Teaching My Son About Liberty

This was the first Memorial Day I got to hang the American Flag with my son’s help and explain to him the meaning of “Memory Day.” He asked very thoughtful questions like, “Why do we celebrate when none of our family has died?” and “Why would people die for us when they don’t even know us?” Then we stood and recited the Pledge to the American Flag which he as learned at school. We surprised me by asking me to explain it phrase by phrase – and my tears surprised even me as I explained in language a five year old could understand: “I pledge Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America…” “Luke, that means that while we love all nations and God created all nations, I am feel blessed and proud to be an American and live in this country because of how wonderful it is – and this flag is the symbol of this nation. A symbol is something that stands for something – just like you recognize cars by their symbols, people recognize our nation by this flag at world-wide sporting events, on rocket ships, and even by the flag on the moon that…

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Home from Yosemite Summit

Yosemite Summit Guys 2011 This isn’t the “Official” report – I have thousands of photos (and video clips) to sort through and a highlight video to create for that – BUT I wanted to at least let y’all know I made it back alive and we had another great UNconference in Yosemite National Park! Despite some negative weather forecasts, we had actually perhaps the best weather of all four years – maybe tied with year #1, though that was a bit warm, so I think the best weather of all four years for hiking. That was fantastic! Just for fun, Pat arrived a day early to help me shop for all the food. Here he is at Costco in Sacramento: BEFORE: AFTER: And that is even before the Super Wal-Mart trip for the stuff Costco doesn’t sell! It takes a lot to feed a lodge full of hungry hikers! (And we eat well!) Soon we were all gathered and ready to head to Yosemite… all but one Californian who was meeting up with us farther South. Soon we were off! It was a great four hour drive getting to know each other, and the guys had absolute trust in my…

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Why Yosemite Summit?

Every year when Yosemite Summit rolls around, I am never ready for it. And that is exactly why I do it. I have projects that are not where I want them. Deadlines I’m behind on, so many to do’s unchecked they are overwhelming at times, countless more items floating in my head that need to get on a to do list. Even more dreams and ideas of things I’d like to do. The reality is, I’ll never be “ready” for a week off of work to just relax, refresh, renew and re-create. I am too driven by my life Mission and Calling. But I am also driven by disappointment. We all have this ideal in our mind and hearts of the way life is supposed to be – and when life turns out differently and we don’t get want we want (the core of sin is selfishness) we bury it in busyness, and as Christians we can bury it in Christian service and “Godly” busyness – whereas the rest the world may attempt to hide it in entertainment, the accumulation of power, wealth or pleasure – if not outright debauchery. (Some do seek to redeem it through a life well…

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Proof of Evolution Discovered!

I got to spend some time yesterday with family and friends in two of my favorite places in Colorado – Castlewood Canyon State Park, and Garden of the God. (I leave the ‘s’ off, there is only one God.) Little did I know the surprise that would await me and rock my Faith! But first, some pictures! I worship through my camera, so allow me to post a few pictures. A few more are on my facebook page. (If you send me a friend invite, include a short personal note, or I will ignore it due to spam.) I just can’t get enough of God’s creative art in the mountains and trees that He has created! And I love seeing my little boy fall in love with Creation! These rocks fell and caught here years ago… a sample of God’s sense of humor! I love watching these climbers… tempted to join them, but… well, I won’t. We saw this cave and it beckoned… So we climbed up into it! That’s my boy! Here he is again! One of my favorite spots to shoot every time I go to Garden of the God(s). It on a popular route and everyone walks…

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Seek and Ye Shall Find…

So how do Daddy and Son survive in the store when Mommy is shopping forever? Why, we play hide n seek, of course! I love hunting for my son, and I love how his giggles give him away, or how he is oblivious with his feet sticking out. And I love the look of pure joy on his face and how it lights up when I find him! We both hide from Mommy every night at bedtime, and it’s a challenge to find a new stop where a grown man and a boy can hide from Mommy, but we do pretty good, and while sometimes she plays along, sometimes we fool her pretty good. The goal is always to hear, “That was a good one!” But the truth is, there aren’t too many places to hide a little boy, and he’s pretty easy to find if you look. That’s the nice thing about our Heavenly Father too. God has good things for us, and if we are willing to look, He hides them pretty easy too. After all, didn’t He say, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”…

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