He turns 2 today.

Here is some of the fun captured on film.

I downloaded a couple photography apps, CameraBag and ColorSplash, for my iPhone. I’ve just been playing around so far, but I like the results. Maybe I’ll start a daily iPhone photo like Chad Wright.

Here are the highlights from the month of June 2009

• Got to visit with my Aunt Diane while she was in town
• Had a nice Father’s Day celebration with cookies for breakfast!
• Celebrated Christina’s and my birthday with dinner an Benihana’s
• Moved Concert Technologies to a newly purchased building
• Completed my 3rd class with UoP, keeping an A average
• Started my 4th class… Algebra
• Had the last class with my kindergartners in Kid’s Quest
• Had a budget meeting and discovered our expenses, even after things settle, will have increased about $500 per month after the move
• Managed to put $500 into savings to get it back up to $9,000
• Only 32 days till we leave for CO!!!!!

What makes a birthday so special? Sharing the joy with others!

Friday, June 26th, my beautiful bride turns 25.

And I need YOU to help me wish her a happy birthday. Feel free to share a memory, word of encouragement, a virtual spank, etc.

I’ll go first.

Christina,
Wow! Where did the time go?! I’ve known you now for twelve years. When I met you, you were the bubbly, blonde-orange-ish short haired girl to whom I gave rides to youth group. Today, you are a quarter of a century old, and more beautiful than ever (with lovely long brown hair, or course). Life has tried to pop some of your bubbles, but you keep afloat. We share more memories than could ever be recorded in a blog. You have grown, and continue to grow, into an amazing godly woman. I am encouraged by your desire for God to consume every part of your being and every aspect of your life. By the grace of God, I hope to see half a century, and even a century with you. Happy Birthday! You rock! :)

C’mon – we could blow her mind, or at least get her to shed a tear or two of joy.

Photo by Budslife “busy”

Who knew I would actually make use of those few years of self-induced leadership training? Funny how my informal schooling cost me a lot more than my formal schooling. Anyway… I’m getting to put into practice many of the lessons I learned from John Maxwell and other wise leaders.  I need to go back and read about teamwork, but here are somethings that I have observed from my first few learning team experiences in school.

A team needs:

• A leader
• A goal/mission
• Communication
• Cooperation

Without one of these key areas, the team can limp along, but it never reaches its full potential. My last two teams have been proof to me of this.

So, does work done in the context of a team equal teamwork even though most of it is done by one person?

photo by MandCo

Question:

What is your secret for getting out of bed each morning? Do you picture something in particular? Do you talk to yourself?

Sometimes I yell at myself like a drill sargeant. Sometimes I’m a lazy soldier.

So what do you do?

He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. – 2 Corinthians 12:9

I hope my dad doesn’t mind, but I’d like to ask your prayer for him. We (including the doctors) are about 99.9% sure he has Meniere’s Disease. The first signs of it started a couple years ago. For a while it seemed to go into remission. But now, it is back. He has an “episode” of vertigo almost once a week. As I write this, my parents are in Florida to celebrate their wedding anniversary, and my dad is in bed having to lie perfectly still so his world doesn’t go spinning. I’ve been wrestling in prayer for him, and I ask that you join me.

My dad is a strong man. I’m sure your dad is too. To young children, dads even seem invincible. However, when a “weakness” like this becomes apparent, it does not end there. Where our strength ends, the grace, strength, and power of God becomes more evident. And whether we are healed, or whether it remains a thorn in the flesh, we can continue to give glory to God by living well, suffering well, hoping well, serving well.

Happy anniversary to a strong godly man and the strong wife that loves and serves him “in sickness and in health.”

Several months ago, my mother-in-law asked if I would be interested in being entered for a scholarship to University of Phoenix. I gave it a serious, but brief, thought and answered yes. I mean, who wouldn’t want a scholarship, right? The essay was submitted, and we both forgot about it, not really expecting anything, but leaving it up to God.

Then the email came. I read it a couple times, trying to determine if it was spam or not. Then the reality hit along with a flood of emotions.

So… here I am 3 classes later and I am “fully matriculated” which sounds painful, but I assure you, it’s a good thing.

Go here to read the the profiles of the 30 people selected for this year’s Paying It Forward scholarship.  Keep an eye out in your local newspapers for any mentions as well.

This is Peter. He likes steak. He likes crackers. He likes to laugh. He likes to cause trouble. He likes to be chased. He likes to snuggle… just for a minute. He likes dogs. He likes trains.

And we like Peter