Monday, October 26, 2009

"If you had permission to do what you really want to do, what would you do?
Don't ask 'how', that will cut your desire off at the knees. 'HOW' is never the right question; 'how' is a faithless question. It means 'unless I can see my way clearly I won't believe it, won't venture forth'... 'HOW' is God's department. He is asking WHAT. What is written in your heart? What makes you come alive? If you could do what you've always wanted to do, what would it be? You see, a man's calling is written on his true heart, and he discovers it when he enters the frontier of his deep desire. To paraphrase Bailie, don't ask yourself what the world needs, ask yourself what makes you come alive because what the world needs are MEN who have come alive."
"Wild at Heart" by John Eldredge, Thomas Nelson Publishers

Thursday, October 22, 2009


That's the big K-grader.
She's down and out today.
In Bed.
Cough.
It just stinks.

The question I am left with is this: how do you insulate my other 3 children from the hacking/sneezing sick girl?

Or should I?

Right now, 3 of us are downstairs, she's upstairs sleeping. Eventually the brother who naps will need his crib... yep, that's right, he shares a room with the K-grader.

Oh well. Nothing to do about it, but give unconditional love.

Monday, October 19, 2009


That's not me in the dinghy. Well, not literally.

I have been riding around in one for quite a long time. HEY, I am literally afraid of water...
and spiritually, I am just as afraid.


"
As the night was ending, Jesus came to them walking on the sea.
When the disciples saw him walking on the water they were terrified and said,
“It’s a ghost!” and cried out with fear.
But immediately Jesus spoke to them:
“Have courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.”
Peter said to him, “Lord, if it is you, order me to come to you on the water.”
So he said, “Come.” Peter got out of the boat, walked on the water, and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the strong wind he became afraid. And starting to sink, he cried out,
“Lord, save me!”
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him,
“You of little faith, why did you doubt?”
When they went up into the boat, the wind ceased.
Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
Matthew 14:25-33 NET Bible

I am starting to understand more each day that I don't want to hear Jesus say to me:
“You of little faith, why did you doubt?”


Friday, October 16, 2009



It wasn't exactly deep water, but it was cold. 58 degrees if I remember correctly.
It barely went any higher that what you see there. There were a few pools deeper.
Nothing to worry about.

But it was voluntary stepping in.

Yet, sometimes, we step into it. Usually we use images of stepping into, well,
poop. (Hey, I have children, you need to call it something.)

Most of the times, I step into it because I am not aware of what is going on around me. I'm not seeing things clearly. I'm being selfish. I'm not being self-controlled.

"Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control."
Proverbs 25:28

Friday, October 9, 2009

"Spiderman Underwear"

I often blog about our 3-year-old, Luke (Lukestein). Usually it's how he frustrates me, or challenges me, or how he is helping me learn about patience. Well, since I usually rag on the poor kid, today I thought I would celebrate the kid.

Today marks one week of "pooping and peeing on the potty." That may not be a big deal to you, but to me, that's an incredible accomplishment.

CONGRATS, son. And thank you. Keep up the good work. And keep those undies clean.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

"Horton Hears a... WHAT?"

I don't want anyone think that I actually encourage my children to stick their heads in a bag; even though the thought of putting them in one from time to time does have a strange appeal.

Yesterday was speak-fest 2009.

"What do you ever mean?"

Well, it was non stop from the time the 2nd grader and K grader got home from school, right up until the time my lovely and endearing wife went to bed. Non-stop chatter. Non-stop questions. Non-stop ramblings about a refrigerator ( a large cold one), the reindeer on my shirt (don't they know the difference between whitetails and reindeer by now), and on and on and on.

I'm exhausted just recanting the events in my mind.

Really, I just wanted to put on a brown paper bag like the one's they wear when their team is really bad. Go to a Pirates game some time and find out.

Now, don't get me wrong. I promise you that one day I will ask at least one of my children why they don't call me enough. It will happen. And when it does, I won't be the biggest hypocrite in the world, I'll just be the loneliest dad in the world.

SO, I'll suck it up again today. Listen as best I can. Ask questions the best I can.
That's what dad's do... and husbands do if they enjoy sleeping on his eighth of the bed each night.

Monday, October 5, 2009

"May The Force..."

Yeah, I know, it's only October 5th, but for some reason I wanted to re-post something I wrote Halloween 2008. I don't know, maybe give you all a few weeks to prepare for 10.31.09 !

Today is October 31st, 2008... Halloween.
Setting aside the discussion of whether or not it behoove God's people to participate, isn't this a real opportunity to evangelize? I'm not sure how many people are going to come to your door, willingly, everyday. But this one night, the most impressionable will come. 10, 20, 100 kids knocking on your door looking for candy.
Can't we use this time to give them so much more?
They are coming seeking. Feed them.

When they had finished eating,
Jesus said to Simon Peter,
"Simon son of John, do you truly
love me more than these?"
"Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Feed my lambs." (John 21:15 NIV)

I guess it's time to start swallowing my own thoughts for a change.