Home Archive by category "Spiritual Growth" (Page 23)

Category: Spiritual Growth

Newest Mom on the Block!

Today is Mother’s Day – and it is a very special one, since it is my wife Sara’s FIRST Mother’s Day as a Mom! Now, a lot of people tease me because I put more pictures of me and Luke on my blog than I do of Sara and Luke…. Well, I could just say it’s my blog, and she can get her own blog if she wants to, but the truth is that first of all, there is an extensive approval process required for me to post pictures of Sara on my blog! Plus, many of pictures of Luke include me because Sara is a great photographer and is quicker at grabbin’ the camera. Though, I will admit, that another factor is that I do hog the kid a bit, so when we are both home, it is more common to see me with the baby than Sara since she gets him all day when I’m at work. (Unless, of course, there is a dirty diaper, then she will be more likely to be with him!) Anyway, since it is Mother’s Day, I will risk posting a few pictures of the newest mom in our home without prior approval…..…

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On being a father….

Oh yeah…. being a DAD is the best thing in the world. (Oh, just let me gush.) I’ve waited twelve years to gush. Longer, in fact. I’ve wanted to be a dad since I was a boy myself. My dad was so much fun I often thought, “Someday I’ll get to BE THE DAD and how cool will that be!” Well, it is, and I know I’m only in the early stages. But that smile that appears when I enter the room, those eyes that follow me around the house, even up the stairs to the balcony on the second floor, those little hands that clutch mine, those legs that kick sporatically when I make him laugh….. oh, yeah. It’s all good. Yeah, sure, there’s that little rear end that needs wipin’ every now and then, but then, that’s what mommies are for, right? (JUST KIDDING!) I’m sure I’m just the 156,295,905,283,004th Christian dad to make this discovery, but being a Dad teaches me so much about my heavenly Abba Father…. Luke only cries when he is hungry, poopy, or in need of sleep. He craves love and attention from his parents and is eager to learn and interact with…

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Awana Remember 2006!

Last Tuesday evening was our Awana Finale! And what a finale it was! I think it was one of the best we ever did. (and we’ve had some great ones!) But this year we had the clubs enter to some cool music after bursting through a banner with their club name. Sparks ran in to the theme of the Incredibles, Boys Club to the Chicago Bulls anthem, Girls Club to the Summon the Heros Olympic theme, and the JV Krew a funky “Get Ready for This” techno theme. Then we added a bunch of other fun music intros to everything, like theme to Ferris Buler’s Day Off when I came up (Oh Yyyyyeah) and Hail to the Cheif when the Senior Pastor came up to pray. We even had Pirates of the Caribean battle theme when our special speaker came out to give the message after the Pirates Who Don’t Read Anything Toybox tale. (A Pirate known as Long John Underwear, who prefered to go by just Long John!) Anyway, it was a GREAT night! When I sit back and daydream about the year, here are a few of the memories that drift through my mind’s eye…. WATER NIGHT! FUN…

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Order of the Ancient NOW ON AMAZON!

Be the FIRST (or 2nd or 3rd or…) to review the Order of the Ancient on Amazon.com! I’m excited to have my novel on Amazon.com to hopefully increase the sales and expand the market. If you haven’t heard of it, or seen the book’s website, be sure to see www.orderoftheancient.com! We continue to pray that this novel would have a profound impact on the spiritual development of every kid who reads it – and yet many adults have said it made a huge impact on them too! Seriously, those of you out there who have read and liked the book, I’d really appreciate some positive reviews on Amazon to help sell the book! THANKS!

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A Movie on the Ceiling?!?

Last weekend was our annual Girls Club Overniter. I get to come for the game time, movie and bedtime story before heading home. Nothing more cute than a bunch of kids running around in their PJ’s. Speed Stacking in Slippers? If you know Speed Stacks, we did a fun game I made up to fit the girls. Three tables – one for Queens, one for Princesses, and one for Maidens. (two girls at each) And then a looooong table with Stacks for Peasants who are in line to enter the castle. At each of the royal tables are two Speed Stack timing mats. On “GO” the royal girls compete. The peasants practise. The winner at each table moves up a table in rank, but winning Queen retains her throne, and the losing girl goes down a table. The losing Maiden goes to the end of the Peasant line and the first Peasant comes up to the Maiden table. It was fun as they all tried to become Queen and then defend their throne. One girl won ten rounds as Queen and was a good sport when I picked her up and took her to the end of the Peasant table…

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Clintons in town? (and a self-made man!)

I have always LOVED downtown Chicago. When I moved here in 1985 (i think) I fell in love with the city. While I liked in the south ‘burbs’ I longed to live in the city. When I finished my last day of high school the immediate next day I moved on campus at Moody Bible Institute with a grounds crew job to get me downtown. I had a ton of different jobs during my four awesome years in college. I valet parked for Ed Debevic’s among other Lettuce Entertain You restaurants. (Some of the best in Chicago!) Worked as the house magician at several restaurants including the Rock n’ Roll McDonald’s which was recently rebuilt. (Several of the other restaurants are now out of business, hopefully not the magician’s fault! D.B. Kaplin’s in Water Tower, Kenny’s Ribs on Rush, Boogie’s Dinner in the Bloomingdale’s Building, to name a few) Original Rock n’ Roll McDonald’s where I was the ‘house magician’ for several years while at MBI. The new Rock n’ Roll McDonald’s without a magician but still able to make your money disappear selling the same McFood for twice the price. :) Lame pic of my office buidling then, but…

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