A Dog’s Perspective

We have a couple of dogs – an older one (Marilyn) and a younger one (Riley). The old one gave up chasing or barking at cars a long time ago. However, the younger one still keeps this ancient art.

The road we live on has the occasional car or truck ride by, but it’s not often. When a pickup or larger truck rides by, Riley sprints toward the road barking intently.

Don’t worry, we have one of those invisible fences that keeps Riley away from the road.

Riley chases the truck along the invisible fence, barking, until the truck has past our yard.

Dumb dog. When will you realize that you are wasting your time and energy. Learn from the older dog.

Recently we’ve noticed that Riley chases not only trucks, but also airplanes.

Yep, airplanes. Where we live, crop dusters fly low over us – close enough you can see the pilot, wave and he waves back.  

Riley hears the airplane coming, looks up, and chases it across the yard.

Again, dumb dog.

One day I had a thought that changed my perspective.

I wonder if Riley thinks that he is chasing away every truck that comes down the road and every airplane that flies over?

If so, he must feel pretty successful. Practically all vehicles that come down our road (that don’t live at Riley’s house) keep going by. Riley probably thinks it’s because of him. And we certainly haven’t had an airplane to stop.

If Riley does that – thinks he’s keeping trucks & airplanes away– I wonder if I do that. I wonder if you do that.

What do we try to control and that we think we control, but we really don’t?

I imagine that there are some days – from God’s perspective – that I look like Riley chasing an airplane.

How about you? 

Go fly a kite . . .

Yesterday was a great day.

Easter Sunday. Awesome time at church. We saw a lot people respond to the message of the empty tomb and receive real life from Jesus. That never gets old! We also saw lots of new people - our folks really invited their friends & family! Wow!

Spent some time in the afternoon talking with a young man that is fired up for the cause of Christ and his call to the ministry. That's always exciting and gets me pumped up!

Even had time to relax and fly a kite. Usually when you hear those words - go fly a kite - it is usually not a good thing, but yesterday it was great.

Spent some time hiding Easter eggs and finding them - something that I always enjoy with Katherine.

Even watched the end of the Masters to see Bubba Watson win in dramatic fashion!

How was your Easter?

Favorite Places . . .

This one of my favorite places to sit down with a cup of coffee and read. It's Muddy's Coffeehouse in Elizabeth City and it's one of those places where you can be a part of the conversation or get in your own world and read.

What is one of your favorite places? 

My View

Back in January, we did a sermon series as a church based on the book The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson. (If you haven't read it, read it. If you have read it, read it again!) Get it here.

During that series, many of us began praying circles around many different things in our lives. I challenged our folks to pray circles around our property - where we will soon build a new facility.


Anyway, this is my view today of where I stopped on the prayer circle for some time with God. What was your view today? 

Small Things

We have a Sears riding mower that we have had for about 10 years. It still works well, but looks a little rough. A couple of years ago, I noticed a crack in the hood and thought that I need to put some tape or glue on it to keep it from getting worse. But I didn’t. I just kept forgetting.

Well, last summer, I noticed that the lawnmower hood has completely come apart and was now on the ground in 7 pieces. I really wished that I had put that tape on there when it was just a small crack.

So we finished up mowing last summer with no hood on the riding mower. It worked, but it looked horrible. I don’t know if I would’ve felt any worse riding around town with a car with no hood.

Anyway, a few weeks ago I researched about getting a replacement hood. Guess how much one of those cost? $500. Dang! Not getting that.

So, I pulled a Jim Spaugh. I used to tease my dad about being the King of Duct Tape. But I’ve out done him – and he’s no longer around to see my great accomplishment.

Instead of getting a $500 hood replacement, I bought $10 of red duct tape and taped together my lawn mower hood. (Check it out below).

Lesson to be learned: make the decision to fix something while it is still small and take action on that decision.

This whole deal could’ve been avoided with one small piece of duct tape two years ago.

The same thing is true in other aspects of life. What small thing in your marriage, finances, relationship, spiritual life, habits . . . that needs attention that you are avoiding?

Did you know that if you continue to do nothing the issue will be bigger and more unsightly  - just like my lawn mower? 

Awesome!

While at Catalyst last week, I heard this song in instantly feel in love with it and can't get it out of my head. Be careful, it might stick in yours as well :) The song is Beautiful Things by Gungor.

Great Video

I went to Catalyst last week in Atlanta and they showed this Tripp and Tyler video featuring Chris Tomlin. I couldn't love and laugh at this more.

Sometimes you just have to . . .

Last week our family spent a few days at the Outer Banks of NC. We only live about 1.5 hours away, but we don't get down there as much as we'd like. In fact, we've only been over night at OBX a few times in the 11 years that we've been this close.

I'm one of those people that loves to play on the beach and play in the ocean but I am a little picky. I don't like getting all sandy and have to live being sandy for hours on end. I like to leave as much sand on the beach and not take it with me.

Also, when I play in the ocean, I don't like seaweed and sea creatures rubbing on my legs and I certainly don't want to see any sea creatures. If I do, I'm out. Something chewing, biting, stinging or stabbing me on a sneak attack is not my idea of fun.

So, our last day on the beach looked great. The water was warmer (it had been 57F) and the waves were bigger (which meant more fun!). One problem - jellyfish! I mean, loads of jellyfish. You couldn't look in the water and not see jellyfish. If you were walking down the beach, there were jellyfish on the shore like seashells. I'd never seen so many jellyfish.

It seemed that the cold water had killed most or all that we saw. So, what do you do? Perfect conditions, except for the jellyfish. That's a pretty big except in my book. Imagine putting five or six of those things in your bathtub and then getting in - yep, now you have the picture.

Believe it or not, we sucked it up, played scared and swam with the jellyfish. We had a blast! I mean, we had those things all over us. I don't know how many I stepped on (felt like stepping on a banana peel).

It might have been the most fun I've ever had. I imagine the adventure with the jellyfish added to it. However, we almost missed out because we were afraid. I wonder, how many great adventures we miss out on because we are afraid?

Now, before you go too far, we weren't stupid. We noticed that no one else was writhing in pain, so we assumed those things weren't stinging people. So we tested it. We went in shallow water, allowed them to bump into us and us not get stung, before we went out deeper.

We did end up with some 'tingly' sensations from time to time, but it was well worth it.

What about you? What are you missing out on because you are afraid?

Sometimes you just have to swim with jellyfish!

Playing Not to Lose

Found this post over at Pastor Steven Furtick's blog and thought it was great!

A phrase you hear all the time in sports is “playing not to lose.” This refers to a team who is either winning a game or is better than its opponent, but is so afraid of losing that instead of going for the win, they play it safe and simply don’t try to make any major mistakes. Not surprisingly these teams rarely amount to anything. They’ll win an occasional game, but not much more. And when they lose it’s usually in the final minutes of a game they could have easily put away much earlier. But now it’s too late to stage a comeback.

I think this attitude and mindset extends beyond the playing field. I would say that most people play not to lose. In other words, most of us live in such a way that our main focus is on not ruining our lives with some kind of a major failure.

Typically ruining your life is associated with a big decision that you make. You make it actively. Definitively. Maybe you do something completely stupid with your money and go bankrupt. Or maybe you have a major moral failure and devastate your personal life.

Most of us are so afraid of these things that we focus all of our energies on not doing them. And none of us should want to. We should be careful not to ruin the lives God has given us.

But there’s something that’s just as dangerous and more subtle that we should be just as afraid of. And that’s wasting our lives.

In fact, wasting your life has the potential to be more destructive because you don’t realize it’s happened until it’s too late. You wake up one day and your life is gone. You might still be able to make something of it, but you won’t be able to regain the time you’ve lost.

God hasn’t placed you on this earth for the sake of simply avoiding making mistakes. He put you here to do something. Something significant. Something lasting. The measure of your life isn’t in the mistakes you don’t make but in the measurable impact you leave.

The people who should be most afraid of ruining their lives are the ones who aren’t wasting them. They have the most to lose.

Cheerwine Krispy Kreme Doughnut

A little while ago I began hearing about a Cheerwine Krispy Kreme Doughnut. Since I was a kid, a Krispy Kreme Doughnut was a treat, and a Cheerwine (it's a soda) was a treat.

But to combine them - all I could think of was the greatness of what happened when chocolate and peanut butter was combined - the Reese's Peanut Butter Cup! So, I couldn't wait to try it!

Well, we don't live near a Krispy Kreme. So, last week when the kids and I went to my parents' in Winston-Salem (the home of Krispy Kreme), it was the big chance. We made a special point to go to Krispy Kreme - even loaded up mom & dad.

I really talked up this new doughnut, everyone was excited. We got into KK and was told that they don't sell them in the store yet, but you could get them at grocery stores. Whaa?

We got a couple of consolation doughnuts and headed to the grocery stores. Stopped by two on the way back to mom & dad's - sold out! Whaa?

Needless to say - I gave up for a few days. Today I had to go back to High Point for a meeting. Stopped in another KK, same story. Stopped in a couple of grocery stores. Same story. Crud!

I guess I just won't get to try that new doughnut . . . I'll back in the area next week, maybe better luck then.

I got back to Hertford - stopped by our Food Lion to get some apples and was walking down the milk aisle and guess what I saw - whaa? Cheerwine Krispy Kreme Doughnuts.

Yep. I drove all over the place looking for these things and they were at the grocery store closest to my house. Go figure.

Oh, yeah - if you like Cheerwine and you like Krispy Kreme Doughnuts . . . then this new doughnut is like the Reese's Peanut Butter Cup . . . awesome!

Vacation Week

This week must be vacation week for a lot of folks. Not for us, but for lots of other folks.

The crowd at church was off some Sunday, most of those not there were at the beach. At the Y this morning, nearly empty. We went to Target the other day in Chesapeake, nearly empty. The coffee shop this morning - just a few people.

So, it must be crowded somewhere. Probably crowded on vacation. That's fine. I can handle where I am not waiting in line. It's cool with me :-) Enjoy yourself!

Milestone

Today our little Hyundai reached 200,000 miles. Amy and I were on our way to our coffee shop for a little date.

I like milestones. This one shows that we have an older car (2003) that we have driven a lot (we've put all but 7 miles on it). That car has been paid off for years.

In fact, in May we purchased our first vehicle that we had the money to pay for in full (a 2005 Chevy Trailblazer 4WD). We've decided to save money and pay for stuff with cash. Yep, sounds weird. But, that's the way we roll.

Two Rights

Yesterday Katherine and I had some time together and went to the mall in Elizabeth City. We happened by a shoe store and Katherine found some shoes she really liked. Plus, they were on sale! "Sure, you can get them."

We pay for them, walk around a few other places at the mall, and then leave to go to my favorite coffee shop, Muddy's. On the way to Muddy's, Katherine decided to put on her new shoes. She put on the right shoe. Then got the other shoe, looked at it, and it was another right shoe. She looked at her right foot with the new shoe on, and said "Did I put the shoe on the wrong foot?" Nope, we had bought two right shoes. We laughed and laughed. Good times.

(We did go back and exchange a right for a left.)

Across the Stage

It's been a while since posting. It's not that there hasn't been anything going on - it's just that there's been so much that it's hard to slow down and put it into words at times.

Tomorrow night our oldest son graduates from High School. It's gonna be special. Amy is a member of the school board and will be on stage when he gets his diploma. Kendall is the valedictorian and will give a speech. Last Thursday at the Baccalaureate service, I was privileged to speak to the graduating seniors. It was fun. The local paper did an article about the whole family deal with this year's graduation.

I'm really proud of Kendall. I'm proud of what he has accomplished. I expected him to graduate from high school. But to be valedictorian, wow! We knew early on when we were homeschooling him that learning came easy to him. So, when he went to public school, we got him to skip a grade. The school folks weren't so sure. I guess it turned out ok :-)

I'm probably more proud of who he is. He is probably the most dependable person I know. If I ask him to do something, and I am relying of him for it to be done, it is good as done. I'm also finding that some things he can now do better than me. (don't let him know). Well done, son!

We've got a crowd coming to town beginning today for the big event tomorrow. If we're not careful, we could be a movie sequel to Chevy Chase's Christmas Vacation.

Driving by Feel

Have you ever been somewhere several times, don't exactly know the directions, but once you're en route you 'feel' your way there?

Usually when I try that, it doesn't work out so good. My 'feeler' is usually slow. That means I have to turn around several times, get irritated, and usually having to make a phone call to get real directions.

However, on Saturday, it worked perfectly. I was meeting my parents, my sister and my uncle at a family cemetery. It had been several years since I had been there. I was not exactly sure of all the turns and knew none of the road names. I headed in the right direction and went by 'feel'. Several landmarks had changed, but I didn't miss a turn. Cool!

Life is like that. We don't know all of the turns that we should make. We don't know all of the answers. We have to go by 'feel' sometimes. When I'm following Christ, that 'feel' isn't my good guess, but rather Christ's leading.

I don't know about you, but I'd rather be led that go on a guess. How about you?

Not Funny Any More!

I wrote earlier about our goats getting our paper. That day it was cute and kinda funny.

Not now. Those jokers are now going to our newspaper box, pulling out the paper, and eating it. The other day, we were watching for the paper, saw it delivered, grabbed a coat, and those goats got to the newspaper box before I could. Dang!

I don't mind them eating the paper, it's actually an easy way to recycle. Just let me read it first!

Race Weekend Highlights

This is the 4th year that my family has gone to Virginia Beach for the Shamrock races, so it has started to become somewhat of a tradition. In 2007, I ran in the 1/2 marathon. In 2008 and 2009 two other families joined us and the guys ran in the 8k.

This year, the three families returned. Danny, Todd and Corrie (her first!) ran in the 8k (5 miles). Amy and I ran in the half-marathon (13.1 miles). It was Amy's first! Here were some observations:

• Going to Olive Garden on Friday is definitely a tradition that I don't want to give up. I love going to OG, but going with a group of friends is awesome! It's also guilt-free - knowing that you can eat a lot and burn it off running in the race!
• Love staying on the ocean front where you can hear the ocean in your room and see the sunrise over the water.
• Reminded that I'm glad we don't live in an apartment. Loud neighbors at 3am would get old.
• It was fun watching Todd, Corrie and Danny run on Saturday. I hadn't watched many races since I'm usually in them - it was fun trying to find them in the crowd. It was also fun watching those that won the race - they basically sprinted the whole race.
• Saw the craziest thing - after the 8k, runners were stretching out so they wouldn't get stiff. One of the runners - a guy really in shape - was stretching while smoking a cigarette! No one was with him, so that meant that he carried his cigarettes with him for 5 miles. Crazy!
• Our race began Sunday morning at 7am. We left the hotel at 6:30 t0 walk to the start line. It was weird to be walking while it was still dark with thousands of others.
• Along the race course was several were water & Gatorade stops. There was even one place where people were handing out beer to runners.
• It was fun to hear folks yell out your name and cheer you on. (my name was on race # that I wore).
• After finishing the race, it is quite satisfying for the next few minutes to soak in the knowledge that 1). the run is over 2). I finished it 3). it's time to relax.

After showering and checking out of the hotel, Amy and I went back over the the festivities at the finish line. We got some Irish Stew, sat on the beach, and watched the marathoners finish. We were feeling pretty good about ourselves until we realized that those that were finishing running now had run twice as far as we did. Wow. What we had done was real tough - I can't imagine a marathon.

Who knows . . . maybe some day.

How'd You Do?

This weekend a group of us from church are headed to Virginia Beach to run in a couple of different races. Three will be running in the 8K race tomorrow morning. Amy and I will be running in the 1/2 marathon on Sunday morning.

The question "How'd You Do?" will be asked, and it will be referring to my race time, or how I felt, or if I finished.

The question actually goes back to many months ago when we started training for this distance. How we do in the race has to do with how well we trained. You can't make up for the lack of training.

For us - we expect to do well. We've trained well. We don't expect to be faster than we were when we trained. We expect to finish. And finish well. That's what we've trained for.

That's true in life, too. (Had to put that in there).

Now looking forward to eating at Olive Garden and spending time on the beach!

The Paper

Went out to get the paper earlier this morning and this is all that I found.

Crazy.

It's not unusual to be missing a section or even the whole paper, but to have only a chewed-off piece left was really weird.

I looked around and spied these two looking at me - hmmm . . .

Change of Routine

I know its been a while - I'm trying to get back in the routine of posting.

We're trying something new now at the church office. For years, we have worked in the office from Tuesday through Friday - with me having Mondays and Saturdays to be more flexible.

Starting today - we're in the office on Mondays - Thursdays. We'll try it and see how it works. Like a lot of things, it's an experiment. If it doesn't work, we'll change it.

One thing I already like - staff meeting on Monday. We get to celebrate the big things that happened over the weekend. Two of big things that we celebrated:

1) at the teen event on Friday - almost double the # of teens - WOW!

2) new folks at church again yesterday! One person drove over an

hour (one way) to be with us for the first time!

Great stuff is happening at Bagley Swamp! God is good!