800km on a bike...can someone say, "saddle sores"?

Big day coming....
160km and 11,000 feet of climbing
It's called Vancouver's Triple Crown

Just waiting for a free Saturday with stable weather.

Stay tuned....


It's these types of rides which are helping me prepare for a big ride I am doing this summer, trying to help raise money for a Church plant on Vancouver's Downtown Eastside.

I'll be riding with these good friends (Jay and Trevor)

800km over 6 days

from Calgary to Kelowna 

Amount Raised:	$420.00 (42% of my goal)
Fundraising Goal:	$1,000.00

Here is the church I am raising money for....

I'd love to meet my goal!

Consider helping give a tax receiptable donation HERE! 

It's really easy to do...online - secure - and fast :)  I really appreciate it!

Follow @joeandheidi

A wee little date night....climbing in Squamish

We have really nice friends

They called and said, "how about you bring the kids to Squamish....we'll babysit and you guys go climb something fun"

WOW!!!!!

So Mr. O showed Elizabeth how to slackline

and Mrs. R showed Josiah how to chillax under Squamish sun

and after some time hanging out together....

Enjoying GOOD company....

It was time to give'er

We truly LOVE Squamish.  The SUN and granite make for exciting date nights

We did a new route named, Rambles, which was put up by Jeremy Frimer and "the diggers"....a group of very committed route developers in the Squamish area.  We actually met Jeremy at the base of the climb and he recognized us from our blog!  

Rambles is a BEAUTIFUL route and a very easy access to the Squamish classic, Diedra. 

The top pitch had a lizard in the crack...

I like lizards

....but not in the crack that I'm about to jam into

date nights are best when love and adventure collide

....when that happens, good things are created...

These are good days.

Follow @joeandheidi

I struggle to answer an IMPOSSIBLE question....

Follow @joeandheidi

North Shore Triathlon 2012 - Race Report

We had a really fun day at the North Shore Triathlon 2012!  We hope you enjoy this short race report for all you google searchers trying to find information on next years event and faithful blog readers who are interested in this type of stuff.    

Elizabeth loves seeing me swim....and she loves swimming too!  Future triathlete?

This was a Sprint Triathlon: Swim 740m, Bike 17.6km, Run 5km).  In some ways, this distance triathlon feels like a harder race than the longer ones because you're hammering the entire time.  So ready-set-get your heart rates HIGH and give'er!

The swim happens in heats (depending on estimated swim time).  You are in one wide lane and someone is counting your laps for you. I found myself passing people on the left-right-and center.  It felt a bit like chaos....but to be honest....that adds to the spice of it, I think.

The cycling route was a 4 loop out and back course.  It was uphill in one direction and rolling with some fast downhill sections on the return.  We had 20mm of rain forecast for today...and I swear....it all hit me on the bike course.  I was DRENCHED. 

One word for the run:  hilly.  NEVER flat. I suck most at this discipline, but rather enjoyed the shorter distance (5km) because it seemed to go by pretty quick.  There are some LONG sections where you don't see a soul, which for some would be hard to keep the energy up... but for me, I spend so much of my day...ever day....serving MANY souls...it was nice to fine some peace on the run.

wet and soggy...but full of smiles and cheers!  

I WOULDN'T do this stuff without ya'll!  Love you!

For all you number geeks out there....I know a race report wouldn't be complete without the answer to the question:  "So how'd you do?" 

Here it tis':

• Swim: 13:04 - a 1:46/100m pace
• Bike: 36:30 - 29km/h pace
• Run: 23:53 - a 4:47/1km pace or a 7:42 mile

Final time: 1:13:27

• 6th in my division
• 73rd overall out of 320 triathletes (top 23%)

Thanks for your encouragement and support, friends.  It means a lot.

Follow @joeandheidi

Joe, can you explain the Trinity?

Did you know that I try and answer Tough Questions every week?

This week I was asked, "Joe, how do I understand the Trinity?  How does the Trinity work?"  If you're interested, to see how I explained it...push PLAY.



If you like these...consider LIKING the FB page on the right hand side of this blog :)
Cheers!
Follow @joeandheidi

Mother's day in 3 pictures...

I don't have anything pithy to say about motherhood.  But I do have three pictures that I'd like you to see.

3 mothers who inspire me

My mom.  

I've always felt home in her arms.

My mother in law.

I've always felt taken care of, like infant Elizabeth is here.   

  

and Heidi.

She calls this photo "butt ugly".  But I like it.  

Inspired daily because she works SO hard, doing the jobs no one else wants to do (in ministry and life) and she won't stop until it's done.  Servant hearted to the MAXIMUM.

So much more to say....

but let me put it this way:

Happy Mother's day!

Follow @joeandheidi

A challenge for families....

Families spend time together.

you see

so often, the people we call "our family"

is just like a fancy veneer that covers a low quality wood...

on the outside...we are a family

but underneath....we co-exist like room mates

May I be so bold to challenge you with something?

Spend intentional time with your family this week

With your difficult spouse

With your difficult son

With your difficult daughter

With your difficult dad

With your difficult mom

Peel off the veneer and ask God to exchange your veneer

for the real thing.  

A real family

He WANTS to do it.  

Do you?

He WILL do it

Will you let him?

"He will turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents;" (Malachi 4:6)

Follow @joeandheidi

Picture my day: chocolate lips need to be kissed

Rock climbing vertical granite in Squamish

Heidi and I really love rock climbing

It's the texture of the rock

the continuous crack lines

the athleticism needed

the mental toughness to "keep it all together" in the vertical world 

We've been climbing for many years...

but it always feels fresh and new

like it did that first time

Today, we were on the Apron, on a brand new route named Rambles.

Beautiful granite crack and slab all put together.

Wonderful.

So with sun on our backs and granite in our faces...

we celebrated God's creation in  

Then after...two families joined for 

dinner and conversation about Jesus

can it get better than that?

Follow @joeandheidi

Elizabeth is so....

Elizabeth looks amazing here, doesn't she?  So cute. Beautiful even.

But she's not wearing those glasses to look cool.  And her blonde bangs are not strategically placed in a disorderly fashion to earn our favour.

Femininity is what happens when our satisfaction in who we are as women is larger than our desire to be satisfied by what others (especially men) think of us.

Lord Jesus

may Elizabeth always know that who she is, 

is more important than who people tell her she is.

and may she continue to be wonderfully feminine

because she is confidently satisfied in who you made her to be.  

Amen

Follow @joeandheidi

When little boys become men

No.  He's not a man yet.

And you don't become a man overnight.

Manhood is taught and caught.

And so maybe, everyday, he'll watch me:

make mistakes and own up to them

be a spiritual leader

protect and respect strangers and friends

and to seek to embody Matthew 5:3-12

Maybe as I teach these things

he'll learn to understand what he sees

...and maybe, do them too.

Then...he'll be a man.

Follow @joeandheidi

I am about to feed you....

as I wipe the cobwebs off the blogy blog. 24 pictures.  That good enough?

My brother told me recently, "you've changed.  You haven't updated your blog in weeks" (April 18th was my last post).  But we have been active...really active.  

Lot's of stuff going on in the White house.  So here's a sample:

We are skiing as a family (kids are not quite there yet. E will be, next season though!)  ! Ski passes make the White family...happy.

Heidi needs TREATS.....so she goes crazy and bakes em.

I love this woman.

Elizabeth has a daily fascination with this outfit. 

Josiah is getting bigger

...and cuter.

Daddy is still training....and loving it. Most of my triathlon training is done when the kids are asleep, but this day...we all went for a family run. 

Heidi is getting in on the action, too.  She hates suffering....and this bike is bringing the pain...but she's getting stronger and that is encouraging. 

stunning...aren't I?

4 months....today! 

almost 2.5 years old! 

still climbing in Squamish.

this was a memorable day: hard climbs, good conversation, and a celebration beer.  Good times! 

Elizabeth's first hair cut.  Bangs! 

This year, we made edible gifts for our neighbours for Easter.

and Easter morning was all about the Jesus candle and home made cinnamon buns

We've been trying to deemphasize Christmas in our family and make a bigger deal of Easter.  So out came the presents.  This year, Elizabeth got fun clothes and fun crafty stuff!

Easter is all about the resurrection....and there are no better people to celebrate that with than some very inspiring long-time (I could have said old) followers of Jesus.

We are also a family that is partial to the aquarium.  So much adventure and raw wonder!  So, we bought passes this past year...and go fairly routinely.  The kids love it....and we enjoy seeing their minds blown    

and really....for the last four months....it's been all about adjusting with this dude (below).

What have we learned about him?

He's WAY more chill than Elizabeth 

....but not as good of a sleeper.

He's not a complainer and isn't easily bothered.

And how are we doing?

We are totally satisfied and totally tired. 

Little Kids.Our Church. Our pace....are all in a season called, tiring. 

that said...we are DEEPLY satisfied in all these areas

What are we doing these days that gives us joy?

we are prioritizing a weekly date night

we are exercising daily (Joe - 12 hrs weekly, Heidi - 6 hours weekly) 

we are practicing the disciplines of silence and solitude for half the day on Tuesdays. 

Heidi is journaling again.

and parenting gives us joy...a lot of it.

Hope you enjoyed the blog, friends!  

Will update again, in 2 days. 

These are good days,

Follow @joeandheidi