baby 2 - 1.272 inch

Sometimes. But my youthful exuberance is the key to my success.

New Year Sunrise

At midnight tonight, I plan on standing next to my beautiful wife, surrounded by amazing friends. I'll be laughing and having fun. Thanks for 2011.

To Mars.

Advice to a Young Artist

When I think back to my wild teenage times I wonder at how much good advice I brushed off.

But the truth is, I was listening to a good amount of good advice. I filtered the advice through one criteria- does the advice giver really care?

I listened to the advice that was given in a way that made me feel cared about, or that came from somebody that proved that they cared.

Love

The definition of romance is found in the story of the Great Romancer.

When God romanced me He started with great sacrifice to Himself. Then He pursued me with His irresistible grace, till I through my own volition had no choice but to surrender to Him. The romance didn't stop there though, God continued in that pattern in our day to day life together. Sacrifice, pursue and I surrender. Jesus is my model of try romance.

Now that I am married, I have to follow this pattern in a very flawed way. Starting at the beginning when I romanced Kara's heart by giving up my old way of life in a bold (to me) sacrifice, then pursuing her with my graceful (so I thought) actions, finally she found herself both deciding to fall for me, yet unable to resist. But it didn't stop there.

Today we have a child and I have a demanding career. My imperfection shines through in the fact that I need blatant reminders to romance her. Thursday we have a date. My challenge is to sacrifice my time leading up to the date, getting her excited and preparing her for, well... me. Then I have to show her graceful deference on the date so that she fills like the only girl in the world and a princess at that. Finally, her stressful homemaking burdens will (hopefully) fall away and she will surrender to our love.

If I can pull this off and repeat this pattern, I will be a successful gentleman romancer.

This is what Romance is. It's just a copy of the divine.

ah! its back!

I am weird.

I don't like Christmas decorations. I know, I know, I hear it all the time; I am indeed scrooge. But only when it comes to ornaments and tinsel. Nasty nutcrackers and ugly porcelain Santa figurines.

As a creative, I find artsy seasonal decoration appealing. Simplicity, poignancy, and muted tones, while an oxymoron to the season, are the keys to my heart. Something about stuffing every possible festive symbol into every empty corner sends chills up my spine.

When we go shopping together, please, I beg you, don't take me into the Christmas store!

| 10 |

1. Jesus Christ died, rose again, and is coming back.
2. I am nothing. I have been made something.
3. Christians like to get angry about stupid stuff alienating the masses.
4. Most people don't care about anything beyond their corner of the world.
5. My best friends are few.
6. Family is more than just important, it's crucial,
7. To be a good dad, I have to have a good Father.
8. I am not as funny as I think I am, and that is ok.
9. To love the unloved is not natural.
10. People like lists.