The almost moments

You have had them haven't you? Those moments when something almost happened but it didn't. Today I was driving in Seattle and it was rush-hour traffic. It was raining and there was a lot of traffic. I wasn't going very fast but suddenly the car in front of me steps on the brakes.

Of course this caused me to step on my brakes. I have relatively new tires but because it was wet I slid a bit. You know how it goes from there. That type of thing causes a chain reaction. The pickup truck behind me slid to a stop. He just missed me. I was literally inches from the car in front of me.

I remember a Family Circle comic from a long time ago. Billy was about to step into the street and a car was coming. There was a large "invisible" hand that protected him. It kind of feels like that at times. I know accidents happen to good and bad people. That is just the picture I see in those moments.

It's those almost moments that remind me how fragile life truly is. We have no idea if we are going to have 100 years on this earth or if today is our last day. That may sound a bit morbid but it is reality.

These moments also cause me to think about is what is important. My family. My marriage. Being a good Pappa. Jesus. Telling others about God's love and forgiveness. Living my life in a way that builds others up and encourages them. How I use my words.

It also makes me think, "Why am I still here? What else does God have for me?"

What was your last "almost" moment?

Chick-fil-a and the Gay Community

I clearly remember last year when Campus Pride and the LGBT community decided to protest and boycott Chick-fil-a because of Dan Cathy's (COO) stand on marriage. I remember watching the news and reading all the blogs and tweets about what was happening. It was a pretty big controversy. I think it may have also been a record breaking day for Chick-fil-a as they had lines around the block of people waiting to get their own number 1 with lemonade.

I confess, I LOVE Chick-fil-a! I do not typically eat fast food anymore (ever since travel became more part of my life and watching Super-Size Me) but if there were an In-N-Out and a Chick-fil-a near where I lived I am sure I would have a problem. They didn't invent the chicken, just the chicken sandwich and they have done an amazing job at perfecting it. The waffle fries and the lemonade. I even get the diet lemonade and it is fantastic. And don't get me started on their shakes! One time, in Chandler, Arizona, I went to Chick-fil-A that shared a parking lot with in and out and I actually had both meals with Scott Erickson & Colby Martin! Heaven.

Enough of that and back to the story at hand. I just finished reading this article in the Huffington Post by Shane Windmeyer, who is the founder and executive director of Campus Pride. I was blown away. I really get upset when I read stories of people who get bullied because of how they live, whatever that may be. It is heartbreaking to hear about someone who commits suicide because they were bullied because they were gay or someone who has to move to another school because they always get picked on by a certain crowd. I get mad.

I think I would get mad no matter what, but perhaps the reason I get most mad is because I can identify with those kids. You see, when I was in middle school I was bullied as well. Back then I think we just said "picked on" but it was bullying. I was pantsed when I was wearing my swim shorts in front of the whole neighborhood. I had crabapples thrown at me and one time it hit my ear so that it was ringing two weeks. I was forced to put my tongue on a stop sign pole when it was freezing. Yeah. I get it. Kids can be mean. Interestingly, today I would call those guys friends at some level, for sure on Facebook.

Back to the story at hand. It is worse when I see these things done in "the name of Jesus." People who come off as representing what I believe in and then mistreating people because of a different opinion or belief. Then I read an article like this. Dan Cathy reached out to Shane Windmeyer and listened to him. He didn't waver from his beliefs, but he respected him and listened to him. They talked on the phone and even met in person. Dan asked him about his life and his family. He cared about Shane. He invited him to the Chick-fil-a bowl on New Year's eve. There, on the sidelines, stood Dan and his family and Shane. Enjoying the game and each others company.

This made my heart happy. This is a great example of how we should live our lives. I am encouraged and challenged.

Secret Book Safe (Another Pinterest Project)

For Christmas this year I really wanted to give some gifts that would mean something to those I gave it to and that would be on the low end of the cost scale. I went to Pinterest to find some ideas. It didn't take long to find some great ideas. I found a site that had 25 great ideas for DIY gifts. My 2 favorites were the secret book safe and the miniature Polaroid magnets I posted yesterday.

Now to the secret book safe. I hopped over to the dollar store and grabbed the biggest/thickest books I could find. I was going to get books that had some meaning for each person, but the dollar store is pretty limited in their book selection. To the shop I went.

I chose a page I wanted to have as the last page before the "safe" and added one more page. I propped the book open and made a mix of glue and water (roughly 70% glue/30% water). I used a small paint brush and brushed the glue mix along the outside of the pages until it was completely covered and not dripping.
Then I used a metal ruler to measure 1/2 inch margins all the way around.

Then I used a box cutter to start slicing the pages.

I made it through 1 1/2 books using this boxcutter. My fingers were killing me! It was not the best box cutter anyhow. I had to cut slices through the middle of the pages and try to get as much out as possible. The corners were probably the hardest part.

 I read you could use a dremel and my father-in-law had the right part, but his dremel was at work. Then my father-in-law gave me a game changer. He had a oscillating multi-tool! It has a few attachments for it, but the one I needed looked like a scraper with grooves. Basically it moves back and forth at a rapid rate and I would cut into the book a bit at a time. Soooooo much better. The sides looked much nicer and it went way faster. Oh, and it didn't hurt.

I did use scissors to even a few spots out. You need to be careful you don't cut yourself with any of these tools. The scissor was the most dangerous for me. See?

After you are finished cutting out the center you need to apply your glue mix to the inside and another coat on the outside is recommended. You also want to glue the top of the rim of the pages and glue down the last page you did not cut. I used paint cans to put on top of them while they dried. I let them dry overnight but I think you can get it in 30 minutes or so. Then you open the book carefully and cut the top page you glued down.

When you are done you can store your tools in there or other valuables. I recommend you put it on a book shelf with other books. :)

Miniature Polaroid Magnets (A Pinterest Project)

Yes. I love Pinterest. No, I am not female. It is largely believed that most people on Pinterest are women. That may be true, but there are guys on there too. I know it to be true. I am on there. Jon Acuff is on there. It is a cool place! I love their food ideas and craft ideas. I think of myself as more crafty than I probably am, but Pinterest inspires me.

I was looking around for ideas for Christmas presents. I was trying to keep the cost down and still be something very cool. This was one of those. They are refrigerator magnets with "Polaroid" pictures of the family. I got the idea from Ambrosia Girl's website. She has a link to download the photoshop template there too. Here is what I did.

First I downloaded the template to be printed on a 4x6 photo. Then I found the pictures I wanted to put inside the Polaroids and copied and pasted them into this one. I shrunk them down to size (using photoshop) behind each Polaroid. Each sheet has 8 photos on it. I saved the photo and sent it to walmart.com and picked up the pictures later. I also grabbed a 10 pack of business card magnets at Staples for $4.

After we got the pictures I headed into the shop. I used a paper cutter to cut even lines and then trimmed them up with some scissors. (I am saying I alot, but Jeanne-Ann did help me a little bit).

 
We then used the backs of notepads we had laying around and cut them to fit the pictures.

I used foam board I bought at the dollar store first but it looked terrible.

Using "permanent" glue sticks I glued the pictures to the cardboard. The final step was placing the pictures on the magnets ad cutting it out along the picture so it fit perfectly.

There you have it. Miniature Polaroid magnets.

We grabbed any metal container we could find and wrapped the container with the magnets inside. Cake pans work nicely.

Do you have a Pinterest project you have done that has been a favorite?

A Sick Little Christmas

Well, we have been in North Carolina for over a week and have only had to make one trip to the doctor's office. The funny thing? The doctor recognized us. We were there last year with Haak when he had an ear infection. This time it was Karston's turn. He got strep and tonsillitis. So sad. He was in such pain.

Then, like a tornado, a cold/flu thing came ripping through this home with a vengeance. There are 14 of us in this house, 6 of us staying in one bed room. haha. I don't know if it is because I have been taking airborne regularly or what, but I think I am the only one who has not been incapacitated by this virus. It has been taking between 24-48 hours to get through each person.

Fever. (Kynzi hit 101.7 today and Nyah hit 102.7)
Headache.
Awful cough.
Snot galore.
Drowsiness.

Not fun. Not one bit. I am thankful I have not gotten it. Praying it stays that way. Among the wrapping paper that has been strewn across the floor you can find tiny tissue mines. It is quite the sight. For Haak and Nyah it has meant sleepless nights, which means for Jeanne-Ann and I and the rest of the house it has meant sleepless nights.

The upside? Our kids are learning to share.

Merry Christmas!

Hoping yours is restful, sick-free and family-filled!

3 Generations!

Christmas Shoes

Probably one of the saddest, if not the saddest, Christmas songs in history, is Christmas shoes. It's also probably the corniest Christmas song.

Basically a boy is shopping alone...on Christmas Eve. And somehow he knows his Mom's show size. I have known my mom all 41 years of my life and I don't have a clue what size shoe she wears. Perhaps I'm just not as observant as this boy.

Crazy thing is he knows his mom's shoe size but he doesn't have a clue when it comes to money. He pays with pennies and is surprised when he doesn't have enough. If he is shopping at Payless I guess I get it...sort of, but I doubt that's where he went. I picture him in the mall at a shoe store with high prices.

If that's not enough he turns to the guy behind him in line. I am sure this guy is livid having to wait in line on Christmas Eve for a kid who us paying for shoes with pennies. You know this guy is in a hurry and is gonna get an ear full from his wife when he gets home because the kids are screaming that their daddy is t home on Christmas Eve because he waited till the last minute to shop for their mommy.

He has pressure. The tension is building with every penny that us counted. Then the kid had the gall to ask for money! He doesn't straight out ask him. He just looks up at him with puppy dog eyes and asks, "What am I going to do now?" Now he has a major dilemma. He likely had attended Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University and is only using cash and he had exactly the amount of cash for a pair of shoes for his wife.

If he gives the kid money he can't buy his wife her dream shoes he has been diligently saving for. And he has how gone to the store with nothing to show for it but warm fuzzies. Can you picture the scene? Dad leaves on Christmas eve to get a gift for mom last minute and comes home with nothing. Kids yelling and crying. Awful moment.

Then, to make matters worse, this little boy shares his awful sob story. He tells the man that he wants to buy the shoes for his Mom. But he calls her Mamma. For some reason Mamma is much more heart gripping then Mom is. At least in this song. He tells her that she is likely going to die that night.

Side note; you are telling me that his dad has let his little boy leave the home on Christmas eve to go shopping on a crazy night when his mother is likely going to die within a few hours.? Incomprehensible!

Now I understand that his mother has been sick for quite a while and must be at such a deep dark spot that she has been coughing and gurgling like crazy. She must be screaming and moaning and saying things that don't make any sense. It is probably scaring the living daylights out of this little boy and so the dad sent him out because he has been crying all day over his Mom. I guess in some way I get it.

So the kid has played a guilt trip on the guy, he spends his money and no longer has money for his wife's gift, and now the kid runs out of the store. If you listen closely, I am pretty sure you can actually hear the boy laughing and, if I am not mistaken, he yells, "Sucka!"

Perhaps he is a sucker. Perhaps he has ruined Christmas for his family. But at least he was reminded what Christmas is all about.What is Christmas all about for you I wonder?

Here is a video done for a school project for the song.

PS. If you rewatch the video at the top and scrub to 00:37 notice what Steve is doing in the background. (We made this video a couple of years ago to send to our friend Brian who HATES the song! Haha.)

Fishing with Poppy (grandpa)

Today we decided to finally go fishing. The kids have been begging to go for days. The weather has not cooperated very nicely. Rain, snow or too cold. We finally squeezed a day that wasn't terrible for fishing. We headed into Dillsboro to a river to drop in our lines. We had 3 working fishing poles between the 8 of us. That was not going to deter Karston from fishing though. He had made his own pole. (I'm telling you. This country living with a shop is so good for him.)

We walked the little path down to the river and the fishing began. Jon had given Karston a hook that is large enough to catch a small whale I think. But he put a worm on it and a little fish perfume and tossed it in. After a few tosses by everyone there seemed to be a need to keep looking for the perfect spot. So down stream we moved. And moved. And moved. And moved. Nothing. No bites. I did see a small fish jump upstream, but nothing that could every make its way onto Karston's hook. My father-in-law said something about being allowed to keep the fish we caught just below the waterfall and that we would have to release anything we got above the waterfall. I thought he was joking. He is like that. Nope. No joke.

Jon slipped and got his shoe wet and decided it best just to make the journey in his socks. It wasn't long before Karston joined him and they both went barefoot along the ridge. Then decided maybe they should wade a bit to get closer to where the fish in the middle were. Jack finally acquiesced and took his shoes off for a bit too. Karston was in for a bit but discovered that his feet began to sting. The water is c-c-c-c-c-c-c-c-c-c-c-c-c-old!!! It hurt him bad. It hurt putting his socks and shoes back on. Jon? He kept wading. No feeling? I don't know. But he went past his knees and soaked his pants too.

Karston and Jed got the only thing of the day. They each found a lure. That was it. No fish. It was not a loss though. We went out as a family and had a great time together. I think that's what fishing is about...mostly. Relationship and experience. Catching fish is super exciting, but its not everything.

Poppy was teaching Jed the finer tips to fishing

Cousins

A fish jumping? Nope. Just having fun with rocks and splashing.

What did you do for fun over your Christmas break?