Ok. Enough with the rain already!!!!
If Texas secedes from the Union, would the Texans and Cowboys have to secede from the National Football League?
Favorite new quote: "Failure is only success in finding out what doesn’t work."
People have an opinion on everything... just ask ‘em!
Why are we not driving flying cars yet?
Why am I sticking with the Padres as my favorite baseball team when I can’t name more than 2 players on the team this year? Oh yeah... because I still hate the Cubs and Cardinals!
Why am I so tired?
I like doing nothing. But doing something is more rewarding.
Friends who don’t like something, but understand why you are doing it are the best.
I find those who have to "one up" your story to be very annoying and will avoid them at all cost.
I am so proud of people who are willing to quit their current job to return to school and change the course of their lives. (Like quitting a Probation Officer job to go to law school to become a lawyer.... or something.)
My dream job would entail talking before large groups of people... I love speaking in public. My toast last week at my brother’s wedding reception was off the top of my head with little preparation. I should Utube it.
I hope the Republicans can get someone young and articulate to step up to the plate by 2012. (JC Watts?)
Some people just don’t know when to keep their mouths closed!
I really feel "stimulus-"ed. I am still loving this "change!"
Friday, May 1, 2009
Are You Ever Not Happy?
There’s something to be said about "genius". It comes in many shapes. My daughter correctly and on cue will finish the following statement by saying "a genius!" - "My dad is _______." She is so smart and insightful!
Tonight Amanda, my mother and I went to Paducah for the final concert of the "United" tour with Michael W. Smith (MWS) and Steven Curtis Chapman (SCC). It was an early Mother’s Day present for my mother and was Amanda’s first real concert with lights and smoke and loud music. Amanda was quite taken with the whole experience and was very much into the light designs and smoke. I was very much looking forward to this concert as these guys had never sung together prior to this tour.
I may be a genius in Amanda’s eyes, but these two guys are real geniuses when it comes to musical talent and writing songs. It is fun to watch people who are that good do what they do best.
The other part of the concert experience was an overwhelming sense that Cindy would have LOVED it! These two guys, next to Rich Mullins, were the guys that we had probably seen more often than any other Christian artist. It was during college that our campus ministry group went to the Rock Church in St. Peters, MO for a SCC concert. It was on the way back from the concert around 1am that I remember Cindy looking at me and saying "are you ever not happy?" (Cindy and I were not dating at the time.)
The concert took an especially emotional turn when Geoff Moore walked out to sing with SCC and MWS. Geoff Moore is a Christian singer who used to have a band named "Geoff Moore and the Distance" and they had an album out about 15 years ago which included the song "When All is Said and Done." That album, and specifically that song, was the last CD played in the hospice room immediately prior to Cindy’s flight to heaven. Needless to say, as soon as Geoff hit the stage, I was a sobbing advertisement for Kleenex.
And to answer the question that I know so many are wondering.... No, I didn’t get to meet the guys backstage. I was disappointed, too, but there’s always the golf tournament in August!
Tonight Amanda, my mother and I went to Paducah for the final concert of the "United" tour with Michael W. Smith (MWS) and Steven Curtis Chapman (SCC). It was an early Mother’s Day present for my mother and was Amanda’s first real concert with lights and smoke and loud music. Amanda was quite taken with the whole experience and was very much into the light designs and smoke. I was very much looking forward to this concert as these guys had never sung together prior to this tour.
I may be a genius in Amanda’s eyes, but these two guys are real geniuses when it comes to musical talent and writing songs. It is fun to watch people who are that good do what they do best.
The other part of the concert experience was an overwhelming sense that Cindy would have LOVED it! These two guys, next to Rich Mullins, were the guys that we had probably seen more often than any other Christian artist. It was during college that our campus ministry group went to the Rock Church in St. Peters, MO for a SCC concert. It was on the way back from the concert around 1am that I remember Cindy looking at me and saying "are you ever not happy?" (Cindy and I were not dating at the time.)
The concert took an especially emotional turn when Geoff Moore walked out to sing with SCC and MWS. Geoff Moore is a Christian singer who used to have a band named "Geoff Moore and the Distance" and they had an album out about 15 years ago which included the song "When All is Said and Done." That album, and specifically that song, was the last CD played in the hospice room immediately prior to Cindy’s flight to heaven. Needless to say, as soon as Geoff hit the stage, I was a sobbing advertisement for Kleenex.
And to answer the question that I know so many are wondering.... No, I didn’t get to meet the guys backstage. I was disappointed, too, but there’s always the golf tournament in August!
Monday, April 27, 2009
Courious George Makes Pancakes
I have a question for you Dr. Phil-wannabes and counselors. Should you put yourself into situations which you know will be emotionally painful, or should you avoid those situations all together when you can?
That scenario came about this weekend. Saturday I loaded up the kids and headed to two events that have long been a staple of the Howerton’s Spring. First, we went downtown and ate at the Lion’s Club (not to be confused with the Lion’s Den!!! Totally different - or so I have been told!!!) Pancake breakfast under the big tent. Amanda loooooves to do this event every year and this year the weather actually panned out and was absolutely beautiful except for the near gale force winds that blew all weekend. We always bring up the fact that they could have used Curious George to make the pancakes like in the book we read. This was Luke’s first trip, I think, and he will know now to look for the big blue and yellow tent next to the train tracks for a good breakfast. Next time, though, one of you have to come with me to help with the logistics of a stroller in grass, a fidgety boy, a girl with syrup-flavored hair while trying to navigate the trip to the table with 2 styrofoam plates, 4 pancakes, 4 links of sausage, 2 cartons of milk, and 2 packets of utensils while trying to explain that the tent was not going to fly off like a kite. (I learned that if I eat prior to going my stress level is much lower due to a full stomach.
After the adventure in pancake-land we went home prior to going to the Cardboard Boat Regatta at SIUC campus lake. This yearly event (which was started at SIU many years ago) was one that Cindy and I tried to go to every year. Most years it was either too cold or too rainy to make the trek to watch cardboard sink. Amanda reminded me that she and Cindy went there last year. I am sure the SIU Yard Sale at the Arena had something to do with that!
Anyway, this year I was fairly ok with going.... we were meeting friends and really didn’t think much about how emotional it might be until Amanda melted down on me just before we left for the lake. I calmed her down but I was upset because she had been upset. After we got there, this flood of emotions came over me.... it wasn’t just the cardboard that tugged at me... it was Bucky’s Dome pavilion. You see, that dome near Campus Lake was where I had proposed to Cindy. It was there that she said "I think I am going to throw up." It was there that I ended an argument and started the path that I am on now. I took Luke for a walk away from the group I was in and headed to the new walking pier on the lake. I totally blew off that group with no explanation and had a few quiet moments by myself. My apologies to the friends who I left wondering what was going on. I was mostly ok, until Amanda joined us for our walk and wanted the proposal story again as we walked by Bucky’s Dome.
Again, is it better to avoid those situations which are painful to the bone, or best to avoid those? I say if you can get through the pain... all the better. Pain equals memories and memories equals a life I was a part of.
After all I also enjoy eating pancakes under a big top, sinking cardboard, and geometrically shaped pavilions.
That scenario came about this weekend. Saturday I loaded up the kids and headed to two events that have long been a staple of the Howerton’s Spring. First, we went downtown and ate at the Lion’s Club (not to be confused with the Lion’s Den!!! Totally different - or so I have been told!!!) Pancake breakfast under the big tent. Amanda loooooves to do this event every year and this year the weather actually panned out and was absolutely beautiful except for the near gale force winds that blew all weekend. We always bring up the fact that they could have used Curious George to make the pancakes like in the book we read. This was Luke’s first trip, I think, and he will know now to look for the big blue and yellow tent next to the train tracks for a good breakfast. Next time, though, one of you have to come with me to help with the logistics of a stroller in grass, a fidgety boy, a girl with syrup-flavored hair while trying to navigate the trip to the table with 2 styrofoam plates, 4 pancakes, 4 links of sausage, 2 cartons of milk, and 2 packets of utensils while trying to explain that the tent was not going to fly off like a kite. (I learned that if I eat prior to going my stress level is much lower due to a full stomach.
After the adventure in pancake-land we went home prior to going to the Cardboard Boat Regatta at SIUC campus lake. This yearly event (which was started at SIU many years ago) was one that Cindy and I tried to go to every year. Most years it was either too cold or too rainy to make the trek to watch cardboard sink. Amanda reminded me that she and Cindy went there last year. I am sure the SIU Yard Sale at the Arena had something to do with that!
Anyway, this year I was fairly ok with going.... we were meeting friends and really didn’t think much about how emotional it might be until Amanda melted down on me just before we left for the lake. I calmed her down but I was upset because she had been upset. After we got there, this flood of emotions came over me.... it wasn’t just the cardboard that tugged at me... it was Bucky’s Dome pavilion. You see, that dome near Campus Lake was where I had proposed to Cindy. It was there that she said "I think I am going to throw up." It was there that I ended an argument and started the path that I am on now. I took Luke for a walk away from the group I was in and headed to the new walking pier on the lake. I totally blew off that group with no explanation and had a few quiet moments by myself. My apologies to the friends who I left wondering what was going on. I was mostly ok, until Amanda joined us for our walk and wanted the proposal story again as we walked by Bucky’s Dome.
Again, is it better to avoid those situations which are painful to the bone, or best to avoid those? I say if you can get through the pain... all the better. Pain equals memories and memories equals a life I was a part of.
After all I also enjoy eating pancakes under a big top, sinking cardboard, and geometrically shaped pavilions.
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