Feeling really good about the 24 piece set.

I am thankful for my growing awareness of God's nearness.

I am thankful for my beautiful wife and how good if a mon she is.

I am thankful for Max and Lydia and every single smile they've ever had.

"The truth will set you free, but at first it will really hack you off." ~Michael Hyatt

children: more work than you want, more rewarding than you deserve

One thing that has fascinated about having kids is the immediate bond I felt with both Max and Lydia.  It's not like I needed to get to know them first, or they needed to get comfortable with me before it happened.  I would even say I felt this bond before they were born.  I remember thinking while they were only a few days old, "Wow, I am surprised by how much I love these two little snotty, poopy, crying, needy, slimy alien-like creatures.  I don't even know them yet I already love them more than almost everybody else I know."

I have also been surprised by how excited I am when they grow older and bigger.  Carrie is always saying how sad she is that her "babies" are not as small as they used to be.  All I can think is that I can't wait until they can crawl, talk, walk and someday learn to intentionally scare mom.  I have very minimal nostalgia for their previous phases.

Just my thoughts.  Anybody else have a similar experience?

Great pics

The fires in heaven...

I am thoroughly convinced that God will let everyone into heaven who, in his considered opinion, can stand it. But "standing it" may prove to be a more difficult matter than those who take their view from popular movies or popular preaching may think. The fires in heaven may be hotter than those in the other place.

...I often wonder how happy and useful some of the fearful, bitter, lust-ridden, hate-filled Christians I have seen involved in church or family or neighborhood or political battles would be if they were forced to live forever in the unrestrained fullness of the reality of God...

- Dallas Willard, from The Divine Conspiracy

digested lung

Have you ever taken a dump so big you felt like your body accidentally digested one of your lungs and then crapped it out?

I did...

...yesterday...

...it was awesome.