Photo Hunters #51 - Water

I've got two for you today. The first is of the Avalon waterfront on Catalina Island at dusk. Click on picture for larger image The second image is a little older (sorry for image quality). It is of the Pismo Beach shoreline from cliffs above the town. I think the rock in the foreground looks like a bear's head. I took this on our 10th wedding anniversary in 2001. Click on picture for larger image Check out Photo Hunters here

Friday Feast #137

Click on picture for larger image Mmm, Hmmm! BBQ chicken. I just love it when the grilling season starts! You can find Friday Feast here. Appetizer What are you proud of? That in my late 30's I have survived much of the cynicism of this world and have not only held onto my faith, but seen it grow. All we have is from God. I am frequently grateful, but try hard to fight pride. Soup What is the best thing you’ve ever won as a prize? In Vegas I hit a royal flush on video poker. Our biggest win was $1,000. But sad to say - I am down (not even) when it comes to Vegas. I haven't been in 5 years, but am scheduled in a few weeks for the end of my bowling league. Salad Name something you do that is a waste of time. Besides blogging? :D I will occasionally play a video game or two. Main Course In what year of your life did you change the most? This one is tough. There are several nominees - but two come to mind. My life changed the most the year I finished my dissertation, my daughter was born, I "sold out" of academics for the business world, and we moved to Oregon. That was on heck of a year. LOTS OF CHANGE. As for when I changed the most, that is harder to say because changes in the self is typically more gradual. However, two years ago I started working for myself. I must say that I have changed for the better since then. Corporate culture can corrupt the soul of those placed in positions of authority. I am so glad I am out of it. I am a better father, husband and Christian because of it. Dessert Where is a place you consider to be very tranquil? Ocean, mountains, desert. Quiet, with no one there. Preferably with big sky and/or lots of water. We were out in the high desert not long ago. I just stopped, and listened to the silence. I looked up at the gorgeous blue sky and out across the dramatic landscape. I breathed in the smells of the dessert brush. I was struck with awe. I took a photo at that moment. You can see it by clicking here. I had a similar experience one night as we were driving through Bryce Canyon National Park some 12 years ago. We pulled over to rest on a long drive (we made it from LA to Chicago in 3 days). It was after midnight, and nobody was around when I got out of the car and looked up at the most incredible sky I have ever seen before or after. Oh my, that image is still with me.

Knights Of Columbus Button

Click on picture for larger image I haven't called out my Photo365 project in a while. This was today's picture. You can see all I have so far this year by clicking here. K of C stands for Knights of Columbus. Any practical Catholic men out there (in union with the Holy See and who practices the precepts of the Catholic Church), click here to check out the Knights of Columbus online, or ask at your parish about the local council.

Motorcyles, Mountains, & Being There

Click on picture for larger image Saturday in So Cal was overcast - we call it June gloom (even when it isn’t June - what do you want, we’re nuts, remember). So the family packed it in, dog and all, and headed east to the mountains (about 15 miles away). Being further inland the overcast was starting to burn off when we got there. We stopped and took pictures at different spots. Got out and went down to a creek (the boy stepped in it, shoe and all of course). It was really pleasant. Well we decided to take a winding road back for the scenery. As we were driving, I saw this tree that had burned and really wanted a photo of it. As I was out of the car, I heard the roar of motorcycles. Looking ahead a couple turns I saw four bikes racing toward me. I got set and took a several shots as they rounded the corner. I was pretty excited – I am not usually in a place for an action shot, and this one just appeared out of nowhere. The whole thing got me thinking about life in general, and I saw two parallels to this event. First, life is largely about being ready in the right place at the right time. It isn’t just the events. You have to be prepared - even if you don’t know what, if anything, is coming around the turn. But if you’re ready, you might catch the right shot. The other point is that sometimes, being in the right place at the right time may be an opportunity in a supporting role or as a witness. I suspect there are more than a few men like me who enjoy being the main character. Sometimes, we are there for other people’s actions. I think God is asking us to be ready. Do what we are call to do now, yes, but also prepare - be ready. What for? I'm not sure, but I bet it will be worthwhile.

Catholic Dad Site

Icon is from St. Joseph Melkite Catholic Church Well, since there was enough interest, I went ahead and started the Catholic Dads blog. It is at http://catholic-dads.blogspot.com/ Check it out, join the group. Get on the blog roll, and post the roll on your site. We are still working on a graphic. If you would like to contribute let us know. If you have any suggestions, post a comment or drop me a line. Would the following Dad's please send me their email so I can add you as blog authors. My email is robk at kaiserfam.com (replacing at with @). Paul at Thoughts of a Regular Guy Tim at The Lapped Catholic Joel at On the Other Foot William at Full Circle Darren at My Catholic Reflections Jay at Pro Ecclesia * Pro Familia * Pro Civitate

Photo Hunters #50 - Empty

Click on picture for larger image It's time to get some more gas! :)

Friday Feast #136

Click on picture for larger image While I was looking for "feast" photos, I came across this one of my boy from 2001. It was too cute to NOT post! You can find Friday Feast here. Appetizer Who is your favorite news anchor/reporter? Why? Sorry, don't have one. I don't watch TV news. I get my news largely online or in news papers. I find TV news pretty inane. Soup Name 3 foods that are currently in your freezer. 1. Tri-tip for grilling 2. Chicken for frying 3. Stew meat for chile colorado Salad If you were to have the opportunity to name a new town or city, what would you call it? Springfield, because a country can't have too many Springfields. Or if I am in California, San Roberto - because I don't think we have a city named for Saint Robert. Main Course What will most likely be the next book you read? For spiritual reading, I was given Habits of the Soul, so I'll check that out. For pleasure, probably 100 Years of Solitude - I have it, and have been meaning to read it. Dessert What's the first thing you notice about the opposite gender? Is it my wife or not. If not, than there is nothing worth noticing. :-)

On The Clergy

I read a post on Stephen Bainbridge's site about Cardinal Mahoney and a report by the LA Times. This article is about how Cardinal Mahoney should resign because, according to an LA Times article, Cardinal Mahoney had allegedly said two different things in regards to an abuse case. As one of the commenters pointed out, the issue may not be as straightforward as reported. This is only one example of the priest/bishop bashing that goes on in the allegedly Catholic Blogosphere. Now in terms of how we see the Church, Cardinal Mahoney is nowhere near where I stand on a lot of issues. There are many things Cardinal Mahoney has done that I am not pleased with - handling of the abuse cases, closing the minor and college seminaries, a reduction in support for Catholic education, tolerance of liturgical abuses, the albatross of a Cathedral we are stuck with, and the list can go on. I do miss Cardinal Manning who was the previous shepherd for the Los Angeles Archdiocese. All of that is insufficient for public displays of division. Publicly calling for the resignation of a bishop smacks of protestantism. We do not hire and fire our pastors - they are appointed to us. In the end, Cardinal Mahoney is the properly appointed head of the Church in Los Angeles. I do wish some of his fellow Cardinals would correct him as a brother, but it is not the place of the laity or even priests to publicly call for the ouster of a Cardinal of the Church. I am a relatively new Knight of Columbus , but one of the things that I like about the Knights is our loyalty to the Pope, our priests and the hierarchy of the Church. In fact, I have a button right next to my computer screen that says "In Solidarity With Our Priests." I agree wholeheartedly, EVEN WHEN IT IS HARD (especially when it is hard). I wish more of those who see themselves as faithful would hold their tongues in public instead of joining the mainstream media in publicly attacking our Church.

What is in a name - more for Catholic Dads

OK, there are eight of us so far and eight is enough. Enough for charter membership. Here are the dads that have stepped up: Paul at Thoughts of a Regular Guy Tim at The Lapped Catholic (Tim has also volunteered his graphic talents for a logo or badge) Joel at On the Other Foot William at Full Circle Rich at EyeHackerBlog Darren at My Catholic Reflections (let me know if you want to point to one of your other blogs) Jay at Pro Ecclesia * Pro Familia * Pro Civitate Rob at Kyrie Eleison On the agenda: We need a name. Post some suggestions. I'll start with Catholic Dads or St. Joe's Place We need a graphic. Tim, you volunteered - want to take a stab at it? I am thinking something that we can use for our side bars. We need a home. I'll set-up a blog site (with the eight of us as owners/moderators). This spot can be used for dad related posts, but also a spot for Dad's to sign-up. I'll also get a blogroll started for folks to post on their blogs. Am I missing anything? If anyone else is interested - step right up and let us know. If anyone wants to contact me directly, i am at robk at kaiserfam dot com

Any Other Catholic Dads Out There?

Some of the guys online were duking it out about masculinity in the Catholic blogosphere - I am not so interested in that debate, but I have noticed that while there is a substantial community of Catholic Mom blogs (many are quite good), there isn't really any cohesion for us dads. So I wanted to kick out an idea and see what you think. Is there any interest in creating a new listing of Catholic Dads? We would reference and visit each other's sites, have some sort of icon to post, you get the idea. It would be a great way to identify and support those of us who occupy a pretty important role in the life of our families, the Church, and society at large. To tell you the truth, I'd like to read more Catholic dad related stuff. What do you think? Any interest? Any ideas for a name? Maybe something with St. Joe. Shoot me a comment.

Gracie @ 4 Months

Click on picture for larger image I don't usually put up pix of the kids unless there is a special occasion, but I wanted to share Gracie's 4 month picture. My wife took this shot. I'm not sure if it is the subject, photographer or both, but I like it!

Book Meme

I have seen this book meme on a couple blogs and decided to give it a go. Instructions are below. BTW, you will notice that for item 1, I both read it and wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot pole. I read it before I knew what it was about. I threw it in the trash (and it was hard cover too) towards the end of the book - not only is it full of garbage ideas, the writing is pretty bad. I have no idea how that book ever made it big. I think it has a pretty big backer - a certain fallen angel. Anyhow, this is what I have out of 100: 33-I have read 30-I haven't heard of 14-On my shelf 4-I won't touch 3-On my to read list Of course, this is dependent on the particulars of the list - different lists would have produced dramatically different results, but it's all for fun. A List of Books: Look at the list of books below. Bold the ones you’ve read, italicize the ones you want to read, cross out the ones you won’t touch with a 10 foot pole, underline the ones on your book shelf, and asterisk* the ones you’ve never heard of. 1. The Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown) 2. Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen) 3. To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee) 4. Gone With The Wind (Margaret Mitchell) 5. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Tolkien) 6. The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (Tolkien) 7. The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (Tolkien) 8. Anne of Green Gables (L.M. Montgomery) 9. Outlander (Diana Gabaldon)* 10. A Fine Balance (Rohinton Mistry)* 11. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Rowling) 12. Angels and Demons (Dan Brown) 13. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Rowling) 14. A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving) 15. Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden) 16. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Rowling) 17. Fall on Your Knees (Ann-Marie MacDonald)* 18. The Stand (Stephen King) 19. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Rowling) 20. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte) 21. The Hobbit (Tolkien) 22. The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger) 23. Little Women (Louisa May Alcott) 24. The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold)* 25. Life of Pi (Yann Martel) 26. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams) 27. Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte) 28. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (C. S. Lewis) 29. East of Eden (John Steinbeck) 30. Tuesdays with Morrie (Mitch Albom) 31. Dune (Frank Herbert) 32. The Notebook (Nicholas Sparks) 33. Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand) 34. 1984 (Orwell) 35. The Mists of Avalon (Marion Zimmer Bradley) 36. The Pillars of the Earth (Ken Follett)* 37. The Power of One (Bryce Courtenay)* 38. I Know This Much is True (Wally Lamb)* 39. The Red Tent (Anita Diamant) 40. The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)* 41. The Clan of the Cave Bear (Jean M. Auel) 42. The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)* 43. Confessions of a Shopaholic (Sophie Kinsella)* 44. The Five People You Meet In Heaven (Mitch Albom) 45. Bible (currently going through on a more systematic basis) 46. Anna Karenina (Tolstoy) 47. The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas) 48. Angela’s Ashes (Frank McCourt)* 49. The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck) 50. She’s Come Undone (Wally Lamb)* 51. The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver) 52. A Tale of Two Cities (Dickens) 53. Ender’s Game (Orson Scott Card) 54. Great Expectations (Dickens) 55. The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald) 56. The Stone Angel (Margaret Laurence)* 57. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Rowling) 58. The Thorn Birds (Colleen McCullough) 59. The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood)* 60. The Time Traveller’s Wife (Audrew Niffenegger) * 61. Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky) 62. The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand) 63. War and Peace (Tolstoy) 64. Interview With The Vampire (Anne Rice) 65. Fifth Business (Robertson Davis)* 66. One Hundred Years Of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez) 67. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (Ann Brashares) 68. Catch-22 (Joseph Heller) 69. Les Miserables (Hugo) 70. The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery) 71. Bridget Jones’ Diary (Fielding) 72. Love in the Time of Cholera (Marquez)* 73. Shogun (James Clavell) 74. The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje) 75. The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett) 76. The Summer Tree (Guy Gavriel Kay)* 77. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Betty Smith) 78. The World According To Garp (John Irving) 79. The Diviners (Margaret Laurence)* 80. Charlotte’s Web (E.B. White) 81. Not Wanted On The Voyage (Timothy Findley)* 82. Of Mice And Men (Steinbeck) 83. Rebecca (Daphne DuMaurier)* 84. Wizard’s First Rule (Terry Goodkind)* 85. Emma (Jane Austen) 86. Watership Down (Richard Adams) 87. Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)* 88. The Stone Diaries (Carol Shields)* 89. Blindness (Jose Saramago)* 90. Kane and Abel (Jeffrey Archer)* 91. In The Skin Of A Lion (Ondaatje)* 92. Lord of the Flies (Golding) 93. The Good Earth (Pearl S. Buck)* 94. The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd)* 95. The Bourne Identity (Robert Ludlum) 96. The Outsiders (S.E. Hinton) 97. White Oleander (Janet Fitch)* 98. A Woman of Substance (Barbara Taylor Bradford)* 99. The Celestine Prophecy (James Redfield) 100. Ulysses (James Joyce) If you want to play, consider yourself tagged.

Photo Hunters #49 - Drink

Click on picture for larger image Click on picture for larger image Happy St. Patrick's Day. I woke up with an idea for the Corona pic, but with St. Paddy's Day, and me havin' lots o' Irish in me, I had to add the Jameson's. Have a great day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!!!

Don't forget to where your green!!!!! Have a wonderful St. Paddy's Day!!! "Love is never defeated, and I could add, the history of Ireland proves it." -Pope John Paul II

Friday Feast #135

Click on picture for larger image Where there is a feast, there must be wine. And wine comes from grapes. OK, I know it's a stretch, but I don't have any good feast pictures right now. You can find Friday Feast here. Appetizer Name two things that made you smile this week. I made contact with some high school friends I had not heard from in 15-20 years - that made me smile When you were with for so much time, and then nothing for so long, then recontact... When I saw my wife and kids coming back from my Cursillo weekend. Of course how can you not smile whenever a a toothless four month old smiles at you. Soup Fill in the blank: Don't you hate it when ________? When you can't get the piece of meat from the BBQ ribs you ate from between your teeth. I hate when that happens! Salad When you can't go to sleep, what is your personal remedy to help yourself drift into Lullabyland? One of three things - reading, prayer, surfing the Internet. Problem with solution 3 is that I actually end up staying up later, so maybe that is not a good solution. :) Main Course What is something about which you've always wondered but have not yet found a good answer? Why is the state of Indiana always confused when it comes to time zones and daylight savings time. The rest of us seem to understand how this thing works. I mean, it was always different in Indiana, but now it varies by county! What's up with that?!? Dessert What is your favorite pasta dish? Lasagna, or maybe baked ziti. No, ravioli. No, no lasagna. Geez, do I have to choose?

Gargoyle Code

Click on image to go to Standing on My Head I am definitely a fan of Fr. Dwight Longenecker's blog Standing on My Head. I highly recommend the blog, but especially the series he has going called the Gargoyle Code - a good read based on a Screwtape Letters motif. You can get all of the Gargoyle Code posts by clicking here. The image comes from the Gargoyle Code posts on Fr. Longenecker's site. Check it out, you'll be glad you did.

Getting Focused

Click on picture for larger image Well just compare this picture to the one for yesterday's post and you can see I have spent some time straightening up. It sure is nice to start with a cleared desk - if only life were as simple as my desk. Regardless, I am grateful for the chance to get a bit organized. On a positive note, I had been looking for a song that we used to sing when I was in the minor seminary. For more than 20 years I wanted to get the music for that song. Well, I finally connected with a few former schoolmates online! It looks like I'll get the song, and we may get together to play and sing some. Those were good days. Unfortunately, Cardinal Mahoney closed the minor seminary - there was earthquake damage to another high school after the Northridge earthquake, and he turned the facilities over to them. I think that the solution was a bit extreme, but who am I to say. I am thankful that I had the opportunity to go there. I blogged about potential parish issues yesterday. The good thing is that we are coming from a good place - we are not very emotional about this and are trusting God as we seek guidance. We have some praying and discerning to do, but I feel much better than I did six months ago when faced with the same decision. I'll let you know when we come to some sort of resolution, but it may be a month or two. As always, I appreciate your prayers.

Vatican paper decries abuses at gay-rights rally

Apparently, "tolerance" is a one way street. Oh yeah, the "tolerance" proponents hate Catholicism and that whole pesky right and wrong thing. Ahhh, relativism... I got this article from here at Catholic World News Rome, Mar. 13, 2007 (CWNews.com) - The Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano has denounced the March 10 rally staged in downtown Rome in support of same-sex unions, saying that the demonstration was staged “by those who demand recognition from others, but do not demonstrate respect for others themselves.” L’Osservatore Romano called attention to the many demonstrators who insulted Catholics and mocked Church teaching during the rally. The paper went on to observe that many demonstrators brought young children, “the fruit of previous relations or of in-vitro fertilization.” These little children, L’Osservatore charged, were “abused in order to create the image of a family.” Despite the strident rhetoric of many participants in the rally, the leading parliamentary supporter of homosexual rights, Franco Grillini, insisted that the rally had been “an example of sobriety, composure, enthusiasm, and political action.”

Back Into The Fray

Click on picture for larger image Funny thing about mountain top experiences - you always have to come back down to Earth. The picture is of my desk right now (or rather this morning). Yikes! No problem, I can handle it. Something else came up, though. Well it is very interesting how God preps us for things. Barb at SFO Mom had commented last week on a post I had created back in early October about parish fit issues. It is very interesting that this particular post came up. My reply was that we were at peace for the moment, had prayed, and decided (for the time being) to stay put. Then, yesterday my wife and I were talking about that same issue after mass - how we were glad things were working out, that while the parish has some issues, perhaps we are called to make a change here. I did mention that I think we should hold to our two triggers that would force us to reconsider. Well, one of those triggers happened. Can you believe it - WOW. I am going to talk to my pastor this afternoon to share my perspective. I am going to talk to my Cursillo sponsor first, to ensure I am coming from Christ. Prayers appreciated.

Cursillo Weekend Experience

Click on picture for larger image Well I am back, and all I can say is WOW! I'm not going to share any of the details of the weekend, as it may be a spoiler, but let me share some of the fruits of the experience. Kevin commented that I was going to come back on fire for my faith - and He was right. I feel like I imagine Peter felt coming down from Mount Tabor after the transfiguration - it was powerful and humbling. It was awe inspiring to see so many MEN stand up for their Catholic faith to be counted (Cursillo has men and women weekends separately). It was such an opportunity for Christ to speak to me. And the experience is so very rooted in our Catholicism, in our faith, in the sacraments. That is one of the things that kept my skepticism in check - the dedication to our Church (and the hierarchy) and the importance of the Eucharist. It was a wonderful way to deepen my faith and envigorate my journey. And what a wonderful way to encounter Christ in others. At the end of the experience, we are asked to write down what it meant to each one of us. Here is what it meant to me: "Cursillo has showed me that I am on the right road, but there is so much more to do. It has reminded me that I am not alone on this road, and has challenged me to share the journey - to help others and let them help me. Cursillo has reinforced Christ's message of love and reminded me that I must TRUST and FOLLOW Him (not ask that he follow me). Crusillo has also reminded me of the importance of my wife and our vocation to his community and my salvation." BTW, There was a discussion recently about masculinity in the St. Blog parish. If you want to find authentic masculinity in the Church - look into Cursillo. There is no doubt, these men are MEN, of the best Catholic Christian kind: married, single, fathers, priests, military, law enforcement, engineers, lawyers, mechanics, teachers, students, rich, poor, white, black, brown - men. One more thing I'd like to share with those of you who are Catholic - THANK YOUR PRIESTS! LOVE YOUR PRIESTS! They need us, just as we need them. We are their family. Love them as priests and as brothers. If someone asks you if you are interested in attending - be open to the Spirit, He is calling.

Cursillo Weekend

I will be off-line for a few days as I have been invited on a Crusillo weekend. Prayers for this weekend would be appreciated. I don't know a lot about Crusillo, but I guess I'll find out shortly. I'll check back in on Monday.

Photo Hunters #48 - Architecture (early)

Click on picture for larger image This is Royce Hall at UCLA. I taught part-time there - it is a really beautiful campus (even though my loyalties do rest with USC in the cross town rivalry). Sorry about getting this out so early, but I'll be out of town this weekend.

Miracles (Part 3 of 3)

Click on picture for larger image This story is only a few months old, and it happened to my wife when she was still pregnant with Gracie. My wife is a part-time music teacher at our kids Catholic school. Well, the school was looking for a new kindergarten teacher, and my wife recommended our neighbor/friend from a couple doors down who is both Catholic and credentialed. Anyways, our friend got the job. This story happens on the start of the year retreat for the teachers. By the end of the first day, the returning teachers had gotten to know the new kindergarten teacher, but they were still curious. One way or the other they had heard that the new teacher had had bariatric surgery (and later surgery to remove excess skin) and was missing a belly button. This is definitely a curious thing. My wife, our neighbor and two other teachers were all driving together to the retreat on the second morning. They were starting to walk up a set of stairs when out of the blue, one of the teachers asked about the reported lack of a belly button. Now, no one has ever asked to see my belly button so I don't know how awkward the moment was, but it must have been awkward. Awkward or not, our neighbor stopped and shared claim to fame with her new colleagues. This must have taken only 10 seconds or so, but it was enough. Just as they started again to climb the stairs, a lady in the parking lot above lost control of her car and plowed it through the pedestrian area at the top landing. If they had not stopped for the story, people would have died. I thank God that my wife and new daughter are with me today. So why share these? I had in my mind that such things did not happen to me. But over the past week all three of these events came to my attention. These aren't water into wine miracles, but I think they are miracles none the less. They show me the extreme fragility of life, and what is important. They show me that God is watching out for me and my family. They make me ask for what purpose we have been spared these tragedies. God has a purpose, and it will be revealed in proper time. These incidences remind me of that.

Do you want to cry?

SFO Mom: Only Two Days Away Friday is National Day of Appreciation for Abortion Providers. How evil/sick is that. Visit the link to SFO Mom for a proper way to commemorate.

Want to laugh out loud?

Check out http://www.safenow.org/. It is a parody site explaining the meaning of homeland security signs. I have no idea if the signs are real, but the interpretations are hilarious. Below is an example from their site. I highly recommend this for a great laugh. If you are sprayed with an unknown substance, stand and think about it instead of seeing a doctor.

Miracles (Part 2 of 3)

Click on picture for larger image We moved to Atlanta from So Cal when my boy was 2 years old. I had a huge opportunity and if the market had gone differently we would have been set financially. God had other plans, and we eventually moved back to So Cal. But this story is about the move to ATL. When we move from LA, I was flabbergasted by the tremendous difference in what your money could buy. That difference and a new promotion resulted in a pretty nice house - big yard, an Atlanta address, and a pool in the back. Moving across the country was hectic with all of the details, plus the emotions involved with leaving family. Well, we and the movers were finally at the house. The movers had all of the doors open moving stuff in through both the front and back of the house. We set the kids down to play and told them to stay put, especially when the back door was open. We kept a careful eye out while the doors were open, not wanting any lost or injured kids. The movers were just about done, bringing in the last few things. We were starting the task of opening boxes. The girl was coloring at the table, and the boy was playing - at least that is what we thought. My daughter dropped a marker, and she moved to pick it up. As she bent down, she saw my son flailing about in the deep end of the pool well away from the edge. She shouted that he was in the pool. The urge to panic instantly welled up within me, but I acted immediately. I ran out the door, jumped into the dirty water with clothes, shoes, cell phones and all. As I was coming up, I had him in my arms and on the side of the pool with one motion. The thought of the incident still brings up emotions. What could have happened? What if my daughter had not dropped her marker? What if she had looked right instead of left? What if both of us had been upstairs? I know God was watching, and I am so grateful that I still have my son. Thank you, Lord.

Miracles (Part 1 of 3)

Click on picture for larger image While writing my blog, I was presented with the question of miracles in a Friday Feast, and I wrote about how my brother almost wasn't (you can read the tale here and here). That is an excellent story left me wondering whether the warning came from someone who was more than what he appeared. But that story is not my story, at least not directly. Without really focusing on it other sincidences came to mind. Now mind you, these are not the biblical sized miracles like turning water into wine, being knocked off a horse by God, or such. Nor are they the everyday miracles like life itself. In some ways they seem to me to be the guardian angel working overtime type of miracles, and I have three that I came to mind over the past several days. The first happened on my birthday. I think it was my 16th, only two years after my brother from the other story was born. Now, at the time my folks had run into a bit of a rough patch financially, and we had moved to a house that did not quite fit their dreams. But it was a good home in a solid working class neighborhood. Now, for most of my life my Mom had been a full-time mom, but because my dad had been injured, she spent a few years working for the local school district. For a boy of 16, no mom or dad around meant a little bit of freedom. I must admit that I was not exactly the wildest kid, but I was not as good as I could have been either. I remember wishing I could drive (I didn't drive until 17), but was going to make the most of the warm day. I grabbed my bike and was going for a ride down the street. At the time we lived in a flag lot where a big property was subdivided into three smaller properties with a long driveway. We lived in the middle house. And the driveway was just long enough to get going a good speed - not super fast, but fast enough. Now there were bushes and cars along the driveway, so I could not see whether any cars were coming. Being 16, I was not really paying attention. Thankfully, my guardian angel was paying attention. A car hit my bike, ripped the front wheel right off and sent it flying at a good 200 feet. I fell to the ground, and a pebble scratched the heal of my hand, and that was the extent of my injuries. A car going about 35 mph missed hitting me directly by the tiniest fraction of a second. I am not sure that others would think that a miracle, but I do. I thank God I am alive, and for an excellent guardian angel.

Photo Hunters #47 - Salty

Click on picture for larger image First thing that came to mind for "salty" was those hard pretzels. Not the skiny ones, the thicker ones that are great with a brown mustard.

Updating Blog Look & Feel

Hi Folks! I am updating the look and feel of the blog. Please excuse any dust. Let me know what you think.

Friday Feast #133

Click on picture for larger image Mmmmmm. Donuts. If donuts are not a feast in and of themselves, I don't know what is. You can find Friday Feast at: http://fridaysfeast.blogspot.com/ Appetizer What does the color pink make you think of? My baby daughter, Grace. I think she looks pretty good in purple and yellow too, but she does have a lot of pink. Soup Name something you thought you had lost, but later found. My Ipod fire-wire cord. I know this is trivial, but it was the thing I most recently thought I had lost, but found it after several different searches (missing for months). Salad In 3 words, describe this past week. Busy but sane Main Course What are you obsessed with? Right now I am working on creating a new blog template (which is not so easy). Learning all of the code and figuring out how it works and looks in different browsers can be complicated. So that is what I am obsessed with this week. I have some life areas that are extremely important to me, but obsessions is the wrong word (implying a psychologically unhealthy element). The three things that I am passionate about and that I am dedicated to are my wife, my family, and faith. At a much lower level I have photography and blogging. Dessert What kind of perfume or cologne do you like to wear? Acqua Di Gio