What's going on...

OK, so just a few "random" things:

1. I'm not really missing Facebook. Seriously. I'm kind of surprised, to be honest. There are times I want to "pop in" to see what's going on in everyone's life, but it's not really worth the drain it was creating, so I'm good. Besides, I can always ask Becki to let me know...you know, from HER Facebook. :)

2. Off to Blue Ridge on Thursday. Long weekend in the mountains = a more relaxed Walton family. I hope. Just looking forward to getting away for a couple of days. As always, thanks to our good friends the Scotts for the use of their cabin. Praying it won't rain...

3. Major changes going on at work. I won't go into a lot of details, but I am heading up a major, major project and my role will be changing pretty dramatically because of it. I'm excited about it; this will be a challenge, but I'm more than ready. I think back to where I was three years ago, and how different things are (in a good way) with my career now...I'm thankful everyday for being with Health First. I truly am blessed and love what I do!

Also, I've got a cold, and I'm tired. So off to bed. I'll be back next week with stories and pictures from the weekend in North Georgia!

Starting Fresh: Post Facebook...

OK...so hopefully some of you are here because you are following my cryptic posting on Facebook this evening. No, I'm not ditching FB forever. The truth is I find it an invaluable resource for touching base with many of you, as well as browsing through some of the neat (and, let's face it, sometimes mundane) things in your lives. But, being Lent...I've recently been challenged to break ties, even if it's temporarily, with something that I struggle with. And, yep, Facebook is one of 'em. I will go into greater detail over the coming days but, for now...welcome back, for those of you who have been here before, and welcome to those of you who haven't, and are curious. Hopefully my little corner of the Information Superhighway will provide a brief glimpse into my life.

life with Emily...

Hard to believe one week has already passed since our daughter, Emily Faye, was born.

OK, I lied. It actually seems quite a bit longer than that, honestly. I don't know if that's because time flies faster when you're having fun (which, yes, we are, for the most part!) or because my concept of a week gets shorter as I get older. Probably both. Either way, though, here we are at the one week mark. I thought I'd mark the occasion with a few random thoughts and lessons learned:

-Cabbage leaves have many uses. I learned that one in the hospital. Seems they use 'em in the Maternity wing. You'll have to Google it to find out why, though. This is, after all, a "family" blog.

-When it comes to sleep, quality beats quantity hands down. Unfortunately, I won't be able to fully test this theory out for, oh, I'd say 16 years or so, but you'll just have to trust me. The 5 hours a night I'm lucky to get in seems much more effective than the 8 or 9 I used to get. Plus, it provides hours of laughter when talking about sleep cycles with people. Them: "Boy, I just can't seem to sleep past 8am anymore." Me: "Bwahahaha!!" See?

-Saying the words "the kids" is really, really cool. It's really gratifying to have not just one but two munchkins totally relying on you for every basic need. Frustrating, frazzling, and just plain exhausting at times, yes. But completely humbling and awe-inspiring as well...which trumps the former emotions by a mile.

Welcome Emily Faye Walton!

For those of you who don't know yet, our daughter, Emily Faye, entered the world at 7:44am on Wednesday, May 27, 2009, via scheduled c-section. She weighed in at 6 pounds, 12 ounces (just 3 ounces lighter than what her big brother was) and 18 inches long. As you can see from the pictures, she also had a full head of dark hair. Contrary to Jacob's birth, which was a harrowing ordeal due to an emergency situation, this was a calm, ordered process, one that we both were able to fully participate in. It was an incredible blessing to be holding my wife's hand as we heard the first tiny cry from our daughter, and both of us were crying when we were able to see her. It was a joyous occasion and our whole stay here has been pleasant, if not relaxing. (Although Jacob is staying at Grandpa and Grandma Voris' house and, with the nurses help, we're actually able to get some pretty good rest in!)

Anyway, here are a few pictures (you can also see a small album on my Facebook page, for those of you so inclined).



I told Becki in the quiet after the initial "meet and greet" that followed all of the excitement of Emily's arrival that I had been nervous over the past few days and on into Wednesday morning, punctuating in a stream of relief as I saw and then held my daughter. We are so blessed already by having Jacob as our son that I honestly didn't think it could get better. In fact, I started going through scenarios in my mind: would she be healthy? What if she were "special needs"? What if something happened to Becki during the surgery? Of course, the answer to the first two (and, really, the last one, as well) is still--and always--that God is in control and I'm blessed anyway, But, as He so often does, God went above and beyond in giving me a perfectly created little girl, a healthy and beautiful wife, as well as an incredible son. I'm not usually at a loss for words, but, to be honest, I have none to explain the gratitude I feel toward my God for giving me all this. I only pray that I am up to the task of taking care of them.

Thank you, Lord!!

a quick update...

First, let me say that my creative juices have been flowing a lot more lately--I have a ton of things in my head that I want to write about and, in fact, I write whole posts up there--but I rarely have time to sit down and actually put pen to paper (or, in this case, finger to keyboard). Maybe I'll find more time for that sort of stuff in a couple of weeks, after Emily is born.


Yes, that was a joke.


Anyway, here is what's going on in the life of our family:


We're starting to settle in to our new home. As I wrote, it's significantly smaller than our previous residence, so there are definite unpacking and organizing challenges. We've resigned ourselves to just unpacking what we think we'll need for the next year and leaving the rest in boxes in the garage until we move into something larger. But the house is, for the most part, unpacked and livable. A lot of you are probably wondering why we made the move down here to (almost) Palm Bay. Simply put, it was hard to ignore a 5-minute commute to work. And, as I said...it's temporary. We fully expect to be in a new home next year at this time (whether that's in this area or not, we don't know).


T-minus 6 days and counting. Becki is scheduled to go in early next Wednesday morning (5/27) for her c-section that will give us our daughter, Emily Faye. It's really hard to believe that the time is here already and, although we're naturally a bit nervous about adding a new little one to our family, we're really excited, too! Everything is going great and we're as ready as we can be, I suppose. I'm sure I'll be sending out updates/pictures to those of you whose email addresses I have, as well as posting on here, so check back next week.


Still church-shopping. This is a whole lot tougher than I remember it being. I think we've come across one that we like, though, so we'll see. It's actually quite a commute (25 miles one-way), but some good friends of ours go there and we've really enjoyed the past couple of weeks. Bonus points for the Pastor remembering our names this past Sunday! I'm pretty desperate to get us plugged into a small group soon--I really miss that--but I don't want to jump head-first without checking things out thoroughly. Still, this place has some real potential and we've already identified some ways that we can contribute--something that is important to me.


Work is going well right now. We're severely understaffed, which can be bad (lots more to be done) or good (lots of overtime). As I mentioned a couple of posts back, I've been cross-promoted in the department to take on more of an admin role, which I'm really enjoying but is keeping me super busy. In fact, I've put in extra hours the past 3 weekends, and will be going in this weekend, too. I do love the fact that I have a job like that now, though. All that being said, I'm still keeping my eyes open for other opportunities. I don't remember who said it, but I love the quote, "The best time to look for a job is when you have a job." Becki and I are continuing to talk about where we believe the Lord may be leading us and, even though a move may be tough with 2 little ones, we're open to His leading.


Well, that's it for now. Obviously there's going to be a lot more going on next week at this time, so expect to hear from me then.

on searching for a church (to be continued)...

So, first of, for those of you who don't know...we've moved. Not far; just about 15 miles south of where we were, almost to Palm Bay. I never thought I'd ever be living in or near Palm Bay (indeed, I always assumed we were as far south as we'd ever go) but here we are. It's a nice place, albeit much smaller than our old house (which is now on the market), but MUCH closer to my current office. That in and of itself is a very nice thing for all of us. Anyway, at worst, this is temporary...we'll be making a more "permanent" move next year, depending on what God decides to do with us. For now, though, we needed to get into a place pretty quick before the baby comes in just 5 weeks. We've accomplished that, and now we get to unpack.

Anyway, this morning, we decided to venture out to a local megachurch (no, I won't be naming names. But I've always held this place in high regards because I love their pastor's teaching, the music is captivating, and their small groups are supposed to be top-notch). We've been shopping around for a church lately and, honestly, I thought this might be the one. However, things didn't go well this morning, and I left feeling frustrated and, to be honest, a bit angry. Here's how it went:

10:32 AM
We're greeted at the door by a woman whose sole purpose, it seems, is to make sure that visitors like ourselves feel "welcome". We're given a visitor's packet--complete with a sticker advertising the church that we're apparently supposed to place on our car--and immediately told that "we really encourage children to visit the children's department." Fine, but we want Jacob with us. But, you see, the pastor is preaching on sexual purity this morning and it may be sensitive. Uhhh...well, since my 14-month old son can't understand the difference right now between his "Baby Einstein" videos and "Debbie Does Dallas", I think we'll be fine. We're led to a "special" section for families with children.

10:47 AM
Two minutes into the service and we're packed in tight. Yet, I look behind us to see at least 7 empty rows of seats. Why does everyone feel the need to sit right by us?

10:56 AM
The music is good, and Jacob in particular is really enjoying it. But neither of us recognize the lyrics, which makes it hard to keep up with. And my sense of worship is really hindered by the two ladies behind me carrying on a conversation at normal levels. I turn to look at them, in hopes of helping them to be quiet, only to see that they're both wearing shirts advertising the kid's department.

11:08 AM
The pastor comes to pray and it's evident he's about to start his message (which I'm really looking forward to). It's at this point in any service that Jacob usually gets a little fussy, so Becki normally takes him out in the foyer where she can still listen to what's going on and allow him to run around, as well. I decide to accompany her today, and we make our way to the commons area, which is a large gathering area complete with information booths about various ministries, a bookstore, and even a cafe'. Plus several big-screen TV's sharing the live feed from the sanctuary. Here's where it gets really maddening for me. There are maybe 60 or so tables in this area. Every one of these is either taken or, apparently, reserved, as evidenced by the many bibles stacked on them. I look over to the cafe' to see a line of about 40 people, all of whom are ordering food. Almost no one in this area is paying attention to what's going on on the TV's; it seems their purpose is simply to socialize. Yet, we were told by "Greeter Lady" earlier that this is where we need to come if we want to watch the service and not have Jacob be a distraction. I missed the part, I guess, where she told us we'd need to stand to do it, and hope to hear over the noise going on. So, needless to say, at...

11:11 AM
We get in the car and leave.

OK, here's the deal. I know that all of this stuff is put into place by this church as a ministry. And, run effectively, I'm sure it helps. But there's a danger in it, too, and I think we saw that this morning. Simply put, this place is too big for it's own good. There's no personal touch (and, yes, I know that's what the small group infrastructure is for). And, from my first impression, at least, they've forgotten what their purpose for having a worship service is. It seems they're trying way too hard to make sure that everyone is comfortable, catered to, and feeling like they're in a "non-churchy" environment. So much so that they actually are in a "non-churchy" environment. Which is, in this case, not a good thing.

Look, I'm all for cutting edge. I'm all for casual. And I think we as Christians do need to loosen up somewhat and meet those who are seeking more at their level.

But, in doing so, as I said, there's a danger. We sometimes can make the mistake of trying so hard to be casual that we become irreverent, and forget that there should be a sense of awe and reverence associated with the worship of our God. It's easy to get so wrapped up in "cutting edge" that we miss the fact that the point is to actually have a sense of traditional worship...an attitude that gets us away from the fast-paced, media-driven world around us and forces us into utter honesty and honor of our Lord.

When, for instance, did it become common for a food court to be bustling about while the pastor is praying, as I saw this morning?

Anyway, one thing I nailed down this morning...I definitely want to be part of a smaller congregation. One that doesn't try to impress with the food court, or multimedia, or "shock and awe" (as I like to call it), but that is more interested in meeting the needs of the people in the name of God's love.

I'll keep you posted on how that goes...

on death and missing my Mema...

My Mema passed away this week. She was 88, and had lived about as full a life as most anyone can, I guess, when she went Home on Thursday, April 9. She’d been in declining health for the past few years; not unexpected at that age. But she didn’t complain about it, at least not to anyone I know. The end came when she entered the hospital late last month after falling and breaking her hip. She got progressively and steadily worse, leading to the decision to have her placed in Hospice care on Saturday morning, where she slipped away as peacefully as anyone can just a few days later, with most of her family by her side and rejoicing in her bolting from the pain that was holding her back from the arms of Jesus, my Papa (who preceded her by almost 20 years), her son, Clinton, sisters, Ide and Carolyn, and a host of others who no doubt welcomed her with shouts of joy and encompassing embraces.

I’ve not had to go through this journey for many years—as I said, Mema’s husband, who we lovingly referred to as Papa, passed away 20 years ago this June. So, naturally, I’m looking back at that experience as an 18-year old fresh High School graduate and comparing it to my thoughts and feelings now, as a 38-year old husband and father. And I think that there is a stark contrast evident between these two experiences that neatly parallels my growth both as a man and as a child of God:

1. Of course, the most striking difference between then and now is my role as a husband and a father. Yes, I’m “older and wiser”, but, make no mistake about it, having Becki and Jacob by my side in situations like this make a world of difference. I can’t say I would be more outwardly emotional, because I believe that’s how God made me, but it sure does give me comfort to have my family with me in times of need.


2. My faith is stronger, much more practical, and plays a deeper role not only in my everyday life, but, naturally, in situations like these. This enables me to look past the “now” to the future that God’s promised us to spend eternity with Him. In this respect, I have a much clearer picture of how death, even though we view it as a final, painful thing, is actually a beautiful transition into Real Life. It’s difficult to explain this to people—even my closest friends and family—but, getting past the sad realization that I have to wait to see them, I rejoice that those who have passed away are actually much, much better off than I. This gives me great comfort and hope, and, to be honest, it’s difficult to mourn much at that point.


3.There’s something comforting, too, about knowing that a spouse is being reunited with their soul mate in Heaven. 20 years ago, when Papa left us, it was painful to look at Mema, knowing that her best friend and lover would no longer be here to comfort, protect, and care for her. In fact, I remember hearing her tell him one night as she held his hand as he lay in the hospital bed in those last days, “Who’s going to hold my hand when I go through this?” (Naturally, and thankfully, my family took this role for him when it came her time). Anyway, in this case, I picture Mema being comforted and even excited about the prospect of seeing her Jim Bob again, along, of course, with Jesus.

I write all of this to flesh out ideas I’ve had for a long time about why I show so little emotion at times like this. Don’t get me wrong—I have my moments. And, I’m sure when Monday comes and we celebrate my Grandmother’s life before placing her body at rest for the final time, I’ll be shedding a few tears. But as I sit here typing this, it’s difficult for me to feel tragically sad, knowing Where my Mema is and Who she’s with. I’ve been accused of being unemotional and cold, even uncaring. The truth, though, is that I recognize that she’s in a much better place than any of us and, for that, we should be thrilled.

I will miss you, Mema, though…for the brief time we’re apart. Enjoy golfing and fishing with Papa, Clinton, and Jesus. Don’t forget to meet your sisters to “sit a spell” on your bench swing, just like out back in the yard. I love you!

Walton family update...

Hi to all my faithful readers! I'm truly sorry that I haven't jumped on here for more than a month now; as you'll see in a minute, there's lots going on in our lives at the moment and, while my own apathy had something to do with my blogging absence, there's no denying that I've been pretty busy, too.

Anyway, time for a quick update on all things Walton. Read on...

--Jacob is growing into a little boy! It's hard to believe that just a few months ago he was just finding his way to crawling around the floor; now he's confidently walking all over the house, and is starting to jog a little, too. The cutest part about this is he accompanies his walking excursions with some pretty entertaining conversation, most of which we have a hard time understanding. I'm certain that it's an engaging, entertaining, and intelligent discussion to him, though! He's learning more and more about the world around him, and is communicating more effectively with us everyday. For instance, he knows several signs (although "milk" has turned into "whatever is in my sippy cup") and shakes his head "no" when we try and give him something he doesn't want. We were blessed, due to a good friend's generosity, to take him on his first trip to Disney World this past Monday and it was a great day. He particularly enjoyed the Tiki bird show and the fireworks, but also seemed to enjoy Small World and Nemo, too. Even though it was a marathon day that left us pretty tired (got there at 9am and didn't leave until almost 11pm), it was really a lot of fun and well worth it.

--Becki and I are doing well. Becki is, besides a few normal pregnancy issues, feeling fine and everything is on track to meet our Emily Faye on May 25. She looks fantastic; I often have a hard time remembering she's pregnant, other than the fact she looks like she swallowed a basketball! The rigors of being a pregnant mother to a 14-month old sometimes frazzle her (heck, me, too!), but she's a fantastic mom and I know we're both really looking forward to having all four of us together soon. As for me, I've just recently been given a raise at work, along with a "redistribution" of responsibilities. While not a promotion, it will allow me to work on some projects and areas I've been wanting to get my hands into for a while now, so I'm very excited about that.

--We're moving. No, not far. But, still...we've been in our house for almost six years and it's been a real blessing to be here, so this is going to be kind of difficult for us. The owners, who have been really gracious to allow us to live here for as long as we have, have decided to put the house up for sale, so we're in the market again. We're looking to stay in the Suntree/Viera/Rockledge area, but are also considering a move south to Melbourne or even Palm Bay. The big advantage there is it would drastically cut my commute down to just a few minutes, as opposed to about an hour round-trip right now. Anyway, we looked at a very promising place this past week, and have a few more to look at this week. We'll make a decision by the end of the week and hopefully be moved by the end of the first weekend in April. We will, of course, keep you all updated.

That's all for our updates right now. I'll make a point of posting another one when we get moved and settled. Until then, please keep checking back here and, hopefully, I'll have slipped another musing or two in for your reading pleasure!!

on "Daily Bread"...

Recently I've had occasion to revisit--several times, I might add, through my own quiet times of reflection, or a word from a blog I follow, or even in a sermon I heard; God things, all--the prayer that Jesus models for us in His Olivet Discourse (more popularly known as the Sermon on the Mount). I'm sure most of you are familiar with the words He spoke in Matthew:

"Our Father in Heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one."

The words I've been focusing on lately are the seven simple ones He prays in the prayer's only real physical request: "Give us this day our daily bread."

What I've been focusing on is just what, exactly, constitutes "daily bread". I've always found that part of His prayer interesting. He asks us not to look ahead to tomorrow, or focus on yesterday, but trust our Father to provide us what we need for sustenance for today. As evidence of this, Jesus tells us further on in His teaching, just a few verses later, where He tells us not to store up treasures here on earth, but in heaven, and not to worry about daily provisions...as our Heavenly Father will provide those to us as we have need.

I think this whole bit about trusting in God to provide for us on a daily basis is played out beautifully in Exodus. God's provision of literal "daily bread" in the form of manna is simple and yet powerful. The Israelites were told, with one exception, not to take any more than they needed for that day. Were they to take any more than this allotment, the leftovers would spoil and they'd have to toss it--probably at the risk of embarrassing themselves to their neighbors, friends, and family. It was an important lesson in trusting that God would provide for today, and do the same thing tomorrow.

I say all of this to let you know that I've really been taking Jesus' words here to heart, especially lately. Many of you know that we are in fairly significant financial debt. It's getting better, really--we're working very hard on whittling it down--but, the truth is, we're probably saddled with quite a few payments to creditors for several years, at the very least. It's not a fun situation to be in. Quite honestly, there are times when I wonder whether this burden will every be lifted. It's a demoralizing, depressing, embarrassing function of my financial immaturity. But I digress.

It's at these times that I have to force myself to take stock of all that God's given me. This includes the obvious material blessings (and they are many, despite my sinful desire for wanting more), as well as things I don't often stop to think of, such as family, friends, a job, my health...honestly, this list could go on and on, and that alone is evidence of God's grace in my life! And although I tend to think of the Lord's provision stretching into tomorrow and next week, and the years to come, I, like His children in the desert, need to recognize the bread that He's provided for me today.

It's hard, I admit. But I'm learning every time my mind wanders to the balance I owe for a particular debt, to simply thank God for the daily bread he's provided me with in the form of our bills being current. When I start to worry over whether we'll ever have the finances necessary to buy a home, or send the kids to college, or retire, I whisper, "Thank You, Lord, for my daily bread!", knowing that there's money in our checking account. Knowing that the God of all creation has it taken care of, to the point where I don't have to worry about our daily needs.

God promises us that, when we ask Him to, He will provide us what we need to make it through today. In so doing, He provides hope for tomorrow. And the next day. And the day after. The key, I'm discovering, is to keep our eyes focused on the blessings He provides for us today. Everything after that is already in His hand...which we'll discover tomorrow. And the day after. And the day after that...

a few thoughts from the weekend...

Let me say first that I've got a ton of great ideas in my head that I would love to get on paper (or, in this case, on the keyboard). What I'm lacking right now is time. So, if you are a faithful reader of my blog, thanks, and rest assured I will be musing away with some pretty meaningful stuff soon.

For now, though, here are a few things left over from this past weekend:

--Jacob will be having a little sister in May! For those of you who may not have heard yet, we actually announced this last weekend (1/25) at Jacob's first birthday party. Emily Faye Walton will join us in just a few short months! We couldn't be more thrilled at God's grace toward our family and are really looking forward to holding our newest little one!

--The Super Bowl turned out to be pretty good, huh? We got together at a friend's house and grilled out. It was a fun night. I was planning on only staying through halftime--when I thought the game would be a blowout--but, of course, ended up staying to watch the dramatic finish. Very, very good game, and highly entertaining. That's two years in a row now.

--Apartment prices have skyrocketed since we lived in one. We stopped by a new complex in Rockledge on Saturday, just to look (no, we're not planning on moving!). Granted, it was a "luxury" complex, with gated entrance, fitness center, et al, but, wow!! $950 for an 800sf 1BR/1BA. By the time you get to a 3/2, you may as well take out a mortgage. The most spacious place they had was an admittedly large 2000+ sf 3/2 with garage but, at over $1700 a month...well, I think you can get a lot of house for that. And these were all "special" prices--this week only, according to the woman who showed us around. Becki asked me later what I thought that meant. Simple. Those prices are only good for this week. Next week, though...they'll "extend" the deal.

--I'm becoming a bit of a data geek. Figured I may as well hone my current job skills, which involve a lot of data analysis and reporting, so that when the next job comes along I'll be a genius at it. I've been stuck at "intermediate" level for a while when it comes to Excel, and never really delved into Access. So, I'm cracking the books open and diving into teaching myself both of those. So far, actually, I'm enjoying it. Pocket protector to follow...

ditching the idiot box...

We reached sort of a watershed moment in our house last week. A point that will hopefully serve as a turning point in our lives and will provide us with more purpose, more life, and more creativeness as individuals and as a family.

We got rid of our satellite TV service.

Now, before I go on, I should mention that we have not physically removed our TVs from the house. I honestly toyed with this quite a bit and decided that was slightly too radical for right now. In fact, we went ahead and bought a new digital TV converter box and hooked that up, so we'll still be receiving "over the air" broadcast signals. (And just a note here--I am really amazed at how clear the picture is, even with our old rabbit ear antenna. Almost all the major networks come in and, once we save up for and buy a multi-directional antenna, we should easily receive upwards of 30 channels very clearly, and, best of all, free of charge!) What's happened is we've now become more intentional about what we watch and how much of it we expose ourselves to. It is, honestly, a nice feeling to not "worry" about missing a show anymore. Funny how you don't really miss it when it's not there anymore.

We'd been praying and thinking about doing this for quite a while now, for two reasons: One, it's going to be nice having an extra $70 in our budget every month. Two, it's going to be even nicer to not be slave to mindless drivel nearly as much. I say that because, yes, there are a few shows we still like to watch and will plan to catch when we can (although I will definitely miss the convenience of the DVR. Turns out they used to make these things called "VCRs" that may work OK for that purpose, though!). But one of the things that bothered me about having literally hundreds of channels to choose from was I could easily, at any point, drop what I was doing, plop myself on the couch, and "channel surf" to my heart's content. And I found myself doing that often. It was way too easy to unplug from the world around me, in other words--and I'm at a point in my life where I definitely need to be plugged in and purposeful with my time. I guess I'm admitting here that I'm weak in this area, and needed to cut it from my life. And I don't mind telling you I don't have a problem with that.

Case in point: I found myself last month watching some show on MTV--you'll remember them;they used to show music videos?--and, about 10 minutes into this pathetic excuse for entertainment, I literally shook myself awake, verbally asked myself what I was doing, and clicked the "off" button. It had gotten that bad--I could no longer keep myself accountable and, therefore, couldn't justify the expense, both in money and time, that my television watching habits garnered.

So, an era ends. Personally, after just a few days, I'm loving it. I look forward to spending our time as a family finding other avenues of entertainment and growing together instead of letting mindless media dictate that for us.

At least until football season... (just kidding!)

Happy Birthday, Jacob!!

Hard to believe it's been 365 days since we were introduced to our adorable, wonderful son, but it has! I clearly remember meeting him for the very first time, feeding him formula as his Mom recovered, holding him in my arms, and then the sheer elation I experienced as I handed him to Becki and to finally be together as a family. All wonderful memories that come flooding back one year later. I also remember thinking how tiny he was, and that I would never want him to grow up, but that we had plenty of time for all that.

And, yet, here we are at the milestone of his first birthday. I'm afraid to blink, lest I miss his first words (which, I'm convinced, will either be "Gators" or "moose"!), his first "real" steps, potty training, his first fishing experience, his first date, or graduating college!

Wow, does time fly... Son, when you read this someday, I want you to know how profoundly you've changed the lives of your mother and I. We are so proud of you and count each minute we are allowed to spend with you as sheer joy. You have brought us such an incredibly wide range of emotions over your first year...from unbridled happiness to unmitigated worry and, yes, even sheer terror (though you won't remember your first ambulance ride, I'll always have it burned into my brain; ask me about it later!). You are truly a gift from the Lord above and I am absolutely humbled to be your Dad.

Happy First Birthday, Son!

To my own Dad: I don't say it often enough, but this year has taught me what an incredible father and person you are, and I love you very much. To have this experience gives me the utmost respect and adulation for you, and I pray that I can be half the father you were for me. Thank you for providing a shining example for me to follow as I raise my own son...and soon to be children!

on vacation and prayer

We're on vacation this week. We rented a gorgeous mountain home in Blue Ridge, GA for our parents and my sister and we're enjoying the cold weather (and hopefully a little snow!), the "rustic/luxury" cabin, good food, and a lot of fun. Weird how a week can seem so long when you start your Monday off in an office, but so short when you're in this environment--I'm already mourning Saturday, when we have to leave.

On the way here, we were privileged to spend a couple of days with our good friends Scott and Carmen Copeland. Scott is one of my best friends and, although we never seem to talk all that much throughout the year, when we are able to get together every 12 months or so, we pick up right where we left off and have a blast!

Anyway, Scott joined the staff of Brookwood Baptist Church in Lawrenceville, GA recently, so, naturally, we tagged along on Sunday morning. Scott did his normal bang-up job of leading us in worship and then the pastor, Dean, gave one of the more simplistic yet thought-provoking messages I've heard in a long time.

Dean really challenged his congregation with the premise that, in order to be the community God had called them to be and, most importantly, make an impact on their surroundings, there were several things that needed to be paramount in not only the individual lives of the congregation, but the corporate entity, as well. To be honest (and Dean, if you're reading this, I apologize!), I forgot what the others were. But his last point was the sharpest and, at least for me, thought-provoking. Simply put, Dean felt (and I wholeheartedly agree here) that what was missing in their congregation was prayer. Communication with God.

Why is it that churches push programs and money and resources but seem to fall woefully short when it comes to the basic premise of communicating with the very One who sustains them? For that matter, why do those of us who claim to know Him intimately? Understand that I am implicating myself here, as well.

Pastor Dean shared several practical and powerful illustrations from the Bible on Sunday that pointed directly to the awesome impact of the saints' perseverance in the simple act of prayer. He talked of how Peter's companions, in Acts 12, "prayed very earnestly" and were rewarded greatly when he showed up miraculously at their door. He pointed out the incredible fact that Jesus, before He began His ministry here on earth, spent 40 days and nights seeking His Father in prayer. Remember that this is God Himself illustrating the importance of humble obedience in this area--I mean, if God not only says it, but practices it, how much more should we? Finally, Dean, of course, led us to Ephesians 6, where we are told to "pray at all times and on every occasion in the power of the Holy Spirit. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all Christians everywhere."

Finally, and probably most emotionally--at least for me--we were treated to a video story of a modern-day miracle of prayer named Danny Velasco. I present a similar story here, for your viewing pleasure. An incredible story of a man who was dying, a woman who prayed, and, because of her faithful prayer, a God who saved:



As I was listening to all of this on Sunday morning, I wondered why we don't take prayer much more seriously. And I wondered if it's because we simply lack the faith that God still answers prayers miraculously. I also wondered what would happen if we knew that the Thing we were praying for would happen. Would we clamor to hit our knees far more often? I think the answer is obvious. And, yet, God DOES promise to hear us and answer. He is faithful.

We look to so many things other than the power of prayer to change our world for Christ. May we be constantly reminded, on a daily basis, of the powerful, life-changing, awesome impact of the simplicity of communication with the One who created and sustained us. It is in this communication that we experience the miraculousness of His Power in our ordinary lives.

National Champions

Hey guys...as a couple of you have reminded me (and, seriously, thanks...), I have not blogged at all this week. Truth be told, I've been sick with a cold and we've been scrambling to try and get stuff done for our vacation this week, so spare time has been at a bare minimum lately.

But I did want to take a minute to say how proud I am to be a Florida Gator tonight! 2008 National Champions. Second in the last three years. It was a heck of a battle with the Oklahoma Sooners tonight, but we managed to pull out a 24-14 victory and I couldn't be more thrilled!

Just wanted to say that, as always, it's Great To Be A Florida Gator!!!

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...