Gotta love Sunday lake cruising with my girl.
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July 29, 2013
Sunday Afternoon
Gotta love Sunday lake cruising with my girl.
July 24, 2013
July 22, 2013
Once
I've been thinking about this word "once" lately. I'm not too sure why, but a number of things have pointed to this particular word. The more I think about it, but more powerful the meaning.
Once is stronger than many because you can not have many with out that first once. What ever you like to do the most could not have happened without that first once. Would you care to find a few more of those onces?
Once is a hinge because it swings between not deciding and deciding. I love this scene in We Bought a Zoo that talks about all you need is 20 seconds of courage. Do that once and it will change your life. Forever and no matter how it goes. So swings the hinge of once.
Once is a bearing between the fixed points of yes and no. Yes, today I will choose to live a better life. No, I choose to not take a chance on what tomorrow looks like. It's your call. Once you decide it will lead to alot more choices.
Once varies in size and scale. There are little onces like choosing to try a new pizza place. There are big onces like quitting your job without a safety net to try a whole new thing. Most of those little onces are insignificant unless you try that new pizza place and met your soul mate and then it become something entirely different. After that once.
I think you can see where this is going so I will linger on all the dimensions of thinking on once. You can find quite a few if you care to spend time in thought. So off you go. Skydive or karoke? Single or married? I don't know. It's your once. I did want to leave you with a few big onces in my life.
Once I decided to leave home for a college in another state.
Once a girl there asked me to share some popcorn and watch a movie. I made her laugh. She made me laugh. We became best friends and still enjoy each others company. And I still like it best when she is sitting beside me and we are sharing life in that moment.
Once I asked that girl to marry me. She said yes. It's been amazing.
Once I asked Jesus if I could follow him. He invited me to join him. Nothing defines me or shapes me more. I can not imagine dealing with life without a relationship with our maker.
Once I held my son, JD, and our baby girl, Beth, in my arms for the first time. While there were many more times I cradled them again there is nothing more humbling and frightening and exciting and simply awesome than that first time.
Once right in the middle of a great career we picked up, made a change, and moved. Some friends could not understand why were were doing it, but it was the thing to do. Other friends wanted to know what kind of courage it took to make that kind of decide because it involved risk. We were not worried about courage or risk. We knew we were looking at a big once decision that needed to be made.
Once is about choosing how we live. It is not always about planning or being rational. It's not a mathmatical formula nor is it free form jazz. It's just about embracing that moment. That once.
Once.
July 18, 2013
Under the rainbow...
We took this photo from our backyard last week. I promise the rainbow was not photoshopped. I guess directions to our house from on the water should now include "turn under the rainbow...."
July 05, 2013
July 03, 2013
Sauce Wars - No. 9
Long overdue, along with the spring rains came another Sauce Wars. Good food, music, and conversation with fantastic friends is an awesome way to spend an evening. We had a busy spring and I did not get around to writing a full report. So...let's just go to the best part of any Sauce Wars - the comments of our judges panel.
Dancing Pigs Bar-B-Que Sauce - From The Bar-B-Q Shop in Memphis, TN
No Spice, No Dice - LB
Soul brother Memphis Goodness. Like Sam and Dave in a bottle- PC
My toes aren't tapping yet - RC
Gunshot Sauce - Knoxville, TN
Tastes like Mexican - JB
OK - YD and (no comment) - TD
Runny, puckery, not a lot of mojo - DZ
Unique. Like spice texture pretty good - TB
Smack Yo Mama Awesome Sweet Georgia Brown Gourmet Barbeque Sauce - Deluth, GA
Flavorful with a kick of some southern love - KB
Runny - mediocre taste - LB
Sweet succulent goodness. Like desert in a bottle. - PC
Zig's BBQ Barbeque Sauce - From some BBQ festival in North Carolina
Plummy thick - best with chicken - goes good with cornbread, not just for meat - JB
Hot - YD and (no comment) - TD
Thick, tangy - reminiscent of most standard store-bought brands - LB
BBQ pudding - Baby Diaper Find = a bit bitter on the back end - RC
Pirate's Secret Mustard Sauce - Our kitchen in Greenwood, SC
Not bad for a rookie effort but not quite ready for the sauce wars big leagues - PC
Does this come in a grande or venti? Mustard margarita. Once you go mustard you never go back - KB
Love it. I might buy this. Lime zest - DZ
Very good - TB
The verdict? Well...we hosted and our council of friends are full of grace. Yes, we won with our last minute concoction whisked together in our kitchen after Deni presented the grand idea to give it a try. Go figure. Another Sauce Wars in the books. Good times with great people. Done.
July 02, 2013
Christmas in July
For us cycling fans Tour de France is the best 23 days of the year in our sport. The compelling drama of the race unfolds daily and the crazy fans are just outstanding. Allez NBC for better coverage.