Captain Mudslinger!!

I'm so proud of my uncle. Check him out in KSTP's edition of "Get out of town" where they feature him as a potter.

Google Calendar is Awesome

Writing out a list and thinking on these things for a few weeks now (please refer back to my docs) I've come to a realization that I need to start to blocking out my time for these things, yet at the same time, keeping it free enough so that I don't cramp God's style. If He wants to do something in my life or through me... who am I to say um, yeah ... ok I gotta schedule to keep here so, that whole following your will thing, it's gonna have to wait... yeah... I look forward to this challenge, though I know it's going to be difficult. So here's my goal's so far:

1. Work out at least twice a week.
2. I will have a day ( 5 hours ) all to myself with no one else, once a week.
3. God and I will have breakfast at least three times a week.
4. Some of my energy each day will be devoted to one of my house mates (30 minutes).
5. I will keep to the Bible study that Angela and I do and meet with her specifically about the Bible study weekly.
   

I feel like these things will change some aspects of how I live, I know that it will change my relationship with God, my house mates and it's going to change my relationship with Angela as well, but I look forward to these changes. I think that everyone who knows me knows that I hate change, I hhhaaaaaate it! Unless I'm in charge, and thats my fallen humanity coming to the surface (I'm sorry everybody).
I had a conversation today with my friend from the coffee shop, Dave, and we were talking about patience. He said that he had learned a lot from native Sioux, relatives of his wife, about patience and being a parent. This was before he had his first child, he has two now, and is still amazed about patience with his kids and wife. I had told him that I had experienced some of that knowledge from the Native Americans of Alaska, the Inupiaq Eskimos, and how their values were very present in my interactions with their elders.
In a similar vein, one of the most comforting verses to me is this:

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails, -" 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a

This is comforting to me because these are all things that God is and will ever be, He will never be false to these values - and the first that is written is that He is patient. His patience is our salvation, and I hope and pray for this in my life that I may glorify Him. This is why I write out a schedule, in hope, that I may train and beat my body into submission, that my body may obey my mind and my mind may obey the Living Christ. Please pray for this for me.






On a side note: I'm really falling for Angela pretty hard. Did I ever tell you that story about when a guy who was siding my parents house dropped a hammer on my head... from the second story of the house? The hook end hit and stuck into the front side of my head. I'm falling harder for Angela now than I did from that hammer.

A New Alice in the World

I am pleased to post the birth of the first Carlson to come from Erin and Dane Carlson. Her name is Alice, here is the email I received today:

Hello everyone! As most of you know but not all of you, Dane and I are now proud parents! Baby Alice arrived on Sunday June 1st. She was 6 lbs, 9.5 oz but has since dropped her weight to about 6 lbs. She's a tiny little peanut!
She arrived 2 weeks early from her due date and 1 week early from her scheduled c-section date. It was an adventure to say the least. My spinal block ended up not fully working so half way through the surgery I was put completely under. Dane was there the whole time and got to witness her arrival.
Baby & I are both doing well. We came home yesterday and are now adjusting to life as parents. I am still recovering from my surgery but am surprised at how fast my body is recovering.
For those of you who visited us in the hospital and took pictures, can you email me copies of the pictures? Thanks!
I have attached a few pictures for you all to see how gorgeous she is. Thanks to all of you for your prayers, love, support and help during this amazing life transition. We love you all. Take care!!
Love,
Erin, Dane and Baby Alice

Thanks Matt for the Jokes

Yo, them is jokes ...

Not not
who's there
A double negative

- Ha ha !!

What did the 0 say to the 8?
what?
Nice belt

Run People Run!

As planned, the Go! Race was a go and Angela and I ran the 5k. And yes, I am totally pimping a 420 race number... all about that weed? Anyway, it was fun, there was a drum/dance line and some fun stuff for kids. I learned that this is the only 5k in the country that runs through an impoverished area. Urban Homeworks is a pretty wonderful organization, and this race gave me an idea of what kind of work is being done in the north side of Minneapolis. As we ran I saw lots of community projects happening, children's centers and Habitat for Humanity's "Home Depot" of sorts, it's called ReStore. It was a fantastic run, and when we had finished I realized that all through my training I had never ran more than a mile and a half, now I just finished a little more than three. Huh. That's weird.
"Hey Ange, what do you want to do now?"
"Take a shower, you?"
"Go to Kopplin's ... and, maybe go to the cabin."
"Sounds good."

It was an awesome Saturday.