Smart Mirror…

Notice the truck behind the Smart car - I think it's about to swallow it...it's mouth is wide open...

I took this picture while driving down the interstate at about 75 miles per hour.  I am so talented and such a risk taker. Do not tell my Mom that 1) I was speeding and 2) I took a picture while driving - I would be grounded for sure.

When this Smart Car drove up beside me and I saw it in the mirror, I just couldn't resist snapping a shot of it. These are my initial thoughts:

Start with a penny…

Is your life just a bigger and better race?

When I was a teen, we used to play the “Bigger and Better Race” game. Each team was given a penny and had to go out into our city to trade up from the penny to something bigger and better. We would usually have a 2-3 hour timeframe to finish the race and then we would be rewarded, as a team, based on what very cool item we came back with.

Shaking and Nodding...

This phenomenon is growing. You see it everywhere. In church, at an airport, in a restaurant, on a plane - it's all over the place! 

You've seen it, I'm sure. I don't really know anyone that doesn't do it. It's a habit that we've devolved and it made me think.

The Nodder...

This can be done up or down, depending on the age, culture or meaning of the bob. This is where a person nods their head at you as you walk by, catch their eye, etc.

The Shaker...

This one is more purposeful and is usually an expression or frustration or anger. This is where a person shakes their head side to side in disapproval of a person or situation.

Why do we do this?

New view…

When I fly, I always try to get a window seat. It’s not because the seat is wider or nicer, or I only have one person sitting beside me. It’s simply because of the view. It never gets old. It’s fun to pick out sights that you recognize, or figure out what road is what, or to see a Google Earth view in real life, or to look at clouds from he topside, or see what a cloud does as you pass through it, or to see the ocean on one side, and a mountain on the other. How amazing.

How to become a successful snowboarder…

First - get a piece of wood about 4-5 feet long and 6 inches wide. Sand it a little. 

Second - get some duct tape and wrap it around the wood and your shoes.

Third - climb a hill by bouncing up and down on said wood, like on a pogo stick.

Fourth - turn and face down the hill.

Fifth - fall down hill in a tumbling motion.

BTW - you should have a helmut, gloves and some snow for this to be more effective.

Frosty’s eyeballs…

In my post yesterday, I mentioned that I was able to play Frosty the Snowman for 2 weeks in a Christmas production. It was very cool and their are only a few people that were cool enough to play that very cold role. I was very cool, so Frosty I was. Surely, you noticed all the “cool” references tied to such a cold character, in this paragraph. Cool --> Frosty - get it - explaining the humor makes it way less fun - I’m so witty...LOL.

Unicycles, Segway’s and chickens…

I saw this unicycle on the top of this vehicle while driving down the road a few weeks back and it made me think about dreams and doing things that others never get to do. 

The Strange Doorman…

Sometimes you see sights that surprise you, and sometimes you just have to sit there and observe the oddity. The things that you would stop for are usually the sights that you wouldn't normally see everyday.

Do I just forget to think?

The bumper sticker says "I used to be cool."

Do you ever do something, and then afterwards, sit back and call yourself names? You do something that just doesn’t make sense and you realize how much of an idiot you really are. You forget to think it through and plan ahead and then you look foolish to yourself and those around you.

5 Smooth Stones…

We all have giants we face. 

What giants are you facing today? 

What’s holding you back from your dream, goal, plans or God’s direction for your life? 

What’s in your way right now?

David grabbed five smooth stones to use on Goliath and his brothers. 


What stones do you need to use to take down your giant?

Be the Dad...

After my discussion of how a Dad showed his love for his daughter yesterday, I had another thought…be the Dad. 

A Dad is not just a father, but any person who comes along side to help someone else in today’s thought...

Dad’s love…

I was watching the Winter X games snowboarding competition near the end of January and saw some crazy tricks and some very quick speeds. It’s quite amazing what can be done with a little board and some snow.

Dart boards and video games…

I used to be a Principal of a Christian school. I was there for several years and my main focus was to impact the children and teens I was responsible for. I certainly wasn’t perfect at that, but I really tried to cause change in their lives.

I tried different methods to impact them and nothing seemed to work until I starting scaring them regularly…

Which way is it?

What a crazy life we live. It’s truly challenging to know what to do next. We all have lots of direction questions in life and we don’t know where to turn next. That’s what I saw in the picture today. So many signs and so many ways to go. Lots of things to do. What direction do you go?

What’s the next step in life? What is my next career move? Is there a next career move? Should I get the caramel Brûlée latte or the peppermint white mocha (tough one there)? Should we homeschool? Should we help in that new ministry? Should we buy a car or minivan (little obvious on that one - car - Duh!)?  Should I eat that donut (again - obvious)? Should I pay this bill or that one first? What college should I go to? Should I go to college?  Should I marry that guy or girl?

Moving Sidewalks...sweet!

I love moving sidewalks, on many levels (I don’t mean escalators, when I say many levels - that is a different post with many other thoughts.). I think these crazy moving sidewalks are cool, a great time saver, fun to ride, a little scary, but mostly I love them, because I beat all those people walking on the regular carpeted area of the airport. Losers!

NYC, Gangsters and freedom…

I was in NYC several months ago for my job. I was visiting a customer and helping on a project need they had. At the time, it had been almost 24 years since I had been in New York City and I was giddy like an 8 year that just go a new lego police man set (at least, I would have been excited when I was 8). I flew into JFK and got completely confused with directions and the traffic was worse that I could have possibly imagined - I was a-frightened very much. It was crazy - people everywhere.

I had the privilege of staying at a hotel in the middle of Queens (attempt at humor here) - I am not a big city person - I thought I was about to be mugged 47 times in the 24 hour period I was there. I know that’s horrible to say, because I only came close one time…

Barista Bold Decaf?

If you read my blog, you know my love for coffee and it's importance in my life. Look at Small Coffee, Devastating, Sadness, and Magical (whoa - I may need to cut back a little - sounds like coffee is taking over). With the fact that I like coffee so much, I drink it at most hotels that I stay at, too.  I don't drink decaf, because that's pointless - isn't coffee supposed to pick you up? Make you smile? Give you a boost? Decaf doesn't do anything except make you mad. You taste the taste, but it doesn't help you at all. It’s fools-gold!

When I passed by the coffee station at the Courtyard that I was staying at, I saw their pots with their labels and stopped in amazement. Hot water? I am not British and do not like crumpets, so the only thing that I could use the hot water for is to clean a spot of my jacket. The Bold was appealing to me because of it's masculine sound and how it matches my personality and style. 

Meow or Woof!

He's aiming at a cat in the field...

“It’s raining cats and dogs.” 

“You’re in the doghouse.”

“Nervous as a cat.”

“There’s a cat in my soup!” - Wait that’s fly, right!?

There are lots of sayings comparing humans to cats and dogs. It reminds me of a story…

Had a friend whose dad gave gasoline to a cat one time (don’t hate him yet - read on). He watched as the cat drank it and saw the cat proceed to go crazy. It ran around the house both inside and out and jumped on furniture and did silly flips and rolls. It kept going like this for several minutes, as he watched. Then the cat stopped and fell over…

I know your question is “What happened?”

Wait for it…

Notifications - stress, drug or distraction?

Many of us have smart phones and we get notified whenever something new happens... 

Notice that I didn’t put a positive in the question/title today...even though notifications are important, I think they are one or the other a lot of times...a drug or stressful. At least they’re a distraction.

Who are ya fooling?

Do you like my great pictures of some pine trees? They're quite a specimen. A rare type called the Cellicus Pineicus (think back to the little definitions that popped up under the Road Runner). This tree only grows in specific climates where local ordinances require that cell phone towers/repeaters look like natural habitat. Did it work? Were you fooled? Where you shocked when I explained that this wasn’t really a tree? At a quick glance, you may have been fooled for a moment, but with some minor study, you knew this was not a tree. Look at the top right and at the pole to help. Seriously, was this coverup necessary? 

Idea time…

Direction doesn’t just happen - look at the picture. 

Does that help anyone know where to go? Does it make my overall plan obvious? Does it help me, or you, in any way at all?  Does it clear things up for you? 

Perfect timing…

This picture was supposed to be of the flowers, not my mirror and interior...perfect timing...

Some people have perfect timing in what they do. 

Graduation fail…#2…and a hair cut…

Really, this might need to be graduation fail number one, because it happened as I graduated my one year Bible program finishing my first year of college, but I digress…My first graduation fail is here - Grad fail #1 - really it's my second graduation fail, but I digress again...just read...

So, the story goes like this…

Graduation fail...eyeball tassel...

Sometimes, it would be nice to accomplish something without a failure involved in it. It would be great to finish a wood project that didn’t include cutting a finger, smashing a thumb or chipping off the wood causing a big splinter in your hand. It would be fantastic to go out and play basketball without tripping over the ball, getting an elbow to the head or spraining an ankle. It would be fun to organize a program and not be in the middle of it when you realize you forgot to get a speaker, or typed the title incorrectly or forgot to include the time it started. 

There are four “P's” in plan...

Panera Bread Perfectly Grilled Pesto Chicken Panini sandwich = success! Glad I waited!

I'm not a patient person and on a trip recently, it was nearing 2:00 PM and I hadn't eaten any lunch yet. I was weary of travel and hungry. I was alone and didn't feel blessed at all. Then I saw a Panera Bread! I drug myself along the ground, in an ARMY crawl style, and finally made it in, ordered and this sandwich was my reward! Success!

Galatians 6:9 “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

Maybe, might, possibly, hopefully...

As I read the newspaper a little while back (boy, does that sound old fashioned as I type this on my iPad 2), I noticed that there was a snapshot graph of the percentage of people that have confidence they will be able to meet their basic living expenses this year. The result showed a mere 23%! That's pretty low and it made me consider the state of the economy and the challenge that a lot of people have right now. Many industries are tight, struggling and cutting capital expenses for the new year. The unemployment rate is high and many are looking for jobs right now while their expenses grow and their families have needs. 

The sock and the toe…

I have often thought that I should consider changing my name to “Tim.” It’s a short and simple name and I could be formal with it in the “Timothy” kind of way. It’s not hard to spell and pretty easy to say. It’s even a Biblical name, so people would respect me more (don’t think that’s really true, but I could use a little more respect sometimes). Tim has a good ring to it, and I really should think more seriously about it.

Stupid worrying...(say stupid harshly for effect)...

Worrying is a great way to fail…just like this cat...although he went in feet first without a worry...he's still stupid.

My Pastor recently said “Worrying is Stupid!” 

Encouragement is a dirty word...sometimes...

I have noticed something with lots of people in our wonderful world. 

Encouragement is very important and I think we better take every opportunity to encourage folks in every way we can. 


Most of us get all the discouragement we need from all sorts of sources, including ourselves - we are truly our worst critics. We will beat ourselves up over the littlest things sometimes and discourage our own efforts and focus.