Be Still

For our anniversary this year, Connie and I decided to take a weekend getaway to Kelleys Island. We had gone there last year and stayed in a bed and breakfast there which was great so I decided to make reservations there again. Unfortunately, I was a little late in doing so, so we got one of their smaller rooms which did not have its own bathroom.

When we arrived, we were surprised to see that the room not only was smaller, but the bed was too (It was a double bed!). Some of you may be wondering why this is a big deal. Well, I'm 6' 8" tall so I was going to be hanging off the bed more than normal.

In any event, we tried not to focus on that and to just enjoy each other and the island. Well, that is exactly what we did. We had an awesome time and even were able to sleep a bit though we weren't as comfortable as we would have liked. It truly was a fantastic, relaxing weekend!

We both realized that we need to carve out more time out of our hectic schedules to be with each other. We also recognized that we need to do the same with God.

Be still and know that I am God.

Psalm 46:10

Re-entry

We returned from our incredible vacation early Friday morning. It was very enjoyable with some great family time and some quality relaxation time. This was the first time we had ever returned from a trip with a three day buffer like this. Normally we would return on a Saturday or Sunday night with the workweek staring us right in the face. This has made my re-entry most enjoyable (or at least not as painful as normal).

I was able to catch up on some things in the office on Friday as well as get unpacked and sort through the mail. That allowed us to relax a bit on Saturday and Sunday and enjoy the incredible weather we are experiencing. I told Connie last night that we need to schedule trips with a three day buffer at the end all the time.

Because this buffer, or margin existed for me, this reduced my stress level considerably. This just serves as a reminder that I need to look for ways to add this same margin into my schedule every day as well!

Family Time

I'm in Virginia this week at an incredible resort with my family. To be honest, none of us were overly excited about this place for some reason. I'm not sure why. Some of us (my daughters) were hoping for a beach. Some for relaxation (my wife and I). From what we could tell on the resort's website, this looked like it offered neither.

However, we were pleasantly surprised. This place is awesome. We have been able to relax and even get some time at the pool with a couple of beautiful days this weekend. All around us is beauty. Mountains, trees, wildlife. In fact, this evening, we were sitting on our balcony which overlooks a ski run that is under construction when we noticed a mother deer and her three fawns.

We quickly made our way out to the ski slope to see them more closely and hopefully get some close-up pictures. We were able to do that and I even got the above shot of my daughter Molly trying to "fit in" with the deer so they wouldn't notice us. It didn't work too well but it did give us a laugh.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoy your week as my posts will probably be pretty sparse in the coming week.

R & R

I wanted to let you know that I will not be posting anything next week as I am taking a week off for R&R...not even checking emails...totally unplugged (which is a big stretch for me!). So, please check back the week of April 6th!

Take care!

Sabbath

One of my goals in 2009 is to do a much better job of practicing a Sabbath. I have known for a long time that it is one of the 10 commandments, yet, I haven't taken it very seriously. After all, I have lots of stuff to do!

I am starting to look at it a little differently, thanks to God's whispers (and sometimes shouts) in my ear. I am beginning to see a day of rest as a gift to me from God. When I don't take advantage of that and accept that gift, I will be less effective the rest of my week. I will actually be robbing myself.

Yesterday, I had a day of rest and, while it was a bit awkward at first (I was still looking for things to do from time to time), I thoroughly enjoyed it. I do feel more refreshed and ready to take on this week. Thanks God!

"Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy."

Exodus 20:8-11

Christmas Stress Management

I asked someone yesterday if they were ready for Christmas and they replied with a sigh and grumbled, "I just can't wait till it's all over!"

That's sad; however, I think a lot of people feel the same way. It seems that we have turned Christmas into a bunch of "to dos" instead of a celebration of the birth of our Savior.

I just received this video link in an email that might help you to de-stress. So, if you are feeling a little frazzled, this might just be what you need. Or, if you live around me, your landscape is covered in ice so this video may be what you need to remind you that warm weather will be here before you know it. Click here and enjoy!

Smile, Part II

I had an amazing day yesterday...but a very busy one. I got home and had a bunch of stuff to catch up on and I was tired. And I had a knot in my shoulder that was really bothering me.

My son asked if I wanted to watch a movie. I said "No" at first, then changed my mind. I decided to just sit and relax for a while and I enjoyed the movie with Robbie. About half an hour into the movie I noticed that the knot in my shoulder was gone--amazing.

During that half hour I did quite a bit of laughing. I have never been accused of being the brightest person in the world but I think there is a connection there.

Earlier in the day, I received a link to this incredible movie that you have to see. It will definitely make you smile...it did to me!

In my last post I wrote about the importance of smiling. I think God is trying to tell me (and possibly you) something!

Take three minutes or so and check this out.

Smile

My son and I did something last night that we rarely do, we went shopping...at the mall! You want to talk about a couple of ducks out of water! We literally had to consult with the mall directory three times to find our way around.

Anyway, I noticed while walking around that many people seemed very rushed. Many also seemed unhappy. I thought how sad this is. Then I realized that this describes me many times when I am stressed and rushed. I know I need to chill out and enjoy the season, but sometimes I just keep making it more difficult than it needs to be and I miss many opportunities to simply smile.

This morning I was reading The Blade and there was an article by Tom Walton about clever T-shirt sayings which made me smile. I thought I would share some of them here so your Monday can start off with a smile like mine did.

"I'm not bossy, I just know what you should be doing."
"Obey gravity … it's the law."
"What if the Hokey-Pokey really is what it's all about?"
"You're starting to make sense. It's time to up my medication."
"I'm not a waitress, but I play one at home."
"Do I look like I'm kidding?"
"Jenius."
"They say I have A.D.D. but they just don't … oh look! A chicken!"
"Keep staring at me. I may do a trick."
"I'm still HOT, it just comes in flashes now."
"Nothing ruins good parenting like teenagers."
"Instant human-Just add coffee."
"What is the speed of dark?"
"Bad spellers? Untie!"
"I'm actually quite pleasant - until I wake up."
"Sometimes I wonder, why is that beer truck getting bigger? Then it hits me!"
"Still young enough to know everything."
"Always being right is an awesome responsibility."
"I childproofed my house, but they still get in."
"Organized people are just too lazy to look for things."
"Ever considered being a mime?"
"Take my advice. I'm not using it."
"Why be difficult? With a little more effort, you can be impossible."

There. Now you're ready to tackle your week...with a smile!

Peace

Tuesday and Wednesday of this week I was struggling. I was about as stressed as I have ever been. It seemed like the weight of the world was on my shoulders and I had spasms in my back and shoulders that didn't help.

Once a month on Wednesdays, our church has a service called New Community in which we come together for a time of worship, prayer, teaching and communion. I did not feel like going last night because I viewed it as just another "thing" to do on my long list. I wanted to simply chill out at home and try to relax.

But we went...and I am so glad we did!

God met me there in an amazing way. During the first or second song of praise I felt this unexplainable wave of peace come over me that I could never have gotten while sitting in my La-Z-Boy at home. I truly felt God's presence and I am so thankful for that!

My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

Psalm 62:1-2

Sharpening the Saw

The 7th habit Stephen Covey writes of in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is sharpening the saw.

In the book, he talks of walking through the forest and coming upon a guy who is cutting down a tree. The guy is sweating profusely and is really struggling. You ask, "How long have you been doing this?"

The man says, "Oh, I've been doing this for hours!"

"Why don't you sharpen your saw? It will go a lot faster."

He replies, "I don't have time to do that! I need to cut this tree down right away!"

I don't know about you, but I can relate to the guy cutting down the tree. I don't relax very well sometimes--as a result, I don't sharpen my saw.

However, when I'm on vacation, relaxation comes easy for me. No lawn to mow, no bills to pay, no mail to open. Only laying around, playing with my kids, reading and maybe even taking a nap. Sharpening the saw.

Well, that's what I'm doing this week. Vacation with the family. Great stuff. As a result, I probably won't be posting much this week.

Make it a great week!

A Magical Night

On Friday, our family of 5 went to Detroit to Comerica Park to watch the Tigers take on the Colorado Rockies. The entire evening could not have been better.

First, we arrived in Detroit just after a huge rain storm and we remained dry the remainder of the night.

Second, though we were the second row from the top of the stadium, we had great seats close to home plate.

Third, the Tigers played great and won 7-1.

Fourth, the fireworks after the game were incredible.

Fifth, and probably most important, we had a blast together as a family. I kept thanking God for this night. With my two oldest girls now 20 and almost 18, I was wondering how many more moments like this we would get to share as a family.

I did not hear one complaint or any bickering between our kids the whole evening (Connie and I were a different matter – ha ha). They got along so well and we all laughed often.

Perhaps the highlight of the trip was our ride home late in the evening. We were all tired and a little punchy so we started telling “no arms and no legs” jokes. Yes, this sounds somewhat heartless. I can assure you we meant no disrespect to those with disabilities. We were simply having fun…and a lot of it. So if you are disgusted that we would say such things, please don’t read any further.

Here is a sampling of some of the jokes we told and made up on our ride home:

What do you call a guy with no arms and no legs…

…in the ocean? Bob

…hanging on the wall? Art

…in the mailbox? Bill
…on the front door step? Matt
…in a bun? Frank
…riding a bicycle? Rex (think about it)
…in a pile of leaves? Russel
…in a pot of boiling water? Stu

This is just a small sampling. But the greatest part of it all was the laughter that was shared among us. What a gift! Thank you Lord!