tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60922259422932448612011-08-02T19:26:02.163-07:00Continuing my journey in faith and fatherhood by reflecting on the Father and what it means to be a father.Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.comBlogger701100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-16280981432672536142010-03-03T00:44:00.000-08:002010-03-03T00:47:11.244-08:00

Reason 1042 why I love the Church."For centuries we have prayed for you and the world. Every hour of every day whenever, we say the mass."find more at Catholics Come Home.Blessingst

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-11621884605710707852009-12-02T06:00:00.000-08:002009-12-02T06:00:03.630-08:00

Great post from K8t. Although I'd read about how extraordinary it was for Jesus to be talking with the a woman, let alone a Samaritan woman, in John 4.  I hadn't thought about the implications this line of thinking had on the interaction between Jesus, Mary, and Martha in Luke 10:38-42. Blessings. Tim

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-68667732021417679912009-11-30T01:45:00.000-08:002009-11-30T01:45:02.697-08:00

Yes, I have been a way for a while.  I must admit that I've felt bad about not posting regularly, but, I haven't had a anything to say.  And I don't want to post just to post and drive up traffic.  I'm not saying that there is anything wrong with that, it is just not my style.  Besides, I follow a lot of blogs like that and I get a lot out of them. Perhaps it is the start of the season of Advent

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0Frankfurt Airport, 60549 Frankfurt, Germany50.0483986 8.570695649.9932831 8.4539661 50.1035141 8.6874251tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-66787475509961623512009-08-31T23:54:00.000-07:002009-08-31T23:54:58.752-07:00

See here, I can't agree more with what is wrong with all the pro-choice arguments.

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-86359351723683746782009-07-11T08:00:00.000-07:002009-07-11T08:00:03.795-07:00

Holy Cow!  It has been almost two months since my last post.  To be honest, I've had writers block.  Not to many ideas.  Not a whole lot of time to devote to writing either.  My prayer life has been abysmal.  And guess what? I feel like I'm in the desert.  If you look at this post, I think I'd be somewhere near the bottom of the cosine.  Do you think there is any coincidence? For me, being in

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-61507854360069705902009-07-10T09:08:00.000-07:002009-07-10T09:08:18.476-07:00

The USCCB blog, in their analysis of the media's coverage of Caritas in Veritas, touches on something that had been bouncing around in my head but was not able to articulate. ... the strength of Benedict's mind and his ability to synthesize seemingly disparate issues into a consistent ethic.Precisely.  A sign of a great teacher. Blessings t

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-12325506079672642252009-07-08T10:08:00.000-07:002009-07-08T10:08:50.123-07:00

...what to do.  So went one of my rants against the Catholic Church before my reconversion back to Christianity and conversion to Catholicism.  What I used to consider it's greatest weakness, I now consider to be it's greatest strength.  Now I embrace the fact that there is a pastoral leader who is able to shepherd Jesus' universal flock.  In particular, I love how the last two Popes have been

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-45370049605603277312009-06-23T12:07:00.000-07:002009-06-23T12:07:11.989-07:00

PIXAR makes great movies.  Some are better than others.  Emily loved Cars.  Allison loves WALL-E.  Up was awesome.  The quality of PIXAS's animation and the exceptional stories never fail to impress me.  The ability to make an insightful, animated movie suitable for children, yet entertaining for adults, without resorting to low brow humor and gimmicks is great. PIXAR is a class act.  Here is

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-8343515162403809032009-04-25T09:08:00.000-07:002009-04-25T09:08:56.257-07:00

Great post from "The Heart of Things" about how our society and how we are objectifying ourselves. The part that really struck me: "We're gorging ourselves on feelings and casting away our fertility. We've severed the life-line that is tied to the ship that is meant to take us home. The most God-like attribute we possess, that of generating a new human life, is stripped away from the sexual

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-64021042952862956712009-04-11T08:00:00.000-07:002009-04-11T08:00:01.348-07:00

I have a problem with patience. There is nothing wrong with patience, I just don't have enough of it. Through the Father, all things are possible. During my prayers, I ask for help with patience. One day, I was struck with the thought that I need to write a prayer for patience. Here is what I came up with. Be gentle. My Father, only through you are all things possible. By your Grace, I am

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-10802475286224754812009-04-10T08:00:00.000-07:002009-04-10T08:00:01.373-07:00

March 19th was the Feast Day of St. Joseph. This blog post from Catholic Dads prompted me to ask the family to change the Father's Day from the Hallmark dictated day to this wonderful feast day.  They agreed!! I guess that this is also the tradition in Italy and Spain (link to a homily discussing St. Joseph and the feast day). What better way to celebrate Father's Day then on the day of one of

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-62620357846252731792009-04-09T23:00:00.000-07:002009-04-09T23:00:01.331-07:00

This post is actually an update of a post from earlier today.  I was fortunate enough to attend the Holy Thursday Mass. Our assistant pastor gave a great homily that provided an additional insight.  I got another insight the repose of the blessed sacrament, I was reading William Barclay's commentary concerning the footwashing.  The additional info is in italics. The Holy Land is a dusty place.  

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-84233549885083446272009-04-09T15:00:00.000-07:002009-04-09T15:00:02.070-07:00

The Holy Land is a dusty place.  Imagine how dirty your feet would be if you walked around in sandals, all the time. When going into someone's home, a slave or a servant of the owner would wash your feet. If there wasn't a servant, the homeowner would wash your feet. It would be unprecedented if a rabbi washed the feet of his disciples and a major breach of etiquette if a guest were to wash the

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-12906111502582806192009-04-09T12:00:00.000-07:002009-04-09T12:00:01.036-07:00

I was watching the "Passion of the Christ" recently.  This scene speaks to me.  This is how I felt after my conversion. Not a slave bowing down to a master. But as someone reaching out in supreme thankfulness for the realization that Jesus has come to help us to realize that we are forgiven and the Father loves us so much that he sent his only Son. Our Father and his only Son are awesome.

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-44615451259530753652009-04-09T08:00:00.000-07:002009-04-09T11:05:01.382-07:00

As I mentioned in a previous post, when I am away from the kids, I miss them deeply. I reflect on my relationship with them. One of my reflections this past week and a half? My greatest fear:  Not being a part of my kids life. Not seeing them grow up. Tim

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-85692875467454095182009-04-08T08:00:00.000-07:002009-04-08T08:00:00.291-07:00

1. We were made to love and serve the Lord. 2. We are given a vocation. Either to love and serve the Lord as a religious or love and serve the Lord as a husband and father. As a husband and father, how am I to love and serve the Lord? To love my wife and children as the Father and his only Son have loved and continue to love me. Ultimately, to boil it down, my job, my vocation, how I am able to

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-79559653213406828542009-04-07T08:00:00.000-07:002009-04-07T08:00:00.595-07:00

Jen and the kids were off to Michigan to see family this past week for Spring Break.  I was unable to go with them because we usually spend quite a bit of time during the summer and Christmas there and I could not afford using up my vacation.  Besides I had to go to Espoo, Finland on a business trip. When I'm away from my daughters for a while, I begin to miss them deeply. There is a hole in my

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-53104593098201378372009-04-06T08:00:00.000-07:002009-04-06T08:00:00.452-07:00

I was in Finland last week.  Intercontinental travel, especially short trips can be tough because your body clock gets all out of whack.  Case in point, no matter what time I went to bed last week, I woke up at 4am Finnish time.  This made for some very long days! While in Finland, I had the opportunity to discuss Christ with someone.  Over several hours we were able to share our thoughts and

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0Vantaa, Finland60.315388284099505 24.96437072753906260.27288278409951 24.84764122753906 60.3578937840995 25.081100227539064tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-68884359501525996342009-04-05T21:00:00.000-07:002009-04-05T21:00:35.843-07:00

The God of Fear in the Old Testament is the God of Punishment. If you are sinful and don't repent you are punished with hell. The people at the time needed this message. The Father was the God of tough love because we needed it. I bounce back and forth between the Old and the New. Lately, I've been thinking more New Testament. God is Love, as embodied by Jesus. Jesus shows us the mind of God and

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-46178846838649895492009-03-28T13:48:00.000-07:002009-03-28T13:48:14.843-07:00

and lack of prayer, fellowship, and participation accelerates the corrosion. Blessings tim

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0Issaquah Plateau, Washington, USA47.511635534978225 -122.0223999023437547.50801203497822 -122.02969540234375 47.51525903497823 -122.01510440234375tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-13383636599324001702009-03-27T15:27:00.000-07:002009-03-27T15:27:20.206-07:00

Kathy was a wonderful woman.  She and her husband Bill led the RCIA program when I "went through" it.  Their marriage was a wonderful example of how things should be in terms of love and marriage.  Their ministry in the RCIA program was also an inspiration. I attended her funeral today, and I have to say that this is really the first time I have felt so emotional at the passing of a friend or

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-69599324301162882802009-03-21T15:47:00.000-07:002009-03-21T15:48:35.046-07:00

Posted during a break taken while doing some work at a local coffee place. How do we love the Father?  For the longest time I didn't feel love for the Father or Jesus.  Why, because the feelings I had for them did not feel like what I felt for my wife and kids or my parents. I'd sit in my bible study and here folks talk about how in love with Jesus they are and you could tell from their

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0Sammamish, WA, USA47.6125861106925 -122.0345878601074247.6053536106925 -122.04917886010742 47.6198186106925 -122.01999686010743tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-42317722850761282362009-03-18T14:50:00.000-07:002009-03-18T14:50:52.223-07:00

A while back I posted my thoughts concerning the movie "Flash of Genius".  The son of the main character has left a comment on that post concerning his father.  Definitely worth a read.  It can be found here. God Bless Tim

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-7799746860060682782009-03-14T08:00:00.000-07:002009-03-14T08:00:00.699-07:00

I am an engineer and scientist by training. I have a B.S. and M.S in Electromagnetics from Michigan Technological University. One of the greatest things about my education is that it has helped me to recognize similar patterns in seemingly different phenomena, activities, situations, etc. On my faith journey, I have had many ups and downs. In mathematics there is a rhythmic function called

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-84468428226994384572009-03-11T08:00:00.000-07:002009-03-14T11:13:39.899-07:00

Today, I am standing on the shoulders of giants.  Two really good posts from the Catholic Dads Blog.  The first one is from Wednesday of last week, and it points to Fr. Wade Menezes' Ten Commandments of a Husband and Father.  Good stuff.  I couldn't agree more with the Jason's statement that it is a great meditation and couldn't come at a better time than during Lent.  Find the document here at

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-79857064987578714832009-03-09T08:00:00.000-07:002009-03-09T08:00:00.221-07:00

How do you describe the indescribable? A couple of years ago, Emily asked Jen and I what Heaven was?  How do you describe the indescribable to a 3 year old when you can't even imagine how glorious it is? Emily loved (and actually still loves) going to our neighborhood parks.  When she was really young and first going down the slides we would say "Wheeeeeeee" as she slid down.  The word stuck

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-35889164567461505112009-03-08T23:22:00.000-07:002009-03-08T23:22:57.816-07:00

Emily's Birthday was on Saturday.  We had a big party with a bunch of her friends at Pump It Up. Here is a picture of the birthday girl with her Tinkerbell cake. So, after a long string of posts regularly scheduled for Saturday mornings, I slacked off.  Sorry!  I do have some good stuff coming though. Look for "the post only an Christian engineer could love" this Saturday. Blessings Tim

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com011605 NE 116th St, Kirkland, WA 98034, USA47.704046 -122.187017447.700435999999996 -122.1943129 47.707656 -122.1797219tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-51409516971345339512009-03-03T18:03:00.000-08:002009-03-03T18:11:42.113-08:00

I read this story and "my soul is sorrowful even to death."  It aches.  Granted the baby was born so premature that it may not have survived.  But they didn't even try... All I can think about...to say...to pray is:  Father I am sorry.  I'm sorry we have lost our way.  I'm sorry that we have so objectified all that you created that the only thing that matters is our own wishes, desires, our own

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-60428039132965201772009-02-28T08:00:00.000-08:002009-03-01T17:06:52.888-08:00

I had several hang-ups with Christianity before I had my conversion back to the Church a few years ago. One of the more relevant hang-ups had to do with how sterile and one dimensional the stories from the bible seemed to be. As a child we'd talk about the bible stories and what they meant at Sunday school, but at only a really superficial level. As a teenager and then as a young adult, no one

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-3993657173044391912009-02-27T14:40:00.000-08:002009-02-27T14:40:22.621-08:00

His Holiness, Benedeict XVI, has a great message concerning fasting.  His message talks about the utility of fasting and provides a view of fasting going back all the way to the beginning of salvation history. You can also Fast from something other than your favorite food or a meal for the day.  You can fast from something you enjoy, taking that time to devote to prayer and being with God.

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-51197408215787805722009-02-26T08:00:00.000-08:002009-02-26T08:00:00.470-08:00

How do we give Glory to the Father?  For some it is through great works of art or sculpture, music, their vocation to religious life, or through their work. For those of us not called to a specific vocation where we can express our love of God and give him glory through our talent, what are we to do? How about through how we raise our children.  Could it be through this humble and most

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-60787493477008614232009-02-25T16:03:00.000-08:002009-02-25T16:03:57.472-08:00

Over at The Heart of Things Bill Donaghy talks about St. Toribio Alfonso Mogrovejo. Interesting quote from St. Toribio, which is somewhat applicable to our times: Christ said, "I am the Truth"; he did not say "I am the custom." Blessings Tim

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-24015606144509532432009-02-24T12:07:00.000-08:002009-02-24T12:07:20.241-08:00

I've talked a lot about being a better father, how about being a better husband?  Better father, better husband, better person.  It's all part of the faith journey.  I am Husband is a pretty good blog. Blessings Tim

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-75119266659866997932009-02-23T15:15:00.000-08:002009-02-23T15:20:40.004-08:00

"Don't blink Just like that you're six years old and you take a nap and you Wake up and you're twenty-five and your high school sweetheart becomes your wife Don't blink You just might miss your babies growing like mine did Turning into moms and dads next thing you know your "better half" Of fifty years is there in bed And you're praying God takes you instead Trust me friend a hundred years goes

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0Bridle Trails, Bellevue, WA, USA47.652640135678155 -122.1432924270629947.649026635678155 -122.15058792706299 47.656253635678155 -122.13599692706299tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-49641070555887597442009-02-21T08:00:00.000-08:002009-02-21T08:00:01.223-08:00

Note:  the genesis of this post came from something that happened to me before I started Blogging. One day I was working on the computer. Well all right, I wasn't actually working. I was on Facebook catching up with what was going on with my friends.  Anybody who is on Facebook knows that it can be addictive. There seems to be a deep seated desire within us to want to be up to date with what is

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-81227795934671861472009-02-16T13:44:00.000-08:002009-02-16T13:44:46.990-08:00

As promised in this post, I put Emily's going away present on my laptop for me to have where ever I travel on business.  Here's a pic  and yes, I'm at a Starbucks.BlessingsTim

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0Lakeview, Kirkland, WA, USA47.65642704997189 -122.2065067291259847.65281354997189 -122.21380222912597 47.66004054997189 -122.19921122912598tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-10922698140942576132009-02-15T08:00:00.000-08:002009-02-15T08:00:01.260-08:00

One of the movies playing on my flight back from Washington, DC was "Flash of Genius".  It was a very good movie that told the story about Dr. Robert Kearns.  Dr. Kearns invented the Intermittent Windshield Wiper that is now on over 145 million vehicles worldwide.  Ford Motor Company, like all the other automakers in the world had been trying to develop the intermittent wiper for years.  In a

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-81299061093098983572009-02-14T08:00:00.000-08:002009-02-14T11:19:55.220-08:00

Does the Father Beam with pride when we do something that is according to his will? How about when we are baptized or after our first Sacrament of Reconciliation and Eucharist? What about when we are confirmed or have a reconversion that brings us back into his Grace? Does discovering our true vocation give him a warm feeling from the fact that our actions will bring him glory? Why am I asking

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-51373381767388220752009-02-11T13:32:00.001-08:002009-02-11T13:51:12.375-08:00

Our bible study group is currently studying the Revelation of John.  Last week we read about and discussed the letter to Laodicea.  We are using William Barclay's commentary, and he discusses the issues that Laodicea had with respect to indifference.  When I read that part of the commentary, I didn't think very much of it because it talked mainly about the indifference of a community. But, one

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0Herndon, VA, USA38.969657 -77.38616138.952974 -77.4153435 38.98634 -77.3569785tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-77396507388839524402009-02-10T19:11:00.001-08:002009-02-10T19:16:14.119-08:00

I'm headed to Herndon, VA for work this evening.  Nothing like a red-eye to help balance work and life.  :-) Here is a going away present from Emily. Jen laminated it and I'm going to attach it to my laptop. This has to be one of the best going away presents...Ever. Makes the red-eye all worthwhile. Blessings to you all Tim

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0Seattle-Tacoma International Airport47.44443 -122.30049747.415406 -122.35886199999999 47.473454 -122.242132tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-37106955751252628362009-02-10T12:35:00.001-08:002009-02-10T19:17:35.891-08:00

Blessed are those that can begin to understand and feel the love ofthe Father before they become fathers. I wish I had put down the "shields" to His Grace a lot earlier in my life. I thank Him for penetrating those shields and for his only Son for showing us the way. Blessings Tim

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0Sammamish, WA, USA47.609185 -122.03541847.5513195 -122.15214750000001 47.667050499999995 -121.9186885tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-68689378495591173822009-02-09T16:38:00.000-08:002009-02-09T16:40:47.351-08:00

As I continue my faith journey and am learning more about my relationship with the kids and with the Father, I wonder if my daughters will be asking the same questions and having the same insights.BlessingsTim

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-76414805854298359312009-02-07T08:00:00.000-08:002009-02-08T12:53:36.555-08:00

In our parish, there seems to be a resurgence of lay people taking a more active roll in the church today. Many of these folks are working in Small Christian Communities (SCC) within the larger parish community. I firmly believe SCC's are the way of the future for the Catholic Church. One of the more successful small christian communities in our parish is the Wednesday night scripture study.

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-27553683413887706352009-02-04T07:43:00.001-08:002009-02-05T08:41:27.494-08:00

Every encounter with the Father through prayer and the Sacraments fills us with joy and peace. Why shouldn't our children's time with us be any different? The peace and joy of His Grace is always there for us to ask for and take part in. Why shouldn't it be like this for us and our childrenGranted, there is a time for discipline and keeping them on the straight and narrow. But when they come

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-31944819994645838362009-01-31T08:00:00.000-08:002009-01-31T08:00:01.110-08:00

Ever see the T-shirt that says "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy" ? It's actually a quote from Benjamin Franklin. For me strawberries are proof that: God loves us and wants us to be happy. Of course this takes second place to Him sending his only Son. Proof that heaven exists. What am I doing to show that I love my children and want them to be happy? Am I creating a

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-1887520324303842072009-01-28T08:00:00.000-08:002009-01-30T09:03:17.240-08:00

A great testimony from Kristin on "why she wastes her time worshiping". Good stuff. Hint: She really doesn't think it is a waste of time.BlessingsTim

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-74166665715310040372009-01-27T16:42:00.000-08:002009-01-27T17:06:20.367-08:00

Our oldest, Emily, is a kind, warm, loving child. She is also very outgoing, which is totally different from her mother and I. In many ways this is a blessing because she is able to make friends with a variety of children that are different from her. Whether they are children of different races, different gender, or just have different interests. She seems to be this light that other children are

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-82764650326940777182009-01-24T08:00:00.000-08:002009-01-24T10:40:04.650-08:00

In my previous post I talked about reconnecting with the pleasures of His Creation. Namely, enjoying everything around me because all things were created by Him through his Son. At this point you are probably asking yourself, what does this have to do with your Blog - "fatherhood and the Father"? The Father has created this world for us to enjoy so that we can love and serve him. It is a gift

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-31598385397756291992009-01-23T12:29:00.000-08:002009-01-23T12:36:06.705-08:00

While looking through my blog reader, I noticed that Michael Barber's blog "Singing in the Reign" had a post about the Vatican and YouTube. Wow! The Vatican has taken the plunge into Social Networking! This is great news. They have their own channel on YouTube now.  Check it out here! On the videos page here , there are about 12 clips to watch.  Not a lot of material yet, but it is good to see

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-30894877289140214332009-01-22T15:04:00.000-08:002009-01-22T19:20:19.332-08:00

You might have noticed that on the right hand side of this page is a list of other blogs that I follow. I found the blog Letters to Liam while visiting another blog I follow: Catholic Dads. Anyhoo, Letters to Liam is a great blog about raising a special needs child. It started out as a way for a father to write letters for his newborn child once he had become an adult. Liam's Down Syndrome

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-23617185805358711122009-01-21T08:00:00.000-08:002009-01-21T08:43:43.091-08:00

We took a ride to see the Snow Geese up near Mt. Vernon and the Bald Eagles who are wintering along the Skagit River. Short trips like this are how we try to spend our Sundays together as a family. Sometimes, life intercedes and we aren't able to something like this. But we do the best we can, right? Here are some pictures from the trip. This one is looking across the fields of the Skagit

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0Skagit, Washington, USA48.340532 -122.33999448.1123215 -122.80691300000001 48.568742500000006 -121.873075tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-76595933176692227162009-01-20T16:17:00.000-08:002009-01-20T16:52:33.669-08:00

Here's a couple of nice posts concerning fatherhood.  It's good to see I'm not the only one concerned about being the best that we can be.  Fulfilling our vocation to the best of our ability.The first one is from Catholic Dads.  The second is from ihusband.com

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-37642771070869311872009-01-20T00:59:00.000-08:002009-01-20T01:11:46.121-08:00

Thanks for checking in on a regular basis. It is appreciated. Sorry for the lack of posts. The two year old and five year old are keeping Mommy and Daddy very busy. In addition, one of my colleagues at work decided to take a different job (good for him!) within the company, so I have been struggling with double the work load.In case you haven't figured it out, I post "major items" on a weekly

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-34289125932187819542009-01-17T17:00:00.000-08:002009-01-17T17:00:00.644-08:00

Conservation of Energy - Energy can neither be created or destroyed. There is a finite amount of energy in the universe. Although, to our finite sized brains, it may seem like there is an infinite amount!How is it then, when we have a child, that we can love them so much? How can we love someone so completely all of a sudden. Yeah, some say that love is a chemical process. But chemical

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-78248879565898862062009-01-15T09:00:00.001-08:002009-01-15T09:00:01.565-08:00

Kristen is a former babysitter of ours.  She is a full time student and very talented amateur photographer.  She has felt the call to do some missionary work with Youth With a Mission.Kristen has started a blog chronicling her adventures. The end of one of her posts really caught my eye: "Go God".Pray for Kristen and her new adventures.Tim

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-25951688552686244192009-01-14T09:00:00.000-08:002009-01-14T09:00:00.347-08:00

Last week went well with the kids. Sunday was a tough two year old day. Monday didn't start out any better. At some point I was wondering if we were going to have to get some warranty work on her baptism. ;-)It is amazing where the Father can point you when you ask for help.I came across this blog post entitled "Amazing Grace" on Monday night as I was doing some random searches on

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-84743029575774945022009-01-13T14:13:00.000-08:002009-01-14T00:12:11.211-08:00

I stumbled across this site yesterday. Catholicblogs.com is a website that let's you search a large number of catholic oriented blogs on the web. Pretty cool if you are looking for something in particular.Pretty awesome. Check it out.Tim

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-40062845242754157502009-01-10T17:00:00.000-08:002009-01-10T20:16:13.942-08:00

How can we love and serve the Lord if we are not happy with ourselves, our surroundings, and those around us? What does it take to enjoy your life? I've been thinking about it a lot lately. God has made this world for us so that we can love and serve him. We should take pleasure in His creation.A couple of weeks ago my wife and I joined Facebook. We have been enjoying the

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-17087324805772815732009-01-09T12:14:00.000-08:002009-01-10T20:20:07.195-08:00

A friend of the family has posted a challenge to the readers of the Diocese of Marquette paper.  See here: http://www.dioceseofmarquette.org/upcarticle.asp?upcID=1845Great insight into how people are called to their vocation, whether it is to the religious life or married life.Something that struck me, concerning my blog in particular, is Mike's paraphrasing of a quote from St. Francis de Sales—

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-83120160005305400622009-01-09T09:25:00.000-08:002009-01-09T09:31:49.174-08:00

Good News! My sister Amy is entering the RCIA program back at her parish on the east coast. She will be confirmed at Easter. She and her husband are expecting a baby around Easter, hopefully they will be able to have an Easter Baptism as well!Please pray for her and her journey into the church.Blessings to you all.TimIf you like this blog please consider donating to Eastside Baby Corner.

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-17413477104085461532009-01-09T09:19:00.001-08:002009-01-09T09:25:42.569-08:00

Interesting article from a home town newspaper. Amy's brother, Michael, is a friend who recently volunteered as a chaplain's assistant out here in the Pacific Northwest.The article is very good. Especially poignant is the impact she is having on her students.Amy is a reflection of the True Light. An inspiration for us all.Blessings to you allTimIf you like this blog please consider donating to

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-8798562838643339082009-01-04T17:00:00.000-08:002009-01-04T17:00:00.813-08:00

Do you know what is the toughest thing about being a parent, at least for me?  It's not the long nights up feeding or changing a diaper.  None of the things that one might expect, although some of those things are tough.  No, the thing that makes parenting tough for me is correcting all of my bad habits so that they do not pick them up.  Things like my short temper, over reacting to things, etc.

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-24276664092567166672009-01-03T17:00:00.001-08:002009-01-03T21:38:28.769-08:00

We started saying bedtime prayers with the girls when they were 2 years old. Now that they are 5 and 2.5, they seem to have them down pretty good. We say the "Our Father", "Hail, Mary", and the "Glory Be". All followed by "God Blesses" where the girls ask for God's blessings on family members, friends, and sometime toys. For instance our youngest occasionally asks for God's blessing for her

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-6537084955299184432009-01-03T15:49:00.000-08:002009-01-03T15:58:49.219-08:00

Happy New Year to you all!In the past, my New Year's Resolutions have revolved around making my body more healthy.  Each year, I would give up something unhealthy in a bid to gradually get myself more healthy.  One year was soft drinks, still doing well on that one although I do use Coca-Cola or Sprite in mixed drinks occasionally.  The year after that, I gave up Salad Dressings.  In 2008 I gave

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-53977072930681187752009-01-01T23:14:00.000-08:002009-01-01T23:32:42.950-08:00

Great little homilette about friendship. I couldn't agree more about how Aristotle sees friendships. How do you see your friendships? For economic purposes, because their good humor or interesting viewpoints, or because we see reflections of our ideal selves?If we think of these different levels of friendships in terms of light, which type of light are you drawn toward? Hopefully you are

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-22544329237035058892008-12-31T13:48:00.000-08:002009-01-06T20:44:34.224-08:00

My oldest daughter and I were out sweeping the deck off our kitchen this morning. The recent snow and wind storms had really made a mess of things. The weather was, of course, the typical Pacific Northwest Winter: intermittent rain and/or less than pea size hail.A light rain began as we were finishing up. Emily said, "Daddy, do you know what rain is?""What is it honey?""Tiny kisses from God.

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-70574567479231791962008-12-30T23:42:00.001-08:002008-12-31T00:04:53.781-08:00

Lately, I've been thinking about planting seeds of information concerning the Rite of Penance with my oldest daughter.  She is still several years away from her first confession and I don't want to even dig deep on it yet.  I just want to get her oriented in the right direction so it won't be difficult for her.Being the techno-geek that I am, I did a Google search on "teaching kids about

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-8782695090616858592008-12-30T00:05:00.000-08:002008-12-30T01:24:53.964-08:00

An interesting homilette concerning the dual remembrance of the Birth of Christ on December 25th and the celebration of the feast day of the first martyr, St. Stephen, on December 26th.If you like this blog please consider donating to Eastside Baby Corner.

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-73867071821720001412008-12-29T22:20:00.000-08:002008-12-30T01:23:17.006-08:00

Unfortunately, when reacting to stuff the kids do, sometimes I come down on them like a ton of bricks.My wife has commented that I do go overboard sometimes. I guess I may get it from my father. But what am I to do? I guess I need to put things into perspective. They are good kids and behave a vast majority of the time. So are minor troubles that they cause worth coming down on them so hard

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6092225942293244861.post-18413635729139922982008-12-20T17:00:00.000-08:002008-12-24T14:06:07.304-08:00

Welcome to fatherhood and the Father!I've been thinking about starting a blog concerning my faith journey and my journey in fatherhood. At times I can't help being amazed at the similarities between being a father and how that parallels our relationship with God the Father.The idea of using a blog to help articulate my thoughts and insights has been rolling around in my thick head for a year or

Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05791674258914268388noreply@blogger.com3