My kids may be artists. Brady loves to draw. Kendall loves to dance. Declan loves to...make messes. Maybe he is into abstract art.
I realize that they are young and things can change but there may be something there. Brady informed us at dinner that he wants to go to East Carolina University which is located in Greenville, NC. He has a friend whose Mom is an artist and she went to ECU. She told Brady that they have a good art program. He told me tonight that he is glad that he can draw. Kendall cannot help but dance. She walks about 20% of the time. The rest of the time it is a twirl or a leap and there is always arm action involved.
As one who is not an artist but who sees the value of the arts, I want to encourage them as much as possible. I don't know that I have much to offer other than to help steer them to use the gifts that God has given them.
Having been an athlete most of my life, it would be a little ironic if my children end up in the art world.
Peace.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Runnin' Down a Dream
Runnin' down a dream
That never would come to me
Workin' on a mystery
Goin' wherever it leads.
-Tom Petty
Keep runnin'.
Peace.
That never would come to me
Workin' on a mystery
Goin' wherever it leads.
-Tom Petty
Keep runnin'.
Peace.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Creativity and schools
I have passed on this video to several people and I have watched it about 8 or 10 times. I love what Sir Ken Robinson has to say about creativity and its importance in our everyday life. Take the 20 minutes and watch it. Let me know what you think.
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/66
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/66
Monday, May 26, 2008
Good Day
Memorial Day 2008, come and gone. We started out with an early trip to Wrightsville Beach this morning. We wanted to get there before nine o'clock in order to beat the crowds. We beat them. Barely. I had to stand in line for twenty minutes just to pay for parking. When we left to come home, the traffic was backed up for at least two miles to get to the beach.
We met the Bouls there and spent a relaxing three hours digging holes in the sand, playing in the water and soaking up the sun. What a great way to start a holiday. We then had about 18 people to our house later in the afternoon for a barbecue. Did I mention that ten of those eighteen people are under the age of 10? Good times.
I'm grateful for the people around me, both old friends and new. I don't know what I would do or where I would be without them.
Peace.
We met the Bouls there and spent a relaxing three hours digging holes in the sand, playing in the water and soaking up the sun. What a great way to start a holiday. We then had about 18 people to our house later in the afternoon for a barbecue. Did I mention that ten of those eighteen people are under the age of 10? Good times.
I'm grateful for the people around me, both old friends and new. I don't know what I would do or where I would be without them.
Peace.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Stripped
Stripped
Such a vulgar word.
So final.
Whatever was there is gone.
Nothing is left.
Naked.
Barren.
Desolate.
All so cold and lifeless.
Nobody wants to live there.
What if we are supposed to live there?
At least for a little while.
What if that is where we find God?
We think we see Him in the easy life.
We think we see Him in the blessings.
He is there.
We don’t need Him there though.
So we think.
If everything is grand, who needs God?
I don’t.
But when I am naked; stripped…
I need him a lot.
Everyday
Minute to minute.
Totally dependent.
Nothing else to lean on.
It’s hard, no doubt.
My stomach hurts all the time.
I question Him regularly.
I complain a lot.
But He is here.
Walking with me.
Preparing the way.
Building my trust.
I don’t like the process.
But I am believing.
Trusting.
Knowing.
Our relationship will be stronger.
I will know Him more.
He will get me where I need to be.
Where He wants me to be.
I don’t want to say it.
But I will say it.
Lord, strip me.
And help me know you there.
Peace.
Such a vulgar word.
So final.
Whatever was there is gone.
Nothing is left.
Naked.
Barren.
Desolate.
All so cold and lifeless.
Nobody wants to live there.
What if we are supposed to live there?
At least for a little while.
What if that is where we find God?
We think we see Him in the easy life.
We think we see Him in the blessings.
He is there.
We don’t need Him there though.
So we think.
If everything is grand, who needs God?
I don’t.
But when I am naked; stripped…
I need him a lot.
Everyday
Minute to minute.
Totally dependent.
Nothing else to lean on.
It’s hard, no doubt.
My stomach hurts all the time.
I question Him regularly.
I complain a lot.
But He is here.
Walking with me.
Preparing the way.
Building my trust.
I don’t like the process.
But I am believing.
Trusting.
Knowing.
Our relationship will be stronger.
I will know Him more.
He will get me where I need to be.
Where He wants me to be.
I don’t want to say it.
But I will say it.
Lord, strip me.
And help me know you there.
Peace.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Perspective
There is nothing like the ocean to give you a little glimpse of where we fit in this life. I went down to the beach this morning around 7:30 (early for me) and, while I was walking, saw a couple of dolphins. One of them was only about 30 feet out in the water. It just made me think about how much is going on in the world that I am normally so unaware of.
I, like most people, tend to focus intently on what is happening in my little corner. How is my marriage? How are my kids? Can someone please give me a job? Those kinds of thoughts dominate my mind. Oh, occasionally something will catch me and make me pause to ponder the rest of the world, but only for a moment. If it doesn't affect me directly, I probably don't give it five minutes.
Standing next to the ocean makes me realize that life is much bigger than me and my little issues. They may be big issues to me, but from the perspective of the world as a whole, they are not as big as I make them.
Take a moment today to say a prayer for the people in China dealing with the aftermath of an earthquake that has killed 51,000 people. Pray for those in Myanmar still reeling from a killer cyclone. Pray for the guy you work with who is going through a nasty divorce. Step out of your own shoes and into those of someone else and take a walk in them for awhile.
Plato said "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle". We are all in this life together. If we can step out of our self and love our neighbor, we might be surprised at the difference that makes.
Peace.
I, like most people, tend to focus intently on what is happening in my little corner. How is my marriage? How are my kids? Can someone please give me a job? Those kinds of thoughts dominate my mind. Oh, occasionally something will catch me and make me pause to ponder the rest of the world, but only for a moment. If it doesn't affect me directly, I probably don't give it five minutes.
Standing next to the ocean makes me realize that life is much bigger than me and my little issues. They may be big issues to me, but from the perspective of the world as a whole, they are not as big as I make them.
Take a moment today to say a prayer for the people in China dealing with the aftermath of an earthquake that has killed 51,000 people. Pray for those in Myanmar still reeling from a killer cyclone. Pray for the guy you work with who is going through a nasty divorce. Step out of your own shoes and into those of someone else and take a walk in them for awhile.
Plato said "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle". We are all in this life together. If we can step out of our self and love our neighbor, we might be surprised at the difference that makes.
Peace.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
The Shack
Last night I finished reading The Shack by William P. Young. It is the fictional story of a man who has lost his young daughter and has lived in what he calls "the Great Sadness" for the last four years. He gets a note that is apparently from God asking him to meet at a remote shack. The story is his encounter with the Trinity of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
I won't go into the details here and I won't discuss the things that may be a bit controversial. I will say that I did not agree with everything that the story suggests and I can see where some people may get bent out of shape. I think that it needs to be read as a story though. It is a fictional piece written about a subject that we will not understand fully in this life. I don't believe that it was intended to be read as a great work of theology.
Having said all that, I really liked the book. I liked that the author wrote that life is about relationship, both with God and with men. The whole reason for Jesus becoming a man and dying is so that we can have access to God and know His love for us. I liked that the author approached the difficult questions and didn't give pat answers. I may not have agreed with the answers, but I appreciate that he didn't back away from the questions.
I would recommend reading the book, but I would suggest reading it with someone else or with a group. Discuss it. Throw out your own questions. Go to your Bible and search out what is in there. I think that this is a good book to stir us to think about things and, maybe, re-think some things.
Peace.
I won't go into the details here and I won't discuss the things that may be a bit controversial. I will say that I did not agree with everything that the story suggests and I can see where some people may get bent out of shape. I think that it needs to be read as a story though. It is a fictional piece written about a subject that we will not understand fully in this life. I don't believe that it was intended to be read as a great work of theology.
Having said all that, I really liked the book. I liked that the author wrote that life is about relationship, both with God and with men. The whole reason for Jesus becoming a man and dying is so that we can have access to God and know His love for us. I liked that the author approached the difficult questions and didn't give pat answers. I may not have agreed with the answers, but I appreciate that he didn't back away from the questions.
I would recommend reading the book, but I would suggest reading it with someone else or with a group. Discuss it. Throw out your own questions. Go to your Bible and search out what is in there. I think that this is a good book to stir us to think about things and, maybe, re-think some things.
Peace.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Procrastination
So, my statement in the First Post about trying to post something everyday has not started out so well. There is really no excuse other than my amazing ability to procrastinate. I can even put off things that I want to do, much less all the things that I need to do.
That said, we did have a somewhat busy weekend. Saturday had Kendall at ballet rehearsal most of the afternoon and Brady at a friend's house. Saturday night we went to our first Wilmington Hammerheads soccer game of this season. We went to most of the matches last year and loved it. The kids get to run around at the stadium, Rachel gets to chat with friends, and I get to watch some soccer. It's great.
Sunday afternoon I was surrounded by fairies and princesses as I watched Kendall in the Wilmington School of Ballet production of Sleeping Beauty (Rach was helping backstage). Kendall was a Carabosse attendant or, as she put it, a mean cat. She was awesome of course.
I have started reading The Shack by William Young. It has created quite a stir in evangelical circles, both very positive and very negative. I'll let you know what I think.
Maybe I will post a couple of things over the next few days to make up for my lack over the last several.
Peace.
That said, we did have a somewhat busy weekend. Saturday had Kendall at ballet rehearsal most of the afternoon and Brady at a friend's house. Saturday night we went to our first Wilmington Hammerheads soccer game of this season. We went to most of the matches last year and loved it. The kids get to run around at the stadium, Rachel gets to chat with friends, and I get to watch some soccer. It's great.
Sunday afternoon I was surrounded by fairies and princesses as I watched Kendall in the Wilmington School of Ballet production of Sleeping Beauty (Rach was helping backstage). Kendall was a Carabosse attendant or, as she put it, a mean cat. She was awesome of course.
I have started reading The Shack by William Young. It has created quite a stir in evangelical circles, both very positive and very negative. I'll let you know what I think.
Maybe I will post a couple of things over the next few days to make up for my lack over the last several.
Peace.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
First Post
The first post should probably set the tone for everything else that will come along in this space, shouldn't it? It should be brilliant and deep. It should contain some kind of revelatory information. It should be about something that will make the reader lie awake at night and ponder the meaning of life, the universe and everything (to steal a line from Douglas Adams).
My first post, however, will be nothing of the sort. It will be neither brilliant nor deep. There will be no revelation proclaimed here. And nothing here will make you ponder anything in the slightest.
I will let you know a bit of what may come as we go along.
I really am starting this mostly for my own outlet to write. The plan is to post a little something every day. It may just be something that my kids said that day. Things like Jett telling Bug that the fluid that was drained from my ankle looked like Mountain Dew Jelly. It may be things that I have been wrestling with in this crazy life of trying to follow Jesus. I might write about sports, ranging from amateurs playing for fun to the pros who make way too much money. You might get my thoughts on this culture that we live in. I have been on a kick lately that has to do with creativity and how do we unleash that in people. Maybe I will unleash some of my own creativity here.
I need to stop. I may actually write something meaningful in this first post and I don't want to do that. Anyway, the topics will be many and the thoughts very random at times. I do hope that somewhere along the line, I can write some things that will make people think and perhaps write something helpful to someone out there.
Check back often to find out what this space may become.
Peace.
My first post, however, will be nothing of the sort. It will be neither brilliant nor deep. There will be no revelation proclaimed here. And nothing here will make you ponder anything in the slightest.
I will let you know a bit of what may come as we go along.
I really am starting this mostly for my own outlet to write. The plan is to post a little something every day. It may just be something that my kids said that day. Things like Jett telling Bug that the fluid that was drained from my ankle looked like Mountain Dew Jelly. It may be things that I have been wrestling with in this crazy life of trying to follow Jesus. I might write about sports, ranging from amateurs playing for fun to the pros who make way too much money. You might get my thoughts on this culture that we live in. I have been on a kick lately that has to do with creativity and how do we unleash that in people. Maybe I will unleash some of my own creativity here.
I need to stop. I may actually write something meaningful in this first post and I don't want to do that. Anyway, the topics will be many and the thoughts very random at times. I do hope that somewhere along the line, I can write some things that will make people think and perhaps write something helpful to someone out there.
Check back often to find out what this space may become.
Peace.
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