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.

StoryLand

I know Kristen will end up posting an awesome set of pictures from our trip to StoryLand, but I wanted to post about it as well. Yes, it was a long drive to get up there for one day but it was fun for the kids. Our goal was to leave on Friday and get up there in time to enjoy a couple of hours at the park and then get dinner, swim, etc and go back to the park on Saturday for the day before driving home. The weather did not cooperate. As soon as we got up into the park area it started pouring and we got stuck at the hotel. So, instead of going to the park, the kids got to go to a kids event for the evening at the hotel and we got to go out...just the adults and Jude...to dinner. They enjoyed themselves and so did we.

The following day we got up and went to breakfast at a little restaurant that we had been to last year and then went to the park. I did NOT feel well all day. Didn't eat breakfast or lunch and had Kristen go on most of the rides with the kids. (she was due for that anyway though since last year she didn't get to go on any rides as she was pregnant). I toughed it out, and I think Janelle was in a similar boat all day as well. The kids had fun, and then off we went back to MA. We didn't end up getting home until very late, but it was a fun day and will hold good memories. Here is one of my favorites...we paid for this one at the park but it was worth it :) I love the expressions on everyone's faces...

100 Pushup Challenge

Well, you haven't read much about this because I have not been doing anything with it over the last week and a half. My body was a little worn down and with guests and a myriad of other excuses...yes I admit it...it fell to the wayside. So, I am kicking things off again on Monday with the week 3 workout again and I am sure it will take still several weeks to get off that. I probably will not post each days status, but maybe once a week just to keep myself accountable to actually doing it suring the week. I know that I am still over 30, maybe 35 for straight pushups at the moment, so I have a long way to go. I think I will look to set a target date so that I can establish a ramp that I need to hit to get to the 100. I will post that when I figure out what a realistic date is.

90 Day Challenge

The men's group that meets each Friday morning at church put a challenge out there to read the New Testament in 90 days. For accountability and to add a little incentive for each person to sign up and keep up, I set up a google spreadsheet to track how each person is doing that everyone can go in and update. I know that for me, I need that incentive and that accountability. As of today, I have read 57 of the 90 segments. I started on June 3rd, which means I am 53 days into the reading...slightly ahead of schedule :) Overall, I am enjoying it and think that I may just tack on an Old Testament challenge onto the back end of this thru the Bible this year.

Missing Janelle and Baileigh

Just wanted you guys to know we were missing you already. Thought I would post this awesome picture that Baileigh did while she was out here. It just reminds me of how much we miss being able to drive down the road to see you all.

White by Ted Dekker

White by Ted Dekker

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Interesting read and good finish to the series. The imagery of both worlds and the engaging storyline that plays out in both is a lot of fun to read. Maybe it was just me, but this book seemed to lack a little bit of what the previous two had, but I can't place my finger on what it was at this point....maybe it just seemed he stretched too far on some of the points...I don't know. But, overall, loved the trilogy and I am really looking forward to the other set of books based on this storyline as well.


View all my reviews.

A week gone by

Things have been crazy, hectic, disjointed, fun, tiring, and a whole bunch of other stuff. I will definately start posting more regularly again here...but I just haven't had the time....it's a sorry excuse, but it is the only one I have at this point. Some of the catch up posts I need to make:
StoryLand
Family continued
Latest book read
status on reading the new testament
progress towards 100 pushups
my mother
I know there was more as well...but let's leave it at that. Much to catch up on, but for now I have to work :)

8th Anniversary - 7/22

Yes...I am a day late posting this. That probably won't surprise anyone.

I just want to say that I love my wife. 8 years has gone so quickly!
I am lucky to have you. You are an amazing mother and a fantastic friend. You have patience that I strive for, a positive outlook that I admire and a faith that is beautiful. I know with kids that many things take a back seat and that means that more often than not, we are not going out and spending time together as we should, but, if you could see through my eyes you would never doubt where you stand in my heart or how beautiful you truly are. Happy Anniversary my love and I look forward to celebrating the day with you very soon.

Janelle & Baileigh

They arrived on Tuesday and we are loving having them here with us. While I am still working and we have yet to really lay out plans...it is awesome to have them out here for the first time.

Also...

I can't believe how tiny Baileigh is...she is sooo cute and small. Jacob is almost as tall as she is and definately weighs a good bit more. Of course, I think with the way Jude eats that he may almost weigh as much as she does already.

So, stay tuned and hopefully we will have some fun pics and stories to tell over the weekend of our time together.

The Shack

The Shack by William P. Young

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed this book. It was a little slow at the beginning, but I thought it was an incredibly neat way to tell the story. I also thought that the author did a great job in keeping the main character level headed throughout the story...it made the story more honest. I think dealing with a daunting theological concept like the trinity in a novel would be very difficult, however, I think this was done very well and I would recommend that anyone read this.


View all my reviews.

Week 3, Day 2

Further salt on the wound...

Each set had 60 seconds of rest between them....
Set/Plan #/My #
Set 1 / 27 / 27
Set 2 / 19 / 19
Set 3 / 19 / 14
Set 4 / 15 / 8
Set 5 / 25 / 8

I know I will be on week 3 for weeks!

Simplification

I read an article in Time the other day...How to Live With Just 100 Things: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1812048,00.html?imw=Y
Premise is that some people have decided that the overconsumption that we all tend to participate in had to stop for them...Now, of course there is tons of back and forth with some of these people as to what consitutes an "item"...but it does make you think a little about how much we consume...how much we hang on to...and how much of it we really need. I know that I have packrat tendencies at times. How much simpler could life be if we just got rid of a good portion of the excess? Just something to think about...I am :)

Sunday stuff

I didn't post on Sunday, but it was a nice day with the family. We went to church and the kids got to play. We all went on a walk / bike ride around the neighborhood. The boys were so tired and sweaty from riding up our hill that we didn't want to touch them! Finally in the evening, we watched a movie that Kristen and I enjoyed...Must Love Dogs with John Cusack. I laughed quite a bit during this one. I just hadn't seen too many movies lately that had great dialogue like this that made me laugh. So, grab it from your local store or the library (Kristen gets an A+ for picking a good movie and for getting it for free).

Week 3, Day 1

Each set had 60 seconds of rest between them....
Set/Plan #/My #
Set 1 / 25 / 25
Set 2 / 17 / 17
Set 3 / 17 / 13
Set 4 / 15 / 10
Set 5 / 25 / 10

So, as you can see...first day in week 3 and I didn't make the numbers...not even close. So, I will be doing this week at least once more. With how far off I was, it could be longer.

Status check

Wasn't really looking forward to trying this....but it is part of the program and I committed to do it and see it through. Go until I couldn't go anymore and see if I made progress. First time I did this before starting the program I completed 29 pushups. This time.....35. Progress, but not exactly the curve I would expect if this was going to get me to 100. BUT! I can't be discouraged about making progress. It may take longer than the original timeframe. We shall see :)

Busy Weekend

We were at a picnic today at a friends house. The boys played baseball, ate cake, ran around like crazy and even managed to work together on a tandem swing. They had been at the library earlier in the day and brought home books and movies. They watched one of the movies when they got home and off to bed so that we can make church in the morning. Not sure if we are having bible study or not, but I am anticipating it...so, I had to finish my study and notes for leading that tomorrow. I am also keeping up with my schedule for reading the New Testament in 90 days, finishing up The Shack and planning my talk for the two weeks at my men's breakfast that will happen in a little less than 2 weeks from now. It has definately been a busy weekend.

Fw: Fifty-Six Signers

A great blog post from Mark Batterson:

I love history. And I love America! Thought I'd share a little of both as we celebrate Independence Day.

We live in a a day and age where we almost have to defend our patriotism. I'm certainly not suggesting that America is above reproach. Far from it. But a few years ago I did extensive research for a sermon series on our spiritual heritage. And I walked away with a renewed sense of destiny. There is so much revisionist history out there that we tend to forget that a lot of our Founding Fathers were motivated by their faith in Christ.

Just thought I'd share some backstory about some of the fifty-six signers of the Declaration of Independence. Most Americans know next to nothing about these fifty-six heroes who pledged their lives, fortunes and sacred honor to the cause of freedom.

John Witherspoon was an ordained minister and authored several books of sermons, as well as editing America's first family Bible published in 1791.

Charles Thomson served as Secretary of Congress and was a Biblical scholar. He helped edit the first American translation of the Greek Septuagint into English.

Charles Carroll, the last of the fifty-six signers to pass away at the age of 95 in 1832, wrote out his declaration of faith at the age of eighty-nine.

On the mercy of my Redeemer I rely for my salvation, and on His merits; not on the works I have done in obedience to His precepts.

Another Founding Father, Benjamin Rush, is considered the "Father of American Medicine." He personally trained three thousand medical students. Dr. Rush also founded "The First Day Society" which was the precursor to the Sunday School movement, as well as founding America's first Bible society. It was Benjamin Rush who said the Constitution was "as much the work of Divine Providence as any of the miracles recorded in the Old and New Testament were the effects of divine power."

Francis Hopkinson was a church music director and edited one of the first hymnals printed in America in 1767. He also set 150 psalms to music.

Roger Sherman is the only Founding Father to sign all four of America's Founding documents: the Articles of Association in 1774, the Declaration of Independence in 1776, the Articles of Confederation in 1778, and the U.S. Constitution in 1787. Roger Sherman was also a theologian. He wrote a personal creed that was adopted by his church:

I believe that there is one only living and true God, existing in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, the same in substance, equal in power and glory. That the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are a revelation from God, and a complete rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy Him.

I could share story after story, but the bottom line is this: many, if not most, of our Founding Fathers were motivated by their Faith in Christ. They wrote sermons and creeds and hymns. They founded Bible Societies and Sunday Schools. They served God's purposes in their own generation.

By the way, five signers were captured and tortured during the Revolutionary War. Twelve signers had their homes ransacked and burned. Two signers lost sons to the war they declared. Two signers had sons become prisoners of war. And nine signers fought in the war and died from wounds or hardships of war.

Hope that adds a dimension of gratitude to your 4th of July celebration!

Week 2, Day 3

Did it!

15, 15, 12, 12, 16
60 seconds of rest...

I am now supposed to due an exhaustion test and see basically if I have improved on the 29 that I originally could do at one time...

Probably do that sometime tomorrow.

Making progress hopefully :)

hill

This was the walk down to the beach.

Lifeguard Jacob

Dinner pic 1

Jude was just a little bit happy while sitting in a high chair for the first time at a restaurant.

Walk on the beach

A beach in Wellfleet after dinner.

Campground beach

We will post pictures later..but we went to Campground Beach today based on the recommendation of one of the people at our motel. It was a good day. I tried to hide from the sun with Jude...the older boys threw rocks into the water and Kristen tried to get a tan...she will be fried, I know. Elizabeth got too much sun and has red streaks on her back. Now we are off to dinner on the beach.

Week 2, day 2

16, 13, 11, 11, 15
With 60 seconds of rest between sets.
I might be able to do Friday's as well...so maybe week 2 wil be completed :)

Scenic overlook

We stopped by a scenic overlook so that Kristen could take a picture. She got the picture of the bridge but startled a snake and so she ran back to the car :) This is her getting in the car as fast as she could...

Vacation time!

Van is packed.
Kids are watching a movie.
Kristen has a coffee.
We are on our way to the cape!