Blessings

I constantly thank God for the many blessings he has poured into my life. Family, friendships, coffee, backpacking, and so on... But one blessing easily conquers all others and would reign champion in a fantasy blessing league year after year. And it's my wife Laura.

My little brother Paul is visiting me from out of town for a few days, and he said to me yesterday "I still can't believe your married." And I agreed with him. At that very moment I began to think of how lucky I am to have my wife as my best friend.

I love doing everything with her. Walking the dog, talking about our future kids, picking names for boys and girls, making goals, going to the library to pick out a movie, watching her sleep, and on and on...

When I think of my wife, I say God is awesome! What a creator! What a blessing she has been in my life.

My Reason

Hable espanol? In English this reads "Christ is the reason to live." I actually took this picture inside of a pota-pot in the Dominican Republic. It's amazing, yet sad at the same time, to witness the filth and poverty other communities live in.
This little safari adventure that Laura and I went on was such an eye opener to how much of an advantage us Americans have over much of the world. The local butcher shop in the Dominican was simply a dirt floor hut with slabs of meat hanging from hooks. No walls, no gloves for the butcher.. And did I mention dirt floors? The gas station was nothing more than a stand on the side of the road advertising a milk jug filled with gas. The children were running around and chasing our tour vehicle without shoes to protect their little feet. And you better hope you don't get hurt or sick because the boarded up shack, which the Dominicans refer to as their hospital, is only open four days out of the week.
After our guide led us through the small towns and villages, we stopped and visited with a loving rural family. And this is where the picture was taken. Seven people lived in their two bedroom home. And the family bathroom was actually the outhouse in the backyard.
I love to witness others praising God. It truly does help me live as a better man. Especially when the praising is done in cirumstances where we could easily be stressed and upset. Many Americans would not even think of buying a home with less than two bathrooms. And here this family deals with an outhouse that dispences the remains in the backyard.
I don't know...I guess I'm trying to say that we should give thanks for what we have in any situation. After all, the Lord tells us he will never put anything in front of us that we can't handle.

Do Yourself a Favor

Real quick posting today...I strongly urge you to check out a website that a close friend updates daily.
thisisreverb.com
I am confident that you will not be disappointed.

Bed Bath and Bored...

I thought my wife and I were going to blow gaskets. Yeah, the coffee maker was fun to pick out. But other than that, I had no say. Why can't I just pick out our towel colors? Don't get me wrong, the whole process leading up to our wedding was terrific. Perhaps I would have a different outlook if I actually did something other than be where I was told and wear what I was required.
I give so much credit to Laura and all that she put together. Our wedding was beautiful. I know the whole thing was just a headache after another for her. Meeting with people, getting stuff organized, and spending 35 minutes on hold are not the things you feel like doing after working all day. She is awesome.
But back to the registry.. Can openers, party dishes, coasters, oven mits, ect ect.... What about guy stuff like golf balls, tool boxes, tents, footballs, and all that fun stuff.
I am not going to complain though. I did get the coolest thing from my step-mom Patty. A water purifier for when I go backpacking. Instead of carrying an extra 25lbs of water, I pack a small filter pump and be on my way. I love it!
The registry process was a bit tough, but it was all very worth because I now have the most beautiful wife in the whole wide world.

Simple Fun

Brown County Indiana: This place is a haven for people who like to window shop and buy little nick knacks that never come out of the box. It is also a good place to ask your future father-in-law if he approves of a proposal.
In search of a time and place where we could come to know each other better as a family, my wife, her parents, my mom, and myself came together for a tasteful weekend in a small but popular town. Mark (my father-in-law) and I had an everlasting desire to hit the lynx, but the time never presented itself. Instead, we decided to make the ladies happy and accompany them in a nice and hot afternoon stroll.

We had an awesome time! Not because I enjoy walking around and looking at something that is $325 overpriced. We had a great time because we were together. My mom, future family, and myself were away from the daily stresses of life and soaking up the smiles, laughs, and the 100% humidity.

Being with the people that make you smile and feel good is what it's all about!

Take Charge

In my eye's, there is no greater insult than to be called a liar or a thief! If your a man of God and claim to be a Christian, than act like one. We are constantly being watch, and we are always being called for something greater than what we are.
1st John 1:4 reads...The man who says "I know him." but does not do what he commands, is a liar.
Our second greatest commandment, beside loving and praising God, is to love and show kindness to the people around us. This rule doesn't just apply to our friends and the people we care about. It also extends to our enemies and the people we don't know.
I struggle with this as well. We all do. But as leaders, we are called to be a light in a world of darkness. Gods word tell us...If we do anything, love the people around you. So I encourage myself and everyone to do what is right...Live in Love.

10 Things I enjoy

10: Green Bean Casserole.

9: Winning in Scrabble.

8: Clogging the toilet.

7: Chopping Firewood.

6:Teasing my Dog.

5: Tickling my Wife.

4: Big Gulps.

3: Chipotle.

2: Building and Maintaining a Fire.

And my favorite thing to do in the whole wide world.....

Numero Uno: Viewing a True Work of Art after Eating Three Ear's of Corn!

Dusk in Cinci

Who ever said you had to go further than your own backyard to see an extraordinary sunset. I took this last night and just could not wait to put it up. Taking this picture also made me think of a question.
Do you prefer a sunrise or sunset?
Yeah, I know to see a sunrise you have to get out of your cozy bed at like 5:30 en la manana. But I sure do think it is worth the trouble.
My answer is based on my deployment to Iraq. I spent many over night post watches providing security for our camp. The optics we used during the evening hours got the job done, but the night vision goggles and inferred scopes did not do full justice. I don't know, There is just something about that morning star rising over a dark land that makes me smile. I would always thank God for his faithfulness when he would provide us light so we could see once again.

Meet Hank

I can't wait to take Hank backpacking. He is just over 7 months now and wonders too far off the trail from time to time. I think when he is about 5 0r 6 years old he will be ready to go out with me. Beside being an awesome friend and companion, Hank is a dog whom makes me laugh day in and day out. He actually makes noises like a monkey when you ask him if he wants to go for a walk. The only thing I wish that I could make him do is sweep the garage and increase the air pressure in my tires when the weather turns cold. I also wish he would see what it is like to follow me and pick up my poop!

Perfect Timing

Have you ever had a situation where you thought "God has just timed this out perfectly." At some particular moments, everything seems to work out for the best, you end up where you want to be, and even A+B=C! Well, I have a great example of a situation like this...

I had just recently returned from my deployment to Iraq (I served six years in The Marines) and I was visiting my family in Cape Cod Massachusetts. After landing in Boston at the Logan airport, I was having lunch with my cousins. My 1st cousin Brian said to me "James, wouldn't it be cool if we could somehow get tickets to the Jets vs. Patriots game tomorrow." Seriously, no joke, Brian's cell phone rang 2 seconds later.

It turns out that one of Brian's customers had 2 tickets to the game and they were not going to make it. So Brian picked up the tickets the next morning and we headed to Foxboro to see the Pats bring the Jets behind the tool shed and give them an old fashion butt woopin.

Who and what we love...

One of my favorite recreations is snowboarding. There is something about flying down a mountain on 10 inch wide stick that I love. The snow, the mountains, scenery, cold air, ect., is what makes the trip fun. There is something even more than all these features that makes snowboarding such an awesome experience. The friends you have to share it with.

Last winter my friends and I wanted to plan a trip to Snowshoe West virginia. This place is sweet!!! But I really did not have the funds to support the weekend venture. A beautiful condo on top of the mountain, lift tickets, food, gas, ect were extras I did not have a cent for. So what do friends do best when you need them and they want you to be around. They look after you. Two of my wonderful friends from college treated me on this fabulous trip. The things I could not afford, they covered. All just to have me there. My friends told me that their trip would be much more fun if I were there. WOW! That really made me feel good.

Friendships are one of the things I thank God for. They make life a whole lot easier.

Are You Ready?

When a robber or theif is attempting to break into your home while you are sleeping, does he try to come in as silently as possible or does he give notice as to when he will come? The Lord said he is going to return like a thief in the night. One minute we can be driving to pick up a movie from Blockbuster...and here comes the thief. Really, there is no warning. One moment we are here on this Earth and the next we are facing our eternal judgement. We don't have the option of telling God that we want to stay here longer. When he wants to meet us, it is going to happen!

If God wanted to meet you today, where would you spend eternity?

Seriously

What is up with 60 year old men wearing these silly Christmas sweaters? Are you serious? It know it is the holiday season and we all love wearing wool because it never itches. But, I am pretty sure skin tight sweaters with Rudolph on the front has been phased out since the 60's. Yeah, cousin Eddie from Christmas vacation is an awesome character. But don't we laugh when we look at him?

What To Do?

This is a question my friends and I discussed for about 2 hours a couple of weeks back. What would you immediately purchase if you won 20 million dollars tax free? There is no wrong answer. Personally, I would pay off my debts, put a down payment on a home, then treat my entire family and core of friends to a ten day southern Caribbean cruise. Oh yeah, then I would get lasik surgery!

Encounter

Whether the act was done by you or some other random person, when is the last time you encountered a situation that had an impact? I am not talking about jumping in front of a mack truck to push someone out of the way. It does not have to be some life saving event. But it does have to meet the minimum requirements of making you or the recipient smile.

I love Thanksgiving. I am willing to bet all my chips that you do as well. The last Thursday of every November is filled with green bean casserole, blueberry pie, and football. What's not to love? Everyone is happy, we open doors for strangers, and we give plentiful in the Sunday offering because we have so much to be thankful for. Wait a minute.... Are we truly thankful for what we have? And even further more, do we display it? Are we more likely to exert energy by screaming at the nut who just cut you off? I know sometimes I am!

Whenever we start something new we have to begin with baby steps. My goal is to be thankful no matter how down and out I feel. No matter what our problems are in life, they can always be worse. God told us that he would never put something on our plate that we couldn't handle.

So, no matter what the situation is in our life, it's nothing more than minor when we look at the eternal picture. Like I said, my goal is be thankful to the Lord in all I do. Then the rest of life will just fall into place.

Fellow readers,

I am just now trying to figure how how things work on this site. I am also trying to figure out how things work in the game of life. I am pretty sure there is no "pass go and collect 200 bucks." But I am certain that through trials and tribulation we can learn something.

Just remember...Praise the Lord and always be thankful with what we have.

Test Number Uno: What are you thankful for in your life?

We The People...

Brothers and sisters,

I have been inspired by a dear friend to venture into something new and different. Blogs, the internet, and website creation are obviously not something new. But for me, using them for something other than finding answers to random questions and how to get from point A to point B is a new concept.

Please be patient with me and try not to get discouraged when my postings and questions leave you with a question mark expression. Wait a minute... Actually, this is what I will am setting out to do. My purpose here is to touch various lives and assist my brothers and sister to think outside the box of life.

All of us have been on, and will venture on incredible journeys. These journey may consist of traveling to Nepal in order to expand the kingdom of God. Or these journeys can simply be made of helping an elderly woman load her grocery bags at your local wal-mart.

Whatever you do...Agree with, or disagree... Be transformed. For God is calling us to be something greater than what we are. Live your life the way it is supposed to.....LIVE IN LOVE!

I hope you can have as much fun in this as I.

Sledge.