New look!

That black one was a bit too drab. This one is way more chipper.

A qoute worth reading...

“Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world’s grief. Do justly, now. Love mercy, now. Walk humbly, now. You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it.”

- The Talmud

I ran into this today while I was killing some time before work. Friday's are a slow day here at Century Business.

If you're like me aren't very familiar with what the Talmud is go here. It's interesting an educational! Whowza! Thanks wikipedia.

It's interesting how God's desire for His creation hasn't changed between the Old Covenant and the New. It's even more interesting how we're no different than Isreal. We suck at living it out.

Cheers!

And the baby is...

a healty little girl. We're super excited. Names are pending but we're thinking about Nora. Middle names anyone?

I'll post the pictures we got when I can pry them out of my wife's hands long enough to bring them to work and scan them.

Speeding tickets...

Nothing quite like getting what you deserve...

Turns out that there's a speed trap up right by where 177 Highway (i.e. Bill Snyder Memorial Highway). It also turns out that you should pay attention to speeding signs instead of fiddling with your radio and looking at the cars around you. Luckly, the officer was quite kind and respectful -- and beyond that gracious and gave me a far lesser ticket than I deserved. Turns out grace can be found in the most unlikely of places. So here's to you officer. Thanks for both ruining my day and reminding me of the goodness of grace all at the same time.

Overall, it's a pretty good thing that I got my ticket. Well... except that my insurance will probably get way more expensive and I owe the state of Kansas $126.00. But, I got the rest of my hour drive to reflect on how this small example of somewhat painful grace is a small reflection of the grace that I receive every second of every minute of my life. I deserve a lot more than the small (probably non-existent) "hard knocks" I think I get all the time. And to think, God's grace doesn't even cost $126 dollars. It only requires the surrender of "my" life...

But then again, it's also the only place that I can find life as it's meant to be. It's kind of a strange, beautiful paradox. Now maybe if I could learn to express the gratefulness I expressed to a cop for granted grace that saved me a few bucks to the God who's granted a grace far more costly and beautiful.

But I guess that brings me back to giving up the mud pies that I like to play in for a wonderful holiday by the sea (thanks C.S. Lewis...).

It's my prayer that we could all learn to live in the fullness of life that grace offers to us... and more than that to be 1/2 as thankful for it as we ought to be. How easily that's lost in the hustle and bustle of work and accidentally going 20 over in 45 mile and hour zone on 177. How easy I forget. Luckily, God throws me cops who only write me tickets for 10 over when I deserve a bigger one. Reflections of the goodness of God's grace can be found all around. I just need to slow the heck down and see them.

Praise be to the God of Redemption who pours out grace on mud caked little boys like me who want so much to be like Him but just loose site when the mud covers our eyes. Praise to the God of Restoration who pulls us out of the mud and slowly washes all the mud of so that we can turn into a reflection of Something far more beautiful so that others can see the beauty of who Redemption is and find completion there. Praise Him.

Happy Birthday Eli...

Today's Eli's first birthday. It's crazy how fast a year's gone by. It's pretty fun thought... I've watched that little guy go from a fragile premie to a crazy little guy with a personality all his own. While Eli was a bit of an unexpected joy, every day I realize a bit more how perfect God's timing was in giving him to us. That kid just gets to be more and more fun every day. Eli's birthday probably means more to me and his mom than it does to him... but we had a lot of fun. Me and him went out to lunch at McDonalds. That kid pounded back a whole milkshake and a half an order of fries. It's his favorite lunch... Don't worry, he NEVER gets to eat that normally. But it was fun birthday lunchtime. I love that we're our own family and can kinda make up things like birthday traditions as we go along. Happy 1st Eli.

Anyways... here's a few fun photos. One from day 1 and one from today. Scroll down to the post below for some fun pictures of Eli having at his birthday party cake.

Cheers!

Mmmm..... cake....

As promised...

Eli's First Birthday Party...

We had Eli's first birthday party this weekend. It was tons of fun. I love my kid. The real deal is Thursday... I can hardly believe it's been a year already. Wow.

Anyways, here's a picture of Eli two fisting his cake. Messier more fun photos coming soon... stay tuned.

KP

The end of an era...

Today marks the last day of Kevin Porter's employment at the Bluestem Bistro. It's quite a sad day. But, as well as they treat me here at the Bluestem... coffee shops just don't pay the bills for a soon to be family four. So, I'm hanging up my apron...

After spending two weeks training my replacement... tomorow is my full time first day at Century Business Systems. It's bittersweet... but a part of life.

So here's to you Bluestem. Thanks for the fun ride.