random Monday morning thought...

While working out this morning:

"There is nothing better than shooting baskets in a empty gym...one with real hardwood floors, regulation sized court, and intact nets."

Deep, I know.

a list of things to be thankful for...

So, in honor of Turkey Day (more formally known as Thanksgiving), I thought I'd take a moment out to make a list of just some of the many things I am thankful for.

It's so easy to get wrapped up in a negative, victim attitude and think that the whole world is on our shoulders. I know I have to work really hard at avoiding that mindset. And what makes it so ironic is that those of us in the United States--even at our "worst"--live life better than probably 95% of the world's population. Who are we to complain? Anyway, this is something that helps me remember just how very much God has blessed me. I hope it helps you, too.

1. A gorgeous, loving wife and an adorable son who love me far more than I deserve.
2. A new son or daughter just 6 months away!
3. A beautiful, comfortable, spacious home in a great neighborhood and location.
4. A great looking, functional, and well-running minivan in the garage.
5. Good, healthy food on the table at all times.
6. An extended family that loves me.
7. Friends to share life, laughter, and love with.
8. A good paying, steady job...as well as several other income-producing projects that Becki and I are able to work together at "on the side".
9. I'm breathing and in relatively good health.
10. Plenty of good books to read.
11. The knowledge that, even when things are tight, it will all be OK because HE says it will!
12. Being a Florida Gators fan!!
13. Knowing that there is so much more "out there" for me to explore, enjoy, investigate, and become.
14. Living in, despite all of its issues, the greatest country in the world.
15. Cool, crisp fall nights.
16. A Savior who loves the unlovable me.

I'm sure I'll think of many more....and I'll come back and add them later....but, for now, here's just a short list to greet you all this Thanksgiving morning. Have a blessed one!

election day musings...(long!)

I cast my vote this morning. Glad that's over with. I am looking forward to not having to watch any more political infomercials, having my mailbox stuffed with ads, or receiving unsolicited calls from candidates, at least for 3 years or so.

One note from the polls: I don't get why so many people went to vote early. I've read reports of people standing in line for "early voting" for up to 6 or 8 hours. This morning, we were in and out in 10 minutes. And I don't ever recall, in all my years of voting, waiting more than just a few minutes on Election Day. So, yeah...I don't get it. Of course, maybe one of the reasons there were no lines today--a lot of folks voted early? Still...

Anyway, here are a few points I'd like to make from today, as well as the last few months:

1. My number one issue for today was taxes and the economy. Yeah, I know. As a Christian, I'm supposed to put "abortion" and "gay marriage" in this slot. I'll cover those two topics in a moment--one is still important to me, the other, not so much anymore--but for now let me just say that I really worked hard at aligning myself with a candidate who I felt spoke for what I believed in here (and it wasn't Obama...or McCain). If you've read my blog at all in the past year, you know that I've become a huge believer in Fair Tax, and I remain convinced not only of it's merits but also of the opinion that a complete overhaul of our tax system is the ONLY thing that will save our economy. We HAVE to stop spending frivolously and start being accountable for taxpayers' money. I not only want to know how my money gets into the hands of our government, but, more importantly, what happens to it when it's there. If we can get our financial house in order (a pipe dream, maybe, I know), we can solve so many of our problems. But, in my opinion, it has to start with a fair, balanced, simple tax system that will actually increase revenue combined with a spending cooldown until our budget is balanced.

2. OK, let's talk about the social issues for a moment. To many of you, when I wrote the paragraph above, I was automatically labeled "pro-choice", simply becase the abortion debate wasn't at the front of my mind when I went to the voting booth today. And therein lies the problem. Growing up as an Evangelical Christian, I was taught that this issue trumped anything else on the ballot. Period. In fact, I remember in my early days of voting basing my entire decisions simply on whether the particular candidate was "pro-life" or not. If I wasn't sure, my church would help me out with a handy dandy "voters' guide" that I could even take with me into the booth, just to make sure I didn't screw anything up. Don't get me wrong here--I definitely see the great, great merit in this issue, and understand for some people this is literally the deciding one. I could probably write several paragraphs on this subject alone, but I'll summarize my point by saying that I truly believe the manner in which we--Christians and/or "pro-lifers"--address this important issue is simply all wrong. We should be reaching out to the women who have to make choices like this and, instead of demonizing and vilifying them from behind judicial lines, help them with the practical issues that they'll have to go through--such as, for example, how to successfully carry their baby to term and, once here, place it in a loving home. (There's a great story about this on Greg Boyd's site, as well as some other thoughts I readily agree with; check it out here.) In addition, we need to create commonality with those "pro-choicers" who, believe it or not, are almost overwhelmingly AGAINST more abortions in general. As pointed out in a fantastic commentary here, judicially we are no closer to solving the abortion problem than we were 20 years ago. And to circle back around to my number one issue from above, it seems that a stunning 75% of all abortions in this country are carried out because of poverty. How great would it be to both reinvent our fledgling monetary policies while at the same time completely eliminating the major reason for abortion?

For the record here, as long as there is a vote, and as much as possible, I will always vote "pro-life". I do believe that abortion is murder, and unborn babies need to be protected. But I also believe that our approach to this issue is a completely flawed one that needs social action and justice, especially from the Evangelical Christian church--and quickly.

As for homosexual marriage, I have to admit I've softened on this quite a bit. Yes, I do believe homosexual behavior is a sin according to God's Word (just as much as lying, cheating, and adultery), but, again, we risk alienating the very people we are trying to reach with Christ's message when we use a broad brush to try and legislate our values on those who simply are not ready to accept them. As a more practical--and, I believe, effective--approach, I wonder what would happen if we befriended these same people and lived a dynamic, different life as Christ asked us to--one that would have them practically begging to know what The Difference is? Instead, again, we use the wrong approach when we try to legislate morality (in both of these issues, as well as a host of others) from behind judicial lines. I'm also struck by the irony that the very entity that is driving this edict--again, the Evangelical Christian church--has a divorce rate higher than that of the society around it. Who are we to judge when we are unable to live the life of commitment that God-ordained marriage demands?

Again, I do have the opinion that marriage should be one man and one woman in a committed, lifelong, God-centered union. But I also realize there are those that don't think that way. For me to attempt to shove my belief--which is not at all judicially or politically created, but God-centered--on someone else, especially without appealing to their heart, is simply wrong. This is a moral issue, and I simply believe, in a free country, we are unable to legislate morality.

3. As you can tell, I'm undergoing a bit of a revolution when it comes to my faith and my politics. I was never really that much into politics in the first place, but recently, with the historic election this year, I've attempted to get a bit more into it (as evidenced here and here). The last few weeks and months I've been really reading some radical stuff that goes completely against the grain, so to speak. It started when I read Jim Wallis' "God's Politics" a few months ago. I enjoyed it for the most part, and Jim made some good points but, frankly, I felt he was advocating leaning too far to the left (read: "Democrat") in an effort to seem "radical". For instance, the whole "legislating morality" issue? That applies to things like poverty, as well (something Wallis believes should be addressed through our government, which I don't completely disagree with). You can't tell me what to do with my money, even if it's for a noble cause. This, by the way, is something that makes me distrustful of Obama's platform--the "redistribution of wealth" from those of who, apparently, by the government's decree, don't need it. Anyway, although I do believe Wallis has some neat ideas for how our Christian faith should interact with our political involvement, I do have to say that I do disagree with him on many issues.

Bring on Greg Boyd, of Christus Victor Ministries. I don't even remember how I stumbled onto his site, but I did, and I have to say it's been really eye-opening for me. I'll let you draw your own conclusions by exploring his thoughts here, but I'll also try to summarize what I've learned from him. Probably all you need to know is summed up in the title of his book, "The Myth of a Christian Nation". I realize that's offensive to some of you, and I don't mean to be offensive, but Greg makes a point that I've felt to the core of my being for a long time now. When did we, as Christians, start equating being a United States citizen with being a citizen of the Kingdom of God? When did we start placing our nationality above our "kingdomality"? And where did we get the crazy idea that our forefathers crafted our nation to be solely a Christian one? I frankly have not seen it and I don't get it. After all, weren't they fleeing from religious persecution--from, ironically, a state-mandated religious monarchy? Sure, our nation's ideals and values are based on Judeo-Christian ethics...but that's not the same thing. Is it?

Boyd makes the distinction, both in his book and through the sermons that he preached that inspired it (you can listen to them by going here, starting with the 4/18/2004 archive), between the kingdom of this world (maintained by government) and the Kingdom of God. He suggests that the two are necessarily isolated and, often, diametrically opposed. He points out that serving our Heavenly King is our top priority and we are to serve Him even when--especially when?--it's opposed to our political leanings.

What does this mean? It means we should stop trusting in our government so much. Indeed, he makes the assertion that all governmental systems should be viewed with a healthy suspicion, as well as the knowledge that, while some good can always come from anything God created, looking to place our hopes and trust and faith and future on those very systems--no matter how "good" we may think they are--will always leave us wanting for more.

Greg cements what I've been feeling for a very long time now...that Christians as a whole are too wrapped up in the political process to make an impact for Christ in the world around us. Instead of changing those around us with "Calvary Love" as he calls us, we look to our government to enact legislation in order to "make" that change happen. Instead of serving others simply because Christ asked us to, we look to our elected officials to come up with the capital and resources, so we won't get our hands dirty. Instead of putting our arms around those who feel unloved and despised and simply loving them because they are a child of God, we stand behind a voting booth every four years to "vote our conscience" and, in so doing, make bastards out of the very people God sent His Son to die for.

I've long believed that God is disgusted with His "church" here in the United States. We've traded a Kingdom mindset for political processes, forgetting that, rather than legislating our morality and having our way, He's empowered us and commanded us to love one another. Christ has called us to be His hands and feet, and we should be determined to do that with no political affiliation, with no regard for party politics, with no expectations of our government and the kingdom of this world coming to the rescue. If Christians want to change the world, it begins with each one of us. Not our elected officials.

In the meantime, of course, by all means, pray for our great nation and its leaders. But do so with the understanding that God has His Hand on His Church. NOT any nation, no matter how "good". May He be glorified....

debating the race...

Note: This post was actually written several weeks ago, which is why you may be confused by some of the references to time in it. I prayed and thought long and hard about posting this, mainly because I don't want to come off as arrogant or ignorant (both of which I have tremendous capability of being!). The following represents a bit of a simplicity in politics, I know, but, what can I say: I'm a simple man.

Anyway, enjoy. And don't rake me too much across the coals should you decide to leave a comment. Thanks.


The second (and, I think, last) Presidential Debate is on tonight. I'm not watching it. I started out this year with the grandest of intentions; to really dig deep, get inside the candidates' heads and figure out their stance on the issues important to me. I've watched history unfold as we've seen the first African-American Presidential candidate accept his party's nomination. Even if he doesn't win, we'll still mark a historic moment with the first woman Vice President ever to be elected to office. It was my hope that, with the "change" that Barack Obama has been talking about, and the folksiness that Sarah Palin exhibits, there would be a clean, honest, insightful race to the White House.

I've been dissapointed. I guess my expectations are just too high. Maybe it's just me, but I've yet to hear from either candidate real, solid answers for dealing with the avalanche of challenges and issues we all are facing in the United States of America today. Instead, well, it's more of the same. "Barack did this, or didn't do that." "McCain is George Bush reincarnated." Finger pointing. Mud flinging. Attacking character. Name-calling.

I realize here that I'm supposed to, as a "conservative", "good" Christian (as opposed, I guess, to a "bad" Christian?), place all of the blame in the Obama camp and wave my flag for McCain/Palin. But that just wouldn't be correct. Unfortunately, one side is as bad as the other. We were just talking last night about McCain's promise that the last few days of his campaign would be focused squarely on sullying Obama's character. Which, to me, serves to distract us from the flaws in his own character.

So, let me be clear here: I'm equally disgusted with the Republican campaign as I am with the Democrats fight.

I just simply don't get why we can't have someone who will run on the basis of what he intends to do for our country's problems rather than what the other guy will/will not/did/did not do. And I understand that this--the attacking of the other guy--is how it's "always" been done. But that doesn't make it right, does it? Hopefully you can tell the internal struggle I have with all of this.

Just once, I'd love to have someone stand up and say, "Well, Dan, I don't know how my fellow American over there, the gentleman I am in competition with, would answer that--you'll have to ask him and work out the details with him--but here's how I would tackle that problem." Of course, I get that this is a "perfect world" scenario. But, still, a guy can dream, can't he?

So, I guess I've got just a few weeks to figure this all out. For the record, I'm almost certain I will go with McCain in the voting booth--there are just too many things that scare me about having Obama in the Oval Office--but I have to confess I'm not real confident about either of these men. Or their running mates (although I do honestly like Sarah Palin, and, actually, Joe Biden seems like a nice guy, too).

And that brings me to one last point.

Wouldn't it be nice to have more than two choices for this important election? I watched a few minutes of a speech from Ron Paul this morning in which he pointed out this flaw in our two-party system. Basically, it was never designed to be a two-party system. In that, Americans lose the ability to select who they believe would best run the country and, instead, vote for the "lesser-of-two-evils". Honestly, that's what I will be doing.

I wish it wasn't that way, but it is. Whatever happens, though, I put my trust in Jesus. To many Christians are up-in-arms over this election (and, frankly, politics in general) when they should be focusing on their need to follow Jesus' call. After all, Jesus said his kingdom would not come through the politics of men. Jesus--and those who followed Him while He was on this earth--changed the world around them not by employing political or economic movements. Instead, they rolled up their sleeves and went to work helping anyone who would talk with them, investing in the lives of everyone they met. I wonder why we think that it's different today?

Whatever happens, though...remember to pray for our leaders. Whoever they may be.

frankie say "relax"...

Seriously, folks, chill out!

From a "worldly" standpoint, I suppose there is plenty to be worried about today. We have a critical election coming up in just a couple of weeks. Some people I've spoken to (both in and out of the Christian community) believe either nirvana or Armageddon is coming, depending on who they're opposed to in the election. Meanwhile, to listen to the experts out there (read: "media pundits") we are going through the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. Which may or may not be true.

But that brings me to my point. Should we, as Christ-followers, be as worried as we are? I have Christian friends taking the above two points so seriously that they can barely sleep at night. I've actually heard others say that if Obama's elected President, they're moving to Canada (which we hear every election, but, still...). Is it right to get so wrapped up in all of this that we forget that our Heavenly Father is in complete control?

Don't get me wrong here--I'm not advocating being completely apathetic to politics or the economy. In fact, I believe it's important to stay involved in the political process and make your vote count. And who doesn't want to know where our money's going? When it comes to that, though, I'm always reminded of how God showed the Isrealites the scope of His care on a daily basis...He provided more than they needed, but did it day-by-day. I guess He was asking them not to look ahead, but to trust Him for each day's needs. I would assume it's the same today.

I have alot more to say about this, but I'll let my blog buddy Seth Barnes take it from here. He's got a fantastic entry on this very subject here. Enjoy.

on the bailout, the sports world, and new beginnings...

I had a blog all ready to post this morning about how I was disgusted with the electoral process and the candidates' tactics to this point. In the interest of not revealing my ignorance of politics, however, I've decided not to reveal it. Suffice to say, I am tired of the whole race, I'm not sure that I'm voting for anything better than the cliched "lesser of two evils", I wish there more than 2 candidates to choose from (as Ron Paul states in this video clip), and we need someone who will give us solid answers, not "well, he did this, and I won't".

Sigh.

If I get enough requests, and if you'll all promise not to go too hard on me, I'll post it. Be warned, though--I ramble quite a bit. But, if you're interested in reading it, leave me a comment and I'll do my best to oblige.

Turning to ligher matters (for the most part):

-The Walton Family is gaining a new member, arriving in June 2009. I know, I know, we're nuts. But, whatever...we're also richly blessed. Becki's only 5 weeks along (we think), so, obviously there's really nothing to report right now, but we will update as we get news. We'd only been trying for a few weeks, so, uh, I guess everything works pretty well. When we get back from the hospital with our new little one, it's separate bedrooms. Not for the kids. For us!

-I'm not sure what to think of the sports world anymore, expect that it's completely on it's ear. In college football, upsets are the norm (expect in the Big 12, where Oklahoma and Missouri remain undefeated). USC, Georgia, and, yes, my Gators all upset pretty badly. In the NFL--hey, the Dolphins are actually fun to watch, and just doubled their win total from last season! And don't forget baseball. The Tampa Bay Rays--yes, kids, Tampa--are in the ALCS gunning for a spot in the World Series. At least the Cubs gave us some semblance of normalcy by collapsing in the playoffs.

-Fall is officially here. I guess. Here in Florida, we'll start feeling maybe in late December...just in time for the thaw in early January. Ok, I'm exaggerating, but Becki and I are making plans to spend a week--along with our families--in the mountains of North Georgia in January and can't wait for the cold! I would love to introduce my son to real snow, too...here's hoping. Anyway, how crazy is it to start thinking seriously about Thanksgiving and Christmas plans? Seems like yesterday we were celebrating July 4th...

-Isn't it great that we've been saved from financial Armageddon thanks to our elected officials' brilliant $700 Billion bailout package? I was really worried there for a while. Please note the dripping sarcasm. My buddy Scott has a great post about this subject here. And I thought Dave Ramsey had a fantastic alternative, in addition to some great comments. Too bad nobody listened. I'd ask what this is going to do for the homeowners--should I say soon-to-be-EX-homeowners--out there, but I already know. What it will do is distract us from the problems that got us here in the first place and help those responsible--yes, including the foolish borrowers--avoid responsibility. Not that "responsible" and "elected official" ever belong next to each other.

OK, so that last one wasn't so light. Good way to end, I guess...

on 1 Chronicles 14:14-17...

Note: Here's another entry from my journal as I continue to read through Seth Barnes' The Art of Listening Prayer.


"And once again, David asked God what to do...so David did what God commanded, and he struck down the Philistine army. So David's fame spread everywhere, and the Lord caused all the nations to fear David."

What a fascinating concept David illustrates here. He asks questions of God as though He were sitting at the table with him, right there. And God answers. Rather than procrastinate or make excuses, David acts...and, of course, is successful. It's interesting to note that, in verse 17, it was David who got the glory. I wonder if he even wanted it? Nevertheless, it's clear that God orchestrated the whole thing, and communicated this to David.

Lord, I wish I had the heart of David. I wish I had the courage to ask You questions and to expect an answer. I say I do, but I don't really think I am doing that. I know You're trying to speak to me now, God...please let me be still enough to listen! I doubt this whole "dialogue" thing so much, but I know it works, because I can see the fruit of it in others' lives. Father, please cast my doubt aside!

Was yesterday one of those days where Your voice was shouting at me? Mark Balmer of Calvary Chapel took a break from his current sermon series on Exodus--the one week we decided to go and check the church out--and speak on a subject that's been on my mind and heart quite often lately: living desperately for Jesus. He referenced Luke 9:1-11, where Jesus sends His disciples out to do His work. He tells them not to take much--nothing, really--with them, in an effort to leave their "comfort zone" behind and trust fully in His provisioning. Basically, abandoning all to Him.

Are you telling me something here, Lord? Can this be mere coincidence? Or am I reading more into this than is actually there? God, I've heard You say to me the last few weeks that You have great and wonderful things planned for me. What does that look like? Do I have the faith to step out and let You lead completely? Why do I doubt You? Show me, God, what You would have me do!! Lord, like David, give me the faith to act on it...for Your glory, Father!!

back from a blogging break...

Well, I really didn't think I would let that much time go by, but I look up and see that it's been a solid two weeks since I posted! I don't have a great excuse for not keeping up with things here; truth be told, I simply haven't felt like writing lately. What's strange is, I have thoughts that go through my head that I'll think I should write about (and, of course, these thoughts occur when I'm away from my laptop), but I never get around to it sometimes. That's been amplified these last couple of weeks, for some reason.

I did switch my schedule at work, to a night shift, so maybe that's got something to do with it. Right now I'm getting home between 11pm and midnight on the weekdays and, no matter how much I may want to, I haven't gotten up as early as I've planned to. Which eats into my "creative" time (for me, the mornings). Anyway, no matter what, welcome back. Thanks for sticking with me.

Here are a few things going on in my (our) life recently:

- College Football is back. Thank goodness. I won't spend much time here on this subject (although I do love to write about it--maybe another, separate blog is in order?) except to say I'm thrilled to have something other than baseball and golf to watch on Saturdays. I'm giving a bigger welcome back to the NFL, too, than I normally would, simply because of my involvement in several Fantasy Football teams. I told you about this several weeks ago, if you'll remember. Turns out I went a little overboard--I've got 3 NFL teams and a college team and, frankly, it's really hard to keep track of all of them. I'm concentrating on just one more than the others, so we'll see what happens. So far the results have not been good. Note to self: just one team next year. Please.

- We will be buying a new car soon (like in the next few days). For those of you who get our family update emails, you know that both of our cars are getting into retirement age. We actually had a bunch of work done to the Kia, but still feel like it's time to move on. God has richly blessed us by providing the funds to go do this, so we'll be buying a "new to us" car--probably a minivan--soon and selling our other two. We looked at a really nice Chrysler Town & Country the other day and made what I thought was a very fair offer, but the guy said no way, even though it's been sitting with no action for three months. I was kind of bummed about that, as I thought for sure it was a done deal. Oh, well, just means God's got something else in store for us!

- Jacob's first tooth is starting to come in. Accordingly, Mommy and Daddy's sleep has started to erode away! Actually, it hasn't been too bad. He's a tough kid and faring pretty well. Hard to believe he's 8 months old already!

- The IRS finally came through. As I wrote about here, our economic stimulus check was massively late. Well, it finally came. Needless to say, it made a quick entrance into and exit from our bank account, as we really needed it. And there's actually good news from this whole thing. Last week we got notice that, somehow, we had overpaid our taxes and would be getting an actual refund of around $1200 in about six weeks or so! Now, based on what I know of the IRS, I'm taking a "wait and see" approach on this...so, if it does indeed come, it will be a nice bonus. But whatever happens getting an IRS envelope is usually not a pleasant thing, so the fact we don't owe anymore is big. Again, I'll let you know what happens.

red letters: a review

Several months ago, I was provided with a complimentary copy of Tom Davis' book, Red Letters:Living a Faith that Bleeds, through a blog I frequently visit. You can read the offer by clicking here. Incidentally, take some time to look through Seth's blog...I have been spending quite a bit of time there in the last few months and have been really moved by what I've read and seen. So much so, in fact, I believe God is starting to stir my soul to complete abandon to Him. What that means I'm still not sure of, but I digress. As promised to those who provided this book to me, here is my brief and humble review.

Red Letters: Living a Faith That Bleeds is a straightforward, simple book. In writing that, I don't mean to devalue the message that Davis is sharing. In fact, I believe his writing style enhances his message, which was clearly written from the breaking of his heart. Tom starts our journey by introducing us to Kirill, a young boy who he met on the cold, dark streets of Vladimir, Russia, who also just happened to be Jesus. You'll have to read the book to understand that statement, but it is a powerful and valid one.

Throughout the rest of the book, Tom lays out the reasons we, as Christ Followers, should be consumed with expanding our borders and reaching out to a world that desperately needs to be touched by God's love, and not just told about it. He makes the argument that, in our world today, there is absolutely no excuse to allow the things that go on...things like disease, hunger, criminal injustice, and the like. With the globalization of the world around us, we have, more than in any era in human history, the resources and power to literally wipe these things from the face of our planet. As Bono, of U2 fame, is quoted:

"We are the first generation that really can do something about the kind of "stupid" poverty that sees children dying of hunger in a world of plenty or mothers dying for lack of a 20-cent drug that we take for granted. We have the science, we have the resources, what we don't seem to have is the will."

Harsh words, I know. But I also know he's right. Although he touches on many instances in our world where there is a lack of social justice, Tom's main topic is the AIDS crisis in Africa. The statistics are there, and they're sobering, but what makes this book so compelling are the stories. I've always been a numbers kind of guy: logical, rational, calculated. Sure, the numbers here have an impact on me. It's hard to ignore a statement like: "Though the region (Africa) is home to just over 10 percent of the world's population, it contains more than 60 percent of all people living with HIV." But it's impossible to ignore the heart-breaking stories that he shares. Stories like Adanna's, who watched her parents and sister agonizingly wither away from AIDS and who, at just 10 years old, is now in charge of her younger siblings. Like most girls her age in this position (and there are many in Africa), Adanna, having exhausted all of her resources to provide food for her family, is left with the unimaginable choice to trade one last thing--sex. Unfortunately, this is a common theme throughout the stories in Tom's book.

But, scattered among them...there is also hope. Stories of hope from those who have already answered the call. Hope that we can make a difference. Hope that we will.

As I stated a few paragraphs ago, Tom's message is straightforward, simple, but also extremely hard-hitting. Consider the opening sentence:

"The Christian church owes an apology to the almost fifty million individuals in our world currently infected with HIV/AIDS."

Our apologies can't come in the form of words. Red Letters is a call to action. Will we mobilize together and share God's Love the way He intended for us to? Will we observe and follow Christ's words (hence the "Red Letters" allusion)? Or will we continue to live in our "comfort comas", not oblivious to the plight around us--for it can't really be ignored--but apathetic to it?

I know I've been challenged by this book to do more. That's a broad statement, I know, and while I don't believe God is necessarily calling me to Africa to do it, I do believe there are opportunities in my immediate vicinity to be His hands and feet. May I answer the call...

on John 10:2-4

Note: I'm currently reading through a 30-day devotional book called The Art Of Listening Prayer, by Seth Barnes. True to form for me, the 30 days so far have not been consecutive, but I'm trying! Anyway, through this devotional I'm learning more about what true conversation with God really is, and how to still ourselves to hear His Voice. It's not an easy thing for me--in fact, I confess that I'm struggling with the concept. As I wrote in my journal this morning, I understand the mechanics behind God's actual speaking, but I struggle with the trust and patience required to actually hear Him. Still, He is teaching me amazing things so far...and I'm recognizing that listening really is an art to be practiced.

This first post is an entry from my journal. I will follow with others as I am on this journey. As always, thanks for reading.


"...a shepherd enters through the gate. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they recognize his voice."

Sheep don't understand English (I don't think), so it's impossible for them to know what the shepherd is saying. So, how do they "recognize" his voice? They know the tone, the inflection, the volume, the accent of the one speaking. They know all this intimately from spending time with him. Out in the wilderness, with no one around, no distractions, no noise, the shepherd's voice becomes clear and loud. They can't help but listen. Through weeks, months, even years of listening to his voice, the sheep know their shepherd.

Although we may not always audibly "hear" God speak (in fact, this is a rare occasion), we recognize His voice--the tone, the inflection, the volume, the accent--by spending time with Him. Like anything, the more time we devote to this, the better we hear. Simple things, such as a gentle prodding, a "feeling", a stirring in our soul, even circumstances that align themselves in such a manner that we sense His shouting at us--these are all actually God speaking! And though we don't always hear the actual words, His voice leads us! The questions for me, for us is: Will we follow?

we're waterlogged...but fine

So, just a quick update from my post yesterday, since so many of you have been asking. We're fine, thankfully. The water is still high in many areas of Viera, but appears to be receding quite a bit in our neighborhood. Which is good, because it's back to work for me in the morning.

I remember not too long ago posting that I was almost hoping for a Hurricane to swing through, because I was looking forward to some time off of work. How foolish of me. Right about now (well, actually, a day or two ago) I am ready to get back to "normal" and see the sun again. This has been the strangest storm I've ever seen and has done more damage than any Hurricane I can remember (in our area, at least). So much rain...we're well over 20 inches.

Yep, I'm glad to see Fay truck on outta here.

As promised, here are a few pictures I snapped on one of my walks around the neighborhood. No, I didn't have a boat. Yes, I got wet.

on Tropical Storm Fay...

OK, Fay never made it to Hurricane status...but it sure as heck feels like it.

As most of you no doubt know by now, Tropical Storm and Pain-In-The-Rear Fay made landfall in SW Florida early Tuesday morning, then swept north-northeast across the state, where she plopped her drenching rain and gusty winds right on top of us. To say the last 36 hours or so have been an adventure would be putting it mildly. We've literally had constant rain and gusting wind since around noon on Tuesday, and, even though the storm is moving north at a raucous clip of 3 miles an hour, it shows little signs of letting up.

Currently our concern (with most of Brevard County) is flooding. Luckily I came home from work early this afternoon, or I would have never made it in the neighborhood. Not 2 hours after I walked through our front door, 2-3 feet of water covered our street...making it impossible to leave lest we stall the car out. I took a walk this afternoon (pictures soon, after I dry out) and found that we actually have it pretty good. Turns out there are many places in our immediate vicinity--meaning our exits--that are under waist-deep water. And, unfortunately, it looks like we're in for continuing rain tonight.

Which means we may seriously have to think about sandbagging the house and, somehow, evacuating. Ugh.

Hopefully I'll have more--and better--news in the morning. Stay tuned.

on Fay, the Lakeland Revival, and Fantasy Football...

As I write this, we’re keeping a wary eye to our south, where Tropical Storm (and soon to be Hurricane) Fay is churning across Cuba. At least that’s what the infidels want us to believe! Just kidding. Anyway, looks like we may have a windy, wet week ahead. I wouldn’t mind a day or two off work (if it’s paid, at least), so I’m not complaining too much. True to form, the media hype is already starting. The first three minutes of tonight's news included a story interviewing a family in Orlando who was cautiously boarding up. I mean, don't get me wrong--better to be safe than sorry--but let's not make this out to be another Katrina. And, of course, since I cleaned the garage out tonight in anticipation of storing the patio furniture in it so it won't blow around...there's no way that thing's coming anywhere near here.

On to a few other things:

- I would be remiss if I didn’t mention this item of news. If you didn’t read it earlier in my blog, I commented—pretty harshly, I might add—on the whole Lakeland thing. I’ll stand by my comments at the time, and just remind everyone that, along with a passion for the deep things of God comes great need—especially in this day and age—for discernment, as well. Whatever happens, though, Todd Bentley needs our prayers. A failed marriage is never good, and is against God’s will, so, no matter what my opinion is of the man, I am praying that he and his wife can reconcile.

- I’ve taken the plunge and joined two fantasy football leagues for the year. Actually, I hope to be in three, the third being a team in the new college version at CBS Sports, but I have to wait to see if there’s a spot available. Anyway, I tried this whole fantasy thing a few years ago, and failed miserably, probably because I just didn’t put any effort into it at all. This time around, I’m actually doing some research and getting informed. In fact, one of my teams is being built via live draft, so I’ll be chatting online with the other managers while putting it together. I’m actually excited about doing this, and we’ll see how it goes. As long as I don’t get stuck with any of the Dolphins’ quarterbacks, that is. Actually, Chad Henne looked pretty good tonight against the Jaguars (sorry, Scott). Oh, yeah, it’s the pre-season.

- I’m posting really late tonight because I stayed up to watch swimming in Beijing (Phelps’ record 8^th gold medal!) and then the first half of the Saddleback Civil Forum. I will most definitely be posting more about this event in the next couple of days. I was very intrigued by it, and, although I’ve only watched the first half so far, it has not disappointed one bit. In fact, I’m more impressed than I thought I would be. This is what we who are Evangelical Christians should be doing—dialoguing with and asking honest, open questions of our candidates and their opponents. I love how Rick Warren opened it up tonight:

“We believe in the separation of church and state, but we do not believe in the separation of faith and politics. We’ve got to learn to disagree without demonizing each other and we need to restore civility in our civil discourse…”

I couldn’t agree more, and I’m thrilled that a Christian leader is actually leading the way. Like I said, more on this soon.

- I can’t help but believe that Russia’s recent invasion of Georgia will hurt their National Championship, and maybe SEC Championship, hopes. Time for Mark Richt to rally the troops. Just kidding, Scott.

nice job, irs

So, here I am this lovely Monday morning sitting on hold with the IRS. So far it's been almost an hour. The reason for my call? I just want to chat. Well, not really. We still haven't received our "Economic Stimulus" check. Sure, we got the notice in the mail that it should be sent by July 4, but when the middle of July came and went, well, I made a call. Had to get on the phone early (they open at 7am) to just get in the queue, and got in after only 5 minutes. One of their helpful, cheerful agents (that was sarcastic, by the way) told me that the check was "hung up" but that it should be sent by the end of July. She had no other details other than that. I wondered at the time how she could have the information on the fact it was "hung up" but not know why, but, whatever, we needed the money, so just send it to me.

Anyway, here we sit on August 11 and nothing still. I don't need to tell most of you that, on a single income, a $1000+ check is a nice bonus and, in our case, we've been counting on it. Especially since they've told us to expect it. So, on the phone I sit.

Still waiting...

I'm struck by the irony that, had I been this late paying my taxes, the IRS would have been all over me...with interest and penalties, to boot. I wonder why it doesn't work the other way? Hmmm...

9:48am: Success! I'm on the phone with a very helpful and nice (seriously) Miss Blackledge, who says our delay is due to us owing, despite the fact we paid in full. It's a shame her position will be eliminated once Fair Tax is passed, but I digress. Supposedly she is "releasing" the hold on our check, and it should be here within two or three weeks. Sigh. We'll see.

At 10:02, my call is done. I miss the charming hold music.

random Saturday post...

No witty banter to start out today's post. Just a few thoughts on a Saturday morning:

- We managed to catch a few minutes of the Opening Ceremonies for the Olympics last night. For those of you who missed it, I really don't have words to describe it. It absolutely blew away any expectations I might have had and was absolutely spectacular and literally breathtaking (so I guess I DO have words to describe it). Seriously, if you have the chance and can find it on tape, watch it. We just watched the last 30 minutes or so, but were treated to the lighting of the Olympic cauldron--performed in one of the most impressive and awe-inspiring ways I could ever imagine--and the massive fireworks display. As they were closing for the night, though, NBC showed clips from earlier in the ceremony, and it made me disappointed that we had missed that part. Anyway, I flipped on the TV this morning to find the beach volleyball competition. Who knew? And further, who knew that Sweden had a beach volleyball team? Isn't that a bit like the Jamaicans having a bobsled team in the Winter Olympics? Oh, wait...

- College Football kicks off in a mere 3 weeks. Not a moment too soon, I say. My Cardinals are fading in both the NL Central and Wildcard races, so I need something else to focus on. Yes, I'm aware that the NFL preseason is here. And, true to form, I'll probably manage to watch the first 5 minutes of one televised game each week. But, I mean, honestly, does anyone watch one of these all the way through? Yeah, it's football...but, like the Arena league, it's heavily watered down. I can't believe there are actually betting lines on these games.

- Speaking of the NFL, I'm officially tired of Brett Favre. Sorry, I understand he wants to play again, but the fact is this whole mess he's put the Packers and their fans through has greatly tarnished his legacy. Yes, he's a Hall of Fame quarterback. But that doesn't give him license to hold people hostage and force his former team to make the kind of decision they had to this week (trading him to the J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets). Favre should have retired a Packer, on top of his game. Now he'll join a long line of players who, instead of walking off into the sunset, have been dragged from the game kicking and screaming. Don't want to retire? Fine. But don't say it, sit around until the week before training camp opens, and then change your mind. Have some integrity. Of course, the flip side of this is, to clear the way for Brett, Chad Pennington is now a Dolphin. So, um, I guess that's good. At least we now have a QB I've actually seen play.

- We are officially in a "relaunch" phase for our business. Many of you have heard us talk about Ameriplan before, but maybe not known fully what it is (probably because we've not shared enough about it). We're going to fix that in the coming weeks. I'm approaching this as if we were opening a "bricks and mortar" storefront--having a "Grand Opening", inviting everyone we know to check us out, marketing like crazy, etc. Bottom line is we've saved literally thousands of dollars using Ameriplan's great health and dental plans and we not only believe in the product, but the company, as well. I've been praying for a second income for some time now, and I really believe God is showing me that this could be it. Not only that, I truly believe this is the key to financial freedom for us. I will be starting a new blog in the coming days to offer information, share our stories, and keep my readers updated with Ameriplan and the healthcare industry in general. But for now, you can check out our websites here and here. If you have any questions, please let me know. You can always call or email...I'd be happy to talk to anyone more about the business and/or product!

California Vacation 2008: Days 7 and 8

We spent much of our morning on Tuesday sleeping in a bit, relaxing, and trying to repack for the flight home. As I said, after camping for three nights, it feels great to get into an air-conditioned room with a bed, and I know we all needed the sleep! Anyway, after a lazy morning we all took off for San Francisco. The plan was for Becki, Jacob, and I to return the rental car at the downtown location we rented from and meet Trevor, Heather, and the girls at Pier 39. On the map, this didn't look like too bad of a walk--maybe 1 or 2 miles at most. However, after dropping the car off, walking down the block, and turning the corner, we were met with 3 blocks of streets that had to be at least at 80-degree angles uphill! OK, I'm exaggerating about that last part, but not by much. We managed to claw our way to the top, though, and, thankfully, there was nothing but a gentle downward slope all the way to the Pier from there.

We saw quite a few interesting sights on our way. Seems we were making our way through Chinatown. Not the touristy Chinatown street, either, but a true Chinese neighborhood, complete with authentic sights, smells, and tastes. I think we were pretty pleased with ourselves for traveling "off the beaten path" and getting away from the tourist mindset. On a side note, I've never seen the words "Dim Sum" outside of so many shops in my life.

Anyway, we finally hooked up with the Peacocks and, after stopping by to visit the sea lions, had lunch at Boudin's Bakery, a famous sourdough bakery. After lunch we headed over to look at a couple of WWII ships--including the submarine, the USS Pamapnito, which Becki and I had toured previously--and then made our way into a huge hall full of old--and still working--amusement machines. Apparently this is some kind of exhibit they are showing off for a while, and you can play all of the old games. We had a lot of fun going up and down the aisles, stopping occasionally for a game of baseball or skeeball. All pretty interesting stuff. From there, we walked about a half mile to Ghiradelli Square and indulged ourselves in (what else?) plenty of chocolate.

At this point we were planning to visit Chinatown (the tourist version, anyway), but, being that it was already evening and we were pretty wiped out, we decided to head back to the hotel. This presented a slight challenge, though, as we were now car-free. So, while Trevor drove his family back to our hotel in Redwood City, we jumped on BART and took the train to San Francisco International Airport. Not more than 45 minutes later, Trevor very graciously picked us up and, after a late stop at the always delicious In 'n Out, we arrived back at our rooms, ready for bed.

Wednesday morning came pretty early, but thankfully we were completely packed up and ready to go, so we were able to grab a few minutes extra sleep before our 11am flight home. Our flights to Atlanta and then Orlando were pretty uneventful (yes, we had seat back entertainment for the long flight, but, alas, the live TV wasn't working. And, of course, they weren't about to offer us free movies!) except for early on, when we flew over Yosemite, which was suffering through a major forest fire just outside the park entrance. The rising smoke presented a stunning picture that Becki was able to snap, and it was really interesting to see this perspective from a place we had been in just a few days ago.

And that, as they say, is that. Our vacation is done for this year. We had a blast, as we always do in Northern California, and it was made all the more special by spending a lot more time with friends and family. Thanks for reading all about it. Hope I didn't bore you too much! Well, back to reality, I guess...

California Vacation 2008: Day 6

Monday was transition day, as we broke down our home (read: "tent") from the past three nights and made our way to the comfort of a hotel. Trevor and I jumped in the car and drove a few miles down to Santa Cruz to scope out on the internet a reasonably-priced hotel that would provide us with good accommodations and a fairly short drive to San Francisco International. This actually took longer than we thought, as we first had to find a wi-fi connection (apparently both McDonald's in town had never heard of the internet), and then pour through the many choices available. Finally we settled on a Days Inn in Redwood City. After heading back to the campsite and eating lunch, we drove the long, but scenic, way into town, got settled in and cleaned up (that first shower back always feels great!) and then turned right back around and headed back to Santa Cruz to meet the family for "Boardwalk Night".



The Santa Cruz Boardwalk is an amusement park built in the early 1900's. Of course, there have been lots of improvements made to it since then, but certain elements--like the carousel and the wooden roller coaster, for instance--still remain. It's really a pretty cool place, and Monday nights in summer are specially-priced events, where certain food items as well as attraction tickets can be bought for 75 cents. Because neither Becki or I wanted to ride the rides, we helped watch the kids, stuffed ourselves with boardwalk food, and tried to avoid the chilling winds off the ocean. Definitely a fun evening, but I had a bit of trouble staying awake on the drive back. The winding mountain roads didn't help that, either.


Final day of vacation coverage coming up soon...

California Vacation 2008: Days 3, 4, and 5

The middle part of our vacation represented the "meat" of why we came out here. Every year, Becki's family gathers together on the coast, just north of Santa Cruz (Swanton, CA, to be exact, although it's not really a town per se), for a family reunion. Outside of a potluck lunch on Saturday afternoon and a family church service on Sunday morning, there's no real schedule. Instead, we just hang out by the fire talking and visiting, or watch the kids try to catch crawdads in Big Creek, or munch on snacks, or catch up on reading, or...well, you get the picture. Pretty much just "hanging out". Of course, being in the beauty of a forest on the edge of the Pacific ocean helps give the "hanging out" part some real definition. Waking up each morning to the cool, brisk air, followed by the realization that there is no agenda except for being with family and friends is my idea of a great weekend.

As I said, there was actually not a lot to report from Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. A few random highlights, though:

- We detoured through Monterey on our way up the coast to the reunion. Not nearly as big of a deal as I thought it would be. I didn't get to see Pebble Beach golf course as I was hoping, and, to be honest, the whole place was a little too "touristy" for me. Still, I can cross it off my list now.

- The family had a blast meeting Jacob. That includes his younger-by-three-days cousin, Zachary. We had no shortage of babysitters for the weekend, either.

- Our friends Trevor and Heather Peacock and their two little girls, Hope and Gabriella, drove up from Los Angeles to hang out with us for a couple of days. We all camped out on Sunday night (and the Peacock's quickly made friends with the Voris clan) and then moved to a hotel in Redwood City for Monday and Tuesday nights. As I told Becki, I love camping out with her family. But that first night back in "civilization" (and particularly, that first shower) is great.

OK, here are a few pics:

California Vacation 2008: Day 2

When I planned today's visit to Yosemite National Park in my head, there were three things that I was anticipating that didn't actually happen:

1. An early start and a 10am or so entrance to the park.
2. Lots of hiking.
3. A sense of accomplishment, knowing that we had seen at least most of what we wanted to.

Because this is a vacation, we're not on a particular schedule for now, and, let's face it, these things happen, none of those things really happened. Oh, yeah, we were blown away with the awesome things we saw, but I definitely left the park this afternoon with a sense that there was much, much more to see. In fact, after only 5 minutes of driving through the front gate, I remarked to Becki that we needed to make plans to come back and stay for several days. The place is simply awe-inspiring and I have no idea how--or why--I didn't manage to see it up close and personal on so many trips out here. Rather than describe the awesome sights to you, I thought I'd share our views through the many pictures we took.

Special thanks go out to Jacob and Candace Tallmon, Becki's cousin and wife, who met us for lunch and proceeded to tour us around. Here are the highlights of what we saw:

1. Bridalveil Falls











2. El Capitan











3. Yosemite Falls











4. The Ahwanee Hotel








5. Half Dome









Our plans for Friday were to include getting up early and driving from Becki's aunt and uncle's house (where we bedded Thursday night), but, after the 2+ hour drive from the park to their house along winding mountain roads, we've rethought that plan and will instead head to the coast, where we'll do some sightseeing before gathering with Becki's family for their annual campout/reunion. Because we will most definitely be out of range of any kind of internet access until Monday, I will post then.

California Vacation 2008: Day 1

If I had room for a subtitle for this post, it would be: "You get what you pay for". Our vacation is not off to an incredibly rousing start thus far. Not that we're not enjoying being in California, mind you...it's just that, while this will be a great sightseeing and visiting trip, it will not really be a "relaxing and restful" time. As far as the subtitle goes, here it is, blow by blow:

4:00AM: As we're lugging suitcases, car seat, carry-ons, and baby to my parents car for the drive to the airport, we very quickly make the decision not to carry through with our afternoon plans of taking BART (San Francisco's version of the subway) from the airport downtown to pick up the rental car. We rented off site and saved $200...turned out to be a not-so-great move, as you'll see later.

5:23AM: After a short wait, we check in. Yep, as I feared, we're overweight on luggage. Luckily we're able to rearrange and avoid an $80 fee--just because we're a mere 4 pounds over.

7:00AM: The plane's supposed to be moving back from the gate now. No dice. Turns out it has a little something to do with the lightning and thunderstorms going on. We have to wait for the lightning to clear, another 35 minutes, before taking off. I officially start to worry about missing our connection in Atlanta.

9:30AM: My fears are confirmed. We run, but miss the plane by just a couple of minutes. Thankfully Delta does their best and re books us on a flight about two hours later. At least this gives us an opportunity to grab some breakfast and relax just a little.

1:15PM: We land in San Francisco. Given that we've nixed our previous transportation plans, we have to come up with new ones. Taxi? Limo? Hitching? We settle for one of the many "door-to-door shuttles", which encompasses $50 and a 45-minute ride. But it's pleasant enough and, in fact, we share the ride with a couple from Cocoa Beach.

2:12PM: We are dropped off at the Alamo office in downtown San Francisco. Here's where the fun begins. We walk in the office to find a line at least 30 deep, most of whom seem incapable of speaking English or--as it turns out--actually driving (I'm not kidding. I actually witnessed one of the attendants frantically teaching a French family how to put the car in gear and drive). After standing in this line for 30 minutes and not moving, I call the 1-800 number and complain. I'm told I should be able to use the "express counter" downstairs in the storage garage because I have a reservation. We trek down there (pulling luggage and Jacob with us) to find...uhhh, there is no "express counter". Nevertheless, the attendant working has pity on us and gets us set up in a Rav4 fairly quickly, which is a good thing, because Jacob's not happy, and letting everyone know it. After stealthily moving the SUV out of it's tightly packed parking space, we load up and head in the city. Where we realize we've forgotten a map. After a few turns, though, we find I80 West and head out of the hustle and bustle of the city. Lesson learned. After spending $50 on transportation, unnecessarily lugging all of our stuff, and wasting valuable time...well, I'll probably just go ahead and rent at the airport next time.

4:27PM: We make our first stop in Fairfield, where we zip into the Jelly Belly factory to load up on a few "Jelly Flops" for our eating pleasure.

5:08PM: Our first of what I hope will be a few stops at In and Out for delicious burgers and fries.

7:04PM: After a short stop for supplies at WalMart, we finally arrive at our destination for night one, Becki's friends Dave and Melanie Eastman. It feels great to finally stop moving for the day. We rest up for Yosemite tomorrow.

One rant for the day (besides the ones above): Because of the missed connection as outlined above, we got bumped to another flight later on. This meant we ended up being on a smaller plane, with far less amenities. Like leg room and entertainment. Keep in mind, from Orlando to Atlanta, we were on a newer plane with a bit more room and, more importantly, individual entertainment screens that included live TV. I have no idea why Delta decides to do this, but it makes no sense. Orlando to Atlanta: a mere 1 hour and 20 minute flight. Atlanta to San Francisco: almost 5 hours. Yeah, that's what we need on longer flights: less diversions from the fact we're crammed in like cattle for hours. And we pay for this privilege. Seriously, next time...we're driving.

on James 1:5-6

"If you need wisdom--if you want to know what God wants you to do--ask Him, and He will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking. But when you ask Him, be sure that you really expect Him to answer, for a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind."

If only I had this kind of faith.

James gives us a pretty uncomplicated blueprint for obtaining wisdom here. We simply have to ask. God not only wants us to, He expects us to.

That's the simple part, though. The hard part: listening. For me, really, I don't doubt that God will provide me with the answer(s) I need; I have doubt that I can still myself enough to hear His Voice. I'm the kind of person who surrounds himself with distractions--I'm sure you know someone like me!--that drown the silence and stillness out of my life.

Lately I've been getting more aggressive with the asking part. Those of you who are on our "Walton Family Update" email list (if you're not, and would like to be, I'd love to add you...just let me know) know this. We are getting in the habit of asking specific things from God, as opposed to broad general prayers that do nothing but fulfill the goal of "praying" itself. I wonder if God's not frustrated with those prayers? I wonder if He doesn't sit there going, "OK, yada, yada, yada...now, what is it you really need?" So, anyway, I've been trying this for a few weeks now, and, I have to say, I think it's working, if only in the sense that it's giving me a peace that He knows what's going on in our lives and what we need (as if He didn't already!). I suppose I need to have more faith and expect an answer, for instance, to our financial debts, either in the form of a pile of cash or a second source of income. I guess I should be anticipating our car problems being wiped out, either supernaturally, or by something as simple as someone showing up to fix them for us (which would be supernatural, too, now that I think of it). And that's the next part of the equation for me...first, expecting Him to speak and then listening to His voice.

I'm getting ready to dive into a 30-day journey about the listening part of it. The Art of Listening Prayer by Seth Barnes was provided to me free of charge to review if I agreed to post my findings on my blog...so, naturally, I will be. This is a book that explores the notion that prayer is not the boring monologue many of us make it, but is supposed to be a dynamic, interactive conversation with our Creator. The idea is we should be giving God the opportunity to speak to us, instead of drowning Him out with our words. On one hand, I must confess to being a bit nervous about starting this book. It relies heavily on two things I'm uncomfortable with: journaling and long stretches of silent meditation. On the other hand, it's precisely because I'm uncomfortable with those things that I'm excited about diving into this. I'm really pumped about abandoning my "uncomfortableness" and allowing God to do precisely what He wants to do with me. I have no idea what to expect, and I know I won't be able to lean on myself for support...but, after all, isn't that what faith is all about?

In the end, I hope to be more in line with both ends of the formula James provides us with for attaining wisdom. The asking part, I'm getting better at, day by day. The listening part...well, I've got a long way to go. But God's eager to meet me on the journey, I know that much.

a milestone...

So, I finally completed one of my long-time goals this week. For the past 18 months or so, I've been slowly but steadily reading through the entire Bible, and I finally finished that this week. This may not sound like a huge accomplishment, but I'm really proud of myself for sticking to my goal, as it's one I've started and given up on many times throughout my adult life.

I feel like I've been at a buffet while I've been doing this. You know, just picking and choosing, not really paying too much attention to content, but trying to make sure you get your money's worth by loading up your plate? I've tried to keep my eye on the goal of simply reading, with the understanding that I will go back and really dig into stuff later on. Every time I've come across a pasage I wanted to study further, I would note it with a post-it flag for further reflection later on. I've got dozens of said flags in my Bible right now. If you are a regular reader of my blog, you've seen posts on some of these passages already, and you should be prepared to see more in the future as I go back and study more.

If the past 18 months have been a buffet, the next few are going to feel like a gourmet meal! Seriously, I feel like, now that I've gotten a taste of everything on the table, I can take the time to go back and truly savor the "meat" of what I've been reading. I'm really, really looking forward to it...and also excited to share it with my readers.

random Sunday post...

I didn't even realize until this moment that I didn't do a Weekend Review this week, so I guess my work-week has been fairly busy. Sorry about that! Anyway, the July 4th weekend was a long one (a four-day stretch turned into a five-day one thanks to Jacob's hospital visit) and fairly dull. Not even fireworks. But we did get to hang out with our good friends Scott and Carmen Copeland on Saturday afternoon, which is always a blast and way too infrequent. Other than making sure Jacob was back to full strength, though, we didn't really do anything out of the ordinary.

So, here's just a few random things going on in my head right now:

- Is it cruel that I take perverse joy from this story? Seems the big Apple IPhone launch yesterday didn't go all that well. Poor techies. As pointed out by a brilliant comment on the linked article, these same people should have to stand in line for food--not a gourmet meal, but life-sustaining rice, for instance--in a third-world country for awhile to gain some perspective. We make some interesting choices in this country (which, I guess, is why our country is so great--diverse opinions. But, still...). As noted by one of my co-workers yesterday while we were watching this on the news, the local station briefly mentioned how foreclosures were at one of the highest rates ever for our state--and then cut to a good five minutes of coverage about the IPhone drivel. Hmmm...

- It's finally time for a new car for the Waltons. Quite frankly, I should have been looking around a few months ago. But necessity is the mother of all invention (and, I believe, action), so, with the catalytic converter finally puttering out on us on our 2000 Kia Sportage, along with no A/C and some battery problems on the 1997 Nissan Altima...well, I guess it's time. Luckily we shouldn't have to look too hard before our vacation in less than two weeks, as our parents have graciously allowed the use of their automobiles in the meantime. In fact, we'll probably sit on it until then. We'll be in the market for a used-but-solid car, one with not a ton of miles on it, and basics like A/C, a CD player, and (for Becki) tinted windows. My hope is to find something where we can simply sell both cars--even in the shape they're in--and turn right around to buy a new (for us) one. Any suggestions? Better yet, know anyone who wants to buy a couple of good, solid cars that need some work?? :)

- Speaking of vacation...it's right around the corner! We fly out on July 23. I'll be posting a few times out there (hopefully) and also putting some pictures up on Flickr, so check back if you're interested. We're spending a couple of days in Yosemite, heading over to the coast for Becki's family reunion, and capping off the week with some sightseeing in San Francisco with our good friends Trevor and Heather and their two girls. I always get real excited about this trip--we do it every couple of years--and this year is no exception. I'm especially looking forward to introducing our son to everyone, including his cousins, aunts, and uncles.

- I still can't believe it, but I watched Bowling for Columbine last night. I feel dumber for it, and I'm still not sure exactly what hypothesis Michael Moore was trying to make...except that, in almost every homicide case, the fault lies with someone other than the shooter. That includes the six-year-old boy in Michigan who shot and killed his classmate and who, Michael conveniently leaves out, had behavioral issues that included stabbing at least one other classmate and whose mother was a single woman who, because of financial difficulty, "had" to move her family in with her crack-dealing brother--who also happened to own a loaded gun. Oh, and in the case of Columbine, well...apparently it was all Kmart's fault for selling the ammunition in the first place. Please...
I will agree with him on one point, though...our news media definitely feeds the fire when it comes to gun violence in America. Of course, Michael's way of dealing with that isn't to ignore the media. Nope, he decides to go make a movie about it. Pot, meet kettle.