A Slower Pace

Merry Christmas to you and many blessings for 2012! Don’t forget the true gift is found not under the tree — but on the cross.

And to all a good night.

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

All is calm,
all is bright

I pray the joy, hope and peace of Christmas engulfs you.

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

I had an up and back roadtrip to Indiana today to pick up my oldest daughter from college for Christmas break. This was a billboard I spotted along I-69.

“Recession 101: self worth is higher than net worth”

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

5:08pm – wheels down at SDF – Louisville International
5:11pm – at gate A10 deplaning
5:22pm – awaiting luggage at carousel E
5:25pm – arriving at car in long term parking
5:27pm – exiting parking lot
5:55pm – pulling into garage safe at home

I love Louisville International Airport and our easily navigable city traffic.

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

We are road trippin’ it today up to Indiana Wesleyan University to see my oldest. We haven’t seen her since we dropped her off on Labor Day and we really miss her.

So right before we left as we were getting the car and snacks ready, the kids said “Make a wish”. It took me a minute to figure it out but became obvious once I saw the microwave. It displayed 11:11. And with today being November 11 the time and date together are:

11:11 11/11/11

Enjoy because it won’t happen again for another hundred years.

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

I am not a huge baseball fan but sometimes get caught up in the post-season drama — especially when it includes teams that have some significance to me (Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers, LA Dodgers). So I was guilty of jumping on the bandwagon and watching some of the World Series games. I did not watch the games in their entirety nor was I particularly passionate — but I was rooting for the Rangers to recover from losing last year. In fact, I was just a few blocks from AT&T stadium when the Giants won the series last year.

I was quite impressed during the 7th inning stretch that they had a talented somebody or other come out onto the field and perform one of the best renditions of “God Bless America” that I have heard in a long time. What was even more impressive was that the entire crowd sang along and, at times, drowned him out. I should not be surprised given that St Louis is smack in the middle of the midwest which is an unappreciated section of our country. Sure, the midwest is not flashy or techie or even blessed with glorious scenery other than the windswept plains. However, their folks are some of the most genuine in our nation and they have a great spiritual foundation. It sure was neat to see them rise to the occasion to sing praises to our God and our country.

I hope they enjoy their Cardinals victory. Especially after the Joplin disaster, it couldn’t go to better folks.

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

Here on our property we have had many fun times and various events. Most recently we had Thunder Over Finchville to celebrate our great country’s birthday. We have also had many bonfires, swim parties, birthday celebrations, New Year’s festivities, hay rides, cookouts, first communion worship service and even a Christian musical concert. Well, yesterday, we added another event to our growing list — wedding.

The bride is the daughter of friends of ours from the Emmaus community. They had brought their daughter, her fiance and their friends over for Thunder Over Finchville last month. The daughter really loved our property, especially the willow tree in the front yard and wanted to get married in front of it. Who are we to say no to such a special request? And the groom is a soldier serving our country locally who is also manning up and making the right decision. You see, the bride is pregnant and he was committing, not only to her, but to his soon-to-arrive daughter. I am so proud that this young couple chose to take the harder path — to get married and keep the baby — versus all the other societal acceptable solutions out there. The young man is truly a man of honor and we have prayed for special blessings for their marriage and their unity as a family as they grow together. We were honored they chose to include us (and our place) for their special day and we pray and wish them many happy days and years ahead.

Interestingly, the wedding was to be at 6:30p — at the exact time a lone storm cell was passing through. This was a wild storm with 65 mph winds and torrents of rain. It cut power to a lot of Jefferson County (so much, in fact, that the first day of school for Jefferson County Public Schools is delayed til Tuesday). As the storm front approached, everyone took shelter in either the house or the garage. The lightening and 45 degree rain kept it interesting but soon enough it blew by and everyone picked up where they left off. The wedding commenced at 7pm — such a special number if you have a Biblical perspective. And from there on a beautiful ceremony commenced. The bride was beautiful, all the guys cleaned up nice, and the flower girl and ring bearer were as cute as could be. Again, how special we could share our place with them as they begin their lives together as one.

God bless your marriage and lives together, Kurt and Sarah.

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

So as I wrote in my previous post, I had some business to do in New Jersey today. Luckily, everything went smoothly and I was able to get out of there and into NYC around 4:30pm. Having never been there, I quickly realized with the New Jersey and NYC traffic that I had to channel my previous LA driving persona just to survive. Plus, it was a rental.

No sooner had I popped out of the Holland Tunnel and made my way down to Battery Park to see my girlfriend, Lady Liberty, then I ended up turned around trying to find parking and wound up on the Brooklyn Bridge going away from the city. Luckily, I was able to maneuver back 180 degrees and return. My whole ordeal of hitting Manhattan and then going away and then coming back and finding parking wasted about an hour. When I was finally able to park and walk to Battery Park, there were no more tickets or ferries going out to the statue so I had to relegate myself to gaze at her from afar. Her is my iPhone picture attempt at capturing her beauty and what she means to me and this special country of ours.

Soon enough I wandered over to Wall Street to see the NYSE. On the way there, I stumbled across that big bull statue and snapped a picture. Interestingly, the NYSE had a Norwegian flag flying in solidarity with those in Norway affected by extremist violence. Being full Norwegian, this was special and a sight I will probably never see again.

I also enjoyed the WWII memorial in Battery Park with all the names in stone and a very cool eagle statue. I also stumbled upon the Irish Potato Famine Memorial on the west side by the water. And finally spent some time praying around Ground Zero and all the building they are doing there. I look forward to coming back once the 9-11 memorial and museum are finished.

And finally after all that I had built up a hunger and needed some good New York deli grub so I went to a friend’s recommendation at Katz’s Deli. Now I had not heard of it but he clued me in that it was the deli they used in THE scene in “When Harry Met Sally”. The pastrami sandwich was out of this world! Thanks for the suggestions Mr. James!

Well, that was my whirlwind afternoon tour of NYC. I know I missed so much and hope to come back some day to pick up where I left off.

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

Right now, as I type this, it is 11:00pm and it is 89F degrees outside with 90% humidity.

It reminds me of a saying I used to hear from folks that lived out in the California desert — “But it’s a dry heat”.

My reply living here — “Uhhhh, no it’s not! It’s pretty much a suck-the-air-out-of-your-lungs heat.”

I hope you are cooler where you live. I thank God I have affordable, operational air conditioning.

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

I pledge allegiance
to the flag
of the United States of America.
And to the republic
for which it stands,
one nation
under God
indivisible
with liberty and justice
for all.

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net