Cool and Happy

Greetings friends and family,

There are several exciting things on the horizon quickly approaching.  Kendra is leaving us for 48 hours.  By "Us" I mean the twins and me.  Us three are going to have a blast while Mommy is making time to retreat, relax, refill, and refresh.  Ouma arrives in 3 days and we could get a surprise visit from Aunt Mary for a few days.  We also have work, ministry, school, and a bunch of other stuff like sleeping and eating that are becoming optional at times.

This is spirit week for Easton and Layla's school.  The twins skipped "nerd day", but pajama day was much too enticing to overlook.  I'm jealous and have plans to wear pajamas to work.  I already have in mind how that picture will look of me in the corporate cafe with my pajamas on and cup of coffee in my hand.

Anyway, before leaving for school told them to give me their best "cool" look.  This is the result.

Then they put backpacks on so that it doesn't look like they going to school instead of going to bed.  And this is their happy look, or as I call it: normal.

My search for a good devotional book continues after buying two flops from Amazon.  At $3 each it's not like a big loss or investment.  The first one has promise.

The book is spiral bound and useful, but there are only 48 pages, which means 48 days worth of content.  I'm in this for the long haul, people!  I hold the book upside down across the kitchen table as they eat their oatmeal.  They like the pictures and animals and fun facts.  I like the way the facts are tied into a Godly principle with a simple verse at the bottom.

This is a good option if you plan to buy a new devotional book every 48 days.  We'll happily burn through this book in no time, but I better have the next devotional book lined up by then.

Next up is this dud.

It is thick enough, but completely uninteresting for 5-year-olds.  Seriously?  Who prays like this:  "We thank Thee for Thy great love."  Come on now.  I'm raising followers of Jesus who talk to Him as their best friend and Heavenly Father, not Catholic priests or actors for Monty Python and the Holy Grail.  God doesn't speak King James and neither do the 4 Webbs.

To prepare for my 48 hour marathon of Daddy time I took an evening to go mountain bike riding... at night.  in the desert.  with lights.

I've been riding these trails for 10 years now, but never had an experience like night riding.  Lights are expensive, but I borrowed my friends to see how I like it.  We had a great time and the weather was perfect.  We literally rode off into the sunset as we headed West into nightfall.

I shaved off my beard because we're heading to Dallas soon for a pastoral conference.  I don't want anyone thinking I'm a hobo panhandling for money so the facial hair has to go.  Plus Layla said she'll give me morning kisses if I shave.

I transformed from homeless guy to this in 20 minutes.

I needed a portrait shot for the church website so Kendra became my photographer.  Not exactly professional, but it'll work.

See you soon!