Finally…a runner’s delight

Perfect run today.  Colorado crystal clear blue skies.  Snow covered landscape (and despite the warming trend likely to be snow covered for at least a few more days). Warm enough to ditch the outer jacket and enjoy crisp “above freezing” air!  Dry pavement and no injuries!! And no icicles hanging from the nose!!

Peace at last!

Finally, after 6-18 months of wrangling and wrestling, worrying, deliberating, debating, praying, pouring over scripture…finally peace and wonder at the landscape before us. Yes the door behind is closed, but it’s not closed on a sad and ugly place, but on a place that also holds the wonder and beauty of the Lord at work. I have to agree with Susan “It is amazing the clarity when the decision is made to doggone do what Jesus told you to do in the first place.”

I’ve been tagged…

Okay so I’ve officially been tagged. I suppose when a blogger gets tagged that entails throwing a large party. After all that is a bit like a debutante ball. Thought my ball may be the small type since I only got tagged once. But then again the tagger, Susan, has the heart of at least two people. So here it goes:

1) What’s the most fun work you’ve ever done, and why?

As a software developer I write code and I teach classes on programming in LabVIEW. One client actually paid me to teach a class in Sydney, Australia. It was fantastic. The engineers were increadibly bright, working on facinating projects and were wonderful hosts. I’m still amazed they actually paid me for the work/fun. (Actually, I love my work. To think that I get paid for something that is a blast is a real blessing.)

“Stay tuned for more on this developing storm…”

Okay folks, I recently saw the above words right before blizzard #2 and blizzard (or rather very large snow storm) #3. And this is the wisdom we are now getting from local weather forecasters, or should I say weather warlocks? (Interestingly, the MS Word 2003 thesaurus includes “forecast” as a synonym for “divination” ). I’m convinced that next to the computers that model these storms in the meteorological center is a dark closet with a Ouija board. Anyhow, time to stock up on a few essentials at the grocery store. So Becky, tell AV to sludge 40 feet (not miles) across the street to grab a loaf of bread, some yummy cheese and settle down with an engaging book or flick. Seems that I have one more good running day (I run MWF and Sat or Sun) before the yuck hits again. Seriously I doubt I’ll see the grass in my yard until March, at the earliest.

More snow, no school, more ponderings on church…is it love or is it niceness? (Cherry-Picking Part 2)

Once again, I’m at my window watching the beautiful snow fall – probably another foot this time. School is closed so I’m still in my robe and warm comfy slippers that arrived before blizzard #2. I was planning to go shovel my sidewalk (and the sidewalks of both neighbors) but others beat me to it! First, the 2nd grader down the street shoveled and then my next door neigbor broke out the snow blower. I’ll get a chance to return the favor in a few hours.

So, I kinda poured my heart out in a second comment on Susan’s post about cherry picking churches. (Note: I wrote my recent post on this topic after the first comment I made on Susan’s blog).

The Gospel? By all means…it goes without saying. (Cherry Picking – Part 1)

It’s always fun for me when Susan posts provokatively (okay…all her post provoking – even if they just provoke a hunger for cinnamon buns) and she hits on a topic that is also on Becky’s mind and my mind (Becky – glad you are back from NYC and blogging away).

So today the topic is leap-froggin from church to church and Susan rightly emphasizes that in our consumerist mentality we tend to shop for the church that is cherry picked just for me.

Blizzards, blogging, Subarus and cinna buns!

Who ever said that the internet doesn’t foster true community?  I am the very thankful recipient of this hot, homemade, fresh-out-of-the-oven, personally delivered to my house, cinnamon bun. (yes, there are eleven more to match this one)  It is the iced version of these.

Blizzard Fun – I’m 4 for 2

Well, Christmas finally finished arriving today. Forunately for me, those warm snow boots and sheepskin slippers that I ordered during the last blizzard did arrive before this one hit. This blizzard promises to be much more fun. No worries about Mom arriving safely and the clutter of Christmas is over. Now we have nothing to do but read, eat, watch the weather report (and of course catch up on a few posts to this site).

BTW, I’m currently 4 for 2. I’ve been stuck and bailed out twice now. But I’ve helped dig and push out four others. Just stroll down the street and you’ll likely run into someone who needs a little shove. The most recent pickle was when my Mom got her Texas sized (and I might add rear-wheel drive) Suburban stuck in the street -perpendicular. No one, no 4×4 or hummer monster was going in or out until we got her moving.

I finally added a few pics from Blizzard #1. Select the tab above or click here.

Update 12/30/2006:  Yippee!!!  I see the blue sky.  Our street has finallllllly been plowed.  (this is the first time since the first blizzard began).  Time for a trek to Starbucks!  I’ve added a few new picks.

Twelve Delights of Christmas…

1.  Sitting at my desk, writing this on Christmas Eve and watching the flakes come down in an already beautiful winter wonderland.

3.  Getting my minivan (Santa can I please have some new tires) stuck in front of my house twice in two days.  (Yippee I had an excuse for being late for Sunday School – which was packed on Christmas Eve day!!!).

4.  Enjoying a fresh cup of coffee (with half-n-half which is real treat with empty dairy shelves at the store) on a cold, windy day.

Blizzards and Bonhoeffer…

“This text speaks

of the birth of a child,

not the revolutionary deed

of a stong man,

or the breath-taking discovery

of a sage,

or the pious deed

of a saint.

It truly boggles the mind:

The birth of a child

is to bring about the great transformation of all things,

is to bring salvation and

redemption to all of humanity.” – Dietrich Bonhoeffer