A Slower Pace

Happy New Year and many blessings to you!

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

Last Tuesday, I had a day I’ve been meaning to blog about. It started with a 5:30am wake up so I could exercise and get some cardio done. I was going to work out on the elliptical machine and watch the rest of the Monday Night Football Cowboys-Bears game that I am too old to stay up late to watch.

As I got down to the bottom of the stairs, I was greeted with a present the dog had left behind…..or should I say from its behind. And that wasn’t all. Around the corner was another, and another further on, and another. The dog poops numbered 8 or 10 and it took me about 20 minutes to mark them, pick them up, and clean the tile floor. Aren’t I lucky it was on the tile floor. I like silver linings.

Obviously that hosed my cardio workout. I flipped on the football game so at least I had something to watch while I was cleaning up crap. However, the same thing was on TV. The Cowboys were playing like crap and I had to endure watching their pathetic loss.

My time in the basement was wasted, so I went upstairs to have breakfast. I was looking forward to my croissants turning around my day. One of my favourite breakfasts is two croissants with strawberry jam and a tall glass of milk to go along with my Bible devotion reading. My daughter K was up getting ready for her day and she asked me about all the activity in the basement this morning. I explained both “craps” – dog and football – and used it as a teachable moment. Rather than complain, I was determined to not let determine my mood or day. While it is not how I wanted to start my day, I explained that while things may happen to us, it is under our control how we respond. I then reminded her of the Bible verse (paraphrased here) to “Be joyful in all things” — which is actually 1 Thessalonians 5:16 “Be joyful always”.

I then proceeded to fix my breakfast and sit down at the table with my devotions. I had it all arranged and proceeded with my prayers. As I said “Amen” and opened my eyes, I noticed spots on my croissants. These were the last two croissants and they both had mold on them. Ugh! I tossed them in the garbage and pathetically laughed wondering what was next but also trying to live out the example I had just told my daughter. “Be joyful always”.

I proceeded to make some oatmeal — probably a healthier alternative to my croissants. As I opened a new gallon of milk the safety seal on it broke and I had to use a knife to puncture the foil. Just one more thing — and by that time we were both chuckling.

My breakfast ready, I re-sat back up to the table and opened my Bible and devotional. It was from 1 Corinthians 10:1-10 which talks about warnings from Israel’s history – one of which was complaining or grumbling. K heard me say that and then excitedly said that the morning was a “God” moment. I had all these opportunities to complain or whine about how my day started but I was not. She thought the timing of my devotions was very neat, given all the hiccups from the morning.

I wasn’t as surprised as she was because I know God frequently shows up in times just like these. Not in the stained glass. Not in the quiet church. But in the challenges of our day and in the struggles — large or small.

Be joyful always!

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

Today at 12:07pm Eastern time, summer will have officially arrived in Kentucky. There are a few unofficial starting milestones — the opening of our pool, the arrival of hot weather, and the Memorial Day holiday. However, today is the summer solstice and summer is now here for a while.

And while Spring is my favorite season, Summer is a very close second and I embrace the season of shorts, fireworks, picnics, swimming, gardening, popsicles, sunscreen and outdoor fun. I can’t wait to soak it all up with my family.

……Dan at aslowerpace dot net

Today had some suck in it but ended with some praise.

First off, I had to get to my doctor urgently for an infection on my right forearm that had become painful and troublesome. While on the 10 mile lake hike with the Scouts last Saturday, I dinged my arm on a few thorn bushes but thought nothing of it. The dirty environment, the prolonged wound cleaning and my healthcare environment exposure during my wife’s recent hospital stays resulted in a fairly serious condition — an MRSA staph infection.

However, after seeing the Dr, having her perform a procedure to drain it, dress it, and get an adequate supply of anti-biotics, I was not going to let it interfere with my family’s attendance of the Called To Love tour at a local church. This ended up being a great concert of worship and praise music by Jason Gray, Aaron Shust, and downhere. We had a great time and the sold out house was lifted up in fun, music, praise and worship.

What a great way to end Friday and head into the weekend.

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

Yes, in our family we have a back to back birthdays. Yesterday was a very special girl’s birthday — my oldest daughter’s! And today is another very special lady — my Mom’s birthday.

Happy Birthday, Mom!!!!! I love you!!!!!

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

My oldest turned 19 today. And today is the first birthday she has been away from us. Luckily we were able to Skype with her after dinner and she has had a great day.

R, I love you and am so proud of you!

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

My post earlier this week gave an update on a slice of my 2012 personal goals. I have since finalized all of them and have written them down adding progress indicators to those that I have already worked on. Other than some obvious anonymizing of data, I am posting them here publicly to share as well as to keep me accountable. Like my 2012 reading list, I will add a sidebar link and continue to update progress on my 2012 personal goals.

1) INTELLECTUAL – Complete 2012 reading list by the end of the year.

• Identify list and order – STARTED 12/27/11
• Follow schedule

• Financial Peace Revisited – FINISHED 1/02/12
• QBQ – FINISHED 1/03/12
• The Servant – FINISHED 1/14/12
• Switch
• Hurt Healer
• Make It Count
• One Minute Manager
• EntreLeadership
• The Reagan Diaries
• The Tipping Point
• In Praise Of Slowness
• Everyone Communicates, Few Connect
• Epicenter
• Maximum Success
• The Leadership Challenge
• Jesus, CEO
• The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People
• Multipliers
• The Red Badge Of Courage
• The New Rational Manager
• Team Of Rivals
• Better
• The Checklist Manifesto
• Big Ideas
• Decision Points
• 1001 Ways To Reward Employees

2) SPIRITUAL – Read through the Bible in entirety – STARTED 12/28/11

• Select Bible in a year reading program – COMPLETED 12/27/11
• Complete daily Old Testament and New Testament readings each day – STARTED 12/28/11

3) FAMILY/SPIRITUAL – Take family on a mission trip in 2012.

• Proposal to Charity President – COMPLETE 1/13/12
• Compromise with wife – 1 week mission trip, 1 week relaxing vacation – COMPLETE 1/22/12
• Schedule and plan weeklong family participation with Charity
• Volunteer and work

4) FAMILY/SPIRITUAL – Plan and implement weekly family devotions.

• Identify time and day
• Identify readings
• Follow schedule

5) FAMILY/SPIRITUAL – Get K and D into Southeast Christian Church youth groups by end of 2nd Quarter.

6) FAMILY – Visit 4-6 historical sites w/kids by the end of 2012.

• Identify sites, number
• Schedule and calendar
• Follow schedule

7) FAMILY – Identify 50 geocache sites and find them by 2012.

• Join Geocaching.com and get app – COMPLETE 1/28/12
• Identify targets, number
• Schedule and calendar
• Follow schedule

8 ) FINANCIAL – Future proof my life #1 – get a living will created and notarized for me and wife.

• Contact legal resource – COMPLETE 1/23/12
• Identify primary and secondary POA – COMPLETE 1/23/12
• Created and signed – wife – COMPLETE 1/26/12
• Created and signed – Dan

9) FINANCIAL – Future proof my life #2 – get a will and trust created for the family.

• Contact legal resource – COMPLETE 1/23/12
• Identify executor and guardian – COMPLETE 1/25/12
• Create and plan trust
• Sign/notarize will
• Create and document financial trail for executor

10) FINANCIAL – Future proof my life #3 – implement Financial Peace Jr. by end of 2012. – COMPLETE 1/02/12

11) PHYSICAL – Exercise routine that maintains 190 lbs – STARTED 12/27/11

• Cardio for 30 minutes 4+ times a week – STARTED 12/27/11
• Wii Fit to track days and cardio duration – STARTED 12/27/11
• Start a daily food journal

12) PROFESSIONAL – Create first iOS app

• Refine current flow – COMPLETED 1/02/12
• Create proposal – COMPLETE 1/10/12
• Send to #1 prospect – COMPLETE 1/11/12
  • Follow up  – COMPLETE 1/23/12
• Send to #2 prospect
• Send to #3 prospect
• Send to #4 prospect
• Outsource programming – eLance app

Note how I tried to hit the various spokes of the wheel (as written about in this post). I am excited because even into February now, I have maintained my momentum on these goals and look forward to continued action and accomplishment.

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

This past year has been good to me and my family. We have had family memories, church membership, a graduation, a beach vacation, first college send off, a promotion, spiritual growth, and financial responsibility. And while we have had some health challenges as well as adjusting as a family of 5 to a family of 4, we have been blessed beyond what we deserve.

I am excited to see what God has in store for our spiritual walks with Him for 2012. May your new year be blessed.

I am too old to wait until midnight to ring in the new year. I will be snoozing away and letting the rest of y’all revel away. Besides, we have 9am church service to get up for on New Year’s Day.

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

This short video is an interesting piece of history. Did you know that the lady in “Roe vs. Wade”, Norma McCorvey actually never had an abortion? EVEN MORE interesting, she now realizes how lost she was back during that time and is a proponent for life.

“However, upon knowing God, I realize that my case which legalized abortion on demand was the biggest mistake of my life“. — Norma McCorvey

Amazing how God works.

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

I saw this poster recently and it has a clear impact on conveying its message.

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net