I am halfway through this experiment of counting blessings - or at least trying to acknowledge more blessings in my life - and the constant is always family. If nothing else, I am constantly reminded how blessed I am to have such an incredible family around me who love me despite my many faults, who don’t mind spending time with me, who love God and are seeking to grow in their faith. I have no idea why God has chosen to bless me in such an amazing way, but I am so grateful that he did. I can’t imagine three people being any more important to me than Sandy, Colby and Calli and I can’ imagine there ever being any others that I would want to spend so much time with. I am so proud of them and so blessed to be the husband and father of this family. If that were not enough, God has given me even more blessings, beyond them! I am a very blessed man!
Saturday, August 30, 2014
Monday, August 4, 2014
Blessing #463 to 490 - Time with Family is the Best!
463. Reading Claire’s “gifts” and being included in them
464. A wife who is so easy to live with, so easy to love, quick to forgive, quick to laugh, who listens to my grumbling without complaint, who keeps my life organized and frees me to be more involved than I should be. Not everyone has a spouse who makes life easier and better and few can say that marriage has been relatively, with fewer arguments than years of marriage, but I can and I am grateful. I don’t say it nearly enough, but Sandy is an incredible blessing in my life and she should be at least 500 of my 1000 blessings.
465. Leadership challenges, even when they are hurtful - they force me evaluate and re-evaluate what is important to me and reminds me of my own imperfections and weakness.
466. Frontline - a great pick-me-up after a couple of difficult days
467. The anticipation of possibilities - TheCommon.org
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
Submission
We throw around a lot of words and concepts in our Christian language that supposedly have significant meaning, unfortunately, they seldom carry much weight in the reality of how we live our lives. In the midst of a song with a chorus that moves our emotions, we sing passionately about many things that we seem to fully believe, but when the music stops, so does our passion. Or we track along with a sermon that tugs at our heart and we fully embrace the difficult things of faith, until we meet face to face with the difficult things of faith, and suddenly our embrace is more like a fleeting touch.
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
Filters
We all use filters. Filters do wonderful things. I am always grateful that my last gulp of coffee in the morning is free from the nasty crumbs of coffee grounds, thanks to a simple paper filter. I am grateful for the filters that keep my car running, that keep lint out of my clothes and keep the air from our heating systems cleaner.
All filters have two basic functions - to let the stuff we want pass through and to stop the stuff that we don’t want. Photographers use filters as well. Often their filters help the camera see things the same way our eyes see them. In that way the filter actually enhances reality, allowing us to see things the way they truly are rather than blindingly bright or tainted by certain colors. But photographic filters can also distort reality, to present it in a way that they artist wants it portrayed. The filters still function in the same two ways - allowing what the photographer wants to come through, but keeping out the light that is undesired - but that doesn’t always mean they make the final product more realistic, sometimes they are purposely unrealistic. Filters are used to create desired effects, not always to enhance reality.
Monday, July 14, 2014
Blessings #436 to 462
436. Pictures of Colby and Calli flourishing at Niños de Mexico and hearing stories of how their love for one another was expressed during the trip
437. Welcoming Calli home from Ninos de Mexico and listening to her, “I’m so tired...” turn into non-stop talking about the trip for more than two hours!
438. Tears of sadness/tears of joy
439. New children to sponsor - Brenda, Francisco, and Victor
440. Two days with longtime friends - making up for too much time apart
Monday, June 23, 2014
Blessings #401 to 435
401. The chance to watch Calli compete at the state track meet and get another PR - 9 feet!
402. An unexpected road trip with Sandy
403. Finding a tasty “hole-in-the-wall” place for lunch in an unfamiliar town
404. Excitement from colleagues, friends and family for Calli’s accomplishments
405. Being able to Skype with Colby while he is in Mexico
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Another Top 40 Seattle Trip - Blessings #387 to 400
Every year another 8th Grade Seattle trip serves up many blessings and reminds me why I do what I do - teach. This year was no different. It actually starts before the trip itself, even at the beginning of the year when I hear from students that one of their goals for the year is to make the cut for the trip (blessing #387). It is even better when I see it motivate them in their work in class (#388) and better still when I hear from parents that they are seeing the effort at home as well (#389). As the trip draws near, the anticipation of the students and their excitement to receive their invitation can be felt. One of the greatest moments is delivering the invitation (#390), especially to some who thought they might not make it (Parker and Ben #391).
Monday, May 19, 2014
Blessings #364 to 386
364. A visit from the in-laws
365. A silent auction fund raiser of the Niños team that far exceeded expectations, not just monetarily, but in people getting into the spirit of the event
366. Grandma & Calli’s pies
367. Calli overcoming 8’... and 8’7”!
368. Finding little victories, however small, in the drudgery of the day
369. Colleagues who actually don’t mind hearing my opinions or listening to my rants
370. Helping at track meets - watching current students and bumping into former students
371. Waking up with a migraine and realizing that it has been more than a month since my last one!
372. Having learned to cope with migraines when they come
373. Compact, foldable reading glasses
374. Having colleagues to laugh with while working at the track meet
375. Anytime a former students foes out of their way to say “hi” - it can change a bad day to a good day in a heartbeat
376. Being asked for counsel and/or an opinion on significant matters
377. A freshly mowed lawn
378. A few minutes to sit and relax on the deck in the sunshine
379. The opportunity to preach and to convict myself
380. Seeing possibilities and having a shared vision with Sandy for how they might be realized
381. A walk in Riverfront park on a beautiful evening
382. A fun round of golf
383. A weekend building a friendship
384. The excitement of others for the incredible kids that I am blessed to be a father to
385. Praying for my son, as an elder, with the whole church family, sending him off to Mexico
386. Looking forward to being a “great uncle” (and hopefully be great at being an uncle!)
Sunday, April 20, 2014
Blessings #333 to 363
333. Parent conferences where I can brag about the student to the parent
334. Productive staff meetings
335. An unintentional kick in the rear from a respected fellow teacher
336. Good conversations with colleagues about things other than work
337. Compliments from parents about my class and my teaching
338. Being able to give worthwhile advice
339. A potentially bumpy situation made smooth and learning a little about compassion in the process
340. Being back in touch with a high school classmate and hearing how God is at work in her life
341. Dinner made by Kyle
342. Receiving feedback that what I am doing makes a difference
343. A productive day working in the yard - a yard to work in and the time and health to do the work
344. Sunny spring skies
345. Walking Beka with Sandy
346. Running errands with Sandy
347. Relaxing morning coffee with Sandy
348. Any time and every moment I get to spend with Sandy
349. A rare lazy day
350. Sunday lunch with the family
351. The beginnings of a garden
352. A perfectly timed Spring Break that helps me return to work with a better attitude
353. Finding the last two and a half clock hours I need to renew my credential
354. Watching the Niños group grow into a team and having the opportunity to be a part of the process
355. Getting a ride home from work from my daughter
356. Iggy the Iguana - another connection to a student who will be graduating this year
357. Appreciated contributions in a committee
358. Having my Algebra class sing “Happy Birthday” to my mom
359. Watching Calli “PR” at a track meet and having the rain hold off long enough so she could
360. People who want to find creative ways to help the Niños short term mission team
361. Grading papers on the deck - if I have to do work at home, it is nice to be able to do it outside in the sunshine!
362. Switchfoot
363. An Easter meal with a group of Whitworth students not able to go home for the weekend
Sunday, March 30, 2014
Blessings #309 to 332
309. Watching Calli mature and grow in confidence in diverse ways
310. An encouraging result for Calli at DECA state competition
311. Fellow Elders who tolerate my rants
312. A new computer at work after an 8-month wait
313. Waves and “hello’s” shouted from cars as I monitor the crosswalks after school
314. Healing
315. The ability to still play basketball, albeit much slower and in much shorter spurts than I used to
316. Being able to interact with my students through sports and just have fun with them outside of the classroom
317. Shared commiseration - it is better than feeling alone in your frustrations
318. The winter thaw and signs of spring
319. Reading a scripture passage for the umpteenth time and still finding fresh meaning and application
320. Hearing others’ insight on scripture that bring out meaning I didn’t see on my own
321. Encouragement in the desert
322. A wife who understands me, loves me anyway
323. Hearing a song that expresses what I am feeling in a way that I never could
324. A dog that whose excitement is off the charts when family gets home
325. A letter from Ninos de Mexico letting us know that the child we have supported for 10 years is now moving out on her own!
326. The opportunity to begin supporting another child (or more) at Ninos de Mexico
327. The anticipation of the much needed Spring Break
328. Planning with my brothers
329. A generous brother-in-law willing to do us a great favor even in the midst of his crazy, busiest time of year
330. A larger than expected grant award for the annual 8th Grade Seattle Trip
331. A free day to wander and explore
332. A visit from an adopted son
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