The Birds Are Angry

Ok, I admit it - I do play games on my smartphone.  Not a lot of games, mind you - I just don't have the time.  Mostly I play Sudoku (and usually just during conference calls ;)

A little while back I read about the new gaming rage - Angry Birds.  As it turns out, that game was available on the Palm Pre.  Today, they also released the Christmas Edition!  This game is HIGHLY addictive and you should absolutely never, ever play it!

;)

The Sound of Music

The last couple of years we have started a tradition of taking in live theater during December.  This year we went to a local production of The Sound of Music.   Besides doing a great job in a small, rustic venue, the lead was a friend of ours - Coppelia.

Coppelia happens to be not only a superb Maria (her voice is amazing) but she is the music director at The Ridge Church as well as one of the on-air personalities at Air1.  If you are local to south Placer county, try to catch a performance (make sure to get tickets for the "Vienna" cast).

Get In And Drive!

I was listening to one of my favorite radio preachers this morning (during a commute from hell) and he shared a scene from the movie Blackhawk Down.

An army ranger colonel is trying to lead a convoy to safety amid a firestorm of enemy fire.  He stops the convoy to retrieve some wounded soldiers.  He drags a dead soldier out of the driver's seat of a jeep and turns to a sergeant standing near by. 

"Get in and drive" says the colonel.  "But colonel, I've been shot" stammers the sergeant.  "We've all been shot - get in and drive!" yells the colonel.

The point of the preacher was, of course, that in the process of living we have all been shot - most of us repeatedly.  I find that this is so very true.  We are a world of the walking wounded.  Some of us "get in and drive" and others sit down by the side of the road and give up.  Every time I see the public out-pouring of support for some small child suffering from (put your favorite disease, condition or traumatic event here) all I can think about are the thousands of children suffering from the same thing in total obscurity.

I don't know why it is that some of us can keep putting one foot in front of the other while some curl into a ball and hide under a rock.  I have hidden under a rock on occasion but God keeps gently prodding me until I get back on my feet and start moving again.  I know that to live life engaged, interactive and relational is to brave a hail storm of bullets.  Unless we completely isolate ourselves from the world (and especially from people) we are going to get shot at and occasionally wounded.

Ultimately it is what you do after getting shot that matters the most.

Get in and drive!

Oy

What a week it has been at work.   I have been working on a project that is visible all the way to the top of the corporate ladder (42 levels best I can tell).  Not that there is any pressure but I was told "the staffing within the group will change if this isn't a sparkling success."  As a result, I have been up to my ears in work trying to get the project back on track and back on schedule (the lead has been stuck out of the country for over 2 months now so I am now "driving").

We got all the decorations down and put out the ones we still have room for.  The house is slowly starting to look like we live there (not just staying in a hotel).  Andy and Dale hung racks and shelves in my garage so I am able to park 2 cars there now.

Cookie Day was a smashing success.  We got 4 batches baked (usually only 2) and several thousand cookies distributed to family members.

Anyway, that is all I have time for as my task list isn't getting smaller while I type :)

blessings on your day

Time for Baking

Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes that there is a time for everything under the sun.  Today is the time for baking!

I know that most families have traditions around the holidays.  We all tend to think that the other families' traditions are odd but that our are perfectly normal.  That being said, the longest running tradition that I am aware of in OUR family is Cookie Day.

For as long as I can remember, it has been our family tradition to gather the day after Thanksgiving and bake peppernuts.  Peppernuts are a traditional German cookie (there are 2 types, those with anise and those with cardamom - ours are the latter).  No matter where we are on Thanksgiving Day, we all gather back together on the Friday after.  It is not unusual to bake up to 3 batches of cookies at about 700 cookies per batch.  We warm up the leftover turkey, ham, stuffing, potatoes and yams.  We mix the dough, roll out the cookies and have cooling racks set up all over the kitchen.

This year, for the first time, it is at our house.  Truly, there is nothing like being surrounded by 25-30 family members and baking cookies.  May you and your families have an amazing day as well.

What Are You Thankful For?

There is so much to be thankful for in my life.  

• I have been cancer free for 2 years now
• We moved into a new home last month
• I have 8 children, 3 "kid-in-laws", 1 grandson and the most amazing wife
• I am employed at a thriving company
• I live in a country where I can worship the way I want; have access to churches, teaching and radio ministries and can witness openly
• We have never gone hungry, been homeless or suffered persecution

The list could be much larger of course.  I have great friends, wonderful family and the Hand of God in my life.  As we gather around the table this holiday season I want to remember that there are many here in this country and around the globe that have far less but are so much more grateful than we are.  Sometimes when we are so very blessed, we start to take those blessings for granted.  Take a few moments today to reflect on the Grace and Mercy of our Heavenly Father and remember.

blessings on your day

VOTD

 

Let us come to him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praise to him.

~ Psalm 95:2, NLT

Live right and live well!

[repost]

Isaiah 42:6 - “I am God. I have called you to live right and well. I have taken responsibility for you, kept you safe.  I have set you among my people to bind them to me, and provided you as a lighthouse to the nations."

God has kept us safe for a purpose. He gives us the mission to live right and well. This twofold purpose draws other people to Him. Not just to be righteous, but live well.  Enjoy life.  Delight in each day and in the people God has placed in our life!  Thank you Lord for Your amazing plan. 

Joani L. Burris
Refined daughter of the Most High King

Verse of the Year

⁷ Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. ⁸ Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.


Joshua 1:7-8 (NLT)

Altars

Altars are interesting things.  What we call an altar today bears little (or no) resemblance to the altars that the Israelites built during the time before the kings.  From the time of Abram, altars had a special meaning.  Every time there was an interaction with God, someone stopped and built an altar.  They built altars when they were blessed, they built altars when they were disciplined, they built altars when God revealed Himself.

Altars in the Old Testament were special.  They were built of "undressed stone" (just big rocks that were laying around nearby), they were named (and remembered) and often assembled of a particular number of stones (12 is the most common).  Time and again these altars are spoken of as "and it is known by this name today" meaning that people of subsequent generations saw the altars and knew why they had been built.

Altars today are often little more than ornate (or not so ornate) tables that hold up candles, bibles and the host during communion.  The commemorate nothing and stand for nothing.  They have no special or lasting significance.

When was the last time you stopped and built an altar?   When was the last time you acknowledged what God had done or was doing in your life and immortalized the moment?  When was the last time you opened the photo album and walked your children through the altars of YOUR life?  How many of us can recount even one event from our parents and grandparents lives showing the Hand of God?  How many of our children will be able to do that for OUR lives?

Build an altar today.  Create a memory/record of what God has done for you.  Share it with your children so that THEY won't forget either.  We need more altars.

blessings on your day

A Little Help

Last weekend we finished up the move from the rental (Wednesday Emma cleaned the rental and returned the keys).  Aaron came up Friday night and along with Kennedy and his friend Rick helped me load up the truck with the last few (very heavy and awkward) pieces of furniture.  Aaron stayed until Sunday afternoon and installed my stereo system (speakers are mounted in the ceiling) and hung out with us.  It was great seeing him.  Aaron has been - and continues to be - a source of encouragement to me.  He has shared some of the same struggles that I deal with in my life.  The difference is that he is actively doing something about about 25 years earlier than I did.  He is an awesome man of God and I am very proud of him.

Saturday afternoon, Hannah and her BF Tyler came up as well.   I think I spent more time with Tyler last weekend than I have in total since I met him  :)  He is a really good guy and I am glad to see that he makes my daughter happy.  Sunday we all went to church together and then I made supper before they headed back south.

It was a great weekend and spending time with some of my children made it very special indeed.

Before and After

I Won't!

I have always maintained that I don't know what I want to be when I grow up.   I have often been told that I am  acting like a kid.  The other day I stumbled over a quote on the internet that seems to sum it up pretty well :)

"I've heard that it's possible to grow up - I've just never met anyone who's actually done it. Without parents to defy, we break the rules we make for ourselves. We throw tantrums when things don't go our way, we whisper secrets with our best friends in the dark, we look for comfort where we can find it, and we hope - against all logic, against all experience. Like children, we never give up hope." -Meredith Grey

Keys

We got the keys to the new home yesterday.  Emma moved over the first part of the the "kitchen."  Last night I packed both cars door-to-door and floor-to-ceiling  :)

I will start working on the electrical changes tonight after work with the hope that I can start the painting on Thursday.

My Hope

One of the Air1 personalities (ok, it was Coppelia, she and Adam are awesome people) posted the following link to a song on the Owl City blog.  It was a great reminder today.  Remembering where our hope lies is crucial to surviving in today's society (or in any other for that matter).

It is easy to get caught up in the world.  For me it has been the new home we are moving into.   It has been all too easy to focus on moving and decorating.  As much as I love my new home it isn't sufficient to save me, encourage me or sustain me.  We can put our hope in things, in the church or in people.  All will  ultimately fail us.  In the end it matters not how strong our faith and hope but rather the object of that faith and hope.

My Hope Is Found 

Blessings on your day

Happy Birthday!

We had all the family over yesterday to celebrate Noah's birthday - he is in double digits now :)   It has been a while since we all got together.  Andy & Rae came up from Fresno and Nate spent the weekend with us.  After everyone left, Andy & Rae stayed for dinner with the Carnrike's.  I made a big pan of home made scalloped potatoes per Noah's request.   This morning, after she drops Noah off at school, Emma will pick up the keys to the new house.  Today we start the last step in the ordeal and begin shifting our belongings one more time.

Walk On By

Our walk-thru is done and we get our keys Monday before lunch  :o)    Tallifer and Mitch did an awesome job!  Most of the stuff is minor touch up work.  We also contacted the grout guy who will seal our grout Monday and an electrician who will hang our pendants over our bar.  I can't wait to start moving in.  We will load up the Pilot with the essentials so Emma can start organizing the kitchen Monday.  We might have enough stuff there by Thursday night to sleep - for sure by Saturday night.  November 6th is the day I will reserve a truck and get the larger furniture moved.

Watch for our house warming party (probably after the first of the year).

Revelation Song

One of my (current) favorite Christian songs is Revelation Song by Phillips, Craig and Dean.  In case it isn't obvious, this song is based on verses from the book of Revelation at the end of the bible.  It is interesting to note that Revelation has some of the most amazing worship lyrics in the whole of Scripture.  Nowhere else do we see the praises sung to God laid out in such a vibrant fashion.  The last book of the bible is most well know for containing the visions that Jesus gave to John chronicling the end of the world.  Very few people realize the depth and extent of the worship contained in those words.

Take a few moments today to browse the chapters and underline all the passages where God is worshiped in song and verse.  I think you will be surprised  :o)

Baskerville, CA

The Carnrike family are on vacation for a few days so we get to watch their dog.  I affectionately call him The Beast.  He is a lovable lunk with a heart the size of Colorado and a brain the size of a walnut  :)

The Last Hill

This is it - the last weekend that we will be able to walk around inside our new home before we actually move in.  We do our inspection next Wednesday at which point we will be locked out until we "accept" the house on the 26th.  During that time, they will work to address all the issues we identify during our walk-thru.  Before much longer I will be posting pictures of the move :)

Imagine

Imagine a world without cancer.  As I am sure most of you know, this is Breast Cancer Awareness month.  Like you, the casual reader, I have lost family to breast cancer.  Like some of you, I am a cancer survivor.  It has been 4 years since my treatment and over 2 years since my tests came back clean and free of cancer.  I would be lying if I said it did not have an impact on my life.

We never know what the future holds.  There is no security outside our God.  No matter what plans we make, how well we take care of ourselves, save for the future - it is in His hands.  God's plan and purpose for our lives is to prepare us to be with Him for eternity.  Regardless of the challenges, the set backs or the cancers, we have a hope and assurance that will never let us down or disappoint us.  It matters not the size of your security - it matters the object of your security.

blessings on your day

Reflections

From time to time, our paths cross those of people that are from a different background, social strata, culture, religion or philosophical view.  It is interesting to me how little effort we make to turn those "path crossings" into relationships.  We seem to spend 99% of our time investing in people that are just like us.  I know that I am very much guilty of this.  While I work very hard not to be prejudiced and biased I also know that if people don't fit MY pattern, I tend to avoid them.

The problem of course, is that this very much contrary to the examples that Jesus gave us.  He avoided His "network" and reached out to the lepers, the outcasts and the social pariahs.   These are the people that we tend to avoid, ignore and gently move to the side.  Having a heart like our Savior means that we need to love the people that HE loves.  It means reaching out to the ones that are different, make us uncomfortable and that don't fit in our cozy little world.

Step outside your stained glass box and go meet some of the rest of the world today.

Chocolate Heaven

Becky, who works in our office, just got back from Las Vegas,  While she was there she picked me up some chocolate bars.  Visges makes a dark chocolate bar (55%) that has Ancho Chipotle chilis and cinnamon.  It is like a taste of heaven.   I understand that Nugget market is starting to carry them as well.  :D

Surviving

Over the last year, I have mentioned my desk calendar on survival.  Periodically I like to share a few of the gems.  In the last month I have learned how to survive:

• A UFO Abduction
• A Night in jail
• A Minefield
• An Elephant Stampede

I forebear to comment on any of these other than to say I hope the issues never arise  :)

Latest House News

It has been a while so I thought I would post a few pictures for those that don't visit my photo albums...

Master bathroom is almost done - just need a tub :)

 

Counter tops are in, you can see the color better in this one

 

Front yard is done, fences are up

Pondering

Of course as a hard-core Pinkie and the Brain aficionado, the title of this post immediately evoked the image I added.  However, this post is intended to be a tad more serious then perhaps the image suggests.

Over the last year we have dealt with a lot of "circumstances" in our lives.   I know that these experiences has had a profound impact on who we are.  This is one of those posts where I will meander through my memories and do what I can to chronicle things without making any real effort to explain, analyze or bring closure.  I hope that you, the casual reader, will indulge me for a bit....

My oldest daughter got married last year in October.  While she wasn't the first wedding among our kids, it was the first time I walked down the aisle with one of them.   It was a stark reminder to me that the my relationship with my children has changed over the years.  I went from a dad to a "distant dad" to the father of the bride to grandpa.  The marriage of my daughter Sarah this month (to an amazing young man named Dale) underscored that this is the next season in fatherhood.  My family is growing and becoming more complex. I am watching my children move on and develop their own families.  This is a bittersweet experience, to be sure.  [The specter of my own mortality first appeared when I was diagnosed with cancer for my 48th birthday]

Last fall I finally confronted my addiction and struggled to deal with the impact to my marriage and my relationships.  I have spent time in Celebrate Recovery and am currently part of a very strong accountability group.  After 35 years on the roller-coaster, it is time to get out of the park.

This spring we decided to sell our house and move.   This was not a trivial decision as that house was the one that was our first real home.  Noah was born there, we worked through most of the blended family issues and melded 10 dysfunctional human beings into a relationship that will last.  We developed friendships in that house that have blessed us beyond belief.  We spent immeasurable hours (days, weeks, months...) modifying, customizing, decorating and landscaping.  Now we get to start over - start over with neighbors, start over with decorating and start over with landscaping.

It is easy to get lost in all of the "stuff" and lose sight of our purpose.  It is easy to get distracted and forget who is in charge.  It is easy to get discouraged and forget that this is just "schooling" to prepare us for eternity.  It is easy to lose sight of the blessings that have been in all of the circumstances of the last year.

Today is a day of reflections and gratitude.  Blessings on your day.

Stoopid Computer!

Over the years I have collected quotes from various movies.  Most of the movies are goofy or cheesy Sci-Fi.  One of my favorites came up recently when someone complained about their computer.

Can you name this movie?

It's a machine. It doesn't get mad, it doesn't get happy, it doesn't get sad, it doesn't laugh at your jokes......IT JUST RUNS PROGRAMS!

VOTD

 Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.

~ Proverbs 4:23, NLT

That's Cheating

Whether it is dieting, driving, doing our taxes, playing games or being in a relationship America is in an epidemic.  Finding someone who has never cheated in any way is, for all practical purposes, impossible in this country.  Is it any wonder that we - like Israel of old - cheat on God?

We are a people of divided loyalties.  We worship at the alter of Hollywood, Madison Avenue and the local Auto Mall.  We put the observance of the high holy days of "Superbowl-Sunday", "Opening Day" and "my kid's soccer game" ahead of Sunday worship.  We take our first fruits and invest in Coach, Nike and the house of Nordstrom rather than give to the church.  We compromise our politics, our principles and our morals on a daily basis.

We ignore sound doctrine and theology to chase after the lure of the Prosperity Preachers, the Feel-Good Crowd and the teachers who tell us we don't ever have to feel guilt, shame or accountability.

The time is coming when we will be called upon to choose.  Will we follow our Lord no matter what the cost or will we follow the crowd of comfort seekers and cheaters that seem to populate most of our world?

Ladies and Gentlemen

I present to you: 

Mr. and Mrs. Dale Wooten

I Cried

I cried walking her down the aisle.  She was so very beautiful.

Pretty Maids, All In A Row

Are you ladies ready?

(Heather, Rachael, Hannah, Sarah, Hanna)

How Do I Look?

Let's get these pictures over with before the guests arrive....

Getting Ready

It is almost time

QOTD

The "quote-of-the-day" was one of my all time favorites this morning.  I am a huge fan of Lewis Carroll (did you know he was a minister and a renowned mathematician who specialized in logic puzzles?).

It's a poor sort of memory that only works backward.

Painted

They finished the exterior painting on the house.  Yesterday they installed the cabinets and the baseboards (in the rooms that have carpet).   The tile is in the downstairs bathroom.   Next week they will be starting to lay the floor tiles.   It is amazing how fast they go.  We went from framed & wrapped to cabinets in a month.

A Time for Reflection

Friday afternoon we head down to Dos Palos.  The 3rd of our girls is getting married.  Sarah and Dale actually live in Fresno but his family is from the Los Banos area.  The wedding will center around Dale's family home.  Friday night we are staying with Andy and Rachael.

Weddings are always bitter-sweet for dad's - especially the weddings of their girls.  It is a time when we formally let go of them and bless their binding to another.  I am sure the weekend will be an emotional one for all of us.  I will see if I can post a few pictures when I get back.

blessings on your day

Delaware Election

It is pretty rare for me to mention politics IRL let alone on this blog.  The recent comments by the GOP, however, are simply crying out for a response.   Oddly enough, only a few days again, the GOP was crowing over the opportunity to retake control of the senate - largely due to Tea Party upsets.  Some within the GOP apparently thought that the Tea Party victories were some sort of  mandate and endorsement of the Republican party.

They just don't get it.   Much of America - the heart and soul of this country, the middle class, conservative majority - are fed up with politics and politicians.  The fact that many of the Tea Party candidates are labeled as Republicans is incidental to the movement.  Once we gain enough support, I am quite sure that the Tea Party will split entirely from the GOP.  When we do, it will shatter the current political landscape.  I am sure that the result will be a divided 3-party system that will - in the short term - see the Democrats on top.  They will rejoice, throw parties and declare loudly that they have the "mandate."  2-3 elections later when the defectors from both the original parties flock to the Tea Party is when you will finally start to see some real politcal reform.

Wake and smell the coffee  tea!

VOTD, 09/14/2010

For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?...

~ Isaiah 43:19, NLT

That's One Down

Well this morning, I put my head down and pounded on the keyboard - fighting with the system until finally I won the battle.  I have been trying to migrate (and upgrade) one of our systems for over a week now.  After several false starts and a long conversation with the tech support guy, it looks like the migration worked.   I turned over the development system to my team mate who can now go forward with his testing.

Not a huge victory perhaps, but still one to celebrate.  It hasn't been often of late that I even get the opportunity to take on a system without ending up compromising the solution in the name of expediency.  It felt good to be able to tell my boss that the issue was resolved and closed out.   Of course his response was "so you are ready for the next project?" which wasn't the one I was looking for but it works :)

Looks Like a House

It is starting to look like an actual house.  The stucco is done and the outside trim is in place.  You can see where the tile goes around the front entry.  They poured the exterior concrete today and are supposed to put the stair rails in today as well.   Pretty soon we will need to get a construction key to get in.  Next week they paint the inside and deliver the cabinets.

VOTD

"Keep your servant from deliberate sins! Don't let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin."

Psalm 19:13, NLT

Do You Burn?

I am not going to post a link to the news stories (feel free to Google it) of the church in Gainesville that is hosting a book burning simply because every news wire on the net is running the story.  I will try hard not to blast the pastor and the congregation.  What I do want to say is that this is a bad idea on too many levels to even list.  So rather than try to touch on all aspects, let me focus on the one that counts.

Does the Qur'an contain the Word of God?  Not as far as I am concerned.  Is the book particularly holy?  Not to me.  Have some Muslims been guilty of terrorist attacks against my country?  Absolutely!

Does the Word of God support this type of a response?  On occasion it does.  Always in the Old Testament, always at the direct command of God, always for a specific situation and always as a means of purifying the Land.  Regardless of the televangelists claims to the contrary, America is NOT God's Promised Land.  We have not been commanded to tear out root and stalk everything that is incompatible with that.  We are not in a holy war against Islam (or Muslims).

In fact, the Word commands us to leave judgment, vengeance and justice to the Almighty God.  We are commanded to love our enemies and pray for those that abuse us.  We are told to turn the other cheek and to reach out in love and compassion.

Please explain to me Reverend Jones, how this shows the love of Jesus to a lost and hurting generation?

Can't Buy Me Love

We are all (well anyone over 35 at least) are familiar with the Beatles tune in the title of this post.  And for many years we have been told that money can't buy happiness either (although counterfeits of both are available on the street corner or through mail order).

Now, according to researchers at Princeton, you can, in fact, buy happiness.  And in case you were wondering, it costs about $75,000 a year.  While I don't dispute the findings of the research team, I am greatly discouraged and saddened by this.  Ultimately, this is an indictment of our society in general and the advertising industry specifically.  I recognize that there are basic needs that people have that can be best met with money. At the same time it drives home the point that we find our security in the balance in our bank account, the size of our house and the type of car we drive.

Even in the Christian community, I see more and more people who are reckless with their money and are constantly battling insolvency.  Yes, I readily agree that God sends trials our way - especially when it comes to how we handle our money (or allow it to handle US).  I agree that we are not to be hoarders and misers.  The Word is very clear, however, in the instructions to be careful and wise stewards of the resources God provides us. 

God has "instructed" Emma and I more than once on the value of finding security in money as well as provided a number of lessons on wise spending.  I find it prudent to take these lessons to heart and practice them diligently.  While God certainly encourages us to enjoy the blessings He pours out on us, He also wants the focus to be on the Giver and not on the gifts.

blessings on your day

Prayer Request

Today a little 2 year old girl wandered away from her house, went through an open gate and fell into a pool.  She was found later and pronounced dead at Sutter Roseville Hospital.  Emma sat with the family as they dealt with the whole attempt at resuscitation and the failure to revive her.  The story is HERE.

Please pray for the family as well as Emma.  Apparently the grandmother is also a nurse at the hospital.  This is a stark reminder that the lives of our children are on God's Hands.  No matter how good we are as parents and how vigilant we are, sometimes accidents happen.

Pray for your children

Design It!

We spent 3 hours at the design studio last night. We picked tile, laminate, carpet (2 kinds), counter tile, back-splashes and liners.  Every room will have a slightly different feel.  We worked hard to keep from a generic feel to the house.  A lot of people just choose an option package from a list.  We wanted things that made a statement and expressed our personality (while still staying neutral and flexible).

This should about conclude the modifications to the house (at least the ones that roll into the mortgage).  Next up - pendant lights, ceiling fans and window treatments.  Oh and we still have to hand-select our granite for the kitchen counters.

Couture Cakes

Check out my step-daughters website. She has started baking cakes :)

http://couturecakes.shutterfly.com/