During our trip to Europe, we spent 11 days in country. Overall it was 3 days in Germany, 1 day in Austria and 7 days in Switzerland. While there were lots of new things to see, one of the biggest things we noticed was how clean and simple things were!
We were outside hiking and enjoying the outdoors everyday and did not see any trash on the ground! I mean, there was so little trash that it began to be noticeable! There is only one reason why...people took responsibility to keep it that way. Why can't we as American's do the same thing? It would make our country so much nicer if people would keep it clean!
I suppose it can begin with me, so I pledge to keep my areas clean! How about you? You could view this as a way to honor God by working His creation, you could see it as a way to save the environment or other motives could be found. I think it' important to care for things under your influence.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Monday, September 7, 2009
Quick Review of Europe Trip!
12 days total. We departed Monday morning and arrived Tuesday morning in Frankfurt, Germany. Drove a few hours to a guest house in a country town. Crashed hard!!!! Day two was driving and staying in Austria, another guest house in a small ski area.
Day three, we arrived for a week in central Switzerland in the mountains surrounded by the most beautiful scenery. Glaciers and snow cover mountains towered across from our apartment. Day hikes and fun. Basic meals were beer, bread, cheese and Landjagers (like salami).
Final day was driving back to Germany to stay near the airport, then 24 hours of travel to be home. Amazing time and I will write more details about specific things in the days and weeks to come. This trip had a profound impact on me...I look foward to telling more stories!
Day three, we arrived for a week in central Switzerland in the mountains surrounded by the most beautiful scenery. Glaciers and snow cover mountains towered across from our apartment. Day hikes and fun. Basic meals were beer, bread, cheese and Landjagers (like salami).
Final day was driving back to Germany to stay near the airport, then 24 hours of travel to be home. Amazing time and I will write more details about specific things in the days and weeks to come. This trip had a profound impact on me...I look foward to telling more stories!
Sunday, August 16, 2009
My wife is a blast!
This is toward the end of our "shaving cream" war. Lori promised the kids that we would have one, so everyone got a $1 can of Barbasol and away we went. Can I just say that at nearly 40, I am thrilled that my wife still acts like a kid. Okay, perhaps I act a little childish as well, but she keeps me young and fun.
The kids can't wait til back to school next year. Another war is coming and we add another tradition to our family.
How suddenly things change
Lori and I watched the movie, "Knowing" yesterday. It was entertaining...at times a little far fetched, but I get the point. One of the things that struck me was the devastation and loss of life they portrayed in the film.
As we are concluding the movie, Lori gets a call from a friend who's father just suffered a massive aneurysm. It was crazy to think that her father may not survive, may not ever be conscious so that his daughter can say goodbye.
Wow! How quickly things change, so say the important stuff now!
As we are concluding the movie, Lori gets a call from a friend who's father just suffered a massive aneurysm. It was crazy to think that her father may not survive, may not ever be conscious so that his daughter can say goodbye.
Wow! How quickly things change, so say the important stuff now!
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Predictability and foolishness
If you "pay" or "give incentives" for behavior, you can get people to respond. Cash for Clunkers is a great example of payment for behavior.
In a poor economic climate Americans should not be borrowing to purchase new cars. I would guess that in most cases that people driving a "junker" received $4,500 dollars off the purchase of a new car and are NOW MAKING PAYMENTS FOR YEARS! Yes they have a new car, but more debt is not a good solution either. Look at the following example...
If we traded our 1999 Suburban in for a GMC Acadia, given our 10,000 mile yearly driving it would take of 32 years to break even. Financially it makes more sense to drive the "junker" that I own vs. the new car that I have to make payments on!
We can predict or manipulate behavior with incentives. We can pour billions of tax dollars into programs that sell cars and help the finance industry with car loans, but American are now paying both the taxes and the car payments. Sometimes I wonder I about the foolishness of our leaders and decision makers!
I don't have trouble with incentives, but cash for clunkers benefits who????
In a poor economic climate Americans should not be borrowing to purchase new cars. I would guess that in most cases that people driving a "junker" received $4,500 dollars off the purchase of a new car and are NOW MAKING PAYMENTS FOR YEARS! Yes they have a new car, but more debt is not a good solution either. Look at the following example...
If we traded our 1999 Suburban in for a GMC Acadia, given our 10,000 mile yearly driving it would take of 32 years to break even. Financially it makes more sense to drive the "junker" that I own vs. the new car that I have to make payments on!
We can predict or manipulate behavior with incentives. We can pour billions of tax dollars into programs that sell cars and help the finance industry with car loans, but American are now paying both the taxes and the car payments. Sometimes I wonder I about the foolishness of our leaders and decision makers!
I don't have trouble with incentives, but cash for clunkers benefits who????
Monday, August 3, 2009
Friends helping friends
So much in our life revolves around BUSYNESS. I know that you feel it just like I do! Sometimes when we slow down a little things happen that remind us about the good things in life worth celebrating.
Please take a moment and read this blog entry from a fellow staff member who is helping a mutual friend after a terrible fall. http://nehuskerfans.blogspot.com/2009/07/dan-barker.html
If you can sponsor Chris it would make a huge difference for Dan Barker! He is a walking miracle. Praise God!
Please take a moment and read this blog entry from a fellow staff member who is helping a mutual friend after a terrible fall. http://nehuskerfans.blogspot.com/2009/07/dan-barker.html
If you can sponsor Chris it would make a huge difference for Dan Barker! He is a walking miracle. Praise God!
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Talking Marriage
Lori and I made a trip to to Anthem, AZ yesterday to meet with a young couple getting married in November. It is so much fun to sit together and talk about what it takes to have a successful marriage.
It looks more like 4 friends talking in a pizza place, but we are all working on building a great marriage by speaking, listening and understanding this person we want to spend the rest of our lives with. So, we sit there discussing the future wedding and marriage for Megan and Sam and I think about Mr & Mrs Bailey who are separated by death after 65 years of marriage.
Knowing that death will separate all of us eventually, do we not get married? Do we not invest in the lives of others because there will be separation? NO! We need people and they need us, so we create friendships and maintain them, we make vows for a lifetime to a spouse and we work to keep them up to death. Unknown is the end of the story exactly, but I wouldn't choose anything different than living my life with Lori!
I love you Lori Coyne!
It looks more like 4 friends talking in a pizza place, but we are all working on building a great marriage by speaking, listening and understanding this person we want to spend the rest of our lives with. So, we sit there discussing the future wedding and marriage for Megan and Sam and I think about Mr & Mrs Bailey who are separated by death after 65 years of marriage.
Knowing that death will separate all of us eventually, do we not get married? Do we not invest in the lives of others because there will be separation? NO! We need people and they need us, so we create friendships and maintain them, we make vows for a lifetime to a spouse and we work to keep them up to death. Unknown is the end of the story exactly, but I wouldn't choose anything different than living my life with Lori!
I love you Lori Coyne!
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