An Evening on My Front Porch at the End of the Cul-de-sac

It's a gorgeous evening in my neighborhood tonight. It's a crisp 71 degrees, low humidity, no wind, and I can sit on my front porch and write a blog entry because my wi-fi reaches nicely! My front porch sits facing my cul-de-sac and looks down my street. In addition, a small tree blocks anyone from seeing me as I type this. Ideally, I'd love to catch my neighbors letting their dogs out to go poo in my lawn before they go to bed. I've caught him once before when I came home late from McDonalds one Saturday night with Jordan, but the guy called the dogs and went inside as I pulled my car into the garage (not that I would have said anything to him ... long story and a past blog entry if you're interested!) So far I've just heard one set of neighbors come home, and the wife tell her kids to go inside right now if they want to eat some chicken before they go to bed. I've also heard the teenage girl arrive home and park her car in the driveway - was that really the sound of spurs I heard as she made her way to the front door?!

There's about four stars I can make out in the sky overhead. I can hear fireworks being fired off in the near distance. I can smell freshly cut grass that I did about two hours ago. I feel the warmth of my laptop in my lap. And I can still taste the grilled jalapeno burger I had for dinner in my mouth (ok ... I was stretching to get in that last of the five senses!) Both boys are in bed, Debbie is in bed watching some love movie on the Encore-love channel ... it's just me with myself and my thoughts.

I could start to think of what my work schedule will look like this week. I can think about my friend that turned 50 today and we had a surprise birthday party for him. I can also ponder what a lucky son-of-a-gun I am. I'm 38 1/2 years old, and I very much like the life I've made for myself up to this point. I don't take a darn thing in my life for granted (or at least I try to periodically remind myself of this) and I know it can all be taken from me in an instant. I still have so many things I want to do before my life here is through. I have so many more phases to live out. I think of how my parents may have felt when they were 38 1/2. I wonder how my grandparents felt of their lives when they were 38 1/2. Can I even fathom what my great-grandparents went through when they were 38 1/2?!?!?!

Wait ... is that a little schnauzer sniffing around my front tree?!

(FYI - pic of home courtesy of google maps! It looks like this one is 1.5 years ago, and a Thursday morning in December. Boy, I'm Sherlock! Ever look to see if pics have been taken of your home?!)

July 4 game with Oklahoma Redhawks

The game was rained out, but you can tell here a few players came out to enjoy the giant slip and slide!

Meet the New Leopard ... The P90X Leopard!

If you want to see my progress with my P90X workouts, feel free to check out my new blog HERE.

Remembering the 4th of July

Here it is, another Fourth of July. Traditionally, this is a day to gather with friends, maybe fire up the barbeque and play with kids until the sun sets and the fireworks start. But in thinking back on the meaning behind this day, we must never forget that our nation was baptized in the blaze of a very different kind of "fireworks." Yes, this is a day of rest and relaxation, as well it should be, but this year…I'd like to ask you a favor. At some point during the day, I hope you'll take time to think and reflect on what it is we're truly celebrating on the 4th of July -- our Independence Day. Of course the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4th, 1776 but it's so much more than that. On this day, 233 short years ago, a small group of men dedicated themselves to a higher purpose, an ideal they believed in so greatly, they signed their name to its expression and in doing so put their very lives at risk.

Never has a simple act of signing one's name carried such weight, such a profound commitment. By signing the Declaration of Independence, 56 men stood in direct defiance of the British government. They became marked men, and willingly so. As I was doing some research on the significance of July 4th, I came across some interesting facts about these men. Today as we all enjoy the freedom our forefathers guaranteed us, join me in honoring the extraordinary sacrifice of 56 extraordinary Americans.

Of the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence:

Five were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes burned to the ground. Two lost sons serving in the Revolutionary Army, and two more had sons captured. Nine fought and died in the Revolutionary War.

If you ever feel like your lone voice can never be heard, that the political system isn't set up for "regular" Americans to change the course of history, remember: The signers were flesh and blood, mortal men with a divinely-inspired aim.

Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists, eleven were merchants, and nine were farmers and large plantation owners. They were well educated, smart enough to know that by signing the Declaration of Independence, they were signing their own death warrants. They did it anyway, and God bless them for it.

As we enjoy our liberty on this 4th of July, or any day of any month, we must never take that liberty for granted. Too many have given too much. In the words of the Signers themselves, "For the support of this declaration, with firm reliance on the protection of the divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor." Their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor -- I think that's a price paid worth a few minutes of reflection, don't you? But let's not be solemn in that reflection. I say rejoice and share this information with your friends and family, especially your kids. The Signers asked for nothing in return for their pledge, but I say that we show our thanks with a pledge of our own: To remember, to be grateful, and to carry on in their spirit. America is the greatest country this world will ever know, and it will stay that way so long as "we the people" remember that just like in 1776.

It's US that surrounds them, and we'll never back down.

Happy Independence Day, and God bless America.

I found the above in an email from Glenn Beck ... remember!

Ab Ripper X with Nieces and Nephews

Get Your Fried Pies!

Nothing says western Oklahoma like an old gas station that now sells fried pies! This one is in El Reno. I can't say I've sampled one of these fine delicacies yet.

My First Big Break!

On my nostalgia tour in Lexington, KY, I stopped to see where I got my first job after I received my master's degree.

We returned to first home, 10 yrs later

This is Debbie and my first home in Lexington, KY. It's been 10 years! The front tree is gone that I have a pic of the boys in when they were little.

Outer Banks - The Sunrise, The Crab and Me

I awoke at 5:00 am after falling asleep on the couch last night in our cottage/house and decided I would go see the sunrise. I looked online, and the official sunrise was at 5:47 am, so I knew I didn't miss it yet.

The sky looked a little bit cloudy in the dark, so I wasn't sure if I would see it or not. The orange/red ball of fire didn't disappoint. I also met scads of little sand crabs who are fast, side-running little critters. I got in one picture of this little bad boy before he ran back in his little hole like a frightened turtle. And then there is this solo shot of me with a tiny sun over my right shoulder.

The sound of the waves was peaceful. Being alone was nice (but I sure would have preferred fellow guests!), and I could have sat there for a while taking all this non-Oklahoma scenery in for a while! I've done so much this week, and I'm so blessed in so many ways. I pray that everyone finds this peace inside themselves, knows God in a personal way, and then begins to bear the fruit.

Galatians 5:19-23 (NLT)
19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!