I Love This Picture

I get to go on vacation with these two girls, now granted they are a little bit older but I will always remember them like this.


It is always fun when they are all together. Someone brakes out cards or some game that makes us all laugh hysterically, there is always a bowl of M&M's or some snack that I will regret eating. But needless to say it will be fun. So I can't wait!!!

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Philippians 4:5

S - Philippians 4:5
Let your reasonableness be known to everyone.The Lord is at hand;

O - Reasonableness is the acting and living with reason. A better way to put it would be to say, "Don't be unreasonable to anyone". There are also no specifics as to whom one can be reasonable to or not, it simply states. . . Everyone. Also the Lord is at hand, His kingdom comes can be one interpretation but also another could be that he is right there next to you, always there for you, guiding watching protecting.

A - I very much struggle with this !!! Not only do I tend to be very unreasonable at times, but when I am, my "reasonableness" can vary based on the mood, the recipient, and even the situation. I need to be reasonable with everyone, equal and the same.

P - Lord, help me and give me strength and patience to treat others with fairness and reasonableness. . . . EVERYONE.


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Just Some Thoughts. . . .

I just wanted to put some thoughts down on the eve of the retirement of a good friend of mine. Bill has been a medic partner, a fire captain, a supervisor and many other things to me and a lot of other people in this department. I do not think that there is a person in this department who has not been influenced in one way or another by Bill. He has precepted paramedic students, and trained rookie firemen and one of his last accomplishments is that he gets to walk out of here on his own two feet, healthy and happy. I cannot even begin to imagine what it must feel like to know that you almost never have to look at a shift calendar, or wake up in the middle of the night (unless YOU have to pee) or even drive the 91 during rush hour. I can't wait. I think it is the adventure of the second half of life. A change. I will post pictures of the party that we are having tomorrow partly because it will be a time of celebration but also because there will be quite a few of the "other ones". Those who made it to retirement healthy and happy, come to collect one more into their fold!!!!

Congrats Bill!


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Philippians 4:4

Philippians 4:4
S - Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.

O - To me the one word that sticks out in this verse is the word "always". Yes, we should be rejoicing in the Lord, but how often is that rejoicing constant??? We need to be in a constant state of rejoice. Good times and bad, whatever comes our way. "Always" rejoice, again I will say, Rejoice "always"

A - Very much of what I said above. Our rejoicing needs to be constant. Even when we are down or things are not always going our way, the act of rejoicing needs to always occur. In good times and bad!!

P - Lord, I rejoice in you, help me to always keep you in the forefront of my thoughts and to rejoice in all that you are.


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Climbing

I have a feeling that this summer is going to be an awesome summer. Why, you ask? Well here is what I know. I have been rock climbing with Zachary twice and now Shelby.





I have been on the boat wake boarding twice and am going again on Monday. I have taught two people who have never been on a wakeboard to get up and move outside the wake and Zachary and I have already tried and almost completed a flip.


Also a trip to San Diego, Indio and anywhere else I can drag my family. I have a feeling that in am going to have a great summer or spend a lot of time in the ER!!!



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Location:Hanger 18

Again . . . . Really!!!!!!

Once again I came home from work and Father's day no less, I find this. I have been in heaven this whole week!!!!!


Also 10 lbs heavier:o


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Graham Cracker Chocolate Bars

When it is good it is good!!!!
When I got home on my birthday these were waiting for me on the table



15 minutes later, the pan looked like this.......


Needless to say that by dinner time there was only a few bars left for dessert. It was awesome. Cindy had it out and ready by the time I got home knowing that it was my favorite and that there was a good chance they would not make it past lunch time.

She's awesome!!!!!!!

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The Birthday Cake

So what I didn't know was that of all the people that you DO NOT tell that it is your Birthday, your co-workers are not in that category. They find out and when you least expect it, they surprise you and one of them buys a cake and another the candles and while they might not sing the happy birthday song, they do light the candles and their hearts are definitely in it.






Little did I know that no sooner did I blow the candles out, I was wearing most of the cake!!!!







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The Day

So yes, if you haven't already heard June 15th was my birthday. Number 49. Not quite a half a century but getting closer every day. So let me get straight to the point..... It was a great day. Let me describe it for you.

I left from work in the morning at around 8am and just before I left I was rushed by my fireman and an engineer who had found out that the day was my birthday.
My friend Allen bought me my first cup of coffee at Starbucks on the way home.
When I got home, I found this!!!!





Gifts and my favorite dessert, chocolate Graham cracker cookie.... Wonderful....stuff....

Then this.........




Which ultimately led to this.......




And this........




And even this ......




It was an awesome time. And when I got home, an awesome dinner and the movie "Battle Los Angeles" (total dude movie). And then, and I will have a whole other blog post for this one, but I was inundated with what seem like over a hundred "well wishes" for my birthday on Facebook !!!! People from all different times of my life, current firefighters and retired firefighters, people from my present church and from old Calvary days. I even got a Happy Birthday from a girl I went to kindergarten with!!!! (but like I said that will be a whole other post).

What an awesome day!!!!. Thank you to everyone who played a part and especially to my family and my beautiful Cindy!!!!!





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The "48" Years of Life

It is just past midnight on June 14th which can only mean one thing. . . . . It's my birthday (June 15th). And for those of you how have seen how gray my hair is, I am proud to say that I am still in my 40's . . . Barely!!!!
49 is a good year for a few reasons, for instance it is the last year before fifty. Or, it still is a ways off for social security checks. Ok, I reaching, but 48 has been a hard year. A lot of learning and a lot of stretching and growing and not all of it easy. Here are some of the highlights.....
-Zachary went to and graduated from a fire academy
-Alyssa moved back from Colorado and got a job at Kaiser
-Shelby moved into junior high
-Jenna got her drivers license

Things I learned....
-What honesty and openness "really" look like
-What heartache and struggle feels like
-How Grace and Mercy really work
-Parenting is a continual struggle with both joys and pain

Things I have appreciated.....
-A God who still loves me in spite of all my faults (and I have a lot)
-A true friend who came from left field and showed kindness at dark time
for me, with no questions or judgement, simply cared!!!
-A family who continues to stretch my boundaries of parenthood
-A wife who has endured 20 years and hopefully will for 20 more
-A job that has shown me things I don't ever want to see again but has
also opened my eyes to the reality of the real world we live in
-The brotherhood of firefighters I have the privilege to work with

These are some of the things, some of the many things that are on my mind as I turn another year older. I would like to think I am just a little bit wiser, maybe a little more discerning but those things can only be verified by the people who love me, live with me and interact with me.

Thank you "48"




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The Climb

Zachary and I went here this afternoon. It is a place called Hanger 18. It is a rock climbing gym. Walls and walls of climbs and holds, short ones, real long ones, some easy and a lot real hard. My forearms will never be the same. I've climbed for years, started back in the day (that's how Zachary says it), of the granite stone masters. But this was fun, total fun and a big part was that I got to climb with Zachary, just he and I. We got a month membership so I hope we get to go a lot more..... Together!!!




And my forearms will look like Popeye's!!!!!


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Location:Hanger 18

Making the Cut

Ever since Zachary has been away at the fire academy and now that he is home, he has been keeping his hair short, short, short!!!! Now don't get me wrong I like that fact that he has been keeping it short. We used to fight him all day and night cause he wanted it long and wild and not that he wants it short all the time we couldn't be happier. And every now and then he gets a little creative. Like with this little mohawk number he trimmed up all by himself.




Problem wasn't that he shaved it into a Mohawk, it was probably the "J" he shaved into the back of his head.



Jenna was real happy!!!!!!

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Spack

I think that everyone needs a certain kind of friend. Someone who listens, someone who will correct you when you are wrong, someone who you can bounce ideas off of and someone who is not afraid to kick you in the butt when you need it the most. Most of the time they have many of the same likes as you, but still enough differences to make life fun.

I have this friend, Spack, well his real name is Mark. A pastor, he lives a long ways away and I don't get to see or hang out with him, as a matter of fact I think that it has be about a year and a half since the last time I saw him. I also haven't talked to him in ages it seems, but that is because I have been negligent. I need to be a better friend. I miss my brother.

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The Most Beautiful Girl

I found this picture hiding out in my photo album on iPhoto. It is an awesome picture of an awesome girl. . . . . A happy girl. . . . A beautiful girl. This is another of the photos in my "Favorite Photo" files.




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Eric The Mechanic

There are a few people who pass through this world and while they are not presidents or heads of state or movie stars, they have a big impact on your life. Almost everyone will have need of them at some point and finding a good one is like finding a pot of gold!!! A good dentist is one of these people. No one ever really wants to go to the dentist but when you find a good one it makes it just s little easier.
         Another person is a mechanic. We can spend thousands and thousands of dollars and still hear that ping in the engine or feel the shudder in the suspension. But a good mechanic and I mean a real good mechanic works with you, tries to save you money, honestly wants to make your life a little easier. I found one of those!!! A real good guy by the name of Eric. A mobile mechanic, he comes to the station picks up my broken car and brings it back fixed or with solutions to fix it. He is invaluable. He has integrity and is honest. He doesn't advertise but he works solid cause all of his customers won't give him up. I know this sounds like a shameless plug but I'll be a consistent return customer. He's just that good!!!

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A Good Day

Today turned out to be a very good day. After a long ride home (riding a bike to save gas), I ran errands, did small projects around the house. But the best news came as I was sitting at the dodge dealership get my "free" oil change (first good news of the afternoon). I've had a shuttering problem with my FJ Cruser for a time now and after taking it to my mechanic (Eric Minor, awesome awesome dude), he was able to diagnose my problem and with only 1000$ out of my pocket was able to get a completely new transmission that would normally have cost 3000$-5000$.
I then got the news that the boat, which didn't work at all last season, was up and ready for the summer!! It's going to be a good summer.

I was juggling a lot of things this morning and by the afternoon everything started to come together. Not a bad day!!!!

Now if I could just get my back to stop hurting !!!!!!!




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6/8

S - Ephesians 4:1-2

1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,

O - To walk in a manner worthy of the calling. How we live, what we do, what we say, should all be in a manner worthy of our calling. And what is our calling? As sons of God. To walk in a manner that shows who we are.

A - In my life. In my dealings with family and especially at work I need to be separated, a light that shines. Not just one of the crowd but someone who people notice a difference in.

P - Lord give me the courage to stand out and stand up for you. Help mento walk in a manner that is pleasing and worthy of your love.


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The Beginning

This blog is a record of the quiet times and reading that I should do on a daily basis. Using the acronym SOAP

S = Scripture…ask God to reveal a scripture to you that He wants to highlight for you and then write it down.
O = Observation…what stands out the most about this verse.
A = Application…write down how this scripture can apply to your life
P = Prayer…write down a prayer to God about this verse

It is my hope that this becomes a journal of the daily conversation that I have with Jesus!!!

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Footloose

Well the play season is firing up again and the Spring show this year is Footloose. I love these shows. There is an incredible amount of talent in the kids on stage and the time and effort that they put into these shows is very apparent.




The backstage crew have become good friends. To be behind the scenes, to watch and participate, is a lot of fun, total fun.




And this show has more polyester than I've ever seen in my life

Worship

This is another of the things I enjoy. . . Thousands of people raising their hands in church.


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I Enjoy. . .

I recently penned a blog entitled "I Like. . . " which listed numerous things that I found appealing.

I decided to continue that thought but change it to things I enjoy. Things that make my heart sing and cause me to smile.

So here goes. . .

I enjoy. . . Spending time with my family
I enjoy. . . Dates with my wife
I enjoy. . . Watching my youngest daughter raise her hands during worship
I enjoy. . . Worship that means something, that is alive, not stifled, ordered and contrived
I enjoy. . . My pastor who speaks the truth about the gospel of Jesus Christ
I enjoy. . . Watching people come forward, make decisions for Christ and be baptized.
I enjoy. . . Talking to people and getting to know them
I enjoy. . . Seeing new places
I enjoy. . . Airports because there is traveling done there. People coming and going.
I enjoy. . . A working structure fire because it stretches and tests me.
I enjoy. . . Firefighting (See previous post)
I enjoy. . . Friends who help me when I am down and don't judge me when I falter
I enjoy. . . A home that loves me

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The Brotherhood

I am constantly reminded of the friendships and loyalty to the guys I work with and the brotherhood of Firefighters that goes beyond the boundaries of departments.
A fire firefighter dies in San Francisco and we are affected. 343 firefighters die in New York and the firefighters in Venice, Italy, as well as the rest of the world and we are impacted (I saw that first hand). Experts call it the "foxhole" mentality. That the guy next to you, fighting fire, risking their lives, seeing and experiencing the same carnage, living in the same foxhole, is your "true friend", your brother. At times you may not like them or they get under your skin, but in times of need and when all the world is in chaos, they have your back. They carry and support you all the while knowing that you would do the same for them.

I am proud to be called one of the brothers.


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Location:Fire Station 34

The Fountain

I remember when I was a kid and we would play in the sprinklers and make paper boats for the gutter. Anytime we had water flowing through our yard, my brother or I were somehow in the middle of it. I would have died happy to have this happen in my front yard. Died soaking wet and happy.

This is a sheared hydrant in Placentia !!!


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I Like. . . .

I like. . . . Chocolate
I like . . . Sleeping in
I like . . . Family gatherings
I like . . . Firefighting
I like . . . My family (all of them)
I like . . . Reading
I like . . . How I feel after a good workout
I like . . . Conversation with . . . well. . . Anyone
I like . . . Deep conversation
I like . . . Knowing
I like . . . My church, Crossroads
I like . . . The mountains and the beach at the same time (water and snow sports)
I like . . . Sushi

. . . and did I say. . . I like Chocolate!!!!


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Location:Station 34

My Sister

I see sick people every day. I
comfort them, help them, talk to them and sometimes just pat them on the head and tell them that everything is going to be ok. It's easy for me, it comes naturally and I don't five it a second thought. But when it is someone you love, you family, then everything changes. My sister, Lori, went in to the hospital with a pain in her shoulder and side. By the time she got through the ER, they had diagnosed her with bilateral pulmonary embolisms, blot clots in two different lungs. . . Scary. Real scary. Potentially very very dangerous if not caught in time. But this time they did. And now after a few days in the hospital, she is home, resting comfortably. Whew!!!! Thank the Lord !!!!


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My Day of Reading

So now I am here at work for the next 72 hours. I think that I am going to practice my reading skills so I found a pile of books to fill my days here. I will blog on Sunday saying how many pages I actually read.

I'm going in!!!!

Wish me luck!!!!!


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Happy Birthday Jenna

Well there you have it. She has had her drivers license for one year and she lived to see her 17th birthday. Miracles do happen.



After an awesome dinner at Outback Restaurant, we headed home for some Wii Dance Dance Fever and Jenna's favorite ....... Lemon bars. Happy Birthday baby!!!!!
Love, Dad ;)


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The Wall

Today while we were cleaning the garage, I found that Zach had found a bunch of my fire "stuff" and decided to put it all up on a wall in the garage/gym. It is an instant classic. He hung everything he could, pictures, certificates, badges, helmets and even stuff of his from Yuba. He calls is the wall, only fire stuff go on the wall. I can't wait to get more of his "stuff" on the Wall.


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