Note to Santa

Our kids have never really been into Santa. This year Alina wanted to leave sweets for him. I don't think she expected any gifts from him––not even in her stocking. She just wanted to leave him something to eat.

Her note to Santa said:
Dear Santa,
These cookies and milk are for you.
Do not take the dishes.
Love, Alina and Sam

Serving Christmas

This year we wanted to do something different for Christmas. Instead of simply giving money to an organization, we agreed as a family that we wanted to spend time touching lives. So, we did. We found an opportunity to spend time at a nursing home while dinner was being served to the residents.

It sounds "nice." It was extremely hard. Some residents were able to attend dinner in the main dining room, and some even had family who came and ate with them there. That isn't the dining room we were assigned to. We were assigned to two small dining rooms. The two where many were not coherent. Of those that were coherent, most were suffering from dementia.

We were encouraged over and over by the staff how much the residents loved having us there. That it really meant a lot to them. I had to trust them, because it didn't seem to make a difference.

Jean and Sam spent time in one, Alina and I in another. After 45 minutes we teamed up and went table to table as a family. Christmas day showed me once again just how compassionate Jean's heart is for people. Her smile was contagious, and her caring words did make a difference in that place of little hope. She is so gentle, loving, and kind. She is great example to me and our kids. What takes great effort on my part seems effortless to her. Jean was the ray of warm sunshine in that place Christmas day.

The Second Gift of Christmas

Yesterday when I returned home, Jean's mom told me that a package had arrived and that she put it on our bed. I thought that perhaps it was a shirt that I had ordered for Alina with her school's logo on it. Instead, and even better, it was a red Captain Canada t-shirt from none other than Kevin Baker. That gift brought a big, big, big smile to my face. Today, I am wearing it with Canadian pride.

The First Gift of Christmas

My mom had some of her Super 8mm film converted to DVD for me to have as a Christmas gift. I loved seeing me as a baby. I cut and pieced together some segments from the DVD with me in them to form the clip below. The first woman you will see is my Aunt Jan. The first man, my dad. The woman holding me tightly, my mom. The dude at the end wearing the "too much information yellow swim suit"––no clue.

People of the Second Chance

Mike Foster talks about being People of the Second Chance. In his recent blog post he says,

"As People of the Second Chance, here are a few of my suggestions:

1. You have so many words that you can share in a day. Decide whether they will be about blessing or cursing someone.

2. When someone is caught in a scandal, I visualize two buckets that I can fill. I can add to the “Shame Bucket” or the “Second Chance Bucket.” Sometimes my first/easy/fun/human nature response is to fill the “Shame Bucket” so I have to work harder not to do that.

3. For all you online peeps…write your articles, blogs, tweets, and comments as if the person in crisis (and their family) were reading it. Why? Because they do! And the jokes, snarky comments, sloppy facts and flippant remarks hurt people. Instead, devote your computer keyboard to the restoration of people.

4. Refuse to participate in the gossip session around the water cooler. Or better yet, jump in and turn the conversation towards grace and second chances. Btw, just plan on being called a “buzz kill” and not invited back to any more social functions.

5. Realize we are either part of the judgment problem or the grace solution. But we can’t be both. So choose wisely."


I am thankful for the Second Chance People in our lives:
• Johnny and Angie
• Kevin and Kari
• Brian and Karen
• Anne and Andy
• David and Heather
• Kurt and Kelly
• Tim and Cole
• Steve and Molly
• Howard and LindaJo
• Terry and Roxanne
• All of the mountain biking guys

Each of you are indeed the People of the Second Chance!

Tripp and Tyler Thanksgiving

You know my LOVE for Tripp and Tyler, and their "Don't Be that Guy" films. Happy Thanksgiving!

More Developments

Like I said in my previous post, we got film developed. It is crazy to see how much Sam and Alina have grown.

First, Sam:









































And, Alina:

Snorkle

This weekend we decided to finally get some film developed. We had three underwater cameras that needed developing and two rolls of 35mm film that had who knows what on it. We haven't shot 35mm in YEARS! This photo is from our 10 year anniversary trip to Cancun. That trip was certainly the highpoint of the 2005.

My Biggest "OH CRAP!" Moment of the Semester

So, this morning I had my biggest "OH CRAP" moment of the semester. A few weeks ago our Theology professor bumped the due date of our research paper from 11/18 to 11/23. Somewhere in there I was thinking that 11/23 was the Monday AFTER Thanksgiving, not the Monday BEFORE Thanksgiving. 11/23 is a week from today! OH CRAP!

I'm really tired. Tired to the point that I feel like there is nothing left in me that can be written that could possibly make any coherent sense. Ugh!

Ethics in the Workplace

The country has recently had to deal with several "high profile" ethics issues in the workplace. The ethics issue in the workplace has recently focused around people in high position having sex with those in lower job positions. David Letterman, the baseball analyst for ESPN, etc. But, has the ethics issue at Babyland General Hospital ever been brought to light?

For those of you not familiar with it, Babyland General Hospital is the place where Cabbage Patch babies are born. This morning, I'm holding one of Alina's Cabbage Patch kids while eating breakfast. The baby's Cabbage Patch birth certificate is on the table. I'm eating, holding the baby, and reading. To my horror I see that Xavier Roberts is both the hospital's chief of staff, but also the child's father. (See both pictures below.) Further, for the child to be "genuine," the birth certificate says that "Xavier Roberts" must also be tattooed on the Cabbage Patch's bottom. What is going on at Babyland General Hospital? And, exactly what kind of man is this Xavier Roberts?

Innovation Cultivation

This article entitled Innovation Cultivation has been linked by several leadership blogs I read. And, I am not sure that it could have come at a better time. It is in harmony with a lot of what I have been thinking about lately (well, besides all the papers I'm writing over the next several weeks). Enjoy!

A Fun Reason to Take the Stairs

I could totally see my friend Andy doing this to the stairs leading to his new studio.

That Will Leave a Mark UPDATE

So, yesterday when I posted the videos I realized that they were at the wrong size to be fully seen. I have resized them, so if you'd like to see all of what was happening on the right side of the screen, take another look. You should be able to see just about all of what was going on in the videos now. Enjoy––again!

That Will Leave a Mark

A few weeks ago Jean and I were at Catalyst. The theme of the conference this year was "On Your Mark." Well, at the beginning of many sessions we were treated with two videos by Tripp & Tyler of "Don't Be That Guy Films," and two very creative people who attend Northpoint. Those guys are the most hilarious people. Below, are the 10 "That Will Leave a Mark" clips (2 per segment). They get funnier as they go. Enjoy!

Your Party

Windows 7 is here! Who is hosting your launch party? Seriously!

Tips from a Baker

When we lived in Michigan I loved spending Halloween with my friend Kevin Baker. He has a heart for people. He would set up a portable firepit and have hot chocolate for the parents to stop and warm up. He did this for two reasons: to love, and to be able to have a conversation with them.

Last year, being in Seattle, I missed hanging with him. For a week or more he talked about having the hot chocolate delivered. I could only imagine that it came in a truck like the one pictured. Just add several million hot chocolate packets to the water truck and let it mix while it travels down the road to Kevin's. We missed hanging with them. We called their house and Jean got to talk with Miss Kari for a while last Halloween night.

This year, my friend will be in China for Halloween. And, this year I decided to pick up his torch. I went on Craig's List and purchased this firepit for $35 (a sweet value considering THE THING IS HUGE!). We tried it out last night by roasting hotdogs and making smores. I am looking forward to lighting this thing up Halloween, and having some hot chocolate ready for two reasons: to love, and to be able to have a conversation.

Kevin: I love ya like a play cousin!

A Journey With Your Best Friend

This movie looks great! I am looking forward to seeing it. Best friends taking a journey together.

If you were taking a journey with your best friend, what would it be? Of course, marriage is a journey, but that isn't the answer I'm looking for (just like in Sunday School, the right answer isn't always JESUS!). Think crazy big! What would a journey with your bestest friend look like?

Paddle to Seattle Trailer from Ben Gottfried on Vimeo.

WOW!

WOW! It is hard to believe things like this still exist.

What is Motivating You?

The Motivation No One Likes to Credit is a very good and interesting must read. Be sure to read the entire post. Don't let the photo of Michael Jackson with Fred Astaire detour you from what the post is truly about.

Airplane

The first day of Catalyst is over. It was a great day. It was a great day to be with Jean and talk through the great things going on in her life. So good.

I do need to share a story about the airplane. Yesterday we get on the plane in Seattle, and just as I'm walking on the plane, two maintenance guys are walking off––one carrying a roll of duct tape. I wonder what he fixed with that. Never mind, I really don't want to know . . .