Anita finally got to reading last Sunday’s newspaper (yes, that’s how far behind we are) and she cut out this comic for me. I just might give this one a try because it’s how I feel when I drive with the kids most days…

Don’t worry if you feel like this sometimes too…a little humor makes things better.

I voted early yesterday. No lines. Long ballot. I’m done (but I still have to listen to all the stupid commercials…oh well, can’t have everything I guess).

As I have been thinking about voting this week I started thinking about what my own presidential platform might include. Here are a few of my most important “issues” (some serious, some not so much…you figure out which is which):

1. My first act would be to outlaw all pennies!
2. I would repeal the income tax and switch to a consumption tax (see Fair Tax.org).
3. I would outlaw all political ads during election season (like they do anything besides make people angry anyway).
4. I would re-institute prayer in schools (at least the option).
5. I would make the Broncos the official “America’s Team” (who gave Dallas that title anyway?).
6. I would Drill Baby Drill!
7. I would make Chuck Norris my Secretary of Defense (and State, and NSA, CIA, and FBI).
8. I would give every person in America hunting season off (for that matter, let’s do a 3 day work week!).
9. I would outlaw usage of the term “organic” with very few exceptions.
10. I would move Craig Ferguson to time slot I could actually watch.
11. I would give North Dakota to the Palestinians (like we’re really using it anyway…and it’s bigger than the West Bank with more resources).
12. I would cut government spending and programs by at least 1/2 and I’d probably let my kids decide what we should do without (yes, even they could figure this one out!).
13. I would bomb France and give it to the Shiites (mostly because France annoys me).

I think that’s a good start. Anything I missed??

PS: Don’t forget to vote…especially if you want to complain about it later! You can even write my name in if you want.

I got this in an email this week; I don’t care who you are…this is funny!

I haven’t talked much football yet this season, so here are a few musings and thoughts that have been rolling around my brain…feel free to comment on any and all that you like…

1. Will the real Peyton Manning/LaDanian Tomlinson/Terrell Owens please stand up!
   
   Seriously, would you have bet anything that these guys would perform so poorly this year?  In the meantime we have guys like Trent Edwards playing lights out? Something just isn’t quite right with universe right now.
2. How exactly do these guys still have jobs: Romeo Crennel, Marvin Lewis, and Herm Edwards?
   
   This is especially questionable given that the 49ers just fired Mike Nolan. These coaches have had plenty of opportunity with plenty of talent to make stuff happen and they are not getting done.
3. The Denver Defense should be forced to wear pink jerseys until they man-up and start playing “big boy” football. 

   It’s getting downright embarrassing! How many years do we have to put up with this garbage? They have talent (as much as most other NFL teams) so is it coaching or is it simply desire?

4. Jay Cutler needs to shut his mouth about John Elway and Philip Rivers and FOCUS on football. 

   Hopefully he got a little slice of humble pie last night once again and he decides to screw his head back on and do what we’ve seen him do…tear defenses apart. It seems like once he started getting some attention it went straight to his head and then his head exploded.

There ya go…I feel much better now!

Two weekends ago several guys travelled up to the middle of Wyoming for our now annual Antelope hunt. There were four of us on that trip. Two of us had buck and doe tags (Virgil and I), two had doe tags (Justin and Nick). Within our first hour of getting to our area Virgil had his buck and he filled his doe tag the next day.

This was Nick’s first hunt and he filled his doe tag on the second day of the hunt (after having a shot at 150 yards he didn’t take because he couldn’t settle down ). I wasn’t actually there (Virgil was his “guide”) but I hear it was a nice shot and it was a good-sized doe.

Justin wasn’t able to fill either of his doe tags (VERY unusual for this hunting area…just wasn’t his year I guess). I filled my doe tag on the second day. I had a shot on a buck the first day as well as the second day, but missed on both shots!! I could not believe it (and the first one was a very nice buck). We had to leave a little early because of some weather that was moving into the area (they actually got quite a bit of snow so it was a good decision).

However, that left me without a buck (since I couldn’t hit one to save my life). So, I went back this past Saturday to give it one more try. Another buddy of mine (Brett) was up there as well. I hunted alone in the morning with no luck and met up with Brett t about noon. I had one more stalk left so I headed out while Brett packed up his camp (he had shot his buck the morning prior).

Long story short…after a 2 hour stalk on a group of 75 antelope I finally got my first buck ever. The pack-out was brutal but in the end it’s always worth it. I didn’t have a camera with me in the field (couldn’t find it before I left) so here are some shots from home (not the greatest, but you get the idea):

He’s about a 12 inch buck (not great, but not bad either). I dropped him off at the taxidermist yesterday to get mounted (you gotta mount the first right?). The bad news? I get him back in about a YEAR! But the wait should be worth it. We (Justin, Nick and I) head out to Craig in two weeks for our deer hunt so hopefully there is a monster buck in my near future.  And if not, I’m sure there will be plenty of tales to tell.

I know this video isn’t going to win me any “nice points” but I dare you not too laugh. Hey, at least it isn’t your kid! This HAD to hurt!

Bike Pole

Happy Friday!!

PS: I did not get a buck last weekend (missed on two of them…doh!) so I am heading back up for one more try on Saturday. Wish me luck! (I did get a doe so it wasn’t a total disaster).

You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one.
You do not want a burnt offering.
The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.
You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.
Psalm 51:16-17, NLT

This is one of my favorite Psalms. It shows King David’s more “human” side. His repentant heart poured out to God after his sin has been discovered and revealed by a close friend. In the middle of his confession to God, he utters the words above.

They are very much like Hosea 6:6, which I have blogged about before. This question about what God really desires is intriguing to me. Even in the Old Testament God demands a sacrifice, but here again someone who knows God intimately knows that the ritual of the sacrifice (just following the rule) is not enough. God wants more. God requires more.

God wants more than just our obedience (although He wants that too). God wants more than our “just enough” religion. He wants more than a piece of our lives.

He wants it all…He wants our heart, mind, soul, and body (I think I read that somewhere).  This is not an easy God we are dealing with here. He doesn’t let us off the hook easy. He requires sacrifice…and then some. Giving Him my time, money, and skill is one thing. Giving Him everything is something else. And that’s what He wants. He wants me…and He wants you.

I am not even sure where to start this post. I have wrestled with God on this subject more times than I care to admit. But He won’t let it go…of course, He shouldn’t let it go. I’ve even talked to Anita about it. I have the best of intentions, but I am failing once again. And I’m failing at something that I cannot fail at…it’s too important.

So I am once again (not this is not the first time: Exhibit A) confessing my failure and asking for your prayers to do better…to ACTUALLY do better.

At the beginning of the year (or the end of last year if you want to be technical) I set out two resolutions for the year (you can read the entire post here):

1. Getting to Know God Better: This one has actually been a huge success…thank you Lord!
2. Developing better Family Devotional Habits: This one is where I am failing. I just cannot seem to make this one stick…and it is my responsibility. I can’t point the finger at anyone else. My only excuse? BUSY. How stupid is that? I can find time for all sorts of other things, but not one of the most critically important things in my life–my kid’s spiritual development????  W.R.O.N.G

So, I begin again. I admit that I am starting with a serious lack of confidence on my part. I am going to try to make things much simpler…no gimmicks, no “fancy” devotional book. I simply want to spend time as a family reading God’s Word, talking about it and Him, sharing what’s going on in our lives, andspending time with God in prayer together. I want my kids to know, love, andwalk with God—that really is the deepest desire of my heart.

Perhaps I am making it more difficult than it has to be. For sure, this is a spiritual battle (that I have lost up to this point). So I leave the results in God’s hands, but I have to get moving. Too much is at stake. Sigh…pray for me!

During my devotional reading this morning I had a “light bulb moment”..two actually…

Here was the first:

We see a strange phenomenon in our culture: Jesus is almost universally respected as a “good teacher,” yet His actual teachings—many of them, anyway—are almost universally reviled.

There is a lot of truth in that statement, and I had not noticed the oxymoron before. How can people say Jesus was a great teacher and then throw out everything he taught? Here is number two:

Much of Christian life is tension between two impulses: the desire to be liked and respected by the world, and the desire to know God and be like Jesus.

That’s toe-stepping stuff right there. I must admit to being guilty of this fighting this tension often in my own life and spiritual journey. I wish I could even say I think I am usually on the right side of the tension. Once again, more to work on in my walk with God.

In case you’re interested, the passage that these two quotes are in reference to is Matthew 10:17-25. And the devotional itself is At His Feet. I highly recommend this devotional if you are looking for one.