I propose we rename Louisville to “East Phoenix”.
…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net
As I blogged before, my son’s 12th birthday occurred during Scout camp last week. Of course, he has been milking it and we are on our last “event” for his birthday. He is right now in the pool with 5 of his Scout and neighbor friends, will have cake when they get out, and will be having a slumber party in the basement which most likely means lots of video games, stupid boy fun and no sleep.
Below is a picture of the custom cake my baking daughter made him. It is truly out of control and she did a great job adapting his “dream” cake into reality.
- bottom layer of chocolate chip cookie
- white frosting
- middle layer of chocolate cake
- white frosting
- top layer of white cake
- chocolate frosting
- topped with two Reese’s peanut butter cups
- ringed with Kit Kats
While it looks great, I’m not going near it.
…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net
In San Diego last night, the whole 17 minute firework show went up in less than a minute due to some kind of error. In the pyro industry, this is called “sky puke”.
Let’s hope this doesn’t happen tomorrow night during our “Thunder Over Finchville”.
…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net
Yesterday was a relaxing and productive day with family. I had the day off work and needed to knock off a few items on my “honey do” list. But before that happened, the wife and I headed out early in the morning to get a few errands done before the heat of the day set in. Her truck needed gas and I needed to hit the home improvement store for a few things for my projects.
While we were in town we decided to hit Garden Ridge to replace an umbrella that was taken out in a storm this last Sunday. We were appreciative for the rain but the numerous lightning strikes and 60+ mph winds were unwelcome. Luckily, the only damage was the lone pool deck umbrella that levitated like Mary Poppins and slammed into the ground disabling any future shade generation.
Our Garden Ridge visit was very quick. With our budget and envelope system intact, we have very little need and funds to lollygag and “browse” shop. Whether Lowes, Kroger or Garden Ridge, we have a list and we are disciplined to stick to it. In this case it was a single umbrella on the list so we homed in on that section. However, as we made our way to that part of the store, guess what we passed? —- “the Christmas display!!!!!”
WHAT?!?!?!? Christmas lights, trees and ornaments already out???? It is literally the 4th of July and you are getting Christmas displays ready? My wife LOVES Christmas and even said that it was not right. And what was really out of place??? — the cinnamon smelling pinecones as we walked out with our summer market umbrella. I even commented to my wife that the cinnamon smell did not fit on this day, the 4th of July (and I like the cinnamon smell).
So we proceeded to purchase our umbrella and focus on enjoying the beautiful summer day that was laid before us.
…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net
It is my 2nd favorite holiday and I love when the patriotic comes out in all of us. It gives me hope for our nation that we might right our currently sinking ship and return it to the values and morals it was founded upon.
Throughout the day I perused Facebook to see many different postings and pictures. Below is a collection of the ones I really liked today.
Happy Independence Day America!!!
…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net
100+, 100+, 100+, 100+, 100+!!!!!
We have just completed our fifth day of 100+ temps. FIVE, 5, cinqo!!! And there is not much chance ahead for a reprieve. I am just thankful that we have power, unlike a few million people east of us. We can run the A/C, the fridge, and the pool pump which give us several options for cooling off.
Stay cool out there.
…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net
This weekend my church celebrated its 50th Anniversary. And while Southeast Christian Church is one of the top 10 largest churches in the U.S., the worship service was specifically intentional to focus on what God has done and what God WILL do and to give Him all glory and praise, not to self-placate itself with accolades. It was a very special service in that there was lots of music, lots of prayer, lots of worship, and sermons from every pastor who had ever preached there (Bob Russell, Dave Stone and Kyle Idleman). Several times during worship my eyes filled with joyful or repenting tears revealing the piercing of my heart in worship. Moving to say the least.
Senior pastor Dave Stone often comments when Scripture verses are read and the sound of Bibles being pulled out and pages turning fills the sanctuary. He says that it is a sound he loves to hear. I agree with him for several reasons.
One, it means that Scripture is being preached on. Unfortunately, even though I was raised “in the church” (not Southeast but elsewhere), I bore through many sermons that were not based on God’s Word. That is definitely not the case at my church now.
Two, it means that church attendees are actually bringing their Bibles with them to worship. And by diving into God’s Word they move from “attendee” to “participant” to “disciple” — exactly the path God calls us to be on.
But I digress….. Back to Dave Stone’s favorite sound of Bible pages turning.
So during this last service a different sound in the sanctuary came to be my favorite. And I possibly might not hear it again. You see, this 50th Anniversary worship service, celebration and praise to God was initially intended to occur at our local Papa John’s Louisville Cardinal Stadium. It is a football stadium that has the capacity to seat the entire Southeast congregation in one sitting — all three campuses. For logistics purposes, many things had to be considered and rearranged. One was communion. So these unique self-contained communion units were purchased (think “individualized coffee creamer with grape juice inside and wafer on top”).
As these special self-contained communion items were distributed and people began their prayer and repentance, the sanctuary was filled with the sound of people removing the cellophane wafer wrapper. I was in prayer after consuming my wafer and grape juice and it was revealed to me that it sounded like a gentle rain rather than cellophane removal. I basked in this new perspective, soaked up the acoustical expanse and let the imagery of rain in prayer wash over me like God’s forgiveness does when we submit in the Eucharist. It was incredibly metaphorical and powerful.
It truly was another facet to an already amazing worship service and I am so blessed to have participated.
On a different note, the service started out with a very hilarious video snippet — I highly recommend you click on the link and go watch it.
Where’s Bob – 50th Anniversary Pre-Show from Southeast Video on Vimeo.
…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net
Today was the fourth day in a row exceeding triple digit temperatures. The church sign below nails it. I had seen it before but it sure is appropriate.
We broke several records in the last few days.
- Hottest recorded temperature EVER for June — 105F
- Highest temp for 6/29 — 105F
- Highest temp for 6/30 — 104F
- Highest temp for 7/1 — 102F
…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net
Today is my son’s birthday. Unfortunately, he is at Boy Scout camp. It is his first time away from me or my wife for that long and it is his first time away from us on his birthday. Last year he celebrated his birthday at camp as well, but I was there with him. However, now that he is a Boy Scout he needs to begin to spread his wings away from me and my wife and this is one of those first steps. It was a hard decision, especially seeing as he didn’t want to go to camp at all. However, as his dad I made a “tough love” decision to make him go. It was something he needed to do, not only for his Scouting efforts, but for his young man growth path that he needs to be on.
D, I love you more than you will ever know. My job as your father is to love you for your own good, not mine. If I do my job correctly you will not need me. You will not look back and you will have the skills to persevere, flourish and prosper for all the days you live. You will serve our God and you will be bold in the way you live your life.
“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.” — Genesis 2:24
I will pour into you the skills my dad shared with me. I will impart the painful lessons I learned minus the pain. I will continue the faith legacy that was begun many generations ago passing on the faith of Christ and teaching the ways of our Lord God.
“Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” — Deuteronomy 11:18-19
And while I love you dearly and would do anything to protect you, the world is not like that. Therefore, I need you to grow to be able to protect yourself. I need you to be tough because quite often others aren’t and you might be called to protect the weak…. or to fight them (remember, bullies are weak, not strong).
“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” — Edmund Burke
I need you to grow into a man of character whose heart is after God’s, whose commitment is to your wife and whose sacrifice is to your family. It will not be easy and you will quite likely be assailed by society, culture and others. However, do not let anyone snuff out the light that is in you. God gave you unique skills and talents to use for His glory. It is your job to put those to use, not for you but for Him. You were wonderfully made and can do anything when aligned with God, petitioned in prayer and powered by the Holy Spirit.
I am proud of you — who you are, the path you have taken, the young man you are developing into, the people you have served, and the road you have in front of you. You are in my prayers daily, as is your future wife, your children and their children. Be prepared and soak up the journey.
Happy birthday and I love you!!!!!
…..Dad
“Start where you are,
Use what you have,
Do what you can.”
The sign above is a good one for disciples. We don’t need to wait until __________ . Fill in the blank with any excuse — until I grow up, until I have time, until I have money, until I am retired, until my kids grow up.
So get out there and love God and love your neighbor. What are you waiting for?
…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net
