Ethan is involved in Upwards Basketball at church. His first practice was tonight....apparently. I say that because we didn't know it was tonight until he came home and said his friend told him that it was and so we called the coach and lo and behold - - practice tonight! What time did we call? 6pm. What time did practice start? 6pm. And so - - Ethan was late. Yippee.
I was at work and drove straight to the church. Got there and immediately felt completely and utterly OUT OF PLACE. The only time I'm in a gymnasium is....well.....hmmmmm......college? for dinner theater or music functions or chapel or something. Either way, it was NOT to play a sport! :) Dads, Moms and siblings all along the wall, while lots of little boys were running around, bouncing basketballs and shooting hoops. I'll admit it - - I'm definitely a NERD when it comes to sports. And therefore I was way out of my league in this environment. Found my wife and daughter and bee-lined straight to them! Sat on the stage, eyed my son, gave a thumbs up and pretended to pay attention - - waving to Ethan when he would make a basket.
And this was just practice.
I'm not one of those parents who's used to spending time at a gym, watching a basketball game. I like to go to the ballpark or arena.....for the atmosphere! I rarely actually watch the game! I like to watch the people. And eat the food.
Not so interested in the sport itself. Don't watch it on TV.
Ethan seemed to enjoy it, and I will go back - - for his sake, of course. I might bring a book next week :)
And now to the randomness of this blog:
When I come home from work each evening, I like to just change right into my pajamas if the plan is to just stay home. I like to be comfortable - and a t-shirt and lounge pants were made for me when they were created! Anyway....both cars needed gas fill-ups. Too tired to mess with changing, I drove to the gas station in my tee shirt, lounge pajamas, and slippers. Yes....slippers. Filled up my wife's car and came home. As if that wasn't enough, I did it AGAIN by taking my van to the same gas station....in the same outfit.
Nothing like being comfortable with who you are, huh? (a real-life nerd!)
37
Today marks 37 years for me.
It's not quite the "cool" number to celebrate, so I will make it fun by proclaiming 37 things I have learned so far!
#1 No matter what I feel/do or don't feel/do, God is still on His throne, accepting me no matter what. Trusting Him is sometimes easy and sometimes hard. So I just do my best to keep Him first in my life and ask His forgiveness when I don't.
#2 My wife is amazing. We've been together for 15 years, and she still laughs with (and at) me! We still talk (in between kids' comments) and laugh until our bellies hurt. We each have lives outside of home (work is a big part of our lives right now) and we each enjoy coming together at the end of the week to become a closer family. We strive for balance in all we do, and we have an amazing love that keeps us going.
#3 Kids are a blessing. We thought our lives wouldn't be complete without them. God chose for us a journey into adoption, love, and acceptance that only He knew we could pursue. Now we continue to learn and love and enjoy being "family" and it's just AWESOME!
#4 Friends come in all shapes & sizes, types & personalities, laughing & non-laughing too! At work, at home, at church, and in the local restaurant, friends are near. Thank goodness! Cuz life would be so boring if they were too much like me!
#5 People are funny. I like to laugh, and being around people is one of the most funny things ever. So many stories, tall tales, and stupid experiences! Laughter IS the best medicine!
#6 Worship is a great way to start every day. I can't remember what made me start doing this, but I play the piano almost every morning. It is so peaceful and reflective on God's touch for the day. When I am away traveling, I always miss this "my time with God" moment. It's become a treasured time with Him.
#7 After 37 years of life, I'm glad I found out about chocolate. Though bad for the weight, it's definitely good for my soul.
#8 Jigsaw puzzles relax me. I just wish I could leave them out for more than a week - - - the kiddos find a way to knock the pieces on the floor!
#9 I don't like to sweat. Unfortunately, I am currently in a job that requires sweating. It's not a pretty sight and I hate those times.
#10 I finally know a little bit about football, baseball, and basketball to talk intelligently with my 7 year old son. The task is still daunting, but I'm getting better.
#11 Creativity is in my soul, and I need some sort of creative outlet in ANYTHING I do: at work or at home. If it's not there, I am unhappy.
#12 Though hard, sometimes going through challenges are worth it in the end.
#13 Oreos, Swiss Cake Rolls, and Oatmeal Creme Pies - - A Nutritionist's Nightmare. Robb's saving grace.
#14 Sometimes getting up, going to church, singing/volunteering at church is crappy. Good thing I'm just as imperfect as the next person there. Otherwise I wouldn't fit in.
#15 MY extended family (parents and in-laws and grandparents, cousins, & aunts/uncles) are incredible. With so many across the country and so many different types of people, it's amazing God put us all together under the same name! I'm in awe of what we are all doing for God and for others!
#16 Mowing the lawn, taking out the garbage, unloading the dishwasher are all things anyone can do to love another member of the household.
#17 Still amazed that computers didn't make things simpler like "they" claimed they would. We're working harder, faster, and supposedly smarter with the same (or more) paperwork than before!
#18 Cracking up that my daughter is wearing an updated version of the 80's styles! Go leg-warmers and boots!
#19 Learning to love people by spending time with my neighbors, taking time to visit grandparents, and keeping in touch with friends/family who live far away.
#20 Personally, I would like to have more time to read. And sleep. They seem to happen at the same time, when I have just a moment of silence at the end of the night. Not quite what I am looking for long-term but it will do for now.
#21 My only regret is that in high school, I did not pursue my interest in playing tennis or following my gym teacher's suggestion to do gymnastics. Not that I'd like the sweating, mind you. But I do enjoy the sports and wonder if I would have been any good back then.
#22 While I'm on the sports subject, I have learned to really enjoy watching the tennis tournaments on TV and now that I live in Mason, I am able to take my "personal day" from work to spend it watching the US Open Series Tournament for one day in the summer. LOTS of sweating, and SO worth it!
#23 I enjoy being friends with my parents and with my in-laws. Sure glad they all love the Lord and raised both my wife and I in that manner. We can now have fun together: chat and laugh: without arguments, awkwardness, or challenging times. VERY thankful for continued love, acceptance, and relationship-building!
#24 Prayer seems like an easy thing to do - sometimes it isn't. Glad God accepts other different and creative communication options. Praising through song, mind, and spirit is a method of mine. Others include: reading, drawing, playing the piano, and spending alone time.
#25 While on the spiritual subject, I might mention that reading the Bible is one of the hardest things I am learning to do. Having grown up in the churchy world all my life, it has become routine to do all the "right" "Christian" things. I wish the Bible would be "newly released" and brought to life again and again to remind me that it is relevant and worth reading again and again. I get a lot of that from sermons each week in church. I just wish it could be proclaimed in some way in the "secular" world as a "hot item" necessary for every living soul. I guess that's our job as Christians, huh?
#26 37 years to think of crazy questions like:
What if everyone in the world knew Jesus and He hadn't returned yet? What would we all do, day in and day out?
#27 I'm glad God made us to "grow up" instead of keeping us in diapers all our life. How gross would that be?
#28 After biting my nails for approximately 27 of my 37 years, I have learned that this is a bad idea. And now I can't give my son a good reason why he should stop.
#29 Being a good worker at work means actually working at work and not working at home. Those priorities are pretty important, so I'm continuing to adjust my work life with my home life so they stay in balance.
#30 TV is mostly a waste of time. And oh-so-fun to watch after a long day. I'm stuck on the 9pm and 10pm shows for the drama, comedy, emotional release, and laughter!
#31 Holding a child is one of the most incredible moments in all my life.
#32 A full life is one with multiple experiences with multiple people within one purpose. The hard part is figuring out the purpose first, instead of the other way around.
#33 The best sundae I've ever had was : 1 scoop mint chocolate chip, 1 scoop cookies & cream, 1 scoop chocolate - add chocolate syrup, kit kat topping, and a cherry. DIVINE!
#34 Some time in my life, I'd like to own a baby grand piano.
#35 I stand by my favorite verse of Scripture - - since my sophomore year in high school: Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight" (NIV).
#36 I love my wife and my kids.
#37 I love my God.
It's not quite the "cool" number to celebrate, so I will make it fun by proclaiming 37 things I have learned so far!
#1 No matter what I feel/do or don't feel/do, God is still on His throne, accepting me no matter what. Trusting Him is sometimes easy and sometimes hard. So I just do my best to keep Him first in my life and ask His forgiveness when I don't.
#2 My wife is amazing. We've been together for 15 years, and she still laughs with (and at) me! We still talk (in between kids' comments) and laugh until our bellies hurt. We each have lives outside of home (work is a big part of our lives right now) and we each enjoy coming together at the end of the week to become a closer family. We strive for balance in all we do, and we have an amazing love that keeps us going.
#3 Kids are a blessing. We thought our lives wouldn't be complete without them. God chose for us a journey into adoption, love, and acceptance that only He knew we could pursue. Now we continue to learn and love and enjoy being "family" and it's just AWESOME!
#4 Friends come in all shapes & sizes, types & personalities, laughing & non-laughing too! At work, at home, at church, and in the local restaurant, friends are near. Thank goodness! Cuz life would be so boring if they were too much like me!
#5 People are funny. I like to laugh, and being around people is one of the most funny things ever. So many stories, tall tales, and stupid experiences! Laughter IS the best medicine!
#6 Worship is a great way to start every day. I can't remember what made me start doing this, but I play the piano almost every morning. It is so peaceful and reflective on God's touch for the day. When I am away traveling, I always miss this "my time with God" moment. It's become a treasured time with Him.
#7 After 37 years of life, I'm glad I found out about chocolate. Though bad for the weight, it's definitely good for my soul.
#8 Jigsaw puzzles relax me. I just wish I could leave them out for more than a week - - - the kiddos find a way to knock the pieces on the floor!
#9 I don't like to sweat. Unfortunately, I am currently in a job that requires sweating. It's not a pretty sight and I hate those times.
#10 I finally know a little bit about football, baseball, and basketball to talk intelligently with my 7 year old son. The task is still daunting, but I'm getting better.
#11 Creativity is in my soul, and I need some sort of creative outlet in ANYTHING I do: at work or at home. If it's not there, I am unhappy.
#12 Though hard, sometimes going through challenges are worth it in the end.
#13 Oreos, Swiss Cake Rolls, and Oatmeal Creme Pies - - A Nutritionist's Nightmare. Robb's saving grace.
#14 Sometimes getting up, going to church, singing/volunteering at church is crappy. Good thing I'm just as imperfect as the next person there. Otherwise I wouldn't fit in.
#15 MY extended family (parents and in-laws and grandparents, cousins, & aunts/uncles) are incredible. With so many across the country and so many different types of people, it's amazing God put us all together under the same name! I'm in awe of what we are all doing for God and for others!
#16 Mowing the lawn, taking out the garbage, unloading the dishwasher are all things anyone can do to love another member of the household.
#17 Still amazed that computers didn't make things simpler like "they" claimed they would. We're working harder, faster, and supposedly smarter with the same (or more) paperwork than before!
#18 Cracking up that my daughter is wearing an updated version of the 80's styles! Go leg-warmers and boots!
#19 Learning to love people by spending time with my neighbors, taking time to visit grandparents, and keeping in touch with friends/family who live far away.
#20 Personally, I would like to have more time to read. And sleep. They seem to happen at the same time, when I have just a moment of silence at the end of the night. Not quite what I am looking for long-term but it will do for now.
#21 My only regret is that in high school, I did not pursue my interest in playing tennis or following my gym teacher's suggestion to do gymnastics. Not that I'd like the sweating, mind you. But I do enjoy the sports and wonder if I would have been any good back then.
#22 While I'm on the sports subject, I have learned to really enjoy watching the tennis tournaments on TV and now that I live in Mason, I am able to take my "personal day" from work to spend it watching the US Open Series Tournament for one day in the summer. LOTS of sweating, and SO worth it!
#23 I enjoy being friends with my parents and with my in-laws. Sure glad they all love the Lord and raised both my wife and I in that manner. We can now have fun together: chat and laugh: without arguments, awkwardness, or challenging times. VERY thankful for continued love, acceptance, and relationship-building!
#24 Prayer seems like an easy thing to do - sometimes it isn't. Glad God accepts other different and creative communication options. Praising through song, mind, and spirit is a method of mine. Others include: reading, drawing, playing the piano, and spending alone time.
#25 While on the spiritual subject, I might mention that reading the Bible is one of the hardest things I am learning to do. Having grown up in the churchy world all my life, it has become routine to do all the "right" "Christian" things. I wish the Bible would be "newly released" and brought to life again and again to remind me that it is relevant and worth reading again and again. I get a lot of that from sermons each week in church. I just wish it could be proclaimed in some way in the "secular" world as a "hot item" necessary for every living soul. I guess that's our job as Christians, huh?
#26 37 years to think of crazy questions like:
What if everyone in the world knew Jesus and He hadn't returned yet? What would we all do, day in and day out?
#27 I'm glad God made us to "grow up" instead of keeping us in diapers all our life. How gross would that be?
#28 After biting my nails for approximately 27 of my 37 years, I have learned that this is a bad idea. And now I can't give my son a good reason why he should stop.
#29 Being a good worker at work means actually working at work and not working at home. Those priorities are pretty important, so I'm continuing to adjust my work life with my home life so they stay in balance.
#30 TV is mostly a waste of time. And oh-so-fun to watch after a long day. I'm stuck on the 9pm and 10pm shows for the drama, comedy, emotional release, and laughter!
#31 Holding a child is one of the most incredible moments in all my life.
#32 A full life is one with multiple experiences with multiple people within one purpose. The hard part is figuring out the purpose first, instead of the other way around.
#33 The best sundae I've ever had was : 1 scoop mint chocolate chip, 1 scoop cookies & cream, 1 scoop chocolate - add chocolate syrup, kit kat topping, and a cherry. DIVINE!
#34 Some time in my life, I'd like to own a baby grand piano.
#35 I stand by my favorite verse of Scripture - - since my sophomore year in high school: Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight" (NIV).
#36 I love my wife and my kids.
#37 I love my God.
Why pumpkin pie and a bag of wooden blocks mean so much
Today I visited my grandma and grandpa. I certainly don't do this as often as I should and each time I do, I am reminded why. It's so nice being with family. These two souls are the epitome of love to me. Grandma and Grandpa have been married over 63 years and they are still kickin! Though things have changed quite a bit for them with Grandpa living in the nursing home, their love abounds.
I just got back from a trip in Nashville late last night. Got in around 1am. Slept in a bit and with the whole day available, I set off around 10:30am to meet Grandma after church. I arrived just before the close of the service. It was nice to walk into this church and hear the church praying for others in their community and families who needed to be encouraged. It was also nice to see a group of different people worshipping together in unity.
Lunch was the main topic of discussion as we drove to town to eat. Grandma picked a wonderful place and we just chatted all the way there! I just love being at the age where the generations just come together.....instead of family hierarchy, we have friends who just happen to be family.....and that is really cool!
We chatted about work, the family, updates on the kids, and a host of other topics while eating a grand meal. And then came dessert: pumpkin pie: who can resist!?!? Food has always been a piece of happiness for me, and when shared with a friend, it's just plain better!
Off to the nursing home to visit with Grandpa. He was awake when we arrived and that made me happy. It was so good to talk with him and hear him make comments, laugh, and wiggle the bed while doing so! His body may be getting older, but his "him" is still there! That also makes me happy. As hard as it is to see his body start to give up, God obviously has a purpose in his staying with us a little longer. And with His purposes in the forefront, I'll just trust that He knows what Grandpa needs these days.
I loved watching Grandma and Grandpa interact. The love is sweet, enduring, and impossible to miss. The eyes, the sweet-talking, and Grandma rubbing Grandpa's head. After 63 years, it must just be "normal." To me, it is amazing. Without talking, they share a love that is grounded deep....really deep. And it's obvious.
Heading home, Grandma began to reminisce a little and talked of all the items she and Grandpa have kept over the years......and then she mentioned "the blocks." Oh, the memories flooded in! You see, I loved those blocks. They were on the stairs in the old house, where I played when I was little - - apparently a really little guy and then more time was spent with them when I was the big brother too!
Anyway, I knew where they were and got them when I wanted to play with them. And Grandma gave them to me today....and I teared up. I just LOVE those blocks. they remind me of Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa....and they remind me of the times we would all play password in the old house....and they remind me of Grandpa and Grandma drinking coffee in the early, early of the morning and my brother and I would hear them talking, though just a murmur.
Wooden blocks and pumpkin pie. Memories of old and Friendships anew.
And a love that transcends time - - - from family - - - and from God.
I just got back from a trip in Nashville late last night. Got in around 1am. Slept in a bit and with the whole day available, I set off around 10:30am to meet Grandma after church. I arrived just before the close of the service. It was nice to walk into this church and hear the church praying for others in their community and families who needed to be encouraged. It was also nice to see a group of different people worshipping together in unity.
Lunch was the main topic of discussion as we drove to town to eat. Grandma picked a wonderful place and we just chatted all the way there! I just love being at the age where the generations just come together.....instead of family hierarchy, we have friends who just happen to be family.....and that is really cool!
We chatted about work, the family, updates on the kids, and a host of other topics while eating a grand meal. And then came dessert: pumpkin pie: who can resist!?!? Food has always been a piece of happiness for me, and when shared with a friend, it's just plain better!
Off to the nursing home to visit with Grandpa. He was awake when we arrived and that made me happy. It was so good to talk with him and hear him make comments, laugh, and wiggle the bed while doing so! His body may be getting older, but his "him" is still there! That also makes me happy. As hard as it is to see his body start to give up, God obviously has a purpose in his staying with us a little longer. And with His purposes in the forefront, I'll just trust that He knows what Grandpa needs these days.
I loved watching Grandma and Grandpa interact. The love is sweet, enduring, and impossible to miss. The eyes, the sweet-talking, and Grandma rubbing Grandpa's head. After 63 years, it must just be "normal." To me, it is amazing. Without talking, they share a love that is grounded deep....really deep. And it's obvious.
Heading home, Grandma began to reminisce a little and talked of all the items she and Grandpa have kept over the years......and then she mentioned "the blocks." Oh, the memories flooded in! You see, I loved those blocks. They were on the stairs in the old house, where I played when I was little - - apparently a really little guy and then more time was spent with them when I was the big brother too!
Anyway, I knew where they were and got them when I wanted to play with them. And Grandma gave them to me today....and I teared up. I just LOVE those blocks. they remind me of Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa....and they remind me of the times we would all play password in the old house....and they remind me of Grandpa and Grandma drinking coffee in the early, early of the morning and my brother and I would hear them talking, though just a murmur.
Wooden blocks and pumpkin pie. Memories of old and Friendships anew.
And a love that transcends time - - - from family - - - and from God.
Balance
This week's message at church referenced Micah 6:8 and what God expects from us. The main emphasis was to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.
And so, my reflection began.....with balance.
In all areas of my life. Does it happen? Not very often. Does it matter? Loads.
All my life, I've been challenged to balance work with family with my personal relationship with God. This nice reminder yesterday morning gave me some practical answers for "how" to actually live out the balance issues.
This verse of Scripture is applicable to ALL areas of my life. Just brainstorming here, I'm thinking of three different ways to apply them to three different areas right now.
Act justly - - that one is good for the work part of my life. Here is where my prayers for discernment come into play: should I do this or that? if this occurs, how will it affect something else down the line? am I living out my faith in accordance to what the Holy Spirit is telling me or just what I want out of it? Act justly. Hard to do. Especially at work.
Love mercy - - I'll apply this to my family life. I'm not very good at this. It's easy for me to be kind and merciful to my colleagues at work because I don't have to live with them. It's really challenging to live out this kind of love at home when I'm tired, frustrated, annoyed, bored, and/or all of the above. Here is where my prayers about I Corinthians 13 come into play. God is teaching me a lot about His love as I continually ignore His pushes to open my heart, cut out the pride, and love my family every day. And it extends to the "love your neighbor" part too. I'm REALLY bad about this - - I like to think that my introvertedness gives me a free pass not to have to worry or care about my neighbors. Boy is it hard for me to love mercy with the people around me. Especially when I continue to choose the TV over playing with my kids outside or going to the neighborhood weekend activity.
Walk humbly with your God - - yeh, this part gets me every time. Each time I "feel" like I'm doing pretty good, His Word penetrates my heart and teaches me something new. It's pretty obvious this just deals with my heart - - on my personal journey with God. So often I'm WALKING with Him on the sidewalk, only to find out that I'm actually just hopping from one square to the next - - concentrating on avoiding the cracks, not stepping on bugs, and making sure my stride is "just right" so my foot hits the middle of each cement block. When all along, I just need to focus on walking WITH GOD: with an honest approach to chatting and listening to my Friend, reading His Word and keeping a strong focus on Him - - the rest of the walking just happens and isn't as stressful and becomes second nature.
That's when I know I'm in balance.
Micah 6:8
And so, my reflection began.....with balance.
In all areas of my life. Does it happen? Not very often. Does it matter? Loads.
All my life, I've been challenged to balance work with family with my personal relationship with God. This nice reminder yesterday morning gave me some practical answers for "how" to actually live out the balance issues.
This verse of Scripture is applicable to ALL areas of my life. Just brainstorming here, I'm thinking of three different ways to apply them to three different areas right now.
Act justly - - that one is good for the work part of my life. Here is where my prayers for discernment come into play: should I do this or that? if this occurs, how will it affect something else down the line? am I living out my faith in accordance to what the Holy Spirit is telling me or just what I want out of it? Act justly. Hard to do. Especially at work.
Love mercy - - I'll apply this to my family life. I'm not very good at this. It's easy for me to be kind and merciful to my colleagues at work because I don't have to live with them. It's really challenging to live out this kind of love at home when I'm tired, frustrated, annoyed, bored, and/or all of the above. Here is where my prayers about I Corinthians 13 come into play. God is teaching me a lot about His love as I continually ignore His pushes to open my heart, cut out the pride, and love my family every day. And it extends to the "love your neighbor" part too. I'm REALLY bad about this - - I like to think that my introvertedness gives me a free pass not to have to worry or care about my neighbors. Boy is it hard for me to love mercy with the people around me. Especially when I continue to choose the TV over playing with my kids outside or going to the neighborhood weekend activity.
Walk humbly with your God - - yeh, this part gets me every time. Each time I "feel" like I'm doing pretty good, His Word penetrates my heart and teaches me something new. It's pretty obvious this just deals with my heart - - on my personal journey with God. So often I'm WALKING with Him on the sidewalk, only to find out that I'm actually just hopping from one square to the next - - concentrating on avoiding the cracks, not stepping on bugs, and making sure my stride is "just right" so my foot hits the middle of each cement block. When all along, I just need to focus on walking WITH GOD: with an honest approach to chatting and listening to my Friend, reading His Word and keeping a strong focus on Him - - the rest of the walking just happens and isn't as stressful and becomes second nature.
That's when I know I'm in balance.
Micah 6:8
The Car Is Bought
After the Faust fiasco with the car and after much paperwork and a chunk of change, we purchased a Chevrolet Malibu to replace the Saturn. It's a demo, and we took it for a test drive and bought it on the spot. Brenda drives it, loves it, and looks GOOD in it! I now drive the van - - it has a CD player, so I am HAPPY!
A Very Abnormal Day, with pockets of humorous "robb-isms"
Last night I worked late. I was heading to the Distribution Center this morning so I had some finishing up to do at the desk. I try to be creative in my "desk sign" so everyone knows where I'm at. This time was no different. I said I'd be at the warehouse, sweating profusely and may not be back until I first take a shower...and so on....It was very focused on my dissatisfaction with my sweating issues.
the other reason I was staying late was so I could drive directly to praise team practice from work. Great worship time! It's been a long time since I've sung at church and it was so great to harmonize with some very talented individuals I call friends. One of the songs we're singing on Sunday is one of my most favorite AND most despised. Favorite because it really sets the tone for my worship to God. Despised because it tears into my comfortable heart and challenges me in ways I don't want to be challenged. Anyway....we finished the practice, it was wonderful (and challenging) and I went home.
This morning was like most summer days: everybody up, shower, dressed, and out the door. Brenda had left already. Just me and the kids. Open the front door and it's POURING rain. Ran into the garage to get an umbrella and crap! Only one available is the "Noah's Ark" one. Grapped it and helped the kids to the car. Drove to the sitter's house, dropped the kids off and went on my way. This day was a little different in that I had approximately 3000 boxes of books in the car with me. With travel to the warehouse, I was donned with jeans and a t-shirt, after which I would change into khakis and a polo upon arrival back to the office. I even brought myself a new pair of underwear, just in case the sweating was more than I could handle!
I normally go my "normal" way. Today, I decided to go a different way, which basically meant taking I-75 instead of I-71. So I did. Turning on my favorite Christian radio station, I started singing my way down the highway in the rain. The drive was forever. It's amazing to me that I ever drove all the way down to CCU every day....I guess you just get used to it after a while. I made my way to the Norwood Lateral and got off the exit to catch I-71 South for just a bit to get off at my exit. Around the curve, slowly, because I've seen so many accidents here....out of the curve and speeding up to make the entrance onto the highway....
In the middle of my singing, I hydroplaned, spun the car, hit the guardrail, and spun again.
All I can remember is that I was saying "Oh my goodness! Oh my goodness!" I guess that's better than swearing! :) A little shook up, I turned to see if anyone else had been in front of me or behind me - - fortunately no one was around, so no injuries. The guy behind me stopped to make sure I was okay. All was well. The air bag had not deployed, and I seemed fine. The front of the car, however, was a different story: all bunched up, messed up, and crashed up.
I called the Emergency number on my cell phone. That was exciting. First the Norwood cop showed up. Again, it's pouring down rain. He approaches the car and motions for me to step out. I grab my umbrella.....and you guessed it.....it's the Noah's Ark one. Let me describe this for you: yellow, pink, purple with noah's ark cartoon-like pictures covering the entire thing. Oh! and don't forget that it was made for a 5 year old, so it's a bit small for an adult! yep, that's the one.....a grown man walking down the highway with his yellow & pink umbrella next to a police officer. Ah! What a moment! :)
We searched for the spot I hit the guardrail, talked it over, and he proceeds to tell me that he called the Cincinnati cops because where I hit the guardrail is in an "unknown district" - it was between the Cincinnati and Norwood districts, being on the ramp, and so he was unable to write up the paperwork until they decided whose district I crashed in! :) So I took my yellow & pink umbrella and got back in the car to wait. As I waited, I utilized my cell phone to call work colleagues, my wife, and the tow company. As I was speaking with a close work friend, I happened to notice (and remember) that while I was spinning and crashing, my underwear had gone FLYING through the air and landed on my front seat floor. How convenient for me. The proverbial mother quote of all time ringing through my head.....I was all prepared if I needed to change into my clean underwear! Ha! Ha!
Then the Cincinnati cop showed up. He also motioned for me to get out of the car. My yellow & pink umbrella was becoming my friend at this point. Only this time, this cop made quite a face when I popped out from the car, extending my umbrella into the rainy sky. I'm sure I looked like an idiot. After much discussion, it was Cincinnati who had the opportunity to talk with me further about the incident. Instead of standing in the rain, he asked me to come sit in his car while we finished up the paperwork.
I gathered my stuff, grabbed my y & p umbrella, and walked up to the cop's car. I tried the front passenger seat....uh.....no.....gotta go to the backseat. Wow. Criminals sure have it bad. The seats, the floor, the walls...they are all plastic. Hard plastic. And that little tiny hole to talk into is worse than those holes at the movie theater. The doors are hilarious without handles to roll down the window, bars on them, and no handles to open them. My cop was VERY nice. We had some laughs as I commented on the comfortability of the backseat, the customer-friendly window bars, and the fact that I didn't have a record......until now. That is when it got pretty sad. He told me the good news: I wasn't injured, no need for an ambulance, no one else was hurt. Then the bad news: I was getting a ticket. I was now a cited citizen. I blamed the rain. He blamed me for my inability to control the vehicle. Gotta love Cincinnati. He let me know that I could mail my check in within 7 days. If I didn't pay it in 7 days, though, I would have to see him in court very soon. I told him as much as I really liked him today, I'd prefer not to see him again and that I would pay within the 7 days. (the check is ready to go in tomorrow's mail!)
My beautiful wife picked me up, we watched the car be towed away, and a very nice colleague came and transported the 3000 boxes I had in my car to the warehouse for me. I have filled out tons of paperwork and we're waiting for repair estimates, insurance claims, doctor appointments, and figuring out the daily schedule with only one car. All in all, I'm glad no one else was hurt, the kids were at the sitter's and I only had boxes flying around in the car with me.
Family, immediate and work-related, is definitely a blessing.
Oh! And that brings me back to my favorite and despised praise song: Blessed Be Your Name.
The words that continue to challenge me:
Every blessing You pour out, I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord, still I will say:
Blessed be the name of the Lord, Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord, Blessed be Your glorious name
You give and take away, You give and take away
My heart will choose to say, Lord, blessed be Your name
It's the choice thing that gets me. No matter what - - in good times and in bad - - I make a choice whether or not to trust God in ALL things. And when I do....my heart grows larger, my faith grows stronger, and "me" is replaced with "Him" - What a challenge!
the other reason I was staying late was so I could drive directly to praise team practice from work. Great worship time! It's been a long time since I've sung at church and it was so great to harmonize with some very talented individuals I call friends. One of the songs we're singing on Sunday is one of my most favorite AND most despised. Favorite because it really sets the tone for my worship to God. Despised because it tears into my comfortable heart and challenges me in ways I don't want to be challenged. Anyway....we finished the practice, it was wonderful (and challenging) and I went home.
This morning was like most summer days: everybody up, shower, dressed, and out the door. Brenda had left already. Just me and the kids. Open the front door and it's POURING rain. Ran into the garage to get an umbrella and crap! Only one available is the "Noah's Ark" one. Grapped it and helped the kids to the car. Drove to the sitter's house, dropped the kids off and went on my way. This day was a little different in that I had approximately 3000 boxes of books in the car with me. With travel to the warehouse, I was donned with jeans and a t-shirt, after which I would change into khakis and a polo upon arrival back to the office. I even brought myself a new pair of underwear, just in case the sweating was more than I could handle!
I normally go my "normal" way. Today, I decided to go a different way, which basically meant taking I-75 instead of I-71. So I did. Turning on my favorite Christian radio station, I started singing my way down the highway in the rain. The drive was forever. It's amazing to me that I ever drove all the way down to CCU every day....I guess you just get used to it after a while. I made my way to the Norwood Lateral and got off the exit to catch I-71 South for just a bit to get off at my exit. Around the curve, slowly, because I've seen so many accidents here....out of the curve and speeding up to make the entrance onto the highway....
In the middle of my singing, I hydroplaned, spun the car, hit the guardrail, and spun again.
All I can remember is that I was saying "Oh my goodness! Oh my goodness!" I guess that's better than swearing! :) A little shook up, I turned to see if anyone else had been in front of me or behind me - - fortunately no one was around, so no injuries. The guy behind me stopped to make sure I was okay. All was well. The air bag had not deployed, and I seemed fine. The front of the car, however, was a different story: all bunched up, messed up, and crashed up.
I called the Emergency number on my cell phone. That was exciting. First the Norwood cop showed up. Again, it's pouring down rain. He approaches the car and motions for me to step out. I grab my umbrella.....and you guessed it.....it's the Noah's Ark one. Let me describe this for you: yellow, pink, purple with noah's ark cartoon-like pictures covering the entire thing. Oh! and don't forget that it was made for a 5 year old, so it's a bit small for an adult! yep, that's the one.....a grown man walking down the highway with his yellow & pink umbrella next to a police officer. Ah! What a moment! :)
We searched for the spot I hit the guardrail, talked it over, and he proceeds to tell me that he called the Cincinnati cops because where I hit the guardrail is in an "unknown district" - it was between the Cincinnati and Norwood districts, being on the ramp, and so he was unable to write up the paperwork until they decided whose district I crashed in! :) So I took my yellow & pink umbrella and got back in the car to wait. As I waited, I utilized my cell phone to call work colleagues, my wife, and the tow company. As I was speaking with a close work friend, I happened to notice (and remember) that while I was spinning and crashing, my underwear had gone FLYING through the air and landed on my front seat floor. How convenient for me. The proverbial mother quote of all time ringing through my head.....I was all prepared if I needed to change into my clean underwear! Ha! Ha!
Then the Cincinnati cop showed up. He also motioned for me to get out of the car. My yellow & pink umbrella was becoming my friend at this point. Only this time, this cop made quite a face when I popped out from the car, extending my umbrella into the rainy sky. I'm sure I looked like an idiot. After much discussion, it was Cincinnati who had the opportunity to talk with me further about the incident. Instead of standing in the rain, he asked me to come sit in his car while we finished up the paperwork.
I gathered my stuff, grabbed my y & p umbrella, and walked up to the cop's car. I tried the front passenger seat....uh.....no.....gotta go to the backseat. Wow. Criminals sure have it bad. The seats, the floor, the walls...they are all plastic. Hard plastic. And that little tiny hole to talk into is worse than those holes at the movie theater. The doors are hilarious without handles to roll down the window, bars on them, and no handles to open them. My cop was VERY nice. We had some laughs as I commented on the comfortability of the backseat, the customer-friendly window bars, and the fact that I didn't have a record......until now. That is when it got pretty sad. He told me the good news: I wasn't injured, no need for an ambulance, no one else was hurt. Then the bad news: I was getting a ticket. I was now a cited citizen. I blamed the rain. He blamed me for my inability to control the vehicle. Gotta love Cincinnati. He let me know that I could mail my check in within 7 days. If I didn't pay it in 7 days, though, I would have to see him in court very soon. I told him as much as I really liked him today, I'd prefer not to see him again and that I would pay within the 7 days. (the check is ready to go in tomorrow's mail!)
My beautiful wife picked me up, we watched the car be towed away, and a very nice colleague came and transported the 3000 boxes I had in my car to the warehouse for me. I have filled out tons of paperwork and we're waiting for repair estimates, insurance claims, doctor appointments, and figuring out the daily schedule with only one car. All in all, I'm glad no one else was hurt, the kids were at the sitter's and I only had boxes flying around in the car with me.
Family, immediate and work-related, is definitely a blessing.
Oh! And that brings me back to my favorite and despised praise song: Blessed Be Your Name.
The words that continue to challenge me:
Every blessing You pour out, I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord, still I will say:
Blessed be the name of the Lord, Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord, Blessed be Your glorious name
You give and take away, You give and take away
My heart will choose to say, Lord, blessed be Your name
It's the choice thing that gets me. No matter what - - in good times and in bad - - I make a choice whether or not to trust God in ALL things. And when I do....my heart grows larger, my faith grows stronger, and "me" is replaced with "Him" - What a challenge!
Cold, Sun, Work, Play, and Family
I know, I know, it's already February - - and those of you who are bored beyond belief and still reading this blog are tired of reading about the Cabbage Patch doll 300 million times. So, I guess it's time to update, huh?
You do realize that the only time I ever do this is when I am travelling for work or at home on the computer at the ungodly morning hours. This time, it just so happens that I'm traveling for work. I am representing Standard Publishing in San Diego for 10 days! Yippee! Warmth, sun, warmth, blue skies, and yes....warmth. I'm leaving Dayton Ohio at 24 degrees in a spring jacket. You see, last time I left Dayton, it was also really cold and I forgot to leave my winter coat in my car and thus I was destined to burn up on the plane, in the airport and at my destination (I can't even remember where I was!). This time, I left my winter coat at home and took off with my spring jacket. The quick, brisk walk to the airport from my parking space, far far away, was quite chilly! But I'm looking forward to not feeling like the marshmallow man on the plane - it's tiny already! I know I've gained weight, but seriously...this was ridiculous.
It's apparently 70-80 degrees in San Diego. Yay!
Though the weather is exciting, I doubt I'll see much of the sun. I'm going to CA for the Children's Pastor's Conference (www.incm.org) and then staying at the same hotel for the National Pastor's Conference next week (www.nationalpastorsconference.com). As fun as both those sound, it really is work and not much play! In my free time, I'll be headed to the laundromat to wash my underwear!
The worst part about leaving of course is missing the fam. My wife is an amazing woman. She gets more done in 5 minutes than most people get done during a whole workday. Sunday night, in preparation for the 10 days of me being gone, she cooked all the food for meals (easy to pop in the microwave), baked cookies, baked breakfast muffins. I helped clean up the kitchen. When once I hated kitchen duty....these days it's very relaxing. I don't mind unloading the dishwasher like I used to when I was a kid. The kids also helped to prepare for the week too. With a crazy schedule ahead of her, my wife just looks to the positive and gets done what needs gettin done. Amazing! And missing the kids is an obvious feeling as well. I'm glad I live in the day of cell phones and emails so we can stay in touch.
One last thing....you'll notice that we were doing a bunch of different things on Sunday night. Yes. We did not watch the SuperBowl. Not even the commercials. The kids were watching some show on Nickelodeon and we were busy. In between commercials we'd switch it over to see what the score was. (it's very important for those of us who really don't care about football to at least know what happened during the superbowl. at least I could talk a little more like I knew what I was talking about)
If you know me, you know that I'm not a sports guru - - I think I mentioned this early on in my blogging. Well....I was impressed that Louisville made it to the SuperBowl. Aw, Dad.....at least I knew that Louisville had Cardinals! :)
Anyway.....Sunny days ahead.....
You do realize that the only time I ever do this is when I am travelling for work or at home on the computer at the ungodly morning hours. This time, it just so happens that I'm traveling for work. I am representing Standard Publishing in San Diego for 10 days! Yippee! Warmth, sun, warmth, blue skies, and yes....warmth. I'm leaving Dayton Ohio at 24 degrees in a spring jacket. You see, last time I left Dayton, it was also really cold and I forgot to leave my winter coat in my car and thus I was destined to burn up on the plane, in the airport and at my destination (I can't even remember where I was!). This time, I left my winter coat at home and took off with my spring jacket. The quick, brisk walk to the airport from my parking space, far far away, was quite chilly! But I'm looking forward to not feeling like the marshmallow man on the plane - it's tiny already! I know I've gained weight, but seriously...this was ridiculous.
It's apparently 70-80 degrees in San Diego. Yay!
Though the weather is exciting, I doubt I'll see much of the sun. I'm going to CA for the Children's Pastor's Conference (www.incm.org) and then staying at the same hotel for the National Pastor's Conference next week (www.nationalpastorsconference.com). As fun as both those sound, it really is work and not much play! In my free time, I'll be headed to the laundromat to wash my underwear!
The worst part about leaving of course is missing the fam. My wife is an amazing woman. She gets more done in 5 minutes than most people get done during a whole workday. Sunday night, in preparation for the 10 days of me being gone, she cooked all the food for meals (easy to pop in the microwave), baked cookies, baked breakfast muffins. I helped clean up the kitchen. When once I hated kitchen duty....these days it's very relaxing. I don't mind unloading the dishwasher like I used to when I was a kid. The kids also helped to prepare for the week too. With a crazy schedule ahead of her, my wife just looks to the positive and gets done what needs gettin done. Amazing! And missing the kids is an obvious feeling as well. I'm glad I live in the day of cell phones and emails so we can stay in touch.
One last thing....you'll notice that we were doing a bunch of different things on Sunday night. Yes. We did not watch the SuperBowl. Not even the commercials. The kids were watching some show on Nickelodeon and we were busy. In between commercials we'd switch it over to see what the score was. (it's very important for those of us who really don't care about football to at least know what happened during the superbowl. at least I could talk a little more like I knew what I was talking about)
If you know me, you know that I'm not a sports guru - - I think I mentioned this early on in my blogging. Well....I was impressed that Louisville made it to the SuperBowl. Aw, Dad.....at least I knew that Louisville had Cardinals! :)
Anyway.....Sunny days ahead.....
The Cabbage Patch Doll Dilemma
Apparently my little sister (now almost 26) thinks I like Cabbage Patch dolls.
A long long time ago, my grandma made all us cousins cabbage patch dolls. You know, back when it was "in style" to have them. Thinking back, I'm not sure it was ever "in style" for a guy to have a cabbage patch doll. I guess what made them a bit more special than "oh....thanks" was the fact that grandma actually made them - - and they were wearing clothes we wore as babies.
Anyway, with grandma/grandpa moving later this year, they were going through some things and found another....extra.....cabbage patch doll. Hmmmm....what should we do with THIS one? they must have thought. Unbeknownst to the timing of this question, my cousin and my sister at some point had a conversation with my grandma. Apparently my sister told my grandma to "give it to Robb....he likes Cabbage Patch dolls." Grandma then made sure to give the little doll to my mother - - who then gave it to me for Christmas.
This cabbage patch doll has a strange look: a cross between little orphan Annie with her curly brown hair and red outfit.....and a scary perm-headed boy/girl mix.
My initial response was "What the heck?!?!?!?"
At our family Christmas the next night, I confronted my cousin and my sister about this apparent hidden obsession of mine for cabbage patch dolls. As most of the Fausts on this side of the family do, they listened to my predicament......................and responded by laughing hysterically! Considering how funny the actual giving & receiving of this particular item was, I continued to laugh and poke fun at this very odd choice of a gift.
At one point, I thought I was going to pee my pants. Yes, it is that odd and that funny.
I still have the doll. I think it might become the "funny gift that keeps on giving" at each upcoming holiday. And my sister's birthday is in February. Ha!
A long long time ago, my grandma made all us cousins cabbage patch dolls. You know, back when it was "in style" to have them. Thinking back, I'm not sure it was ever "in style" for a guy to have a cabbage patch doll. I guess what made them a bit more special than "oh....thanks" was the fact that grandma actually made them - - and they were wearing clothes we wore as babies.
Anyway, with grandma/grandpa moving later this year, they were going through some things and found another....extra.....cabbage patch doll. Hmmmm....what should we do with THIS one? they must have thought. Unbeknownst to the timing of this question, my cousin and my sister at some point had a conversation with my grandma. Apparently my sister told my grandma to "give it to Robb....he likes Cabbage Patch dolls." Grandma then made sure to give the little doll to my mother - - who then gave it to me for Christmas.
This cabbage patch doll has a strange look: a cross between little orphan Annie with her curly brown hair and red outfit.....and a scary perm-headed boy/girl mix.
My initial response was "What the heck?!?!?!?"
At our family Christmas the next night, I confronted my cousin and my sister about this apparent hidden obsession of mine for cabbage patch dolls. As most of the Fausts on this side of the family do, they listened to my predicament......................and responded by laughing hysterically! Considering how funny the actual giving & receiving of this particular item was, I continued to laugh and poke fun at this very odd choice of a gift.
At one point, I thought I was going to pee my pants. Yes, it is that odd and that funny.
I still have the doll. I think it might become the "funny gift that keeps on giving" at each upcoming holiday. And my sister's birthday is in February. Ha!
Thinking Out Loud
I left work on Wednesday, December 24 to enjoy a Christmas vacation.
"On vacation from work" is an oxymoron: like "white chocolate" and "original copies" and "hot chili" and "seriously funny."
It takes a ton of time at work to finish up all the details and try to get ahead, anticipating all the possible emails, issues, and conundrums that could possibly happen while gone. And you have to change your email, change your voicemail, tell your boss, tell your co-workers, tell the receptionist, tell the warehouse. Whence I was finally feeling good about my situation, I left my cleaned off desk and organized cubicle.......only to get in my car and think, think, think about all the things I had forgotten to do. I then left a very long message to myself about what to do when I got back into the office on January 2nd.
Once home, I felt pretty good about myself. I had planned early enough to get everything done in an orderly manner. I had executed pretty well in getting them all done - - of course there were those things I had procrastinated on....and of course they took the longest to sort through. All in all, however, everything was in order for my return in 2009. EXCEPT that I needed to check my email at least twice for the TWO very important things that needed to happen WHILE I was on vacation. Checking the email would at least give me the opportunity to first, KNOW what was happening - - and second, to DO something if necessary.
Ah. Email. Gotta love it. Gotta hate it. Depends on the day.
Both checks of the email went well. Predicaments arose that I did not foresee, and thus required a few phone calls and emails to keep things running smoothly. Today I emailed myself with a list of things I had thought of that needed gettin' done before the first event started - - on Sunday. :)
Unfortunately that "vacation from work" included a little "work detours."
And that, my friends, got me to thinkin'. Is a vacation really possible? What am I looking for when I take a vacation from work?
REST for my weary body? Ha! I have 2 kids - - and my weary body has nothing to do with work. It has everything to do with FAT!
A Different Perspective? Peace? Family Time? Getting Away? Solitude? MY Time?
One thing I do know: vacation reminds me to BALANCE all of these things.
Can I ever get work out of my mind? Not really. Though it's there, being away from the daily grind helps me to see things differently, to choose other options for my time, to remember to make time for my wife and my kids and my household responsibilities. It also allows me to play the piano (and realize that it certainly makes me happier) and eat meals....slowly (and share funny stories with my family) and pray more (and continually commit to a deeper trust in my relationship with God).
The new year brings all sorts of thoughts to my head - - and to my heart. I probably sound like a moron - an oxymoron, that is: "clearly confused." This may be "old news" to some and others may be thinking "same difference."
"Good grief." I'm done. May we all strive for balance in 2009. Happy New Year!
"On vacation from work" is an oxymoron: like "white chocolate" and "original copies" and "hot chili" and "seriously funny."
It takes a ton of time at work to finish up all the details and try to get ahead, anticipating all the possible emails, issues, and conundrums that could possibly happen while gone. And you have to change your email, change your voicemail, tell your boss, tell your co-workers, tell the receptionist, tell the warehouse. Whence I was finally feeling good about my situation, I left my cleaned off desk and organized cubicle.......only to get in my car and think, think, think about all the things I had forgotten to do. I then left a very long message to myself about what to do when I got back into the office on January 2nd.
Once home, I felt pretty good about myself. I had planned early enough to get everything done in an orderly manner. I had executed pretty well in getting them all done - - of course there were those things I had procrastinated on....and of course they took the longest to sort through. All in all, however, everything was in order for my return in 2009. EXCEPT that I needed to check my email at least twice for the TWO very important things that needed to happen WHILE I was on vacation. Checking the email would at least give me the opportunity to first, KNOW what was happening - - and second, to DO something if necessary.
Ah. Email. Gotta love it. Gotta hate it. Depends on the day.
Both checks of the email went well. Predicaments arose that I did not foresee, and thus required a few phone calls and emails to keep things running smoothly. Today I emailed myself with a list of things I had thought of that needed gettin' done before the first event started - - on Sunday. :)
Unfortunately that "vacation from work" included a little "work detours."
And that, my friends, got me to thinkin'. Is a vacation really possible? What am I looking for when I take a vacation from work?
REST for my weary body? Ha! I have 2 kids - - and my weary body has nothing to do with work. It has everything to do with FAT!
A Different Perspective? Peace? Family Time? Getting Away? Solitude? MY Time?
One thing I do know: vacation reminds me to BALANCE all of these things.
Can I ever get work out of my mind? Not really. Though it's there, being away from the daily grind helps me to see things differently, to choose other options for my time, to remember to make time for my wife and my kids and my household responsibilities. It also allows me to play the piano (and realize that it certainly makes me happier) and eat meals....slowly (and share funny stories with my family) and pray more (and continually commit to a deeper trust in my relationship with God).
The new year brings all sorts of thoughts to my head - - and to my heart. I probably sound like a moron - an oxymoron, that is: "clearly confused." This may be "old news" to some and others may be thinking "same difference."
"Good grief." I'm done. May we all strive for balance in 2009. Happy New Year!
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