I have just finished reading a book that I believe every American should be required to read. No matter what your beliefs, value-system, socioeconomic status, or political slant, this should be mandatory. Obviously that will never happen, so I'll just encourage you to read it.
The book is titled "Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption" by Laura Hillenbrand. The title states most of what you need to know, but as the story unfolds you become captivated by these men and their struggles to survive. God's grace is a subtle undertone that explodes at one point near the end of the book. I am humbled to live in a country that took such sacrifice to maintain and uphold. I regret not serving in the military. I am ashamed of my generation of men, compared with the World War II generation and the caliber they were made of. I am thankful to worship a God who was in control on the darkest day in prison camp and who is control of my silly daily struggles. I promise you...if you read this book it will change you, and you will be a better American because of it, and be drawn closer to God through it all.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Monday, January 3, 2011
the dreaded new year reflection blog
how many hobbies must one man have?
well...too many for sure.
here is my list...in no particular order:
outdoor activities in general, mountain biking, longboarding, freebording, hiking, fishing, firearms, shooting, hunting (specifically flying objects like doves and ducks), pipe smoking, coffee brewing/drinking, bicycling to and from work, beer drinking, triathlon, weight lifting, camping, reading, guitar playing, scotch whisky drinking, songwriting, golfing...is that it? hmmmm i thought there would be more. i'm sure there are, i've just neglected to remember them...oh yeah, jeep driving/4x4ing/mudding/trail riding....
of course these are simply my hobbies, things that add to the general flavor of my life. things that make me ...me. things that reflect God's creativity when creating me. these hobbies are not the most important things in my life. not even close. some of them i haven't been able to do in so long i'm not sure they should even qualify as a hobbie anymore...like golfing....i THINK i can still swing a club...but i don't LIVE for any of these hobbies. I live for God. I live for his glory. I pursue these hobbies because he has created me in his image. the same God who created blowfish and eagles....polar bears and ants...and the wilderbeast....have you ever looked at one of those things? some people claim they were put together from spare parts...one things for sure, they prove God has a sense of humor.
I don't LOVE my hobbies, nor do i live for them...
I live for my God.
I love my God.
I live for and love my wife, my girls (all three) and my family.
I am thankful for the ability to run, ride, laugh, smoke, drink, taste amazing food, laugh with friends and enjoy the amazing beauty of God's creation.
i am glad for 2011...and almost afraid of what new hobbie i may discover...but excited about what that will show me about myself, and about God.
well...too many for sure.
here is my list...in no particular order:
outdoor activities in general, mountain biking, longboarding, freebording, hiking, fishing, firearms, shooting, hunting (specifically flying objects like doves and ducks), pipe smoking, coffee brewing/drinking, bicycling to and from work, beer drinking, triathlon, weight lifting, camping, reading, guitar playing, scotch whisky drinking, songwriting, golfing...is that it? hmmmm i thought there would be more. i'm sure there are, i've just neglected to remember them...oh yeah, jeep driving/4x4ing/mudding/trail riding....
of course these are simply my hobbies, things that add to the general flavor of my life. things that make me ...me. things that reflect God's creativity when creating me. these hobbies are not the most important things in my life. not even close. some of them i haven't been able to do in so long i'm not sure they should even qualify as a hobbie anymore...like golfing....i THINK i can still swing a club...but i don't LIVE for any of these hobbies. I live for God. I live for his glory. I pursue these hobbies because he has created me in his image. the same God who created blowfish and eagles....polar bears and ants...and the wilderbeast....have you ever looked at one of those things? some people claim they were put together from spare parts...one things for sure, they prove God has a sense of humor.
I don't LOVE my hobbies, nor do i live for them...
I live for my God.
I love my God.
I live for and love my wife, my girls (all three) and my family.
I am thankful for the ability to run, ride, laugh, smoke, drink, taste amazing food, laugh with friends and enjoy the amazing beauty of God's creation.
i am glad for 2011...and almost afraid of what new hobbie i may discover...but excited about what that will show me about myself, and about God.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
