Memorial Day weekend. What big plans do you have? Any? Regardless of whether you are out enjoying the lake or camping or just getting together with friends, take a brief moment and reflect, yes I said reflect, think about those loved ones of your's that have passed away. Remember the good times. Ignore the bad ones. Take the good.
Remembering during this weekend, the tens of thousands who have given their life and their efforts over the decades to preserve and secure our freedoms, is always appropriate. It should never be considered an awkward or 'old school' experience when we pay tribute to men and women who have served our country in the armed forces. It's a matter of respect. Honor. Dignity.
Remembering the price others have paid so that we didn't have to, should always be at the front of our mind.
If you know a veteran, tell them thank you. If you have a relative who has served, tell them thank you. If you don't know of anyone, call your local VFW hall and you can get a list of names pretty quick in the city you live.
Remembering and giving thanks keeps life real.
MTC!
Mark
Friday, May 23, 2008
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
PGF
We talked on Sunday about THE FOUNDATION OF FIDELITY AND TRUST and how important it is in our families.
You need to listen to it!
So, last night I'm checking in on the score of the Spurs/Hornets game and I swing past Dr. Phil and I hear him say the word 'fidelity'. So I quickly hit the clicker brakes and backed up. Wouldn't you know it, he was talking to a couple about Fidelity and Trust!!!! Maybe you saw it.
I watched for about 10 minutes and was blown away by how jacked up this marriage was due to infidelity and distrust. It made me very sad.
When we PUT GOD FIRST in our lives, everything else works out. Sure, as a Christ follower, we blow it and make mistakes. We're all flawed, but when we attempt to live our lives with God taking priority in our lives, fidelity and trust works and life is much better.
Fidelity and Trust won't resolve every tension in life, but it will make for a home that is filled with live and acceptance. Try it, you'll like it!!
MTC AND PGF!!!
Mark
You need to listen to it!
So, last night I'm checking in on the score of the Spurs/Hornets game and I swing past Dr. Phil and I hear him say the word 'fidelity'. So I quickly hit the clicker brakes and backed up. Wouldn't you know it, he was talking to a couple about Fidelity and Trust!!!! Maybe you saw it.
I watched for about 10 minutes and was blown away by how jacked up this marriage was due to infidelity and distrust. It made me very sad.
When we PUT GOD FIRST in our lives, everything else works out. Sure, as a Christ follower, we blow it and make mistakes. We're all flawed, but when we attempt to live our lives with God taking priority in our lives, fidelity and trust works and life is much better.
Fidelity and Trust won't resolve every tension in life, but it will make for a home that is filled with live and acceptance. Try it, you'll like it!!
MTC AND PGF!!!
Mark
Monday, May 19, 2008
HERD STATUS AND A DODGE PICKUP
Herds meander along. Herds run when one starts to run. Herds stop when the one in front stops.
Have you ever noticed how many times you do something just because the people in front of you or around you are doing the same thing? For instance, when you are in a crowd, most everyone just follows the person in front of them. How many times have you been in traffic and you just keep creeping along and then it dawns on you, "The other lane has been going by me quite a bit faster and for quite some time! Maybe I should get out of this lane and move over one."
I saw something this morning that made me think about this whole 'herd status' deal.
In the mornings I travel a certain road and there is always a back up at a certain four way stop (four stop signs). About a mile from the stop sign, I noticed a Dodge pick-up with two high school guys trying to get onto the road I was traveling. I went by and paid zero attention to them. As usual, there was probably a 15 car back up at the four way stop.
When I was about four cars back from the stop sign, I looked at the stop sign on my left and noticed the two boys in their truck taking a left and started down the road I was on!
They didn't follow the herd!
Well done dudes!!!
They veered left when the herd (me included) stayed right. They added two turns to their route, but beat all of the herd by a long shot!!!
It has never crossed my mind to take the other road. Not anymore.
Life is like that. Most everyone follows the herd. The herd defines the status quo. The herd determines what the herd will do, where it will go, what it will accomplish.
Few are the herd busters and status quo smashers.
The four minute mile was unheard of until Roger Bannister broke it and then everybody started running sub-four miles.
Climbing Mt. Everest seemed improbable and ridiculous until Sir Edmund Hilary ascended it.
Think about other areas in life and in human history where people said 'it can be done' while the herd is off talking about how silly the people are who are defying herd status.
Mind over matter. Heart over opinions. The road less traveled.
There are different and better ways to do some things that have always been done a certain way by the herd.
Thank you Dodge pick-up!
MTC!
Mark
Have you ever noticed how many times you do something just because the people in front of you or around you are doing the same thing? For instance, when you are in a crowd, most everyone just follows the person in front of them. How many times have you been in traffic and you just keep creeping along and then it dawns on you, "The other lane has been going by me quite a bit faster and for quite some time! Maybe I should get out of this lane and move over one."
I saw something this morning that made me think about this whole 'herd status' deal.
In the mornings I travel a certain road and there is always a back up at a certain four way stop (four stop signs). About a mile from the stop sign, I noticed a Dodge pick-up with two high school guys trying to get onto the road I was traveling. I went by and paid zero attention to them. As usual, there was probably a 15 car back up at the four way stop.
When I was about four cars back from the stop sign, I looked at the stop sign on my left and noticed the two boys in their truck taking a left and started down the road I was on!
They didn't follow the herd!
Well done dudes!!!
They veered left when the herd (me included) stayed right. They added two turns to their route, but beat all of the herd by a long shot!!!
It has never crossed my mind to take the other road. Not anymore.
Life is like that. Most everyone follows the herd. The herd defines the status quo. The herd determines what the herd will do, where it will go, what it will accomplish.
Few are the herd busters and status quo smashers.
The four minute mile was unheard of until Roger Bannister broke it and then everybody started running sub-four miles.
Climbing Mt. Everest seemed improbable and ridiculous until Sir Edmund Hilary ascended it.
Think about other areas in life and in human history where people said 'it can be done' while the herd is off talking about how silly the people are who are defying herd status.
Mind over matter. Heart over opinions. The road less traveled.
There are different and better ways to do some things that have always been done a certain way by the herd.
Thank you Dodge pick-up!
MTC!
Mark
Saturday, May 17, 2008
WHAT A DAY!
Yesterday's weather couldn't have been more perfect! It was stunningly gorgeous!
We took in the Mariner's game last night with some kids from the church and even when the sun went down, it stayed warm. How sweet it is! Now, if the Mariners could have played a bit better...
Today is going to be another beauty so enjoy it. Enjoy everything you do today and just imagine if instead of it being sunny and warm, it was 57 and drizzling!
It's ok to sweat.
MTC!
Mark
We took in the Mariner's game last night with some kids from the church and even when the sun went down, it stayed warm. How sweet it is! Now, if the Mariners could have played a bit better...
Today is going to be another beauty so enjoy it. Enjoy everything you do today and just imagine if instead of it being sunny and warm, it was 57 and drizzling!
It's ok to sweat.
MTC!
Mark
Monday, May 12, 2008
WHAT A GREAT DAY!
Yesterday was absolutely fantastic!!!
After having a fabulous morning at church (big crowd, awesome people, loads of fun), we headed up to spend the rest of the day with Karen's mom and later my mom. It was all wonderful!
I was talking on the phone today with one of our leaders and she had mentioned how they had spent the day with their daughter who lives in Seattle and how much fun they had. Another great day!
I talked with a buddy of mine who lives in Cali today and he said yesterday was great as well. Of course 85 degrees and celebrating Mother's Day guarantees a great day!!!
All in all, it was great celebrating moms and then being able to celebrate with my mother in law and my mom made for a great day!!!
Great days are good!!!
MTC!
Mark
After having a fabulous morning at church (big crowd, awesome people, loads of fun), we headed up to spend the rest of the day with Karen's mom and later my mom. It was all wonderful!
I was talking on the phone today with one of our leaders and she had mentioned how they had spent the day with their daughter who lives in Seattle and how much fun they had. Another great day!
I talked with a buddy of mine who lives in Cali today and he said yesterday was great as well. Of course 85 degrees and celebrating Mother's Day guarantees a great day!!!
All in all, it was great celebrating moms and then being able to celebrate with my mother in law and my mom made for a great day!!!
Great days are good!!!
MTC!
Mark
Sunday, May 11, 2008
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!
We celebrated Mother's Day at our house yesterday!! Karen is such an awesome mom!! God must really love me for letting me marry out of my league! I love it!!!
Hey, to all the mom's out there, HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!! You guys are the huge heroes of life!!!!! For all of your tenderness, we guys know how you really are...there is no way on earth we could ever endure the whole childbirth thing. Shoot! We can barely endure the child birth classes!!!! You mom's really are tougher than us guys!!!
I hope everyone of you has an absolutely wonderful day as we celebrate YOU!!!!!
MTC!
Mark
Hey, to all the mom's out there, HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!! You guys are the huge heroes of life!!!!! For all of your tenderness, we guys know how you really are...there is no way on earth we could ever endure the whole childbirth thing. Shoot! We can barely endure the child birth classes!!!! You mom's really are tougher than us guys!!!
I hope everyone of you has an absolutely wonderful day as we celebrate YOU!!!!!
MTC!
Mark
Friday, May 9, 2008
ARE YOU READY?
I love Mother's Day!!! Are you ready for it? Do you have the cards, the gifts, the reservations made? The older I grow, the more I love Mother's Day! I suppose it is because I understand more fully the effort, love, sacrifice, instrution, devotion and just plain hard work mom poured into me! Let me tell you, I was a ton of work!!!!
My mom is one of my heroes!
She was raised on the wind blow landscape of North Dakota at the end of the Depression. My mom did not have running water until she was in high school. She was the youngest of six. Never really had Christmas presents, they were far too poor. In the winter, grandma would put stones in the oven and heat them up and then my mom and her sister would take them upstairs and put them in their beds to stay warm...for a while.
Needless to say, my mom could kick my rumpus any day of the week. She is a very strong woman.
That's why God gave her four boys.
She poured into us boys everything she had and now she does the same for her grandchildren. She laughs at hard work, scoffs at sacrifice, and has never wavered in her faith and love and devotion to God.
I remember when my girls were five or six years old. She was walking with my two little girls with their sandals on the wrong feet and two high school age boys were coming in my mom's direction. My wife and I were about 30 yards behind my mom and the girls. The boys had the low hanging shorts and my mom didn't think that was too cool for her to see let alone her two precious grandaugthers. She gave those two boys the verbal berries!!! Had they lipped off I'm afraid she would have decked 'em. She had obviously gotten her message across because those boys hiked their drawers up and were beat red in the face when they walked by my wife and me.
Mom is the most loving person I know. She can't get enough of her grandkids. She has almost killed every single one of them when they were babies, because of her never ending kissing and hugging. She really knows how to pour it on.
All I can say is that I am eternally grateful to God for my mom. I am eternally grateful for allowing me to be raised by such a wonderful, charming, beautiful, talented and strong woman.
I can't wait to see mom on Sunday and give her a hug and a kiss and once again tell her how much I love her.
I love you mom!!
MTC!
Mark
My mom is one of my heroes!
She was raised on the wind blow landscape of North Dakota at the end of the Depression. My mom did not have running water until she was in high school. She was the youngest of six. Never really had Christmas presents, they were far too poor. In the winter, grandma would put stones in the oven and heat them up and then my mom and her sister would take them upstairs and put them in their beds to stay warm...for a while.
Needless to say, my mom could kick my rumpus any day of the week. She is a very strong woman.
That's why God gave her four boys.
She poured into us boys everything she had and now she does the same for her grandchildren. She laughs at hard work, scoffs at sacrifice, and has never wavered in her faith and love and devotion to God.
I remember when my girls were five or six years old. She was walking with my two little girls with their sandals on the wrong feet and two high school age boys were coming in my mom's direction. My wife and I were about 30 yards behind my mom and the girls. The boys had the low hanging shorts and my mom didn't think that was too cool for her to see let alone her two precious grandaugthers. She gave those two boys the verbal berries!!! Had they lipped off I'm afraid she would have decked 'em. She had obviously gotten her message across because those boys hiked their drawers up and were beat red in the face when they walked by my wife and me.
Mom is the most loving person I know. She can't get enough of her grandkids. She has almost killed every single one of them when they were babies, because of her never ending kissing and hugging. She really knows how to pour it on.
All I can say is that I am eternally grateful to God for my mom. I am eternally grateful for allowing me to be raised by such a wonderful, charming, beautiful, talented and strong woman.
I can't wait to see mom on Sunday and give her a hug and a kiss and once again tell her how much I love her.
I love you mom!!
MTC!
Mark
Thursday, May 8, 2008
LET'S BLAME THE WEATHER!
It seems that up here in the greyed out PNW, we could just about blame everything on the weather. I mean come on, let's get real, we haven't seen a streak of nice sunny, warm, border line hot weather since, well, I can't remember!!!!
I remember discussing this with a friend who moved out here from Wisconsin over twenty years ago and he had to get on medication for a while because of the grey! So I blame the weather for that!
When I was in college the old road rage thing started up. People blamed it on too many people moving into Seattle from sunnier climates and the weather made them drive weird! Go figure!!
I would like to blame the Mariners and their abysmal playing on the weather.
Starbucks is blaming their recent struggles on the weather! Seriously!!! Just kidding!
Why do you think tanning establishments are so effective up here??? Yep, the weather!
Why do we drink so much of the aforementioned black stuff in a cup???? Yep, just to stay warm.
So, whenever you have a problem, just blame the weather. Don't blame the dog or the wife or the kids or the boss or the garbage man or the traffic man or even the weather man...now there's one for you! Why would you want to even be a weather man up here?
So, just be happy. Deal with it! Get over it! I just checked outside, it's grey again!
MTC!
Mark
I remember discussing this with a friend who moved out here from Wisconsin over twenty years ago and he had to get on medication for a while because of the grey! So I blame the weather for that!
When I was in college the old road rage thing started up. People blamed it on too many people moving into Seattle from sunnier climates and the weather made them drive weird! Go figure!!
I would like to blame the Mariners and their abysmal playing on the weather.
Starbucks is blaming their recent struggles on the weather! Seriously!!! Just kidding!
Why do you think tanning establishments are so effective up here??? Yep, the weather!
Why do we drink so much of the aforementioned black stuff in a cup???? Yep, just to stay warm.
So, whenever you have a problem, just blame the weather. Don't blame the dog or the wife or the kids or the boss or the garbage man or the traffic man or even the weather man...now there's one for you! Why would you want to even be a weather man up here?
So, just be happy. Deal with it! Get over it! I just checked outside, it's grey again!
MTC!
Mark
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
MENTAL
No! Not that!!!
I saw a deal on Discovery or something like it about the physical effects of the IronMan competition on the body of a normal joe. Pretty amazing.
At one point during the run, he had to stop and get checked out by doctors. He thought he was a gonner. The doctors convinced him otherwise after a complete check up.
He was suffering from severe pain all over due to a lack of proper hydration. His muscles were tearing and could not mend themselves due to a lack of water. Once he reydrated, he convinced himself to finish the race. And that is just what he did.
He said the turning point was when he made the switch in his mind from "I can't go on" to "I can finish this thing!"
You've heard it before. I have as well...."Mind over Matter". There is a simple yet profound truth to it all. If we set our mind to complete versus quit, we normally do what we think.
So here is the deal: what are your primary thoughts regarding a challenge you are facing?
I saw a deal on Discovery or something like it about the physical effects of the IronMan competition on the body of a normal joe. Pretty amazing.
At one point during the run, he had to stop and get checked out by doctors. He thought he was a gonner. The doctors convinced him otherwise after a complete check up.
He was suffering from severe pain all over due to a lack of proper hydration. His muscles were tearing and could not mend themselves due to a lack of water. Once he reydrated, he convinced himself to finish the race. And that is just what he did.
He said the turning point was when he made the switch in his mind from "I can't go on" to "I can finish this thing!"
You've heard it before. I have as well...."Mind over Matter". There is a simple yet profound truth to it all. If we set our mind to complete versus quit, we normally do what we think.
So here is the deal: what are your primary thoughts regarding a challenge you are facing?
- Quitting
- Slacking
- Leaving
- Finishing strong
- Perservering
- Completing
- Doing the right thing
Most of it is just mental!
MTC!
Mark
Sunday, May 4, 2008
SUPER BLESSED
I am one of the most blessed humans on the planet! There are so many things in my life that God has blessed me with that blow my mind!!
He has blessed me with phenomenal kids, a fantastic family, super parents, awesome brothers, a great church filled with outstanding people, etc, etc.
But at the top of the list is my wife! God has given me a woman I do not deserve. Trust me, he hooked me up with her, because, quite frankly, I'm just not that sharp!!!
One really cool thing is that her birthday just so happens to fall one week prior to Mother's day. Celebrating her birth and then having the privilege of celebrating her 'momship' one week later, is for me, a really fun deal!
So, today is a big day because we get to celebrate her birthday and me and the girls get to party with such a wonderful lady! And then next week we do it all over again!!!!
I'm just flat out super blessed!!!
MTC!
mac
He has blessed me with phenomenal kids, a fantastic family, super parents, awesome brothers, a great church filled with outstanding people, etc, etc.
But at the top of the list is my wife! God has given me a woman I do not deserve. Trust me, he hooked me up with her, because, quite frankly, I'm just not that sharp!!!
One really cool thing is that her birthday just so happens to fall one week prior to Mother's day. Celebrating her birth and then having the privilege of celebrating her 'momship' one week later, is for me, a really fun deal!
So, today is a big day because we get to celebrate her birthday and me and the girls get to party with such a wonderful lady! And then next week we do it all over again!!!!
I'm just flat out super blessed!!!
MTC!
mac
Friday, May 2, 2008
PLAY BALL!
It's been at least 15 years since I played on a church softball team! What a riot!
Last night we had our first practice and it is obvious that 15 years have gone by and the body just doesn't do what it was once capable of doing. But some things never change!
Winning is not the objective, staying healthy is!
Being an encourager to the other players, knowing they are doing thier best!
Enjoying the opportunity to hang out with people and get to know them better.
Laughing at: 1. myself 2. my fellow team-mates 3. Anything and everybody else
Looking forward to the games and laughing some more!!!
So, here we go. A summer of games and good times on the old church softball team. I'm just hoping Casey doesn't get too winded over there playing first base!!!
Let the laughter begin!!!!!
MTC!
mac
Last night we had our first practice and it is obvious that 15 years have gone by and the body just doesn't do what it was once capable of doing. But some things never change!
Winning is not the objective, staying healthy is!
Being an encourager to the other players, knowing they are doing thier best!
Enjoying the opportunity to hang out with people and get to know them better.
Laughing at: 1. myself 2. my fellow team-mates 3. Anything and everybody else
Looking forward to the games and laughing some more!!!
So, here we go. A summer of games and good times on the old church softball team. I'm just hoping Casey doesn't get too winded over there playing first base!!!
Let the laughter begin!!!!!
MTC!
mac
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