was already mapped out.
Can you imagine how varied those experiences are for everyone in the world? No wonder it is so difficult sometimes for each of us to understand how differently each other person can relate to that understanding of God...when our synapses are streamlined and efficiently getting us to our "answer" about God?
So, now you must be wondering where am I going with this? Am I saying that we are doomed based on the way we initially hear about God, or that our brains have trapped us into always thinking the same thoughts? No, of course not.
The article actually continued to talk about these creative people who are essentially good at not allowing themselves to jump to those conclusions. They speak about the way to 'reprogram' your brain by deploying your attention differently and in new environments with new information that will re-stimulate your brain into making new associations, firing new neuron connections and allowing you to see things in ways you would not have before.
I think that is pretty fascinating stuff and yet it essentially gets down to some tried and true things that people have known for a long time: A pastor down in Washington DC puts it this way "A change in place + a change of pace = change in perception"
1 - If you keep doing what you have been doing, your going to get the same answer
To me, if we all stay cocooned talking to the same people about the same things, we are not really firing up new synapses and engaging those neurons to make new connections. We will get bored! And no one wants to be boring or in a place that is boring. We have to constantly be feeding ourselves new information that will challenge us to see things in a new way and put ourselves into new environments that will make us a little uneasy. That is when the growth happens.
2 - Walk a mile in their shoes
This really means to not stay where we are and declare judgment, but to get out to those who don't think like we do and engage them where they are...they are in a place similar to #1 and won't 'get a new perspective' on anything if something new doesn't come along that will actually get their neurons firing.
So...for me, I know that I need to go out and find new ways to perceive the things and ways of God that get more synapses firing and literally blow my mind up so that my vision of God gets bigger. Maybe something along the way struck you as well...maybe not. But, it may help you understand why someone you have been praying for has yet to 'see' things differently. So, don't give up! We absolutely have to keep reaching out to people who haven't seen God yet...because if we don't reach out to them and get them to look at things a little differently than they do now, they may NEVER see God...their brains will continue to perceive those things of God as abstract data that gets tossed (their hearts are hardened) because it doesn't align with how the brain processes things and they will be missed for what they truly are.

Jude in the tub

Too funny watching him kick like this!

Jaden's Soccer

Jaden has been playing soccer every Saturday for a little over a month already and is enjoying it tremendously. He gets very animated for goals, regardless of who on his team scores them and already is pretty competitive...I have NO IDEA where he gets it from :)

Here are some pictures from a couple of the last Saturdays...yes, you can see that it is already starting to get a little chilly out here in the last picture. Their practice time starts at 8:30 so it is usually a bit brisk as things get going...which means long sleeves and sweatpants are becoming the standard uniform.

Hand Me Another Brick

Hand Me Another Brick by Charles R. Swindoll

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book took me quite some time to get through. It is a deep dive into the book of Nehemiah through the lens of leadership. It discusses the qualities and perspectives that can enable you to be a better leader by reviewing each of the actions, inactions, reactions, prayers and petitions that Nehemiah made. There is a lot of stuff here.

I know for me, after reading this, it is more about how to apply some of these principles into my life. For that though, the particular copy I had included a study guide that walks you through both analyzing what you read as well as questions to promote application in your life.

So, while it may be a long read for a book of less than 200 pages, it is worth the time and effort.


View all my reviews.

Jude's clapping...finally

New Camera

Not sure if you have noticed the pictures I have been posting lately are a little better resolution that those of the past. That is because I have a new camera! It is very exciting. I bought a Fuji FinePix S1000 and have been enjoying it since it arrived. (I actually bought this via the TV Home Shopping Network...a first for me). It has 10mp resolution camera that also has a 12x optical zoom. So, I have been spending a bunch of time zooming in for close ups :)
Of course, the camera looks like an SLR, so it is a bit bigger than most of the little cameras that are on the market today, but...that is exactly why it is my camera. Why you ask? Well, Kristen does not like it at all :) She wants one of the skinny ones that she can throw in her purse and lose in there along with the keys. So, now instead of one new camera we will have two. Once we have decided which camera to pick up for her, I will blog about that one as well.
Anybody have a particular skinny camera that they think would be the best choice?

Jude's newest toy

Wild Goose Chase

Wild Goose Chase by Mark Batterson

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
If you have ever felt like you were in the middle of a wild goose chase you might be wasting your time, or you might be right in the middle of the path that the Holy Spirit has led you down. How do you know the difference...well, you have to look at the root of why you are doing what you are doing. Are you submitting to God's call in your life, and thus enabling Him to take you where He wants you? If so, then you are enjoying a wild goose chase that is the adventure God has planned for your life.



Ultimately, this book is about understanding those "cages" that help keep us contained and unwilling to follow the prompting of the Holy Spirit. Recognizing them as the cages they are can give you the power to step out of them and towards God. Each of the cages is presented with biblical examples and enough substance behind them to support the conclusions Mark is drawing, but I think the reason why this book is so readable and enjoyable is that Mark does a great job of accessing those core emotional elements that we all have, like a sense of adventure and can intimately make a connection to the material he has written up. I know that I have often wondered why church seems so mundane and muted compared to how I believe God engages us...perhaps church is institutionalized our faith somewhat. But, if you are up for a challenge, then read this book and see where the Holy Spirit may start leading you on your own wild goose chase.


View all my reviews.

Church and Country Music...

I thought it was too funny that our pastor referenced this song that I had blogged about quite awhile ago this last Sunday. He was talking about leaving a legacy which I have spent quite some time thinking about as I have been getting older (yes I know that I am still young) and especially as I have had children. It simply puts things into perspective and that was the point that our pastor made. You have to have an eternal perspective and recognize that the legacy you leave behind does have an impact on all those people that you had relationships with. His acronym for LEGACY was:
L - Live your faith
E - Express what you believe
G - Goad others to care
A - Arm people for difficulty
C - Commit all to God
Y - Yearn for everyone's salvation

He definitely pointed to some truths that are important to remember and I am regularly amazed at how a good, well written song can really heighten the recognition of certain truths. I think the country western song, in this case, does just that.

Good looking couple

This is a good looking couple:

These picture was taken this weekend while we were at the local fire department for their annual open house. The kids get to ride on the firetruck, have some treats and climb into and around the other trucks. Always fun to see them get so excited.

CHRIST IAN

I want to title a book CHRIST IAN for Christ In Action Now. I think that is the way we should be living with the emphasis on action.
I have been thinking about and observing many things lately that show me how far we have swung as a Christian base to "belief" and "faith" alone. Now, please do not mis-understand. We don't earn or deserve our salvation through any works on our part. So FAITH is absolutely the first and foremost thing. However, the Bible also says that faith without works is dead...and I think there are large groups of 'believers' that rely on the faith alone premise so much that their faith is dead.
I think a sermon lived is better than a sermon heard. We, as the church, really need to get out into the community and make meaningful change happen. Christ's example was Him being amongst people that were sinners...shining his light into the darkest places. We need to follow that example and get out of the church building.

Weekend

Done with work for the week...yeah!

Now off to Bible study tonight and then to enjoy the weekend with the family.

Looking forward to Jaden's soccer and church but mainly just some down time with the family.

Jaden Open house

We went to Jaden's open house at school tonight. It was really enoyable to see how excited he was to show us around his classroom. He is doing well in school and we are very proud of him. He even showed us his locker. Kristen commented that it was large enough for him to hide in and that became the thing that he, Jacob and others had fun doing multiple times during the remainder of our time there. I have no doubt that the teachers' will be thankful for that suggestion for the rest of the year :)

We also got to go out to dinner with friends tonight. It was a spur of the moment thing, but it was nice. I suppose if we stay flexible and open to opportunities we can do these things...even though most of the time it feels like our life is too full to even get out for a simple thing like that.

Posting error

I tried posting earlier and lost my entire post! oh well. I have been SOOOO good about posting lately that I guess it serves me right.

Sunday so far

Long day already. Went to 2 services at church...Kristen was in the nursery for one and teaching 3-4 yr olds in the second. I went to service the first session, then off to review the findings of our church's REVEAL study. Pretty interesting stuff if you are interested in spiritual growth, the church and correlations of various pieces of faith and maturity.

Then we were off to get haircuts. It had been way too long and all of the boys needed one. So, that done, we grabbed everyone fast food and headed home for naps. That is where everyone is now.

Jude has decided he isn't tired and is hanging with Dad, Jaden has decided he is too BIG to nap anymore...so he is reading. Jacob is staring at his ceiling because it is unfair that Jaden gets to stay awake and he doesn't...so, it's not really nap time...just Mom's nap time :)

I need to go get my packing done as I am heading to Vegas tomorrow and I will be back at the church tonight for a men's ministry dinner.

All right. Enough for now.

Busy or Lazy?? and other thoughts and updates

Definitely some of one...maybe some of the other :)

I definitely need to get out here and start posting with some regularity...so everyone knows what is going on and for memories. I will work at it.

So, a couple of quick things:
We have started up our Bible study again and we are meeting Friday nights. We will see how that goes. We have two more weeks of our study in Acts before we are done and able to decide how things will work moving forward.

We are looking at other volunteer possibilities within the church as well. We are currently talking with them about a "Connector" position which supposedly is like HR for all the volunteers. We don't understand it, but will be talking with people to figure out if it is a good fit for Kristen and I.

I am still working on some more video spots to post...just been too busy to spend the time on them. Maybe one more by tonight...but don't hold your breath.

I am flying out to Vegas tomorrow. So, pray for my safe travel and that the trip is fruitful with our customers.

Kristen, Jaden, Jacob and Jude all seem like they might be getting a cold...right when I am getting ready to leave! Pray for quick healing for them.

Go US in the Ryder Cup!

Yes...that is CU that is 3-0. So, wow! They won last night over a ranked opponent by hitting a FG in OT. Excited for them to get back on the national scene as at least a potential spoiler and bowl participant.

Time and Time again

In other words....I have planned on getting over here to update this blog many times over the past week + and it just hasn't happened. So, a quick note for now and I will be following up with some additional posts.

What has been going on? Well, I travelled out to CA for a meeting, finished up a couple of books, hung out with the kids and other 'general merriment'.

So, until I post the details on these topics...

Jacob's 1st Day of Pre-School

This definately shows off Jacob's personality and enthusiasm...

Fireproof

Looking forward to this movie.

Guess who is mobile?

Well..it finally came..at least in a non_rolling way.
Jude is now scooting himself all over the place...see for yourself :)

Interesting read to come....

In the men's group that I attend, they asked me to review a book and prepare a couple of talks around the topics of a book for the beginning of next year.  The book is "The Marketing of Evil: How Radicals, Elitists and Pseudo-Experts Sell Us Corruption Disguised as Freedom".  I will probably write up something here as well, but it looks to be an interesting book.
I am also happy that the group felt that my initial 2 week series went well enough that they would have me back.  I will actually be kind of excited to see where I want to go with these talks and to draft out my thoughts and talking points :)

Fun weekend...

Really enjoyed our weekend with the boys.  Saturday was our annual trip to Thomas the Tank Engine.  We went to Edaville again this year and we had a very nice time.  I will post some video as soon as I have it put together.  I truly think this may have been our most fun year so far just because of the boys ages and Kristen being able to enjoy herself as well...not pregnant :)

As for the rest of the weekend, it was pretty relaxed, but the boys did get to ride their bikes some more, go to church, read, watch a movie and play some cards with Dad. 
Anyway, keep us in your prayers this week as both Kristen and Jacob start school!  It will be interesting and exciting.

Finished the New Testament today...

Was pretty excited to get this done.  I am looking forward to the dinner that the men's group is going to have for everyone who finished this up in the timing out lined.  It looks like it will be around 10 people.  Really, it was nice to hit a goal and be able to put an X next to something.  Hoping it will be a springboard to some continued successes for awhile.

Looking back

I was looking back at my first Bible.  I had gotten it from my Dad back in the mid 80's.  It was neat to look at it for 2 reasons. 
1.  Look at the attached page that was written on the inside.  I remember this day pretty well, but I never would have known when it actually happened if not for this being written in there....

2. The second thing that I found in the Bible was what seemed to be the only underlined passage in the whole book....

Proverbs 23...

4 Do not wear yourself out to get rich;

have the wisdom to show restraint.

5 Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone,
for they will surely sprout wings
and fly off to the sky like an eagle.

I think it is interesting that the only passage that I had underlined in the entire Bible was about money and not to make it a singular focus.  Umpteen years ago I underlined this passage and left it at that as my focus in life was not the Bible or its application to my life...so, the last umpteen years I have spent an awful lot of time and energy..."wearing myself out" trying to make money and put me and my family in a secure place in life.  I hope I am starting to get a little better at applying the Bible and its truths to my life at this point.

Nearly finished with New Testament

My men's group took on a project of having as many of us as were interested to read through the New Testament in 90 days and finish by Labor Day.  I am basically down to the book of Revelation.  It has been good to do it and many of the other men have done so as well.  We kept track of each other by putting all of our progress online for each other to review.  Accountability definately seemed to help me and competition always makes me get engaged...even if it is friendly competition.  I am not sure that I will finish first, but, it wasn't really my goal...I didn't want to read it just to read it...but hopefully to help myself maintain a regular time in the word and even spend some time reflecting on it and the implications to my life.  I think I may just continue and move forward into the OT as well and see if I can not get through the OT similarly so that I can start reading through the Bible every year.  I think that is a goal that I am going to set for myself now and make sure I follow through on it.

Jaden's first long bike ride

Taken on Saturday, at the park...He was VERY excited.

Working out

So, Kristen and I have been doing a pretty good job working out at least a couple of times a week at the gym over the last month or so.  I have been running a couple miles, then doing weights, or core exercises, etc and then trying to finish up with some more cardio on the stairmaster or treadmill again.  I am definately happy and think it is doing me some good, but...I feel that it has actually made my pushup challenge harder.  My body is not acclimated yet to the workouts and I think I am more tired and unable to make progress....I have in fact regressed some...I think.  Anyway, I was looking at the calendar and the end of the year is not really that far off.  I am going to push to complete my pushup challenge by the end of the year.  That will mean that I need to start making progress immediately and make steady progess each week until the end.  Wish me luck and pray that my body gets used to working out again so that I can see some gain rather than just the "pain"

Vision

"I think vision is the cure for sin. One reason many of us get entangled in sin is because we don't have enough God-ordained vision to keep us busy. The more vision you have, the less you will sin. And the less vision you have, the more you will sin. It is a vision that keeps us playing offense spiritually. "

I like this quote from Mark Batterson.  I think that we often lack vision that keeps us focused.  Vision begets passion and passion gives us the fire to persevere and maintain determination when things slow down or get difficult.

I know I could use a bit of passion inspired by vision.  I spend probably more time right now doing things I have to do and trying to keep from doing things I shouldn't do then flat out driving myself based on a vision.

Do you have a vision?  Is that what drives you each day? 

Olympic craziness...

Kristen and I just got to watch the 100M butterfly final with Michael Phelps...honestly we still can't believe it. I have been watching all of the finals with Phelps in it because it has been such a huge story. It has been an amazing run....but as Kristen and I finished the movie, we flipped the TV on and it happened to be coming up...LIVE! I was excited and called Kristen over to watch. Trust me...go watch the replay...you will be yelling and pulling for him and you will not believe the finish.

http://www.nbcolympics.com/video/player.html?assetid=1251710&channelcode=sporttt

Quiet House

Jaden is spending the evening at his Aunt's house tonight and Jacob and Jude are sleeping....makes for a very quiet house which is nice. Kristen and I got to enjoy a movie together and then off to bed. Crazy thing is...it was really weird not putting Jaden to bed or dealing with him and Jacob together for bedtime. Yes, we are protective parents...and Jaden has only slept away from us a couple of times...in his life...so, I suppose this is still a learning curve for us to adapt to. I hope that he is enjoying his time with his cousins and pray for Kristen to be able to sleep tonight :)

Baileigh's Art

Thank you to Baileigh and Janelle for sending us some mail today! We loved the artwork and Janelle was kind enough to share all the pictures she took while she was out here. All of the boys loved their individualized masterpieces and Kristen and I both enjoyed that we each got one as well. Just to share with everyone, we decided to scan and post them :)

Computer problems

Kristen's computer is acting up and it is SOOOOO frustrating. I may not have the patience I should have to start with, but the computer not working does not help. If I knew a little more, I would probably be able to isolate the problem, but as it is, I stare at the screen...dumbfounded. Makes me think I should pay for one of those sites that tells you they will keep you safe from viruses. etc...I need a home IT department to get all of our stuff to work together and be working at the same time.

You looking for a second job, Dad?

Prophet

Prophet by Frank E. Peretti

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Another quick and engaging read by Peretti. He has a great way of telling a story where the action and conversations and the people are straight out of the real world...you could believe that this was happening now...with the details of someone familiar with the professions and surroundings, all while giving you an entirely different perspective due to God's hand being involved. A book like this just opens your mind to how big God is and that you don't really consider that fact on a regular basis...you just do what you do, and if someone is speaking to you about how God is reaching out to them, you sort of wonder whether they are a little crazy or if they are reaching or something...but just because their experience isn't like anyone else's does not negate that experience...why couldn't God be big enough to reach people in individual ways? And that is what I get out of this book as God allows a modern day prophet to participate in his plans as our modern day, consumeristic culture fights to be politically correct.


View all my reviews.

Broken System

Just had to post about this...just got off the phone with my sister who had a visit with my mom. It is amazing to me how broken our judicial system is at times. The lack of information, communication and personalization is beyond comprehension. I know that the point of the legal system is to deal with black and white at the lowest denominator. It has to be this way. But, how does that cause such inefficiencies and ineptitude such that she has been in jail for 3 and 1/2 weeks without even getting in front of a judge? For misdemeanors? I get keeping someone locked up for a month or more for something big...and maybe we don't know everything...but that once again would point to the lack of communication and clarity. ARGHH. Just had to put out my frustration...I pray that God will just work on my mom during this time and make her situation improved once she finally does see a judge and is able to get out.

Lucky Guy

Monday evening I went to the gym with the family. I had a very good workout, we collected the kids and out to the car we went. My hands were pretty full and to get the car door open, I set my phone on the room of the car. (of course, you can see where this is going....) We all got into the car and off we sped to get home. We traversed the town of Milford for about 2 miles before I thought about my phone and I immediately freaked and looked for a place to pull over. We pulled into the parking lot, I got out of the car...and it was still on the roof! Nothing like putting a several hundred dollar bet on the tackiness of plastic to plastic against wind, velocity and centrifugal force. Not a bet I want to place again anytime soon...but for now, I am a Lucky Guy.

Education...

Education has been on my mind this week as I read a column in Forbes that talked about our need to use innovation in the classroom to help us break out of the malaise that we are currently in. I also read another column online that said that the world is catching up, as in most things, however, we are still WAY smarter now than we were years ago...only the gap has decreased between us and the rest of the world...and in some cases we have been passed.

Well, Kristen is looking into schools to go back into the nursing track and Jaden is getting ready for 1st grade and even Jacob is going to start Pre-school as well. We will have a whole bunch of school going on for the next 20+ years in this household and I certainly hope that we see some significant improvements in our school systems, their quality, and our position in the world for turning out intelligent and prepared individuals into the world...meanwhile, I have to figure out what Kristen and I can do for them for those hours outside of school to support them in their endeavors...it gets a bit overwhelming...

Pray for us!

Whoops

So, my wife correctly pointed out that my previous post was not entirely accurate. This weekend was not completely without its own uniqueness. She did give me a couple of gifts for our anniversary which was very nice. We still haven't had the opportunity to go out together, but we will look forward to doing that very soon...on to the gifts :)
1. She got me a pair of khaki shorts after I went out to play golf in jean shorts earlier in the week...apparently she didn't think that was an ok thing to do...
2. She got me a brand new razor that is so dang fancy that the owner's manual is like 50 pages. It comes with a recharging base that also cleans the razor every day. This was pretty cool considering my razor was pretty old and in need of retirement.
3. Finally, Kristen also decided that my car needed a cleaning and that I was never going to get it done myself, so...she has decided that she will take it and get it cleaned up for me.

All in all, some very nice gifts that I should have shared in my last blog post.

Just another weekend....

Nothing really to blog about, but maybe I am not looking hard enough?
Really it was a pretty standard weekend. We did some shopping, went to church, Kristen and Jacob tried to get pictures done and the boys enjoyed some pretty nice weather while playing in the yard. Good family time and a somewhat relaxing way to spend the weekend...as it was one of only a few that have come this summer without plans or designated activities. Now that we are getting closer to school starting, things will start to pick back up and I have a feeling that I will have many more blog worthy things to discuss.

Pushups this week

I did get going on my goal to 100 again this week, though I can't say that I made much progress. I will consider that I am building up a new base :)

(photo from Wikipedia)

They say when you are climbing Everest, there are multiple base camps that climbers must reside at for several weeks at a time to get acclimated before they can move on. I will consider this current location my base camp 1. After a few weeks at base camp, I will be ready to climb up to the next one and then get acclimated there.

Eventually, I will have to look for my opportunity to scale this particular Everest.

The Messenger

The Messenger by Joseph Girzone

My review

rating: 2 of 5 stars
A somewhat repetitive, dry read that is touted as a parable. Girzone, who was a priest himself, wrote a story of a priest who is trying to share the truth of Jesus Christ. However, as he writes through the conflicts, discussions, and lectures that Francis, the main character is involved with, he is trying to present the grace and humility of Christ's forgiveness. The story line itself is slow and has little to it, and it falls flat for me at the end when his work is done.

I suppose that a parable is supposed to be a quick and easy read and has to be simple to make it's point and I think Grizone accomplished the quick, easy, and simple points...maybe just a little too well.


View all my reviews.

Life Goals

I have decided that it is necessary and important to do a life's goal list and put it out here. I don't know how long it will take to post them...don't know what they will all be. Some will be personal, some physical, some travel related, etc. I definitely feel sometimes like too much of life is happening to me, rather than me going out and doing life. There will always be times we have to do our daily routine and get things done...but to what end? The goal of life is not to arrive safely at death. It may be hard to accomplish things with the 3 little ones, but will it be any easier as they get older and need to be taken around to do more things? I don't think so. Better to get some goals out there...and really start applying myself to them. Stay tuned. I will post a link or the start of the list or something out here and then start coming back to it on a regular basis.

Do you have life goals? Are the mutual goals with your spouse, or are they yours alone? How are you doing on them?

There is a guy by the name of Ted Leonsis who came up with 101 goals that was prompted by a near death experience. He has lived his life according to accomplishing these goals and he has done 74 of the 101...and some of them are not small goals! Here is his site...
http://www.tedstake.com/?p=8

It may take me awhile to come up with a list of 100 things, but just actually having a list that you are committed to is a great idea and something to come back to regularly.