Monday Musings - June 8, 2009

1. The pace of life is directly proportional to the number of unaccomplished tasks which remain to be done.

2. I continue to cheer on sports teams which have trouble putting digits in the win column. Let's Go O's.

3. Frustration is a good reason to do a small project--especially if it is replacing the handle on the rear door of the truck in the heat on a Sunday.

4. Puppies can be funny. She had a target rich environment for play on Sunday afternoon, but preferred to remain in the house away from everyone.

5. Cake pops. Who knew?

6. Is it time for my Florida vacation yet?

7. You get what you pay for. My new $9 underwater camera is marginal at best. But it will be good for snorkeling.

8. I'm not sure which day of the week is harder to get out of bed. Monday or Saturday. Monday because I really don't want to go to work. Saturday because I can stay in bed--especially if Chris got up with the puppy.

9. Do you know what I look forward to on Tuesdays? Answer--going to bed when the day is over.

10. If I could do most things over again, I wouldn't.

11. Underwater camera: $9. Steaks for dinner: $60. Having everyone in the pool on a sunny, warm Sunday afternoon: Priceless.

12. Hearing Ethan say: "again!" makes me smile as I pull him backwards across the pool.

Monday Musings - 1 June 2009

1. I can't believe I blinked and missed two whole weeks of fun. Time really does fly--or is it that you don't worry so much about it when you begin to get older? It's kinda like the end of a ballgame as the clock is winding down--the more you worry about how much time is left the less you can do something about it.

2. Having two keeshonden in the house for the past week was fun. Lots of hair and fur, but fun.

3. The pool is nice when it's warm. But when the water is warmer than the air--look out when you get out!

4. We survived the second rainiest May on record for the Baltimore area. Hopefully, the sun will begin to shine and the daily temperatures will climb. But it sure is nice not to pay BGE to help keep the house cool.

5. Grass grows really, really fast in this weather.

6. Graduation season is a good reason to throw a party and get together. And many parties are even better.

7. I attended my first house concert Saturday night--I didn't even know what that was, but being that close to the performers and being able to chat with them over munchies is really fun.

8. Why does it seem that then umber of things that need to be done is so much greater than the time available to do them?

9. When you read on the side of a plant that it is 72 days for mature fruit--is that from when the flower sets or when the plant germinated?

10. I can't believe it's June already--it seems like just yesterday that the leaves were bursting out on the trees. And I even remember celebrating the first lawn mowing of the season. Now it has already become a weekly chore.

11. My favorite teams went 0-4 for the weekend. Really put a dampener on my spirits after a great week before which saw the O's sweep Toronto and the Pens sweep Carolina. Still--it is pretty good for the week with the O's going 5-2 on the home stand and the Pens in the Stanley Cup--I guess there is an upside.

Late-Springtime Colds

Ugh!

I think it is happening. I'm coming down with some crud that has been going around.

What a pain.

I had nasal drip all night and now my throat is sore. I'm stuffed up. AND I get to go to the dentist today for a crown.

Somehow I don't feel like a king!

And it's going to cost me money. And on top of it, I feel crummy. (that of course is a technical description). Thank goodness for Tylenol.

And this is graduation week for Patrick--who is completing his undergraduate life and receiving a degree in History! Following a family trend--both Jeremy and I have history degrees. And you would love the discussions we have.

Well, at least I get to leave work early to go to the dentist and I do not need a root canal because we caught the tooth problem during a routine check-up.

Tear 'em Down or Build 'em Up? Leading in a mixed up world.

What is a team leader to do?

Standing in the doorway watching the members of the team stroll in for the work day. Some with smiles on their faces and some with frowns.

Ever notice the ones whose shoulders are hunched over as if they are carrying a heavy load of burden and stress?

Wonder why the ones smiling are?

What is a leader to do? Add more stress and tear down the ones who are smiling so they can join everyone else?

Some days it seems that the "misery loves company" motto is too true.

Don't believe it. Teams need encouragement--not discouragement to be effective. Focus on the positives to remove or minimize the negatives.

Let people know what they are doing that is right and great.

Leaders need to help keep the team focused. This is a tough job. Build up--do not tear down.

People spend about one-third of their waking hours at work--so the environment we create at work is going to affect people and we need to manage it to keep it positive or at least neutral.

Productivity and creativity will increase.

Monday Musings - May 18, 2009

1. This is graduation season, and this year we are celebrating with a lot of our family as they accomplish their educational goals. And it is awesome.

2. The first pool party of the season was a success--it was a bit cool, but two intrepid swimmers made the water.

3. Who says my dog has stopped growing? She is still eating!

4. Really? You want lights around the pool house so it looks like Disney what?

5. Hostas can get really big. On Sunday, I moved two of them that looked like the "hostas that ate New York." Only, New York couldn't get that lucky.

6. Youth Sunday at our church is really a high energy, light your hair on fire experience--and I love it.

7. Watching hockey with the boys is the best! Especially when the Penguins are winning.

8. Taking care of and learning new bosses is a lot of fun--as well as it is trying!

9. Spending a dinner with old friends, over wine and good conversation, is an awesome way to spend a Saturday evening.

10. It is not good to be so "up tight" about the plans of the day that you don't enjoy the day as it unfolds. Worrying about what's not happening on time takes away the pleasure of what's happening right now and washes out any enjoyment that the day may bring.

11. The one thing I can tell you about the weather is--it is! Cope with it. It adds a randomness to our plans that keeps our lives fun.

12. Don't use an umbrella when walking in the rain. You can't enjoy the splashing of the raindrops on your face when you are hidden under an umbrella.

Frustration in the Car!

It happened so suddenly.







There I was, driving to work and listening to my I-Pod. Singing along to a tune. And then it all went silent.

My I-pod was dead. The battery depleted even though it is hooked up to the car charger.

What happened, I wondered even as I continued driving and possibly becoming a menace to traffic around me.


I checked the connections--all seemed good. But then, I noticed the little red light on the charger was not on.


Catastrophe.


Did the fuse in my car somehow blow? How could this happen. Let me check (all while driving) the other two spots where I can plug in my charger.


No joy. (oops, must avoid the truck in front of me!)


No power. I wonder. It is the truck or the charger. Hmmmm.




Sensing a dilemma, I then decide to push in the lighter (yes, my truck is so old it still has a cigarette lighter which has never, until today, been used)





The lighter heats up--meaning the problem is not the truck but the power converter for the I-pod.

Am I happy? Well, happy it's not my truck but still perplexed about the I-pod.


And now, I have to listen to the radio. Did I ever tell you how I feel about commercials?


I think I have a replacement at home so hopefully I'll have tunes for tomorrow's trek through the traffic-filled roads of Maryland.

I Am Free to Dance

I was driving to work today and listening to my I-pod and it rolled to a song that really hit me, and brought back a lot of good memories.

It was done by the New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

I have a bit of history with this song, because when I was serving as a worship leader at our old church, it was one of my favorite songs because of its clear, definite lyrics. it is also fun to lead and I have a hard time singing it without becoming very enthusiastic. Jon Egan wrote this song:

Through you the blind will see.

Through you the mute will sing.

Through you the dead will raise.

Through you all hearts will praise.

Through you the darkness flees.

Through you my heart screams I am free.

I am free to run (I am free to run)

I am free to dance (I am free to dance)

I am free to live for you (I am free to live for you)

I am free (I am free)

This morning, it brought back a lot of emotion and reminded me of so many enjoyable worship times. But, most importantly--it really spoke to me and reminded me that through Jesus, I have been freed from the law of sin and death.

Romans 8:2 For the law of the life-giving Spirit in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. - NET Bible

And we are truly free and we need to live as free persons and not slaves to sin and death.

I really love it when the sun is rising as I am driving to work after playing racquetball! The world looks so cool.

Monday Musings - May 11, 2009

1. Mother's Day can be a lot of fun if the weather is nice and all the kids and their families show up, and the mother is actually feeling better.

2. Traveling takes its toll on my humor and stamina. The more I travel the tired-er I get thinking about it.

3. It doesn't matter who or what is sick--cleaning up body fluids from the bathroom floor in the morning before coffee is no fun!

4. Love means taking care of your mate, even when its really inconvenient on a beautiful May day. It gives new meaning to the"for better or worse."

5. It really sucks when the dog is sick, too! She doesn't like her medicine, either.

6. Don't ignore the: "I need too out and poop" whine from the dog, even if we was just out a couple minutes ago. If you do, you'll have a mess to clean up.

7. Pike's Peak is beautiful to look at, but it is a long way from the ocean.

8. It is hard to sleep in hotel beds--they just never seem to sleep like your own.

Makayla Graduates

I missed it.

Last week, Makayla successfully completed her first school--puppy training class and graduated. She was tied for first in her class (of two).

I was away on a business trip to Colorado for the last class. But Mommy successfully took her through class and through her paces.

Makayla had been going to class every week for eight weeks and has learned an amazing assortment of commands that she can successfully demonstrate depending upon her mood at the time.

She has learned: sit, down, stay, wait, shake, come (sort of) and puppy push- ups. We are still working on roll followed by over. She doesn't like to roll over and would rather back up to get the treat.

But, being a keeshond, she does have a stubborn streak and being a puppy she is very much a creature of the moment--be that a new smell or a fast running rabbit (at least until she comes to the end of her leash).

So, in the beginning of many firsts Makayla was a DG from her puppy training class.

Oh yeah--DG? Not distinguished graduate--but rather done graduated.

Star Trek - Movie Review

Where to start? One word--FANTASTIC!

The movie is a great ride, has a tight plot and successfully restarts (some call it reboots) Star Trek in a manner which essentially provides the writers of any future sequels with a blank canvass. You will have to see the movie to understand how this movie, although set in a time before the other movies and the series, is not a prequel but rather a brand new start with familiar characters. And it works.

I am a Trekkie at heart. I have been part of the Star Trek empire since the series was running on TV originally (OK--so I'm old!).

The film opens with the Federation starship USS Kelvin investigating a "lightning storm" in space. It turns out to be a black hole, and the Narada, a Romulan mining vessel, emerges from it and attacks. The Kelvin's captain, Richard Robau (Faran Tahir) is captured and killed by the Romulan captain Nero (Eric Bana). First officer George Kirk (Chris Hemsworth) takes command and sacrifices himself and the Kelvin by ramming it into the Romulan ship in order to allow the rest of the crew to escape. During the escape, George's wife Winona (Jennifer Morrison) gives birth to a son: James Tiberius Kirk.

And then it begins and it doesn't stop until James T. Kirk is promoted to Captain of the venerable USS Enterprise, NCC-1701.

The plot is the complex, futuristic plot complete with twists and turns that Trekkies have come to expect. It is a tight plot and all the loose ends are wrapped up. Yet, this is a new start--a "do-over" for the Trek empire compliments of the plot.

The possibilities are again endless not bounded by everything which has happened before.

So while NASA sems to be having trouble exploring the final frontier, movie makers have fighured out how to keep us interested and transfixed.

RECOMMENDATION: A must see! Good for kids--although there is one gratuitious (and somewhat disturbing) sexually oriented scene.

Monday Musings - May 4, 2009

And here they are!

1. Rain. Ugh! I know we need it, but where's the gopher wood and "what's a cubit?" I think I saw wild animals collecting themselves in pairs in the wooded area next to the house.

2. The pool is nearly ready--now if only the weather would cooperate I could actually swim and not develop hypothermia just thinking about diving in.

3. Puppies are a lot of fun to train--they are a lot like training children--and just when you think they've got it--you realize there is more work to do!

4. I hate it when both the teams I'm cheering for lose on the same day (O's and Pens)

5. I had 66 hours of plans for a 60 hour weekend but I only accomplished about 43 hours of the plans. What happened to the rest of the time, do I get it back? Is there the possibility of a "do-over?"

6. Grass grows really fast when it is warm and rainy. Now if it would only stop raining long enough for it to dry so we could cut it. Does it really make sense? We plant grass, fertilize it, and make it grow so that we can cut it. And then we do it all over again, why?

7. A rainy Sunday is a good day to sleep in late, take a nap, go to the store, and spend some time with family--like the grand sons! The hard part, is forgetting about what I should be doing rather than what I am doing and being in the moment. But an awesome lasagna cooked by my daughter really helped.

8. Makayla likes sleeping on the bed with the rest of the "pack!" Does that make me more of a dog, or her more of a person?

9. Business trips are a good idea when they are being planned, but a rotten idea when you actually have to go on them. I'm flying to Colorado Springs for the rest of the week. And guess what? It's raining there, too!

10. April showers bring May flowers. Hey, wait, it is already May! Turn off the showers!

My Weekend List--Stress Looking for a Place to Happen!

Last weekend it was all wine and food in St Michaels--this weekend?

Between 5PM Friday and 5 AM on Monday there are 60 available hours. Here is how I plan to use them:



1. Finish opening the pool (I figure four more hours conservatively)

2. Mow (again!) (one hour)

3. Fix the garage door--some kid rode his bike headlong into it (one hour)

4. Play with Makayla (two hours)

5. Dive Kitty somewhere, anywhere (one hour)

6. Pay the bills

7. Watch the Pens beat the Caps (or crapitals as I prefer to call them) with Jer and drink copious quantities of beer (three hours)

8. Nap (two hours)

9. Take another Nap (two hours more)

10. Play with Makayla, again (just because she's cute) (two hours)

11. Go to church (two hours)

12. Surf the Internet (when I can) (five hours)

13. Watch the O's play a reasonable facsimile of baseball (nine hours)

14. Go for a walk (one hour)

15. Drink some wine and eat some cheese (when doing nothing else) (two hours)

16. Say Hi to my wife in passing as she does whatever it is she has planned with the "girls!"

17. Figure out how to get a three-day weekend because there's waaay to much stuff crammed into this two-day weekend

18. Sleep (26 hours)

19. Happy Hour on Friday (three hours)



BTW--it adds up to 66 hours so far!

Unplanned items:

weed the gardens,

fix something that breaks,

read the magazines I got in the mail this week,

shopping,

transit time to shop,

do a blog entry,

whatever it is that Chris really wants me to do!

I'm not sure which is more stressful--
my weekend or my work week!

Leadership: The Power of "Good Job" and "Thank-you"

I have written before about encouragement and empowerment from a larger team framework--but I want to get really personal about encouragement.

How did you feel the last time someone--like your boss, told you "Good Job!" and they meant it!

I usually flush with embarrassment because I always try to do a "Good Job", but I always appreciate being noticed, too. AND, do you feel a little bit more noticed when the boss says these words in front of others--and they are not forced or preplanned?

Sometimes I think it is easier for us to say "thank-you" to a perfect stranger (like for holding a door open for us) than it is to say "good job" or "thank-you" to our co-workers and friends. A sad commentary on where we are in our society.

OK, OK -- we get paid to do a good job, right? So it's expected?

But we all know, some good jobs are harder than others. When people really give a little of themselves and sacrifice for the team--then we, as leaders, really owe them some recognition and "thank-you" goes a long way--especially the impromptu "thanks--that was a nice job."

AND now the hard part--a forced "thank-you" or an after thought "good job" is almost as worthless as play money.

When you say these words--you must mean them and they need to be a true representation of how you feel. Otherwise, they will be seen as gratuitous.

This is the hard part for some leaders--actually recognizing the hard work of their team members and appreciating their efforts. Leaders get wrapped up in the "crisis du jour" and easily overlook the team members who are there beside them day after day.

Leaders intend to recognize the team, it just doesn't make the "top ten crises" being worked right now.

Change that.

People, and especially your team, need to be in the top ten list--every day!

"Good job!"

Leadership - The Indispensible Syndrome

Ever get into a situation when you feel as if the team will totally fail without you?

I have.

I suppose we get the idea from sports where one key player goes down--like the quarterback on a football team, and the team fails to make the playoffs. We blame the lack of a quarterback on the missed opportunity. But really--there was another quarterback who stepped in. Think of the great back-ups who have taken their teams to the playoffs after the starter was injured--like Earl Morrall.

But really? How many times have you heard it said that it takes a team to succeed and even if someone makes a poor play or causes a penalty, or hits into a season ending triple-play, it is not as if that was the only opportunity that the team had during the entire game. There are many opportunities--we just seem to remember the dramatic endings as time runs out or the third out of the ninth inning.

The belief that the entire success or failure of the team is up to one person is not something seen in only the team leaders. Team members can also feel as if they are indispensable. Without them, nothing will get done and there will be total chaos and utter failure. And for a moment in time--just the right moment it may be true. But it cannot be and should not be an all-day, every-day thing.

Really?


Come on--what happened before you? And the mark of a good team leader/member is training your replacement--remember that concept of succession planning?

Think of the stress! If you really are the only one--then how do you ever take a day off? Even God rested on the seventh day! And, nothing personal, but believing that you are absolutely indispensable kind of equates your view of yourself with that of a god.

So what is really going on here?

I think it is a matter of low self-esteem or self-worth. Losing oneself in the team provides a personal boost of importance and hides a multitude of other problems.

Don't get me wrong, each team member needs to feel important and to be a true contributing member--but there is a difference between contributing to success and being indispensable.

Think of the broken relationships caused by being indispensable. Those extra hours and effort given to the team, or at the office, or to the church, or to whatever project/team you are part of are given at an expense in relationships with family and friends. I am a living example of the work-alcoholic approach to live. A classic Type-A military officer who takes charge and is the last one to leave the ship when it's going down! Pretty empty at the end of the day.


Balance. There needs to be balance.

True--the team may not be as efficient when you are gone--but stuff will still be done and if the absence is planned, others can step up to fill the gap.

In my business, people come and go all the time. We plan to fill gaps. We are always looking around and asking the--"what if ____ get's hit by a bus" question. Teams need to plan for success and not to burn members out. During each big project we strive to allow the "back-ups" to get some playing time so they feel more comfortable making decisions. There is nothing worse than getting called while on vacation with a "big problem" that someone else should be able to handle. If only I had trained them!





So here are some hard words: You are not indispensable! If you think you are you are doing yourself AND your whole team a disservice and stifling the growth of those around you. And, you are harming yourself by not allowing yourself to have healthy relationships with family and friends.

Get a life outside your team. Being critical and important and contributing is good. But, being indispensable is very dysfunctional.

"The cemeteries of the world are full of indispensable men." Charles de Gaulle

St Michaels, Maryland - 2009

Yes--I call it a vacation.

We stayed in a great hotel right on the harbor--our windows had a full view of the harbor. The temperatures were in the 90's and it was sunny. We were with friends and we attended the 2009 Food and Wine Festival.

What could be better?

Probably not much. The weather was awesome and I learned a lot more about wine at the seminars.

And the food was good, too. But mostly--it was a weekend away at a nice hotel with friends. We probably won't do all three days next year as we are planning a Spring Break getaway next year. But we will definitely do at least one day!

Pool Opening - 2009

The cover came off the pool yesterday. Now the work begins.

Ugh! I can't believe how much work I have to do on the pool this year. Old pools require lots of maintenance. It doesn't look like the picture from 2008 yet, but it will.

The water looks good. And I got the pump going. The new motor is purring. But the pollen. I read that the tree pollen is up over 1800 whatever (parts per ga-zillion or something like that). Everything is covered with a yellow dust--my truck, Chris' car, the surface of the water.

But--summer is approaching and the pool party season is already lined up and ready to begin. We have three pool parties already scheduled.

I worked last night until after dark with the lights on in the pool until I had made the water so cloudy I couldn't see.

But I keep looking at the pictures of fun from last season and i know it is all worth it.

Watching Makayla yesterday as I worked was a joy. The funniest thing happened after the cover was off and she was standing next to me while I was working with the vacuum. She got startled and backed up into the deep end. She was clinging to the top of the wall with her front paws--while her back end was all wet. It was a funny moment for me--but I could tell from the look in her eyes that she didn't find it funny, so instead of getting a camera I pulled her to safety.

Pools. Do they have doggie life-guards?

Monday Musings - April 27th

After a glorious weekend, who could possibly be upset about anything!

1. I love 90 degree days--bring it on!

2. A weekend at a hotel on a harbor while attending a Food and Wine Festival is a great way to kick-off the summer run.

3. Picnics in the living room are a unique way to enjoy variety in life.

4. The grass grows faster when April showers are followed by 90 degree temperatures.

5. It's fun to argure about mowing the grass when we both WANT to mow! Wait until August when the loser GETS to mow!

6. The problem with staying in a hotel near a harbor? Now I want a boat! A big boat! What on earth am I going to do with a boat?

7. The trees are getting green with leaves--wow, maybe summer isn't that far off!

8. How is a puppy supposed to learn sit, wait, stay, down, roll-over, leave-it, take-it, and come if I can't keep them straight? It makes my head spin.

9. Safety tip: do not tie a puppy outside on a leash that she can chew through! (Chris!) Cost? $27 for new leash!

10. Tires do not last forever and when they get out of balance, it can make the ride a real problem, like yesterday coming back from St. Michaels at no more that 60 MPH. I thought the passenger in the car was going to have a melt down. But the wobble at 65 was awful. Thank goodness for full-size spares.

Picnic Dinner in a Tent in the Living Room

There we were--the three (or was it four) of us gathered under a blanket strewn across chairs (representing a tent) for our evening meal of Chik-fil-A. Ethan wanted to eat in a tent, so E and Grandma, Poppop, and (briefly) Makayla gathered to share the evening meal.

Some observations:

Eating on the floor is fun if you are a dog--and it is actually too close to the dogs. Makayla had to be removed from the room to allow the dinner to continue.

A blanket across chairs is a good representation of a tent--and guess what? No bugs!

As this was a late dinner--after Makayla's puppy class, we were hungry.

Telephones really put a damper on meals--it rang twice.


The benefits of picnic meals in the living room? No ants! Easy of clean-up, and of course pack-up of all the materials is simple.

Look at the Evidence: What did You DO Today?

OK--well as I threatened, here is part three from this weeks message at church. I can't tell you how long it has been since a message has caused me to consider some of its components this deep into the week.

Maybe I'm wearing out my welcome--but these ideas have really resonated with me this week and while there is nothing new here, maybe I just needed to hear these three ideas grouped together at exactly this moment in my life.

This one still revolves around Ephesians 2:10

For we are his workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we may do them. - NET Bible

It is this whole concept of works. And I know whole denominations have been established on the basis of works, or grace or whatever. Those who know me, know that I am all about grace and the undeserved gift we have been given. This I always thought was not to minimize works--but to help understand their place in the bigger architecture.

But with respect to the whole discussion of works, what I heard this week really put it into perspective for me. And based on Eph 2:10, I know that God has prepared works for me to do and for each Christ follower to do. But--here is the thought piece:

My works are not the means for me to get into heaven, but they could be the vehicle for someone else.

So isn't that what it's all about? The evidence of our salvation is in the effort we make to help others find their way while care for our brothers and sisters.

Hmmmm! It all seems so clear now.

Kinda like the salt in the box--if we're not out there spicing up life, we don't really matter because we are not contributing. We are lot's of unrealized potential. And that's not what we were created to do. Our reputation is built on what others see us doing, not what we necessarily say we are.

Hold fast to the grace we have received, but now it is time to get our hands, and feet, and face dirty!

What's in Your Reputation?

So here is the second installment from Sunday's message. Reputation. Again, it was a small item in the larger message--but it really hit home.

It was based upon Ephesians 2:10:

For we are his workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we may do them. - NET Bible

The works we do and create (our workmanship) are a very personal expression of the who we are and form our reputation with those around us.

We often think about the reputation of us, as a collection of Christ followers called the church. But, how often do we think of our personal reputation and what people think of us? What is our workmanship telling others about us and who we are?

Ideally, we might desire that our reputation as a Christ follower be part of our legacy, but . . .

Reputation--so here is the question that was posed which I want to consider for a bit: IF you were talking with a group of people and left the conversation, what would they think of you? What is your reputation with them?

The considerations here are many--

What is your reputation with your family based upon your interactions (or not) with them? Do you sequester yourself from them with your nose in a book or on a computer when they are around? Is your reputation one of indifference? Or do you interact and stay involved with them?

What is your reputation with your friends? Is it different from your reputation within your family and is this good or bad?

What about your co-workers, superiors and subordinates? Is your reputation there different yet again?

What about those who work for you, like the computer-repair person, the plumber, the auto mechanic, the wait staff at the local restaruant? Based upon what they see and how you interact with them--what is your reputation?

If you have different reputations, perhaps you need to evaluate who you are really and decide what you want people to believe about you.

Hmmmm---I know I have some work to do.

P.S. So as I was reflecting on the idea of reputation, Romans 13:8 popped into my mind:

Owe no one anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law -NET Bible

I want part of my reputation with others to be: He loved!

Plumbing--Do it yourself, or not?

Well, I have successfully forayed into the world of plumbing again--and lived to tell the tale.

The water heater thermostats keep resetting--meaning the water is getting too hot--so I decided to replace them.

Oh, and did I mention the toilet? It wouldn't stop running?

Well--I fixed the toilet and then proceeded to swap out the thermostats on the water heater. I was also going to replace the heating elements--but they wouldn't budge with the tool I had on hand--so I'm going to Home Depot for reinforcements later. A large socket to get the proper leverage to remove them!

Well I did remember to turn off the electricity AND I also remembered to drain the water heater. Both important safety steps.

So while the water heater is technically fixed--it is not completely fixed.

And the toilet works--

A good evening's work!

On to the pool house to turn on the water for the summer--but that is a story for another day

Salt in the Box

I told Chris that this week's message at church would probably result in three blog entries. It was that powerful and filled with some really thought provoking stuff.

So I was really impressed with a visual used during the message about salt. Of course the reference was to the statement by Jesus in Matt 5:13 that we are the salt of the earth.

“You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its flavor, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled on by people." NET Bible

Now most of us are probably familiar verse and its implications that we, as Christ followers are supposed to be out in the world. We see ourselves as the spice of the world bringing God to the God-less and the hurt and hope to the hopeless.

And we are supposed to be that way. And while the message was not about this verse on Sunday, it was about our reputation (more on that later), at one point a box of salt was held up and likened to those of us in church that morning. And I could see the similarity--if each of us were a considered a grain of salt, then salt in the box could be likened to a church service on Sunday where all the grains are gathered.

The grains of salt are not much good in the box or the shaker. There is a lot of potential--but no action!

Think about it. Salt isn't actually valuable until we pour it our of the box into or onto something. We have to use it.

A bunch of Christ followers in their Sunday club house is much the same. Potential abounding but action pending.

We have to get out of the building and into the world to be the "salt of the earth" and give flavor and spice to the world. Hiding in our safe house--well it's just that, hiding and it doesn't do much good.

Anyway--that small visual really hit me hard this week and helped me to get deeper into the verse and understand that to be salt--we need to get out into the world. And the world will use us up. But it will be a better place.

Monday Musings - April 20, 2009

What a wonderful weekend!

1. I love it when the sun shines--it makes the days so much more enjoyable.

2. The weeping cherry tree in our yard brings the color of Springtime to a new high point as it sits majestically bathed in sunlight. And framed against the blue sky it almost makes up for the past six months of cold and winter.

3. I mowed the lawn for the second time this Spring--and I enjoyed it still. Too soon it will become a chore, but right now, it helps me appreciate the green and smells of springtime.

4. Life on the planet would be miserable without Zyrtec.

5. When the weather is nice and I get to drive Kitty, I can't help but smile.

6. Friday night out with the guys is awesome. We went to the Glory Days Bar in Glen Burnie and had a great time.

7. Afternoon naps make everything right with the world!

8. Puppies recover very quickly from surgery--Makayla has been a terror all weekend.

9. Gas for the lawn mower: $5; Supplies for the pool: $400; sitting on the front porch with Chris drinking a glass of wine as the evening falls: Priceless!

10. Breakfast on the back porch is where it's at.

11. I had forgotten how bright the sun is--when I came into the house after reading on the deck I was blinded for a short while until my eyes adjust. Can I do it some more?

12. When the days are really nice during early Springtime, I don't want to be a work. OK--I left 30 minutes early on Friday.

13. Denver got a huge snowfall on Friday. Better them than us!

Teams and Rain and Expectations

Ever notice that when the weather is rainy, gray, and overcast that people begin to notice the weather and it affects them in a negative manner? Like, for instance, the past three days have been nothing but rain and gray, and unseasonable cold temperatures. People are sluggish and moving and sometimes thinking slowly.

Team leaders need to be sensitive to weather effects on their teams. Leaders tend to be highly charged people who on most days probably don't even notice the weather--and this can become a source of frustration when dealing with their teams.

Leaders need to find ways to interact with the sluggish team members and help them overcome the effects of the weather. Charge them up--without turning them off. Help them spin up to speed and obtain the high energy that you have.

So what is a leader to do when confronted with a lethargic team on a high energy day?


First, begin to ramp the energy level up so they team rises to meet you.

Second, allow them the opportunity to rise on their own up to your expectations--but expect them to meet you.

Finally, recognize--people are affected by weather. Adjust your activity and expectations.

Success means recognizing the capabilities and limitations of your team as well as understanding the impact of outside influences.

Makayla's Surgery Journey

Well, I dropped off the wonder puppy this morning for her surgery. She is having her female parts altered to prevent off-spring. Puppies are fun but they are a lot of work, especially in multiples of like five or six. And then you need to find homes. Yeah! And worming them is always fun.

I'm not too amused at the vet--because they were supposed to micro-chip her as well, but I just got a call that they are out of micro-chips. I suggested they get one form another store and was informed that that was not possible due to the way they are ordered. So we get to return for more puppy adjustments later.

It is amazing how inefficient the vet is in processing dogs into the center for surgery. There are incredible mountains of paperwork to fill out and then--the add on questions. Trim her nails? Express her anal glands? Use some new surgical technique? Micro-chip? It was worse than buying a car.

I'm surprised they didn't want to add a USB port to facilitate future programming changes.

But all-in-all, Makayla was brave when I dropped her off. Of course she was playing with two full-grown black labs when they came for her.

We really didn't even get to say good-bye and I didn't get to reassure her that I would be back for her.

I wonder if that is important for puppies.

Monday Musings - 13 April 2009

And now, for the first week in a row, the Monday Musings--on Monday!

1. Birthdays and holidays stirred together form a weekend unlike any other weekend ever seen before.

2. Yes, Ethan, there really is an Easter Bunny. Makayla saw it in the yard and chased it away.

3. We appreciate warm weather more after it has been cold. OK, we got it, bring on the heat--now!

4. For the Orioles to win 2 out of every 3 games in a series is great--I just wish they wouldn't get blown out on the day they lose. I mean, 11-3? Really? And the 3 were gratuitous runs in the bottom of the 9th.

5. MASN needs to rethink its HD broadcasting policy--the O's games should be broadcast in HD and the Nats should be on probation until they get a win.

6. Pictures on Easter Sunday after church bring back memories of times long ago.

7. Everyone keeps asking me when I'm going to open the pool--and I will open it just as soon as we have a week where the temperatures aren't in the 30's at night. That may not be until June at the rate we're going.

8. Chaos is the only way to enjoy a holiday. It means everyone is together and most of them are happy. It is also what you get when you add a 5-month old puppy to a 1-year old and then toss in a 4-year old for good measure.

9. I forgot to drive the Jag on Easter. And we still got to church 30 minutes early.

10. You know its been a good day when at 9PM Makayla is laying on the floor in the family room and I get up to make coffee and she doesn't even move. Pure exhaustion from all the activity.

11. After four days off from work--a total of six counting the weekend, I really didn't want to get out of bed this morning.

Good Friday 2009

He has destroyed what was against us, a certificate of indebtedness expressed in decrees opposed to us. He has taken it away by nailing it to the cross. Col 2:14 NET Bible

Chris and have this problem. We can't really celebrate Easter without first going through Good Friday. Seems we both need to be reminded of the sacrifice before we can celebrate the redemption--and it is in the somberness and remembrance of Good Friday that we are reminded of how we were bought with an incredible price--not of our own doing but out of Christ's love.

At service last evening, we were reminded of Christ's sacrifice, but it was the words from Colossians which really caught my attention and brought it all to reality.

We had a debt that there was no way we could pay--but Christ took it and paid it and nailed it to the cross for us. That is why a tool of torture and execution has become a symbol of hope and redemption--the cross. A place of death has become the way to life.

Happy Easter--our debt is paid and we are sons and daughters of God.

Smoking Loon Cabernet Sauvingnon 2006

I am a big fan of the Smoking Loon wines--but I have to say I was let down by this wine. Unlike most of the others that I have had the pleasure to sample, this wine was lifeless. The nose was flat, the palette unremarkable, and the finish non-existent.

The tasting can be described as: This wine is dark deep plum in color with a nose of cherry pie and dark ripe berries and tree bark spice. Flavors of dark berries again fill the palate with a rich fruitiness and tingling acidity while ending with a smokey finish.

While the cost of this wine is definitely less than $8.00, I believe you can do better.

RECOMMENDATION: Not a first choice. In desperate times following two or three other bottles--it will hold up O.K.

Knowing: Movie Review

Took some of our precious Spring Break time to see the movie Knowing. We had thought it looked intriguing and wanted to see at least one current movie during Spring Break.

The movie is directed by Alex Proyas and stars Nicolas Cage and Chandler Canterbury.

The movie has a lot of promise as it begins. The plot is well developed and quickly pulls the viewer into it. A time capsule is opened 50 years after it is buried at an elementary school and there are troubling signs in the numbers on the sheet given to one boy that ultimately predict the end of the earth.

OK--it is a great start and a good story. The acting is good--not great but good. The story compelling as all of the pierces come together including the daughter and grand daughter of the girl who wrote the numbers on the paper 50 years ago. The interaction of the actors and characters is very good and the movement along the plot if compelling.

But let me tell you this--the ending is poor. Beautiful, Hollywood grand style, but a cheap movie trick. Yes it is set up at the beginning of the movie--but any movie that ends this way (and there are a lot lately) just is not a good movie. here are so many other ways to end movies other than resorting to this type of ending.

RECOMMENDATION: MUST MISS. There is no reason to see this movie unless you have absolutely nothing else to do. The ending is just bad. And I was left wondering if the movie producers believe I have any intelligence at all.

Out of the Fog

One morning last week, as I was walking across the parking lot to go in the front door of work, I noticed a real picturesque scene.

The parking lot was draped in fog--which always makes it kinda eerie, but it was just after dawn so the sky was brightening up lending a surreal lighting to the parking lot. On top of this, the fog was very close to the ground and so the flag, illuminated as it was, was flying above the fog boldly waving in a light breeze.

Wow I was a cool scene and I wished I had a camera or was an artist to be able to process the scene from my mind onto canvas.

I was filled at the same time with a feeling of patriotism and awe about the beauty of the world around us. Sometime we need to stop to smell the flowers--and likewise we need to stop to see the world and take it in.

Those are the moments where we realize we are part of something larger than ourselves.

Monday Musings on Tuesday

OK--totally missed last week and I'm late this week--but life does that sometimes.

1. I love baseball, especially when the Orioles beat up on the Yankees, 10-5 yesterday. I need to enjoy it while I can because there are another 161 games to play and reality will set in soon enough.

2. Opening Day should be a national holiday--it is simultaneously the beginning of both Spring and Summer.

3. The Orioles are the only sports team that all of us agree about being our favorite team.

4. I actually have two favorite teams: the Orioles and whoever is beating the Yankees.

5. I worked all weekend and had a lot of new experiences--who says an old dawg can't learn new tricks?

6. As the weather grows warmer--I love begin able to go outside without having to bundle up like Nanook of the North.

7. Makayla is growing like a weed. I can't believe how small she was just over three months ago.

8. Despite my belief to the contrary--I look forward to Spring Break. I decided to take the rest of the week off.

9. I wish we had planned a trip this year to somewhere for Spring Break. Key Largo comes to mind.

And God said "play ball"

I love baseball.

And when the game is going good it is really good.

Especially against the Yankees wjen the O's are winning and I'm at the park watching.

Bob Doan
Elkridge, MD
Sent from my Blackberry

Opening Day

I'm at Camden Yards for opening day with the Orioles. Baseball is back and I'm thrilled.

And I'm thrilled to be at the game with my three sons.

Wow.

Spring really is here.

Let's rock.

Bob Doan
Elkridge, MD
Sent from My Blackberry

Birthday Dinner for Patrick

The whole clan together in one place--minus Jax. It was really cool as we all got together and went to dinner to a place we had never been and for a style of dinner we had never done either--Japanese.

It was a blast and we all had fun. The food was good and the family was all having fun together.

Patrick decided to do something different and it was--like being on a cooking show with the chef right in front of us.

And catching a piece of chicken in my mouth was only one of the highlights. Ethan was was to catch one too.

And the after dinner photo is one to be remembered for a long time.

BTW--opening day is a week away.

A nice Sunday dinner followed by dessert at Patrick and Tina's--and a rousing chorus of Happy Birthday.

Basketball, Beer, Burgers and Dogs

It has been over a week now since the first day of March Madness and the memory of watching the games over at Jeremy's with him and Mike and the dogs: Ben and Makayla is a good one.

A complete guy kinda day.

Made better because Maryland won--that day. And of course the company.

I love watching Makayla learn how to be a dog from Ben. And while this particular picture isn't from that day, it does show the kind of relationship the two of them have. I especially like the paw on the neck. Be still you Tasmanian Devil Dawg.

It seems that after every time they are together--Makayla comes home just that much more of a real dog and not a wild puppy. But she is growing up so quickly.

But back to the three B's.

A great day, good fun, hard played Tournament Basketball and a bit of comic relief playing Rock Band. Frankly, in the overall scheme of life--unless I'm diving a reef somewhere in the world in a blue ocean on a calm day, it don't get no better than this.

Thanks Jer and Mike. Opening Day is just over a week away--and when we add Patrick to the mix, it is going to be a great day!

Is Anyone Else Concerned?

Every day it seems I read that the government is amassing more and more power.

The headline in the Business Section of The Washington Post for March 25th read: "The Pitch for Expanded Powers." And the tag line was: "Geithner, Bernake Seek the Authority to Seize Failing Firms Other Than Banks."

Frankly, I'm worried.

Our government should not be seizing firms. What is next?

I thought our whole business structure was built on the basis of the good succeed and the bad fail. If the government intervenes to save companies that should fail--what will that do to the entrepreneurs of the future? The great idea people like those behind Apple when it started and IBM and Xerox back when they began?

Will the bad business practices continue--with the safety net of a government bail out to save them from their own excesses and poor decision making?

How will the marketplace and industry evolve if the government is in control?

Isn't this all a violation of the Constitution somewhere?

AIG needed to fail.

GM needs to fail. So someone better and brighter can succeed it.

Big industries and corporations have been buying up and destroying competition for years to preserve their now obvious faults. And our government is condoning this behavior by buying them, seizing them and keeping them afloat. What's wrong with this picture? Since when did our government become the model way for running businesses?

I'm not sure I want to pay for all of this.

I'm not sure the world economy is in a position to finance the debt until our grandchildren can pay for it.

I'm worried that we have taken a leap into socialism--where the government controls everything and we are taxed at an unbelievably high rate to pay for it.

Nothing is free!

I'm worried about what's next?

Then when the Lamb opened the third seal I heard the third living creature saying, “Come!” So I looked, and here came a black horse! The one who rode it had a balance scale in his hand. Then I heard something like a voice from among the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat will cost a day’s pay and three quarts of barley will cost a day’s pay. But do not damage the olive oil and the wine!” Rev 6:5-7 NET Bible


Does this foretell of runaway inflation from a failed bailout plan? And of the incredible world-wide depression which results? I hope not.

So, is anyone else concerned? I think we need to pray harder.

Friday Night Lights and Glass Wall

I ran into my own kind of glass wall last Friday night.

I played in the league championship for racquetball at the club and learned a lot about desire and just plain getting beat.

It was tough. I was playing a friend for the championship of the division in the end of league tournament. He was the number 1 seed, and I was number 2 based upon our performance during league play against the others in the league.

During league play we met--with the match going into the tiebreaker, which he won 11-10. It was hard fought. But fun. We play each other about twice per week outside of the league.

So I thought I was ready. I had a plan. I felt I could win, and I thought I was ready. He was "readier" it was soon apparent.

So I was reminded why I really play racquetball. Because I love it--even in getting beat fairly handily, I love the sport. the quickness, the thinking, and the hard work. Some fitness guru estimates that a racquetball match is equivalent to running two miles. I hate running for the sake of running. But put me in a court with a racquetball and I'll chase it like a dog!

Well, it's O.K. The league begins again next week. And we can do it all over again.

Bonuses and Bailouts: Perspective

Wow--my email box is full of get rich schemes and take advantage of the bail-out money schemes. Everyone seems to have an angle these days to get rich quick. Well, they definitely are behind the corporate executives who profited from the bail-out.

I am amazed that people have so much time to sit and figure out out to profit form other's agony. It is a crime. Almost like executives accepting huge bonuses while others in the company and near them are losing their jobs.

What has happened?

Where has the idea that hard work is reward enough? I cannot fathom a $1,000,000.00 (just so you could see it more clearly) BONUS! What did they accomplish? Drove the company into bankruptcy and requiring a federal bail out. Good job. What kind of bonus do they expect when they actually are successful?

I don't get bonuses!

But I get satisfaction from what I do. I'm still "jazzed" about going to work every day. I believe what I do is important.

My view:

The problem with corporate America today is mercenaries. The leaders of the companies don't care about the long-term health and competitive advantage of the company--just this year's bonus. They move from company to company with no intention of sticking around to see if their wild ideas actually work. Our companies are not reinvesting in infrastructure to keep them competitive. They are sucking off the reinvestment monies to pay bonuses to executives so they can live in a lifestyle that is reminiscent of feudal lords.

When did this problem really begin to materialize? When loyalty to the workers went away. That's when corporate leadership became totally mercenary because suddenly the companies were faceless.

People--we've lost it as a society. We are missing the point.

Now I'm not saying that we shouldn't live comfortable. I love living comfortable and I thank God for the blessings he has given me. But people there is a point where loving the money and material is going to cause the entire system to crumble. Maybe it has!

How do we turn it around? Curb our appetite for greediness and excess. Force corporate executives to realize they are a big part of the problem.

If the President of the United States can live on $400,000.00 per year--who needs more?

Monday Musings - March 23, 2009

OK-- I remembered this week and I'm not traveling, so here goes:

1. Sundays when the temperature is over 60 degrees means that the outdoors is alive again and a great place to be.

2. Who knew that you could get a tick on the first day after a freeze? I'm thinking about the Brad Paisley song Ticks when he sings: "And I'd like to check you for ticks?"

3. A chain saw in your hands while cleaning up the mess of fallen trees is therapeutic.

4. I feel much better when the sun is bright and the temperature is warm. I can see leaves beginning to grow on the trees. The crocus and daffodils are beginning to bloom. The grass really greened up this weekend. And, the garage is a mess! Must be Spring!

5. March Madness is. And sharing it with your sons is, too.

6. Losing the league racquetball championship Friday night still stings, but knowing that I was just outplayed makes me want to work that much harder and the new season begins next week.

7. Mortgage refinancing in the current climate makes my head spin.

8. Puppies can be a bit too enthusiastic at the wrong times, like thinking Jax was a new playmate when he was crawling towards her on the floor. The ensuing collision was not a pretty sight.

9. Opening Day is two weeks away, and hope springs eternal as the O's take the field. I finally received my free t-shirts from the O's for being a season ticket plan holder--so now I fee like a true fan!

10. When you turn the heat off because the doors and windows are open during the day, remember to turn it back on before going to bed or else it will be 59 degrees in the house when you get up. Frost on the coffee pot is a bad thing.

11. My list of "to-do's" exceeds my time available.

Weddings Can Be Fun

What a great weekend I had last weekend.

To begin with it turned into a four-day weekend and travel to Houston. Who is going to complain about a four-day weekend? The air travel--well it's air travel. I learned that Continental really likes to fly full airplanes!

But the most fun was getting together with my family--my brother, sisters, Mom and Dad and spouses and children (except for mine!) and celebrating the beginning of a new life together--a wedding.

What a great event.

It was good to get away and reconnect and hopefully stay in touch, thin time, with the family. It is so easy to become disconnected from.

We sometime become so entrenched on our own lives and our own "must-do's" that staying connected becomes difficult.

So from weddings we learn about connectedness and the value of family. That's why we all gather to celebrate together--because we are each important.

Monday Musings on Tuesday: Air Travel

OK--so in week 2, I missed Monday.



But, I was traveling and have an excuse.



So here are the Monday Musings, on Tuesday:



1. Air travel has become a real pain. I feel like the next thing they are going to want us to do is load the bags into the airplane ourselves.



2. What extra service do you get for the $15 per bag charge on airplanes? They take longer to collect when you get there. It took an hour after we landed in Houston to get our one piece of checked baggage. And why did we check it? Because of the liquids necessary to make women look pretty in the morning.



3. Direct flights are THE way to fly!



4. Continental Airlines still serves snacks on board. Who knew?



5. The weather in Houston was just like the weather in Baltimore--awful.



6. Houston Intercontinental Airport is TOO BIG!



7. The TSA likes to change things up just to keep everyone uneasy about air travel.



8. Leave on the noon-time flights, there will be fewer people in line ahead of you. This was borne out by the fact that we departed form Baltimore on a Friday at noon--and had a real short wait at the security check point, and even leaving Houston on a Monday about noon-time, there were almost "no lines, no waiting!"



9. Everything is bigger in Texas. Check it out for yourself.



10. I learned that Stephen F. Austin college is making their first ever NCAA Tournament appearance as a 14 seed.. Everyone in Houston is excited. Too bad they face Syracuse (A 3 seed)!



11. Low-level supersonic describes the trip to the airport in Houston after my sister realized we were leaving too late.



12. Fulshear, Texas IS the middle of no where! But they don't have many distractions around either.

Airports

So here I am, sitting in the airport waiting to depart on a flight. Flying has become way too much like taking a bus trip.

We arrived early, so as not to miss our flight and now we get to wait. Had we waited to arrive, we would likely have gotten caught in a long line and missed our flight causing stress and more waiting. The paradox of flying. The more I do to be efficient I always get to wait.

And here's the really cool part. We pay for this experience.

They've just announced the flight is full. Great. That means no room. All seats taken and I get to become real familiar with a seat mate.

Love it a lot.

But at the other end we'll see family and friends so it is worth it.
Bob Doan
Elkridge, MD
Sent from My Blackberry

Possums Vinyard Shiraz 2004

Possums Vineyard McLaren Vale Shiraz 2004 is one of those awesome wines that is just a joy to enjoy. I found this wine at a tasting and fell in love with it immediately. Be sure to get the McLaren Vale Shiraz as Possums does have another Shiraz offering that I have not tasted.

It has a silky rich texture, a superior color and a nose that tingles the palette even before the first drop of wine enters the mouth. I spent a great deal of time just swirling and enjoying the wine even before I tasted it.

The winery describes it in the following manner: A full bodied wine with purple and violet hues with flavours of ripe berry fruits and smoky oak characters from ageing in a mixture of French and American oak barrels.

I believe they are being too modest. This wine is special--being one of those $20 per bottle wines that will garner respect and praise for having a well developed palette all evening. The berry flavors with chocolate and a hint of licorice bring it all together. Of course I have a special weakness for Shiraz anyway.

I am a wine drinker--but one glass of this wine was a complete experience. I guess I cannot recommend this wine highly enough. It was awesome served with steak. It held its own and complimented the meat very nicely.

RECOMMENDATION: Add this wine to your cellar and serve it to your best friends and those you are trying to impress. You and they will not be disappointed.

Travel and Clothing

I came to realize yesterday, and it actually confirmed something I guess I've known for a while, men and women are REALLY different.

So Chris and I are conversing for a few precious minutes and planning for the evening over a late glass of wine. And the topic of discussion is: laying out clothing for the upcoming jaunt to Houston this weekend!

Ugh!

It is Tuesday night, we haven't seen each other for most of the week due to divergent schedules Monday night and the most scintillating thing we can talk about is the need to lay out outfits for the weekend?

Of course right up there in second place was making sure the house was clean for the cleaning lady! Something which never ceases to amaze me--if we start with a clean house, what are we paying for?

Wow--I would much rather have discussed the O's or hockey. Actually i was trying to watch a recorded O's spring training game against the Redsox at the time. Plans for tonight would be good, too. But clothing options for the weekend? I'll figure mine out as I throw them into the suitcase Friday before I leave for the airport.

So clothing vs sports!

The weekend is days away. Where are we going? I have all Friday morning to worry about it.

Daylight Savings and Sunrises

I came out of the club this morning after an invigorating racquetball match to be greeted by darkness again. The darkness--the result of daylight savings time--reminded me how much I love the dawn and coming out of the club into the light of a new day. Just last week the sun was rising as did my spirits as I walked to my car after grueling racquetball matches.

I love starting my day with racquetball. It gets the body moving and in tune for the rest of the day. After a weekend, racquetball helps get those muscles moving again and back into tone.

In two weeks--dawn will be at 6:37 am--which is about when I walk out of the club. In a month--sunrise will be at 6:39 am--which means I will be treated to the rising sun on the horizon as I walk out the doors of the club. But, sadly, in 6 months dawn will again be back to about 6:42 am, meaning that the summer is about over and the dark season is beginning again. Wow--how quickly it all goes away.

But there sure is a lot of fun in between now and then.

And Patrick--if you click on the properties for this picture to see the title--you might get a bit of a surprise. Think about an early morning dive in this lake and tell me if you're game sometime.

So what is the advantage of daylight savings time? Most people like that it is lighter longer into the evening and we can get more chores done around the house and enjoy outdoor activities when the weather is mild. I like it because I get to enjoy more sunrises and I prefer sunrises to sunsets! I remember when Chris and I were younger and would do dumb things like driving through the night to get somewhere. Twenty-four or twenty-seven hours on the road switching off driving every couple hours. I always loved driving when the sun was coming up as the world awoke to the hope of a new day.

Mark 16:2 "And very early on the first day of the week, at sunrise, they went to the tomb." (NET Bible)

In reflecting on sunrises--I was reminded that our whole confidence in eternal life in Christ began on a Sunday morning at sunrise!

Monday's Musings -- An Attempt at at Weekly Thought Piece - March 9th

Well--I like what a lot of people do--with their weekly lists of things and happenings and decided that no good idea should go unplagurized.

So here goes--only in my list there isn't a requisite number of items:

1. Jax is a miracle baby and the parties this weekend celebrating his first year only served to demonstrate how much of a miracle he is. He is an awesome Child of God. I love his smile and bright eyes.

2. There is nothing better than sitting on the back deck, on March 8th, in the early evening with the temperature in the 70's enjoying wine, cheese, and crackers with Chris.

3. I wish the phone wouldn't ring 8 times while we are trying to enjoy wine and cheese on an awesome Sunday afternoon in March.

4. I can do brakes on a car--and my kids know this. At least it is a reason for them to come over and visit--both boys have visited in the past two weeks.

5. The more Chris gets frustrated with Makayla, the more I laugh--especially when she is eating the blooms off the newly planted pansies. There is just something funny about the two of them when they go at it. And Makayla usually comes away with the upper hand (paw?).

6. I wish Makayla would not try to "play" with Zachary. It just gets too loud in the room.

7. Why do the leaves return so quickly after we remove them from the yard? Is it a conspiracy by the gnomes? Do the trees have it in for us? What did I do to deserve so many leaves? And we still have three trees which have not shed all of their leaves, yet! Ugh!

8. Temperatures of 76 degrees in early March in Maryland make it more likely that the pool will be open sooner than later. At least I can dream about it. Of course if this were Florida--the pool would never have been closed in the first place.

9. I feel like a real "He-man" because I had to get another chain saw blade due to dulling of the one that came with my chain saw. Walnut really dulls a saw blade quickly. My neighbor and also another friend at work both told me they have 4 blades for their saws for this very reason. Who knew that chain saws could be that much fun?

10. It really is true that weddings and funerals bring families together. Good for the first and way too bad for the second. Ought there not be another reason to get together to celebrate? But next weekend we'll be in Houston for a wedding--and we are looking forward to it. Although the weather looks questionable right now--I'm not sure the weather forecasters really forecast anything--they make it up as they go. So I'm hoping for sunny and 80 degrees! For me--anything over 60 is a bonus.

11. We left our previous church a year ago--trusting God that we were following His leading. In reflecting yesterday, together, on the deck with wine, cheese, crackers, and the notes from the message given in our "new" church warlier in the day; we came to understand the degree to which this was really true. The past year has not been easy in this regard and the broken relationships still cause pain--but, we are growing again and healing. And we are becoming ready to begin serving again in some capacity.

Speed Puppy

This is fun. Racing across the pool cover with the pool so full the water laps at my feet.

I'm a speedy dog.

Faster than a a speeding bullet. .

More powerful than a Rottweiler.

Able to leap tall logs in a single bound.

Able to run across pool covers at speeds approaching the speed of sound!

I'm super Makayla!

I live the life of a quiet puppy and pet, but at night I become a super hero! Speedy Dawg.

Equipping the Team for Success

I was reminded about an important aspect of leadership while in church the other day.

Good leaders equip their team members to do the work. The real problem is when the leader abrogates this important task and forgets how to interact and equip the team members.

This is biblical! Read Ephesians 4:11-12. It speaks to the leaders and what they are supposed to do for the team members--equip them.

"It was he who gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, that is, to build up the body of Christ," (Eph 4:11-12, NET Bible)

These verses struck me as being applicable to many areas of life--and especially teams. Churches are, after all, teams of people working together for an important outcome. The world borrows lots of ideas from the Church and then changes them a bit and calls them the product of "Renaissance thinking" or some other moniker. But we know where they really come from.

This concept works for teams. The leaders need to equip the team members to do their jobs. The leaders must not do the jobs--but be about getting the resources, and training, and developing the enthusiasm in the team to successfully accomplish the mission or task.

I've been part of teams where the leader has great ideas, and great vision; but doesn't provide the team members the skills or the desire to achieve the end state. It is sad. Because the ideas are great. But the execution fails because the leader isn't doing the job and therefore, the team can't do its job.

Churches can be like this too. With paid staffs and professional pastors, the membership may develop the idea that if they throw enough money at the problem--they will succeed. That is a sure sign that the pastors and teachers aren't doing their jobs--equipping the members to do the work. Somewhere the idea gets turned that the pastors and teachers are doing the work. And some pastors may thrive on this--being the key cog in the wheel. These pastors may even be afraid that if the team gets too good, they won't be needed. But it's not true.

Sometimes team leaders are their own worst enemies, too. They say they want the team members to move out and do the work--but when it comes right down to it they are afraid to let the team do its mission. They throw up roadblocks to success--their own success as it would be. The create a dysfunctional dependency-based relationship where the team cannot--no is not allowed, to do its work without the direct and intimate involvement of the leader. How are they going to learn?

I have seen this over and over again. Leaders cripple rather than equip their team because they are afraid the team won't need them.

I think what this verse and what I take away from all of this is--charge them up and send them out.

Equip the team for success. Give the team members the tools and enthusiasm to do their tasks and then LET THEM DO IT! Yeah, there will be mistakes, but consider these as teaching points.

The team will be stronger and will begin to meet is tasks and perform its mission and purpose.

Saturday Night Out--at Church?

You know we keep churches in a real box. Plan the week to go to church for an hour or so on Sunday. Multiple services sandwiched back-to-back don't leave much time for doing something radically different.

Saturday night--Feb 28th was different. One service--lasting 2 and a half hours complete with two 40 minute messages and some really awesome music to kick off a new series of study.

Sometimes you have to do something different to have really awesome God experience. And worshiping with 1300 other people is not something that happens to me every day. The band rocked and God was glorified.

In the same way we keep churches in boxes, we often keep God in a small manageable box as well.

But for us we need to remember Romans 6:23. And a God that can save us from our sin and death should not be kept in a box.

Miracle Baby Jax turns One!!

It is true--the miracle baby turns one today!!!

Jackson Gray, the child that was the object of so many prayers and who demonstrated God's love in a most personal way turns one and is the light of many lives.

This shot is from Disney--but he is climbing stairs and really coming into himself.  And he is the cutest thing going.

It has been a great year of watching Jax grow and develop. He is funny and has a genuinely good sense of humor. And I love the way he smiles--not just with his mouth--but his whole face and even his eyes light up.  A smile designed to melt the coldest heart.

Happy Birthday Jax-- you are a great kid.