Bucket list?

• graduate from high school, university, seminary and complete a PhD,
• work with a junior level (or above) hockey team, and a Triple A baseball team,
• marry a beautiful Proverbs 31 woman and have three healthy & adorable children,
• teach at a Christian college for 10 years,
• work in administration at my high school alma mater,
• travel through South Africa, the UK, Germany, Ireland, Austria, Romania, the Philippines, and India,
• preach in Canada, USA, Ireland, the Philippines & India,
• serve four terms as an elder with the church I grew up in and was baptized,
• own a home.

No, this is not my bucket list. In fact, as I celebrate my 40th birthday today, these are the incredible ways God has already blessed my life. Sola Deo Gloria!

Valentine's Day 2012 Reflections

Just a few miscellaneous reflections on our Valentine's Day 2012:

• Spent the afternoon before Valentine's (Monday) at a pediatric cardiologist's having all three children's hearts checked out, to see if they have any issues similar to their dads. At least physically, the tests showed they all have good strong hearts! Thank You, Lord and may it be even moreso spiritually as they grow!
• Spent the afternoon after Valentine's (Wednesday) as part of a panel discussion with professor Al Mertes' Marriage & Family Life class at Prairie Bible College.
• Purchased a card and a small gift for my wife at The Bargain Shop and then took it home for the children (and I) to sign and give to their amazing mommy! Sarah purchased a chocolate letter for each person in the family (except for Anna) and it was our "dessert" after supper - a love letter!
• Appreciated R.C. Sproul's blog article on "Brave Valentine's Men," mainly because I get so annoyed at guys who go all out and spend big bucks on birthdays, anniversarys, or Valentine's - and kinda make the rest of us look like thoughtless cheapskates (which I admit I am, the cheapskate part!) - when they should just do the little stuff that matters everyday. 

Must See Dramatic Production

Realizing that I will never be a theatre critic (or even a good source for recommendations), please find a way to get to one of the Canadian showings of "She has a Name," a powerful dramatic production dealing with the issue of human trafficking produced by Burnt Thicket Theatre company. They begin a nation-wide tour in May 2012. My wife and I saw this moving and agonizingly real play in Red Deer in Spring 2011.

Note: Reviews by actual theatre critics are available on the website.

Hockey (Card) Day in Canada

I do not yet know what I will be doing on Saturday, February 11. I hope I'll be watching some hockey games because CBC usually has some interesting, even heart-warming stories, during Hockey Day in Canada.
And I'd like to get some hockey cards too, so I'm posting these links from Upper Deck to:

• Hockey Day in America
• Hockey Day in Canada
• Video for Hockey Day

Pictures of Anna Joy

Just some recent pictures of our precious daughter as turns one month old. 

Anna with great gramma Friebel

Our three wonderful children

Time for bed soon!