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!
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Alive!
As humans we feel alive when there is a rush of adrenaline or a milestone like the birth of a child. Sometimes we narrowly define "alive" with these types of concepts, but it's not always in the epic moments where we are alive!
I sit quietly on my back deck and hear about 4 or 5 different types of birds talking. I see butterflies, bees and flies moving through the air. On the ground there are many lizards and I have seen Javelina and deer in my yard last week.
Here's my point. Sometimes being alive means slowing down enough to see all that is alive around you! Life is not merely defined by what I experience! Life, as designed by God, is happening everywhere, sometimes it comes ALIVE to me when I sit and listen. Try it today!
I sit quietly on my back deck and hear about 4 or 5 different types of birds talking. I see butterflies, bees and flies moving through the air. On the ground there are many lizards and I have seen Javelina and deer in my yard last week.
Here's my point. Sometimes being alive means slowing down enough to see all that is alive around you! Life is not merely defined by what I experience! Life, as designed by God, is happening everywhere, sometimes it comes ALIVE to me when I sit and listen. Try it today!
Monday, July 27, 2009
4 weeks and counting
Four weeks from today, Lori and I plus two great friends travel to Phoenix and board a flight to Frankfurt, Germany. We will be in country for 12 days traveling to Austria and Switzerland.
I have never been to Europe, Lori made a trip in High School and our friends have been many times. We plan to hike a lot in Switzerland and travel the countryside. I am thrilled to be able to go on such a trip!
Our only concern at this point is leaving this kids for such a long time. They will be fine, so will we, it's just going to be hard to be apart. Guess that means we love each other!
I have never been to Europe, Lori made a trip in High School and our friends have been many times. We plan to hike a lot in Switzerland and travel the countryside. I am thrilled to be able to go on such a trip!
Our only concern at this point is leaving this kids for such a long time. They will be fine, so will we, it's just going to be hard to be apart. Guess that means we love each other!
Monday, July 6, 2009
Very cool quote
Jim Sinegal, Co-founder & CEO of Costco Wholesale made the following statement in a recent magazine interview. I thought it was very cool!
"If you're going to go to the trouble of hiring someone, it's because you can't do the job yourself- so you'd better show them how you would do it."
This concept never occurred to me because I am always trying to help people lead the way they are wired, however, there is wisdom in passing on how you do something as people assume those roles. Leading this way helps with the passing down of tradition!
"If you're going to go to the trouble of hiring someone, it's because you can't do the job yourself- so you'd better show them how you would do it."
This concept never occurred to me because I am always trying to help people lead the way they are wired, however, there is wisdom in passing on how you do something as people assume those roles. Leading this way helps with the passing down of tradition!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
"Oh no, I would never leave him"
This statement came from Mrs. Bailey. She was describing the final days of her husbands life. They are dear friends and have been married for 65 years this July.
We were discussing the long nights in the hospital and the lack of sleep, but when asked if she would come home and rest she said, "Oh no, I would never leave him". It wasn't an arrogant statement, it wasn't a guilty statement. Being with Kenny like that was just like being at home. There was no better place than WITH HIM!
While there is much more to the story, I am stopping here because all I need to know is found in her simple words. I look forward to growing old with you Lori!
We were discussing the long nights in the hospital and the lack of sleep, but when asked if she would come home and rest she said, "Oh no, I would never leave him". It wasn't an arrogant statement, it wasn't a guilty statement. Being with Kenny like that was just like being at home. There was no better place than WITH HIM!
While there is much more to the story, I am stopping here because all I need to know is found in her simple words. I look forward to growing old with you Lori!
Monday, June 29, 2009
Decisions, decisions
Lori and I were hiking yesterday morning. (Before I go any further, let me just say that my wife is amazing. She loves being outside and loves to exercise, I am lucky to have a woman like her in my life. I love you Lori.) Okay, so we were discussing a decision regarding a vehicles. We are going to buy a newer car for our family. After we decided to buy a newer car, we need to discuss the future of our current vehicles. Do we keep them both, sell one, give one away and many other thoughts?
What do we do? How do we decide? We pray and seek God for direction. Now I am beginning to think that Wisdom is earned through the process like we are going through. So, we will pray, talk and make the best choice we can. Hopefully, it's a wise choice that helps us, helps others and honors God.
What do we do? How do we decide? We pray and seek God for direction. Now I am beginning to think that Wisdom is earned through the process like we are going through. So, we will pray, talk and make the best choice we can. Hopefully, it's a wise choice that helps us, helps others and honors God.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Ephesians 2:11-15 says...
11Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called "uncircumcised" by those who call themselves "the circumcision" (that done in the body by the hands of men)— 12remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. 14For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations.
Verse 14 jumped off the pages to me yesterday. It says, "For he himself is our peace". Meaning that another part of Jesus' coming was to bring peace between those who are trying to follow God. Formerly it was the Israelites who were God's people and with Jesus' arrival that spread to "gentiles" as well and Jesus was bringing peace between both groups.
Is in any different today? There is different theology that helps people understand God better and sometimes those differences create a divide. Perhaps, we could hear these words and allow them to make a change in the divide of our relationships. Afterall, many people on both sides have the same goal to know and follow God.
11Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called "uncircumcised" by those who call themselves "the circumcision" (that done in the body by the hands of men)— 12remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. 14For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations.
Verse 14 jumped off the pages to me yesterday. It says, "For he himself is our peace". Meaning that another part of Jesus' coming was to bring peace between those who are trying to follow God. Formerly it was the Israelites who were God's people and with Jesus' arrival that spread to "gentiles" as well and Jesus was bringing peace between both groups.
Is in any different today? There is different theology that helps people understand God better and sometimes those differences create a divide. Perhaps, we could hear these words and allow them to make a change in the divide of our relationships. Afterall, many people on both sides have the same goal to know and follow God.
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