Home Archive by category "Life" (Page 16)

Category: Life

Gotcha Day at the Zoo

Five years ago today – I got the phone call that forever changed my life, and MADE ME A DAD! Ever since, we’ve been celebrating “Gotcha Day” on April 1st – the day we GOT LUKE! So this year, we asked Luke what he would like to do, and he chose The Denver Zoo! It ended up being a treat because his next store neighbor friend was able to come along for the fun! But Luke loves gorillas, so we had to head over the Primate Area! I spotted two primates lurking right at the entrance to the area! They must have escaped from their cages! Oh No! In case you are wondering what a “Primate” is… here are some sample: First, some little primates… And even littler ones.. But finally, we got to the GORILLAS! Luke’s favorite non-domestic animal (he loves dogs) is Gorillas! He loves to play with them, had a t-shirt, discovered Gorilla snacks at the grocery store, and I’ve screened a few old-time King Kong YouTube videos for him! And of course, Casa Bonita here in Denver has a kid-friendly Gorilla he loves! I’ve even cued up the Gorilla sceen in Old Dogs for him –…

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Leadership Lesson from Mushing

Today was a VERY exciting day for my little boy! For he got to go MUSHING! It was an exciting day for ME, because I got to drive my family on a sled across the snowly plains with mountains on all sides of me! What a thrill it was indeed! Luke got to see some dogs, which he LOVES but can’t own due to daddy’s alergies (and no e-mails about allergy-proof dogs, we aren’t going there, been there, tried that!) Here’s proof that I LIKED the dogs, just ain’t gonna OWN one! But mushing was a BLAST! And being on the sled with my wife and son inside was a really cool feeling! (Quite literally too) I realize those dogs were in more control than me – but I since another guest DID wipe out (woman driver, ha!) there was some steering to it! And I was the only one that got to do some downhill driving, though it was mostly level the whole way. We never got over 15 MPH, but it was very windy and snowing, so not sure I’d want to go faster…. nah… I wish I could have, just not with the family on board! But…

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Got Building Plans?

Got some Kingdom Building Plans? I’ve got a bit of a sober warning and challenge for my fellow ministers today – one written in my personal online journal a few years ago that I’m publishing today. I pray some will consider it slowly and with an open heart. It was written by one who learned these lesson not easily! So it is written not preaching down – not side to side, and perhaps at the time it was written, broken looking up. OC writes,“These are days of tremendous enterprises, days when we are trying to work for God, and therein lies the snare. Profoundly speaking, we can never work for God.” Out of deep and sincere devotion to God we can make great effort to work for God, to assist Him in building the Kingdom, but our efforts are like a little boy with a toy hammer banging on the side of a sky scrapper. We may feel really powerful and important, but our efforts are silliness compared what God is doing and has already done. And to think that we can DO anything, is so wrong. “The men and women He is going to use in His mighty building…

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NO MORE Making Time for Family

I’ve made a decision, and by God’s grace and power, I’m sticking to it. Are you ready? Here it is: Never again am I going to make time for my family! That’s right. I am DONE making time for my family. No more. Never Again. I Quit. I’ve spent over ten years making time for my wife, and then when I became a dad I started making time for my son too. And I was totally wrong to do so! I have learned my lesson, and have made a personal commitment to never ever again make time for either of them. Have I lost my mind? No, quite to the contrary – I have finally found it! While I have always claimed to put family first – my proof was in all the time I “made” for them. The days off, the dates, the dinners, the vacations, the coming home for a meal, the night time feedings and play time on the floor… all the things I took a break from ministry to do. What?!?!? Did you just hear the insanity in that last sentence?! The “break from ministry” I took to “make” time for my family? I’m ashamed to…

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I Was a Corporate Spy, Really!

At the airport this morning I stopped at McDonald’s to get a healthy breakfast… O.K., to get something to eat while waiting for my flight to Oregon. After I got my food I commended the young employee for her excellent work. She looked  surprised. So I said, “Well, you completed all of the six steps flawlessly. Well, except for Step #, but I understand that one has been dropped. But to make up for it, you still did the Bag Principle – so I give you extra credit. When I was a McDonald’s Corporate Spy, I would have noted your name this store number from that plague over there and recommended a bonus for you in your next pay check.” The manager over heard me and came over and said I’ve always wanted to meet a McSpy and shook my hand. You see, when I was a McDonald’s employee I heard about this McSpook’s myself. I think I can confess I got to be a McSpook for awhile without killing anyone – since I was honorable discharged over twenty years ago. But let me back up. You might be wondering what the “Six Steps” are and the Bonus Bag Principle…

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