How Tough Can It Be?

I once had a friend whose moniker was, "How tough can it be?".

It didn't matter if we were talking about skiing, skydiving, jewelry making or selling insurance - his response was always the same.

So today, as I come home from work, I see my son Dylan taking apart his laptop computer on the living room floor with a Leatherman multi tool. Apparently, there was no pressing need to do this; he just wanted to give it a try.

When Dylan was about 7 years old, he received as a gift a ballpoint pen that could write with any one of four different colors. Before he even used it, he completely disassembled it.

I can appreciate this urge. there are times when you are just randomly compelled to take something apart.

After about half an hour, his computer was back on the table - up and running.

After numerous frustrating attempts, the pen, however, was never able to be reassembled.

Potty Mouth

I read about a lady the other day who got arrested.

Her toilet overflowed, and in her panic and frustration of witnessing her kitchen below receiving the soaking result, she let out a profanity laced tirade. Well, this is when the trouble really started. Her neighbor did not appreciate this assault on her ears, so she warned her to cease or the police would be called. The profanity continued - the police arrived. Before the night was over, our verbal venting plumbing challenged woman was arrested for disorderly conduct. By the way, the neighbor was an off duty police officer.

Now, the ACLU has decided to get involved to represent the accused, since they feel she has the right to say anything she desires in her own home.

OK. Sometimes we need to just step back and look at things a little differently. For example, how would this story be if the neighbor would have decided to go over and help unclog the toilet and clean up the mess. I suppose I would not have read about it in the newspaper, but what an opportunity to do something for someone when they really need it.

I need to start realizing that I have a choice in how to react to a situation with another person.

As it has been said, "the harder thing to do and the right thing to do are usually the same thing".

Madeline Grace

Today has been a great day. As you can see, I am compelled to display a photo of Madeline Grace Fuehrer with her favorite guy (that would be me).

We had a really good message in church this morning, then came home.

Ben, Cassie, Madeline and Aunt Annalee came over to our place today to watch the Packers defeat the Redskins.

Pizza - Chili - Cookies - Coffee - Packers win.

A good day.

Jon's Place #2

Here's another video from Jon Troast. I like it because it's about being on the road

Have Church? Will Travel

A few days ago, I was working on a cabinet installation in a commercial office. The painter was scheduled for the same day, so we ended up working around each other most of the day.

He didn't know me, or anything about me., but he asked me where I attended church.

As we began to discuss things, he told me that he goes to a different church every week. His goal is to attend every church in the city (Rockford, IL). Apparently, there are about 150 different churches in the Rockford area, so this effort will take him about 3 years to complete. He started last Christmas Eve.

I guess this would prove interesting, but I don't think I would enjoy it.

There would also not be any real sense of satisfaction for me.

I don't recommend this to anyone... maybe he is a professional on a closed course.

Communication

My wife and I spent a weekend at the Family Life marriage conference titled "Weekend to Remember".

I think 5 of the 14 sessions dealt with communication. Not just how to communicate, but when, why and about what.

Overall, the weekend was really a fun experience together. The two main speakers were very powerful, humorous and compelling.

One of the things I realized is that we seem to have the notion that good marriages can automatically happen and just materialize before our eyes - kind of like Kirk and the away team beaming down to the planet surface.

In reality, we accept that the successful things in our life have required effort and conscious, deliberate action.

So, I'm starting to accept the fact that my information about communication should probably stop coming from the world of sports.