Enjoying each moment

Had a conversation with a new buddy today.

He said something that is true:  "Life is really short....so it's important to enjoy it."  Though when taken to an extreme, this sentiment can quickly become the meaningless pursuit of hedonism -- that the only good thing is my pleasure...or what makes me happy.

Though, when held in tension with the wholehearted pursuit to live life sacrificially and "love thy neighbour like Jesus did"....this is a truism I can get behind.  My buddy is right...life is short....don't miss out on taking time to enjoy it.

We are SO ENJOYING our time here in Coeur d'Alene

It's the simple things really:

loads of time together

easy runs

time in coffee shops

....and watching our kids explore every part of the establishment 

(yes...we are, occasionally,  "those parents")

Most of all...we are enjoying this season of rest. 

Thanks God.

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Ironman Vlog #15 - Coeur d'alene 2013

Heidi shares her fears, frustrations, and puts things in perspective in our journey towards Ironman
....this video was filmed a few weeks ago....

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A real hug is supremely satisfying

When you hug each other....hug em' like you mean it.

Squeeze tight and it'll feel satisfying.  There are few better things than a satisfying hug....it's somehow better than a kiss, I think.  

Ever hugged someone who wasn't interested in body contact?  ....it sucks.

My kids are huggers. I like that about them.

Someone said to me the other day, "they're such snuggly kids."

Hug em' like you mean it

....and you'll be smiling for days.

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Ironman is this week....

In six days, our sweat may mix with our tears…and there is a possibility we may need extra Gatorade to replenish what was lost. At this point, after all this training, a year’s worth of six days a week swimming, biking, running – an average of 15 hours weekly – it seems like we sweat Gatorade. We sweat electrolytes and cry lemon lime.

It’s taken a lot for us to get here. And I suppose doing all of this training - balancing parenting of young kids, ministry, and friends in the mix of it all - makes us feel like Ironmen already.

But we do hope to cross the finish line, and hear those famous words,

“Joe and Heidi, you are an Ironman.”

In six days, we will swim 2.4mi/3.8km, cycle 112mi/180km, and run 26.2mi/42.2km, all in sequence in one continuous push…with 17 hours to finish before being disqualified.

Our hearts and minds tell us we can do it…I hope our bodies agree.

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Where is home?

Home is where mom and dad are.

This is altruism when it relates to kids. But something happens when we get older. We begin to leave mom and dad and cleave to someone else. And that process is a good thing. In fact, it’s a biblical mandate. But I’ll tell you…I sure enjoy the stage that we’re in.

While in the Dominican Republic, our kids entered into a new culture, a different language, like champions. They never skipped a beat. When we struggled with culture shock – cultural dissonance – they adapted. They always looked like they were at home.

Home is where mom and dad are. 

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Rockclimbing, Parenting, and Creativity

For us....they belong together.

Let them climbing things....it's good for their soul.

Here, Elizabeth climbs with her friend Rueben.  

Climbing is fun because it forces creativity.  When you find the creativity that's in you...you'll soon discover the spirit of adventure right on it's heals.

My creative space....^^

Our greatest adventures always come on the heels of creativity in the vertical terrain.

May it never cease!

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The 2 Girls in my Life

I ask both of them, regularly...."Do you love me today?"

It's not because I'm unsure of the answer.

And it's not because I'm fishing for a compliment to soothe my insecurity.

It's more simple than that. 

I ask because I want them to hear my reply, "Thank you for your love.  I love you too."

So thankful for their love this morning. 

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Collecting moments...not things.

If you want to see 4 recent pictures of our kids...scroll down.

If you want to know why we picked these 4 pictures to show....read below.

If you want to know what all these pictures mean when seen together....read the last line.

We either run away from our childhood or we run deeper into it...we're praying for the latter.

We didn't ask him to smile and we never have to. 

At her core, she is a helpmate -- both helper and companion.  

Eyes speak too.  We're listening.

Our kids' ordinary moments tell their true story....and one day we'll read it to them so they'll remember.

Follow @joeandheidi **Pics courtesy of our friend, Rachel.  

Picture My Day: This is What Satisfaction Looks like

Today I watched my kids play at the bottom of big granite walls, my wife climbing up thin cracks, and my friends cracking jokes under a warm Squamish sun. Satisfaction doesn't just hide in the heart...it shows up in the face.

I hate spring....

People in Vancouver are saying it's Spring.  

Spring.  Whatever.

It's winter.

They can wear their shorts and and wind breakers all they want.

Go ahead...put on your SPF and avoid that cancer glow.

You want to wear sandals?  Fine.  That's weird though...

because it's winter.

I'll prove it to you.

I went backcountry ski touring recently

That white stuff you are seeing, all around, is snow.  From Winter. 

It's winter snow. 

See my touring skis?

They just ate a snickers bar

because when they get cold from winter

they need to burn calories to keep warm

because it's Winter

And see that peak on the left?
It's called Round Mountain.

and it's covered in snow.

tree skiing

....in the Winter

is fun!

We're wearing jackets because it's winter

and we're skiing on snow.

and snow....

is cold.

I mentioned to Oliver, my backcountry ski partner,

how happy I was that it was still Winter skiing season and spring hadn't ruined Winter yet

and he told me there was something called 

Spring skiing.

Don't mess with me.

It's Winter.

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Her mistake...

She ruined.....everything.

While we weren't looking, she threw a LARGE ball of play-doh into the dryer amongst all the wet clothes.  That ball of play-doh got smaller and gooier as the hour drying process cemented the evil compound to every piece of clothing in the load.

EVERY piece of clothing - socks, underwear, shirts, pants.....everything.  Ruined.

I didn't yell....but I thought bad things.  

OK, maybe I yelled.  Honestly, I can't remember.  Anger has a way of blurring your vision and memory.  Convenient forgetfullness.  

I deserve to enact my wrath.....right?

Now, I hear you, blog reader, thinking, "But Joe and Heidi....it's only clothes."  Yes.  We agree with you.  It's the ONLY CLOTHES WE HAVE!  Ruined.  I deserve to enact my wrath....right?

No. The answer is no. 

When I've deserved God's wrath....I've got his forgiveness.  

Forgiven people forgive people.

So I told her I forgave her. 

And plus....who could withhold forgiveness from this face?:

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Hiking with the spirit of adventure

An adventure is a state of mind....not just an activity.

I've needed an adventure and so did my buddy James.

We were of one mind -- go explore

So we headed to the Cheakamus Canyon area out of Squamish, BC 

to find....something.

hours of bushwacking (read: trying not to get eaten by the forest, off trail) ensued.  It was war.  

We won.

A beautiful summit.

Adventure.

Over the years we've had some really fun adventures -- skiing, hiking, alpine climbing.

Today followed suit.

"Oh no!  Weather's changin'."  "We'd better get off this summit."

"Now, how do we get down?"

Adventure.

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What is baptism for?

Hope deferred makes the heart sick but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life - Proverbs 13:12

On Easter, some from my church community gathered for a sunrise service overlooking English Bay, Downtown, and Vancouver's North Shore mountains. Stunning.

I baptized one of my students named, Andy.  One day I'll let him tell his story on my blog... In the meantime....let's just say he was unwilling to defer any longer and he longed to step into a new and public chapter of his Faith in Jesus.

In the meantime, let's talk about Christian baptism.  From my perspective, baptism is important for at least 4 reasons:

1. It is a rite of initiation.  Before baptism, a person may be a christian, but they are "sitting on the bench".  Baptism, launches them into the game.  They are a full participant in the kingdom of God after baptism.  
2. Baptism is a public declaration of an inward reality.  It is a signifier that our sins have been paid for on the cross and that we experience a bodily resurrection at the coming of Christ.
3. Baptism is a sacrament (visible form of grace) in public worship.  It is to be a sign, in the context of worship, that points us towards glorifying God and putting him on display.  Thus, it is to be done in public (especially with the family, christian or non christian, present if possible) and more importantly, in the context of community worship among the people of God.
4.  Baptism is a duty.  Jesus instituted it and commanded us to do it in His name.  Thus, for a real christian, there is no reason to stay unbaptised.  Upon faith, we are to be baptized.  

Those 4 points too complicated?  Not enough points?  

OK...how about this.....

Baptism in a nutshell?  Jesus goes public to the Father about his love for Andy. That He has adopted him as a son and is in a relationship with him through the Holy Spirit. So Jesus made Andy public to the Father. Baptism is about us making Jesus public to one another. So today, it's Andy's turn to make his love for Jesus, public. By being there ready to be baptized, Andy is saying, "Jesus is my Lord and I want to make that public."

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