She's Coming Home

If you can just sing a few notes of the Trans-Siberian song here you will get a bit of my joy today. I'm headed out to pick up my daughter as she returns from England. She has been gone from just before Christmas and I get to pick her up at the airport in several hours.



I'm praying that the flights all connect well and that she doesn't have any troubles with connections or customs. Assuming that everything works out as planned I'll leave the Purdue area around 4:30 and head toward Indy. If not I'll head the other direction and make the trek into Chicago to pick her up there.
One way or another we should both be home by midnight tonight.

Love Note

Today is our anniversary. My wife and I have been married for 27 years and I can honestly say that I would do it all over again. Sure there have been tough times, there is in everyones life, but that doesn't change the love that has taken root in our relationship.
Thanks for love and the grace that you give to me k.

Headed Out Again

There is always more to do than time to do it this time of year it seems. So on top of it all I'll be headed out tomorrow to the North Indiana United Methodist Annual Conference. I'll spend Thurs. Fri. & Sat. morning in gatherings of worship and business. I know a bit of a strange combination for some and at times the disconnect is rather abrupt, but for the most part it keeps things moving and flowing well.
The big issue this year is the final vote on merging the North and South Indiana Conferences.I know there will be a lot of discussion and debate and there are many people who are adamantly apposed to the concept. I in know way think that the new plan for the conferences together is perfect and will "change the world" in any way shape or form. But I'll support the change for one primary reason. - What we are doing now isn't working for the glory of God and all of our neighbors good! - Sure there are pockets of success and places that are really getting things right for the Kingdom of God. However the denomination in this area continues to lose members, there are far to many churches that haven't figured out that it isn't all about them but rather about God, and the hope that a slight tweak here and there is going to change that is just spitting in the wind.
So when it comes down to it I'll vote yes for the merger and pray that a bit of a shake up and the chance to do some things differently will move just enough people out of their comfort zones to rely upon God's power to change rather than their own skills, abilities, and wisdom to do what just hasn't been getting done.

If I can pick up an internet signal in the hall I'll do some live blogging over the next couple of days. If not I'll post as I can.

West Virginia

Yesterday started out cloudy and rainy and absolutely miserable and the weather report didn't promise much hope for it being a good day for photography. So I packed up and headed toward home rather than going back into the park. I took my time and went cross country through West Virginia and got lucky with some sun here and there to brighten up the day.
It was good to be away, but even better to be home.

Virginia

I finished up at the Leadership Roundtable and thought it went fairly well. It was nice to talk with others who have been and continue to work on the issues of servant leadership.
I got out of Virginia Beach and at the end of the day started through the Shenandoah National Park. The sun was setting but still had some beautiful views. Depending upon the weather I'll head back into the park tomorrow and hope to get some better pictures then.

Charts and Graphs

I'm reviewing my notes and statistics today for the presentation that I'll be doing on Friday at the Leadership Roundtable in Virginia. I've been out of the academic circles for a year now but it is coming back to me as I look over my notes. I'm looking forward to hearing what others are saying and doing in the areas of Servant Leadership and to get the responses from others into the research that I have done.
The reality that spiritual disciplines do make a difference in the formation of leaders is one that I'm trying to put into practice more intentionally and I hope that others will see some benefits in pursuing this area as well.

Looking

After a brief conversation with a friend yesterday I'm going to need to do some self-reflection. We have been talking together about where God is leading us both (he in California and me in Indiana). We have both come to the conclusion that we are not content to simply keep doing the same things in the same way and expecting different results. I'm at the point in my life where I don't want to do it my way any longer but I'm ready to do it God's way, whatever that way might be.
So one of the things that he suggested was that I look back over my life to those points where I've told God that I had enough. Not enough as in "I'm fed up" but rather enough as in I can't handle anything more of a good thing. So now I'm asking myself about those times when I've told God that I couldn't walk down that road because it didn't make sense or I couldn't handle the change that it was inviting me to accept. So if I seem a bit reflective in the coming days that just might be why.

How My Golf Game Feels @ Times

A Great Story

When we get tired of hearing about how bad things are along comes a story out of women's college softball that puts it all in perspective. What happens when a young lady hits a home run and hurts herself before she can make it around all the bases? Why of course the opponents pick her up and carry her around the bases.
If you haven't read the story yet check it out for yourself here.

Lucy!

Just a quick picture of Lucy for Kacie to see.

Kacie your brother's dog misses you and looks forward to you being home to play with her.

Boise Sunset

Sunsets are one of my favorite times. That time of the day when everything is winding down and the colors of the day take on a new look. Why though don't I stop on a regular basis and enjoy those moments of God's peace?

Probably because I get caught in the trap of thinking that while God might want me to be done with my day, I think I have more work to get done. I'm beginning to think that might be a problem.

Blowing in the Wind

So the picture is from last fall but it reflects a bit of what I'm feeling like right now. It feels like I'm being pulled, pushed, blown, in many different directions right now and what I really feel the need for is calm. I would love to have a few moments when I could simply breath and rest and clear my head so that I could listen for the still small voice of God that I know is speaking but is being drowned out by so much else.