Amazing grace

Our pastor interviewed Jay Feely, kicker for the AZ Cardinals recently. This guy has an amazing testimony...but what makes it interesting to me is the fact that his life was changed by his own brother, who lived with a severe medical disability very similar to Joe's, except without the vent. Ironically he passed away at the age of 26, just like Joe.

Why this matters -
Jay's story is much like my own daughters, who grew up with this incredibly challenging situation in their own home. Others on the outside probably thought this would wreck his life, just like they thought it would wreck our own daughters' lives. But as we all heard this past month from their own testimonies, and as you will hear if you watch this interview, the results were quite the opposite.

I am so proud of my girls, I could just burst. They are so on track and amazing in so many ways. God gave us the best gift he could ever give in light of our own difficult circumstances...he used a very bad thing for good. Now, THAT'S amazing grace.

You will want to watch this for sure:
http://www.sunvalleycc.com/sermon/jay-feely/






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Exercise

Im pretty sure my oldest two daughters are tying to kill me. Perhaps they think that if they knock me off they will get some small inheritance or something...maybe I never told them that anything I do own goes to their mother.

But if you ask me there is definitely something going on along these lines.

It all started when Danielle was out here and just politely asked me if I wanted to do a workout with her...she is just happily going the workout and Im huffing and puffing.

Im a firm believer that whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger...but...

By the time the video was over I'm lying on the floor barely breathing, and almost past out. Seriously, I could hardly move for like 5 minutes, no 10 minutes. I get up and crawl away.




Then she's not done yet, she keeps sending me these workout videos links from fitnessblender.com. So I set out to do them and BAM...I have near-death experience #2. And 3, 4, etc.... Here are today's -- you'll get the idea.

http://www.fitnessblender.com/v/workout-detail/No-Burpee-HIIT-Cardio-and-Abs-Fat-Burning-Bodyweight-Cardio-without-Burpees/fs/

http://www.fitnessblender.com/v/workout-detail/No-Equipment-Upper-Body-Workout-for-Great-Arms-Shoulders-and-Upper-Back/hk/

http://www.fitnessblender.com/v/workout-detail/Booty-Blaster-Killer-5-Minute-Butt-and-Thigh-Workout-Challenge/ci/

Now this would be well enough, but then Jamie starts with 'Hey everyone, whos up for this 30-day PLANK Challenge"...sending it to her young, energetic sisters and just happened to copy her old, decrepit father. Could you imagine doing a plank for 30 days??!!? So of course I say "I'm in". Now I'm lying on the floor setting a timer for 20 second, then 30...etc.

So if you THINK you're in decent shape, and you want to find out for sure, just hang out with these girls. They will really make a man outta you...or you''ll die trying.

Seriously - I'm heading back to watching Hallmark movies!

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Location:S Cardinal St,Gilbert,United States

Thank you, Jesus

This has been an incredible week.  There are no words to say that would express the emotions, no compete thoughts that can capture the mixture of sadness, of joy, of being lifted by friends and family.  

Our son, our only son, has gone home to be with Jesus - and all I can say is thank you, Jesus.  Thank you for many years of having him with us, for the highs and lows, ups and downs.  For life itself.

Soon we will have to figure our how to proceed from here...to make life count for the rest of our time here.  But today I just want to relish in the life of a great man.  A son, a brother, an uncle, a cousin.  He will be remembered.  

Ready, set.....slow

It started out with a foot that needed fixing, so we prepared for surgery for weeks. As you know my lovely wife can't stay still. She goes and goes, like the Everyready bunny. So things were going to have to be a little different for a while. This little diddy is what makes it all happen. This scooter was delivered a few days ahead of time and sized appropriately.





Following the surgery Vickie had to take it easy. One day resting in bed is all it took, then she was up and in the living room chair. It is really a miracle but she has had almost no pain!


So she is up and at it again, now a little slower. She has to sit quite a bit but is really self sufficient during the day save for a little help now and then I'm working from home for the week). We went out to the park on The weekend, and to the Dr's on Tuesday

Take a look at this video and it will tell it all (thanks to Jamie our photographer, for coming and doing her OT thing with shower and motoring consultations).

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What I do

I have been asked so many times by family members to describe what I do at work. It's a technical job and hard to explain.

Once when the girls were young, I brought them in for "Take Your Daughter to Word Day" (notice daughter didn't have an "s" at the end. I frankly can't remember which of you girls came). I gave them a tour and they participated in the group activities, but when those were done they spent the rest of the day on my swivel chair doing stuff at my desk (you can imagine the chaos) while I attempted to work. I'll never forget the report at the dinner table that evening.

Mom - did you have fun today?
Girls - oh yeah!
Mom - So what do you think your father does for work?
Girls - Oh, he has a great job! He plays on the computer, talks on the phone, eats lunch and goes to the gym!

Even recently when Vickie has been asked what I do, she is almost at a loss for words even though I've described it several times. I'm not sure I can blame her, really. And since she listens from the other room when I'm on conference calls from time to time, she says it sounds like this:

Bruce - The ABC gets connected to the XYZ, and then...(she only hears my half of course).

Well, it's not really like that, you know. In fact, this week I came upon a great video that aptly describes this kind of technical work (or at least what it sounds like to her) which I just had to post. Enjoy!

The Turbo Encabulator (you won't want to miss this)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLDgQg6bq7o


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10,000 days

My days left counter hit a milestone on Saturday - I have exactly 10,000 days until my 85th birthday!  Don't start thinking, what a morbid guy just yet...

So should I worry or fret?  Nope - I went out to celebrate!  Dinner at a fabulous steak place with my lovely bride.

There is a saying - don't count your days, make your days count.  And that is exactly what I'm doing. There is almost no chance that I will die on my 85th birthday.  Some that it will be before and some that will be after (I have great genes in the family).  Who knows.  I'm just making the best of it all now while I'm here.

Cheers!

Double Header

We had back to back weekends with our two domestic grandchildren. Boy was that fun. I know our older girls have quite the joke going on about us needing a break after a short time with one grandchild(how did we ever raise five?). Well this week was double the fun. We played and played. Of course we had to do a little spoiling too.

Now we need a rest ;)


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