Journal excerpts

We met with our financial advisor today and talked to him about money. God followed up our meeting with a Luke 12 lesson on true riches. Here's some of the stuff I learned:

02-27-08
Luke 12:19 And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." ' 20 "But God said to him, 'You fool!
is this not what I want? To be able to take life easy?
21 "This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God."
Every time you think about material goods and securities, interupt that thought with the Word of God, or at least accompany it. Spend as much time in the Word and serving and worshiping as you do shopping and surfing and wearing.

I think finance is yet another thing like organization that you must
spend just enough time on but not too much or you'll never actually live it out. Concern youself with the affairs of God first, take care of His talents first, then you won't even have to worry about your own because they will already be taken care of. God will provide. You think too much about it. There's a fine line between making level paths so that you can live even more for God and making level paths and forgetting about God.

32 "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom."
You have the kingdom! That's practically and pragmatically more exciting than stuff you can have and future living scenarios and incomes.

This is one of the single biggest challenges and hurdles I have as a Christian, being rich in God. I've become distracted from that goal by business and material possessions.

33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

posted be me from my 300 dollar phone in Starbucks

Almost 1

The world's most precious little girl is turning one next Monday. She is so cute and fun! We can't wait to celebrate her this week.

Earned rest is the most refreshing.

The purse

Leslie finished her purse project. For Christmas she received a gift card to Bernina's and decided shortly thereafter to take a class and learn how to make this "Charming Hand Bag." It turned out really well and I'm sure Leslie could talk about it with much more prowess, but it has something to do with muslen, sewing machines, and fabric. She even sewed on her own zipper and magnetic button snap. So charming!

Something

There's something about an incredible meal prepared and presented with music, candles, and excellence.
There's something about a beautiful peace of art or music that moves you to a far more embraceable reality.
There's something about how an author can word a typical thought in an atypical way that makes you wonder if you've ever had an original thought in your life.
There's something about nature, a sunset, the dusk shining on a mountain range, the day of clouds and mutely reflective brightness of a winter's night.
There's something about the way a baby smiles at you or laughs with you that you can never quite emotionally anticipate or relive unless you are right there, and it's happening right now.
There's something about accomplishing the impossible at work that makes you feel so...something. Something good.
There's something about being in a room filled with thousands of people all in support of the same good cause.
There are too many somethings out there, too many inefable surities behind our perceived realities...it happens too many times in a day or a week for me to deny that there's something, someone, out there that is more real than I can mentally possess and more significant than I can emotionally own up to. But I want to. Which tells me that there's something, someone specific that He wants me to have and know. Jesus is the something.

Feliz Cumpleaños

Last Thursday night we had a suprise party for Leslie. We went to my sister and brother-in-law's house under the guise of watching LOST on their huge HD screen. It was hilarious because the whole trip down she kept calling her family members to see if they were going to watch it and wish we were all watching it together. Then we got to the house and there they all were, including family from Colorado and Texas via video chat, shouting "surprise" and singing happy birthday. Everyone did such a great job getting things ready. Thanks, crew! She was surprised. The party was such a success that Dustin Hoffman even made an appearance.