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!
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