42nd birthday and my first piece of under armor. Will I stay dry? Will it let me breathe? Will it help keep my temperature consistent during training?
Actually, I have no idea what I'm talking about but it promises this and more. Time...and sweat...will tell.
Friday, October 01, 2010
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Lebron Parody is Good for the Soul
Steve Carell with a great parody of "The Debacle" (aka The Decision).
Love that he along with Great Lakes Brewery's "Quitness Beer" with it's bitter aftertaste along with Chili's President are all able to laugh and find something (ANYTHING) good about the terrible announcement of the decision.
Congrats to anyone who can capitalize on "The Mess", including Kobe Bryant, no longer the NBA's biggest villain.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Creativity in Decline
Newsweek has a disturbing article on America's creativity decline. This is not good on many levels. I spent an entire chapter on creativity in my book because I feel that creativity is so key in this diverse, changing culture. To read that we are in decline is the first sign of regress. We might have an economic recession now, but unless we recover creativity, we will see a recession of ideas which will lead to cultural decline.
Monday, June 14, 2010
No Regrets
Here is the start of a great editorial in Sunday's Chicago Tribune.
"Ron Wayne is 76, living on Social Security checks. He says he has no regrets about how things turned out in 1976.
Which is amazing. On April 1 of that year, Wayne helped found a tiny computer company in Cupertino, Calif.
Apple.
Wayne designed Apple's first logo, wrote the Apple I computer manual and drafted the company's partnership agreement. He owned a 10 percent stake in the company. Today, that would be worth more than $23 billion … if he had held it.
He didn't."
HERE is the rest of the article that is worth your 5 minutes.
"Ron Wayne is 76, living on Social Security checks. He says he has no regrets about how things turned out in 1976.
Which is amazing. On April 1 of that year, Wayne helped found a tiny computer company in Cupertino, Calif.
Apple.
Wayne designed Apple's first logo, wrote the Apple I computer manual and drafted the company's partnership agreement. He owned a 10 percent stake in the company. Today, that would be worth more than $23 billion … if he had held it.
He didn't."
HERE is the rest of the article that is worth your 5 minutes.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
TED and Minority Report
Amazing futuristic stuff that is right around the corner. I love this stuff. Skip ahead to 6:30.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Perspective
When Stacey and I were getting engaged, we had our photographer take a picture that was a perspective shot of me holding Stacey in my hands. I had no idea it was called Forced Perspective, I just called it "cool." Click HERE for some great forced perspective shots.
Thank you Dean for sharing this one.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
5 Reasons Your Social Media Strategy Will Fail
5 Reasons Your Social Media Strategy Will Fail
Adweek takes a look at social media strategies and why they don't often work. Some great thoughts.
Adweek takes a look at social media strategies and why they don't often work. Some great thoughts.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Apple is now Big Brother
It's finally happened. Apple is getting so HUGE and restrictive, it is now being deemed the new big brother. ABCnews has a great article (HERE) on what Apple needs to do to look less evil. I still remember the brilliant 1984 commercial taking aim at the threat of Big Brother. It really signaled the beginning of the "hate Microsoft and Bill Gates" era. But my have times changed. They had better reframe their story or it will only be a matter of time before another upstart takes a bite of of Apple.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Russia Halts U.S. Adoptions
This is a story from the LA Times (click here to read).
While I am obviously a huge proponent of international adoptions, here is an example of one of the risks- overreaction by a country. While there are some problems with international adoption as in the case of the mom who sent her son back, countries must be careful not to overreact. The ripple affect is horrendous- for the children waiting to go into the loving hands of loving parents- for the parents awaiting their children.
It really tears at me to hear these stories. I pray that they would be able to quickly investigate this and open their doors to adoption again. Otherwise it is the orphans who pay the price.
While I am obviously a huge proponent of international adoptions, here is an example of one of the risks- overreaction by a country. While there are some problems with international adoption as in the case of the mom who sent her son back, countries must be careful not to overreact. The ripple affect is horrendous- for the children waiting to go into the loving hands of loving parents- for the parents awaiting their children.
It really tears at me to hear these stories. I pray that they would be able to quickly investigate this and open their doors to adoption again. Otherwise it is the orphans who pay the price.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Jack Be Nimble, Jack Be Quick
This was a sign on a bridge in St. Charles next to a very edgy Mother Goose.
Friday, April 09, 2010
Friday, March 26, 2010
Sunday, March 14, 2010
International Adoption's Uncertain Future
The Christian Science Monitor has written a great piece that talks about big declines in international adoption. Looking at factors such as UNICEFs regulations and more countries like China and Russia adopting their own children, the article paints a picture of international adoption that is uncertain. On one hand, some of these declines are natural when you have a correction to arbitrary and sometimes out of control adoption policies, but the increasing regulations can also have a devastating affect on children who are caught in the legal crossfire. It is very hard right now to know if this is a good, corrective and healthy season for international adoption or the thing that shuts down momentum and goodwill. Time will tell.
Read for yourself by clicking HERE. Whatever the case, we must continue to do all that we can to see that those children who legitimately need a loving home are given one. Now is not a time to shrink back in frustration but continue to do all that we can on behalf of the orphan.
Read for yourself by clicking HERE. Whatever the case, we must continue to do all that we can to see that those children who legitimately need a loving home are given one. Now is not a time to shrink back in frustration but continue to do all that we can on behalf of the orphan.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
A God Question
Read this on a friends fb page- thought it was worth sharing.
"Sometimes I would like to ask God why he allows poverty, suffering, and injustice when he can do something about it."
"Well why don't you ask him?"
"Because I'm afraid he would ask me the same question."
"Sometimes I would like to ask God why he allows poverty, suffering, and injustice when he can do something about it."
"Well why don't you ask him?"
"Because I'm afraid he would ask me the same question."
Thursday, March 04, 2010
Gen Y's Rude Awakening
I know this has been out for a while but I saw it again this past week in the context of Gen Y and how the Peter Pan world of never growing up will catch up with them. Tim Elmore of Growing Leaders gave the talk and used this to illustrate a major issue for Gen Y
Laugh, cry, think...
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Living What We Believe
I came across this quote that made me think about why I act the way that I do-
In other words, if God is really dead/nonexistent, then why act in any way other than reckless and immoral.
Now flip that thought. What if the we believe the opposite? Do our actions align with what we believe. If we have the audacity to believe the absurd idea that Jesus is who he says he is, can we live even a remotely "normal" life?
In this Lenten season of the cross, food for thought...
Friedrich Nietzsche scorned all who agreed with him that “God is dead” and went on living exactly the same as before. He called such people “odious windbags of progressive optimism” who think it is possible to have Christian morality without Christian faith. He said “They are rid of a Christian God and now believe all the more firmly that they must cling to the Christian morality…When one gives up the Christian faith, one pulls the right to Christian morality out from under one’s feet.”
In other words, if God is really dead/nonexistent, then why act in any way other than reckless and immoral.
Now flip that thought. What if the we believe the opposite? Do our actions align with what we believe. If we have the audacity to believe the absurd idea that Jesus is who he says he is, can we live even a remotely "normal" life?
In this Lenten season of the cross, food for thought...
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Millennial Matrix
The Pew Research report is out on Millennials. This massive study sheds a giant spotlight on this generation.
Among other things, they are optimistic, want to marry and have children, lean liberal politically, are extremely wired and the largest generation yet not to affiliate with any particular religion.
The report also has a questionnaire on how millennial you are.
Click HERE for the report.
Among other things, they are optimistic, want to marry and have children, lean liberal politically, are extremely wired and the largest generation yet not to affiliate with any particular religion.
The report also has a questionnaire on how millennial you are.
Click HERE for the report.
The World is our Audience
Long on my to do list was to read the book The Call by Os Guinness. It hasn't disappointed. One chapter has the title of an oft repeated phrase "The Audience of One." The idea is that as a person of faith, we live our lives not out of selfish ambition or to please others but simple devotion to God.
This way of living has never been more difficult to live out. We are all living in a digital world where everyone is a publicist and everyone is part of the audience. We text, we twitter, we provide status updates of our every move. And some, like me, even blog out thoughts for the world to see.
There is a part of me that loves this new frontier of ultra-connectedness. It allows us to peer into the lives of our family and friends and share with one another. The internet has evolved and social networking will continue to develop and provide even greater access to our lives.
But is it possible that living our lives in such a publicized way might actually be working against a greater principle of the audience of one?
Jesus told us to pray in private. He insisted that our good deeds be done in secret with the knowledge and trust that God would reward them in heaven. And even the Proverbs remind us that we should let someone else praise us and not do it ourselves.
Os Guinness says,
I for one am not suggesting that we pitch technologies, swear off our social networks or definitely not return to the days of the Puritans. But we need to have some guiding parameters that help us to steer clear of temptations that prey on our need to be accepted by the rest of the world instead of living life for an audience of one.
This way of living has never been more difficult to live out. We are all living in a digital world where everyone is a publicist and everyone is part of the audience. We text, we twitter, we provide status updates of our every move. And some, like me, even blog out thoughts for the world to see.
There is a part of me that loves this new frontier of ultra-connectedness. It allows us to peer into the lives of our family and friends and share with one another. The internet has evolved and social networking will continue to develop and provide even greater access to our lives.
But is it possible that living our lives in such a publicized way might actually be working against a greater principle of the audience of one?
Jesus told us to pray in private. He insisted that our good deeds be done in secret with the knowledge and trust that God would reward them in heaven. And even the Proverbs remind us that we should let someone else praise us and not do it ourselves.
Os Guinness says,
"We have moved from the 'inner directed' world of the Puritans, in which calling acted as an inner compass, to the 'other directed' world of modern society, in which our contemporaries are our real guides- and a roving radar ranges to pick up their cues."
I for one am not suggesting that we pitch technologies, swear off our social networks or definitely not return to the days of the Puritans. But we need to have some guiding parameters that help us to steer clear of temptations that prey on our need to be accepted by the rest of the world instead of living life for an audience of one.
Friday, February 12, 2010
TED is back call a friend
Sorry it's been a while since my last post. Crazy times of writing offline. Here is some fuel for your right brain... TED.
Monday, January 25, 2010
The Real Destruction in Haiti
This is the most realistic perspective that I have found out of the thousands of stories from Haiti. For some reason, these stills along with the narration made the whole tragedy more real than the 24/7 video coverage. The photojournalist gives a clear picture of this tragedy, especially for the orphans who are desperately wanting to be adopted. We CANNOT forget once the cameras leave!!!
WARNING- These pictures are extremely graphic. I only show this because it allows us to see and feel the real emotion of those who are actually living this horror. It is easy for us to simply turn the channel or click to another website talking about the Superbowl or Brad and Angelina. But the suffering is not going away just because we turn our cheeks.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
The Truth About Adopting From Haiti
Many have expressed a desire to either adopt or provide foster care for the Haitian orphans should some sort of airlift etc. happen. I have truly been amazed by the compassion that I have witnessed from this group. I heard a story today of a Haitian man who said "we have seen people with their hearts in their hands willing to help." So true.
I want to provide you with truth and not unrealistic expectations. You deserve a true, realistic picture and this is it to the best of my ability.
Before I dive into this though, let's begin with the end in mind. The endgame for these orphans, like the other 140 million orphans around the world, is to get them out of harms way and into loving, caring homes. And the IMMEDIATE need for Haitian orphans is the first part- get them out of harms way!
In the immediate, even if you wanted to adopt a child from Haiti, it would not be possible at this time for a number of reasons.
1. Haiti is in full chaos mode right now. Children have been separated from their parents, making it difficult to know who is an orphan. There is a process that is used to determine if the child has no parents and that must be followed. It is good for the sake of the child and of course a distraught parent who desires to be reunited with their child. Granting them humanitarian parole (our immediate, short-term goal) gets them out of the country and into safety but still provides an opportunity for familial reunification if a parent is still alive.
2. Ultimately, the Haitian government will have to "sign off" on these adoptions and it will be a while before this can happen as their government is in complete shambles. Records, personnel etc. were not great before the earthquake and their priority is not going to be on adoption right now. Their focus in the short term is to meet immediate needs of the people and establish some semblance of a government. Yes, humanitarian parole is an immediate need that would give these children safety. Adoption however is a longer term goal.
3. Adoptions take time. If you are not already approved to adopt internationally, there is a process to go through to be "adoption ready." My wife and I have adopted twice internationally and we respect the process because it safeguards both the child and the biological (if applicable) and adoptive parent. Adoption is a huge decision and one that must be carefully considered. The steps towards being approved by the U.S. government to adopt a child internationally are in place for the protection of the child and for your own education and preparation.
If you want to adopt or possibly provide foster care for one of these little ones, you will have to begin the approval process.
Think link gives you a pretty good idea of the process to adopt internationally- http://www.theadoptionguide.com/process/
If you have already been through this process and have been approved to adopt internationally, there will most likely still be a waiting process. However, check with your agency or lawyer. You can find your best information through them. If you were approved to adopt in another country, you can switch, but the wait might be longer. We are just not sure right now.
If you are approved to provide foster care, it might be possible for you to care for one of these little ones in the immediate. We have been in contact with some people who are preparing for an airlift coming out of Miami, Florida but this is in a holding pattern right now. I know someone who has been called to see if she would take in a child, so preparatory groundwork is underway. They will need licensed foster care workers to take them in. We are also working on a temporary house to provide for these little ones as well.
If you would like to be foster care certified, here is a link to your state where you can find out information on what that process would look like.
http://www.adopting.org/adoptions/foster-care-specialists-by-state.html
I hope this email has not discouraged any of you who have a heart for these little ones to not follow through with your desire to provide care for them. But just know that it is a process and we must follow proper steps.
Step 1- Get them out of harms way.
Step 2- Provide temporary safe housing for them.
Step 3- Determine their status.
Step 4- Reunite those separated from living parents.
Step 5- Provide longterm homes for the orphans of Haiti.
Right now we are working on steps 1 and 2 but if you decide you are in for the long haul, you can begin the adoption or foster care process now. There are 140 million great reasons to do so.
I want to provide you with truth and not unrealistic expectations. You deserve a true, realistic picture and this is it to the best of my ability.
Before I dive into this though, let's begin with the end in mind. The endgame for these orphans, like the other 140 million orphans around the world, is to get them out of harms way and into loving, caring homes. And the IMMEDIATE need for Haitian orphans is the first part- get them out of harms way!
In the immediate, even if you wanted to adopt a child from Haiti, it would not be possible at this time for a number of reasons.
1. Haiti is in full chaos mode right now. Children have been separated from their parents, making it difficult to know who is an orphan. There is a process that is used to determine if the child has no parents and that must be followed. It is good for the sake of the child and of course a distraught parent who desires to be reunited with their child. Granting them humanitarian parole (our immediate, short-term goal) gets them out of the country and into safety but still provides an opportunity for familial reunification if a parent is still alive.
2. Ultimately, the Haitian government will have to "sign off" on these adoptions and it will be a while before this can happen as their government is in complete shambles. Records, personnel etc. were not great before the earthquake and their priority is not going to be on adoption right now. Their focus in the short term is to meet immediate needs of the people and establish some semblance of a government. Yes, humanitarian parole is an immediate need that would give these children safety. Adoption however is a longer term goal.
3. Adoptions take time. If you are not already approved to adopt internationally, there is a process to go through to be "adoption ready." My wife and I have adopted twice internationally and we respect the process because it safeguards both the child and the biological (if applicable) and adoptive parent. Adoption is a huge decision and one that must be carefully considered. The steps towards being approved by the U.S. government to adopt a child internationally are in place for the protection of the child and for your own education and preparation.
If you want to adopt or possibly provide foster care for one of these little ones, you will have to begin the approval process.
Think link gives you a pretty good idea of the process to adopt internationally- http://www.theadoptionguide.com/process/
If you have already been through this process and have been approved to adopt internationally, there will most likely still be a waiting process. However, check with your agency or lawyer. You can find your best information through them. If you were approved to adopt in another country, you can switch, but the wait might be longer. We are just not sure right now.
If you are approved to provide foster care, it might be possible for you to care for one of these little ones in the immediate. We have been in contact with some people who are preparing for an airlift coming out of Miami, Florida but this is in a holding pattern right now. I know someone who has been called to see if she would take in a child, so preparatory groundwork is underway. They will need licensed foster care workers to take them in. We are also working on a temporary house to provide for these little ones as well.
If you would like to be foster care certified, here is a link to your state where you can find out information on what that process would look like.
http://www.adopting.org/adoptions/foster-care-specialists-by-state.html
I hope this email has not discouraged any of you who have a heart for these little ones to not follow through with your desire to provide care for them. But just know that it is a process and we must follow proper steps.
Step 1- Get them out of harms way.
Step 2- Provide temporary safe housing for them.
Step 3- Determine their status.
Step 4- Reunite those separated from living parents.
Step 5- Provide longterm homes for the orphans of Haiti.
Right now we are working on steps 1 and 2 but if you decide you are in for the long haul, you can begin the adoption or foster care process now. There are 140 million great reasons to do so.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Haiti Orphans- Let's Get Them Out
The images over the past week have left me numb. Orphans + Haiti = PASSION for the Miller family. For those of you who do not know, my wife and I adopted 2 children from Vietnam. And this past summer, my wife and oldest daughter took a trip to Port Au Prince, Haiti to work at several orphanages. They came back with a desire to help these children and specifically work with the host organization, the ApParent Project.
When we heard about the estimates of 50,000-250,000 orphans in Haiti BEFORE the earthquake coupled with the tiny office who were handling the cases had been destroyed, we knew something had to be done. Orphans are the "least of these", the children without a family looking out for them, the most vulnerable. And unfortunately, in catastrophes like these, they are the prey for those looking to exploit the crisis. The human traffickers move in and the orphans, especially in chaotic crisis, just disappear.
We cannot let this happen. So we have started a facebook group that will hopefully grow to an influential size where we can share resources and ACT when the time comes.
Right now the key is to get humanitarian parole for these children. It does not mean that they can instantly be adopted, it just means we need to get them out of harms way. We must take care of the number of orphans who were in the process of being adopted. Then we need to look at the huge numbers of children who are now orphans because of this tragedy.
My heart has been touched by people who want to open their homes all over the world to these children. They need a loving home. It is times like these when we truly see the best side of humanity.
If you would like to join the group, please visit- Haiti Orphans- Let's Get Them Out!
Thursday, January 07, 2010
January- time to look forward
Happy new year readers of my blog. I have been on hiatus for a few weeks with the holidays. But here I go...
Living in the north I do not enjoy the weather in January. However, I do love the optimism that can come with the month.
I just ran into a friend of mine who had a horrible year in 2009 and he couldn't be happier that January is here. I asked him why he was doing so well and he told me that it was because he spent time writing his objectives for the new year and he feels that there are things that are within his control to work on and that gives him hope. The things he can't control, he is turning over to God and that too has given him hope.
So that is what I am working on, writing down my objectives for the year, the month and yes, even the week. Pray, read, write, reflect, try, reflect and rewrite those objectives this year. You will be glad that you did.
If there is ONE objective to start with this year... WRITE OUT THOSE OBJECTIVES!
Living in the north I do not enjoy the weather in January. However, I do love the optimism that can come with the month.
I just ran into a friend of mine who had a horrible year in 2009 and he couldn't be happier that January is here. I asked him why he was doing so well and he told me that it was because he spent time writing his objectives for the new year and he feels that there are things that are within his control to work on and that gives him hope. The things he can't control, he is turning over to God and that too has given him hope.
So that is what I am working on, writing down my objectives for the year, the month and yes, even the week. Pray, read, write, reflect, try, reflect and rewrite those objectives this year. You will be glad that you did.
If there is ONE objective to start with this year... WRITE OUT THOSE OBJECTIVES!
