Parable of the Hiking Father & Children

One of the things I love about living here is having the opportunity to hike. But something that makes life even grander is when my kids express that they want to hike with me.

While the last couple of weeks have been quite hectic, with tornados and all, I did find time to go hiking with my kids on two separate occasions. First, a few weeks ago, Liam and I were itching for some alone time together, so when I mentioned that I was going hiking Monday morning, he asked in his 2-year-old voice, “Can I go hiking with you, Da?” How could I resist?

Liam and I parked at the Overlook Parking Lot, and hiked about a mile up the PMT and back. He did really well for a 2-year-old, and I only had to pick him up and carry him about a half a mile back. Hiking with a 2-year-old on your shoulders is no small feat, so I got quite a workout. He and I ended our trip with a picnic. The benefit of doing this is that when I got him home, he was exhausted and slept for 2 hours! Read more

The Wedding of the Century

Did you know I got to perform the “wedding of the century?” No, I was nowhere near William and Kate’s nuptials. This was a different kind of celebrity wedding between two incredibly important people (at least in my household):

Ken & Rapunzel

You know Ken, former paramour of Barbie, who I think at one time was married to the doll diva. I guess I should have checked that out in pre-marital counseling. The bride was none other than Disney’s Rapunzel from the hit movie Tangled. Who would have thought that these two were even in a relationship? Read more

Tai Goes to TAP

Being 6 years old allows you to do many more cool things during the summer. First, Tai got to go to Mini-Camp at Camp Mikell. This week, he got to attend TAP (Thompson-Pound Art Program). The last two years I’ve been involved in TAP, Tai has joined me on the last day or so to get a hint of what TAP is all about. This year, Tai got to participate as a full-time “tapper.”

I’ve never been a part of anything quite like TAP, and to watch Tai go through it was really amazing. The point of TAP is to teach children that the world doesn’t have be full of violence, discord, and hatred. Instead, we can celebrate our differences and learn to respect and listen to one another. Art becomes the common denominator for all these children from different socio-economic backgrounds, religions, and cultures. Tai learned this in a number of fun ways. Read more

Here’s What I Drew This Week

And now here’s a little segment we call: Here’s What I Drew This Week.

I don’t draw every week, although I probably should, and probably more than once a week. But in the rare times that I get to sit and doodle, the most difficult part is finding the inspiration to be creative. I have found recently that the things that inspire me the most and the things that produce the most satisfying translation to paper are my children. Read more

Youth Christmas Party 2009

This year’s Youth Christmas Party was a blast! Peggy and Doug Martin hosted at their home in Pine Mountain Valley. Everyone brought appetizers, which ended up being quite the feast! Terri Townsend led the youth in a ton of fun games including the Santa Suit Hunt, the Christmas Bow Challenge, Blindfolded Cookie Decorating, and Hide-and-Seek for Fr. Jeff. Throughout the night, the teens accumulated points to be used in the final game, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas Dirty Santa, where they had gifts that they rotated whenever their special word from the story was said. Sheila Dixon took the littler ones and played Pictionary and other games with them, as well as making some beautiful Christmas ornaments. Afterwords, Father Jeff led a cold worship service on the back porch, reminding the teens of the discomfort Mary and Joseph must have felt being stuck out in a manger.

Many thanks to all the parents, youth leaders, and especially the youth who came and participated! It was a great night! Below are some pics of the event: