Hurry Up and Slow Down!

I'm sitting in my office this morning taking a moment to slow down (and write this post). I got in a little late this morning due to the traffic and the rain, so I hit my chair running (can you do that?). I fired off a few docs, put the finishing touches on some graphics and registration forms, zipped down the hall to pick them up from the printer and deliver them to their intended recipient. I cruised back down the hallway and prepared to slam back into my seat to tackle the next "to do" when I thought, "Whoa, big fella. What's the rush?"

I am wired to hurry. Even when I'm not in a hurry...I'm in a hurry. No major deadlines looming, no outside pressure, nothing urgent...I'm just in a rush. And when I rush, I find that I'm less attentive to others, less patient, more uptight, and less able to listen to and respond to God.

So...today I'm slowing down. The earth will still spin, our world will rage on, but I'm kicking things down a notch. I think that's what God would have me do. What about you?

Saying from Cole

Our son has a knack for spouting funny phrases. We've been saying for a long time that we need to write them down (but never do). This morning, Cole is in the office with me until his school begins. He showed me his artistic abilities by turning the outline of his hand into a turkey. When I put the picture down on my desk, he said, "Dad, put it up on your wall. You can staple it up on your wall...right over there. Look, that's premium space!"

"Premium space"? Where did that come from. Funny boy...

Multimedia message

I've been having trouble with the whole MMS thing on my iPhone.  Let's see if I can successfully post to the blog with this thing...

Striking!

I got real lucky and captured this ground strike from last Monday's storm. I was coming in behind the storm so I got to see it all without being caught in it. Amazing!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Arizona Science Center

Let me say that the Arizona Science Center is WAAAYYYY cool! We had a great time yesterday--spent about 6 hours there. They have a huge Lego Castle Adventure exhibit going on right now. The kids got to build castles (ok, that didn't last long), joust a bit, dress up like knights and princesses, and look at some really neat Lego creations.

Other exhibits included learning about home construction, energy conservation and use, the human body, gravity, pressure, and so much more. Probably our favorite was the section on electricity and magnetic fields. We spent a lot of time there. To end our day we took in an IMAX show on migration--very cool. From whales to African wildlife to monarch butterflies to red crab on Christmas Island (very interesting segment), it was great fun.

Today we're just bumming around the resort for one more day. We'll be swimming, resting, and packing up for our long trek back to Texas in the morning. We'll be losing two hours on the trip so we plan to get off as early as possible. I'll be adding a few more videos from yesterday if you want to check them out.

New Videos Up, and the Dry Heat Thing

I've added some of our Grand Canyon Clips to the playlist at the bottom of the blog. Check them out.

OK, on the subject of 'dry heat'...Its been 111-115 each day we've been in the desert. Does the fact that its a 'dry' heat make a difference? First, let's get this out of the way--ITS HOT! The sun is extremely intense here. So don't kid yourself, 110+ is hot no matter what the humidity. However, the biggest difference is the fact that you don't sweat near as much as back in Texas (at least I don't, and I'm quite an accomplished sweater). It can be in the mid-nineties back home and just a couple minutes outdoors will produce significant sweat. Here, not so much. So far there has been only one time that I've broken a sweat (going from door to hot car). So, in that sense, it makes a big difference. Also, it seems that the shade makes a bigger difference in this climate. In Texas, muggy is muggy whether you're in the shade or not.

Not quite an episode of MythBusters, but it did answer a few questions that were on my mind prior to the trip.

A Grand Day

Yesterday was a day at the Grand Canyon. It was a really good day. The weather was really nice--low 90's, cloudy, sprinkles here and there. We squeezed about 3 hours out of the kids. Not too bad. I think they were more impressed by the birds and squirrels than the enormity of the Canyon. They're kids. That's ok.

It wasn't too crowded yesterday. We (fortunately) found a parking spot right off that was just a few steps from the information center, shuttle pickups, etc. I was a bit surprised by all the languages we heard as we poked around the canyon. At each stop, I'm certain we were the ethnic minority. Most of the English we did hear was spoken through thick accents.

For me, the Grand Canyon is just another testimony to the awesome creativity of our God. Its one of those moments where creation really reveals God's glory. I would love to go sometime and be able to hike down into the canyon, see a sunrise and/or sunset there--really drink in the splendor of God's handiwork. Maybe when we have older, more adventurous kids. Or, maybe without them altogether.

Shortly after we arrived back at the resort we were greeted with our first desert thunderstorm. It was nice to hear and see the rain. However, I don't think it will have any impact on our climate for the day. Today we're off to the Arizona Science Center and an afternoon at the resort. Should be a fun day.

I realized we didn't bring the cable for our camera, so I only have a couple of pics that I took with my phone. I'll upload the videos later today. You'll have to wait to see all our pics once we get back home. Sorry. :(

Another Day in the Books

We had a great day yesterday at the resort. More sun and swimming, crafts for the kiddos, a game of Chinese Checkers, and Ice Age 3. Its been very nice to have such a relaxed agenda. We've taken an over-planned vacation before. That can rob you of some of the fun.

This morning we're heading out for a day trip to the Grand Canyon. We'll have lunch, poke around the south rim a bit, and perhaps slip through Sonoma on the way back. Should have some good pics and video to share this evening.

First Full Day in AZ

Yesterday was a great first day. We bummed around the resort all day, enjoying lots of swim time, as well as free breakfast and dinner (not an everyday thing, mind you). Today will be more of the same, with dinner out and a movie (going to take in Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs).

I did manage to upload our travel videos to YouTube. I will be embedding a player to the right (check that--at the bottom) in case you want to take some of them in. Hopefully it will work. :)

Vacation 2009!

Well, our summer vacation is finally underway. We're spending a week in the City of the Sun (that's Phoenix, for those who don't know). And, boy, is it ever! We'll discuss the whole "dry heat" thing at a later time. But let's recap the last two days. I had planned to use video from the Flip Ultra we have on hand, but the software took a dive once we got here and my plans were undone. I'll try and get some of our travel log video up for you at a later date (as if anyone is actually reading this!).

We left home on Saturday morning. First stop: Fort Stockton, TX. We opted to break up the 17-hour trip with a night at Mammy and Papa's place. We'll do the same on the way home, but will leave the kids there for several days. More on THAT to come!

The second leg of our trip began about 9 AM on Sunday. I'll make this report much more brief than the trip itself--after several potty stops and a couple of meals, we finally made it to Scottsdale (where we're actually staying) 12 hours later. Ugh! But everything went without a hitch, so we were thankful. We're now into our first full day at the resort. I'll report on that when the day is over. Pics and videos to come!

Who's Driving This Thing?

We have entered the world of GPS. Amazon had some crazy sale on the Magellan Maestro 4260 and, with our anniversary around the corner (at that time) I decided to purchase one for my "directionally challenged" wife (love you, babe!). This morning I took the new gadget with me to Dallas to try it out.

The unit worked well calculating the fastest route to my destination (knowing where I was going I only disagreed with it once). But then the Dallas traffic kicked in. Since I didn't have the traffic service set up (I think it came with a 3 or 6 month free trial), I had to depart from the suggested route several times. Each time the unit quickly recalculated a route for me. Pretty cool.

However, being alone in the car, I began to reflect on the experience. As my thoughts began to roam a bit (never a good thing for me) I started to wonder what the GPS must be "thinking" about my driving. Stick with me here... From its limited perspective, it laid out the perfect route for me to reach my destination in the shortest amount of time. But, again and again, I changed directions without any seeming sense of purpose. I made course corrections based on circumstances the GPS could not "see". "What is this guy doing?"

Do you think this relates to our view of God at all? Aren't we like the GPS system, laying out the "fastest route" through our lives based on what we can see. Then God, who is driving the whole thing, takes a hard right turn that we didn't see coming. We begin to question what God is doing when we cannot see the circumstances God is guiding us through. Perhaps we need to stop "dinging" at God when we think the turn has been missed and, instead, enjoy the ride. Something to think about...

Famliy Time?

We thought we would take the family out for a little dinner and family time at CiCis. Didn't count on sitting right next to the TV... Tim Nations Sent from my iPhone

He Is Not Here, For He Has Risen... (Matthew 28:1-6)

The past few days my schedule has not been such that I could post my devotional reflections. But as the season of Lent comes to an end and I reflect on the final devotional on Easter Sunday, I wanted to make time. Here's a quote from today's devotional:

In the Good Friday reading, it is mentioned that the cross only has meaning in light of Christ’s resurrection. It can also be said that the resurrection only has meaning in light of the cross. New life in Christ is born out of suffering and death. Jesus’ suffering and death had a unique quality to it: it was redemptive. It redeemed the world from the judgment of sin.

As followers of Christ, our lives are to have a unique quality to them. As with the suffering and death of Christ, our lives are to be 'redemptive'. Paul writes that we are Christ's ambassadors. We have been entrusted with the redemptive message of God's love poured out in Christ. Therefore every ounce of our lives are to be filled with redemptive power.

Do you look at your life that way?

When you suffer, do you look for the redemptive message in it? When you experience gain, do you turn that blessing into a message of hope for others? One of the greatest challenges facing us (I believe) is to allow every moment of our lives--those we see coming and those that hit us from the blind side--to serve as a vessel for the story of God's redemptive work in Christ. We must let our sufferings, our blessings, our joys and pains "be for" God's sake. Otherwise, our lives have no meaning. The resurrection of Christ, and our future resurrection, gives meaning to our lives. Can I, through my life with all its circumstances and happenings, speak into the lives of others to help them find that same meaning? Can you?

He is risen...just as he said.

What Does It Cost? (Luke 14:25-35)

I find myself asking that A LOT these days. "Well, what does it cost?" With the economy the way it is, its not a bad question to be asking. But how often do I ask this question in relation to my walk with Christ.

I can just imagine Christ walking along the road with hoardes of people following him, thinking to himself, "They need to know. I need to know. Which ones are truly ready to follow me, to be my disciples?" And so he lays out the cost. And the cost is high.

When I look at my own life, can I truly say that the cost is high? Here's a quote from my devotional email this morning:

Why am I prepared to sacrifice some things in my life for Christ, but not others? Of course it is easier to give up some things, but if it’s easy to give something up surely it’s not a sacrifice anymore. Why do I subconsciously hold on to some things, when I know I should give everything up to my Father? And why do I pretend other things I give up are a real sacrifice when they’re insignificant?

If I looked hard enough, I could probably find something that I hold back from God every day. Most of them seem like such small things. Little things are alright, aren't they? Then I'm hit between the eyes by Jesus words in Luke 16:10, "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much." Ouch!

The question I need to dwell on is this: "What sacrifices still need to be made in my life because I'm a follower of Christ?" I know 'control' is one. What else is there? Lord God, shine your light into my dark places. Help me to see the sacrifices that still need to be made. Show me the things that I still cling tightly to so that I might release them into your loving hands. Amen.

Who's In Control? - Philippians 2:5-8

Philippians chapter two has been one of my favorite chapters in the Bible for as long as I can remember. Perhpas its the poetic way in which Paul communicates the gentle spirit of Christ that led him to the cross for us. There is great beauty in those words; there is hope and promise.

But there is also a challenge. Now, as an adult, I read in those words as much about myself as I do about Christ. "[My] attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus." What attitude is that? One of immense humility. What comes to mind when you think of humility? When I look at Christ (which Paul is telling us to do), I see him surrendering status, control, advantage, and privilege. Jesus put those things aside so that he could carry out the will of the Father.

I don't worry much about status, advantage, or privilege in my life. Maybe its because I've never had much of those things. Well, that's not entirely true. If I broaden my view beyond the country in which I live, I do realize there is tremendous advantage and privilege living in the US. That's not something I planned; it was a gift from my Father. Even so, I don't know that it would be too hard to give those things up. It would be more difficult to remove those things from my family than to surrender them for myself.

But control...that's a whole different animal. I took a "test" a few months ago in conjunction with a marriage seminar my wife and I attended. One of the things this test reveals is what "country" you are from--how you view yourself, interact with the world, etc. Guess what country I am from--Control. I like to know what's going to happen. I want to call the shots. I NEED to have a handle on things to feel secure and confident. I want to be in control.

But control doesn't play well with humility. When I'm in control, I don't consider others more important than myself. I am most important. When I'm in control, its not another's will that takes center stage, it is my own. To have the attidue of Christ--to be humble--I must give up control. God is calling me to let go and quit relying on my own strength. He wants me to lay back and rest in His. Intellectually, I know its the best way, but I struggle with that release.

Father, I know that control is just a myth. I know its a comfort I seek when I lack trust in you. Help me to surrender, to have the humility to let God and trust in what I cannot see. Thank you for Christ's willingness to set status, privilege, control, and advantage aside to rescue me. Day by day, help me to live more into the image you have of me--the image I was created in. Amen.

Its Holy Week

As I've been a bit more intentional about following the liturgical calendar, I'm reminded that this is "holy week", the week that began with Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem and will end with his victorious ascension into heaven. I've been journaling throughout the season of Lent, allowing my thoughts to be guided by an email devotional series I subscribed to from crmleaders.org. This morning I decided that, for the final week, I would journal my thoughts online. For the one or two of you that still check our blog in case we might post something, feel free to share your thoughts.

Luke 22:39-44
As I think about what's really going on here, behind the scenes, I'm dumbstruck. Jesus is pouring out his heart to his Father. He is alone. Completely alone. Oh, his closest friends are nearby, but they don't get what's going on. They're too busy napping to get a clue. Jesus is looking ahead to a cruel, painful, humiliating death and no one really cares.

But that's not the hardest part for me to grasp. You see, I think about God looking down on His Son, knowing what is about to happen, listening to the earnest pleas for help from His only boy, and all God can do is send an angel to comfort him. OK, yes, He could do more, but God's love for US compels Him to choose sacrifice--the sacrifice of His Son--over rescue. Are you kidding? I don't understand that at all. I look at my family, my kids, and there is no one on earth I would give them up for--NO ONE. If one of my kids cried out for my help I would stop at nothing to rescue them. I would sacrifice myself before I would let harm come to them.

As much as I don't understand it, that's just how deep God's love is for us. His heart is so filled with compassion for us that God would stop at nothing to save us and redeem us. He created us and then went on to pay the ultimate price--a price I never would have paid--to buy us back. That's amazing!

Father, help me to understand your love for me. More than that, help me to be filled with that kind of love for others. Give me the willingness to live with the same generosity and extravagance that you showed through Christ. Help me to live like Christ so that you may be glorified in my life. Father, I don't get your love. Its too much to take in. But, with all my heart, I thank you for making me the object of that great love!

Never Had a Chance

Our final day in Boston took us from Fenway to the Sam Adams research brewery. Three days of walking are finaly catching up with us. We rounded off our Boston "to-dos" with baked beans, more chowdah, and our baked-stuffed friend you see here. We're a bit stuffed ourselves. My prediction: low conversation on the flight home. Its been an amazing trip, but we miss the kiddos and will be glad to get home. Thanks to the McAfees, Jeff and Mo, Don and Angewon (for looking after the dogs), and the great city of Boston for making it all possible.

BAck to the Hotel

The Celtics pulled off an OT win over the Heat (neither Garnett nor Wade were playing) so now we're headed back. The subway was just a bit crowded, but we managed. Looking forward to a long night's rest.

Celtics Game!!!

OK, after a small ordeal, we made it to the game. Apparently backpacks are not allowed in the stadium, so we had to pick up a bag from the proshop and dump our backpack in the trash. But no matter. We are here!

Day 2 - Make way for Ducklings!

We started day 2 in the public gardens before hitting the Freedom Trail. Found the ducklings and later bought the book.

We're in Bawston!

Consider it a late 10th (or 11th or 12th) or early 13th anniversary trip, but Jen and I are alone in Boston! Thanks to friends generous with their airline miles, we're away for three days taking it all in.

Today we headed down to Quincy Market (via the subway) for a little browsing after settling into our hotel. We dropped by the Visitor Center to get info for our trek down the Freedom Trail tomorrow. We'll hit some other attractions and finish up with a Celtics game at the Gardens. Right now we're waiting for our dinner reservations--seafood, baby! Then its chillout time in the room.