Day eighteen... de-accumulate!

I don't watch a lot of television. I am deeply affected by violence, anger and watching others talk about their frustrations... you know, the basis for nearly every television show. Occasionally people come to me and say that I must check out such and such. I try to follow through. This has worked out nicely for a few favorites. Raising Hope (a blog I am saving for next week) and my guilty pleasure... I can't believe I am going to admit it...

Happy Endings.

It's got everything that I try to rise above... because I think I am a better person... but I'm not.

The show is...

crude, crass and common - my father-in-law would say...

Just when I think I can't laugh harder, they throw in just a dash of bathroom humor. My lovely wife wants you to know that potty humor is my kryptonite. Want me to fall to the floor, dismantle my armor; just walk up and say "poop."

Sorry. Power in truth, right. Just trying to clean out my closet.

I am that kind of simple man. I want to be like Saint Francis. Instead, I'm more like the dad from Raising Hope...

google that one and you'll see...

OK, I'll move on to quality television. "Hoarders." Now, there's a show that changed our lives. I was just reading to my classes yesterday from a Magic Tree House series, Mummies in the Morning. In the book, Mary Pope Osborne describes the inside of a pyramid. While I was reading the description of the inside of a burial chamber - a room which included all the items the pharoah would need in the next life, one of my students stopped us and said..."That sounds like that show we watch at home about the people who can't stop buying stuff."

She was referring to "Hoarders."

Ashley and I had to stop watching the show because we were starting to see our own house as a hoarder's pit. It is so easy to let it happen... parents buy things for their kids... grandparents pick up something here and there... for me, it's books. We had piled them into every possible corner of the house. It became obvious that I had a problem, bringing in more books than I had time to read.

The idea for this blog about simplicity came from the Donahues cleaning out our closets, literally. I wanted to share how some simple steps could be taken to restructure and find more time, energy and happiness. That takes some work!

Along with the 60 plus bags of clothing and household items, I also gave away some "much treasured" books. My questions became, "Can I check this out from the public library when I want to read the book?" That helped me to weed through the piles.

Our next goal was to build a library for the house. Ashley and I spent an entire winter holiday restructuring an old "hoarders" room and turning it into an organized treasure room. Taking a look at this picture relaxes me so much. We now have room for our books. Now I can find them when I need and I even have a cozy spot for my favorite reading chair. Come by the house at 9 PM, and you will find me sitting in this chair every night.

Building a special spot, a comfort zone, right in the middle of an area which used to cause us so much grief has become a simple, outward expression of simplicity. Ashley and I hated walking through that room. It was a constant reminder of the overwhelming job we had waiting for us. Watching "Hoarders" became the catalyst for us, in that it allowed us to see that with a little work, we could bring order to the chaos.

Richard Foster writes about simplifying our lives through reminding his readers that it is the "masses of things that are not needed (which) complicate life."

He notes one exercise to simplify your life is to "enjoy things without owning them."

"Owning things is an obsession in our culture. If we own it, we feel we can control it; and if we control it, we feel it will give us more pleasure. The idea is an illusion. Many things in life can be enjoyed without possessing or controlling them."

Some examples to find freedom through sharing are:

walking in the woods, playing in a park, using public resources such as libraries, sharing a park bench with someone else...

The list could go on and on. I hope that it will. Consider leaving me a note at this post of something you can enjoy without purchasing it.

There is a fantastic cd of some of my favorite musicians providing cover tunes to their "guilty pleasure" songs. Listening to your musical heroes stepping out of their safety zone is a lot of fun. They admit their weaknesses by presenting a song you would never expect them to enjoy. Much like me... and my enjoyment of potty humor.


The song I am leaving here features Bonnie "Prince" Billy, known for his macabre lyrics and unhappy song endings. He is, however, able to take himself lightly as he sings Mariah Carey's song...

Can't Take That Away.

It is a fitting song for today... I didn't want to Goodwill folks to take away my "treasures" at first. But now, looking at all this extra space and being able to make better economic choices in the future reminds me of freedom. Consider taking something away. Give it another home where it will find use.

Link of the day...
Cut the Clutter... http://www.christianpost.com/news/cut-the-clutter-27763/

Quote of the Day...
"Our life is frittered away by detail... simplify, simplify."
Henry David Thoreau

Bible verse of the day...
“God is not a God of disorder but of peace.” First Corinthians 14:33

Day seventeen... Castaway

Right after finishing my lunch at school, always a green and red salad, four crackers, a piece of fruit and cold green tea, I got out of my chair to throw away my trash. Like I have for more than 100 days of school so far this year. This has been my routine.

I looked at the recycling center in my classroom for student paper scraps and over at our red wriggler worm composting bin and realized that I should be following through with what I am always telling the students. Telling them over and over about the importance of maintaining our natural resources and reducing our personal use.

When I looked at my trash, I knew there were some things that I would not be able to reuse or recycle. In the past, I had justified my choices by never using a paper napkin. I carry a handkerchief everyday. But it was the two items that I use and throw away everyday that really caught my attention. I have sent more than 100 Styrofoam cups and 100 plastic forks right into landfills and into the great big world that I am always trying to clean up.

Our family nature club, KIVA - Kids In the Valley, Adventuring!, hosts three or four park clean up days a year. I am always fussing about having to keep the parks clean and complaining about it being such a constant problem. And all along, I have been adding to the mess.


Out of sight, out of mind really does make it seem to magically disappear.


Richard Foster's book, Celebration of Discipline: the Path to Spiritual Growth chooses to point out that in our goal for simplicity, we should choose our purchases on utility and reminds us that Psalm 24:1 states


"The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof."

We can not disregard our environmental responsibility as stewards of the land. Our actions have consequences. To simplify my life and lessen my impact on the earth, tomorrow I will start carrying my own reusable fork to lunch and hereby pledge to use reusable cups for my ice tea at school. In the future that will add up to 180 less cups and 180 less plastic forks a year getting into our oceans and landfills.

I frequently visit a website for a fantastic group of folks at Restoring Eden (http://www.restoringeden.org/). There you can find a great selection of quotes and resources that can help you in your decisions as far as a call to environmental stewardship. I encourage you to visit them today.

And of course, we need music to listen to while we are web surfing...

Bruce Carroll provides a lovely cover of a Mark Heard tune for us today. The song speaks of a lost soul, floating through this earth, but I think the song could also point to the countless times we have let a temporary solution (a plastic fork) have a lasting effect on our environment. our castaways...




Link of the day...
Get connected locally and make a difference by creating less trash... http://www.cleanvalley.org/

Quote of the day...
"Taking care of creation isn’t just about saving the whales or the spotted owl (although these concerns are far more important than the skeptics would have us believe). Creation care isn’t just about reduce, reuse, recycle. And it certainly isn’t about keeping others out or exporting our own environmental problems to other countries so America can remain pristine. It is about preserving creatures and conserving wilderness, but it is also about saving neighborhoods from our waste, and improving the health and safety of children who live there."
Scott Sabin, author of Tending to Eden: Environmental Stewardship for God's People


Bible verse of the day...
"Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns." - Matthew 24:45-46

Day sixteen... I'm just a jerk, is all.

All of this self-inspection, dredging up feelings and memories for the sake of leading a simpler life have left me quite drained. I haven't dug this deep in years. Telling stories of important moments in my life may have slightly blanketed the fact that I am just an ordinary jerk. Have I been leaving those parts out? Am I making myself out to be someone I am not? Did you know that I am conceited and proud, at times boastful?

I have received some really considerate feedback from writing this blog.
"Your blog brought me to tears."
"I never thought about it that way."
And my favorite so far,
"Your blog makes me want to change some things in my life... as soon as I find the time."

These notes have filled my heart with gratitude. But also they have filled my head with helium. I have found myself checking stats, secretly checking the blog audience map in hopes that my blog would read in another different country. I am up to seven now!

But that's not what this blog was supposed to be. I keep reminding myself that I am gathering my thoughts for the Sunday school lesson, not to try to win friends and influence people. I want to hone in the stories, tie them together and make sense of all my ramblings. Writing helps me think and organize.

This here's just a guy who is trying to work out his thoughts before I have to stand in front of an
audience. There have been a number of times in the past, while presenting to a group of people, where I have just broken down into tears, unable to share what is on my mind. Specifically when the topic has been of a personal matter... my family, my job, my love for a deceased love one.

I flubbed up my brother's toast at his wedding because I was so worried that I would ball up and cry during the toast. While I wanted to share of the joy that I saw in their faces when they were together, I ended up bumbling through a horrible rendition of a Polish folktale. A favorite of mine, but I failed to bring it to life.

At my grandfather's funeral, I made everyone wait nearly ten, painfully boring minutes while I tried to make the words come out.

That's why I am writing in this blog, in hopes that my stories, my words would not be as raw during the Lenten-based lesson on simplicity. Rereading what I have written so far has me wondering if I am just doing this to get attention? Is it all for show? Am I truly showing my true character or just glossing over points from my past? Yeah, probably.

As I stated in my first blog, I just want to be honest with the many ideas that I want to share. Writing this down and reading your feedback has really helped. I tend to be a jumbling mess when standing in front of crowds. But also, if you were to meet me on the street and you'll find that I am not truly likely to start up a conversation. And once that conversation starts, you'll find that I don't really have that much to offer.

Always found myself in with Good Ol' Van Pelt on this one ... You know Van Pelt...
"There are three things I have learned never to discuss with people: religion, politics, and the Great Pumpkin." -- Linus van Pelt in It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

I never expected that I would be writing a blog about such personal issues, especially my faith.

The last few days, I've been listening to a favorite band from the last twenty years... The Seventy-Sevens. http://www.77s.com/ for more details. Mike Roe and his motley crew of ruffians have led me through some fine retrospection, inner dealings and reevaluations over the years. One particular song has helped me say no to my selfish ways more than any times I can figure.

Ladies and gentleman,The Seventy-Sevens, The Lust, The Flesh, The Eyes and the Pride of Life.


Now, those of you who have written to me, especially the lovely grandmothers, are bound to write again to fuss at me for being to hard on myself. Truth is, I deserve worse.

The bible says in Romans 5:8,"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."and later in Romans 6:23,"the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

So there. I'm not alone in this thing, at least. You might be a jerk, too. We should form a club.

Visible signs of me being human, a mistake-riddled form of a man - I rush from event to event, at times I put my work before my family and don't listen when I should. I made it back from the grocery store last night with about half of what I was supposed to bring home, just because I didn't listen and focus on the task. The entire afternoon yesterday was spent with me at the dining room table grading papers while my kiddos were out playing. There has got to be a better way. I don't want my kids to remember that I put them off for my work.

Yesterday was the first Sunday of Lent. I am abstaining from sugar during these forty days. This is a good thing, as I know I have already put on ten pounds recently from living a more stationary life...writing, grading papers, reading. I'll need the extra help, not the extra calories.

To start our Lenten series of Sunday school lessons, called "Get Ready," the church chose wisely to have Mr. Walker, a man I truly admire and respect, begin the study with a lesson on Private Prayer. His presentation was remarkable. He engaged the forty, or so, people with thoughts on the importance of the ACTS of private prayer time.

Admonish
Confession
Thanksgiving
Supplication.

While listening to the lesson, I started remembering one of the last times I truly went to God in prayer just happened to be when the same Mr. Walker had invited The Wild Donahues to go canoeing with him down the Roanoke River. I was excited about the trip, knowing it would provide us with a number of "Whoo-ah!" moments.

Boy, did it ever. But the prayer I remember, came in a moment of fright when Mr. Walker asked me to take the lead of the canoe at a very choppy spot of the river. I had never paddled my family before and I quickly panicked! I remember staring at a huge rock in the middle of the Roanoke River, praying that we wouldn't hit the thing! "Please God!"

I was in such a panic that I forgot that I had the power to steer the boat away from the rock! Just seconds before we hit the roadblock (waterblock?), I managed to loosen my white-knuckled grip and keep our boat from colliding with the rock. Whoosh. Just like that!
We still bumped the rock and I remember Mr. Walker calmly saying from the back of the canoe,

"If you see any more of those, if you'd just let me know ahead of time."

We ended up having a fantastic trip. I certainly hope that it will be repeated again this year. I learned a lot about paddling and leading a ship that day. I also learned about patience and about enjoying the moment in a natural setting. Boats follow the river, but can be directed by your determination.

Yesterday, I learned something from else from Mr. Walker. During his lesson, he presented the powerful idea that it is perfectly fine to have those panic prayers. "God, I need you!" "God, help me!"But, we must also remember to express thankfulness to God when those and other prayers are answered. I don't think I had ever taken the time to do that, to thank God from pulling us out of the rapids, for keeping us from bashing our bodies upon that rock.

You'd have thought I would have taken the time to do that...I guess I'm just a jerk, is all.

The link above with take you to the lyrics of one of a Mark Heard song which I have identified with for a long time. "It's Alright." Being human takes a toll on you. Remembering that we are sinners, yeah... that stinks when you ponder on it. I don't like to be wrong. I often am, though.

I am learning along the way in this life. I am hereby acknowledging my weaknesses and I am reaching to become a better, more thankful and prayer-filled person.

This week, I wish to focus my blogs on the outward expressions of simplicity, as listed in Richard Foster's book - Celebration of Discipline; the Path to Spiritual Growth. In his chapter on simplicity as a discipline, he mentions "shunning anything that distracts you from seeking the kingdom of God."

The simple reminder is to not allow my own failings to stop me from reaching for the goal which I have set. I want to simplify my life to allow me to focus more fully on my family, my relationship with my wife and my time with God.

Link of the day...
Michael Roe - still keeping it real... http://www.michaelroe.com/

Quote of the day...
"There is the danger and the temptation to you, of drawing your minds into your business, and clogging them with it; so that ye can hardly do anything to the service of God." George Fox

Bible verse of the day...
“For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world." 1 John 2:16

Weekend! Get out and play!

Go fishing... or hiking... just go exploring.



Link of the day...
http://www.childrenandnaturenetwork.org/ research, development and rebuilding strategies

Quote of the day...
“It takes time–loose, unstructured dream time– to experience nature in a meaningful way. Unless parents are vigilant, such time becomes a scarce resource, not because we intend it to shrink, but because time is consumed by multiple, invisible forces; because our culture currently places so little value on natural play.” –Richard Louv, Author of “Last Child In the Woods”

Bible verse of the day...
"How many are your works, O Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.... When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth." Psalm 104:24, 30

Day fifteen... We're halfway there.

Looking back on fifteen days of writing daily blogs about the role of simplicity in my life has me thinking. How am I qualified to teach this lesson and how do I want to narrow all of this down to a thirty minute lesson. Members of our Christian Education Committee would say I am qualified because I was there at the meeting... because I was the one who volunteered. My parents would say because that is how I grew up, not having to have the brand name clothes...never had to have a fancy car. My children would likely say that I was qualified because I preach it the way I cook it. Simple, simple, simple.

My lovely wife Ashley takes care of the morning parental duties, getting everyone dressed, fed and off too school after I have already left in the morning. She totes them back and forth to school and then to their grandparent's houses after school. This leaves her very little time to actually go to work. So, I try to take the afternoons and some of the evenings so that she can actually get some work finished. I honestly do not know how working mothers get it all done in a day.

I do my best to get their homework done, get them fed and off to sports, choir or church. I have my particular quick and easy favorites that I can cook for them for dinner. Taco night, burger night, tuna melts, etc. But the story that will stick with them forever was the time their dad tried to make homemade soup.

It looked easy enough. I'd seen Ashley make soup from scratch often. That lady can make a fine bowl of anything. So, I gave it a shot. I added water, noodles and some mixed veggies.

What's was missing? Oh, the kids could tell you. What was missing was... flavor. No salt? No pepper? No herb mixture? Nope. Just hadn't dawned on me. Still to this day, they tell stories of the "water soup" that I made them eat. We often encourage the kids to say something nice about the dinner each night, as a courteous way to thank the person who took the time to prepare it. Ashley gets all kinds of noises, thanks and praise for her meal. That night, I just got questions.

"Dad, what is this?, What were you trying to make? Did Mom leave us anything else to eat?"

Reader, don't get upset about their manners. It was truly terrible soup.

My fantastic wife would say that I am qualified for the simple fact that I am able to wash the dishes. Just wash the dishes. She says she admires the fact that I can cut off certain creative ubstructions in my daily life and just focus on the task at hand. I have learned much from the incredible things which she accomplishes in a day. At first, she just thought I was a deep thinker, a philosopher. After nineteen years, I think she is ready to call my bluff. Stay silent long enough and people will think you are up to something. :)

Writing these thoughts down has helped me to grow and develop in a short time. It certainly has helped my weed out my thoughts to offer a precise lesson on simplicity. Presenting my ideas here has given me a bit more confidence that I can present a precise and understandable presentation of what the Gospel has to offer us regarding the spiritual discipline of simplicity.

I'm thinking a lot about the outward expressions of simplicity today, as noted in Richard Foster's Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth.

For today, I am just pondering aloud. I certainly would not consider my life bland, in any way. Just my cooking.

I look for ways to be a part of the change I want to see in my community. I constantly seek to learn more, to find adventures in life and to reach personal growth as a husband, father, son and servant.

Simple living DOES NOT have to be like my "water soup." Flavorless, uninteresting... The more and more that I read, I find that simplicity means striving daily to make wise choices, choices which free up time for instruction, rest and growth.

Rich Mullins said on life...

“So go out and live real good and I promise you'll get beat up real bad. But, in a little while after you're dead, you'll be rotted away anyway. It's not gonna matter if you have a few scars. It will matter if you didn't live.”

Now, that's writing with flavor.

For this blog, Thirty Simple Days, I have written about the importance of organization, about reading books which feed the soul and the mind and about the importance of saying "no" sometimes. Presenting music videos and testimony from many of my heroes has made this blog more interactive and a more enjoyable experience. But more importantly, I have been challenged by the opportunity to open up my thoughts and to reach out to others with my exposed heart.

I never expected to share the things which I have shared so far, and certainly anyone who knows me knows that I don't share freely in public. I have found others, more wiser than me, who are sharing their thoughts on the subject of spiritual growth. Here is one for example, a blogger who writes "The Invitation of a Lifetime." This particular blog in the series says it all so much more eloquantly: http://shakenfree.wordpress.com/2008/06/05/the-soul-dissed-satisfied/.

However, I continue to add the salt... to seek for understanding and a better way to express myself.

One song that always comes to mind about spiritual growth is Margaret Backer's The Hunger Stays...



The Hunger Stays

"Hunger stays, hunger stays

I've been thinking about what I've been through
All the good times, all the bad
And anywhere in between the two
There runs a common thread
Some call it a condition
A hidden chasm that will never fill up
A constant thirst for Your presence
A longing for Your love

The hunger stays, I keep on reaching
The hunger stays, I keep on seeking
The hunger stays through the blessing

Through the bleeding, the hunger stays
I've seen Your rivers in my heart
Seen Your miracles time after time
And when I think I can't take anymore
I see there's so much more to find

The hunger stays, I keep on reaching
The hunger stays, I keep on seeking
The hunger stays through the blessing

Through the bleeding, the hunger stays
I will seek till I can seek no more
I won't give up until I find You Lord
'Cause a hungry man does not pick and choose
He just goes where there's bread
And he keeps pressing through

The hunger stays, I keep on reaching
The hunger stays, I keep on seeking
The hunger stays through the blessing

Through the bleeding, the hunger stays"

Link of the day...
http://www.margaretbecker.com/ Margaret Becker's web page

Quote of the day...
"Faith is not a notion, but a real strong essential hunger, an attracting or magnetic desire of Christ, which as it proceeds from a seed of the divine nature in us, so it attracts and unites with its like." William Law

Bible verse of the day...
“He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, and on them he has set the world.”- 1 Samuel 2:8-8

Day fourteen... What brings you here today?

My wife and I finally got that wonderful, stare into your eyes for five hours date that we have been wanting to have together. In fact, we got to spend most of the day together. Unfortunately, we spend the time together in the emergency room.

Ashley woke to a catch in her back last week and since that her back pain doubled every day until she could no longer stand straight or even consider stepping forward with her left leg. The leg had gone numb except for the burning pain running all the way down it. She went in earlier this week to a clinic and was returned home with hopes that it would clear up by week's end. When it was so much worse, with no sign of relief, we headed to the ER.

And that's where we spent our lovely date together. With nearly 75 other patients, a number of fantastic RNs and a caring PA. Thank God for PAs- Physician Assistants. We have had our fair share of encounters, as we have three active kids, but every time it was a PA who saved the day!

Star-crossed lovers, well-worn parents, we've been together now for nineteen years. Taking time to stare into your spouse's eyes, seeing them in pain and not being able to fix it, takes you to another level of trust. I knew that the PAs would find the solution, the nurses would bring careful watch and the fine folks who were joining us on our journey (all the others in dire need) would wait their turn so that Ashley would get the best possible treatment.

We're at home now and she is quietly sleeping. She made me promise that I wouldn't share anything to social media about the intriguing utterances that she made while experiencing the back pain or during her time on certain pain killers. OK, Dear. I'll keep my promise. Shoot!

However, she did say something to in a moment of lucidity. She mentioned how the Emergency Room is the great leveler. It brings all the patients down to their lowest level. The moment where we finally give in and say,
"I can't do this anymore. I can't make it better. I can't fix it."

In Richard Foster's book, Celebration of Discipline, he marks an entire chapter for the discipline of simplicity. In the chapter, Foster notes that there are inward and outward expressions of simplicity. For today, I will focus on me and what is going on inside.

Foster writes,
"Freedom from anxiety is characterized by three inner attitudes. If what we have we receive as a gift, and if what we have is to be cared for by God, and if what we have is available to others, then we will posses freedom from anxiety."

Walking into that ER, watching other folks during their worst times, sans make up and where pain has overtaken common societal rules like manners..., and us. Just two lost souls trying to figure out how my poor wife could stop having to yell out... "_____ ______________ ____ _____ ____!." Oh, yeah. I forgot. I'm not allowed to share that here. There was a gentleman who had "drunk too much cheap wine," a fragile lady who could not keep from falling down, a young child with a broken arm. In that hospital, looking back on it today, I think I was given a small glimpse at what a day must be like for God. People in need, coming for help. Save us. Fix us. Take it back to normal, God.

In his chapter on simplicity, Richard Foster writes about three three attitudes that we must work towards to gain inner simplicity.

A. "To receive what we (*have) as a gift from God."

(*our daily bread, the air we breathe, water, the sun, the look in your spouses eyes that says "I love you.")

Foster states that, "It takes only a little drought or a small accident to show us once again how utterly dependent we are for everything."

B. "God is able to protect what we posses."

Certainly, we lock our doors at night, we eat healthy and try to exercise and maintain our health, but if we are to loose that anxiety, then we must come to that point where we say, "God, I need you."

To this the author says, "Simplicity means the freedom to trust God for these (and all) things."

and then

C. "To have our goods available to others marks the third inner attitude of simplicity."

We had to wait for our turn, to share the staff. There were many times yesterday, where the Rns and PAs were interrupted mid sentence by another issue, an emergency call on the speaker or an announcement of an incoming patient. Well, we got our wish...that long, dreamy date, while we were waiting. A name it and claim it religion, Christianity is not. God must not be seen as an unlimited claw machine. I put in a quarter, wiggle the handle with a few bars and then get to pull out a cupie doll. Nah, that's not what this is.

Foster writes, "When we come to see God as the almighty Creator and our loving father, we can share because we know that he will care for us.

Jesus said to his disciples "For this reason, I say unto you, do not worry about your life, as to what you will eat, nor for your body, as to what you will put on."
Luke 12:22

Inward simplicity will come when we are willing to let go. I thought often of Brennan Manning and his Ragamuffins yesterday. Many of Manning's writings point to this, that only once we realize that we have nothing to give of our own, nothing to share but what God has given to us, only down-trodden, road weary ragamuffins can find peace. Life is going to throw us some crazy challenges and some interesting questions. The best we can do is to give away that worry and stress. Most everything can wait while you "seek first the kingdom of God."

Going to the ER was not giving up for Ashley. It was her step towards a simpler way of life, without the frustrations and pains that her body was feeling. Today she is resting and on her way to recovery.

Here is a song that I often think of when I come to a turn in the road and I am not certain which direction I should head next. Rich Mullins and his wonderful sense of longing to find God in everything,



Link of the day...
Physician Assistants, Thank you! http://www.aapa.org/

Quote of the day...
"I lay in the bed at the hospital and said, "Let's see what I have left. And I could see, I could speak, I could think, I could read. I simply tabulated my blessings, and that gave me a start."
Dale Evans Rogers

Bible verse of the day...
My child, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh.
Proverbs 4:20-22

Day thirteen...Ash Wednesday

I look up the histories of hymns that we sing in church. I follow up when our wonderful pastor, Reverend Will Robinson tells a story to the congregation (I have a very difficult time following the occasional sports analogies. And now that we are members of the Presbyterian Church, I find myself searching for information on the histories and specific beliefs followed by the church. To me, it is truly fascinating information to learn.

Questioning things, beliefs, understandings...I think is vital to a person's growth and understanding of their beliefs.

Last year was my first ever Ash Wednesday service. I had no clue what was going on before the service. Afterwards, I jumped right into the books and stories that I gathered from folks.

The bible doesn't mention Ash Wednesday or the practice of Lent, particularly. However, it does say much about repentance and mourning. See the Bible verse below as an example.

I found this particular blog, by Mark D. Roberts, extremely helpful...
http://blog.beliefnet.com/markdroberts/pages/series/ash-wednesday-practice-and-meaning.html/

I wish you joy and comfort as we begin this spiritual journey today, Ash Wednesday 2012.

Remember to listen... listen and be open to the understanding which is available.

Link of the day...
Lent intercessions - http://www.faithandworship.com/Lent_intercessions.htm

Quote of the day...
"A Christian should be a striking likeness of Jesus Christ. You have read lives of Christ, beautifully and eloquently written, but the best life of Christ is his living biography, written out in the words and actions of his people. If we were what we profess to be, and what we should be, we should be pictures of Christ; yea, such striking likenesses of him, that the world would not have to hold us up by the hour together, and say, “Well, it seems somewhat of a likeness;” but they would, when they once beheld us, exclaim, “He has been with Jesus;”"
-C. H. Spurgeon

Bible verse of the day...
"So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes." Daniel 9:3

Day twelve... Nod Over Coffee

I have been meaning to take a walk through the local bookstore to look for more resources for quotes and stories for the blog and to help solidify the base of my lesson on simplicity for the Sunday School lesson in March. Today, I finally took the time. I was amazed at the number of titles that popped up for my keyword search for simplicity.

Among the shelves, I found titles which pointed to our desire to find simplicity in just about all areas of our lives, organization, cooking, romance and relationships, decorating and parenting. That section is a bookstore in itself. In our house, keeping things simple is more closely related to a survival guide than a self-help book. We're working on that, bit by bit.

I ended up walking away with two books today:

Reflections for Ragamuffins - Daily Devotions by Brennan Manning

Mr. Manning has appeared several times here in this blog. I have truly enjoyed my recent discovery of his books.

and

So You Want to be Like Christ?, Eight Essentials to Get You There by Charles R. Swindoll.

In the latter book, there is a fantastic chapter on Simplicity, in which Swindoll states that,

"Developing (spiritual) disciplines into enduring habits will not come naturally, easily, automatically or quickly. Don't let excuses justify quitting and give yourself ample time. Remember... you're not going to become Martin Luther by the weekend or a Mother Teresa by the end of the month."

He points to Philippians 3:10, see below, as instructions for this process.

"[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death."

Swindoll relates:

"Notice the words “continually transformed.” This perspective may also prove helpful: Christlikeness is a journey, not a destination—at least on the side of God’s radical transformation of the world during the end times. The joy is in the journey. Plan on a lifetime of travel. While you’re at it, learn to enjoy the ride, despite of the inevitable wrong turns and sometimes toilsome progress. The satisfaction and peace you gain far outweigh the inconvenience."

In everyday life, it is very difficult to remember this peaceful place and I often get filled up with the troubles of today, often making them worse by trying to take on too much or by overscheduling my day.

The late Mark Heard touched on this frustration for his 1991 recording Second Hand. This album introduced me to honesty in writing, the fine craft of songwriting and the importance of hunger in one's life. I am pleased to present Mark's song, Nod Over Coffee.



As with many of my favorite musicians, Mark Heard has long since passed away. He died in 1992, after a series of heart attacks and entered into a coma. This album haunts me today, one of my favorites to listen to, yet it regularly points to the brevity of life. Mark was painting a picture for us, a reminder for us to hold on to the moments we are given.

Swindoll's book, So You Want to be Like Christ?, points to five sources of "mind-clutter," the stuff of earth that holds us down and keeps us from simplifying our lives.

"a. Most of us today say yes to far too many things. That means we are busier than we need to be, perhaps because we fear the void in our souls that a few quiet hours might reveal.

b. Most of us do not plan time for leisure and rejuvenation.

c. Most of us experience the joy of accomplishment. A wise man once wrote, “A desire accomplished is sweet to the soul.” (Proverbs 13:19 NKJV).

But with too much to do, we dash off to the next obligation, often without finishing the previous one or taking the time to stand back and savor a job well done.

d. Most people living in wealthy countries owe more than they can hope to repay.

e. Most of us fool ourselves into thinking that with our modern technology we have simplified our lives. "

This presents much for us to ponder today. Can this worry list be a checklist for our soul? Can we drop it all and let go for a while?

Here is a simple exercise that I will be using with the class in March.

Right now, empty your pockets, or pocket book, right beside your computer or your Smart phone. Something in that pile is causing you grief, worry, disbelief or stress. Maybe it is something that you have been waiting to deal with for a long time, but just have not taken the time to do so. If you can, recycle it. If you can't, then throw it away. If you still can't do that, give it away to the next person that you see.

We have those options within our church family, you know. When you are dealing with something, something that you can't tackle on your own, you don't have to face it alone.

Option A: Turn it into something else... maybe you can use what you learned from a bad situation - recycle it to help someone else,

Option B: You can get rid of it and accept the loving forgiveness of Christ,

or Option C: You can drop it at the feet of someone you love and trust, someone who cares for you. Drop your heavy burdens upon someone within the church, your pastor, youth pastor, deacon or someone else in whom you can confide. Call your pastor, your sponsor or your pew buddy.

Let's not forget, that's why we gather within the church. Not to show off our perfectness, but to gather with other broken people. We can then allow each other to heal, to overcome our hurdles, to feel the love of God.

Link of the day...

Mark Heard Wiki... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Heard

Quote of the day...

"When you can see through the fog for an instant, and you understand haltingly and briefly what good is, and how God is connected with that, it cannot help but put a hell of a perspective on things you perceive as problems, and help you discover multiple ways in which you have been numb. For that brief moment you feel that God's in His heaven and all's right with the world." Mark Heard

Bible verse of the day...

"I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance to one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all."

Ephisians 4: 1-6

Day Eleven - Now available for a limited time.

It has been a lovely weekend (I got an extra day, due to a snow storm which dumped around six inches of snow onto the ground yesterday). Just lovely. We had a hike with our nature club, KIVA - http://www.kidsadventuring.org/) and a father/daughter tea party on Sunday. I had a chance to teach children's worship at our church and got to watch 11 children watch the snowfall through the windows of the classroom (priceless!!!). We enjoyed our annual bonfire with the neighborhood, roasting marshmallows and hot dogs until nearly eleven o'clock. My sweet wife even sat up with me until very late watching the DVD version of "Brother Moon, Sister Sun" which I had borrowed from the library and was due back today. Oh, wow! A blog unto itself, that one!

The kiddos were so tired that they actually slept in, allowing me to catch up on some sleep. And then, after the kids stared at the winter wonderland for several minutes through our windows, they were right back out in it. We built a fire, made snow forts, had a tremendous battle and the boys attempted several runs on their snowboards.

After playing together for hours, I considered coming inside to clean up a bit, wash some dishes and stick wet clothes in the dryer. On my way in the door, I saw our nine-year-old son sitting in the middle of the snowboard path, visibly upset. When I asked him what was wrong, he told me how sad he was that the snow was going to be melting soon - it was around 50 degrees today around lunchtime. He was upset because the snow would soon be gone and so would the snowboarding, and there was nothing he could do to keep it there any longer.

So, with my piles of laundry and dishes waiting, I decided that the chores could wait a little longer, it was time for me to be a father. I strapped my legs into a snowboard and drifted as slowly as I could for a few feet. When the board started going faster, I panicked, dropped to the side and landed with a crunching sound right on my tail bone. I hit so hard that I clonked my teeth together. After laughing and wincing on the ground, I got back up and tried it again.

It would make a much better blog if I were to write that all of the practice helped me to handle the board a little better, but it would simply be untrue. I fell throughout the day and never seemed to get the hang of snowboarding. But for my son's sake, I just kept trying and trying to laugh every time I hit the ground!

Later in the day, I was chatting with a family friend, whom I respect very much, and she said something that really struck me. She said she was thinking the same thing. Let them play and then she could get some work done herself. But she realized that where she was likely to have another time with her children, this particular snow was not going to be around tomorrow. (Most of it melted about 4 PM today.) She reminded me of the importance of showing that it is ok for the world to stop for one day. The chores can wait. We have such a small window of time where we have our children as children. If we want them to grow up remembering their childhood and want to have a delightful memory of this time, then we have to provide them with opportunities to be wowed!

I thought about this a lot this afternoon, in between snowball battles. Will my children remember our time together with me thinking chores were more important than them? I certainly hope not. Whereas, we can't keep putting off these important duties, what I do know is that I need to make certain to sometimes say no to the things that eat up my time and say yes more often to my children. When it comes to my children I should never make them feel that they are second fiddle to the items on my daily checklist.

As I sit here, sore shoulders, aching back and all, I am remembering that our children learn much about their relationship with God from their relationship with us, their parents.

The bible story of Mary anointing Jesus' feet with oil has always left me pondering. I would also question the use of the expensive oil and have often wondered why Jesus responded the way that he did. He is honored by Mary's gift, washing his feet/head with any extremely expensive oil instead of selling the oil to give to the poor. Jesus reminds his followers that he will not always be with him in this physical form. Perhaps it is a reminder to us so that we will see there are times we need to honor God first. To give him the best of our time, not just what is left over at the end of the day. Before anything else.

"Seek first the Kingdom of God." I mentioned last week that we would be heading into discussion of Richard Foster's book Celebration of Discipline. His chapter on the discipline of simplicity points out emphatically that we must first follow Jesus' command to "Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things shall be yours as well." (Matthew 6:33)

Link of the day...
Interfaith Hospitality Network (Roanoke Valley) - http://www.rvihn.com/
a place to help those in need

Quote of the day...
Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself. ~Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy

Bible verse of the day...
Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.
“Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me."
John 12:1-7

Snow day Delay!

Deep thoughts and ponderings delayed slightly today.

Taking time to D.E.A.S.B.!

Drop Everything and Snow Ball!

Weekend... on the mend.

Dress the wounds, rebuild the muscle, relax and soak your tired feet.

Weekends around here have become an island for the Donahues.

Find your spot, curl up into a ball - by yourself or with someone you trust and love.


Visit the library. Maybe even walk to the library. Find something new, a title that grabs your attention.

Read something peaceful, burn a candle in the room. Set a goal to find time. You need relaxing time when you feel like you don't have the time for it. It will not come unless you make the time. Five minutes... Start with a moment to look into the sky. Just that, a moment. Refresh and later in the day try it just a little longer.

People often asked Rich Mullins if they could pray for him because he looked so tired. He often replied that he deserved to look that way. A friend just pointed out to me over at the social media site that Rich travelled through my hometown four times in 5 years. After some searching, I found that he travelled often, playing countless times, travelling from town to town. Take one moment to look at his schedule from 1995 until 1997 and you will quickly see why I am suggesting that we need to add rest to our daily routine.
I am suggesting more than just watching a movie, playing video games or other media outlets. I am reaching for a time when we can cut it all off, to open ourselves to hear our thoughts. How often I have found myself at church thinking about lesson plans for school. Next week, I want to offer insight into ways to do this. I will focus on the writings of Richard J. Foster from the book Celebration of Discipline and this verse, Matthew 6:25. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God..."

So rest up. You're going to need it!

Link of the weekend...
Relaxation techniques from the Mayo Clinic - http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/relaxation-technique/SR00007

Quote of the weekend...
"A crust eaten in peace is better than a banquet partaken in anxiety." Aesop, Fables

Bible verse of the weekend...
“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:28-31

Day ten... Consider the lillies.

Each Saturday, I take a long run to a wonderful, hidden place called Buzzard's Roost in my hometown. I run for about three miles, run across a bridge, over a creek and through the woods to find my secret spot. Once there, I sit and rest, soaking it all in. I find this time very refreshing, a time to recharge and rebuild. Quiet, alone time doesn't happen very often when you are the father of three.

As the sun bounces off the mountains ahead of me and the light starts to warm the drops of sweat on my forehead, I often take time to offer prayers of thankfulness. This song, by a group called Gungor often comes to mind.



The song reflects the psalms and a desire to worship the Creator and offer thanks for the amazing world around us. But the song also reminds me of a favorite quote by C. S. (Clive Staples) Lewis,

"Nature never taught me that there exists a God of glory and of infinite majesty. I had to learn that in other ways. But nature gave the word glory a meaning for me."

Link of the Day...
Rich Mullins offers great insight into this thought through his writing, "Considering the Lillies." I invite you to visit a website that details his work through the Kid Brothers of Saint Frank -
http://www.kidbrothers.net/release/sum91.html

Quote of the day...
“We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass- grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence... We need silence to be able to touch souls.” Mother Teresa

Bible verse of the day...
"Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these." Matthew 6: 28,29

Day nine... Know what got you this far.

In his biographical song, "First Family," Rich Mullins paints a picture of his life growing up in a family of seven in Indiana. With this song, he honors his parents for the example that they presented for him in their lives and dedication to their family. He wrote the song for their fortieth wedding anniversary.



It took me many years to come to this same understanding, my own revelation that it was my childhood which brought me to the point where I am today. This time built me into the man that I am becoming, the father that I am proud to be. I too, was very blessed to have wonderful parents who supported me, encouraged me and prodded me to always try to work harder. I know there were times that I did not show my thankfulness, but I suppose that is what everyone goes through at some point.

My mother is my absolute hero. At the tender age of 16, she said goodbye to her youth and hello to a chubby, white haired boy. Me. :) My birth father ducked out of the situation, leaving my mom with a sniffling, dirty diaper machine in her arms. She found resources within her family (my wonderful grandparents, uncles and aunt!) and her dear friends (Thank you Mrs. Black!) to be able to survive her teen years with a crying, fussing baby. Yet, she found help where she could. I have met so many people in my life who have told me that they changed one of my diapers at some point. (That's humbling.) Mom worked so hard to finish school, even though she must have often considered giving up.

Six years later, I remember my mom was getting remarried to a man who showed her love and understanding. He was a man who more than once showed me that he was willing to be my father, to even be my dad. And I gave him hell for it, for many years. I bucked his attempts, I yelled and screamed. I remember days, hiding in my room, yelling out that I would not let him be my daddy. But he kept coming back. He never gave up on me and never gave up on Mom.

My step dad taught me that raising a child is not babysitting. He made certain that I got to school and demanded that I work hard throughout the time I was there. He was there for my soccer games, my karate lessons and often gave me gas money when Mom wasn't looking. (*He still tries to do it today.*) I will never forget falling and busting my chin wide open on the gym floor in high school and me calling him to pick me up, because I knew Mom would be a mess about me getting hurt. She got home that night to a bandaged boy with ten new, fancy stitches and her having no idea how it had all happened. My stepfather taught me how to drive a car and made certain that I spent time with my grandparents (a gift for which I will always be thankful).

Having some time to look back on it, I know that I gained confidence in raising my own children from the example that my mother gave to me. I remember her often saying that we, she and I, grew up together. In that time, she taught me what love does and how it never ceases. I was 27 when Ashley and I had our first child and I remember feeling like I was still a scared little boy those first couple of months. Yet, once I recuperated and caught up on some sleep, I realized that our daughter was our very own precious daughter. If my mom could handle it at 16, then I certainly should be able to be a father to this little girl.

From my new (32 years ago!) and best daddy, I have learned about dedication. I can't go back and erase those times that I did that caused him pain. I know I can't fix the hurtful things that I said. Yet, he tried over and over again to remind me that he was on my team. He was there for me. I know however, thanks to his example, that parents just have to take it in the gut sometimes and come up for air when they need it. Certainly, this was a very painful lesson to learn, and it has taken a long time to be able to express it.

In my pocket right now, I have a a Starbucks gift card that he gave me just a few weeks ago. It's all Valentiney and covered in hearts and attached to it is the kindest note, just letting me know he loved me. Pulling that card out when I stop by for a cup of coffee has been just the reminder that I have needed these last few weeks. Remembering the power of a father's love has helped me to strive to be that person, a better person, a simpler person.

My parents stood by me. They made me work to pay for insurance. They made me work to help pay for my college. And then, when it was time, they did the most powerful, most unbelievable thing that a parent must do, they loved me enough to step back, to let go when the time was ready.

Looking down the road, I know that I will need to do that for my children someday. I think about those lessons that my mom learned early on in life. Am I helping my own children to gain independence? I want to help them gain confidence by helping them to find "Whoo-ah!" moments (stolen from the great Pacino's Scent of a Woman). That's what I've been calling those moments where our children gain independence, a feeling of self-worth, an understanding of what it feels like to steer the ship for a while. The gift that my parents gave to me.

Our little girl, now in the sixth grade, just stood up on the stage a few nights ago, in front of a sold-out auditorium at her middle school and lovingly shared her rendition of "Over the Rainbow," a cappella! Now that's gutsy! *Whoo-ah, indeed!*

Link of the day...
http://www.redeemersl.org/pastor-brads-blog/post/parenting:--holding-hands-loosely - a very well-written blog about those parenting steps of holding them up and letting them go

Quote of the day...
Lt. Col. Frank Slade: [Lt. Col. Frank Slade is speaking in defense of Charlie Simms at meeting at the Baird School] "Now I have come to the cross-roads in my life. I always knew what the right path was. Without exception, I knew, but I never took it. You know why? It was too * hard. Now here's Charlie. He's come to the cross-roads. He has chosen a path. It's the right path. It's a path made of principle that leads to character. Let him continue on his journey."

Taken from Scent of a Woman

Bible verse of the day...
“Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.” Exodus 20:12 (The Fifth Commandment)

Day Eight... Compassion

Two words came to my mind when I considered teaching this Lenten-based Sunday School lesson for Salem Presbyterian Church in March. A name that I remember from middle and high school, a voice and a poet who guided me through my wonky cassette player in my small, red Honda Civic.

Rich Mullins.



I never had the chance to see Rich Mullins play live and I never met him in person, although I feel that I have learned so much from his songs and his life story. I am currently rereading a devotional biography written by James Bryan Smith based on interviews with Mullins, stories about his life and excerpts from his journals. I am rediscovering his music, which turned out to be small gifts to my future self - hidden among my cd collection.

Rich Mullins: A Devotional Biography: An Arrow Pointing to Heaven starts out stating that Rich would never have allowed any hero worship or adoration be placed upon him or his life. He just simply wanted to point to the glory of God. He wanted to encourage people to be more like Christ. He often chastised people for knowing his songs by heart, yet not knowing their bible. James Bryan Smith was a friend of Rich Mullins for many years, even sharing his home with him for many years. That's how you get to know that people are human, I'd say.

Rich wrote so many tremendous songs, songs which have led me into bible study on days where I would simply not have done so. His songs showed me how wonder can be expressed through art. His songs reached deeply into the human condition, yet also pointed to the amazing evidence that points to a loving Creator. Rich's music encouraged me to find my own gifts, through story-telling or teaching. He painted pictures with his words and songs.

I remember watching a late-night tv show as a kid, called Light Music. The host Tom Green introduced me to The innocence Mission, Peter Himmelman, Mark Heard, Randy Stonehill and Rich Mullins. On this particular night the song, "The Other Side of the World," from Rich's cd Winds of Heaven, Stuff of Earth, tugged at my heart. It is a simple call to remember that compassion, love and understanding for others is essential to the life of a Christian. To be able to see people who are different in appearance or to spend time with people who have a different faith and custom, that was living like Christ would have lived.



Rich was an outstanding spokesman for Compassion International, an organization that encourages people to reach out to those in need. Out of sight = out of mind. Rich brought their faces to the forefront.

Searching for simplicity has certainly not been an easy commitment for me personally. I have dredged my mind through the sludge on the rocky-bottomed sea that is my heart to prepare the stories I have shared and the ones that I am trying to put into words for upcoming blogs. I have been staying up way past my bedtime, drinking too much decaf., and reading late into the night.

Just now, watching the first video and comparing Rich's visage there to the baby-faced image that you see in the music video for "The Other Side of the World" is so telling. Dropping all, following Jesus, learning to be more like him was Rich's goal. But it cost him. The search for simplicity is not as easy as dropping your burdens and cutting troubles out of your life. Rich found that seeking simplicity, trying to be more like Christ, was a tremendous challenge.

He gave most of his earnings from his work to his church. He gave away most of his earthly possessions. He left the comfort of his home and taught music on an Indian reservation which baked his skin. He took very little rest and preferred to travel by car to perform at concerts. These late nights took much of his vitality. In the end, it took his life.

Rich died September 19th, 1997, while travelling from Illinois to Kansas, when his jeep rolled over.

Rich tried to live the gospel. Over the next few days, I'd like to present some of his stories and apply them to the scriptures here on the blog. **Please note, I am not trying to present one man as the trust-all answer to life's problems. God is there for that. Trust in Him. These words that I write are just ramblings. Believe me, you can find enough people my small world that could tell you a story or two about me that would make me seem like a hypocrite. I am not perfect. Just ask my wife, my in-laws, my parents, anyone who knew me in high school, my dog and my children.

But, I'm going to keep trying.

Link for the day...
Compassion International http://www.compassion.com/

For Valentine's Day, my sweet, adorable parents (who have been reading my blogs :) Thanks, Mom and Dad!) baked me an amazing brownie cupcake. Wrapped into the cupcake package, they placed a sweet note that warmed my heart and justified for me the reasoning for posting today's blog.

Quote of the day...
"The true way to gain much is never to desire to gain too much. He is not rich that possesses much but he that covets no more; and he is not poor that enjoys little but he that wants too much." Francis Beaumont

Bible verse of the day...
"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship." Romans 12:1

Day Seven... Marry your best friend.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Allow me to blush just a bit here and share that Ashley and I are celebrating our 19th Valentine's Day together! I'd like to share our story with you today. So much of our early time together now seems to have been a foreshadowing to the great life that lay ahead of us.
We had the same best friend in college. That friend was getting very tired of hearing the same heartbreak woes from the two of us. Our previous boy/girlfriend issues had left us bitter and grumpy. He decided to get us together so that we would stop complaining to him and work through our grief together. Wonderful idea, btw. Changed my life, and for that I am very thankful.

We spent many a month together, getting to know each other, being the safe date, becoming best friends. We took trips on the Parkway and had many a picnic. Hiking and exploring local trails became a past time. I honestly lied to her about being the outdoor type - sorry Evan Dando. Kids, remember lying leads to trouble. I got the outfit, got the boots and prepared for a three mile hike to the Cascades that I wish I could say allowed me the chance to show off my masculine, gruff side. Turns out that I don't have one.

Long story short, I ended up getting spooked by a snake who was also out enjoying the lovely day! Scared me so badly, I ended up crawling onto Ashley's back and apparently I screamed all girl-like all the way back down the mountain.

Days to weeks to months to years. Ashley taught me how to drive a stick shift car and how to catch a football. On May 9th, 1993, she kissed me for the first time and blew this old trout out of the water!

On April 16, 1995, Easter Sunday at the sunrise service at Natural Bridge, I asked Ashley to marry me. We walked off, away from her family, past the bridge, up the embankment and past the first row of trees. We goofed around the subject, both of us were so nervous that we needed to excuse ourselves separately to find a wide tree. “Pardon me. I’ve got to pee.” After this, I presented her with her grandmother’s wedding ring, in a box made out of multi-colored construction paper. It was filled to the brim with construction paper confetti, the ring, and a dogwood flower - which symbolized a very important moment in my life.

I had collected the flower one day during a walk at a church retreat in middle school. I had been praying about my awkwardness and my difficulty relating to people. During the walk, I ended up sitting underneath a lovely blooming dogwood tree. There and then, I remember praying for the girl that God had chosen to be my wife. My prayer was simple. "Help me not blow it, God. Turn me into the man that I will need to become, the father that I long to be and the husband that I know I can be." I did not know her at the time, but it turns out that God was working things out just right for us.

June 8th, 1996, I walked up the grass aisle, arm in arm, with Ashley, the love of my life, my soon to be wife and my best friend. Our many friends and family had come out together to celebrate our vows. Rain had fallen for most of the day, but the clouds broke with enough time for us to complete the outdoor ceremony. Patsy Cline was singing “Today, Tomorrow, and Forever.” Everyone was smiling. I was a blubbery mess. But I knew then, and I know now, that I am - without a doubt - the luckiest man in the world.

We danced that night, on the patio, to the music of the Hollins College Jazz band, rain pouring down upon our guests. The longer the night went on, the more beautiful the flowers upon her handmade wildflower headdress became. It was made by her hands, as a matter of fact.
Thank you for letting me share my life with you, Ashley. You make the sunshine seem brighter. In a blink of an eye, just like those flowers, our children are growing taller and ever more beautiful each day.

and p.s.

I’m still falling for you.

Link of the day...
http://kidsadventuring.org/blog/?p=4204 - a lovely Valentine's Day story

Quote of the day...
"A very small degree of hope is sufficient to cause the birth of love." "There is no remedy for love but to love more."-Henry David Thoreau

Bible verse of the day...
"Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice. And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." Ephesians 4:31,32

Day six... My two cents worth.

Christian education... Yesterday, the Donahues got a full dose.

Our youngest learned about the Good Samaritan during our rotation model Sunday school lesson. Our oldest focused on reaching out to the community with deeds and words. I skipped out of my class and picked up trash in the churchyard. I skip class a lot. It's one of my talents. Sorry, trying to be honest here.

During the church service, our beloved Reverend Robinson focused on running the Christian race, based on 1 Corinthians 9:24. He spoke of many sports-minded quotes and shared how major coaches pull the best out of their athletes by reminding them of the power of practice. A good quote which I actually repeated to one of our children, who is preparing for an upcoming talent show, was:

"Practice is not what someone does when they are good, practice is what they do to become good."

As mentioned earlier in this blog, sports are not my thing, not where my interests lie. But I do like a good analogy.

The moment which really caught my attention was the "Moment for Missions" presentation. One of the members of our mission committee presented a simple way to collect money for missions in our church. The Two Cents a Meal idea has been going on for many years now at the church. I was very interested how this simple idea works. Each time you sit down for a meal, each member of your family sets aside their two cents. The youth decorated cups for families to leave by the table. For the month of February, our family will be gathering pennies from around the house and collecting them to return to the church.

Now, allow me a math moment.

Five people in the house eating three meals a day (2 cents a meal) = 30 cents a day.

Twenty-eight days this February X 30 cents a day = $8.40 total donation for the Donahue family at the end of the month.

Simple, easy... right?

At this point, I am certain that it would be easier to just write a check at the end of the month. But I don't think that is the only point to this lesson.

Certainly we will collect money and create change in our community. But I have been teaching school children long enough to know that people remember things better when they are done repeatedly or when something is done out of the ordinary. Taking time to consider those who have less each time we sit down to eat, now that will make an impression.

After a month, a penny will become quite scarce around the house. The kids will have to search them out. Couch divers, the lot of them! Hunting for such a small item, an almost devalued coin, will certainly make them reevaluate. Taking them to the bank, exchanging bills for coins, should also help them understand the importance of this small sacrifice. Fighting over who gets to dump the change into the jars at church each week will further concrete the experience.

One particular hymn that seemed to fit in with my quest for simplicity was sung today and I'd like to share a small part of it with you today.

Now, back to that math lesson... Let's say 100 families give this a try during the month, then $8.40 becomes $840! Not bad when you look at it that way, eh?

Combine that with churches around the Roanoke Valley, Virginia and around the United States and then you have an economic challenge on your hands.

Anyone want extra math homework? Extra credit?

The important thing is that huge change could happen because we are taking the time to notice and collect small change.

The analogy? Putting value in helping with the problem of hunger is simple when a family looks at how they can make a nearly painless donation. Consider today how this lesson also fits in with spiritual growth. I do know that if I keep my bible on the stack of all the other books that I have waiting for me, then I am more likely to read the bible during my daily reading time.

Penny is to hunger relief as daily bible reading is to...?

Link of the day...
PS - USA Cents-ability... http://gamc.pcusa.org/ministries/hunger/what-cents-ability/

Quote of the day...
Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.
Mother Teresa

Bible verse of the day...
“For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you took me in; I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me...I tell you whenever you do these things for the least important of these followers of mine, you did it for me.” -- Matthew 25:35-40

Weekend... Refresh yourself.

Take the weekends and rebuild your family. That's what the Donahues are doing this weekend. Don't ask. We'll say no. Don't be afraid to say no to sometimes. Even the things that you really want to do.

Refresh, return to your church, recalibrate. Visit with your spouse and your children. Give your time to them. Take a family hike. Walk the dog. Go to their sports activities. Don't take something to work on... (that's a reminder just for me...guilty!!!) Ask your kids what they want to do. Then, when they are in bed, find a quite place...but not so quiet that you will fall asleep. Take that time and give it to God. Ashley asks me every night before I go to bed to remember to say my prayers. And some days, I truly would forget if she didn't remind me. The world flies by taking our short lives with it. Don't get too caught up to hear God. See John Donne's quote below.

Link of the day...
Salem Daily Bible Study - http://salemdailybiblestudy.blogspot.com/

Quote of the day...
"I neglect God and his angels for the noise of a fly, for the rattling of a coach, for the whining of a door." John Donne

Bible verse of the day...
"No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." James 4:12

Day five... A childlike sense of wonder

Even after teaching elementary school students for thirteen years now, I still feel that I have the greatest job on earth. To be surrounded by school-aged children all day long is like being in close proximity to the fountain of youth. Their observations, their keen ideas, the questions that they come up with force me to be full of knowledge and ready for anything.

In my classroom, I keep a wall of photos, drawings and writings from my students for our Cougar Wall of Character. Here the students get recognized for doing wonderful things at home or in the community. Some pictures show students helping at home. Others show them helping at a park clean up. One particular note is about one of my students who has raised over SEVEN THOUSAND dollars for Relay for Life. Her group, Lauren's Butterflies has walked many times in the fund-raising walks and has helped raise awareness and funds to research childhood cancers such as Leukemia. This little girl is one of my heroes and I am looking forward to walking with her this year at our local Relay for Life event. Beside these words, you can see a picture of me wearing one of Lauren's wonderful t-shirts that she had made to further raise funds in hopes to find a cure. The shirt reads, "Butterflies are free. Curing Cancer Isn't." Relay for Life is important to Lauren because when she was five, she was treated for Leukemia. Her world, of busy kindergarten play, came to a quick halt. Her family surrounded her with love and support. They lifted that little girl up and today Lauren seems to be doing well. Her fantastic spark for life, her sense of wonder continues to inspire me when I see her in my class each day.

I was recently reminded of the importance of wonder in our lives while rereading Brennan Manning's insightful book, The Ragamuffin Gospel. I would recommend the book for anyone who feels abashed, ashamed or worried about their past. It is a book for those who are unworthy of the good news, but a book that reminds us that the love of God can't be earned in the first place. The salvation that Christ offers is there for ragamuffins. Manning's book does not replace the gospel, rather it points to the wonder found in a salvation that is not deserved but it is available to all.

Here is an excerpt from the Manning's fifth chapter, Cormorants and Kittiwakes...
"By and large, our world has lost its sense of wonder. We have grown up. We no longer catch our breath at the sight of a rainbow or the scent of a rose, as we once did. We have grown bigger and everything else smaller, less impressive... We no longer run our fingers through water, no longer shout at the stars or make faces at the moon. Water is H2O, the stars have been classified, and the moon is not made of green cheese.

Later in the chapter, Brennan notes...
"We get so preoccupied with ourselves, the words we speak, the plans and projects we conceive, that we become immune to the glory of creation. We barely notice the cloud passing over the moon or the dewdrops clinging to the rose petals. The ice on the pond comes and goes. The wild blackberries ripen and wither. The blackbird nests outside our bedroom window, but we don’t see her. We avoid the cold and heat. We refrigerate ourselves in summer and entomb ourselves in winter. We are so accustomed to buying prepackaged meats and fish and fowl in supermarkets, we never think or blink about the bounty of God’s creation. We grow complacent and lead practical lives. We miss the experience of awe, reverence and wonder. We rake up every leaf as fast as it falls."
Brennan Manning - The Ragamuffin Gospel

The children have wonder. I am reminded of that when I read a story or when I bring in a science experiment to share with the class. When I dress up as one of my many zany characters, I see that they have wonder. Yet as adults, wonder is missing from our lives. I believe we could find it in everything, everyday, if we wanted to find it. Just take time to notice one thing today. One thing, anything and be filled by the wonder of it.

To badly re-word the moral of the Zen cliffhanger story, the one with the strawberry, when the world stops and you find yourself hanging at the end of a rope, every color seems more vibrant, every sound is like music, every experience is magnified... and you wish you had more time for it all.

My thought for today: Don't wait until you are at the end to make the most out of life. Don't wait until your world is uprooted. Explore and wonder...just like that little kid who is still there inside you asking, "Hey, Mom! Do I have to wear a jacket?"



The Innocence Mission - Wonder of Birds - I am honored to be able to share this wonderful group with you. Don and Karen Peris. Look them up.

Link of the day...
KIVA Event Gallery (thousands of pictures of childhood wonder) http://www.kidsadventuring.org/gallery/ photos by Jon Beard

Quote of the day...
"It just ain't possible to explain some things. It's interesting to wonder on them and do some speculation, but the main thing is you have to accept it-take it for what it is, and get on with your growing." Jim Dodge

Bible verse of the day...
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3: 5,6

Day four... Take time to reflect.

I am fortunate enough to teach second and third graders for my day job. I am blessed to have three wonderful children of my own. I look forward to spending time with them more than anything. We travel, explore and live life together. Each one of them has their special quirks and interests that make them the most interesting people that I know.

However, (You knew that was coming, right?)... However, ***everyone needs a break. I often caught myself coming home to my kids and picking up where I had left off with my students. Same rules, same lessons, same tired frustrations. I noticed that this was leading me to be easily agitated with my own kiddos. Some things needed to change.

First thing I did, heaven help me, was to switch to decaf. coffee. Though the withdrawals were a kick in the head, fourteen months ago I stopped caffeine as my drug of choice. I was getting so much done in a day, but by the time I finally got around to time with my family I was exhausted. I started getting better sleep and focused more on my time management instead of extending my awake time.

Secondly, I started making certain to have a transition time every day before I picked up the kiddos. Just a simple cup of coffee (decaf.) or taking the time to take a walk on the Appalachian Trail before switching from Mr. Donahue to Dad made a huge difference. Taking a jog lets me clear my head and focus on how I can be a better father. Sitting in a chair, with a book of poetry, seems like spoiling myself. A father of three shouldn't have that spare time, I'm sure of it. But I found that taking that 20 minutes of me time has made a world of difference.

With that said... Dads, let me tell you that I don't play golf. I don't go out with the guys. I don't watch sports (except when my kids are playing), in fact I rarely watch any television. I'm allergic to alcohol (a blog in itself). Find your personal time where you like it to be. Find what works for you. The time in my day is spent focusing on my job, my kids, building my relationship with my wife and working with the countless number of advisory councils of which I am a member. I thoroughly enjoy making social connections and teaming up with others to make interesting things happen.

But once a day, I pretend that there is nothing else around and I ponder.

I take time to appreciate the world around me and I think about how lucky I have it.

This song by John R. Williamson often strums in my head during this time. To learn more about Mr. Williamson, check out his myspace page at http://www.myspace.com/johnrwilliamsonandthecestlavies.

***Well, everyone but moms of course.

Moms certainly deserve breaks too, they just never get to take them. Thanks to my amazing, tireless wife, Ashley! :) Come on, Dads! Make certain that your wife gets this time, as well. And never forget, raising your children is not baby-sitting!

Link of the day...

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy http://www.appalachiantrail.org/

Quote of the day...

"I have no riches but my thoughts. Yet these are wealth enough for me."
Sara Teasdale

Bible verse of the day...

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." Phillipians 4:8