Quality and Quantity Time

It was April 18th, and we could hardly wait to get to Lake Michigan.

No, we weren't beach bums in the Spring, we were a family on an adventure together.

We needed some family time together, and we like to go places and do things as a family.

Did you know that the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore ranks 7th in plant diversity among all National Parks?

So here's the point: Thanks to God for allowing me to hang out with my wife and kids for a day exploring the dunes. And my own mom was with us too.

Easter, 2009 - Some Thoughts

Have you ever watched a favorite movie, or TV show, or read a favorite book, time and time again, and gotten completely immersed in the suspense and drama? Even though we know how the story will turn out, we still get caught up in the plot complication: will the good guy win over the bad guy? How will the hero escape this situation?

To me, Easter is like that. We know how the story ends - Jesus is risen! Yet, as we navigate through Thursday, and Friday, and Saturday, and wait for Sunday, we feel the passion, the agony, and the sadness that is the crucifixion. Part of it out of the story itself, part of it coming to grips with our own sinfulness, both personally and corporately, that moved Jesus to choose the cross for us. We wonder - will the good guy win over the bad guy? How will the hero escape this situation?

The good guy wins! The hero arose from the situation! Death is conquered, sin is forgiven! We celebrate - He is risen! He is risen indeed!

Maybe God created a sense of drama, suspense, and anticipation within us so that we would always re-live the sorrow of Good Friday and the joy of Easter.

I know I did this year. And will again.

And I wait until Jesus comes again, even though I've read ahead and know how the story will turn out.

Why a responsible guy would ditch a responsibility

Today I am "playing hooky" from work for a few hours. Yes, I am taking a night off of work as tax season winds down.

Why would I do that?

I miss doing fun stuff with my wife and kids. The balance between earning a living and actually living is a delicate balance, and I'm looking forward to the pendulum swinging soon. I want to have dinner with my family (not another drive through, please!) Don't know what we'll do after dinner, but that doesn't matter!

We choose to be a one wage earner family so that we can decide the training and education our family will have, instead of our government school. To do that, I work a full time job and prepare tax returns on the side during the season. This fall, I will be starting the road to earn my M B A. Have to work, have to make time to play. Also, I am very careful about not taking too much time away from family for other stuff, like hanging out with guys.

The countdown is on! Only 9 more shifts to go until the end of tax season (or Tax Season, depending upon your perspective). Excitement is brewing as our family transitions into Road Trip Season (always capitalized to show importance)!

A trip to Lake Michigan is in the works!

But what if the weather is bad?

No problem! We will do the following:

A lighthouse tour in Michigan City

A new Visitors Center at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore

A shopping list at Pro Bass Shops

Most importantly, I miss doing fun stuff with my wife and kids terribly. I know I just said that, but it is worth repeating.

God's Protection Over Me

This week I've chosen to see God's hand of protection over me instead of being unhappy that He hasn't blessed me more.

Compare the photo of me uploaded with this post to the photo with my profile. Same person, same time of the year, different cameras with different lenses. One photo is a blessing, one is a curse. Just goes to show that how we see life depends upon the lens and perspective we have.

One way among many that God is protecting me that was always there, but I've been reminded of:

Word came this week that another marriage in my extended family is failing in a big way. The lens and perspective I have at the moment allows me to see God's protection over me, my own marriage, and my own family life.

God's grace, God's word and my application of it to my life, allowing His influence, and Scripture influenced decision making have made the difference. My own marriage and family are vibrant and growing because of the saving and keeping work of Jesus Christ. I have a relationships with my kids. I'm connected in my local church, including a small group that provided interdependence. Even as I struggle with synergizing the need to earn a living and the need to be home with my family, we are working together to keep it in line. And we're waiting for the end of tax season, then a big family celebration.

The "world" would predict that failure is my destiny. Jesus Christ says that being like Him is my destiny. When Jesus comes and transforms, He doesn't usually do it with flash and dance, shock and awe. Instead, it is a quiet, behind the scenes work built around who He is, what He as done, and what He is doing, and using truth to influence decision making.

Usually, I struggle because I don't feel as blessed as I ought to be. True, He throws financial trials my way to make sure He has my attention. That manifiests itself in my having to be intentional about counting my blessings. This week counting my blessings got a whole lot easier when I noticed that I've been protected from problems that others I care about have.

Now the call is to find out how to come alongside my struggling comrades...

Top Ten List - Twitters We'd Rather Not Read

I've been enjoying Twitter, an online micro blog. This past weekend I thought of David Letterman's Top Ten Lists, and came up with my own - Top 10 Tweets We'd Rather Not Read.

From the Home Office, here we go:

10. My cell-mate Bernie M. says, "Hi!"

9. I can't stand the itching, but I don't mind the swelling.

8. Hey! There's no toilet paper in here!

7. They pelted us with rocks and garbage this morning.

6. I can't seem to get this computer virus off my tweet posts.

5. Anybody seen my dentures?

4. Lost my driver's license.

3. How I combined two ingredients and blew up my garage - http://www.twitter.oops/!

2. Obama siezed my hunting gear.

1. Constiptated, again. :-(

Reinventing myself again.

At age 43, I am still re-inventing myself (the photo is someone re-inventing the wheel on a napkin. Get it? :-). I'm finding myself having to be more of a risk taker than I'm used to.

One recent example is in my moonlighting job, a Tax Professional at H & R Block. One would think of a tax preparer who reads questions from a computer, waits for a customer's response, then keystrokes the data. Not so. Today's successful Tax Professional is a dynamic, thoughtful combination of tax knowledge and interpersonal communicator. Additionally, we have the responsibility to build value for everybody by winning and retaining clients, finding added value services, and marketing ourselves and our brand. I'm not one to ask others to do something (ask my Darling Bride who asked who to get married). But after the agony of plucking up courage of asking clients to take advantage of opportunities we present, some say yes. It is exciting to be influential in a good way. So I have to take the risk of asking others to do things, even when those things would benefit them.

Continuing, thinking through my leadership role at my local church. What if I start pursuing an M.B.A. and have to make priority choices? I think I might need and M.B.A. to be qualified for my next job, and a job allows me to proivde for my family, etc...Taking risks of what to say "yes" to and what to say "no" to.

At home. I've been struggling with finding quantitiy time for family, as tax season is in full swing. I will be re-inventing myself again starting April 16th. Finally, I will be with my family again. I miss them. That's another consideration. The family photo I keep on my desk is not just decoration, it is my motivation to keep going, and to keep re-inventing myself. The risk of balancing the need of having to go earn grocery money and the need of being home with my family.

Isn't "re-inventing oneself" another name for being conformed to the image of Christ if you are a follower of Him? Whatever it is, call it a work in progress.

If it is a holiday, and you have to work, is it a holiday?

DISCLAIMER: This is a light hearted look at work and holidays. Don't be offended.

Recently one of my Sunday School classmembers mentioned the holiday of St. Patrick's Day.

Now I know that I may offend someone if I say that St. Patrick's Day is not a holiday.

But it's not. Here's how I know: I still have to go to work. If I go to work, holiday - no. If I get a day off, holiday - yes. Simple.

Of course, what may be a holiday for my may not be for you. And what may be a holiday for you may not be for me.

President's Day? Guess it depends on if you are a banker or not. Valentine's Day? I still went to work and the trash collectors still picked up my trash. Arbor Day? When is Arbor Day, anyway?

Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day? Yes, I know some people still have to work, but I don't get much time off work, so I'll take 'em. They make summer a little extra special.

How about the big majors, like Christmas, and Thanksgiving? I know that public servants, like Police, Fire, soldiers, Marines, and such, have to work those days, because safety never takes a holiday. So I don't know what to say about that yet. I do know, though, that I am thankful for those who put themselves on the line for us every day. But those are real holidays - put away the cares of the world for a day, play, eat, be with family, think of God, and have 24 hours of peace.

If you like to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, go right ahead! It may be a holiday for you, and that's OK! Good for you! Drink something green for me. I will be wearing something green at work.