Day Off Blog

I'll be honest, this weeks day off was a very good one but things happened at break neck pace...
Sunday:

• taught SS
• graphics for worship
• parents of youth diner after church
• FPU at an early time
• attended the Creative Arts night that our church hosts 2 or 3 times a year (ice cream afterwards was definitely a good topper to the day)

Monday:

• I spent the day corralling a group of 5th graders on a trip to Camp Eberhart (run by the YMCA). We did archery, took 2 hikes, learned about edible plants in nature, did teamwork challenges, and went canoeing. The weather held out and we had a great day, but I was whooped when I headed back to work Monday night...

Link Dump -- Spiring Fever Edition...

Finding Health and Balance as a Blogger (or, Life Will Kill You, Not Blogging)
“that’s a lovely diamond.” “thanks, it’s my dead husband.”
Simple charging station these make so much sense...
The Contra-Gnostic Earth Day
I’m A Good Person–Isn’t That Enough?
Get Consistent Mental Energy with Smaller, More Frequent Caffeine Breaks [Mind Hacks]
Automatically Make a Daily PDF of Your Favorite Newspapers [News]
Repair an Old NES System for a Few Dollars [Weekend Project]
The Other Side of the Fence
What To Do When Someone Steals Your Church
Freaky Tattoo
The man who was Stalin’s body double finally tells his story

something to ponder... Warren Chastain

“It is easier to sing about “laying all on the altar” as long as we ourselves do not end up on the altar. In order that we might share the suffering of Christ, God has engineered the fruit-making process so that it always involves sacrifice. But people invariably seek ways to turn the altar into a stage for seeking applause.”

-- Warren Chastain

Day Off Blog , sort of...

The weekend was a blur! Lots of good stuff, but BUSY. this is what went down....
FRIDAY:

• went with 24 teens and 3 adults to meet up with about a 1000 other teens for SPRING RIOT. All night at Western Michigan University for games, bowling, dodgeball, swimming, racquetball, volleyball, rock climbing, and other stuff.

SATURDAY

• came home from the RIOT
• church clean up day
• helped clean up the church ball field for 2 hours
• Bethany softball practice
• 1st birthday party for some of our friends' son

SUNDAY

• taught Sunday School
• graphics for worship
• pitching practice with Bethany
• Mason/ Caleb baseball practice
• led FPU

back to the grind today. Any volunteers to mow my lawn?

Link Dump - Spring s finally Here! Edition

Values and Moral Truth are Not the Same
For the Simpson’s fan . . . Every Simpsons Couch Gag
A Nightmare for Many
A prayer for God’s garden
CONCERT ANNOUNCEMENT: CROWDER COMING TO ELKHART
Is Salt Really So Bad For You?
7 Insanely Simple Ways to Ensure Your Project Gets Done
What Does a Cross Bearer Look Like?
Bad Parking Choice
“You Pick ‘Em” Mutual Fund Game
Five Best DVD Ripping Tools [Hive Five]
Ten Signs it’s Time to Confront
How Do You Know If Your Vision Is From God?
Proverbs and Parenting

John Adams -- A True American

I had heard good things about David McCullough's book as well as the documentary that has been airing on HBO about John Adams. Over Spring Break I started reading the book and I am finding some very quotable statements from Adams' pen and want to share some as I work through this book. Here is the first:

It will be hard work, but the more difficult and dangerous the enterprise, a higher crown of laurel is bestowed on the conqueror... But the point is now determined, and I shall have the liberty to think for myself.

Something to ponder...

"Computers make it easier to do a lot of things,

but most of the things they make it easier to do don't need to be done."

-- Andy Rooney

Link Dump -- Back to the Grind Edition

In Oprah We Trust
40 Things Ya’ll Never Hear a Redneck Say
How the Presidents Stack Up
The Debate Dawkins would rather Forget
What if We Get an Ungodly President?
Obama: 'They cling to guns or religion'
Worship Makes You Happy; TV Does Not
Wannabe Idols Shout To The Lord?
Do Hard Things: A Book I’m Excited About
Job Application FAIL
Planetary Evolution Miracles
Featured Blog: Stuff Christians Like
DIY Two Dollar Laptop Stand [Weekend Project]
I've been asking this question...
7 Ways We Keep Church Hoppers From Staying
Churchill and Twain for Church Leaders
Five Ways to Make Your Diet Healthier (for the Planet)
I’m Religious–Isn’t That Enough?
Church Volunteer Central FREE , I said FREE Resources
13 Things to Avoid When Changing Habits

Spring Beak keeps rolling along...

Our time here in Ohio will come to a close later today. It has been a great time. We brought one of our daughter's friends with us and that was a great decision. I have been keeping completely soaked, eating junk food, drinking tropical drinks while reading poolside, and best of all; hanging with my family. It dawned on me again that with the boys in Jr High these opportunities will continue to get more limited. The reality of all of the responsibility of home calls, yet so does that lounge chair by the pool. We do miss our dog...

Link Dump -- Catching up on Spring Break Edition

Where On Earth Is Waldo?

14 Old Testament Ways to Get a Wife

Christian Views on Capital Punishment

A Redneck Hunter With A DUI

Drawing Out the Infection

Gospel Counterfeits by Jonathan Leeman

5 Tips for Clear Writing and Talking from CS Lewis
The Mythical Daily Water Requirement - rethinking the 8 a day mantra...
50 Ideas for a Healthy Lifestyle that take 10 Minutes or Less

Sign Irony

Give It a Rest a reminder of the importance of a Sabbath
Free E-Book: Overcoming Sugar Addiction

Locate Free Wireless with Wi-Fi Hotspot Finder [Wi-Fi]
Ways Parents Provoke

Spring Break... Kalahari is not just a desert

We are HERE for the next 2 and half days. Looking forward to some good times with my wife and kids. Day one was great. As you can see in the pic below they have a slide that lets you know how the tidy bowl man feels. Also, due to the generosity of an awesome friend I am now in the world of laptops again. This mean I can do a better job of blogging as well as some other projects.

Back to the family...

Link Dump - Plenty to choose from Edition

After the blogcation there are many articles to choose from. I decided to set a past dte of March 24th as a cut off though...

Not-so-commonly listed leadership practices... 1st post of a series
Happy National BLT Month

Bring Your Daughter To War Day

How to Engage in Politics without Losing Your Soul

Narnia Interrupted?

Home Run of the Day - 3/31 - Kosuke Fukudome

A new sense of direction for Indiana basketball

Choosing Mutual Funds - Part 1 great series of posts
Scientific Evidence that Giving Makes You Happy

Ernie Banks speech -- Mr Cub gets honored with a statue outside Wrigley Field
Ten Questions Every Leader Should Ask

Cook Better with Your Microwave than Your Stove [How To]

Record YouTube Music Videos to MP3 [Lifehacker Book Contest Winner]

12 Principles for finding what you've lost

Learn to Shave with a Straight Razor [How To]

Grocery List for Smart Eating at Work? [Ask The Readers]

The Power of Coaching

The place of Sunday School Today

Obama: Is Christ The Only Way To God?

Seven Reasons Why Marriages Get Into Trouble?

15 Signs That You (Or Your Church) Lacks Vision
The Real Cost of Financial Clutter on the Road to a Remarkable Life
Grace Wholesalers (Pt 1)
anne rice on easter
18 Five-Minute Decluttering Tips to Start Conquering Your Mess