Tis The Season

I am editing sound effects for Jacob Marley - chains rattling. Too much fun.

When I was in 5th grade, I was Bob Cratchitt At Littlerock Elementary's version of A Christmas Carol. It's fun now to see my daughter Syd in the same play, at the same school.

Deja Vu.

Haiku - Boulders, Rocks, Stones and Pebbles

Must take it out now!
I thought it was a boulder…
Pebble in my shoe.

This haiku is part of an online poetry project called One Deep Breath. The topic was Boulders, Rocks, Stones, and Pebbles. I try to go with the first thing that the topic brings to mind. It's funny how much a little thing can hurt!

My Dear Syd

Tonight was a special music night at Littlerock Elementary - the 4th grade was performing music to honor local veterans. My dear Sydney was part of the choir - she even had a solo!

She had felt a little nervous at home getting ready, and I could see that she was still feeling it at the show. So many parents! Waves of proud faces, eyes wide, knowing smiles, cameras and crying babies littered throughout this parental sea! And somehow Sydney is supposed to just sing out like she's at home...

Well, she did great! What a sweet voice. If you have kids, you know that at some point they begin to gravitate towards things, finds strengths, discovers loves and interests. I think Syd is discovering hers.

But I didn't need tonight to know that. Setting up all of her toys in concert fashion while she plays disco CD's and sings along was a big indicator. She is just too cool.

Haiku - Loneliness

My iPod guards me
Beats and sounds drown out my fears
Quickly fill the void

This haiku is part of an online poetry project called One Deep Breath. The topic was loneliness, and I was reminded that we mask loneliness in different ways.

Take My Luggage, Please!

So I am speaking at our church for three weeks on luggage; the teaching series is called "What About My Luggage: Unpacking Doubt, Guilt, & Control". From the feedback I got from last week, there are a few thoughts that many of us have floating in the back of our minds:

1. We have doubts packed away in our spiritual luggage
2. We do not feel like we can open our bags and ever let that be seen

I know there's several reasons for this (judgment, fear, how we will be viewed, etc.), and it stinks. But God is bigger than our doubts, and if we open our suitcases up, our doubts can become an invitation to know God in deeper ways.

So hey, as a pastor with some doubts of my own, it has been a real refreshing thing to study and speak on. If you want to download the audio, it's here. In a couple days I will talk about unpacking guilt. Ugh. Another thing that weights down our luggage.

I Love Thursdays...

Thursdays are just cool. It's my work-from-home day, accompanied by my endearing four year old sidekick Libby:

Then the rest of the kids come home from school. After we all eat dinner together, we take the Fab Four (our kids, not the Beatles) to a kids' Bible study down the street. From here, Kristy and I spend the evening in town together - usually conversation at Starbucks or a walk-through / talk-through of Costco.

After this, we pick up our kids and move on to bedtime (stories, songs, prayers, & hugs), and then Kristy and I bound upstairs to relax and catch The Office. Thursdays are great.

Haiku - Change

Excitement building
Now is the moment for change!
Or maybe Tuesday…

This haiku is part of an online poetry project called One Deep Breath. It's a real cool collaboration site with a weekly post to inspire haiku in response. Thanks, sis and Susan!

French Pressed...

So we were out of coffee filters today, and Kristy and I pulled out our french press.

Let me just tell you, I forgot how good a job a press does in pulling out the beauty of the bean. We're keeping this thing out.

I'm So Proud

My wife Kristy is a stud. Or studette, however the grammar works in a feminine form.

She is an amazing wife and friend, and the supreme mother of four. She works with children daily (Littlerock Elementary rules! Yes, I'm alumni...), and has love and strength for our four crazies at home. What a stud(ette, elle, etc.). And now, this.

I am Proud Of My Wife because she entered the Seattle Marathon for this fall. She is doing the half-marathon (13 miles), but hey, I get tired driving thirteen miles.

I think she is pretty amazing. Of course, I am not biased; this is basic fact. We all know this.

What Do I Call Him?

I love fall. We went out to Lattin's Cider Mill with the Myricks last weekend. Fresh fritters, hot apple cider, and lots of farm animals to check out! On the way home we picked up some pumpkins, ready for fall carvings...

Here's my carved pumpkin...




He needs a name. Maybe someone can help me out.

Can You Stop A Speeding Train?

I am not aware of any technology designed yet that could possibly slow down the growing up of children, but if it's out there... hey, let me know.

My wonderful sprite Libby got her first "big girl" haircut today - almost five years of baby locks gone.

She looks so old with her little blonde bob. I am of course, helpless now against her wiles. Dang DNA from her mom.

Back From Another Planet

It was a great trip. The atmosphere was a bit thin, but doable. There was some stuff to do, but you have to at least know some locals; tourism is pretty much discouraged.

The upside? The sunsets. The downside? No communication with the Earth. So it was nice in it's own way, but I think I should have sent about two dozen postcards by now. But hey, I'm back.