3 years ago…I married Hailey Solena Trachsel…life has NEVER been the same since, and I’m glad!

So to all you mother’s out there. And if you have a mom (which you probably do) shame on you for reading my blog on her special day.

At its inception, my blog was about my life…engaged then married…in university then starting work…no kids…then kids.  My wife’s blog (which is not getting more daily hit then mine b/c she’s smarter, prettier and just generally better than me) focuses on our family, our life and everything in between.

In years past, I’ve walked the line between full-time ministry (still hate that term) and working in the corporate world.  That said, after much consideration, I have decided to change the focus of this blog.  What am I going to talk about?  Well…there’s not way I could possibly answer that now, as I am sure a year from now I’d be way off!  BUT, I can say this: the blog is going to focus on my life, but more in what I am learning and the stuff that I deal with on a regular basis.  Some of the topics I really want to dive into include: “Being Young.”  I get asked to often about what it’s like to Be so young and: Married, Have a Kid, Own a Business, etc.  My first response is always “Not easily,” giving God the glory for what He has done and continues to do in my life.  Pride is a tough thing when your young.  The world says “conquer me…then brag about it,” but God’s world says “die to self, live for eternity.”  WOW, is that not contradictory!  That said, I’m going to kick off the “new focus” with a series called “Being Young” in which I’m going to dive into different areas that I have experienced and what I have learned as a result (both the easy and hard way).

I hope that this new focus will better help me to get into words the lessons I learn daily, and hit the world of blogging from the perspective of a young entrepreneur that also loves Christ.

In post discuss’ how things (inspite of what we try to tell ourselves) don’t always end up “okay.” The line “change, by definition, changes things” for sure resounded with me, especially in the context of working through a job change and such. The fact is, I/we try to tell ourselves that change is okay..change is good..and although both those things are true, the fact that change is difficult and/or sometimes makes you feel like crap gets tossed to the sidelines.

While I’m on the “Seth Godin Topic,” I found his take on the concept of invention/medium evolution to be very interesting. Although not original, the phrasing sheds new light on an aged old concept. Here’s how Seth said it:

1. Technicians who invented it, run it
2. Technicians with taste, leverage it
3. Artists take over from the technicians
4. MBAs take over from the artists
5. Bureaucrats drive the medium to banality

I’ve heard the “early innovators rarely get paid” before, but to stage-out the process of business/concept evolution like this helped me in framing the illustration and ideas of the concept itself.

I’m sure that “leaving” becomes more manageable as you do it more, but never (hopefully) becomes easier.

All that said, my time in Dallas was great. Here’s a couple pics from my time there…

The “Old” Texas Stadium from the freeway

And last but not least…1 of 4 Delorean’s used in Back the Future…it was…SWEEET!

It was a great trip. Met a lot of great people, ate a lot of great food…Go Cowboys!

I’m going to Dallas for work for a week.

It’s definitely mixed emotions.

Excitement is mingling with Anticipation

Leaving the known for the unknown.

It’s tough leaving Hailey and Stella behind…but I’m excited for the adventure that’s to come!

Here’s what I’m REALLY excited about….

I’m going to Dallas…aka Home of the Dallas Cowboys. Although I won’t get to go to a game…just being that close…very cool!

I really struggled with the whole thing. There’s something about getting in your car after someone else has just rummaged through it that makes you feel…uncomfortable. My golf clubs were the only thing taken (which we’re not cheap to replace!), but I found myself really clinging to James 1 in thanking God through this trial and praising Him for His faithfulness (no one was hurt, no damage to the car, etc.)

As I looked back on the whole incident, I was struck with a parallel in my own relationship with God.

God calls us to live blamelessly before Him, pursuing holiness. As I drove in my car, I couldn’t help but feel like I was riding in a ’sin-bin.’ There were a few minutes during the night before, where thieves had been where I was now sitting with the sole purpose of stealing from me.

Sort of reminds me of my sin. Everything I have and am is because God has ordained it and allowed it. My health and possessions are His alone. So I guess when I don’t take care of my body, or blow money on foolish things…or worse…take pride in something that isn’t mine to begin with…I look pretty silly.

It would be like the guy that stole my golf clubs…would he feel a greater sense of accomplishment having worked and saved to buy them (like me) or from just stealing them…?

I know the example isn’t perfect, but it does put things in perspective. I feel ripped off because someone stole my golf clubs. How much more is God ripped off when we misuse the life that we have in Him.

Just some food for thought.

I saw this on a friends facebook. I guess he found it in a bookstore or something. Makes you wonder…is it really that easy to get something published? I’m contemplating ripping some bark off a tree in my backyard and seeing if someone will publish it for me…I’ll write my name on it and maybe “God wants us all to be like tree bark.” Think of the potential!

Click HERE and HERE or HERE for other great ideas…

(okay, the 3rd one is a joke)

The Internet, and technology are such a huge part of my life…for business, for social networking, for everything…SO, for this week, it all comes down.  I am handing my  iphone and macbook pro to my wife and will replace the time with family time, reading and prayer…it’s exciting.  THIS GUY did this for a month and seemed to have a breakthrough…here’s hoping I don’t quit my job when I come back like he did :S

See you in a week!

A question I’ve heard over the years to describe “important” events in history.  9/11, JFK Shooting, the most recent Tsunami and now…the death of Michael Jackson. For me, not quite as big as big a deal a catastrophe like those other events, but still…the dude was a legend.

I was golfing yesterday afternoon, and within minutes of the story breaking, the Cart-Girl told us that he had died…

As I thought about it (and all the worship of a man that was about to ensue) I thought about how crazy it was that the “King of Pop” was now about to meet the “King of Glory.” Even as I write this blog, with the T.V on in the background, I hear a old woman crying about how she is heartbroken and doesn’t “know how she can move on…” as Michael was “everything to her…”

How Sad.

We so quickly exalt these sinful men and women to iconic levels. My dad and I were talking yesterday and he said something that really made me think. As we discussed the TRAIN-WRECK that is Michael Jackson (“Wacko Jacko“), my dad said that MJ was really the perfect picture of the TOTAL “depravity of man. From icon to nut-job, the guy was worshiped in spite of his sin and was held in a place that is reserved for the God of the Universe ALONE.

So where does that leave us?  Well, I am left saddened that this pop-legend has now MET the living God and SEEN how his life was such a waste!