March 2, 2007
Carnegie Mellon Wants Erin (Updated)
… Update…
Johns Hopkins is now offering her a full ride too! Johns Hopkins, Carnegie Mellon, Berkeley… Everyone wants Erin!
Before this week, I didn’t know much about Carnegie Mellon University. I knew that they are in Pittsburgh, PA. I knew that they are a world class engineering school specializing in robotics. Now I know something else about them… they know talent when they see it. Read the rest of this entry »
February 10, 2007
The House that Ken Built
My brother, Ken, built a miniature mansion for our mom. That is no exaggeration. He started with one of the standard floor plans that his company, Jessco, builds and then upgraded it to the max. The extras and the details he put into it are beyond anything that she could have imagined. She said, “I am going to be living in luxury the rest of my life!”
- Nine foot ceilings
- 6 foot tall windows
- Decorative Concrete all the way around the house
- Landscaping Upgrades
- Crown Molding everywhere
- Chair rail molding in every room
- Privacy fence
- The prettiest patio you ever saw made with decorative concrete with a curved edge.
- much more…
As I was walking through the house last weekend, I thought about the 80/20 rule… you know, you get 80% of the benefit with 20% effort. But if you want to get that last 20% benefit, it will take 80% effort. I believe mom’s house is what you get when you give 100%. Please take a look at the photo slide show of the house, and check out the video.
January 18, 2007
Family History Pages
I just added a section to the site for family history stories. See the menu to the left and the tab above or click here. I hope to keep adding stories there about those who have gone before me because they are a part of my story too.
The first story is in my grandmother’s own words and describes of their trip to the “Holy Land” when they unexpectedly found themselves detained because of the October 1973 War (or Yom Kippur War) between Egypt and Israel. I copied it from a newspaper clipping that my dad gave me over the holidays.
January 15, 2007
Motives
Jeanie’s and my philosophy on disciplining our young children was to consider their motive when they did something that needed to be corrected. For instance, if one of them broke a dish because they were being willfully defiant, we would have handled it much differently than if they had accidentally knocked it off the table. The former would have required a lesson in who is in charge. The latter possibly a reminder that we don’t run in the house. Hopefully that makes sense.
I believe it is important to recognize that we can do the same behavior for a myriad of reasons. Those reasons are important… maybe even more important than the actions. This is true of little children and adults.
We are way past the little children stage. Our former little girls are now adults, and I find myself asking them to judge me by my motive, rather than my behavior. You see, I don’t always behave in ways that make sense for what I want to achieve, and often, my behavior sends the wrong message. I have desires for them to have great lives because they are all great women. (I am amazed at how different they are). I love them and everything I do is ultimately motivated by that love.
but sometimes…
December 25, 2006
Merry Christmas 2006
I thank God for my friends and I pray that you all have a wonderful, safe Christmas this year.
Remember, no man is a failure who has friends–Clarence Oddbody
December 8, 2006
Congratulations Melody!
Melody is on her way to medical school! Saint Louis University School of Medicine just contacted her and said, “We want you.”November 6, 2006
Imagine how excited…
Close your eyes (after you read this…) and imagine…
Imagine how excited you would be if you had a daughter interviewing for Medical School… another daughter interviewing at MIT and yet another daughter well on her way to a Music Therapy degree…
Did your heart rate just go up?
Did you felt a little flutter in your belly?
Did your shirt buttons stretch almost to the breaking point from puffing out your chest?
Then you know just how I feel!
Jeanie and I just returned from Charleston where we saw Mark and Danae worshiping on stage at their church (Summit Church at CSU). Then we saw Danae performing with the CSU Wind Ensemble for a Veterans Day concert. She had three piccolo solos including the famous Stars and Stripes piccolo part. She is working so hard and having so much fun.
As I write this, Melody is in St. Louis, MO awaiting an interview at St. Louis University School of Medicine. This will be her second interview. One step at a time, she is following her dream!
I just got an email from Erin who said she has an interview with MIT! They will be flying her up next week to check the place out. She is so excited. I think the funnest thing is watching her discover what wonderful gifts she has. She has been heads down, doing the right thing for so long that she doesn’t see how far she has come. Now she is reaping some of the rewards of her labor.
I am so very blessed and so very, very proud.
Imagine how excited…
Close your eyes (after you read this…) and imagine…
Imagine how excited you would be if you had a daughter interviewing for Medical School… another daughter interviewing at MIT and yet another daughter well on her way to a Music Therapy degree…
October 16, 2006
We’re ok and thankful for fire fighters
At the risk of sounding like Lucy when she returned from Narnia, we are ok. You can stop worrying.
We had our first fire of the season in the fireplace tonight. Unfortunately, the fire got up inside the chimney and flames and sparks were coming out of the chimney. It made me very nervous so I called 911 and told Jeanie and Melody to grab a few valuables and get out. By the time the 4 fire trucks arrived (a few minutes), the flames had died down and it appeared all was well. They checked things out and said everything was ok. Before they left, the gave me a commendation for calling them, thanks for giving them somthing to do and a brief lecture on servicing the fireplace once a year.
Whew! Thanks to God and the fire department.
October 4, 2006
Sometimes I like being the dad
Yesterday was a treat for me. I got to do one of those really cool, fun dad things. My daughter, Melody had an interview for entry into the UNC Medical School! On the way down she practiced and I encouraged. On the way back, we just enjoyed one another’s company. Towards the end of the trip, we watched the most spectacular sunset I have ever seen. No joke, it must have lasted half an hour from start to dark. What a blessing.
While Melody was interviewing, I had a date with my creator. With no idea exactly where I was going, I found myself at Jordan Lake. It was as if I had a personal invitation and escort to this place (see the photo). Isn’t it beautiful?
I opened my Bible and felt drawn to the Psalms, but which one? Having a hard time being able to be completely serious at any given time, even holy moments… I thought to myself why not, 42. After all every Hitchikers Guide fan knows that 42 is the answer to life, the universe and everything, right? As if God had to top my silliness, in verse 6 He says,
When my soul is in the dumps, I rehearse
everything I know of you,
From Jordan depths to Hermon heights,
including Mount Mizar.
Remember where I was… “Jordan” lake. Imagine jousting with the one who invented jousting. It was as if He was saying, “You think you are so clever.” I wondered if he arranged that whole thing (location and psalm) just for me.
From the beginning of the Psalm, I was totally blessed. I found myself praying the words as I read them…
I want to drink God,
deep draughts of God.
I’m thirsty for God-alive.
I know how thirsty I am after a good run. That dry cotton-mouthed feeling that tells me not so subtly, “Hey, you need a drink!” I want to recognize that feeling with God. I want to know how thirsty I am and meet him where he is. To connect with his heart and share mine with him.
These are the things I go over and over,
emptying out the pockets of my life.
Emptying my pockets before him! What a picture. I sat down and started writing what I was feeling and what I desired. One thing after another, I poured out my heart. I wrote about things I was angry about, sad about, happy about… emptying my pockets.
My life is God’s prayer.
Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul?
Why are you crying the blues?
Fix my eyes on God—
soon I’ll be praising again.
He puts a smile on my face.
He’s my God.
What an awesome God. After crying out to him, he puts a smile on my face and reminds me that he is my God.
Jimazing Thoughts 