Word to your mom.

Feelin' Fall ... 5th Anniversary Edition

2011-10-07T15:46:00.000-07:00

Here's a picture of my little girl. She takes after her daddy and is definitely feelin' Fall. Which reminds me, it's that time of year again when I celebrate the anniversary of this blog by reposting its inaugural essay for all to enjoy. It remains one of my favorites. Maybe this year I'll actually start writing again. That'd be some awesomeness.

I'm telling you. If it weren't for grilled cheese sandwiches, the world would be a much duller place. I love 'em. They brighten up my day. Delicious. That, and a big old bag of microwave popcorn with a tall glass of creamy chocolate milk. Delectable.

Go ahead. Call me fat. Do it. I'll sit on your face.

Fall, too, is delicious. We're talking weather here. As in the season: Autumn. I love it. I do. Days are still pleasant [temperature-wise], afternoons are perfectly crisp, we can once again bust out our favorite pair of jeans or ever-faithful hoodie for the evening hours which are always mysteriously cast with an orangish glow to the air. Love that part. Time for frisbee in the leaves and Pumpkin Spice Lattes at Starbucks. The change to Fall means football and the World Series. And the leaves! It's true, the change is over all to quickly [at least here in Colorado] but those few weeks are glorious. Maybe that's what's so magical about it — it's only a few perfect weeks long. Everything fits together creating the perfect atmosphere. The smell as you trudge through the fallen crunchy leaves, the beauty of a gentle, brisk breeze rustling a tree at just the right moment to send a shower of color all around you . . .

I've always marveled at the thought of Autumn from a single leaf's perspective. Hanging on the tree all summer, looking down on my arial view of the world surrounding my tree. I'd spend all summer weathering the storms and the rain and wind and hail, doing my best to hang on till my perfect day in September. After the temperature was just right and I had completely changed from green to bright yellow or orange or red, just when the timing was perfect, I'd let go and let the breeze take me. I'd do my best to not just drop straight down, but to instead do all sorts of flips and acrobatics as I swirled and floated downward. If at all possible I'd try to drop just as one of those circular wind patterns was ambling by so I could spin around fiercely like a tornado making the most of my descent. And I'd aim for a nice patch of grass to land in. Somewhere like a back yard or a park where I'd most likely be raked up into a giant pile to provide the perfect natural playground for some kids, if only for a day. That's what I'd do if I were a leaf . . .

Do you ever look up when Autumn's almost over and Winter's bearing down and see that last lone leaf still clinging to a tree? I'm impressed by that leaf. Such perseverance, such dedication. That leaf has held on through a lot. It made it through all the storms and the whipping and the tossing that Autumn had to offer and still held on. It watched as all the other leaves around it one by one let go and made their triumphant descent to the ground above which they'd hung for months. But not this leaf. This leaf hung on. It's almost as if this leaf knew its importance—knew that its determination was warding off the inevitable throes of Winter that lay ahead. It's as if so long as it held on, so long as it remained proud and sturdy like a flag waving to proclaim that Autumn was not yet over, Winter could not set in. I respect that leaf. That leaf inspires me.

Next time you see a leaf fall from a tree, contemplate for a second the reality that for that particular leaf, this is it's big day. This it what it's been waiting for. That leaf will never fall again. And you might be the only one to witness it on the face of the Earth. Ever. Maybe it's all that magic packed into every leaf falling all around us that makes Autumn so great — maybe it's the fact that I was born on September 23, the first day of Autumn — but I suspect it's the former.

Book Review: Death by Love

2011-07-25T12:33:00.000-07:00

Death by Love: Letters from the Cross by Mark Driscoll

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Remember when I said I wanted to read this book? Well I did, and here's my review.

This is an excellent book. Driscoll's style is very straight forward, and he doesn't pull any punches. If you want soft, flexible, or seeker-friendly Christianity than this book is not for you. If, however, you want straightforward honest biblical truth, then read this book.

Death by Love is great because it deals with real people in real life down-and-dirty situations. Not every story will apply directly to every reader, but you will undoubtedly find something to glean from each one, and I'm certain that one or more of the situations addressed will apply directly to you and/or someone close to you to whom you want to be a witness.

One of the strengths of this book is how it is structured. Each chapter starts with a short description of a different person that gives pertinent information to the reader about that person's background and situation. That is followed by a lengthy letter from Driscoll as pastor to the person. Each chapter concludes with a question and answer section in which Driscoll's co-author Gary Breshears directly answers some of the tough questions that may have arisen during Driscoll's letter.

The meat of each chapter is Driscoll's letter, where he addresses things directly in the person's life—whether good, bad, ugly, heartbreaking, sad, difficult etc. Driscoll hits everything dead on and definitely doesn't skirt any issues—especially the tough issues. Here's a non-exhaustive list of some of the issues dealt with in this book:

• Rape

• Incest

• Financial trouble

• Abuse (sexual, verbal, emotional)

• Fake Christianity

• Pride

• Self-righteousness

• Demonic activity

• Infidelity/Adultery

• Hate/Anger

• Terminal illness

• Lust

... and on and on ...

The power that lies in each letter is the way in which Driscoll applies the incredible work of Christ on the Cross to every one of the issues dealt with, and demonstrates clearly how Christ's sacrifice specifically covers each one. This is an intensely practical application of Christ's redemptive work for modern people in modern situations like nothing I've read before. If you think Christianity doesn't apply in today's world, read this book.

The introduction to this book is a 14 page graphic and academic explanation of Christ's work on the cross (Titled We Killed God) that absolutely blew me away. Even as a person who has been a Christian for 20+ years, Driscoll's Gospel explanation ignited my heart with humbling wonder and awe at what God did for us. I'm glad Driscoll started there, because it is that unbelievable atoning work that is the common thread woven through the rest of the incredibly diverse stories found in this book.

Lastly, one could argue that despite the tremendous variance between the letters' recipients stories, this book becomes repetitive at times. This is probably a true assessment, but I feel this is actually the strength of this book, and that it was absolutely necessary, given the book's format, for these reasons:

1] Each chapter/letter is a complete package in an of itself. They do not inform one another or build on concepts already presented earlier. They could be read separately or in any order and still be complete.

2] The whole point is that the gospel story of Christ's work on the cross applies to everyone, no matter what their situation. Therefore the gospel is presented in every single letter. It is, however, presented carefully to apply to the specific situation/issue at hand.

I'd also note that reading about the amazing salvation story should never grow tiresome. It is the crux of our Christian faith and the single greatest event in the history of the world. Examining the different facets of Christ's atoning work again and again served to strengthen my faith and encourage my personal boldness in sharing the Gospel.

P.S.— As a graphic designer, I was excited to find that the content exceeded the well-done visual design of the book. There's nothing worse than an amazing graphic layout to arouse one's expectation only to be followed by the let down of bad content and loose theology (re: Rob Bell's books).

View all my reviews

Book Review: The Slumber of Christianity

2011-07-25T12:26:00.000-07:00

The Slumber of Christianity: Awakening a Passion for Heaven on Earth by Ted Dekker

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm not sure I've read another book that stirred my passion and longing for Heaven as much as this one. Well, maybe Heaven by Randy Alcorn, but for totally different reasons (and this book was much shorter and easier to read).

This book took a perspective shift that was sparked within me after my own struggles with chronic illness and the sudden recent death of my father (not even yet 60), and fanned it into a full-blown inferno. Simply put, we, as Christians, are living for the wrong thing(s). All of the glory and bliss that awaits us in Heaven with Christ should be our goal, our aim, our muse, our motivator—for everything that we do. Every other earthly goal pales in comparison to the inheritance we have in Christ for which we should strive, and will ultimately fail to satisfy (despite the enemy's insistence to the contrary).

Dekker helped me rightfully realign my passion toward Eternity, and in so doing explained how this proper perspective liberates me to properly enjoy the pleasures of this life as a foretaste of the incomparable riches awaiting me in the next.

When actually grasped, this truth really does change everything. For instance:

1] I can see (for the first time) how a person would willingly give up their life for Christ

2] I can honestly rejoice in pain/suffering as a tool not designed by, but used by God for my good

3] The grief in the wake of my father's death is not eliminated but significantly altered and lessened

4] The self-imposed and world-imposed significance placed on earthly things, achievements, accomplishments, accolades, is gone, and I am free to live for God alone.

5] Paul's words that is would be far better to die so as to be with Christ (Philippines 1:23) actually honestly resonate with my heart.

6] I'm actually looking forward to dying and going to Heaven. No, seriously.

There's more ... but I'll stop.

The reason I didn't give the 5th star is because I feel there is one piece of the puzzle that Dekker left out (possibly intentionally for the sake of length), and that is to go into some of the specifics about Heaven that we actually do know through Scripture. When studied, the picture of Heaven that the Bible paints for us (albeit limited) is intoxicatingly alluring, and enough motivation on it's own to spark my longing and begin to wake me up from the slumber that Dekker set out to remedy. He does encourage the reader to examine the Bible for him/herself, and to spend time imagining and meditating on Heaven, but I feel that even a brief summary of some of the amazing joy and pleasure that awaits the believer in Heaven would complete the picture excellently.

If, by chance, this book has sparked your interest in Heaven and you would like a more complete look at what the Bible does reveal to us about what Heaven will be like, I highly recommend reading Heaven by Randy Alcorn (who wrote the forward to this book). The things Alcorn points out in his book absolutely blew me away and caused a yearning in me to be with Jesus in Heaven now. These two books together make a wonderful set.

P.S.— As a side note, I'm generally not interested in reading fiction. Being primarily a fiction author himself, Dekker takes some time in this book to defend his personal love and support of fiction. Surprisingly, I think he made some good points, and I'm considering delving into some fiction now as a result.

View all my reviews

Welcome to the United State of Texas

2010-11-10T15:16:00.000-08:00

I've been here in San Antonio, Texas for a few days now, and I've had a chance to observe. I feel compelled to share some of my observations.

1:: Texans really like Texas. I mean they really really like Texas. Pretty much every business has 'Texas' or 'Texan' or 'Lone Star' in the name. Pretty much every logo has a star or the shape of Texas included in it. Pretty much every building is flying the state flag. To be honest, I'm surprised I didn't need a passport to enter. Texas is like it's own little country down here. Actually, not that little. Everything's big in Texas (or so they say), and there are plenty of countries that are actually physically smaller than this state. Look, I'm from Colorado--born and raised--and I'm a proud native. I love my state. But they take state pride to a whole new level down here. (Just an observation, not a criticism.)

2:: People are fatter here. On average ... as compared to Colorado. I don't have any hard data other than my casual, cursory, limited observation. I suppose it's probably a lifestyle and diet thing, that makes the most sense, but whatever the reason is, that's what I've observed. (Just an observation, not a criticism.)

3:: People are fatter, but they're friendlier. I wouldn't call Colorado a rude place, but my short experience here has been that the folks (Texan for 'people') in Texas are friendlier than people people in Colorado. It's possible that since I'm in a hotel, and have been cruising around the Riverwalk, folks have just been friendly because they're paid to be or because they want my business. But I get the feeling that's not the whole story. I think people are just a little friendlier in general. (Just an observation, not a criticism.)

4:: While standing in front of landmarks, points of interest, and tourist attractions, Asians love to be photographed while making a peace sign with their fingers. This really has nothing to do with Texas, but it's nonetheless true in my experience. (Just an observation, not a criticism.)

5:: I definitely prefer dryness to humidity (and I don't even think it's all that humid here really). Feeling sticky all the time sucks. Also (maybe this should be #6 but what the H), it shouldn't be 80 degrees in the middle of November. That's not right, (Just an observation, not a criticism.)

6:: Maybe I'm in the wrong part of Texas or something, but in my tiny experience I haven't seen very many cowboy hats (well, except for in the souvenir shops but that doesn't count). Also, I haven't noticed any Texas accent or heard anyone say "howdy" or "y'all" either. Is it possible that Texans tend to accentuate their accent and their cowboy-hat-wearing outside of Texas in order to make apparent their Texasness? Maybe so. (Just an observation, not a criticism.)

7:: I haven't really noticed anything being bigger in Texas, other than the last time that we were here it took for-freaking-ever to drive across the state, and also there were some really good sized cockroaches in Kerrville when we stopped for dinner (never want to go there again). (That one kind of was a criticism. I'm not a big Kerrville fan.)

Anyway, I think that's all I've got right now. Here's to you, Texas (what little I know of you).

Feelin' Fall [[again]] ... again ... again.

2010-09-30T09:25:00.001-07:00

Well you three, today (actually two days ago) marks the fourth anniversary of this here blog, and in keeping with tradition (just like last year and the previous year), I will now repost the inaugural essay from this blog for all to enjoy. It happens to be one of my favorites, and I happen to be, once again, feelin' fall.

I'm telling you. If it weren't for grilled cheese sandwiches, the world would be a much duller place. I love 'em. They brighten up my day. Delicious. That, and a big old bag of microwave popcorn with a tall glass of creamy chocolate milk. Delectable.

Go ahead. Call me fat. Do it. I'll sit on your face.

Fall, too, is delicious. We're talking weather here. As in the season: Autumn. I love it. I do. Days are still pleasant [temperature-wise], afternoons are perfectly crisp, we can once again bust out our favorite pair of jeans or ever-faithful hoodie for the evening hours which are always mysteriously cast with an orangish glow to the air. Love that part. Time for frisbee in the leaves and Pumpkin Spice Lattes at Starbucks. The change to Fall means football and the World Series. And the leaves! It's true, the change is over all to quickly [at least here in Colorado] but those few weeks are glorious. Maybe that's what's so magical about it — it's only a few perfect weeks long. Everything fits together creating the perfect atmosphere. The smell as you trudge through the fallen crunchy leaves, the beauty of a gentle, brisk breeze rustling a tree at just the right moment to send a shower of color all around you . . .

I've always marveled at the thought of Autumn from a single leaf's perspective. Hanging on the tree all summer, looking down on my arial view of the world surrounding my tree. I'd spend all summer weathering the storms and the rain and wind and hail, doing my best to hang on till my perfect day in September. After the temperature was just right and I had completely changed from green to bright yellow or orange or red, just when the timing was perfect, I'd let go and let the breeze take me. I'd do my best to not just drop straight down, but to instead do all sorts of flips and acrobatics as I swirled and floated downward. If at all possible I'd try to drop just as one of those circular wind patterns was ambling by so I could spin around fiercely like a tornado making the most of my descent. And I'd aim for a nice patch of grass to land in. Somewhere like a back yard or a park where I'd most likely be raked up into a giant pile to provide the perfect natural playground for some kids, if only for a day. That's what I'd do if I were a leaf . . .

Do you ever look up when Autumn's almost over and Winter's bearing down and see that last lone leaf still clinging to a tree? I'm impressed by that leaf. Such perseverance, such dedication. That leaf has held on through a lot. It made it through all the storms and the whipping and the tossing that Autumn had to offer and still held on. It watched as all the other leaves around it one by one let go and made their triumphant descent to the ground above which they'd hung for months. But not this leaf. This leaf hung on. It's almost as if this leaf knew its importance—knew that its determination was warding off the inevitable throes of Winter that lay ahead. It's as if so long as it held on, so long as it remained proud and sturdy like a flag waving to proclaim that Autumn was not yet over, Winter could not set in. I respect that leaf. That leaf inspires me.

Next time you see a leaf fall from a tree, contemplate for a second the reality that for that particular leaf, this is it's big day. This it what it's been waiting for. That leaf will never fall again. And you might be the only one to witness it on the face of the Earth. Ever. Maybe it's all that magic packed into every leaf falling all around us that makes Autumn so great — maybe it's the fact that I was born on September 23, the first day of Autumn — but I suspect it's the former.

obama can't gymkhana sticker

2010-09-17T15:15:00.000-07:00

This is awesome.

Now I want to buy an obama can't gymkhana sticker available here.

The obama can't gymkhana sticker is for sale here.

I'm gunna read this.

2010-09-02T11:00:00.000-07:00

Check out the website.

I'm really intrigued by the creative multimedia promotion for this book. Very cool to me. Also, I'm digging the illustration and design. Good work, Re:Lit.

Interpret this, man.

2010-08-18T13:05:00.000-07:00

In the midst of a dream a few nights ago, Valeen and I decided it was high time that Aylah learned to talk. She is, after all, already 11 weeks old. Fortunately for us she complied with our wishes (she's a good little girl), and while still securely strapped into her car seat, began to speak.

[I suppose that in retrospect, what she said—and our ensuing short conversation—should have surprised me, but at the time it didn't.]

"I'd like some Frank's RedHot® Cayenne Pepper Sauce on my food, please."

My reply was reasoned, fatherly, and I think appropriate.

"Honey, you won't like that. It's really hot."

She clarified.

"Spicy hot or temperature hot?"

I don't remember my answer, and really it doesn't matter much. The point is that my daughter is thoughtful, reasoned, and articulate. Polite too. She said please. And despite the fact that she doesn't even eat food yet, I'm pleased with her taste. Frank's RedHot® Cayenne Pepper Sauce is delicious.

The Ultimate Sacrifice

2010-08-16T13:59:00.000-07:00

It's been a little over two weeks since I first heard the request for prayer for the Arnold family.

Chad Arnold works at Compassion with my hot wife and my smart sister, and was in a battle with a disease that was ruining his liver. Without a new liver he would die. The Arnold family found out that Chad's younger brother, Ryan, was a perfect match, and had decided to go ahead with a risky procedure to take 60% of Ryan's healthy liver and give it to Chad.

Please take a couple minutes to watch this story about Chad and Ryan that aired on our local news.

—————————
Since the day I heard about Chad and Ryan, I haven't been able to shake their story from my mind. My heart is breaking for the Arnold family as they face this unimaginable loss. I can't begin to imagine what they're all going through. I'm so sad for Ryan's wife and three little boys that he left behind.

As I've read through the online journal that the family kept during the whole ordeal I've been incredibly impressed by their steadfast and unwavering faith in God. What an amazing example of true faith—faith that doesn't rely on circumstances, but is instead assured of what is hoped for, and certain of what isn't seen.

There's something else though that I can't get out of my mind as I've been thinking about and praying for the Arnold family. I keep coming back to what it must feel like to be Chad. To know that my brother loved me so much that he sacrificed his own life for mine. That he put me in front of himself. I keep thinking about how that must feel. How incredibly grateful and humbled I would be. I keep thinking about how, if I were in Chad's shoes, I would want to do everything possible to not let my brother's story die. I'd live to honor his sacrifice and carry on what he did. I know that because of my immeasurable gratitude I would live my life differently from now on.

I was was having a hard time imagining what it would be like to have somebody lay down their life for me out of love — until the Truth hit me like a ton of bricks. Somebody did. Jesus did. He gave up his life for me. Jesus willingly gave up His life so that I could live. Wow.

What a shame it is that so often we as as Christians can so easily say "Jesus died for me," and not really feel what that means. I have no doubt that Chad will never be able to talk of Ryan's sacrifice for him without getting emotional about it. Why is it not the same for me when I talk about Jesus's sacrifice?

I've been having a hard time with the fact that Ryan was only 34 years old when he died. Jesus was 33.

As tremendous and amazing as Ryan's sacrifice for his brother was, I'm just now beginning to realize the magnitude of the sacrifice that Christ made. Ryan and Chad's story is heart wrenching and compelling because it is so full of brotherly love. It's a very vivid and real picture of the way Ryan loved his brother Chad. But what if there was someone that wronged Ryan and his family deeply? What if there was a man who committed the most heinous thing you could think of against Ryan's family? What if that man was in Chad's spot—sick, and in need of a liver? And then what if Ryan still willingly gave up his life to save that man's?

Can I even comprehend that kind of loving sacrifice? That's when I start to realize my part in the incredible salvation story. I'm the one who sinned against God. I'm the one who disobeyed. I'm the criminal in the story. And yet Jesus still willingly laid down his life for mine. And it wasn't just a trade that allowed me to have physical life here on Earth, it was a sacrifice that gave me eternal life. Not just life for my body, but redemption of my soul.

Because of Ryan and Chad's story, these realizations have left me questioning my life and how I'm living it. Do I truly realize that Jesus loved me so much that he sacrificed his own life for mine? That he put me in front of himself? Am I incredibly grateful and humbled? Do I want to do everything possible to not let my Savior's story die? Do I live to honor His sacrifice and carry on what He did? Because of my immeasurable gratitude, do I live my life differently from now on?

Ryan Arnold is a hero. Even though I've never met him or his family, his sacrifice has profoundly touched my heart. Thank you, Ryan, for demonstrating the love of God in such a tangible way. I pray that my life would reflect the gratitude that I have for the One who sacrificed His life for me, and that I would live out of a response to that love from now on.

[[For more about Ryan & Chad's story, please visit this website.]]

Panorama

2010-07-13T12:20:00.000-07:00

Here's an interesting shot of our townhome main level from March 2009.

[[click for detail]]

They have a point and so do they.

2010-07-07T11:17:00.000-07:00

The interesting thing to me about the whole 'Calvinism vs. Arminianism' debate is that the answer to the question, "Do the Calvinists or the Arminians have is right?" is more than likely, "Yes."

I'm Comic Sans, Jerkface

2010-06-17T14:30:00.000-07:00

I'm a graphic designer. As such, I have a thing for fonts. And I have a thing against some fonts. The chief offender in my view is Papyrus. Close behind, like right up in Papyrus's grill, is Comic Sans. Both fonts should die.

Anyway, because of my distain for the two fonts I just mentioned, I found the following short monologue really really funny. Hilarious even. I'm strictly anti-LOL, but let me tell you, I was laughing ... uh ... audibly ... a lot while reading this.

I've taken the liberty of reposting this here on my blog (instead of simply linking to it) so as give myself the opportunity to edit it for family-friendliness. If you really want to read the monologue in all it's "glory" (you've been warned) you can find it here. [I must say though that despite the profainity, this post is even more hilarious when actually set in Comic Sans]

I'M COMIC SANS, JERKFACE.
BY MIKE LACHER

- - - -

Listen up. I know the crap you've been saying behind my back. You think I'm stupid. You think I'm immature. You think I'm a malformed, pathetic excuse for a font. Well think again, nerdhole, because I'm Comic Sans, and I'm the best thing to happen to typography since Johannes freaking Gutenberg.

You don't like that your coworker used me on that note about stealing her yogurt from the break room fridge? You don't like that I'm all over your sister-in-law's blog? You don't like that I'm on the sign for that new Thai place? You think I'm pedestrian and tacky? Guess what, Picasso. We don't all have seventy-three weights of stick-up-my-butt Helvetica sitting on our seventeen-inch MacBook Pros. Sorry the entire world can't all be done in stark Eurotrash Swiss type. Sorry some people like to have fun. Sorry I'm standing in the way of your minimalist Bauhaus-esque fascist snoozefest. Maybe sometime you should take off your black turtleneck, stop compulsively adjusting your Tumblr theme, and lighten the heck up for once.

People love me. Why? Because I'm fun. I'm the life of the party. I bring levity to any situation. Need to soften the blow of a harsh message about restroom etiquette? SLAM. There I am. Need to spice up the directions to your graduation party? WHAM. There again. Need to convey your fun-loving, approachable nature on your business' website? SMACK. Like daffodils in melonfarming Spring.

When people need to kick back, have fun, and party, I will be there, unlike your pathetic fonts. While Gotham is at the science fair, I'm kissing the prom queen behind the woodshop. While Avenir is practicing the clarinet, I'm shredding "Reign In Blood" on my double-necked Stratocaster. While Univers is refilling his allergy prescriptions, I'm racing my tricked-out, nitrous-laden Honda Civic against Tokyo gangsters who'll kill me if I don't cross the finish line first. I am a sans serif Superman and my only kryptonite is pretentious buzzkills like you.

It doesn't even matter what you think. You know why, jagoff? Cause I'm famous. I am on every major operating system since Microsoft freaking Bob. I'm in your signs. I'm in your browsers. I'm in your instant messengers. I'm not just a font. I am a force of melonfarming nature and I will not rest until every uptight armchair typographer arse-hat like you is surrounded by my lovable, comic-book inspired, sans-serif badassery.

Enough of this bullspit. I'm gonna go get hammered with Papyrus.

The danger to America is not Barack Obama

2010-06-08T06:43:00.000-07:00

“The danger to America is not Barack Obama, but a citizenry capable of entrusting a man like him with the presidency. It will be easier to limit and undo the follies of an Obama presidency than to restore the necessary common sense and good judgment to an electorate willing to have such a man for their president. The problem is much deeper and far more serious than Mr. Obama, who is a mere symptom of what ails us. Blaming the prince of the fools should not blind anyone to the vast confederacy of fools that made him their prince. The republic can survive a Barack Obama. It is less likely to survive a multitude of fools such as those who made him their president.”

—Author Unknown

_ __ _ __ _ __ _ __ _ __ _ __ _

Yup. That says just what I've been thinking but haven't articulated well.

Quick Perspective

2010-04-09T15:25:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I get overwhelmed by my medical condition. Not always, but sometimes. And then sometimes something slaps my butt right back into perspective.

That happened to me today. And it simultaneously wrenched my guts. Listen to this call on Dave Ramsey's radio program from a guy my same age with my same name:

HERE

Oh man ... that hurts me inside.

My wife is famous.

2010-04-06T11:23:00.001-07:00

I have this friend who is a famous photographer.

One time recently she wrote a blog post all about my wife ... which makes my wife famous too.

What a great post.

Baring a piece of my soul.

2010-02-11T20:33:00.000-08:00

One of the saddest thing to me is when someone spills their heart out on a blog—like really writes some good insightful stuff—and then no one comments. Especially when there's a question posed at the end of the post. A question that nobody answers.

I mean this. I'm being serious. I know I'm weird. I have issues, I do. It's true. I fully acknowledge that. But it truly get upset on other bloggers' behalf when that happens. It's so sad to me.

What do you think?

Or this one.

2010-02-08T08:16:00.000-08:00

I think this one was my favorite.

2010-02-08T07:58:00.000-08:00

Rock, Paper, Scissors.*

2010-01-27T08:10:00.000-08:00

Alright, I understand how scissors can beat paper, and I get how a rock can beat scissors, but there's no way paper can beat rock! Is paper supposed to magically wrap around rock and leave it immobile? Why can't paper do this to scissors? Forget scissors, why can't paper do this to people? Why aren't sheets of college ruled notebook paper constantly suffocating students as they take notes in class?

I'll tell you why, because paper can't beat anybody! A rock would tear paper up in two seconds. When I play rock-paper-scissors, I always choose rock. When somebody claims they have beaten me with paper, I punch them in the face with my already clenched fist and say, "Oh man, I'm sorry! I thought paper would protect you ... Genius."

____________
*I didn't write this; it was passed on to me in an email and I thought it was funny. Thanks Dan!

Help for the Haitian People

2010-01-14T06:47:00.000-08:00

The Christer Paraphrase (TCP)* Passage_002

2010-01-12T13:20:00.000-08:00

"If you learn about God, and understand the Truth that's in the Bible, and then keep on sinning anyway, you're screwed. Eternally. You are going to go to Hell, and you shouldn't expect anything less, 'cause you are an enemy of God. It's gonna be torturous.

Back in the day, people were put to death just because one or two other peeps told on them for doing something wrong. So what makes you think you can just keep on sinning and get away with it? You've stomped on the face of the Son of God, and completely disregarded the fact that He died for you. By your continued sin you are pointing a finger and insulting God to his face.

God is the ultimate Judge. He will give you what you deserve if you choose that lifestyle.

God is frickin' huge, and frickin' powerful, and frickin' scary if you choose not to listen. Don't mess with him. You will regret it. Forever."
—Hebrews 10:26–31 (TCP)

Sheesh. God doesn't mess around. And neither should we. We serve an amazingly loving and gracious God, people, but he is God, and He cannot be mocked.

——————
*TCP is not a translation of the Bible, but rather a paraphrase as interpreted by a flawed, sinful Dude. That Dude gets stuff wrong a lot of the time, and suggests that after reading TCP you check out what your favorite translation of the Bible has to say. Mmmm-kay?

Barenaked.

2009-12-30T09:04:00.000-08:00

I find that good music cheers me up most of the time when I need cheering. Of course, "good" is subjective when it comes to music.

I've long been a fan of BNL (Barenaked Ladies for the layperson) ... the band, not a collection of scantily-clad females. For some reason when I tell folks that, I always feel like I have to qualify the statement, or give my reasons for liking them or defend myself. But whatever. If you don't know how truly talented they are musically (while being witty and fun, yes) then you forgot to listen. Seriously ... they get a bad wrap and aren't taken seriously a lot of the time (probably 'cause they're Canadians) but they are grossly underrated.

Speaking of BNL, I was surprised by how much the news of co-founder and co-frontman Steven Page's departure from the band earlier this year upset me. The remaining four will go on, but it won't be the same without Steve (in the green shirt in the videos below).

A couple years ago Ed decided that he really liked playing and singing in his bathroom, and decided to perform some BNL songs raw and acoustic in there on a camcorder and upload them to YouTube. The Bathroom Sessions were born. Steve joined him in the bathroom for a few tunes ... the ones below really cheered me up this morning (watch 'em all the way through, there are some fun surprises in there).

For those of you who are big BNL fans like me, the following interview with Steven Page—talking about his leaving the band—will probably interest you. The rest of you three can feel free to skip it.

Unbelieveable!

2009-12-16T12:25:00.000-08:00

Most of the time when people say "I can't believe it!" what they are really saying is "Holy cow! Something so incredible just happened that it's really hard for me to express how amazing it is, so I'm saying that I can't believe it even though of course I can and I do because why else would I be announcing it to you right now?!"

But in this case, I'm tempted to say "I can't believe it" and really mean it because I'm having a hard time actually believing what I'm announcing right here in this blog post. But I'm gonna do it anyway.

Check it:

Oh man that's some craziness right there. See, the thing is, if you run the numbers, that's a little over $1,500 per month! What!? That's insanity. We don't have $1,500 per month extra, and we certainly didn't when we started this thing 23 months ago (our financial situation has changed a bit over the past two years).

Can I just take a second to say something here? Of course I can. Go is SO faithful. He is. I know that sometimes I struggle with God about things, but He showed Himself so incredibly faithful in our lives through this whole thing. When we started on this journey it was due largely to the fact that we both felt convicted by God that living in debt was sin. This debt repayment plan was His, not ours. That is evidenced by the fact that we set December 2009 as our targeted success date. Neither of us could explain it at the time (and in retrospect neither of us ever would have imagined the way it would actually happen), but we both just felt that God was telling us to set our goal as having all the debt paid off by the end of 2009.

On paper, which is how I do things when it comes to money, there's NO way we could actually do it. Especially given our track record of trying and failing at debt repayment. But nonetheless we set December 2009 as our goal and dug in. People, God provided like crazy once we surrendered our finances to Him and followed the convictions He gave us. If there's anything that I want others to learn from our story it is that God indeed provides when we follow his leading with our finances. It's His money anyway, we might as well stop trying to do with it what we want, and surrender it to Him.

We never stopped tithing. We never stopped trying. We fell behind a lot. We felt like it wasn't gonna happen a lot. But God provided. And now we're done. We don't owe nothing to no one. And I can't believe it ... but I'm starting to, and it feels GREAT!

Boy or Girl? Cast your official vote!

2009-12-05T09:01:00.000-08:00

(If you can't see the poll, check it out HERE.)

The Christer Paraphrase (TCP)* Passage_001

2009-11-25T08:16:00.000-08:00

There are a lot of different translations of the Bible out there. Bible Gateway gives you a choice of 20 english versions. But they don't include The Christer Paraphase (TCP)*. I think maybe they should, 'cause TCP has been kicking my butt lately. Here's a passage from TCP for you to chew on:

"You need an attitude adjustment. Do you want to know what it looks like to be a Christian? Your attitude should be the same as Jesus's. Jesus was God. He had all the frickin' power in the universe—could do whatever He wanted—and he gave it all up. He let go of His equality with God and became nothing. He willingly became a slave. He completely denied 'what He deserved' and 'what was rightfully His,' and humbled himself and gave himself up to be killed—intentionally. Not simply killed, but murdered publicly and tortuously and embarrassingly by his friends—the people He loved most. Your attitude should be like that."
—Philippians 2:5–8 (TCP)

Dang. I find that The Bible is pretty hardcore. Especially when I really read what it says, you know? Not just read it, but really read it. That's why I like TCP. If you're interested, I'll post some more passages from TCP in the future. Let me know.

——————
*TCP is not a translation of the Bible, but rather a paraphrase as interpreted by a flawed, sinful Dude. That Dude gets stuff wrong a lot of the time, and suggests that after reading TCP you check out what your favorite translation of the Bible has to say. Mmmm-kay?

The Manhattan Declaration

2009-11-24T21:00:00.000-08:00

I'm definitely on board with this (click below). Will you join me?

The truth is funny. And sad.

2009-10-08T08:49:00.000-07:00

Feelin' Fall [[again]] ... again.

2009-09-30T15:22:00.000-07:00

Well you three, today marks the third anniversary of this here blog, and in keeping with tradition (just like last year and the year before that), I will now repost the inaugural essay from this blog for all to enjoy. It happens to be one of my favorites, and I happen to be, once again, feelin' fall.

I'm telling you. If it weren't for grilled cheese sandwiches, the world would be a much duller place. I love 'em. They brighten up my day. Delicious. That, and a big old bag of microwave popcorn with a tall glass of creamy chocolate milk. Delectable.

Go ahead. Call me fat. Do it. I'll sit on your face.

Fall, too, is delicious. We're talking weather here. As in the season: Autumn. I love it. I do. Days are still pleasant [temperature-wise], afternoons are perfectly crisp, we can once again bust out our favorite pair of jeans or ever-faithful hoodie for the evening hours which are always mysteriously cast with an orangish glow to the air. Love that part. Time for frisbee in the leaves and Pumpkin Spice Lattes at Starbucks. The change to Fall means football and the World Series. And the leaves! It's true, the change is over all to quickly [at least here in Colorado] but those few weeks are glorious. Maybe that's what's so magical about it — it's only a few perfect weeks long. Everything fits together creating the perfect atmosphere. The smell as you trudge through the fallen crunchy leaves, the beauty of a gentle, brisk breeze rustling a tree at just the right moment to send a shower of color all around you . . .

I've always marveled at the thought of Autumn from a single leaf's perspective. Hanging on the tree all summer, looking down on my arial view of the world surrounding my tree. I'd spend all summer weathering the storms and the rain and wind and hail, doing my best to hang on till my perfect day in September. After the temperature was just right and I had completely changed from green to bright yellow or orange or red, just when the timing was perfect, I'd let go and let the breeze take me. I'd do my best to not just drop straight down, but to instead do all sorts of flips and acrobatics as I swirled and floated downward. If at all possible I'd try to drop just as one of those circular wind patterns was ambling by so I could spin around fiercely like a tornado making the most of my descent. And I'd aim for a nice patch of grass to land in. Somewhere like a back yard or a park where I'd most likely be raked up into a giant pile to provide the perfect natural playground for some kids, if only for a day. That's what I'd do if I were a leaf . . .

Do you ever look up when Autumn's almost over and Winter's bearing down and see that last lone leaf still clinging to a tree? I'm impressed by that leaf. Such perseverance, such dedication. That leaf has held on through a lot. It made it through all the storms and the whipping and the tossing that Autumn had to offer and still held on. It watched as all the other leaves around it one by one let go and made their triumphant descent to the ground above which they'd hung for months. But not this leaf. This leaf hung on. It's almost as if this leaf knew its importance—knew that its determination was warding off the inevitable throes of Winter that lay ahead. It's as if so long as it held on, so long as it remained proud and sturdy like a flag waving to proclaim that Autumn was not yet over, Winter could not set in. I respect that leaf. That leaf inspires me.

Next time you see a leaf fall from a tree, contemplate for a second the reality that for that particular leaf, this is it's big day. This it what it's been waiting for. That leaf will never fall again. And you might be the only one to witness it on the face of the Earth. Ever. Maybe it's all that magic packed into every leaf falling all around us that makes Autumn so great — maybe it's the fact that I was born on September 23, the first day of Autumn — but I suspect it's the former.

The world in graphs.

2009-09-28T14:14:00.000-07:00

You may have already discovered this blog. I discovered it recently. I like it. Most of 'em make me chuckle or crack a grin. Here are some of my favorites ....

Oh man those are rich. I could keep going. But I won't. Goodbye.

Answer me this ...

2009-09-22T15:55:00.000-07:00

I Heart Revolution

2009-09-22T09:23:00.001-07:00

Dudes ... sometimes I think some Christians are actually starting to get it. I love it.

I need your help. Please?

2009-09-08T11:13:00.000-07:00

I gotta find another one of these highlighters ... and I can't seem to do it. This is a major dilemma. No really, it is. Bear with me, I'll show you that this is a bigger deal than you think.

I love this highlighter, and it's totally out of ink. The thing is, it's my Bible highlighter, and I'm not done highlighting yet. It's great 'cause it's super bright and fluorescent, but it's not too wet so it doesn't show through the bible pages too badly. Now it's out of ink, and I can't go and switch in the middle. You see what I'm getting at. I'm in a bind, and I need your help.

I'm sure God's on my side in this, 'cause the stuff that's highlighted is the stuff that I have memorized. And God doesn't want me to stop memorizing scripture. Of that I'm sure.

Are any of you web whizzes able to help me out? There's got to be a way to buy one of these somewhere. I've researched and researched and researched ... all to no avail. Maybe you can be more successful then I, and in the process singlehandedly save my inevitable spiritual stall-out?

I'm not sure how to tell you exactly what to look for excet to show you some photos of it. Oh, and I believe these stats are correct:

Manufacturer: Binney & Smith
Product: Small Barrel Chisel Tip Highlighter
Feature: Ink Tank, and it's got an Ink Gauge
Color: Orange

I'm willing to buy a multi-color pack, but I need the orange. Or I'll buy a box of 100 oranges. Whatever's available.

Please help me, won't you? It'll save my life. Thanks, you three.

[[click on any photo for even more detail]]

Balloons

2009-09-08T08:55:00.000-07:00

I've been goin' to see the "Balloon Races" (aka The Balloon Classic) in Memorial Park over Labor Day weekend for as long as I can remember. You've gotta get up stinkin' early on your day off, but it's good times, every time.

One of the coolest parts is the splash'n'dash where the pilots attempt to land the basket of the balloon on the water at Prospect Lake, skim along for a while, and the take off again. Pretty sweet.

Here's a quick video of the unicorn balloon executing a perfect splash'n'dash. Good work, unicorn-balloon-pilot-guy.

Five down, one left!

2009-09-04T09:24:00.000-07:00

[[click the image for detail]]

The wife and I have been at this debt-repayment thing for 20 months now ... and we just payed off our second to last creditor! Five down, one left.

We're still rolling, and this last one doesn't stand a chance. Debt-free (but the house) by the end of the year, God-willing, and we're never looking back. It's exhilarating, really. People, you should do it too. Debt does not have to be a given.

Buy (like with actual money) a car!? Yes.
Don't owe anybody anything!? Totally.
Have a plan for every dollar that goes through your possession!? Definitely.
Pay off my home!? The WHOLE thing!? Oh yeah.
Actually be prepared should something happen!? Fo' shizzle.

It works, folks. And it's the right way. Believe me, my wife and I are spenders. We like stuff. This isn't easy, but it gets easier and you can't imagine the peace of mind it gives to actually have control of yourself and your finances. Leveraging your income is huge. Debt kills so much of our incomes, it's insane. Plus, it feels counterintuitive at first (stupid culture we live in), but honestly we have much more purchasing power now that we STOPPED spending money than we ever did when we bought whatever we wanted. It works.

I'll leave out some of my other thoughts on the subject (since I've talked about this before), but suffice it to say that if you need some help in this area (and we all do, it seems), Dave Ramsey is the man.

Not to brag (okay, to brag), but good job, us. I'm very proud. This is a big deal. And we're gonna make it a bigger one by December.

I prefer ...

2009-09-02T15:15:00.000-07:00

⁃ Glassware to Plastic
⁃ Driving to Passengering
⁃ Labradors to Other dog breeds
⁃ Silver to Gold
⁃ Colored walls to White
⁃ Cake to Pie
⁃ Hardwood floors to Carpet
⁃ Intimate interactions to Group settings
⁃ Nonfiction to Fiction
⁃ Leather furniture or upholstery to fabric
⁃ Taking off to Landing
⁃ Chocolate to Vanilla
⁃ Unloading the dishwasher to Loading
⁃ Jasmine Rice to Other kinds of rice
⁃ Hyper-organization to Chaos
⁃ Baseball to Other sports
⁃ Brown to Black
⁃ Matte to Glossy
⁃ Homemade to Store bought
⁃ Quality to Quantity
⁃ Mac to PC
⁃ AM radio to FM
⁃ Facebook to MySpace
⁃ Emailing to Calling on the phone

Flippin' incredible.

2009-08-25T08:09:00.001-07:00

At risk of beating an already twice-dead horse to death, I'm gonna expound real quick here on some incredible Rockies baseball action from last night. Cause I'm still excited. And this is my blog. So I can.

We had free tickets (vouchers from a game we attended lat year) so we acted like we had some money and made an event of it. Footlongs from Subway, kettle corn, baseball beverages, sunflower seeds, nachos ... and the BEST baseball game I've ever seen.

It was flippin' incredible.

14 innings. Pitchers duel to the end. 42 players used. 5 hours. The first walk-off grand slam in Rockies history.

It was a great game and my wife humored me and stayed for the whole thing (thank you, Ryan Spilborghs for redeeming my insistence) which was really awesome of her considering it was a "school night."

Here are a few of the sights from last night for your viewing pleasure:

[[cheesy online proof from the camera guy at coors field]]

[[nice little rainbow out over right field]]

[[i really like my wife. a lot.]]

[[still 1-1 in the 13th inning. click for detail]]

[[walk off grand slam]]

[[on the lightrail back to lincoln station close to midnight]]

[[on the lightrail back to lincoln station close to midnight]]

I've always hated this phrase.

2009-08-24T09:15:00.000-07:00

My cousin linked this on FB ... thanks, James, for pointing out the fallacy of this idiotic saying.

Floss, schmoss.

2009-08-19T12:12:00.000-07:00

I really hate going to the dentist. I always feel like I'm gonna be in trouble. I feel like I'm gonna be busted for not flossing. Cause I don't floss. I hate flossing. I probably should be busted for it. I deserve it I guess. But still ... I don't like feeling all ashamed for not doing what I'm s'posed to do, you know?

Is there anybody who flosses "enough"? Has anyone ever gone to the dentist and been told, "Well, it looks like you're doing everything right and you're flossing more than enough and your teeth are perfect and you couldn't be doing anything more and instead of 6 months how about I don't see you for a year?" Maybe I'm just bitter since I don't floss, but I bet that never happens.

I don't go look under my dentist's car's hood and check the oil and then tell her that she really ought to change it more often and that while she's under there she should top off the wiper fluid and that if she used 87 octane or higher instead of that 85 crap they sell here in Colorado that she'd prolong the life of the engine. Then again I'm not a mechanic and she's not bringing her car to me for a check-up. But still. Why's she gotta make me feel all guilty and stuff?

I didn't have a cavity until I was 26 years old. I think that dentist just made one up so he could be the first one to drill my virgin mouth. Now everyone seems to think they've gotta find a cavity in me.

The one my dentist found this time is, "Very small, and not your fault." She told me that, "It looks like when your teeth formed there just wasn't enough enamel there and the cavity is not a result of not brushing or flossing enough." "But you still need to floss more."

Oh thanks. Glad to hear it's not my fault. You still have to unhinge my jaw for an hour and stick needles in my gums and use power tools in my mouth and suck the shavings out of my throat and squirt toxic superglue in there, right? I thought so. I feel better that it wasn't my fault though, cause now the experience will be fun instead of feeling like a punishment that deserve because of my lackluster personal hygiene.

I got my teeth all shined up and cleaned and flossed and everything this morning. Just in time for me to eat steak and potatoes and broccoli for lunch.

Woah. It's been a while.

2009-08-05T08:59:00.000-07:00

I have lots of random thoughts. They're going through my head all the time. I'm a thinker, you know? Always thinking about stuff. Most of those random thought sequences usually end up somewhere around "hmmm ... that'd make a good blog post." And then I don't (write a blog post). But I'm thinking of starting again. All three of you must've missed me. I get countless inquiries about when I'm gonna start blogging again. Countless, meaning I can't count them. You can't count something that doesn't exist. No doy.

I might start again though. Just so you know.

P.S. It's been a really long time. A lot has changed. It's possible that you won't recognize me anymore. My writing, I mean. It might be different. And my thinking. That's changed too. Oh, and physically as well. I look different. Just for fun here's a fuzzy photo that doesn't really illustrate what I'm talking about at all (except for the physical stuff).

An absence explained.

2009-05-05T08:06:00.000-07:00

You may (or may not) have noticed my absence from this blog. It is not because I have quit blogging, it is simply that I am temporarily caught up in a life situation which has required it's very own blog.

I will be back here, rest assured, but in the meantime, if you are interested in what is consuming my life these days, please follow along here.

Our dog tried to commit suicide yesterday.

2009-04-03T06:42:00.000-07:00

No, really.

I do not know what has gotten into our dog. Ask anyone who knows our white lab, Toby, and they'll confirm with me that he is the most loving, happy-go-lucky, gentle, sensitive 1 1/2 yr. old Labrador you'll ever meet. He's been such a great dog from the very get go.

But that was not the case yesterday. Yesterday, Toby went insane. He tried to kill himself. While it's true that we weren't there to witness the madness, we did come home from work to find the aftermath.

Get ready ... it wasn't pretty.

[click on image for a larger view]

Now, I know that may not seem so bad at first blush, so let's take a closer look.

[click on image for a larger view]

When we left in the morning, Toby's cage was situated on top of a nice woven brown throw rug. How he got that rug out from under the cage (while he was in it) and INTO the cage with him is beyond me. He's freakin' Houdini.

Also when we left in the morning, Toby's collar lovingly adorned his neck.

Lastly, as I'm sure you've already noticed, check out the escape hatch that Toby carved out with his face. Yes, those bars are metal, and yes, everything was neatly welded together in the morning when we left. Take special note of the now razor-sharp metal barbs protruding into the cage.

Oh yes, the dog's an idiot. Check out the injuries he sustained ...

[click on image for a larger view]

[click on image for a larger view]

Now, more than 12 hours later, I'm tempted to feel sorry for the pup (I wasn't feeling sorry for him when we got home yesterday). Poor guy. I wonder what got into him? What would possess him to go crazy and literally start breaking welds and bending metal with his normally, soft, loving, and always adorable face?

Ok, I admit that he probably wasn't trying to commit suicide, but what in the world go into him? Did he see a spider? Maybe there was a ghost? Maybe the shock of his first homerun was just too much for him ...

Please don't misunderstand.

2009-04-01T08:08:00.000-07:00

I really just threw it all out there in that last post.

I asked for feedback, and I've gotten some. Thank you (I'll be responding to you shortly). I value your thoughts and insight. As expected, the responses have been all over the board. All well-intentioned, and all from people I love and respect, yet still all over the board.

I'm still working through this, still thinking and listening and praying and wondering ... and I'm still interested in your thoughts (yes you).

Just for my own peace of mind, I think it's important for me to clarify a couple things real quick. I don't want to be misunderstood. I was not saying:

• God always physically heals every ailment while we're on this earth
• If I’m not healed it’s due to a lack of faith or some sin in my life
• All I have to do is name it and claim it, and I will be healed
• There is a formula that I just have to figure out to 'unlock' God's promise, and then I will be healed

Those things can’t be true. I’ve seen godly people die of sickness. If those things were true, then every Christian would be well—living in optimal health.

But I’m also realizing that it’s not up to me to “prove” God’s promises. I didn’t say them. He did. It’s His job to come through on what He’s promised (whether we truly understand them or not). For a long time I’ve been scared to claim God’s promises for myself because I didn’t want to be a bad witness of God to anybody if they didn’t ‘come true.’ I was trying to save face for God.

How arrogant of me. Since when is it my place to cover for God? And who am I to think that’s even possible?

God made those promises. He gave them to us. It’s His job to back them up.

Does that scare you? Make you nervous? It was scaring me for a long time.

But why should it? The God I serve created me cell by cell. He created this planet and everything in it and on it. He created the solar system and the galaxy. Need I fear that He can’t or won’t back up His promises? No way.

That, in itself, would be a lack of faith and a bad witness of God.

Can He or will He? That is the question.

2009-03-31T10:42:00.000-07:00

A little while back, I filled (all three of) you in on my situation, physically. I'm not going to give you an update on my physical state (in this post, anyway), other than to say that I'm hurting. A lot. And praying. And waiting. And listening. A lot.

But what I am going to do is give you a small glimpse into some of the things that I have been learning spiritually. So if you are interested, here you go:

____________________

I’ve always been on the “God says He can heal, not that He will heal” bandwagon. Believe me. I’ve said that over and over and over (just ask Valeen). But I’m finding that’s not really true. There are many direct promises from God in the Bible regarding healing. One example:

“Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” —James 5:14-16

Lest we be confused, James wasn’t writing in the old testament to Israelites under the old law. These were words from God through James to His new church after Jesus’s resurrection and ascension, and the receiving of the Holy Spirit. These are words that still apply to us today. God’s promises are clear and direct. Most of them come with conditions (like in this case you have to have faith, and pray in the name of the Lord, and be righteous), but God’s promise is pretty clear. It doesn’t say “and the prayer offered in faith might make the sick person well; the Lord might raise him up."

A couple weeks ago we had a speaker at our chapel service here at the CMA talking about the promises of God. He made a distinction that the Holy Spirit really pricked my heart with: There is a difference between knowing the promises of God and believing the promises of God. I’m being tested, and the question I’m facing now is “do I simply know the promises of God, or do I believe them?”

Let me pose this question to you: In the passage from James above, do you have a problem believing that if we pray and ask for forgiveness for our sins, that God will forgive us? Or do you interpret it to mean that God can forgive us, but that doesn’t mean He necessarily will? Today, every believer I know is quick to admit that they believe that God will forgive us if we repent and pray. So why do we make the distinction between healing physically and healing spiritually? What is the difference? Why do we believe one half of the promise at face value, and the other half is written off as "well He wasn't actually saying that"? It's an interesting question, and fortunately, one that the Bible is not mute on. In fact, Jesus addressed this issue directly during his ministry when faced with the paralyzed man lowered down on a mat through the roof.

“A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven." Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, "Why does this fellow talk like that? He's blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?"

Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, "Why are you thinking these things? Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up, take your mat and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins . . . ." He said to the paralytic, "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!” —Mark 2:1-12

It was easier in the minds of the 'teachers' of that day for someone to heal a person physically than it was for someone to heal a person spiritually. After all, only God can forgive sins. Jesus proved that He heals physically and spiritually (and conclusively proved that He is God). Why are we now doing the same thing, only switching it around? We’re so quick to trust in God’s promise to heal us spiritually, but we write off the part about physical healing.

Not only can God heal, but He does, and He will.

In my particular case, I'm trusting God. He promises to heal, and I'm trusting Him for that. I don't know how or when, but I'm resting in His promises. He always does what He says. He will redeem me.

I realized recently that I was pulling a Peter (you know, Simon Peter) ... When he got out of the boat onto the water, he was doing fine until he got distracted and started focusing on the circumstances: the wind; the waves. Just like Peter, I need to keep my eyes fixed on Jesus rather than on my circumstances. He will sustain me. He will pull me through. He is faithful.

____________________

I’m sorry for the sermon; God’s just really working on my heart lately, and I felt I should share.

I need your help though ... I don't have this all figured out. I'm still learning; still growing. I need your thoughts. Am I missing something? Misinterpreting something? Do you agree? Disagree?

C'mon you three, I know you're out there.

Dave to the rescue ... again.

2009-03-25T11:59:00.000-07:00

My wife and I are Ramseyites.

Translation: In our eyes, Dave Ramsey is the man.

I'm so sick of money being an issue. I'm talking personally and nationally. We Americans don't know how to handle money. Collectively speaking, our view on money is all backwards, all wrong. Dave Ramsey has been daily straightening out people's view of money for years. It's his job, his mission.

In January 2008, Dave grabbed ahold of my wife and I (via Andy and Celina, thanks guys!), and shook us til we had our view straightened out. We've spent the last 14 months since that time gritting our teeth and scratching and clawing our way toward debt freedom.

Our goal, reader(s), was/is to pay off ALL of our debt (besides the mortgage) by the end of 2009. Everything. This includes school loans, family loans, car loans, stupid debt, credit cards ... everything. NO payments. On anything. We want—no—we need to owe nothing. I'm happy to report that it's working. As of today (14 months in to a 24-month plan), we are more than halfway there.

It's more than just a personal goal. It's a conviction. From God. Did you realize that there are more than 2000 verses regarding money in the Bible? God's word is full of instructions on how to handle money (and how not to). And guess what? DEBT IS WRONG. Sorry. I know that kind of sucks (especially in today's culture), but it's what the Bible says. I didn't make it up.

"...the borrower is servant to the lender." —Proverbs 22:7

"You cannot serve both God and Money." —Matthew 6:24

Bummer. If I'm in debt, then I'm serving my lender. And since I can't serve both God and my lender, then that means I'm not fully serving God. Crapola.

I don't know about you, but I want to be free to fully serve God. With all of me. Including my money. I'll be the first to admit though, that even if you believe the Bible, what I've just laid out seems a little strange. I mean, honestly. Just because I'm running a credit card balance, or because I still have 3 years before I pay off my car, that doesn't mean I can't fully serve God, right? Wrong.

I've been learning some things over the last 14 months. (This is where a changed perspective comes in.) What if I see someone in need? What if God pricks my heart to go help them? What if they need financial help? What if I'm unable to fully serve God because I don't have the financial margins (after all my minimum payments) to heed his call? Crap. What if God calls Valeen and I to go somewhere, to pick up and physically move to where God wants us? What if we have outstanding financial obligations that prevent us from heeding that call? Crap.

It becomes practical. It starts to make sense.

Anyway, it's really hard to change your mindset on money (at least it was for us). It's so counterintuitive, countercultural. Dave helped us out a TON. He's got no flashy tricks, no gimmicks, no magic pills. It's all just Biblically sound, common sense, sometimes convicting and in-your-face financial advice. And it's extremely motivating and entertaining.

Our country desperately needs to be grabbed ahold of and shaken as well. Fortunately, it looks like it's Dave to the rescue ... again. Not that he can single-handedly change the course of our country's financial situation, but he is speaking out (see #4 below) and I'm anxious to hear what he has to say.

Allow me to strongly suggest for you, dear reader(s), one or more of the following things:

1[ The Total Money Makeover Audiobook ... if you want to borrow ours, just let us know!

2[ The Dave Ramsey Show ... (on a radio station near you)

3[ The Total Money Makeover Live Event ... We went to this last year (excellent), we'll see you there this year!

4[ The Town Hall for Hope Free Event

Not to beat myself up or anything...

2009-03-21T08:07:00.000-07:00

...but I feel like I'm not doing anything in my life.

Again.

Check it:

Everything is Possible - video powered by Metacafe

President Barack Marx

2009-02-20T09:12:00.000-08:00

I've feared for a long time that our great, historically free, capitalist nation is taking a drastically dangerous turn toward communism by way of socialism. I'm now (since November) more certain of it than ever.

Let me make this simple:

• Communism is horrible
• We've all seen the atrocities that communism produces
• Socialism is the stepping stone to communism
• Historically, socialism always "dissolves" into communism

We all know at least a little of Karl Marx. Marx posited that socialism would represent a transitional stage between capitalism and communism. We can't get it much more plainly (and from the horse's mouth, as it were) than that.

Our current president's voting record, self-professed beliefs and values, and first month in office all signal the imminent downfall of our governmental systems toward socialism. I've heard many of my friends who are Obama supporters deny that he is a socialist, or that his policies and ideals even begin to reflect socialist leanings. I wholeheartedly disagree. And I'll take it a step further.

I believe that our current Democratic party on the whole is merely a disguised Socialist party — and has been for years. That is one of the many reasons that the party is so dangerous (if you believe in the values on which this great country was founded).

And apparently I'm not the only one who holds this opinion. Folks much wiser and much more steeped in such things than I agree. Check this out:

Norman Mattoon Thomas (1884-1968) was a leading American socialist, pacifist, and six-time presidential candidate for the Socialist Party of America. In a speech in 1944 as the Socialist Party candidate for President of the U.S., Norman Thomas said this:

"The American people will never knowingly adopt socialism. But, under the name of 'liberalism,' they will adopt every fragment of the socialist program, until one day America will be a socialist nation, without knowing how it happened."

He went on to say:

"I no longer need to run as a Presidential Candidate for the Socialist Party. The Democrat Party has adopted our platform."

Ahem ... um ... am I the only one who is bothered by this!?

I think I might be missing out.

2009-01-29T08:18:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I wonder if I'm really living this life. Like, I mean, the stuff that I do on a daily basis—am I missing out? Am I just going through mundane motions? I think I might be missing stuff. I think I'd like to do a ton of stuff that I have not done. I think I should see a ton of places that I haven't seen.

Honestly, there is a serious lack of safety equipment and other life-living-items required in my life. No helmets. No harnesses. No special suits or armor. No weaponry. No vaccinations or preventative shots. No shin guards. No ropes or dramamine. No flashlights or ponchos required. No safety goggles or pick axes. No waivers to sign. No season passes. No binoculars, extra gas tanks, translation books or water purification filters. No goose down or Gore-tex®. No oxygen tanks or flippers. No luggage. No saddles. No degreaser. No commercial driver's license, fishing license, hunting license, creative license (OK, maybe a little), or pilot's license. No two-way radios. No maps or itineraries. No warning labels or contracts. No special training, no extra degrees, no certification. No titles. No initials following my name. No broken bones. No stitches. No heavy machinery or jackhammers or wrecking balls or bulldozers. No foreign currency. No chasers. No camouflage. No shovels. No pseudonym, no alias. No cable TV. No chaps. No zip codes that don't start with 80. No parkas or harpoons. Heck, not even a passport.

I did get a tattoo in college. And I wear my seatbelt. So there.

The point is, God created an AMAZING world for us to live in. It's full of crazy, wonderful, spectacular, unbelievable, dangerous, fun, beautiful, intense, and diverse places and things and people. It seems that I am not seeing or doing or experiencing much of it. Kind of a bummer.

Most of the time I'm OK with that. I fill my life with other "exciting" things like taking the dogs to the park or and new movie from Red Box. I even drive with the doors and top of my Jeep (when it's running). And that's just fine.

It's just that every once in a while I realize the tiny tiny tiny scope of my existence, and I dream for a minute. Like this morning when I saw this:

And then I just go back to clicking the mouse and hoping that my contact lens doesn't bother me today. I need to stock up on some "gear." Anybody have any Visine®?

******

Looking forward to more hilariousness from Bud Light

2009-01-22T15:54:00.000-08:00

I love Bud Light Super Bowl Commercials. For example:

I can't wait to see what they come up with this year!

We're broken.

2009-01-22T10:06:00.000-08:00

It doesn’t matter who you supported in the Presidential election or why. Wrong is wrong no matter where it comes from.

I'm posting this to let you know about a terrible piece of legislation called "The Freedom of Choice Act" (FOCA).

FOCA would establish the right to abortion as a fundamental right (like the right to free speech) and wipe away every restriction on abortion nationwide.

It will eradicate state and federal abortion laws that the majority of Americans support and prevent states from enacting similar protective measures in the future.

Please read the expert analysis by Americans United for Life (AUL) and sign the Fight FOCA petition

YES we need to do more to help those who may consider an abortion.
YES we need to provide more realistic alternative options.
YES we need to love with Christ’s love.
YES we need to pray for our leaders who are making these decisions and those facing the sad reality of an unwanted pregnancy.

What we DON’T need to do is take away laws granting parental involvement in abortions, make getting abortions easier, compel taxpayer funding of abortions, force faith-based hospitals and facilities to perform abortions, and eliminate every restriction on abortion nationwide.

PLEASE take a second to at least voice your aversion to this horrible Act. It may or may not matter in the end, but it’s the least we can do.

A hair more serious?

2009-01-15T12:38:00.000-08:00

Here's the deal:

I wanted to give you an update on the status of my life. Health-wise, that is. I have a few specific reasons in mind for doing this—I plan on telling you after the update. Remind me, otherwise I'll forget. I'll try to be brief (not my specialty), and I'm going to start at the beginning in an effort to give context to what may or (more likely) may not be something that concerns you daily: my health.

* * * * * * * * *
Valeen and I were married July 2005 (best decision I ever made). Our honeymoon was long and awesome in Riviera Maya, Mexico, and we returned a couple days before a scheduled 3-day backpacking trip with Mom and Dad near Copper Mountain. Unfortunately I must've caught some sort of virus because by trip departure time I was pretty ill with a fever etc. Nonetheless, I decided to proceed with the plans anyway. I struggled through the trip, and although it was tough, I did not die. My temperature returned to normal and I started feeling much better a few days after our return to from the mountains.

I tell you all of that because it was that experience which I believe "triggered" the decline of my health, and my immune system's subsequent implosion. It was shortly after that that I began experiencing all sorts of crazy seemingly random and unrelated symptoms that resulted in a diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis in February of 2006. A few weeks after diagnosis I began aggressive drug therapy. My rheumatologist made it clear that my particular disease was very severe, so we'd have to respond accordingly. I began bi-weekly injections of a relatively new (and extremely expensive) immunosuppressant therapy (Humira) and weekly doses of oral Methotrexate (basically chemotherapy—the same drug used with some cancer patients—only in much lower doses).

I remained on both of those drugs through 2006 and most of 2007, and my symptoms stayed in check for the most part. Near the end of 2007 i began looking further into the drugs that I was taking. What I found was unsettling to say the least. I won't go into too much detail, but suffice it to say that the drugs are very dangerous. Yes, they did seem to be holding off my symptoms for the time being (aside from the occasional flare up), but they were, at the same time, putting me at high risk for things like serious infections, heart disease, cancer etc.

Based on some of my new findings, I decided to get off of the Methotrexate all together and decrease my injections to every third week beginning in November 2007. I was also worried that I may be overmedicating myself, and I intended to find the "right" level of medication without taking too much. Things seemed to go along fine until August 2008.

In August my symptoms began to return with a vengeance. By September I was worse than ever and was having difficulty every day. I struggled through October that way, and at my rheumatologist's suggestion I increased my medication levels up to where they were originally—actually even a little higher. This was a huge blow and a discouraging turn of events for Valeen and I. I continued doing research about the drugs I was taking, and continued to find more and more that I don't like. All that being said, the biggest problem for us is that we were merely treating my symptoms—as opposed to treating the cause of the disease.

It was at that point that I began in earnest my research into the etiology of RA and the alternative treatment options. There are many theories out there about RA, some claiming that there is a cause, and some claiming that there is not. Valeen and I have recently come to the decision that I should discontinue the use of the dangerous medications that I was on, effective January 1, 2009. We are now actively seeking/researching/praying about alternative treatments.

Despite the very large variety of information and theories about RA, one thing remains consistent throughout my research, and that is the importance of overall heath/diet in order to give your body a fighting chance. It has become clear to me that our overall diet here in America is severely deficient, and even deadly when compared to what our bodies were designed to consume. And more than that, my diet in particular, needs a lot of work. It is in light of that reality that Valeen and I are facing a new challenge.

We will be doing a 40-day dietary cleans/detox beginning January 15, 2009. I'll spare you all the specifics, but suffice it to say it will be very challenging for me. Especially the "no added or unnaturally occurring sugar" part. I love me some sugar. :) If you really are interested in what we'll be doing specifically, then we'd be more than happy to discuss it with you (we love discussing), but in a nutshell we're basically following the plan laid out by Jordan Rubin in called The Maker's Diet (with our own customizations). More info: The Maker's Diet

* * * * * * * * *

Here's the part where I give you my reasons for telling you all of that (thanks for the reminder).

• First, and most importantly, our plan includes daily praying for strength, understanding, wisdom, and healing. For those who feel led, we are asking that you join with us in prayer for the next 40 days.
• Secondly, we wanted to inform those close to us about our decision and undertaking so that you will be aware, and for support and accountability (please don't invite us over for ice cream sundaes and cheesecake this weekend).

Over the next 40 days we plan to spend more time than usual seeking God, waiting on Him, spending time together and exercising physically and spiritually. We may even be 'fasting' from some of our otherwise normal social activities.

We're excited to see what God has in store!

Thank you in advance for your support and prayers,
Chris (and Valeen)

P.S. You probably noticed that despite the fact I am the one with RA, we are embarking on this challenge together. Valeen has very graciously offered to walk through this with me—not just through moral support, but through participation. I am humbled by her willingness to support me in this way, and am confident that we will succeed together.

Green Beans and Crazy Cones

2009-01-06T16:00:00.000-08:00

A lot of the time, I pack my own lunch. Sometimes, my wife packs it for me.

Generally it consists of whatever we had for dinner the night before all divvied up into various containers for reassembly and reheating at lunch time. Today, my wife packed my lunch. Chicken enchiladas. Mmmm ... so good [if you'll recall with me, my wife's an excellent cook]. One large container with the enchiladas, and one small one with sour cream to put on top.

Or so I thought. I realized two milliseconds too late (just after I finished smearing it all over my already-warmed lunch) that it was actually plain yogurt ... not sour cream. Must've been my mid-morning snack. Oops. Oh well. I was hungry, so down the ol' hatch.

I was immediately brought back to my childhood. It's funny how tastes and smells can do that. You see, when we were kids, there were some foods that we just hated. Mom's solution was to simply whip out the homemade plain yogurt and pile it on in an attempt to drown out whatever it was that we didn't like. Not sure how she came up with that technique, but believe me, I had many many yogurt-covered dinners as a kid.

My lunch today brought me right back there to 1990 ...

**********

The house is old. The carpet is tan and worn. It's 7:00 pm. I'm sitting at my spot at the round dining room table with my sisters and parents (we always have dinner as a family). I've still got my shin guards and cleats on from soccer practice. Looks like tonight's meal is ... oh crap ... fish sticks. I hate fish stick. I was hoping for Eggs Peek-A-Boo (also known as Egg Mounds in Savory Sauce).

I can see my older sister, Sara, quietly and meticulously working on her serving and freezing. She's always cold at dinner. In her defense, Mom and Dad have decided that due to the cost of fuel, they are going to see how low they can keep the thermostat without killing a child. It's not Sara's fault that she's cold, it's only 56 degrees in here. I think I can see my breath ...

Next to Sara is my oldest sister, Becky. She's busy bragging loudly about how she has already finished her fish sticks even though she doesn't like them, and how she's already trying to decide what flavor of ice cream she's going have in her cone for dessert (In the Tschamler house, ice cream after dinner is a given, assuming we've finished what has been served us).

As I look over to see what my younger sister, Ellie, is up to, we notice simultaneously that the faithful family Cocker/Brittney Spaniel, Oreo, is trying to sneak into the dining room. "KITCHEN OREO!" we all yell in unison, sending her retreating into the kitchen until dinner is done. As it turns out, Ellie is savoring tonight's green vegetable that has been served on the side of the fish sticks (we have something green with every dinner, without fail). Tonight it's green beans. Gross. I hate green beans. Mom only requires us to eat as many as our age, but for me, tonight, 9 green beans might as well be 900. I'm gonna need some more yogurt to smother these too. Now Ellie's just showing off. She's only required to eat 7, but she's downing a whole stinking pile. No wonder she's the favorite.

I know! I'll use the old stick-it-on-the-back-of-my-tongue-and-swallow-it-like-a-pill trick! I grab my red plastic mug of freshly-brewed powdered milk ... insert bean 1 ... hold back a gag ... take a swig ... swallow ... gag hard but don't let it go too far ........ there! *bleah*shudder* Eight more.

I guess instead of finishing my dinner, I'll look around and procrastinate for a while. Maybe I can avoid having to eat this and go right to dessert .... fat chance. I wonder why we all have plastic mugs (in our designated colors) of powdered milk, and Dad's drinking out of a giant old faded plastic Rockies cup with Dinger on the side. There are hundreds of those cups in the cupboard. I remember when Mom and Dad had us all scour the seats after a Rockies game to pick up all the abandoned beer cups. I bet the Rockies organization didn't know we'd use those cups for years after they gave them away as a promotional gimmick. I wonder what it looked like when we walked out of the ballpark all carrying stacks of beer cups .... four little drunks, that's what.

And why does Mom always insist on drinking out of glass? And a mason jar to boot? Water with ice ... nothing less. Oh crap. Mom's getting the timer. I hate that timer. Stupid little plastic kitchen timer! That thing is the bane of my 9 year existence. Mom sets it for 30 minutes when I have to practice the piano or my saxophone, and that 30 minutes feels like 30 years. Now she's setting it for 5 minutes. I can't figure out how it moves so fast when it's counting down to the end of a nasty dinner. She says I have to be done with my plate by then or it's going in the fridge and I'm not seeing it til breakfast. She means it. I know from experience. I've eaten cold leftover brussels sprouts while my sisters dine on Cheerios and cantaloupe—many times. There's pretty much no worse way to start off a morning. I'm NOT doing that again.

Oh jeez. Dad's already got the ice cream out. Sometimes we get those "crazy cones" that are tie dye colors and have funny names on them. This time we just have the plain ones, so Dad is whispering funny secret names in my sisters' ears. I gotta finish this yogurt-covered crap.

Stuff ... gag ... swallow ... complain ... repeat

TIC TIC TIC TIC .... oh the infernal ticking! I feel like Captain Hook haunted by the alligator who swallowed a clock and bit off my hand ....

DING!!

Noooooo! I still have two bites left! No please no! Somebody help me! Stuffing my face ..... gagging ....

Mom to the rescue! (she's always been a sucker for her son in distress) She adds two more minutes to the timer! THANK YOU!

Oh the anguish, the angst....

**********

I lived a tortured childhood. One that I loved. And today's lunch reminded me of that.

Thanks Wife. :)

Hairy Mistress! (as my mom likes to say)

2008-12-23T08:13:00.000-08:00

Oh, and this'll put you in the mood too:

My sister is getting married...

2008-12-23T07:32:00.000-08:00

...so I whipped up a little site for her and her fiancé. Check it out.

The Showdown: Chipotle vs. Qdoba

2008-11-21T11:44:00.000-08:00

Look. Let's just be honest here. To have a successful debate there generally need to be two relatively equal, opposing points of view. In this case, we have no such thing. Chipotle is better. King of the burrito. Hands down. No more discussion needed. But in the interest of good dialogue, I'll humor you. Plus, some may not agree offhand ... bear with me, I may convince you yet.   Let me start by conceding that Qdoba is good food. I'm not saying that it's gross, or anything. That's not the issue. I mean, if you offer me some, I'm not going to turn it down—I'll even enjoy it too. But comparing it to Chipotle is borderline blasphemy. It's not even in the same category. That's like trying to compare a Suzuki to a Jeep ... or a PC to a Mac. Okay, I know I've started down another path, so I'll stop there.

  The reality is that there are multitudes of reasons that one might give in defense of the the "Chipotle is better" position. One could discuss the 100% all-natural ingredients that go into every burrito. Or the fact that Chipotle has stayed true to the staples of their menu in order to perfect their products instead of offering a larger selection of lower-quality choices. One could mention their stellar marketing, hilarious ad campaigns, awesomely-interactive website, informative nutritional breakdowns, original and recognizable restaurant atmospheres, innovative graphic design, creative and effective promotional deals, consistently exceptional and efficient customer service ... etc.  You see, this is really not a fair debate. It's like Ron Paul taking on Tyson in his prime (in a fight). No contest.  Strip away all else, and the bottom line is this: Chipotle just tastes a whole heck of a lot better. End of story.

The passion with which I do everything in life includes my stance on the Chipotle/Qdoba debate. And apparently I'm not the only one, cause for whatever reason the discussion often ruffles folks' feathers and gets heated quickly. I've heard many different arguments against Chipotle in my day (all of them unfounded), so I'd like to take this opportunity to clear up some facts for those of you who still doubt.

The first Chipotle opened in Denver, Colorado, right by DU in 1993. Ironically, after seeing great success, a copy-cat restaurant chain opened in Denver in 1995... you guessed it: Qdoba. Riding the coattails of Chipotle's unprecedented success, Qdoba sought to "get in on the action." With one look at Qdoba's food selection bar (after realizing that Chipotle was around for two years before the first Qdoba opened), it is plain to see the mimicry going on. I should mention that it is apparent that Qdoba sought to expand the menu a little by a few additions like three-cheese queso.

Some like to claim that Chipotle is owned by McDonalds, and they therefore do not want to support it. It is true that the Chipotle restaurant chain was bought out in the early 2000's by McDonald's Corporation, but there is more to that story. McDonald's has since sold their entire stake in Chipotle; full divestment was completed in October of 2006. Chipotle is now a publicly traded company—the shareholders are the owners. It is now on the New York Stock Exchange as Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE: CMG). Here is some more great info about Chipotle and its history.

  The full story of Chipotle reveals a wildly successful, publicly-traded and owned, environmentally-conscious and health-conscious restaurant who's business plan and product offering is obviously worth imitating. THAT'S where Qdoba comes in. And imitation, after all, is the highest form of flattery.

  [[By the way, upon further research, Jack-In-The-Box Inc. does still own the Qdoba chain, so 'The Man' is only benefitting by your purchase at one of these two restaurants.]]

So there you go. Chiptle wins, any day. But if you're handing out Qdoba coupons, I'll take one—just don't tell me it's better than Chipotle.

Now that we've established all that, give me your thoughts succinctly by taking the below poll, and more in depth by commenting.

For more great reading on the debate, click here, here, here, and here.

..........

So... I figured out what the problem is.

2008-11-11T14:25:00.000-08:00

We've ripped the foundation on which this country was built right out from under it. Unless we rebuild that foundation—and fast—we're going to fall.

Many folks probably don't like it, and don't want to admit it, but the United States of America was founded on God, Christianity, and Biblical principles. Our Constitution and all of our governing systems were written by Christians and for Christians. No true and honest study of our national history could conclude anything else. It doesn't take much research into the philosophies and beliefs of those who created our country and government to find that out. For example:

“It cannot be emphasized too clearly and too often that this nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religion, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ. For this very reason, peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here.”
—Patrick Henry, May 1765

"The general principles upon which the Fathers achieved independence were the general principals of Christianity… I will avow that I believed and now believe that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God."
—John Adams

"We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other."
— John Adams, Oct. 11, 1798

 “Why is it that, next to the birthday of the Savior of the world, your most joyous and most venerated festival returns on this day [the Fourth of July]? Is it not that, in the chain of human events, the birthday of the nation is indissolubly linked with the birthday of the Savior? That it forms a leading event in the progress of the Gospel dispensation? Is it not that the Declaration of Independence first organized the social compact on the foundation of the Redeemer's mission upon earth? That it laid the cornerstone of human government upon the first precepts of Christianity?"
 —John Adams, 1837, Fourth of July speech at Newburyport, Massachusetts.

"We have staked the whole future of our new nation, not upon the power of the government; far from it. We have staked the future of all political constitutions upon the capacity of each of ourselves to govern ourselves according to the moral principles of the Ten Commandments."
— James Madison

"Christianity is part of the common law"
—James Wilson, Signer of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution

“It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and Bible.”
—George Washington

“What students would learn in American schools above all is the religion of Jesus Christ.”
—George Washington, in a speech to the Delaware Indian Chiefs May 12, 1779

"To the distinguished character of patriot, it should be our highest glory to add the more distinguished character of Christian"
—George Washington, May 2, 1778, at Valley Forge

"Without morals a republic cannot subsist any length of time; they therefore who are decrying the Christian religion, whose morality is so sublime and pure...are undermining the solid foundation of morals, the best security for the duration of free governments."
—Charles Carroll, signer of the Declaration of Independence

“God governs in the affairs of man. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We have been assured in the Sacred Writings that except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it. I firmly believe this. I also believe that, without His concurring aid, we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel.”
—Ben Franklin, Constitutional Convention of 1787

"Public utility pleads most forcibly for the general distribution of the Holy Scriptures. The doctrine they preach, the obligations they impose, the punishment they threaten, the rewards they promise, the stamp and image of divinity they bear, which produces a conviction of their truths, can alone secure to society, order and peace, and to our courts of justice and constitutions of government, purity, stability and usefulness. In vain, without the Bible, we increase penal laws and draw entrenchments around our institutions. Bibles are strong entrenchments. Where they abound, men cannot pursue wicked courses, and at the same time enjoy quiet conscience."
—James McHenry, Signer of the Constitution

Of course, I'm certainly not the first to recognize this fact, Roosevelt and Eisenhower [among countless others] knew it too:

"Every thinking man, when he thinks, realizes that the teachings of the Bible are so interwoven and entwined with our whole civic and social life that it would be literally—I do not mean figuratively, but literally—impossible for us to figure what that loss would be if these teachings were removed. We would lose all the standards by which we now judge both public and private morals; all the standards towards which we, with more or less resolution, strive to raise ourselves."
—Theodore Roosevelt

"Without God there could be no American form of government nor an American way of life. Recognition of the Supreme Being is the first—the most basic—expression of Americanism."
—Dwight D. Eisenhower

Here's the thing. I talked a little in my last post about whether or not we can/should legislate morality. It's obvious to me that the answer to both of those questions is unequivocally, yes. Now the question becomes, "What defines those morals?" I can't come to any other conclusion than that here in America, founded by those quoted above (and others like them), the answer to that question is the Bible. We must, if we intend to retain the freedom, liberty, justice, and most importantly, blessing that we have enjoyed for the last 200+ years, remain true to that system and the God who governs it.

Our country is great and powerful and rich and blessed because and only because we were founded by and for Christians. God blesses when we exalt and follow Him, and he can (and will) remove that blessing when we turn from Him. I'm afraid of the path down which we as a country are headed. I think my fear is justified. I'm stand firmly with Thomas Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence, who said it best:

“God who gave us life gave us liberty. And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are a gift from God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, and that His justice cannot sleep forever.”

Of government and morality ...

2008-10-28T10:03:00.000-07:00

There have been many political discussions happening recently (specifically within Christian circles) which have caused me to do some introspection. I'd like to ramble now about two questions that seem to often pop up, and what my thinking about those questions currently is.

Can a government govern morality? Yes. But that’s not always a good thing. Many times in history the assertion of governmental power over morality ends with suppression and unfair treatment of the people under that government. BUT that doesn’t mean that all governance of morality is bad. In fact, I submit that some is necessary.

Should a government govern morality? Yes. Example: Should murder be legal? Should governments enforce the prohibition of murder? Yes. Should rape be legal? Should child abuse/molestation be legal? Should slavery be legal? Should prostitution be legal? Should polygamy be legal? Should government have a say in all these moral issues? I say definitively, yes.

The bigger question is where that authority should end. And that is not a black and white line. There are some issues that are viewed by the vast majority of people as morally wrong (rape and murder being good examples). We have no problem with governments exerting moral governance over these issues. Other issues get a little more hairy.

Everybody has their own point on each issue where they draw the line. If we’re talking about the issue of abortion (which many have been lately, and which is a major point of contention in this election), well then I believe that life starts at conception. I believe that terminating that life is murder. I believe that as a matter of personal conviction based in my knowledge of God through my understanding of Scripture, and I therefore have the same aversions to murdering a person before birth as I do to murdering one after. And I believe that government should “govern morality” in both cases. [[This is a complicated issue, and we need much more that simply laws prohibiting abortion (as I've pointed out before) but that is another discussion.]]

I fail to see where this logic breaks down, and I refuse to vote for anyone who supports murder—inside or outside the womb.

Tangentially, I’d like to make one other observation. Many Christians who question whether or not government should govern morality support Barack Obama for president, and start asking themselves that question in an attempt to rectify their personal convictions about abortion with their decision to vote for someone who condones abortion to a heinous degree. I find that ironic. Ironic because if there is anyone running for president who is a proponent of governmentally-enforced morality, it is B.O. himself. Taxing people in order to use that money for government programs designed to help other people is the epitome of governing morality. It is governmentally-enforced charity.

Don't get me wrong, I am not against charity or giving to the poor and needy. In fact, that is one of my biggest concerns in life, but I stand firm in my conviction that it is something that is a heart issue and should be done electively. Charity and helping the poor and needy are not issues that should be forced by government (they can however, be helped by government).

Barack Obama's healthcare plan (among many of his other social policies) could not demonstrate governmentally-enforced morality more explicitly. I say that not because I oppose morality being enforced by governments entirely (as made obvious by my comments above), but in an effort to point out the hypocrisy of opposing it in the area of abortion while voting for someone whose policies (largely) embody it elsewhere.

I'm sorry that I don't have a conclusive black and white answer to the problem of morality and government, and how they should mix, but I fear that modern Christianity tends to shy away from standing firm in Truth in an effort to appease our increasingly sin-tolerant society. In summary, I think we need to be very careful as Christians to not be timid in standing up for what we know is Truth (through the ever-defining lens of the Bible and love).

What do you think?

I. CAN'T. WAIT.

2008-10-24T12:58:00.000-07:00

My wife and I are going to see my musical hero in Denver on Monday.

In honor of this momentous occasion, I'd like to post some Mraz action that will blow your mind. If it doesn't .... sorry, but rest assured that mine is blown enough for the both of us. :)

Other good Mraz action:

"I covet his mad skillz."

"My Main Man Mraz"

"THIS is why he's my hero."

"Inspired."

Follow Me!

2008-10-10T16:12:00.000-07:00

No, seriously. Just click the little thingy right there to the right to become a follower of this blog. Come on, everybody's doing it.

Oh, and if you read this on a rss feed reader, you may have to go to the actual blogspot page this time ... it'll be worth it.

Time to get fired up.

2008-10-02T08:01:00.000-07:00

There are a few issues in politics that really get folks fired up. And rightfully so I suppose; they are important issues. There are two "hot-button" issues that come to mind for me: sexual orientation and abortion. I'm not sure where I stand on the former—actually, I know where I stand personally, but what I'm not sure about is what government's role should be in granting or denying an individual rights based on it. Over the latter issue though, I'm unexpectedly recently heart-broken. And it's that issue that has prompted me out of my blogless state this morning.

Last month I read a blog post that got me thinking ... really thinking about the issue of abortion. It's by Brant Hansen, a contemporary Christian thinker whose views I really respect (even if I don't always agree). Brant has a morning radio talk show in Florida on WAY FM that is also nationally syndicated. He's one of the most gifted, sarcastic, thinkers/writers I've come across. I highly recommend his blog, Letters From Kamp Krusty.

[[Side note: Brant supports Compassion International (the ministry where my wife and sister work, and who I volunteer and do freelance design for). He has even taken multiple trips with Compassion—facts that make me respect him even more.]]

..........

After reading Brant's blog, and then doing some thinking on my own, I've come to agree that while abortion is not the only issue ... it is the most basic one. And one that I can't look past. And one that I can't get out of my mind. I did a little further research, and what I found disturbed me more than anything else I've come across. The sheer volume of abortions daily in this country ... the brutality of the procedure ... the absolute inhumane, sinful nature of the whole concept in the first place ... I can't shake the images that I found; and I barely had to look.

The closer I get to having kids of my own, and the closer I get to the children of my friends, the more I realize what a horrific genocide is happening all around us every day right in our society. It's absolutely abhorrent and completely inexcusable.

This whole thing is new to me. I've never given it much thought beyond my God-given conviction that abortion is wrong. But when we start to allow ourselves to conceptualize the magnitude of the loss of life (and the brutality of the method), everything, everything else pales in comparison. Wars, genocide by governments, terrorist attacks ... even the enormity of the battle against poverty that folks at Compassion International face every day starts coming into view when compared with abortion. According to some of my very cursory research, from 1973 through 2005, more than 45 million legal abortions occurred. And that's just the legal ones. The documented ones. And just in the U.S. That's NOTHING compared to worldwide.

Get this: I just worked on a tee shirt design for the AIDS initiative at Compassion which states that AIDS kills over 2 million people per year worldwide. That's huge. And rightfully, there is tons of outcry about it. According to the center for Bio-Ethical Reform, approximately 42 million abortions happen every year worldwide. That's over 115,000 deaths EVERY DAY. That's 80 abortions every minute (more than 1/second), 24 hours/day, 7 days/week.

If this type of killing was happening in ANY other age of human for any reason, outrage would be unanimous. It would be absolutely inconceivable for a candidate to actually be running for president of this country if he/she supported the gruesome and detestable murder of over 1.3 million Americans annually. And that is EXACTLY what we are dealing with here ... Only we are hiding behind the term 'fetus' instead of calling them a baby or a person or a life.

One look at the photos and processes involved in just one of these abortions will change your mind and your heart forever. It has mine.

I will not—no—I can not vote for someone who supports this practice. All other issues pale in comparison. All other issues fall completely off the map. Call me a one-issue voter. I'll wear that badge proudly if the issue is this one.

Feelin' Fall [[again]]

2008-09-29T14:43:00.000-07:00

I'll admit it. I've been a horrible blogger lately. It's true. It's a shame too cause I had been going strong there for a while. Nonetheless, yesterday marked the 1 year anniversary of this here blog. Looking back, I realize that I used to be a great blogger ... and then things went downhill. My very first post, in fact, was one of the best. I will now proceed to repost that inaugural essay for old time's sake, since I am once again feelin' fall.

I'm telling you. If it weren't for grilled cheese sandwiches, the world would be a much duller place. I love 'em. They brighten up my day. Delicious. That, and a big old bag of microwave popcorn with a tall glass of creamy chocolate milk. Delectable.

Go ahead. Call me fat. Do it. I'll sit on your face.

Fall, too, is delicious. We're talking weather here. As in the season: Autumn. I love it. I do. Days are still pleasant [temperature-wise], afternoons are perfectly crisp, we can once-again bust out our favorite pair of jeans or ever-faithful hoodie for the evening hours which are always mysteriously cast with an orangish glow to the air. Love that part. Time for frisbee in the leaves and Pumpkin Spice Lattes at Starbucks. The change to Fall means football and the World Series. And the leaves! It's true, the change is over all to quick [at least here in Colorado] but those few weeks are glorious. Maybe that's what's so magical about it — it's only a few perfect weeks long. Everything fits together creating the perfect atmosphere. The smell as you trudge through the fallen crunchy leaves, the beauty of a gentle, brisk breeze rustling a tree at just the right moment to send a shower of color all around you . . .

I've always marveled at the thought of Autumn from a single leaf's perspective. Hanging on the tree all summer, looking down on my arial view of the world surrounding my tree. I'd spend all summer weathering the storms and the rain and wind and hail, doing my best to hang on till my perfect day in September. After the temperature was just right and I had completely changed from green to bright yellow or orange or red, just when the timing was perfect, I'd let go and let the breeze take me. I'd do my best to not just drop straight down, but to instead do all sorts of flips and acrobatics as I swirled and floated downward. If at all possible I'd try to drop just as one of those circular wind patterns was ambling by so I could spin around fiercely like a tornado making the most of my descent. And I'd aim for a nice patch of grass to land in. Somewhere like a back yard or a park where I'd most likely be raked up into a giant pile to provide the perfect natural playground for some kids, if only for a day. That's what I'd do if I were a leaf . . .

Do you ever look up when Autumn's almost over and Winter's bearing down and see that last lone leaf still clinging to a tree? I'm impressed by that leaf. Such perseverance, such dedication. That leaf has held on through a lot. It made it through all the storms and the whipping and the tossing that Autumn had to offer and still held on. It watched as all the other leaves around it one by one let go and made their triumphant descent to the ground above which they'd hung for months. But not this leaf. This leaf hung on. It's almost as if this leaf knew its importance—knew that its determination was warding off the inevitable throes of Winter that lay ahead. It's as if so long as it held on, so long as it remained proud and sturdy like a flag waving to proclaim that Autumn was not yet over, Winter could not set in. I respect that leaf. That leaf inspires me.

Next time you see a leaf fall from a tree, contemplate for a second the reality that for that particular leaf, this is it's big day. This it what it's been waiting for. That leaf will never fall again. And you might be the only one to witness it on the face of the Earth. Ever. Maybe it's all that magic packed into every leaf falling all around us that makes Autumn so great — maybe it's the fact that I was born on September 23, the first day of Autumn — but I suspect it's the former.

Grammar.

2008-07-25T10:07:00.000-07:00

Seeing as how I is a grammar freak (thanks Mom), I LOVES ME this site. Scroll down and start making clicks on to stuffs. I guarantees your gunna find something that either really bug you, or something you's been saying/spelling wrong since you was borned. I found countless examples of both.

The whole "its" vs. "it's" thing has confused me for the entirety of my life. Now I know.

Phew. Finally I can move on to other things in life.

Welcome to my life.

2008-07-25T07:28:00.000-07:00

Thanks, Brian, for pointing this out ... spot on.

3 years.

2008-07-23T11:26:00.001-07:00

I'd write a ton more mushy stuff about your incredibleness, but I've gotta go act all romantic and prepare for tonight's festivities...

A vegan blunder?

2008-07-18T13:40:00.000-07:00

My last post got me thinking ...

If you are a vegan, and something like what happened to me on my way to work yesterday accidentally happens to you, how does that affect you? I mean, if you have a moral or ethical opposition to consuming any animal, or any animal product, then wouldn't accidentally swallowing a bug wreak havoc on your conscience?

I'm trying to wrap my brain around that thought ... and guess at what that might feel like. Personally, I have things that I try not to do based on my relationship with Christ, and the convictions of the Holy Spirit. Sadly, I often fail and fall into sin by accident, or more commonly, because of my own weakness. Those times don't sit well with me at all. I'm not a fan of those times. Thankfully, God has a redemptive plan for when we fail.

I'm just wondering if mistakenly falling into animal consumption for a vegan is anything like that. Bugs get swallowed unintentionally. It happens. I'm sure other animal prducts are likewise consumed unintentionally by even the most careful vegan. I don't know of any vegan redemptive plan ...

Man, I'm glad I'm not a vegan. That woulda ruined my ride yesterday.

These are the things that bounce around in my out-of-whack skull. I have no excuse.

Bike riding fun.

2008-07-17T11:40:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned, I've been riding my bike to work for the past month. Well, I've managed 15 out of the last 21 working days. So like 71.4%. But that's 71.4% better than what I was doing before June 16th.

It's not a leisurely ride—especially with my competitive tendencies. I'm always trying to best myself. It's exactly 4 miles from door to door. 4 miles isn't too bad on a bike, but there is some significant elevation change in there that kicks my pants. I'm usually around 19 minutes each way, and my best so far is 16 minutes. I'm a big ball of heavy breathing, flushed face, and sweat when I get to work or get home. Co-workers often give me the eye as I sit outside the entrance to work trying to cool off, but I know they're just jealous. I burned calories on the way in, and all they did was eat a donut and pay for gas.

Riding has afforded me some interesting experiences though. Like the other day, when I was on the downhill stretch on the way to work, I was cruising at about 23 miles per hour. No need to pedal—the last .9 miles is a pretty steep downhill grade. Plus by that point my quads were about to burst out of my skin anyway. So I was just coasting and looking around. I noticed a robin up ahead searching for worms in the grass. My approach obviously disturbed the bird cause as I neared, he took off. The cool thing was that by the time I reached him, we were both going exactly 24.3 mph. He was flying parallel to the sidewalk I was riding on, about 3 feet to my right. I looked over at him and he looked over at me. I was like, "Sup?" and he was all, "Mornin'." He could've been a she. I don't know how you tell.

Anyway, we were in sync for like 50 yards or so. I was just coasting, so I watched him the whole time. He was working a lot harder than me to maintain 24.3 mph, but I was sweating more. He wasn't sweating at all. It was cool to see how his elevation would go up and down within about an 8-10 inch vertical range as his flapping increased and decreased. It was a memorable experience. I'm not sure how many folks get to travel alongside a bird in flight ... within reach ... without an engine. Just the breeze. And me. And Mr./Mrs. Robin.

Pretty soon the bird was like, "Later" and I was all, "Peace out" and he peeled off to the right. And that was it. I'm not sure if the bird thought it was as cool as I did, but I like to think we bonded. We had a moment there.

Then, this morning, when I was almost to work, I experienced another first. I was still on the downhill, and I was still breathing hard. There was a big bug flying straight at my head. I don't know how fast he was going, but I was doing like 18 mph (I always know how fast I'm going thanks to this wicked birthday present my wife gave me a couple years ago). I didn't notice the bug till it was too late. He was on a collision course with my face. I took a gamble, and dodged my head to the right. His move was to his left. It didn't work out well for either of us. He didn't hit my lips or teeth, or even my tongue on the way to the back of my throat. I think he might have nicked my courage-hangy-ball on the way by, but that's it. Did I mention I was breathing hard? I must've been on an inhale right at that moment. He was way back there—much further back then you put a pill to swallow it—and there was now getting him out. I tried in vain for a few seconds: I coughed and sputtered, but all that did was get spit on my sunglasses as it blew back in my face (I was sill cruising pretty fast). I quickly resigned myself to the inevitable and swallowed hard.

I arrived at work a few seconds later and downed half my water bottle when I stopped. I hope that guy (again, I suppose it could have been a female bug, I didn't get a chance to look or to ask 'em before I ate 'em) wasn't too many calories, cause I'm trying to burn calories by riding.

Anyway, those are just a couple of my biking experiences so far ... I'll keep you updated.

My Mom

2008-07-16T11:30:00.000-07:00

[[pictured here with her new, and first, grandchild, Micah]]

Today is Mom's birthday.

My smart sister wrote a great post as a little tribute. I started to comment, but my comment quickly became a tribute of my own. I've decided to instead post it here (and give it the same title).

I am who I am because of Mom. For sure. I see her in myself ALL THE TIME. Her determination, loyalty, perfectionism, love of chocolate, love of numbers, love of logic, love of baseball, love of family, love of God, love of camping/nature, intolerance of wastefulness, attention to detail, creativity, eye-color and more are ALL things that shaped and now also describe me.

I distinctly remember her teaching me how to write a research paper. I was in the 4th grade ... Mrs. Johnson's class. We had to pick an animal. I chose the lion-tailed macaque. Mom and I compiled tons of books. Then we read through them all. Anything that was interesting or of note we wrote down on note cards that had categories on the top (habitat, eating, offspring, features etc.). After all the resources had been scoured and distilled on to my note cards, I took each 'section' and composed part of my research paper from it. Subject sentence, body, then conclusion. Each source was noted and cross referenced with the properly-formatted and correctly-organized bibliography.

I then printed out a photo of the Macaque, gridded it, and accurately transposed it up to life-size on a poster-board using charcoals. I don't think a visual aid was even required. I covered it in cellophane so it wouldn't smear.

After Mom proof-read my paper, I created a title page (complete with another of my own illustrations), and we printed the whole thing out. The stack of connected/pereforated pages had accumulated on the floor in front of the printer. I separated and collated the pages, tore off the perforated "grippers" along both sides of the pages, and assembled the whole thing—complete with a plastic presentation folder with the colored spine.

I was like 8 years old. Mom was a math teacher by trade, but obviously an everything teacher by practice. This was just how she (and consequently, we) rolled.

All the other kids in the class (except for Grant Barnes) simply opened the book about their chosen animal from the kids' series on the shelf in the classroom, and copied it down pretty much verbatim for their paper. They all got A's and played that week at home. I worked on my paper all week as homework and got and A+++.

That was Mom's way of doing things. That's the way she did/does life. And I'm better for it.

And Mom, guess how your grandkids are gonna learn to write a research paper when the time comes ... And I'll show 'em the one I did too (I have no doubt that both the visual aid and the paper are stored in your basement.)

Happy Birthday!

I love you.

Congrats, Wife!

2008-07-01T15:38:00.000-07:00

Shifting.

2008-06-20T08:26:00.001-07:00

That there's some funniness.

2008-06-17T07:48:00.000-07:00

Thanks Ben.

The nephew.

2008-06-10T14:53:00.000-07:00

Oh how stinkin' adorable. The little guy got himself his first blog.

They start young these days...

My little sister is having a baby!

2008-05-20T08:41:00.000-07:00

Right NOW. No, I mean it! RIGHT NOW!

They don't know what the gender is yet, so here's my official prediction for all the world to see:

I'll let you know how it turns out.

**UPDATE**
I was right! Say hello to Micah David Clevenstine!
Congratulations Ellie and Dave!

My Main Man Mraz

2008-05-15T07:31:00.000-07:00

Jason Mraz's new disc was released this Tuesday ... it's been blowing my brains right out of my skull for the last couple days. SO extremely excellent. Do yourself a favor and go get it. Then listen to it straight through a few times, and I challenge you not to be 100% hooked. What an incredible musician. {{enjoyment of this album seems to increase exponentially as the volume is increased}}

Here's a little smidge of a taste for you:

I have watched countless Mraz "live performances" online thanks to YouTube, and this guy is even more incredible live (if that's possible). See if this doesn't blow you away:

You're welcome.

In case you didn't know me before I turned 18.

2008-05-10T17:30:00.000-07:00

Here I was not yet old enough to annoy my older sisters. At 4 1/2 months they still liked me it seems. (I started waxing my eyebrows at 6 months)

I've always been a pumpkin-carvin' master, although I suspect at this point my dad did most of the carving seeing as how I'm only 2.

Kickin' it with the sisters in Maine July 1984. I was almost 3.

Workin' the Easter outfits out by the flowers. I guess my Dutch sister and my Sailor sister didn't get the memo that this year was yellow year ... I'm 6 here.

Don't make fun of the ice cream cone on my shirt, or I will cut you! May 1989 (7 years old) ***Make note that at this point I had just finished first grade and my teacher had a SWEET Jeep CJ7. This was the age that I knew I'd some day buy a Jeep.

And here begins the "dorky stage" of life (which unfortunately for me lasted pretty much from 9-16 years old). This is from the annual Thanksgiving Day Photo Shoot ... November 1990. Please take note of the race car watch (it was removable) and the chetah print slap bracelet. This is where my sense of style really started to kick in. At least we weren't all in the dorky stage at once ... oh wait ...

OK, now we're full-blown stylin'. I had to dress my best for the piano recital, so I chose my nicest hand-me-down camo(ish) pseudo-parachute-pants, with my giant check shirt tucked in. I topped it off with fluorescent green and fluorescent pink braided bracelets, one of those neon plastic "spring" Chucky Cheese prize-style bracelets, and a calculator watch all on the same arm. If you could see my other arm I'm sure you'd catch one or two slap bracelets here too. The carnation pinned to the shirt topped it all off.

For Christmas in 1993 this Atlanta Braves warm-up suit was all I needed. Good thing my parents got the XXL cause I wore that thing non-stop for like the next 6 years.

Here's an example of how my style had progressed by 12 years old. Note the turtleneck with the cross necklace and the dog tag over it, and don't forget the fanny pack. That was crucial for holding all my ... uh ... snacks ... I guess ...

Here's the annual first day of school shot from August 1994. I was one month shy of becoming a teenager, but I had not yet outgrown my love of purple. I LOVED purple. I've spared you the shots of me in my XL button-down purple silk shirt. Take my word for it though, it was awesome.

OK OK. I'll show you the purple silk! Here it is in all it's glory. November 1994.

October 1995 ... I still haven't grown into that sweatshirt ...

If you want cool then study this one carefully ... Note the shaved head [except for the bangs], and the Calvin and Hobbes shirt. And don't let the Nike sweat band and the left-hand batting glove fool you ... this wasn't for recreation, this was FASHION.

By first day of school 1996, I still hadn't grown into my shirts. I was 15 here, and the scary thing looking back is that even though I was obviously old enough to make my own beads out of clay and bake them for a homemade purple and orange smily face "choker", I was only 3 months from getting my learner's permit. this was my first day of my freshman year at high school, so it's a good thing that I had reduced my arm-adornment down to a pretty cool IronMan Triathlon digital watch and just one beaded bracelet.

Between May 1997 and November 1997 I finally grew up. I grew 6 inches in 6 months. My fashion sense remained though. Here I am a month after turning 16 ... I was in my sunglasses-with-the-lenses-popped-out stage. That was a good one.

16 years old. The old twisty-tie trick. Yup. Those were REAL Oakleys.

On my 17th birthday. I was thrilled about the fact that Dad still insisted on the birthday photo under the balloons. *I remember going to buy that backpack at Gart Sports with my mom before my Junior year of high school. She was lamenting the fact that even with the sale we were about to spend $50! (I really wanted North Face and was lobbying on the basis that they were high quality.) I ended up putting in some of my own money to buy it. FYI: I'm still carrying that thing to work every day 10 years later.

First day of senior year. I'd be 18 in one month

On my 18th birthday, I decided it'd be alright if I wore my flannel pajama pants to school. I was an adult now after all.

My parents weren't keen on me getting pierced (although my mom did take me to get the cartilage in my upper ear pierced when I was 17), so I pierced the bill of my hat. I'm telling you. Style has ALWAYS been my thing.

This is the first day of school after I bought my Jeep. It was fairly stock, but it didn't take me long ... Yeah it's November, but I pretty much never put the top on ...

... unless I was gonna do this. Note the smily faces wiped out of the headlights. That wasn't an exaggeration. I had found my happiness.

Senior photo. Classic. (I'm still working on that mustache)

I am SO not even average.

2008-05-08T11:06:00.000-07:00

Average Graphic Design Salaries in CO

In USD as of May 8, 2008

Graphic Design

$58,000

Find Jobs & Salaries at SimplyHired

Gas Bill

2008-04-25T09:54:00.000-07:00

CLICK FOR A CLOSER VIEW OF THE 'JOKE'

I'll refrain from commenting about how if we elect a democrat this November we can expect this not-so-funny-joke to get even worse because of irresponsible foreign policy and assured increased taxation.

Dang it. I was trying to refrain.

Real Christianity }not that fake crap{

2008-04-24T09:19:00.000-07:00

I am a Christian.

I don't know everything there is to know about being a Christian. There are tons of questions that I can't answer. But I do know this:

We are called to love others. THAT is what it means to be a Christian. We are to love others out of a response to what Jesus did for us.

There are so many folks who get that part wrong. There are so many who mess things up and forget what we are called as Christians to do.

Thankfully, there are lots that get it right, too. There is an international ministry headquartered in my town that gets it right. They are loving others and helping kids every day who otherwise wouldn't have any hope. My wife and my smart sister both work at this ministry full time. I volunteer for them, and I do freelance design work for them too. Compassion gets it. They are loving people out of a response to the love that we all have been shown.

Compassion relies on many partnerships to spread the word about the work that they are doing. One of their big avenues is to partner with speakers and artists who then use their platforms to inform people about Compassion's work.

Sometimes it's hard to measure if our attempts to love others are doing any good, if we're making a real difference. Sometimes, though, it's undeniable.

Take a second to watch this clip of an artist who partners with Compassion getting to meet the boy he sponsors in Bolivia. If you're too big to cry, you might want to start biting your lip now. This is for real.

}}Thanks to Becky for posting this, and Skip for re-posting it, and anyone else who posts it again. Examples like this can't be seen enough.{{

I'm so thankful for the kids that my wife and I sponsor—Abril in Honduras and Sundra in India—thankful that I have a way to love them right where they are. I am thankful that there are Christians and Christian organizations like Compassion who get what being a Christian is all about.

I can't believe I'm about to post this...

2008-04-22T11:02:00.001-07:00

Everybody has embarrassing stories. We all do dumb stuff. Generally, I don't get embarrassed very easily, but every once in a while I do something that is so dumb, that I embarrass myself just thinking about it. Agh. Whatever. Check this:

__________

When I was in college I went to Wal Mart to buy some new button-down shirts [[I can’t explain why. I had never purchased clothes at Wal Mart before, and I never have since.]] Thinking back, I have no flippin' idea why I wanted some new button-down shirts. I always wore tee shirts. Strange ... Anyway, I found a bunch that I liked and they were reasonably priced at $9.99 (it was Wal Mart after all). I think I picked out 2 or 3. Satisfied with my selection, I headed toward the check-out ... but as I was leaving the clothing section, I noticed a sign by the shirt racks that read:

1X-2X $1.00 MORE

Well I have ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA why I didn’t understand at the time what that sign meant, but what I thought it meant was that if I bought another shirt, or two more shirts, they would only be $1.00 more. Of course THAT excited me, so I proceeded to pick out like 12 more shirts. No joke. I figured I was only adding $12 to the total, and was getting a steal.

Needless to say, when I got to the register and EACH shirt rang up for $9.99 I was stunned. Holy jeez I was mortified. But for whatever reason (even though I then realized that the sign was referring to larger shirts being slightly more expensive), I didn’t say a word. I was WAY too embarrassed about the mistake that I had made to say anything. There was NO WAY I was going to admit my error to that clerk (whose opinion of me I obviously so highly regarded).

So, I just calmly pulled out my debit card and purchased over $100 worth of Wal Mart “dress” shirts—as if I needed 15 shirts. [[Oh man, I'm still embarrassed writing this 6 years later]] I was literally in embarrassment shock for a few hours. Even though no one knew what I had done. I couldn’t believe it and I never told anyone. Until now.

And now I can’t decide what’s most embarrassing: 
a] making the mistake 
b] not speaking up and buying the shirts 
c] telling “the whole world” (ok, the three of you) on this blog

What an idiot.
__________

You know, it's really Wal Mart's fault. I mean, yeah I'm stupid and everything, but come on, the whole thing could have been avoided had they simply put 1XL-2XL on the sign. Those two "L's" (and my stupidity/pride) cost me $120.

Oh an by the way, after just one washing those shirts shrunk up all short and fat like you wouldn't believe. Jeez.

Random 10.1

2008-04-17T09:06:00.000-07:00

I once wrote a post entitled Random 10. I think it was a good one, so here come Random 11–20 ...

11:: I hate the word 'curd' but I do love cottage cheese. Is it sickening to anyone else that cottage cheese is basically just spoiled milk in a tub that they charge a lot of money for? And we're not just talking sorta spoiled or kinda sour, we're talking gone so bad that it started clumping up into curds! That's just sick. I'm probably wrong about this, that's probably not how cottage cheese is actually made, but still, it's gross either way. It's a wonder that I like the stuff. But I do. There is currently a struggle for political power in Iraq between the Sunnis, the Shiites, and the Kurds. I know they have nothing to do with cottage cheese, and I know it's shallow, but let's not let the Kurds gain power. I think (based solely on name) my vote would go for the Shiites because when pronounced correctly they sound like they could be straight out of the Bible, and when pronounced incorrectly ... that's just funny.

12:: I love living in Colorado. There are tons of reasons for this, most of them you can probably guess. I'll save you from having to read all the junk about mountains, clean drinking water, microbrews etc. Instead I'll just tell you that one of the reasons is that when I'm filling out a form online, and they've got one of those drop-down menus to choose my state, CO is always 6th on the list. And that rocks. Who wants to be wasting all kinds of time scrolling down through that long ol' list of states to find theirs? Alabama's got it nice, but that's where the rest of the CO perks come in...

13:: I'll tell you what really chaps my rear: You know when you've eaten a great big bowl of stir-fry over rice that your hot wife whipped up, and everything's going great and you're feeling all full and dandy, and then you decide that you need to clean up the counter or the table where you've created a bit of a mess while you were eating [it could be due to the fact that you were attempting to use chopstick (as if you have any clue what you're doing with those things {and as if that'll make the stir-fry taste any better or more authentic})] ... oh crap. Where was I? That sentence was just getting out of control. I was flinging brackets and parentheses and whatever-those-squiggley-things-are-called around all haphazardly and a bit recklessly ... Here, I think I'll just start a new sentence now. So you put one hand on the edge of the table/counter and proceed to use the other hand to attempt to "brush" the rice into the waiting hand so you can dispose of it ... and instead of brushing off, the rice just rolls up into little rice balls and smears all over the place! AGH! I hate that! Stupid rice and stupid chopsticks! But at least I have a hot wife who cooks a mean stir-fry ... are you still reading this?

14:: I'm a die-hard righty. I do everything I can with my right hand. But I realized recently that when I peel a hard boiled egg or an orange, I do hold the thing with my right hand but I do most of the "technical work" with my left hand (my left thumb to be specific). I don't know why that is, but it's kinda weirding me out. On a related note, if you peel too many HB eggs in one sitting, your primary peeling finger will start to hurt. Those shells are surprisingly sharp.

15:: Not too long ago my boss used a phrase that I had never heard before, and it made me chuckle. He was describing somebody's reaction to something, and he said they were "nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs." Har.

16:: Chant with me if you will please: "I hate Colgate®, Crest® is the best!"
Yeah, that's old-school. We use to do that little number as kids ... it's still true today.

17:: I like to do stuff to the beat. Let me explain: We don't have a TV in our house, so we almost always have music going. I was making something in the KitchenAid Mixer the other day, and I had to scrape the bowl with the spatula. Of course, then you gotta get the stuff off the spatula, so I had to tap the sucker on the bowl. So I did it to the beat of the music. Just rockin' right along. Good times. I do that with pretty much everything if I have the chance. Try it out. I think you'll enjoy it.

18:: I love Sharpies. I don't know what that is. Maybe it's the permanence. Maybe it's the brilliance of their color. Maybe it's their ability to mark on pretty much any surface. Maybe it's the toxic fumes. Who knows, but I love 'em. They used to only have black back in the day, and they were always that standard size. Now they have pretty much every size, shape, and color one could dream up. And I love it. In college I did an 18x24 close-up drawing of a pine cone with about 10 different colors of Sharpies. I wonder what happened to that thing ...

19:: I love brown sugar. Like the stuff used for baking. It's the best when a recipe calls for BS cause then I get to open up the bag and see if there are any clumps. Or would they be called curds? Yes, BS curds! Those things are delicious! You should try one sometime.

20:: Whoever invented the 5 day work week was an idiot. That guy needs a good talking to. How could he not see that 4 days on and 3 days off is a much more brillianter plan? Moron.

_____________________________________
Well, there you have it. I hope these thoughts helped.

Market Research

2008-04-16T11:54:00.000-07:00

It has become increasingly clear that my readership is steadily declining. This calls for immediate emergency market research (IEMR).

I will now conduct this IEMR via the following poll:

Shorn.

2008-04-15T11:12:00.000-07:00

I shaved my head.

I'm thinking of taking it all the way down. Might as well ... I've had it this short before, but never Bic'd it. Whadd'ya think? Should I do it?

Also, this has gotten me thinking about why I like being a male. There are lots of reasons, but just for fun I'll list some here:

1[ The ever-present ease of outdoor urination. It's impossible to make a list like this without this reason. I know it's cliché, but who cares? It's awesome. I'm so glad I have the necessary equipment. Plus, it's almost a physical impossibility for a girl to write her name in the snow. Unless her name is O I guess.

2[ They ability to shave your head without suffering much stigma. This reason was obviously the catalyst for this post. As I'm now re-realizing, a shaved head is really quite convenient. I'm gonna save at least $20/month on haircuts, shampoo, and various metro-sexual styling products. Plus I'm saving "getting ready" time in the mornings, and I no longer have to fight the daily internal battle of hat vs. no hat. I can just whip one on an off on a whim without so much as a thought. Going biking? No big deal—just slap on a helmet! You'll be good-as-gold (hair-wise) when you get where you're going! I'm pretty sure most of today's females would agree with me that they don't share in the luxury of having this a a viable hairstyle option.

3[ Oh the freedom of going shirtless and remaining socially-acceptable! I have failed, historically, to take advantage of this perk of maleness, but plan on changing that. Some may find it tasteless, and I agree there's a time and place, but man (pun intended) is it freeing. Unless, of course, you're rockin' a muffin-top and man-boobs, which brings me to my next reason on the list:

4[ It's also more socially-acceptable for dudes to be overweight. This is, of course, just my opinion, but it is based on my observations of the current cultural climate in which we live. Oh how I DO NOT envy the pressures of body image "perfection" weighing down on women today. Yes, the pressures are there for men too, but I think you know what I'm saying. This is also fortunate for me because of my ... well ... ahem ... problem.

5[ If I were not a dude, I could not have married the hottest woman in the world. Fortunately I am a dude. And by God's amazing grace, she married me. Which reminds me ...

6[ I'm thankful that my last name stayed intact. I'm honestly honored that my wife took my name when we got married. I've tried to put myself in the shoes of those guys whose wife refused to take their last name, or even hyphenated the names, but I always end up mentally standing there in their shoes feeling disrespected. May be silly, but it's true. Or maybe it's just because I like my last name. I like that it is unique. Maybe if my last name was Smith or Jones or Crapper or something, I'd feel differently. Maybe. But as it stands I'm thankful I got to keep my name ... bummer for my three sisters ... well except for Ellie. She very well may have upgraded.

7[ Guys don't carry purses. I'll admit right here to the whole world that there have been a few times that I've been bailed out by something in my wife's purse (the truth though is that had I not had the wife and her purse with me, I would not have died). The fact is that 99.9% of the time anything I could ever need for any situation fits in my pockets. Speaking of which, another good thing about being a guy is that the pockets on your pants are actually designed big enough that you can put things in them. Can't say the same for current fashion trends for women.

8[ A few more that I'm borrowing from a list in cyberspace (with which I happen to agree). A 5 day vacation requires only one suitcase; phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat; bathroom lines are 80% shorter; you can open all your own jars; your butt is never a factor in job interviews; your underwear is $10 for a three-pack; you don't have to shave below your neck; car mechanics tell you the truth; gray hair and wrinkles only add character; the occasional well-rendered belch is practically expected; you can rationalize any behavior with the handy phrase "Screw it."; you think the idea of punting a small dog is funny.

What the heck is a "salvation" anyway?

2008-04-05T12:49:00.000-07:00

The terminology used to describe the main belief of Christianity can be confusing: being saved, being born again, coming to Christ, accepting Jesus into your heart, becoming a Christian, being redeemed, having salvation, being justified, being sanctified, coming to faith, believing in Jesus etc.

Christians use a lot of words that sound very religious but many people don't know what those phrases mean. And even more importantly, they don't know why it is necessary.

It is relatively simple. I'll attempt to lay it out plainly here. Hopefully this helps for those who might be confused:

•• There is not a single person on the face of this earth who has not sinned. We are ALL guilty. It sounds harsh, but it's true. God's standard is perfection. So, unless anyone is 100% perfect, then they are a sinner. There is no gray area at all. But think about it: Isn't that a good thing? I mean, if there was some gray area, wouldn't we all try to fanagle ourselves into it? Where would the dividing line be? How would we know if we're "just good enough" or not? The world (and the devil) try to trick us into thinking that there is some "gray area," that all we have to do is "be a good person" or have "good intentions" and "God will surely honor those." The world says that if we "are a good person" we will go to Heaven. But try defining a "good person." It's impossible. That's a sliding scale that changes for each person you ask. No wonder the world is so confused, we're all trying to make the rules and the judgement scale slide around just right so that we fit into it and "get to" go to Heaven. Ironically, we can fanagle all we want, but it makes no difference. God's way makes is easy: If you are not perfect, you're not good enough. So, that includes 100% of humanity. You and I both (and your mom and your brother) are included in that category. It's a shame, but it's true. :: Romans 3:23 :: Romans 3:10

••So, we're all screwed, right? None of us deserve Heaven. Honestly, I think (as I'm sure you do) that sucks. But you know what? God thinks it sucks too. He loves us and wants us to be in His presence. So now we've got a dilemma. That exact dilemma, and God's solution for it, is what Christians get all excited about. It's what we Christians have come to understand, and it's what we're talking about when we use all those fancy-schmancy Christian words. So, what's the solution? Check it:

•• First of all, let's understand this: To be in Heaven is to in the presence of God. God, by his very nature, cannot be in the presence of sin. THAT'S why he requires perfection. That's why we can't go to Heaven unless we're perfect. It's not that God is all unreasonable and doesn't understand the temptations and crap that we go through here on Earth. We can't chill with God unless we're perfect because of God's nature. So, when we sin (as we already established that we all have), the penalty is death—not only physical death, but spiritual death—meaning our souls will be separated from God. Eternally. That is the definition of Hell. :: Romans 6:23

•• Ok, ok. We all deserve Hell. Now we understand why we all deserve Hell, but what the heck? What's the great solution already? Well like I said, God thinks it sucks too. God, by his very nature, is loving. He will not accept that we all go to Hell. :: 1 John 4:8 :: 2 Peter 3:9

•• The problem is that God, by his very nature, is also fair. Someone still has to pay the price for our sins. :: Deuteronomy 32:4

•• God had to make a way for sinners to be cleansed (forgiven) of their sins so that we could come into His presence (Heaven).

•• Someone must die for the sins we have committed. If that person committed a sin themselves, they could no longer pay the price for you or I. When they died, they would be paying the price for their own sin, and we'd still be screwed. They must be SINLESS.

•• Alright here we go. Finally the solution: God provided a way by coming to Earth Himself, in human form. He was called Jesus. Jesus live a perfect, SINLESS life. God put ALL the sins of the world—every sin that had been committed, and every sin that would ever be committed—including all crap that I've done—on Jesus. Jesus was judged for, and suffered the penalty for those sins he never committed. That's why Christians say, "He died for me" or "He took my place." We deserved the penalty, the death, the separation from God. I deserve the consequence, but Jesus died in my place. And that is freakin' cool. It's unbelievable. It blows my mind. God proved His love for me by sacrificing Himself in my place and at the very same time, He paid the penalty for my sins because He is still a fair and just God. The penalty is still paid. He just did it in my place. :: Romans 5:8 :: Isaiah 53:5 :: 1 Peter 2:24

•• And there's one more thing, too. Jesus kicked the crap out of the whole concept death because he didn't stay dead. When he rose from the dead after being crucified in my place, He completed the way for me to go to Heaven. There is now a way (through what Jesus did) for all people's sins to be forgiven—because the price has been paid—we can enter sinless into the presence of God in Heaven.

•• God did it all. He fixed the problem. I'm the one that jacked everything up. I'm the one who sinned. I'm the one who's guilty. I'm the one who didn't live up to God's perfect standard. But God fixed everything and provided a way for me to still go to Heaven. That's HUGE. That's incredible. The craziest part about all of this, is that it is a FREE gift. We don't have to do anything. All we have to do is accept it. :: John 1:12

•• HERE'S THE MONEY LINE: If a person accepts the gift of forgiveness (by believing that all of this is true), they too have conquered death (spiritual death), and will live in the presence of God (Heaven) for eternity. They have been saved, been born again, come to Christ, accepted Jesus into their heart, become a Christian, been redeemed, acquired salvation, been justified, been sanctified, come to faith, believed in Jesus etc. :: John 3:16

Man, that's awesome. I intended for this post to be short and succinct, but I got all excited while I was explaining it. I think that many times Christianity is too confusing for it's own good. Hopefully this makes sense. Hopefully it clears some things up. Hopefully it causes some further questions or renewed faith for those who read it.

What do you think? Do you agree? Does it make sense?

No Comment

2008-03-26T11:02:00.000-07:00

Here's more >>
>>Another video
>>Article

A new high for me. Again.

2008-03-17T11:17:00.000-07:00

On December 4, 2007, I blogged about bowling my highest game ever. I figured I'd never beat that score.

Well I'm excited to report to the three of you that I was wrong. I beat it. And I'm stunned. I'm not sure where it came from, but it was awesome.

Yesterday during league play, I bowled a 279. Two spares, and then 10 strikes. It was insane.

Check it (click for a better look):

AMEN, again.

2008-03-12T15:52:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness, EXACTLY.

Well done, Brant.

CLICK HERE

Inspired.

2008-03-12T13:53:00.000-07:00

Love it. Love it. Love it.
As always.
This is BRAND spankin' new—as of today.

If the video above doesn't work, click here to see it. It'll be worth it.

Oh crap. I'm an 8 year-old girl.

2008-03-10T09:41:00.000-07:00

So a few nights ago the wife and I hit up the local $1 movie-plex for some Friday night entertainment (which actually costs $1.50—don't ask me).

The price of the tickets were right as we're practicing adhering to our newly-implemented "pay-off-the-debt-for-reals-this-time" cash-in-envelopes budget. We didn't want to pay for dinner with the date, so a large Cherry Coke for me and a huge tub of theater popcorn (no butter) for us, sufficed. Dinner and a movie for $10—not bad at all.

I wanted to see something cool. Unfortunately, nothing my style was playing. I wasn't a very good sport about it either. Some of my chagrin was due to the fact that the last few movies we've seen (including but not limited to Bella and No Reservations) haven't been exactly manly. Bella, by the way, was excellent. Watch that one for sure. As a side note, generally I'm okay with chick flicks. I usually enjoy them. Just not exclusively. I prefer some guns or action or slapstick or drama or thrills or intensity mixed in. But not usually Sci-fi. Sci-fi to me is like seafood. I wish I could like it, I really do. And I try to, but alas, no dice.

So, I had to choose between my wife's two picks, which were 27 Dresses and Disney's Enchanted. I picked my poison, and we ended up with tickets to Enchanted. In case you're not up on your elementary-aged girl films, it's about a typical animated Disney princess who ends up in New York City as a real-life human played by real a real-life actress.

Okay, so here's the payoff. I actually really liked it. It was lame and corny and all that, but provided and hour and a half of good clean entertainment and amusement with some stupid laughs. Enjoyable.

I know, Brian, you've accused me of being gay before, but at risk of attracting similar comments, I bare my soul here, in the interest of preserving transparency with you, my loyal 3 readers. Plus, I assure you that my smokin' hot wife was intentionally glued to my hip the entire evening to dispel any such ill-concieved notions.

So, there you have it. Me and the rest of the 4th grade girls are gonna go play princesses at recess now.

Wife.

2008-03-03T15:21:00.000-08:00

There were a lot of things that I knew about my wife before we got married.

I knew about her heart for God, and her passion for serving Him. I knew about her heart for people around her, and her passion for coming alongside them in their personal journey. I knew how she inspired me to be a better man, one that is continually trying to realign my life closer and closer to God. I knew how crazy I was about her. I knew how gorgeous she was and how every time I saw her I was amazed anew at her attractiveness. I knew she had the softest, best-smelling, most beautiful, most versatile hair in the world. I knew how just the thought of her always sent a chill down my spine and sent butterflies to my stomach. I knew that I could literally feel her loving me when she held my hand or lightly touched my skin with her fingertips. I knew how I loved to make her laugh. I knew that she was creative and thoughtful, and that she was gifted at making the people in her life feel special. I knew she was great at her job, and extremely patient and gifted when it came to children. I knew that she was an excellent dancer, and was confident in herself and her identity in God. I knew that I'd do anything to fix the mess that I was in order to be the man she deserves. I knew she was much more than I deserved. And I knew she was the one for me.

But I didn't know what an excellent cook she is! BONUS! Ding ding ding! God really hooked a brother up. Everything she makes is flippin' delicious! Maybe it's all that time she spent helping her grandma in the kitchen while growing up. I don't know, but whatever it is, she makes some killer food. And it's not just Italian (her heritage) food either.

The list is way too long for me to start naming the things that she's made that blew my taste buds away, but let me just give you an example: This weekend she busted out this Thai chicken salad that was fantastic. It had angel hair pasta, chopped bok choy, green onions, chicken, peach slices and this homemade dressing that was ... well ... it was awesome. I had the rest of it for lunch today. And it was even better today. I can't describe it. Here, let me just show you (even though I know the camera-phone won't do it justice):

I had a great lunch today. Not just cause of that salad. I sat there the whole time (while eating that salad) thinking about how awesome my wife is. I even started getting jealous of myself cause I wished I could be married to someone like that and I knew that I wouldn't have a chance in hell with her and then I realized that I am married to her and then my head exploded.

I told you already that I don't deserve her. It's true. I don't. I am a blessed man. I'm telling you. I'd marry her 1000 times over just for that butt ... mmmhmmm ... but cooking like that too!? You've got to be kidding me! Wow.

You wanted proof of God's grace? There it is. Case closed.

Amen.

Let's eat.

Weekend.

2008-03-03T11:33:00.000-08:00

Took the dogs out for a hike/swim on Saturday. It was a GREAT day for it as it was over 70°F.

We had 5 labs: Tilla (Black), Donkey (Chocolate), Havana (Golden), Cali (Yellow), and Toby (White).

It was a sight to be seen. Here are a few of my favorite shots from the day:

SEE THE REST of the photos!

Kakistocracy.

2008-02-27T18:56:00.001-08:00

I've been intentionally staying away from politics on this blog because politics ruffle people's feathers—even some of my friends' and family's feathers. But in this case I couldn't resist. This word ... that candidate ... oh what a perfect match. Plus, do we really want a president with the initials B.O.? Honestly. I'm just saying ...

I'm done. You can go straighten your feathers now.

Haircut of the year.

2008-02-20T14:03:00.000-08:00

I couldn't NOT blog this.

(Thanks for emailing it to me, Dad)

V-Day. Straight up.

2008-02-14T15:32:00.000-08:00

This one's rated PG-13

2008-02-14T09:14:00.000-08:00

As a designer, we have to do a lot of mock-ups. That means making things look as close to the final products as possible just using our color laser printer. One of the things that sets professionally printed pieces apart from other things is that the image oftentimes bleeds off the page. That's because they print on large press-sheets and then trim things down to size. When we're mocking things up, we often do the same thing.

One thing you learn in design school, is that instead of using scissors to straight lines, the best way is to get a cutting mat, and use an exacto knife against a metal ruler. I do this literally hundreds of times a week. Yesterday the knife slipped. Toward my hand holding the ruler. It was moving fast too, cause that's how you get a clean cut. Those blades are sharp.

I took off a slice of my left index finger right beside the nail. I'd say about half an inch long. 1/4 inch wide. Pretty deep.

There was no resistance at all. It went right through like butter. I grabbed the finger right away and squeezed with my other hand so it couldn't bleed. Then I picked up the slice of my finger that was laying on the cutting mat and threw it in the trash (there's no way it was big enough to reattach).

Then (still squeezing the heck out of my finger), I asked my coworker, Sarah, if she could help me with the first aid kit in the kitchen. When I let that thing go over the sink it just gushed. No stopping it. The hard part was getting the band-aid on tight enough that it'd hold it from bleeding. We finally did, but that wasn't the best idea it turns out. After a while my finger was turning white and purple and was screaming at me. Apparently cutting off the circulation to stop bleeding is not a good idea.

So Sarah helped me remove the band-aid and the son of a gun gushed like there was no tomorrow all over again. This time we wrapped a band-aid on it loosely and then wrapped a big old mitten of gauze around it. It felt MUCH better with circulation, but it bled a lot. I held it above my heart for like 30 minutes and then when we unwrapped it and removed all the soaked gauze, we found that it had finally clotted. But we didn't take off the band-aid. It was one big mess. I didn't want to open it up again.

Here you go:

Status is still the same today. I haven't removed the band-aid for fear of letting it fly again. Props ro Sarah for saving my life and not acting grossed out or passing out. There as quite a bit of blood.

I'll post another pic if I do end up re-bandaging it again today.

Sorry for the graphicity, but you know. It's the truth.

I wonder if I can still play bass in church on Sunday?

**UPDATE**

I re-dressed my wound. I snapped some shots with my phone for you first though ...

Shout out.

2008-02-06T07:15:00.000-08:00

I'd like to give a shout out for a shout out.

Shout.

I'm out.

$5.00 for approximately 6.5 years

2008-02-05T10:09:00.001-08:00

BACKGROUND INFO:
I work in an office. As such, I use the office restroom almost daily. There are two bathrooms designated for use by males only—one upstairs, and one downstairs. [This study refers to the upstairs restroom only.] Our office has approximately 100 employees, and approximately 25% of those are men. The floors seem to be split around 60/40 (with regard to gender—more males upstairs), so assuming that guys aren't ascending or descending the stairs in order to use the bathroom on the floor that they do not work, we're looking at about 15 guys utilizing the upstairs facility daily.

STORY:
I have been working in this office for just over 3 years (my first office job). Very shortly after I started, I was repulsed by the reality of the communal environment that we all were forced to subject ourselves to each day. There's just no way that it's sanitary. So I decided to do my part, and pitch in. I wanted to contribute to the defense against the spread of germs—at least as far as the men were concerned—more specifically, the men who frequent the upstairs bathrooms. Late January 2005, I went to Wal Mart and purchased the largest "jug" of Germ-X® I could find. The thing is huge. I think it's like 1 Liter or something. [[SIDE NOTE: When I bought it, it had a normal-sized bottle of Germ-X® shrink-wrapped to the side. It was like one of those promotional get-the-normal-bottle-free-when-you-buy-the-ridiculously-ginormous-bottle-as-if-you'd-ever-need-more-than-what-you-get-in-the-absurdly-huge-bottle-anyway deals.]] It was awesome. I distinctly remember that the whole sha-bang was only $5.00.

I have to admit, that I did stand there for a while wondering if it was worth it. Even though I knew I was getting a killer deal, the devil on my shoulder kept asking me, "Why do we have to be the ones to fork over our hard-earned $5.00 for the good of the others in our office?" But in the end, the angel on my other shoulder won out when he reminded me that "We'll be purchasing an ungodly amount of Germ-X® for just $5.00, and we are totally ripping Wal Mart off". "Plus," he said, "you know how many times you've seen guys zip up and walk out without so much as rinsing. Maybe one or two of them will take advantage if there's Germ-X® sitting right there. I mean, honestly (he's always honest), it says that it kills 99.9% of germs. We need that kind of germ-slaughtering action around our office." The angel had a point. I walked out of there with my jug-o-Germ-X® purchased and a smile on my face knowing that for once I had listened to the angel's advice and that I was doing a good deed. (As a bonus, I also had a new normal-sized bottle of Germ-X® that I promptly placed in my car and still use frequently to de-germ myself after shopping at Wal Mart.)

To make a long story, well, long I guess, I did place that big old bottle of Germ-X® on the counter in the upstairs bathroom at my office the very next day. I snuck it in when no one was looking so I could be the hero without the glory. I didn't want anyone to know that I was the generous one. Now every day when I use the bathroom, I am reminded of the good deed that I have done, and it feels good. I smirk to myself proudly each and every time I rub that glorious germ-bashing gel onto my hands, and breathe deep the unmistakable, cleansing, alcohol(ish) aroma that it emits.

... Anyway ... this brings be to the point of this post, and the reason for the title and the background information above.

STUDY:
I noticed today, that even though I purchased the giant bottle of Germ-X® over 3 years ago, there is still a ton left. So I took a little snapshot with my trusty camera-phone and performed an in-depth analysis of it when I returned to my desk. You can see the results of that study in FIGURE 1 below.

CONCLUSION:
A] Of the 15 men who use the upstairs facilities in my office, very few use the Germ-X®. Indeed, I might be the only one who does.
B] Most of the men who work on the second floor, go downstairs to go to the bathroom and subsequently use (or don't use) whatever cleansing products are available to them there.
C] The bottle of Germ-X® is so huge that even with 15 (or more) men using it regularly throughout the day 5 days/week, 51 weeks/year (we get the week between Christmas and New Years off), the resulting 'consumption' of Germ-X® is barely noticeable on a week-to-week observation schedule, if at all.

I think I tend toward conclusion C, because I like to believe that my generous purchase is immensely benefitting all the men who use the restroom, as well as those they come in contact with throughout the building.

OTHER NOTES:
You should notice that the projected usage of Germ-X®, if all remains constant, gives us an approximate date of mid-2011 for complete 'consumption'. Wow. That is incredible. $5.00 for approximately 6.5 years of service (not to mention the normal-sized bottle still in use in my car). I'll spend the next 3.5 years trying to figure out what my next good deed will be when this one finally runs out.

5:00 a.m.–6:00 a.m.

2008-02-05T09:32:00.001-08:00

I ran 6 miles. What'd you do? (In truth it was more like roughly 5:06 a.m.–6:07:08 a.m.)

I'm not bragging—well actually, I am. Sorry. It was a record for me.

6 miles. 61 mins 08 sec. 1001 calories burned. 154 bpm average heart rate. 184 bpm max heart rate. [in case you were wondering]

I gotta tell folks, cause I may never do it again. I almost died. By the end I had a hard time breathing. The back of my shirt was soaked (I don't normally sweat). The insides of my upper thighs are chafed. I kinda wanted to puke. But I lived. And now I'm bragging.

NOTE: In case you were wondering, the photo above is not actually me.
1] I'm not a girl
2] I don't live by the ocean
3] I was inside ... on a treadmill
4] The sun was not yet up
5] In Colorado, the sky is blue
6] There was no one there to take my picture

Important update!

2008-02-04T08:37:00.000-08:00

Remember like two posts ago when I revealed my brilliant idea for a human power plant?

Well, my cousin Ben just informed me that my idea has been stolen and implemented. For reals. CHECK IT OUT.

Did you hear about the Chinese couple that had a blonde baby?

2008-02-01T08:50:00.000-08:00

They named him "Sum Ting Wong".

Thanks for that laugh, Ben.

We're going ... sweet.

2008-01-31T08:23:00.000-08:00

February 21 in Denver. It'll be nice.

Powered by Snickers.

2008-01-30T09:31:00.001-08:00

Yesterday, my smart sister blogged about an idea she had while working out at the gym. Interestingly, I had the SAME EXACT IDEA about a year ago, but didn't tell anyone cause I planned on making millions off of the implementation of it. Alas, my smart sister unknowingly outted me. (So we're all on the same page here, I suggest that you go read about her idea, check out my comment, and then proceed with this post)

But, now that it's out in the open, I guess I'll expound on my thoughts (and even though these ideas may sound ludicrous, I'm relatively serious [despite the fact that I, too, am not a scientist and really haven't a clue if this is actually scientifically possible]):

Fossil fuels are a limited resource on this planet. At some point we are going to have to come up with some other ways to power our energy-consuming lifestyles. So, what's the future alternative energy? Nuclear power? Organic fuels? Sun? Wind? NAH. Here's the solution:

A HUMAN POWER PLANT

Picture with me (if you will): A giant building. Let's say 100 stories high. The building is completely filled with exercise bikes. These exercise bikes, when pedaled, harness the power generated by the pedaling, and send it (in whatever form) to a collection unit. All the bikes are manned 24-7. The combined power that would be generated would be, I think, a lot.

I'm no scientist, but it just makes sense. Energy is not created. It's just converted. We would be converting the energy (calories) in the food that we consumed into usable energy of another form (I'm thinking electricity or something). People would be hired to go ride one of these bike. Folks would have reasonably-lengthed shifts. Their output would be monitored, of course. They'd have production quota. But they'd be getting paid to exercise. And they'd be converting their fatness into useable energy.

It's genius. I mean really. I'd sign up. This is a free nation. You wouldn't be forced to go ride a bike, but I think people would. Even if just for a short shift. We'd be killing a bunch of birds with one stone. We'd be creating alternative, completely renewable, essentially free energy. We'd be fighting obesity. We'd be creating jobs.

Also, let's say you didn't have one of these energy-producing-pedaling jobs. Let's say you were struggling one month, and needed some extra cash. You could, in theory, just go down to the human power plant and pedal for as long as you choose. You'd be hooked right into your personal utilities account, and you could basically "run your energy consumption backwards." You could pedal off your entire utility bill for the month if you like. It'd be an offsetting program.

This would create other great opportunities as well. As a gift, you could go pedal on behalf of somebody else's energy bill. We could hold pedal marathons where volunteers could all pedal for a common cause and maybe pay some needy family's energy bills for an entire year. The possibilities are endless.

Oh, and one other thing. If this caught on, people would be getting skinny all over the place. Fat butts would be actively being transformed into power for your laptop all over the nation. Being fat would become a commodity. The more fat you had to transform, the more you'd potentially be worth. It's like having money in the bank (or in your trunk, if you will).

So by that reasoning, Doritos and Snickers would become even more appealing to me than they already are. I'd cram some of those bad boys and then go burn'em off and get paid. It'd be a sweet deal.

Am I going too far? Is this out of control? I think not. I think I'll run for president ...

Thoughts?

Congrats, Compassion!

2008-01-28T09:58:00.000-08:00

MySpace recently held a competition where folks nominated “MySpace members for their positive impact they’ve had on our culture.” The nominations were then voted on for a week, and the winner was announced and recognized.

Not only does Compassion International have a MySpace profile which is routinely managed and updated (and is very well designed), but they were also nominated for (and won) the aforementioned MySpace Impact Award. See it here.

This endeavor has proven very fruitful for Compassion, and has now generated even more global (positive) exposure. The extent of this huge (free) advertising platform that this award gave Compassion is probably immeasurable. I mention this only to point out that while there is a very real stigma attached to MySpace (and other online communities), these communities do drive today’s progressive culture, and there is tons of good happening in them (along with the bad).

This, to me, is a good example of how our correct use of today’s contemporary resources can greatly benefit our pursuits on behalf on the Kingdom.

Way to go, Compassion (just for the sake of throwing in more parentheses).