A Slower Pace

In this day of Thanksgiving (my favorite holiday), it is very important for us to pause and look around at our blessings. If you are reading this, right out of the gate I can count several blessing for you without even knowing your specific situation — the fact you can read, you have some type of electronic device, have internet access, your heart is beating and you can breath, and you have some type of autonomy in the fact you can spend some of your discretionary time perusing the internet. So suffice it to say that you are enjoying many things you can be thankful for — and I am sure there are many more you could identify without breaking a sweat.

On Facebook throughout November, I posted a “thanks” a day as a part of the 30 days of gratitude. Below are all the posts and only begin to scratch the surface at all I am grateful for. I could easily do this for a whole year instead of just a month.

Thankful day #1: I am thankful the creator of the universe loves me enough to send his son Jesus. Thank you God!

Thankful day #2: thankful for our 2nd amendment rights that give us the tools to uphold all the other amendments (and in honor of the 6 new concealed carry applicants who passed the class that was hosted here at our place).

Thankful day #3: so blessed we live in a country where we can openly and freely worship Jesus! — at Southeast Christian Church.

Thankful day #4: I am thankful for a good job with a good company that allows me to provide for my family. Prov 14:23

Thankful day #5: although I should have posted this Friday (Nov 1) on our anniversary, I will do so today. I am so thankful that God blessed me with the gift of a Proverbs 31 woman — one who loves and serves her family, who nurtures, who wipes the snotty noses and cooks the meals that nourish us, who shuttles here and there, who teaches, who clothes and quilts, and who prays and worships.

Thankful day #6: I thank God that I got a “two-fer”, a buy one-get one free in my marriage to my wife. With that wonderful union and commitment, I received a wonderful gift from God in the form of a beautiful little 4 year old girl. That little girl who I adopted stole my heart and has blossomed into a smart, talented woman of Jesus — beautiful on the inside and outside. R – I love you!

Thankful day #7: so thankful for my first born K! I saw the crown of your head before you were born and I did not leave your side for 8 hours (sorry wifey). You are my punkin and have had my heart ever since. You are such a talented, sweet, beautiful, and observant daughter of God. May He lead you to your niche in this world. I love you!

Thankful day #8: I thank God for my namesake and my only son. D, you are so special and I want the world for you. I know and pray you will grow into the gentle warrior God is calling you to be. I love you!

Thankful day #9: I am thankful for the places God has taken me to live — Texas, California, and Kentucky. Each one unique and the exact place I needed to be at that time.

Thankful day #10: I am thankful for a safe, happy, and encouraging childhood being raised by loving parents who are still together to this day.

Thankful day #11: Thankful for our veterans and military who serve and sacrifice to keep us safe from evil in the world, protect our freedoms, and guard the Constitution.

Thankful day #12: I am thankful for my physical health. While I am not 20 years old anymore, occasionally experience old injury pain, and could stand to lose a few pounds, I am disease free and healthy. I thank God for continued breaths and heartbeats.

Thankful day #13: I am so thankful for my parents. My Mom and Dad sacrificed to raise me and my sister (and many others transitioning though — exchange students, relatives, friends, etc). They instilled faith, values, morals, work ethic, and many other benefits into us that have paid dividends in our adult lives. They raised God-fearing, tax-paying, community-serving, disciple-making kids that this country needs more of. It is my plan to pass this on to my kids and do the same. Thanks Mom and Dad for all you did as parents. I love you!

Thankful day #14: I am thankful for “anchor points” in my life. These people are more than a mentor. They are important people who have poured into me, who spend time with me, who I can learn from, who love me for who I am yet push me to be more, and who provide perspective on all the important things in life (spiritual, relational, physical, emotional, financial). An anchor point is a more intimate relationship than a mere mentor – they are someone who “anchors” you…..and you can have multiple ones you can knit together to create your personal safety net.

Thankful day #15: I am thankful for prayer; that we can communicate with our Creator directly. That we can lift up our pains, reveal the secrets of our hearts, confess our sins, cry out in despair, and seek out God’s guidance. Christ tore the curtain and bridged the gap and he intercedes for us (Hebrews 4:13-15 and 6:19-20). Jesus, thank you for hearing my feeble prayers. I am weak but You are strong.

Thankful day #16: I am thankful for the nature that God has surrounded me with out here in the country. And to hunt on my own land is a special treat. Not only because of the food provided, but the journey — that included a beautiful owl that landed on the tree next to us, multiple geese squadrons flying by so close you could hear the air off their wings, a hawk setting off a cacophony of squirrel alerts, and coyote yips in the distance. God made it all and you must be out in it to truly enjoy it.

Thankful day #17: I am thankful for storms in life, physical and otherwise. They bring rain, the winds blow and test us, and they let us know there is something bigger than us. For the believer, storms also force us to trust in our Creator and stake our claim on the solid rock of Christ. Prayers for all of those affected today by violent weather storms in the midwest.

Thankful day #18: I am thankful for the 2nd Amendment. If you like or enjoy any of the other amendments or any of the Constitution for that matter, you cannot dismiss the 2nd Amendment which backs it all up. None if it means anything if it can be easily taken away — and the 2nd Amendment prevents that.

Thankful day #19: I am thankful for friends who are in my life now, as well as those from the past (and those in the future). If you are reading this on Facebook, YOU are one of those. Our lives might have intersected for a very short time or you might know my entire life story — either way God meant it to be for a reason. Thanks for who you are!

Thankful day #20: I am thankful for forgiveness, reconciliation, and second (and third and fourth…..) chances.

Thankful day #21: I am thankful for God’s handiwork that He so frequently shares with us in the form of sunrises, sunsets, rainbows, and other spectacular forms of creation. This picture is from this morning.

Thankful day #23: I am thankful no one noticed I missed day #22.

Thankful day #24: I am thankful for the skills, talents, and gifts God gave me…..and the parents, teachers, and mentors who taught me to leverage those skills for the better of my family and others around me.

Thankful day #25: I am thankful for my brothers and sisters in Christ. I place my hope and trust in the salvation of Jesus and knowing I have dear friends who have done the same is such a valuable resource in keeping me an encouraged, inspired, and accountable disciple.

Thankful day #26: I am thankful for the many blessings of enjoyment that God gives us (that He didn’t have to). Such wonderful things as a sunrise/sunset, a butterfly fluttering, powerful volcanoes, the sweet taste of strawberries, perfumed flowers, soft kitten fur, birdsongs, human hugs. There are SO many more that I can’t list them all. List your favorite blessings from God in the comment

Thankful day #27: I am thankful for memories that, as I get older, I can replay like a mental VCR. God’s blessings go back quite a ways. 😉

Thankful day #28: On my favorite holiday, I am so thankful for faith, family, friends, food, and football. Happy thanksgiving!!!

Thankful day #29: (added retro) I am thankful for holiday family traditions and that I can serve my wife to make this her favorite season (as a thank you for her serving me on Thanksgiving to make that my favorite day).

Thankful day #30: (added retro) I am thankful, again, for salvation and eternal life through Christ Jesus who God gave as a sacrifice for my sins because of His great love for me. He loves you the same and wants to have a personal relationship with you. Not a seat in a church, not a Sunday check-the-box, but a real, true, fulfilling relationship that will carry you home through anything to heaven.

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

I don’t know how true the statements below are but they supposedly summarize the philosophy of Charles Schultz, the creator of Charlie Brown and Snoopy. Truth aside, it is the lesson that resonates and should spur us to action.

The following is the philosophy of Charles Schulz, the creator of the ‘Peanuts’ comic strip.

They simply are the ones who care the most.

Now get out there and make a difference. All you need to do is care.

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

I arrived to work early after an accountability meeting with one of my anchor points. And as I started going through my morning routine I caught a glimpse of God saying “good morning” to me. It prompted me to go outside and stand in His glory for 5 minutes as it unfolded.

With days that start like this, how can you have a bad day?

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

150 years ago on this day President Abraham Lincoln gave one of the most well known speeches. While most of us cannot quote the entire speech, Lincoln’s “Four score and seven years ago” resonate as much as other famous speeches such as Reagan’s “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall”, JFK’s “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country”, and Martin Luther King Jr’s “I have a dream”. Abe’s speech was truly a verbal piece of art. I implore you to re-read it below and let the words sink in knowing the huge impact these words had on the course of our American history.

It really is too bad that most in our government today ignore many of the virtues, beliefs, and foundations set forth by such great men as Lincoln and our forefathers.

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate, we can not consecrate, we can not hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

That last line is chilling because I believe it does not exist any more.

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

While President Nobama lied about regular Americans being able to keep their health care coverage, insurance and doctors they like, it seems many others were also gorging on the Kool-Aid. Below is a small collection of quotes foisted upon the American public prior to the AHA’s passage.

9/17/07 – “You can keep the doctors you know and trust. You keep the insurance you have, if you like it.” – Hillary Clinton (D)

6/10/09 – “If you like what you have today, that will be what you have when this legislation is passed.” – Sen. Patty Murray (D)

7/27/09 – “If you have a doctor now, you got a medical professional you want, you get to keep that. If you have an insurance program or a healthcare policy you want, the idea is to make sure you keep it.” – Sen. Mark Begich (D)

7/30/09 – “I like what I have. Will you please leave me alone. And the answer is ‘yes’. In fact, we guarantee it.” – Sen. Dick Durbin (D)

8/03/09 – “In fact one of our core principles is if you like healthcare you have, you can keep it.” – Sen. Harry Reid (D)

9/23/09 – “People who like their insurance and their doctors keep them.” Sen. Kay Hagan (D)

12/22/09 – “Those individuals who like the coverage they already have will be able to keep their current plan.” Sen. Mary Landrieu (D)

The kicker is what Nobama said on 11/14/13 as he was caught in his lie which can be summarized:

“It is very important to remember that I’m not the only one who promised you could keep your health care plan if you liked it. Congress promised it too.”

So far approximately 5,000,000 Americans have already lost their plans while, at best, under 200,000 have signed up for the new plans (although not through the impotent web site). And while I’m not a mathematician, that seems like one step forward and 10 steps back. All of this for 15% of Americans that did not have healthcare coverage while 85% of Americans were covered.

Am I the only one here who thinks that none of this makes sense?

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

Alabama’s Roll Tide is cleaning up again this year. We’ll see how that pans out as we enter the bowl season, but below is a summary of last year’s college season.

Alabama beat Arkansas
and Arkansas fired their coach.

The key question is…..how do we get the White House to play Alabama?

Roll tide!!

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

My daughter K shared this with me this morning and it cracked me up. I literally burst out laughing.

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

Unfortunately, at this point we are probably only 1/2 a generation away.

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

Commentary from Paul R. Beane on KFYO radio on 1/24/2013:

Good afternoon, I’m Paul R. Beane and I’m your right wing gun nut. You know me and fellow gun owners are responsible for all the carnage in our streets and our schools.

Never mind that Ted Kennedy’s car has killed more people than my entire collection of firearms. Most of which I have owned since childhood when I saved my pennies and nickels in order to purchase them and each and every one is in perfect working order. It is the responsible gun owners of today that are being blamed for all the shootings.

Obama calls us the right wing gun nuts, clinging to our guns and to our religion.

But lets take a little closer look. The Fort Hood shooter, a Muslim, and a registered Democrat.

The Virginia Tech shooter, he wrote hate mail to George Bush and his staff and was a registered Democrat.

Aurora Colorado shooter, he was a staff worker on the Obama campaign and took part in Occupy Wall Street . He was a progressive liberal and guess what? A registered Democrat.

The Newtown, Conn shooter hated Christians and was a registered Democrat.

The Columbine high school shooters were too young to vote, but both of their families were progressive liberals and registered Democrats.

And one more thing,
not a single one of these killers were members of the National Rifle Association.

So I have got it figured out how to make this country much safer;

Leave the guns alone and lock up all the Democrats.

I’m Paul R. Beane and that’s the way I see it !

AMEN ! !

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

Happy 11, 12, 13 day!

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net