hmm...

let's see if i remember how to do this...

thoughts on safety-

i am thinking that safety is an unattainable illusion. don't get me wrong, i want safety...for my family, for my life. i want it, i plan for it, i pray and hope for it. but at the end of the day, it is unattainable.

as americans, one of the most dangerous things that we most of us do IS.... drive a car! really?we pray and pray for safety. we plan for it, we hope for it...and then we get in the car and do not even consider that this is the most dangerous thing we are going to do in our whole little life is drive a car. not to mention when i text, email and look at facebook while i'm driving. (don't frown...i know some of you do too.)

the funny thing i have been thinking lately is that when i read the scriptures, i don't often read about people who were worried about their safety. think about it, especially after Jesus had ascended.

i have no conclusions...just thoughts. i spend a lot of time thinking about what it takes to get things done in our business. i don't like to rock the boat, it typically isn't good for business. i want things to be safe, little risk. i like my life like that too. problem is, it doesn't line up with scripture very well.

what have you risked lately? i dont want to simply be a "boring" car driver...i want to live a risky life.

thats all i got for now...see ya next sunday night, maybe sooner.

hello

been thinking about blogging a little lately. i have some ideas that are floating around in my head, stuff that i am wrestling with.

i am either too tired or too lazy to do it, blog that is.... maybe later this week.

topics to discuss (in no order of importance)

-safety

-baseball

-legacy

-balance

-maturity

hope to see you soon!

discipline, envy and honesty

ok, this thought has been going through my head lately..BUT, this is not a thought out post...make sense?

i am very envious of people who are highly disciplined.  that is the honesty part of it...people who work out, run...people who are organized, people who are task and goal orientated....people who are have strong spiritual disciplines.  i am envious of those people.  not the people who can for a season be disciplined...but the one's who set out for a life of disciplined action.

i am not one of those people, yet.  and, to be honest again,  it pisses me off !  i know what is good for me...we all do.  if not spiritually then at least health wise, why is it so hard to be disciplined.  spending money, managing time, setting priorities, spending time on the important things, spending time with the Lord.

anyway...i am envious.  i am thinking through this stuff right now.  how do i become more disciplined?  i am guessing it isn't just as easy as it sounds. if it were people would just react, i would just set a plan of actions and follow them.  the problem isn't the set of actions it is the motive behind the action.  i am guessing it goes deeper into another level.  or i might just be over thinking it...

What in the world is going on!

well, some have you been asking....what is going on with you Daniel!?  so, i thought i would give a short update...

i have not been blogging lately, because... i have tried to stop opening my laptop when i am at home and the kids are awake.  i have trying to be present...not just sit down in front of the tv and open the laptop and check out.  i have been working more lately, which is good, but it does take time away from home.  so, the last thing that i need is something to rob more time from my family.  

another reason, i havent felt like i have had much to say.  somewhat dry times spiritually.  i know the reasons why, i know how to fix it, and that is part of the problem.  i know the answers in my head, they just havent made it to my heart yet.

my laptop died!  big reason for nothing coming outta here.  so i got a new mac...transfering everything over from an old, dead mac is frustrating.  trying to get info off of your old iphone onto your new computer when you were not able to transfer your itunes acct from your old computer, that's frustrating!  so, when i did have my computer open...i didnt feel like spewing curse words on a blog that hopefully is somewhat inspiring at times. :-)

busy, busy, busy...not much of an excuse...but it is true.  priorities shift when your schedule becomes fuller.  eric has been playing ball, i am helping coach that...so proud of them boys!, lots of summer birthdays, parties, etc....  

do i need to put more on here?  

i will try to do better, but do not expect too much for the next couple of months or so.  and if you get more...just think, that's like getting something for free!  wait....all this is free...and unsolicited...so scratch that.  just enjoy if you get something more than very little!  

good bye for now, see ya soon.

where i have been

i have been in Austin, TX for the last few days.  i love this city.  i have never been here, but it is a challenging city for me.  it is very ... organic, in more than one sense of the word.  very local.  it has it's own personality...it isn't cookie cutter at all.  that is cool to me.  

i am here for Q.  you can read about it at the web site.  i can't write about it just yet.  my mind is reeling, but i will say this.  Q is the best conference i have ever been to.  there is such an authentic desire to further the gospel, to engage culture, to be authentic.  Gabe Lyons, founder of Q, said on the first day.  "There is not much difference between presenter and participant."  That seemed like just words to me, until I experienced intimate conversations with several of the presenters.   These are very real people, not super star pastors or super star business leaders...although some of them are.  they aren't.  

i'll try and post more later as some of this stuff later, as i hash it out in my head/heart.

forgetting

i forget lots of things!  eric cooper was walking out of the house the other day and had forgotten something that he needed to have.  in a moment of haste, i said,"buddy...why is it that you can remember so many little things about stuff that happened 4 years ago, but you cant remember to grab your back pack!?"  he said something like, "i don't know dad.  i guess i don't have a good memory."  he felt very dejected.  i felt like a jerk.  

i had to stop in that moment and remember that i do the EXACT same thing!  so, i told him.  "You know who else does that very same thing?  ME"  and we went on to have a great conversation and i am sure there were even doves flying around or something...maybe not the doves, but it could've happened.

anyway, i read a passage of scripture this morning that reminded me of my good, selective memory. 2 Peter 1:5-9 It is a pretty recognizable passage of scripture.  add faith to goodness, knowledge to self control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love.  we are supposed to make every effort to have these qualities.  because if you have these, they will keep you from being unproductive and ineffective.  BUT if you don't have them, i love what scripture says, "he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins."

i have a selective memory AND i can be very nearsighted.  i am focused on things that happen today or even down to an exact moment.  i forget sometimes how i am.  sometimes it seems like i forget who i am.

then, i had to do an inventory of those qualities.  i had to remember that i am not who i was.  i had to remember i have been CLEANSED.  

maybe you need to remember that today as well...or maybe just me.

love/hate with flying

i am not a huge fan of flying.  it isnt probably a hate relationship...but i do get a little nervous at every take off. landing and any turbulence.  BUT i LOVE flying by myself and the reading time i have to my self.  it is like i have to shut down...no internet, no phone, i hate dragging my lap top out unless i have to...so i read.  

i get more reading done on a 2 hour flight than 2 weeks at home.  right now i am reading 5 dysfunction's of a team by Patrick Lencioni.  GREAT BOOK for anyone having to lead up forming a team, working with a team or leading a team!  and it isn't your typical 'leadership' book, it is a fable.  so it reads like a novel.  very cool!  i am about 2/3 of the way through it.  

so, hope you have had a good week!  talk to ya later!