Lanesboro, MN

Audrey in front of stone mill suites


posing in front of a waterfall at lanesboro



there was a beautiful catholic church that sat on top of a hill that overlooked the entire town


posing in front of the church

standing over the root river

i don't know what audrey was doing, i was trying to take a decent picture

a sweet hat that i found in some shop

2 Year Wedding Annivesary

WOOHOO!

Audrey and I are in Lanesboro, MN. about four hours north of Carlisle. We are staying at Stone Mill Suites Bed and Breakfast, thanks to Randy Mortimer. It has been an incredible few days. We left Carlisle after Jr. High Youth Group, made it to Mason City (Half-Marathon Site) by 10:30 p.m. and stayed at Country Inn & Suites. Left Monday morning and arrived at Lanesboro at 11:30 a.m. We had the opportunity to pick any room we wanted in the whole Bed & Breakfast. We chose the "Forest Room" and headed off to lunch at Pedal Pushers. Chicken Pot Pie and Fried Mushrooms were tops on the menu for lunch. We did a little shopping, and then went for a jog around town, and took some great pictures (they will be up later) and then got to relax in the hot tub in our room. Went out for supper at the Branding Iron Supper Club. All you can eat salad bar and fried chicken were delicious. It's been a great time to get away for a while and i'm ready to get back into regular life.... i guess. Wednesday brings a lot to get done.

Thought for the blog:

"THE GOD WHO IS, THE GOD WHO WAS, AND THE GOD ABOUT TO ARRIVE - GOD IS ETERNAL"

Thanksgiving Day 2007

5 mile turkey trot at the fairgrounds After the race.... 41 minutes baby!


After the race again lunch at cracker barrel... delicious and no dishes!


Post Thanksgiving Movie Extremely Large Christmas Tree

Thanksgiving Eve Service

"Thanks - In - Giving"

The first snow of the season on Thanksgiving Eve.

That was the theme for our community church service on wednesday night. and i was able to be the "rep" for MRF church. so here are my words and thoughts that i shared w/ everyone there.

Psalm 28:7 - The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give THANKS to Him in song.

2 Corinthians 9:11,12 - You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in THANKSGIVING to God. This service taht you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of THANKS to God.

1 Timothy 6:17-19 - Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that THEY MAY TAKE HOLD OF LIFE THAT IS TRULY LIFE.

God blesses so that we can be a blessing. God gives so we can give. God provides so we can provide. We are all rich. There are only 8% of people in the world who own a vehicle. Right now I own 3, how sad is that... There are around 800 million people who won't eat today. Kind of ironic since our whole nation will stop and stuff themselves tomorrow. We are rich, and we don't even realize it. God has given all of us so much, and we are called by God to be generous with what He has given us. Everything we have its a gift from God, He has given it to us to bless us, for our enjoyment in life. This needs to become a world view for us, a different lens in which we view our money, our possessions, and how they can be used among our neighbors and community. And through His blessing we are called to be a blessing to others... why?? So God will be glorified. The best part about this whole thing is that we get something out of giving! We get something back when we give! And what is our Thanks - In - Giving?? Why should we give?? Because we will take hold of life taht is truly life. We will find the truth of life, we will find God's heart, we will live the best possible way to live. So during this Thanksgiving remember all the blessings that God has given you, all the things He has done for you, how incredible it is that God would take care of us... and then take the next step, how will you use that to bless others?

Thought for the blog:

i think i've said enough...

Living History Farms Off Road Race 2007

Well,

This is the third "official" race of my life. November 17, 2007 marked the day where 6,800 people decided to run 7 miles through the Iowan countryside, and for what? To get recognition? To get a prize? To get away from somebody? None of the above... for the fun of it. The race began at 9:00 a.m. sharp, it was a "warm" 41 degrees on a nice sunny saturday. Audrey and i started off at a nice pace, for about 30 seconds, and then the whole group bottlenecked and we had to walk for a while. we ran over the rivers and through the woods, but we never ended up at grandmas house! 8 streams, and 6 or 7 massive hills later we had crossed the finish line. 1 Hour 10 Minutes and 32 Seconds... 1,630 out of 3,508 total male finishers... 296 out of 570 men 19-24... Muddy, wet, sweaty, and smiling! Check out the video & pics below for a little more!! More pics should be upcoming at the official website.

Thought For The Blog:

"Running is just way more fun when there is something else going on besides running!"

Time

Well, it seems like there just hasn't been enough time to do everything lately. There are all these things that i need to do with work & home, and the list just keeps growing, but "time" doesn't grow along with my list. it would be great if time just stopped about 3:30 p.m. long enough for me to get everything done. 3:30 is just about the perfect time of day, it's not too early so you are groggy, it's not right after lunch so you are ready for a nap, and it's not too late in the day where all you want to do is relax. but i don't think that's going to happen. so hopefully everything that needs to get done gets done.

Thought For The Blog:

"Time, you can never get it back once it gone."

"Carlisle In The Fall"

And One Other Pic...

Thought For The Blog:

"You Can Never Have Too Much Fun With Leaves."

What Wars?

Jean Giono tells of climbing in 1913 in the French Alps where, because of careless deforestation, the mountains around Provence were barren. Former villages were deserted because their springs had run dry. The wind blew furiously, unimpeded by foilage.
Giono came to a shepherd's hut, where he was invited to spend the night. After dinner, he watched the shepherd sort through a pile of acorns, discarding the caracked or undersized ones. The shepherd, Elzeard Bouffier, counted out 100 perfect acorns then went to bed. Giono learned that over the last three-plus years he'd planted 100,000 trees on the wild hillsides, 20,000 of which had sprouted. Of those, he expected half to be eaten by rodents or die due to the elements, and the other half to live.
After World War I Giono returned to the mountainside and discovered a young forest. He returned once more after World War II. Twenty miles from the front lines of war, the shepherd had continued his work, ignoring this war as he had the former one. "On the site of the ruins I had seen in 1913," Giono wrote, "now stand neat farms. The old streams, fed by the snows that the forest conserves, are flowing again. Little by little, the villages have been rebuilt" - thanks to one resolute shepherd.

Thought for the blog:

"So don't get tired of doing what is good... for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time."

Late Night Musings

Maya and i enjoying our nice fire place... one of the first fires that we made of the 07 winter season. i have loved having a fire inside, there is just something so calming about it. hearing the crackle of the wood, smelling the smoke rise up out of the chimney, feeling the warmth of the glow as it slowly fills the whole room. there really isn't much better... audrey (my wife) and i were talking about the love of God and the fall of mankind the other day. we were wondering if we know the full extent of God's love more than adam and eve did, because we know what God did for us, how far He did go for us, how much love He showed us through His Son. But at the same time adam and eve were in full contact with God, nothing separating them, no sin in the way to muddle things up. i'm not sure, but i do know this, that i am so incredibly greatful for what God has done in my life, that i want to do everything in my life that can bring honor to him.

Thought for the blog:

"People want the truth, but never want the scars"

goodnight

My Grandpa's Bible

A small handheld Bible that he used for communion.

The New Testament and Psalms.

Very worn, a black cover with a snap to keep it closed.

The legacy of faith passed down to the next generation.

II Timothy 3:16 is inscribed inside:
"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness."

Thought For The Blog:

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is my body." And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink ye all of it: For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."

peace

My First One

Today is a gorgeous day in Iowa. One of the better ones we've had lately. The sun is shining, and it's about 57 degrees. All the leaves are falling from the trees, which means I have to rake them all up, which I hate by the way.

I think I will create a "Thought For The Blog" each time I write one of these. So here goes...

"Be Generous With The Things God Has Given You."

Peace...