Life Lessons from Dogs

Wallace & Gromit 

Classic list - Life Lessons from Dogs - with applicable truth...

Lewis Grizzard, US columnist & humorist offers up this nugget not included in the list - "Life is like a dogsled team. If you ain't the lead dog, the scenery never changes."

* Never pass up the opportunity to go for a Joy ride.
* Allow the experience of fresh air and wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
* When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
* When it's in your best interest, practice obedience.
* Let others know when they have invaded your territory.
* Take naps often and stretch before rising.
* Run, romp and play daily.
* Eat with gusto and enthusiasm.
* Be loyal.
* Never pretend to be something you're not.
* If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
* When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.
* Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
* Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
* On hot days, drink lots of water and lay under a shady tree.
* When you're happy, dance around and wag your tail.
* No matter how often you're scolded, don't buy into the guilt thing and pout. Run right back and make friends.

Bijou - every dog deserves a loving home

Bijou 

"In a perfect world, every dog would have a home and every home would have a dog."

Bijou is a 3 year old Chow – German shepherd mix who stepped into my life back in February. I was walking to get the mail Saturday morning, when several neighbors asked if I had ever seen this dog before. Bijou was a stray with no identifying tags who had been running loose for three days. One of the neighbors couldn’t keep her and I was hesitant to do so myself.

When the suggestion was made to place her in a no-kill shelter Monday morning, this sweet dog had no place to lay her head for two nights, I agreed to take her in. February’s weather here in North Carolina was still cold and wet.

Ginny and Alison, my neighbors, joined me in prayer over Bijou that she would find her way back home and that her rightful owner would step up to claim her. We were full of faith that Almighty God would honor our prayer.

Was she housebroken? Well behaved? Could I trust her while I was at work? All of those concerns melted as I took her home. I didn’t know her name or where she came from, but she quickly touched my heart with her gentleness, gratefulness and attentiveness to me. She was my TV buddy, as we sat and watch The Simpsons together! In no time, we bonded… We took long walks together and played fetch in the house. Her antics, especially playing hide and seek were goofy!

"Dogs laugh, but they laugh with their tails. What puts man in a higher state of evolution is that he has got his laugh on the right end." - Max Eastman

At work, I put the word out to the various dog lovers. I couldn’t keep her with my back and forth travels between North Carolina and Tennessee (where I already have two dogs), but I was absolutely determined that in no way she was going to end up in a shelter. I had exhausted all leads and resources to find her rightful owner.

Kristen, my coworker quickly wrote back expressing that her mom and sister had been wanting a dog for a while and it seems like maybe this was meant to be that they hadn’t started looking yet, giving this sweet girl a chance to come along.

Well, God does answer prayers! Bijou (her new given name) now lives in Greenville, NC with a two acre backyard with a loving family. I am so grateful for Kristen, Kimberly & Katie (her sisters) and parents Linda & Andrew who had a such a big heart to give her a home.


Bijou & butterfly 

Kristen tells me that Bijou’s favorite toys are a squeaky sheep and a plush bean toy (which led them to call her Bean-jou sometimes). Kristen adds, “When I went home 2 weeks ago, I asked my mom why there were toys up on tables and countertops, and she said Bijou gets so excited sometimes when she’s playing that she just flings her toys into the air, and they land on tables and such.

She LOVES to go for walks around the neighborhood, and seems to get more excited about seeing her leash even than running free in the backyard. Still, my sister goes in the back yard and runs around with her often, and she goes on several walks a day.

Her “cousins” are my dogs Celia and Fuzz, and Katie’s dogs Roxy and Daisy, as well as Misty, the family’s crotchety 9-year-old Maltese.”

I am proud to call Bijou my “God Dawg” and look forward to having her stay with me when her family goes on vacation. It’s just like God to place people in your life for encouragement and divine connections; since God is truly Almighty, He can send a dog into your life as well when we need lots of unconditional love!


Bijou at home 

"I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me they are the role model for being alive." - Gilda Radner

The Ally Dome - Barkitecture in motion

Ally surveying the land 

When we were remodeling our kitchen, there was quite of pile of construction materials and demolition scrap left over ready to haul to the local dump. Destined also for disposal was a large metal satellite dish that was taking up a lot of space in the yard and no longer functional since acquiring DirectTV.

After dismantling the dish, I flipped it over on top of milk crates to ensure that the grass underneath would not be harmed due to lack of sunlight. Ally, our precious eight year Labrador (then 6) was chilling out underneath the dish. Inspired, why not turn all of scrap into something useful! Besides, I always desired to build a shed, so why not prototype a smaller version a.k.a a dog house to try out my construction skill sets and framing techniques; plus I could use the large dish as the roof for the doghouse.

So I set out to build a doghouse worthy for Ally. (more about Ally in a separate post). Dubbed the "Ally Dome", the book Barkitecture served as a basis of inspiration.

Here's the framing... I remembered taking a water break from the framing - when I returned outside, there were two neighborhood dogs sitting inside! Talk about affirmation - I literally had tears of joy!

Framing for Ally Dome 

Interior: Fully insulated with 30 year old 1/2" knot pine paneling, trimmed out with crown molding. Later I added carpeting and tile flooring.

AllyDome interior under construction 

Here's a front view before the front doors were installed.

Front view 60% complete 

And a more recent photo, finished with insulated glass bay window in the back.

Ally at the backside of her house 

I added a deck for Ally and Digglet to lounge out on...

Diggy and Ally hanging out 

The Ally Dome is approximately 8 feet square (not counting the deck). The glass side windows are hinged and have screens to keep out the bugs. The inside is quite roomy, akin to sitting in a Volkswagen Beetle with the domed roof. Two adults can sit inside and stretch out with comfort. I have considered camping out in it one night, (but it has no electricity {yet]) plus I don't want anyone to say I literally spent the night in a dog house!

Becky and I decided on a Florida look with the pink and blue color scheme. We also landscaped the sides with monkey grass and irises. I will probably add some accent porch lights and a address plate to finish the Ally Dome off.

All in all, it was fun to build and a labor of love as well. Every dog deserves a loving home and a house of their own!

barkitecture: noun. The architecture of doghouses

Barkitecture 

Barkitecture is Fred Albert's whimsical book, published in 1999, by Abbeville Press. This book has spawned a number of creative fundraisers run by animal service organizations with participating architectural firms and regular lovers of dogs like myself.

In celebration of our dog Ally Woo's 8th birthday, I'll be writing not only about my sweetheart,


Ally Woo 

but the other two dogs in my life - my first grand dog, Digglet Woo and my god dog, Bijou over the next several posts.

Meanwhile download a PDF sample of this inspiring book! Perhaps, you'll be inspired just like me in building a house for my dog Ally as my first outdoor project. I'll post some construction photos of the "AllyDome" later on...


Chessie's Doghouse 

Chessie's Doghouse. John M. Collins, Locust Valley, New York.

This exquisite English timber frame doghouse was modeled after an eighty-year-old children playhouse on Long Island. The antique hand-hewn beams are held in place with mortise-and-tenon joints, and are topped with an authentic thatch roof. Antique glass fills the custom-made windows, which are held in place by bone-shaped latches. A matching leash holder flanks the front door.

Think TV is a wasteland? Pimp My Faith - Commentary by Rabbi Marc Gellman

Pimp My Faith www.gracebiblechurch.com 

Pimp My Faith - Newsweek Society - MSNBC.com: "On 'Pimp My Ride,' a hunk of steaming junk from a hysterically grateful recipient is driven by Xzibit to West Coast Custom body shop in L.A. to be stripped and rebuilt from the metal up by a team of charismatic car trolls who delight in going to any lengths to make the new car a thing of beauty and fantasy for its needy owner. In 'Extreme Makeover,' the run-down house of hysterically grateful recipients is demolished and then a new house is built in one week, usually on a new and vastly enlarged foundation by Ty and his team of design and production hotties."

Rabbi Marc Gellman insightfully writes:

"What makes these two shows not just kind and weepy but actually luminous is the way they unselfconsciously obliterate the traditional ways we often treat the poor. First, both shows treat the needy without a hint of condescension or pity. They respect these people completely. It is that respect, more than the pimped-out ride or the new house, that is the real gift. Also the workers on both shows work with real joy. Charity is often seen as a dutiful burden, but in these cases it is a labor of love."

Read on!

Need Help Getting Things Done?

Work Is Hell (c) 1996 Matt Groening 

If you're feeling like Binky the cover model (who is a bitter, depressed, alienated and thus "normal" rabbit) for Matt Groening's book Work Is Hell, then it could be that you really need to adopt the practice of Getting Things Done.
Jeff Sandquist, a blogger and Microsoft Evangelist, has provided a nice tidy posting with all the resources in one place - It's never too late to rekindle that 2005 New's Year's resolution - or you could get a head start for 2006 now! Here's a treasure map to unstress your life...


GTD Workflow 

A Typical Day at the Factory

A Typical Day at the Factory 

and one more


Platforms 

When I stumbled across these cool little animations from b3ta.com... and this link -(scroll down to the July 24 entry) - (and I swear under oath I do not know how I ever wound up on this page???) I was wondering out loud (like a dawg), would animation work in a blog? Yup - all I did was substitute the jpeg link with the properties of the animated gif file. Keep in mind, all this HTML stuff is very new to me - which is another side benefit of blogging! I guess that's why my Big Dawg buddies back in Nashville call me a Wonder Dawg... always thinking about how stuff works.

Here is Our King - david crowder*band

david crowder*band - Photo (c) Sherwin Uy 

View the latest song from the david crowder*band Here is Our King from the new Passion CD/DVD release recorded in Nashville during the Passion 05 conference.


Passion 

Passion 06—A generation united for His renown returns to Nashville, TN January 2-6, 2006. For more information on registration, click here. See you there!

Your Daily Art

Dominant Curve by Vasily Kandinsky 

Here is a effective use of a blog - compelling daily content with the added bonus of inspiration and art history.
Posted by Martha, the blog is simply named Your Daily Art

"Thanks to art, instead of seeing a single world, our own, we see it multiply until we have before us as many worlds as there are original artists." Marcel Proust

Martha writes: Welcome to my art history blog. It is simple and the purpose is to show you a piece of art, give you a little background and leave the rest up to you.

The above painting carries the following entry with extensive links provided as well -
Dominant Curve by Vasily Kandinsky, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York.

Kandinsky was one of the most influential Abstract artists of the 20th century. He was a teacher of both law and later art, teaching for a number of years at the German Bauhaus. He himself claimed he became interested in abstraction after seeing one of his paintings upside down.

You'll find this link now under my Daily Inspiration - nice job Martha!

NFL Draft & Salary Cap FAQ

National Football League 

If you been following the ESPN NFL Draft Coverage, then sooner or later you just might want to know the process of signing these high priced rookies under the NFL Salary Cap. Maybe not? - I know I do!

If a player earns a contract that is 5 years and pays him a total of $20 million, he counts $4 million per year against the cap, right?

Answer: If it were only that simple.

Teams with heavy payloads learned quickly that the best way to combat the Salary Cap was to circumvent it. They did this by back loading contracts, pushing all of the big money to the end of the contract.

Only the Commish knows! For the best explanation of how the NFL Salary Cap works, Ask The Commish is the place to go. Al Lackner explains about Caponomics, Free Agency and Mathematical Calculations in a sensible manner.

As a bonus, read a first-round NFL Draft Day analysis from a front office and scouting perspective should you want to get an insight how players are selected.

The Passover in the Holy Family

'The Passover in the Holy Family' 

Watercolour on paper, painted 1854-5
Tate. Presented by Charles Ricketts in memory of Henry Michael Field, 1916

To celebrate Passover, every Jewish household slaughtered a lamb and marked the doorposts with its blood. This was a sign for the Lord to pass over and not visit the plague on them. The Passover meal of roast lamb, bitter herbs and unleavened bread was to be eaten in haste, with shoes on the feet ready for quick departure.

Rossetti shows Jesus and his parents preparing for the ritual. This stresses the continuity between Judaism and Christianity, linking Christ's sacrifice with that of the Passover lamb.

Here Rossetti shows Zachariah marking the door with blood from a bowl held by Jesus. John kneels to fasten Jesus's sandal and Mary stoops to gather bitter herbs.

Passover Perspective

Passover begins on the 15th day of the Jewish month of Nissan. As the Jewish day begins at sundown the night before, for the year 2005, the first night of Passover will be April 23rd.

Here's a Passover Perspective authored by Don Finto.

On this day 3500 years ago lambs were slaughtered throughout Goshen.
On this day 3500 years ago hyssop brushes stroked Jewish doorposts with lamb’s blood.
On this night 3500 years ago Israel met quietly sequestered behind their bloodstained doors--waiting to depart 400 years of slavery.
On this night 3500 years ago the Lord went through the land looking for blood on doorposts.
On this night 3500 years ago there was deliverance--a pass over.
On this night 3500 years ago the wealth of Egypt became the wealth of Israel.
On this night 3500 years ago firstborn sons were slain in houses where there was no blood.
On this night 3500 years ago wailing and mourning was heard in Egypt.
On this night 3500 years ago shouts of joy were heard in Israel.
On this night 3500 years ago Moses led Israel out of Egypt.
On this night 3500 years ago lambs’ blood on doorposts brought freedom.
On this night 3500 years ago the exodus from Egypt came suddenly.

For 3500 years faithful servants of God have remembered this night.

On this day 2000 years ago another lamb was slain.
On this day 2000 years ago human hearts were stroked with lamb’s blood
On this day 2000 years ago hearts were freed from centuries of slavery.
On this day 2000 years ago the Lord began to look for lamb’s blood on doorposts of hearts.
On this day 2000 years ago there was deliverance—a passing over.
On this day 2000 years ago wealth was restored to the sons of Adam.
On this day 2000 years ago another Moses led another Israel out of another Egypt.
On this day 2000 years ago lamb’s blood on the doorposts of hearts brought freedom.

Today lamb's blood is still found on human hearts.
Today deliverance is found behind a blood stained door.
If the doorpost of your heart is stained with lamb’s blood, have a glorious Passover season.
If not, grab quickly the hyssop and look for the lamb’s blood.
The exodus will come suddenly.

Have a blessed Passover!

Learn more? Click here

Tools for recording your ideas

Palm Tungsten E 

Ten power tools for recording your best ideas

Do you have a method or strategy for recording ideas when they occur to you? If not, you should. Ideas tend to be fleeting creatures, bubbling up from your subconscious mind without warning, and then disappearing just as quickly -- perhaps never to be recalled again.

Chuck Frey writes a good article Tools for recording your ideas - from InnovationTools.com in which he encourages you to try as many of these techniques (with pros and cons) as you can, determine which ones are the best fit with your work style, and retain them as part of your creative repertoire.

As for me, I prefer several tools - my Palm Powered Tungsten E that carries my electronic Bibles and contacts and Tapwave Zodiac 2 for games, a few tunes and a mini library of 50 eBooks; my trusty, don't leave home without it Hipster PDA; stacks of index cards everywhere in my house and notebooks with plenty of roller pens in coffee mugs.

Now if I can only learn to type beyond three fingers and master shorthand, I'll be in great shape!

Secret Worlds: The Universe Within

Earth 

Molecular Expressions: Science, Optics and You -
Secret Worlds: The Universe Within

Soar through space starting at 10 million light years away from the Milky Way down through to a single proton in Florida in decreasing orders of magnitude (powers of ten). This tutorial explores the use of exponential notation to understand and compare the size of things in our world and the universe, and provides a glimpse of the duality between the macroworld around us and the hidden microworld within.

Gives great visual meaning to the song "God of Wonders"

Lord of all creation
Of water earth and sky
Heavens are your tabernacle
Glory to the Lord on high

God of wonders beyond our galaxy
You are holy, holy
The universe declares your majesty
You are holy, holy

God of Wonders - Written by Steve Hindalong and Marc Byrd

Abston Church of Christ by Amy Hughes

Abston Church of Christ 

I love old fashion church architecture with all the stained glass windows, high arched ceilings with lighting, tile flooring and fine carpentry. Watching the news with the election of the Pope was fascinating with the beauty of the church architecture in the background.

So being one who is visually inspired, the Abston Church of Christ by Amy Hughes is a delight to behold! On Amy's site , she details the history of the church, construction (with photos), dedication of the project and why she considers churches worthy subjects for modeling.

Dimensions are: 7 feet by 5 1/2 feet by 30 inches!

When asked: How much time did it take to build?

Amy's answer was insightful - "It was about a year and a half of planning, building and photographing. It was a big project, but it was less time than most people spent watching TV during that same year and a half."

I need to turn off the TV and get busy! I can't wait to retire so that I can refire to have a full scale workshop to practice my love of fine carpentry. Until then, could it be that using Legos is a more practical resource and creative use of time? Sawdust and clean up time certainly wouldn't be an issue!

The Brick Testament

Lego Last Supper 

I am deeply appreciative of the various versions of The Bible. On my Zodiac, I carry The Message Bible, New International Version (NIV) and New American Standard Bible (NASB) with Strongs from GMPSoft. I also have the Comparative Study Bible which has the NIV, NASB, Amplified Bible and King James Version, which is a meaningful way to study the Bible with four versions side by side.

However, this has to be the most fascinating and creative expression of God's Word that I have seen - The Brick Testament has been created entirely by The Rev. Brendan Powell Smith who builds all the characters and settings out of LEGO bricks, then photographs them to create the illustrated stories found on The Brick Testament website and book series.

In the FAQ, "Rev. Smith has stated that the goal of The Brick Testament is to give people an increased knowledge of the contents of The Bible in a way that is fun and compelling while staying very true to the original versions. To this end, all stories are retold using direct quotes from The Bible."

Don Finto - The Quintessential Encourager

Don Finto - The Quintessential Encourager
 

On April 18, Don Finto just unfolded Chapter 75 in his walk here on earth.

Don was my first pastor of 18 years at Belmont Church in Nashville, TN. He is my mentor. Under his pastorate, I learned nothing but Jesus – no legalism, rules or religion – just a relationship full of grace and mercy. He has had the biggest impact on my life other than my biological father and we are still connected.

I have never met a man that loved God’s Word more than Don. He exuded encouragement in its purest and most concentrated form. Webster’s Dictionary would define Don as a Quintessential Encourager.

I remember with great fondness twenty five years ago (1980) an encounter with Don while attending a memorial service for a friend’s brother who passed away from Aids. Becky and I just got out of our car and were preparing to cross the street, when a Honda Accord pulls up. Don Finto rolls down his window and yells out, “Hey Kerry Woo, man of God!” At that precise moment in East Nashville, as a very young in the faith Christian, I stood silent – this wave of affirmation swept over me as my heart was touched; I knew then that my destiny was affirmed and sealed. Don always encouraged everyone through the integrity of God’s Word. Roman 8:29 states “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” Don just believes in the goodness of God’s grace and mercy in everyone’s life; and he was quick to remind us of our destiny!

In March of 1996, I accepted a leadership position with a Christian men’s ministry, Promise Keepers. At that time, there was quite a movement of God in men’s hearts sweeping the country with stadiums full of men desirous of embracing Christ-centered godliness and personal holiness to subsequently impact families and communities. Pastor Don Finto’s charge to me when I was sent out, akin to a missionary (to men) in front of the congregation at Belmont Church was again from God’s Word – “For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” Life giving words – and accountability that served me well.

Don and his son David were guests of mine at the Promise Keepers conference at the SuperDome in New Orleans. I’m told by others that when he met Coach Bill McCartney (founder of Promise Keepers), Don proudly introduced himself as “Kerry’s Pastor!” rather than a pastor of a large and influential church in Nashville. Don always took great pride in others and deflected any praise toward himself to the Lord. That’s Don – just a humble servant.

And to this day, if you’re ever around him, Don is either praying Ephesians 3 over you – “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge–that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” Or, he is encouraging you to live out the reality of this passage.

I’ve got a 100 more stories, but others can tell their own as well. I’m honored to be one of his spiritual sons. So Poppa Don, thanks for the listening ear, prayers, the way you honor your precious bride Martha, the many sermons, road trips, changing my spiritual diapers (often) and always pushing me to be a leader.

Happy 75th Birthday Poppa Don! You are esteemed and well loved by all.

To learn about Don’s Ministry – The Caleb Company and his profound book, “Your People Shall Be My People”, click here.


Don Finto - Your People Shall be My People 

How to make a Life Poster

Mike Matas - How to Make a Life Poster 

Here's a really creative idea to gather up all of those photos that you have on your computer. Mike Matas documents a easy 30 minute step by step process here The Mike Matas Blog: How to make a Life Poster.

For about $29.00, Mike shows how you can easily load 98 photos and print a 20" x 30" poster. However, this is ONLY for Mac users with iPhoto.

Sean at Wayward Puppy has a tutorial using PhotoShop for us Windows folks.

On another note, I had 2 rolls of Advantix (APS) film to develop; at Target, I was able to get them developed - 1 print and a CD each - inside of 1 hour while I shopped for the same price as sending them out. Each roll cost me under $12.00 each. I believe that Sam's Club is a lot less expensive, but I liked the instant gratification.

So thanks to Mike and Sean, I'll be sorting through my CD's of photos and creating a life poster myself!

I wonder if Flickr or Picassa can replicate the same process?

Who's Number 1? Tar Heels of course!

Tar Heel Fever!  

At 1:30 am in the morning, there were plenty of photo opportunities - I got plenty of high fives - but felt a little uncomfortable when urged to take off my shirt and burn it - maybe next year! No doubt about it - A memorable night in Chapel Hill!

Tar Heel Victory Leap!

We're Number One! Leap of Faith Victory Dance - Photo by Kelsey 

Tar Heel Fever - 45K Strong!

Tar Heel Fever! Photo by Kelsey 

"I ain't never been to heaven, but this is the closest thing," said Donnie King, 34, of Raleigh. "Next to Jesus, this is it. It's an awesome feeling."

Testimony of Healing, Grace & Joy in the Face of Cancer

SYLVIA BURGER - HEALING TESTIMONY 

Physical strength is measured by what we can carry; spiritual by what we can bear.

Diagnosed with stage four Hodgkin's Disease in January of 2004, listen to Sylvia Burger share her testimony of healing, grace and joy in the midst of great adversity.

This video clip was shown at newhope church Sunday, April 10, 2005 as part of the "It's a Mad, Sad World BUT..." sermon by Pastor Benji Kelley.

As we know, Peter Jennings, the chief ABC News anchorman for more than 20 years, announced his diagnosis recently of lung cancer.

Jennings sent an e-mail to his staff saying:

Dear All -

Forgive me the group mailing -- but it seems the easiest way to tell a lot of people I care for ... about a change in my life.

I have been diagnosed with lung cancer. Yes, it was quite a surprise.

As you all know, this is a challenge. I begin chemotherapy next week. I will continue to do the broadcast. There will be good days and bad, which means that some days I may be cranky and some days really cranky! Almost 10 million Americans are living with cancer. I am sure I will learn from them how to cope with the facts of life that none of us anticipated. In all the years I have worked here I have had the most outstanding support from this news division.

Hundreds of you have been like family. It feels good to have such a family right now.

Peter

I was struck by what Peter Jennings said at the end - "It feels good to have such a family right now." I think of the church family - when we are surrounded because of a common bond that we share as fellow believers. It's because of who we are in Jesus Christ - Christians, Christ followers - bonded by faith and the integrity of God's Word to encourage, pray for and walk out whatever life throws at each of us with others of like faith.

Thomas Moore insightfully wrote, "Family life is full of major and minor crises -- the ups and downs of health, success and failure in career, marriage, and divorce -- and all kinds of characters. It is tied to places and events and histories. With all of these felt details, life etches itself into memory and personality. It's difficult to imagine anything more nourishing to the soul."

After the church service was over, I had a chance to talk with Sylvia - I found her to be full of life, vibrant and deeply thankful. In our conversation, she never expressed a hint of regret or that life dealt her a bad hand at such a young age of 24. As the 4Him song goes, if the Bible was still being written today, I think Sylvia's name would be tied to the passage - "Be strong and courageous."

Jesus said, "These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." John 16:33

Sylvia, you’re an inspiration to all Christians.

Every tomorrow has two handles. We can take hold of it by the handle of anxiety, or by the handle of faith.

Getting Things Done & eBooks from eReader.com

The Latin Quarter, Paris, France Photographer: Ian Britton 

"Books are the quietest and most constant friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers."
Charles W. Eliot

I love reading eBooks on my Palm PDA (really a Tapwave Zodiac 2) and on my Dell laptop. As a lover of reading, research and quote collecting, I find that eBooks are a preferred platform of information, especially reading on the go. I enjoy redeeming my time while standing in line, waiting in airports or worse, sitting for long stretches in a doctor's office. For guys, eBooks are a lifesaver when your beautiful spouse takes off shopping in a mall – one will usually find my carcass parked on a bench reading Ann Coulter, John Ortberg or a leadership title on my Zodiac.

Since my nightstand and coffee table is normally cluttered with 7 to 12 physical books that I read somewhat simultaneously, the eBook format plays right into that methodology of scattered reading. I like to think of it as reading 7 to 12 really big magazines, as I can usually cover a Time magazine front to back in one sitting.

One can pack a lot of titles on a Palm, especially a Zodiac with 128 memory. Being a research guy, I really like the unlimited bookmarking, auto scrolling, font and color control and hyper linking indexes plus the ability to have several eBooks open (on the laptop).

My ministry at newhope church is doing sermon research for Pastor Benji, so I have the laptop humming with several resources opened, including the NIV Bible on eBook and a legal pad just writing away! Having eBooks, PDFs, Word documents and web access in a central work station makes sermon preparation and research a real joy; and it frees my Pastor to ... pastor!

I highly recommend eReader Pro for Windows - Palm Reader Pro is an award winning application used to read Palm Digital Media eBooks on your Windows computer. Palm Reader Pro has more features than the free version, including the ability to read dictionaries and it is a bargain at $9.95 USD. There is also a Mac version as well. There is no charge to download and use the basic Reader. Click here to download your eReader of choice

Before I forget, disclaimer goes here – I work for Motricity, the corporate parent of eReader.com and PalmGear. Hey, I'm just a silly enthusiast for eBooks and as well, a passionate Palm Powered Geek.

I mainly read on the laptop. Being 50, I can’t afford to have my eyes fried, reading in the dark with a backlit PDA – besides I plan to do some serious carpentry into my old age and in heaven ala my two favorite Jewish Master Carpenters - Norm Abrams and Jesus of Nazareth.

For many of the blogging community who are heads over heels like I am for Getting Things Done by David Allen, not only is it finally available in eBook format, but Ready for Anything has just been released. You can read excerpts of both books at eReader.com. Also, by subscribing to the newsletters, discounts are available as well on your order.

My fellow bloggers are focused on these two books – Ricky Spears moderates GTD Yahoo forums and has written extensively on Ready for Anything.

43 Folders offers a good jump into the GTD waters - getting started with "Getting Things Done" section with many links.

Last, Michael Hyatt is very into GTD as well with a Working Smart, Not Hard angle.

Have fun, enjoy life, make it a mission to learn something new everyday via relationships, pray always and read some (e)Books!

In closing, here's a good piece of wisdom from Paxton Hood:
Be as careful of the books you read, as of the company you keep, for your habits and character will be as much influenced by the former as the latter.

The hottest techno-fashion statement... the iNO

(c) geek technique.org 

The hottest techno-fashion statement...

in TRO duc iNG the "iNO"

(an old Apple mouse with a pair of cheap headphones glued to it).

Get your iNo here.

iNO because youNO...

Presenting John Cleese - Institute for BACKUP TRAUMA

John Cleese for The Institute of BACKUP TRAUMA \Institute for Backup Trauma

One of my favorite bloggers, Lianne always comes up with great content on a daily basis! Check out Lianne’s blog here.

This morning I saw her posting re: Livevault and it is hilarious! I wish more companies would use this style of humor in their corporate speak (in other words, lighten up!)

John Cleese is a spokesman on this infocommercial / promotion for Livevault, which is a company that sells a data backup utility that stores to disk.

John Cleese, as the Director for The Institute for BACKUP TRAUMA testifies to the horrors of losing everything to improperly stored tapes.

Warning: Make sure you’re not drinking cola watching this mockumentary!

Corporate Blogging at Thomas Nelson Publishing

Photographer: Ian Britton (c) FreeFoto.com 

I discovered Michael Hyatt’s Working Smart blog with my interest in David Allen's book, Getting Things Done. Michael writes a very useful blog; he is the President and Chief Operating Officer of Thomas Nelson Publishers, the largest Christian publishing company in the world.

Recently he wrote (and I celebrate him!):

My company, Thomas Nelson Publishers, is about to launch a corporate blog aggregator site. Internally, we have tried to encourage a small band of employees to begin blogging. The aggregator site will simply link to the individual sites. It will be similar to OfficeZealot.com, but it will be accessible through our main corporate Web site.

This program has three primary objectives:
1. To raise the visibility of our company and our products.
2. To make a contribution to the publishing community.
3. To give people a look at what goes on inside a real publishing company.

In their Corporate Blogging Guidelines they write out 10 guidelines in trying to promote – not stifle - blogging within Thomas Nelson.

Here’s one of the guidelines:

Write relevant. Write often. Whether you know it or not, you are an expert. You have a unique perspective on our company based on your talents, skills, and current responsibilities. People what to hear about that perspective.

In short, this posting is more than about blogging, but Michael Hyatt’s leadership in encouraging expression of thought (and community) inside of the company he leads by setting an example of availability and to a degree, of transparency for a CEO. Well done!

The Visual Thesaurus

For new bloggers like myself, I come to appreciate even more words and the meaning and weight of definition they carry.

I recall a college level study on the Greek language one summer at Belmont Church examining the Greek language in Christianity. The Greek language is so rich in definition, in other words – reading the Bible in the Greek context vs. English is like watching sports on a 63 inch HDTV with a surround sound unit versus a 27 inch stereo television.

As an example: The term "Christ" is derived from the Greek noun Χριστός Khristós which means "anointed one", and is a translation of the Hebrew word Moshiach (Hebrew: משיח, also written "Messiah"). Christian means "belonging to Christ" or "of Christ".

Being a visual guy with a renewed appreciation for words, may I recommend:

The Visual Thesaurus is a dictionary and thesaurus with an intuitive interface to encourage exploration and learning. Available in both a Desktop Edition and an Online Edition, the Visual Thesaurus is a terrific way to improve your understanding of the English Language.

Try it for yourself here

Reality of the new work dress code!

(c)LaughingStock International, Inc 

Reality of the new work dress code!
I love Herman cartoons as they are so offbeat and if I was a cartoonist, Herman would be my signature cartoon and I would draw just like Jim Unger! The expressions of the character's faces are priceless; and Jim has a unique insight into true reality...

If you want a daily laugh, simply go to this link,for your daily dose of laughs! This site has the best collection of comics and editorials as well -

Feel free to comment on your favorite comic and why it cracks you up!

Kerry and Fans celebrate in Chapel Hill!

Sean May, who had 26 points and nine rebounds, drives toward the basket during the first half. (AP Photo)

Oh What a Night in Tar Heel Country!
Hanging out with seven great guys, watching the game on HDTV and sweating out the last two and one half minutes watching the UNC Tar Heels triumph over Illinois 75-70 and clinched the NCAA championship was absolutely off the charts!

Time to say bye, hop in the Honda and jump down to Franklin Street.

I'll be posting some photos shortly of the fun times - and a BIG SHOUT GOES OUT to Mr. Darryl "P" for hosting us with Hi Def Class -

Meanwhile down on Franklin Street - according to The News & Observer:

"I ain't never been to heaven, but this is the closest thing," said Donnie King, 34, of Raleigh. "Next to Jesus, this is it. It's an awesome feeling."

But by 1 a.m., a steady stream of people had began to walk in the opposite direction of the mayhem on Franklin Street.

Police estimated the crowd at 45,000 at the peak around 12:32 am

Read the rest of this article (reg required)

We've got the Hoopla!





Left to Right: Carolina students Doug Weiss, Ryan Bailey, Andrew Satten, and Nate MacCosbe cheer on the Tarheels Monday night in the Smith Center.
Photo by Ray Jones

Stop the holy showboating

Here's a controversial article by Dan McGraw from September 2002. You may not agree with it, but I thought you'd like to read it. Here's an excerpt from it:

"...In the realm of jock theology, God seems to show himself only to the winners. While many athletes do their own dances or gyrations to gain attention from the fans and TV cameras, many others seek their own spotlight through very public prayer on the field of play. It is a curious trend in the "hey-look-at-me" form of self-promotion that has infected pro sports in recent decades. And it goes beyond making a sign of the cross before taking a few swings at the plate. It's almost as if these jocks are saying: 'God thinks I'm special, so you should too.'..."

"...Do accountants point to the sky after they balance the books?..."

Read the rest of this article

Kerry has Tar Heel Fever (Hoop, there it is!)

Jack McArthur, left, Ben Wilde and Kevin Sitko celebrate a Tar Heels' basket against Michigan State in the first half at Bub O'Malley's bar in Chapel Hill.
© NEWS OBSERVER - STAFF PHOTO BY SHAWN ROCCO

In my previous post, I commented about starting to catch the college basketball culture a bit, rooting for the University of North Carolina Tar Heels - albeit cautiously – but I decided to live amongst the natives and live happily ever after…

My friend Michael, a UNC alumnus and college basketball fan patiently extolled the virtues of college basketball vs. the NBA. Plus watching the incredible tournament games with the double overtimes and all with my son Gary and having lunch with my family at Champs Restaurant with rabid fans (sneaking away on a two hour lunch break from work) in the midst of the Sweet Sixteen tournament play was contagious!

Well, here it is – I’m getting caught up in the spectacular UNC 87, Michigan State 71 victory – and watching the local news when thousands of UNC fans flooded the streets with great celebration. And thank God for those UNC fans on their best behavior - building bonfires out of pallets versus trashing police cars, burning stores down and pillaging villages is so much more civilized!

Today at church, I’m talking UNC basketball with my men’s Bible study group that meets on Monday – “We are going to get done by nine pm, right?”

It's not the Hype, It's the Hoop!

Not that my priorities are misplaced – that famous coach John Wooden who led the UCLA Bruins to 10 national championships, including seven in a row (1966-73) said - "I always tried to make clear that basketball is not the ultimate. It is of small importance in comparison to the total life we live. There is only one kind of life that truly wins, and that is the one that places faith in the hands of the Savior. Until that is done, we are on an aimless course that runs in circles and goes nowhere."

I am looking forward to hanging out Monday night with my newhope church Follow The Rabbi men’s group, digging into the Word and then at 9 pm, rooting for the TarHeels! Maybe then, I may hop in the car and celebrate on Franklin Street in Chapel Hill with fifteen thousand fans as well!

Alley Oop to the Hoop!




A fan celebrates the Tar Heels' win over Michigan State by jumping over a bonfire on Franklin Street.
© NEWS OBSERVER - STAFF PHOTO BY SHAWN ROCCO

Real Life Adventures

(c) Real Life Adventures by Gary Wise and Lance Aldrich

Back in the day of paper planners, one could imagine the mental pain and tormented howl of the poor soul who lost their DayTimer stuffed with reimbursable expense receipts and contacts.

These days, when you lose your data on a Palm or worse your laptop, its just a quiet resignation to what happens when one is tethered to technology's umbilical cord.

Hint: Go to plan B - "B" stands for back it up!

About Real Life Adventures

Real Life Adventures is ... well ... kind of art that sort of imitates life. It is a celebration of the banal by two truly mundane fellows, Lance Aldrich and Gary Wise. It's about stomach noises in business meetings, bugs in your porch light and trying to extract a single hanger from your closet.