[The Wild Wild West] my babies!!!

 

From Olivia's blog:

My friend Christina was so sweet to take some pictures of my boys …and me with them! That is such a gift because I'm usually taking pictures of them and I'm not in any. Ha! I absolutely loved how they turned out. I had to lift my jaw off the ground when I saw them. They are just amazing and I'm so grateful! Christina you are such a talented photographer and I feel so blessed by these pictures! Thank You!!!

   

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Posted By Olivia to The Wild Wild West at 7/13/2010 02:26:00 PM

Hiking another day that life is made of!!

 

We went to the woods again…..another sweet day with great memories, good stories…a policeman’s hat, a backpack, older camera, and a beautiful wife and family.  Check it.

Blessings,

-ao

What do I pour into my sons?

I was reading this morning about a man who had never really known his dad….then he met him and they talked. They sat and worked through a weird conversation that seemed more like strangers conversing than it did a father and son.  Then, it took a turn, the conversation and the feeling in the room.  The son began hearing things the dad “needed” to say.  Mainly - “I’m sorry”.  The father said he was sorry for not being there for his son. Thirty years into his leaving the mother and their kids to restart his life with another….he looks into the eyes of his son with tears in his eyes and a beer in his hand, telling him he is sorry.  Then he comments in this son of his…on his abilities to write; he’s a writer.  He smiles and with those same tears tell his boy he can write!! He tells him how great he is and how proud he was of him. (Donald Miller; "A Million Years in a Thousand Years")
The son was not looking for affirmation from his dad.  But, affirmation is what he received and when he heard those fatherly blessings called words, he felt he needed them.  Strange.  True.  He says it was like he was pouring words into his spirit and that is what dads do….they pour water, thirst-quenching water, into the spirits of their children. That is the power of a father.
I believe I am so much of the man I am today because of my dad.
I pour into my boys with all I have. In my mind I do this.
I speak to them and build them up.  I let them know I love them. I give them affection and hug and kiss them. I play with them. We play baseball, we throw the ball around, we wrestle and laugh together. I take Wyatt fishing – he loves this! I will be taking Boone soon when he’s big enough.  We go hiking.  We go exploring in fields and woods.  We DO lots of things together.  I include Wyatt when I am working on projects around the house….I want him and Boone to know and see what it means to do this or that.  I want them to not be afraid and to feel like they can do things and take care of themselves and of their families. I want to show them life. I want them to catch it….the adage of “more is caught than is taught” – so life happens in between the lines.  Or, does it.  I believe it does….and yet I also know the value of a dad who believes in his sons.  I know the value of a dad who is leader and friend and hero of his sons.  I know the value of a dad.  I know the value of favoring and counting on this constant of relationship for life.  My thought, here, is that I would speak these things into my sons’ lives as well. 
I want to empower them in not only my actions as their daddy…but as their hero, their daddy who lets them know how important they are, their mommy is, and our family is.  I want them to know, from my own mouth, that I am proud and that they are GOOD.  That God has made them Good and He is pleased in them – they are His.  That is my hope.  It’s like telling Olivia that she is beautiful – she lights up and she lights up the room as she enters it……when I tell my sons they are good and I am proud of them – in the purest of ways; it is good.

Thanks be to God for sons and dads.  Thanks, Dad.  Thanks, Olivia. Thank you, Jesus.  I love you, Wyatt and Boone.

Blessings,
-ao

Creekside forts and the stuff life is made of!

 

One day, when I was still referred to as McGrew, a long time ago – I went fishing with my dad.  It was the start of many many more days on the river – hoping a trout would land on the hook and I could reel ‘em in! Many days like that happened at Citico Creek. Yesterday, Olivia and I took Wyatt and Boone to the mountains. We went to Fort Loudoun and visited the site and checked out the fort, the cookers, garden, honey suckles and the visitor center!! It was cool – then we had a great picnic in the woods with the boys. It was a great day. Below are some photos and some notes of a great, great day with my wife and boys. Lord, thank you for Mondays with my family – thank you for the reminder of your love and the peace you give me. Peace:  freedom from disturbance.  This is a journal of a great day….a peace-full day. Really.

 

The day at the fort begins….Boone has yet to discover there is actually something cool in front of Daddy…..and he is about to turn around and go nuts!

 I saw this photo and wondered who’s hands it was…what happened..who poured sand on their arms? Oh – woops. It’s my hands..my arms and my freckles in that photo! Amazing how I forget sometimes! If you keep looking….you’ll be reminded of 20 licks across your shoulder as I now get to punch your arm!  Remember that….middle school?? Anyone..anyone??  

Boone Ogle

“Taste and See that the Lord is good” –Psalm 34:8

 

 Ever seen a squirrel walk up to someone like a little puppy?  I have!

 

 

 

Wyatt Ogle

“Little Warrior”

Strong.

Two Peas in a pod…..

 

Okay…him in the water is really cool. Olivia and Wyatt looks like a pro took the shot! He’s awesome…she is really beautiful. Really!

Wyatt and me celebrating our trip to the other side of the creek. Can’t tell but the rock below our feet…the water by it is about waist deep for me! It was intense. We were like Rocky Balboa in Philly!

 

Here’s to a great family day. Here’s to great memories. Yesterday is what memories are made of.  I would encourage you to go out and do some of the same. 

The stuff life is made of. Goodness.

Thanks be to the Lord.

Losing & Winning – is it an urgency?

What makes greatness?

It’s a simple question. Greatness. A seemingly simple word…yet it encompasses much more than its simplistic approach on life. Great is good. Great is great….but greatness carries a thundering command performance that must pack a punch or knock the ball out of the park, or win championships…or speaks to large crowds and people listen intently…and follow the lead, etc.

Greatness.  To win or to lose. What is it about LeBron James and the Cavs? Lebron is more than greatness on the basketball court, he is amazement (Bill Simmons, ESPN). LeBron carries this ora with him….or to say it that his reputation precedes him. He is larger than life when he enters a room! He’s….LeBron! The Cavs lost last night. LeBron will be talked about in many ways over the next month or so. So will Brett Favre! Again – winning; losing; urgency? Is it urgent to win? My brother says yes. Is it defining if the end result is a loss? How so? If LeBron never wins a championship is it that he was never really as good as most of us think he is? Will this topic and this fundamental play out in little kids lives..kids like my sons’ lives – as they get older….the sense of urgency to win! Will it make them a better man?  Will losing make them worse?

I know a man in our town; he’s perhaps the most successful business man in our community – you wouldn’t know it. He never flaunts his stuff.  He will not ever come across as wealthy, connected, or ambitious. He is brilliant. He is shrewd in business. He has the mind of a machine and the humor of a late night talk show host! He told me one time about the team he was on in high school.  They lost every game for at least one season if not more! Every game! Their team was the laughing stock. The TEAM itself…my friend says, never gave up. They were tempted to quit. Tempted to fight people over stupid comments. Tempted to hang their heads. My friend likes to list the men on that team. Every one of the “starters” of that senior year of his are now in business or community leadership! All of them. He says something more than winning and losing was happening that year. Well, they didn’t win…..but they did lose; or did they win something else? Urgency?

Don Miller talks about ‘story” and how a good story involves risk…..and how a story is “a character who wants something and overcomes conflict to get it”.

My friend and his team mates overcame conflict. They tell good stories from the lives they’ve lived. I believe that LeBron James has a good story.  Maybe I’m one of those caught in the turbines of his magnetic vibes that scream greatness….but I think it’s a safe bet to say that he is someone who really wants something (title?) and is overcoming (wishful thinking?) conflict to get it.

Do you have conflict in your life? Have you attempted to get over it or overcome such mess in your life? I sure have it. It is in the little stuff. It’s in the big stuff.

Winning – it’s a great thing. Losing is a tough thing. Seems like we all want to win…but maybe there is more than the W or L on a score card…maybe it’s about something deeper that lurks within. Or is it something that is underneath the urgent needs of victory…something that speaks of eternity. Something that carries its own set of urgencies. Something that begs a question of me and really of you, too – Do you want to get well?

Namely, Jesus. He’s asking. He delivers – He overcame conflict and His story is a good story – it’s The Good Story.  It would be fun to tell you His Story. 

Read one of the gospels in the Bible sometime if you like….Mathew, Mark, Luke, or John (books in the New Testament) – I like the book of John the best, myself. 

We’ll camp out right there. Here’s to a tough loss….and here’s to a great win.  Great does not give way to the depth and value and hope and immense infinite power of what I’m really saying here.

A great affection – Jesus Christ…

 

Blessings,

-ao

Trees…fences..and boundaries

Well…today’s the day.  A fence begins. Well, actually, it began a while back! It began when I cut down the first vine, the first little tree, and when I started up the borrowed chainsaw. Then I piled on more and more of the same – it was a mountain of brush in front of our house. It was a mountain of my own success! Manhood. It was awesome. It was hard work. The work continues….

Yesterday a friend of mine came over and sawed down a tree that would have taken me probably a full day to make happen….and I’m guessing I could have done some serious damage when it fell.  Instead, I called up my friend, Joe and he came out to scope the scene.  He smiled and said, “I could have that tree down in 7 minutes!” Then, just for kicks…he said he could put on a show for my sons and after being up in the air and cutting down some limbs it would take a grand total of about 30 minutes or less. Unreal. So, he climbed, he sawed, he conquered. Again – awesome…in the words of Wyatt, “Wwwwoooooaaaaahhh!!!” I said to him, “That’s pretty crazy, huh?”  Wyatt said, “yeah….or pretty cool!”.  yes, indeed, son.

Now, the posts are going up. I’m nervous for the lines we’ve drawn in our yard….that I got too close to our neighbors fence on the back side…we measured, we used property pins…not sure they did when their fence went up…..and we didn’t spend the money on a survey….but I think it looks good…looks ready to roll, baby! Posts go up today.  Pickets go up Friday a.m.  Did we get it right?  Will our fence look good?  Will we be satisfied?  Are our boundary lines correct? All good questions. 

The answer to me – is to relinquish and hand over trust. Or, to trust..simply trust that it’s right. We took our time, we measured, we were very careful and very selective.  We belong to the Lord.  We trust Him. His faithfulness is solid and true. He is faithful…to Himself…and His word.  He is love. 

Here’s to the next step in the process of making this place our own. 

Blessings,

-ao

Things that make you go hmmm…

Who sang that song?  It was the somethin..somethin Factory – right?  I can’t remember.

What I do know is this urge of a story within…it keeps lingering.  My story lately is in my yard. It’s in my dreams of what my yard can become and what it will take to create these visions into a reality. An oasis right before our eyes. A refuge of greenery, hammocks, plants, pergolas and a “back porch” design.  Country Cottage.  Garden. Farm life. Comfort.  Sort of.

That’s the plan, anyway.  I have a friend who took his whole house and made the outside like a tree.  It’s called a Bark House.  Tree bark is the actual exterior of his home.  His back yard is a garden, a patio, a storage building with cedar shakes roofing and cottage-style porch along with a few thousand honey bees and some really heavy slate stone in his yard…..mixed up with millions of plants and flowers that bloom in the spring followed by some of his groceries crafted by his cautious planting of seeds throughout the year.  I like my friend’s yard.  I like his style.  He’s a cool kat.  He works really hard to get his yard as it is.  When I wonder if our yard will become something of those sorts at his house…it makes me wonder about marriage.

One time a friend of mine was in financial planning, counseling and investments – he spoke of a major problem a lot of “young couples” had when entering into marriage:  big dreams.  He said those big dreams cost them a lot of money at the furniture stores and credit card companies….that they (we) try and keep up with their parents. They try and cultivate a false reality of everything they have ever grown up with by the time they say “I do” and the problem with that is it took their parents 25 years to accumulate their “stuff” so why should a married couple expect to start out their “lives together” with all that??  It is simply unrealistic to think (apart from independent and pure wealth) that this can happen and the rest of their financial scenario be anything close to healthy.

So, about my yard.  Are my hopes and visions unrealistic?  Not hardly! This is our fourth house in eight years of marriage.  We have been blessed by moving. We do not like to move.  We have moved.  We have been blessed….I used to see a guy who, when asked “How are you doing?”, he would reply – always - “Blessed man….I’m blessed, man”. I think we are beginning to sense a bit of what my friend was telling us.  We love our house.  We have no plans of moving. We “plan” to stay.  That is what Jesus told His disciples when he visited them after conquering death…after Easter Sunday…. “Stay”.  He told them to do so until he would send (God the Father would send..) the Comforter to guide them from then on (Holy Spirit).  So, we feel no sense to leave this home…it is our home.  We really like our lives. Yes – there are days that simply stink. There are days where arguments happen, money runs out and my time with Jesus was absent and I felt the presence of another that did no feel like I was sustained…but – it does not change God’s love for me or my place in His kingdom.  Still, I’m blessed, man…I’m blessed.  My yard…like I was saying – it is this passage into a land of dreams and a land of manhood that only a few can really understand. Olivia says she gets sleepy in our back yard.  I like the cool breeze. It helps me wonder.  I wonder…what will come next in the land of day dreams and future hopes???

More to come…..next, a chainsaw…a fence, and a nap.  More time with Christ…more story to tell.

Blessings,

-ao

young life leadership

 

this is a post from Olivia’s Blog – I thought I’d steal it and share it w/you…

 

 

We had leadership at our house on Friday night. Leadership is a time to get together with our YL leaders and committee to worship, play some fun crazy games, pray, hear what the Lord is up to, and just be together. We had a great time.

 

The first of three games: pulling kleenex out of the box {one by one}, in a minute or less, only using one hand, as fast as you can. Go Brent! {Look at Boone just chillin’}

Here’s Pam. She had awesome technique. Go Pam!

Next was the oreo cookie game. An oreo is placed on your forehead and using only the muscles in your face…you wiggle it down to try and catch it in your mouth…using no hands. Go Suzanne!

Daniel was next…he did it! Go Daniel!

Then there was this game. I’m not even sure what you call it. But here are the bags from tallest to shortest and I do mean short. Using your mouth you pick up the bag and run it over to a chair, drop it off, then repeat. You can not use hands and your knees, legs, arms, hands can not touch the ground. Go Lynsi!

Here I am. Haha. I was called up front to participate. It was fun!

And then Cupp had to go doing this… Go Cupp!

The last game was stick your nose in vaseline and place it in a bowl of cotton balls.

You then go across the room and try to get as many cotton balls in a bowl without….using your hands. Go Elaine!

Then Stephe was up. Yay for Committee Participation!

These games were from the TV show Minute to Win It. Yay Carol Lee and Carly for showing up with fun games to make us laugh!

This picture is just hilarious.

Boone and Wyatt loved the attention. Loved having people over. Loved getting to stay up late. And after two attempts to keep Wyatt from changing in to his “Super Hero Pajamas” aka: blue thermal underwear that is way too big, I just gave up and let him do it.

We prayed for leaders. They prayed for our home. Thank you dear friends for all you do to help reach the gospel to our high school friends. For showing them Christ not only through your words but your actions too. Thank you for giving your time to serve in Loudon County. For loving on our boys. For loving high school kids.

Is it a feeling...

(This is a re-post of an old post from June 2009 – it’s good for me to read…again.  Maybe the same is true for you?)

What is it about Jesus?  Who is this man...that's what so many people wondered about Him when he walked on the Earth.  The truth is, so many are wondering the same about Christ today - they may or may not truly know it.  I believe that many people wonder about God....about Jesus Christ and the things He said and did.  I believe they wonder about miracles, about poverty, the ancient tribes in Africa, the homeless people, the rich, the famous, the murderers, the lonely ones, the ones without hope, the hookers, the officers.....the moms and dads...the husband who left for another, the mom who walked away....there are so many things to consider. There are so many scenarios to conquer or to doubt...which way to go - shall it be left or right, right or wrong, happy or sad!  Decisions, thoughts, and doubts - a labyrinth of mind games and pockets of hope and fears. It seems there are fingers pointing in all directions.

So, which direction is the right one?  Which is, as they say, True North ? 

What happens when the feelings over come everything else?  What happens when life gets in the way....and the "Dark night of the soul" shows up in our lives??  How do we get past a feeling of depression?  What do we do with our anxieties and our anger?  What do we do with this slave that lingers in a place where no one can go nor has ever seen - this true self?  Are we supposed to "get over it"?  Are we to simply move on and be better? Is better even relative?  You see, this is the stuff that crap is made of....from the pits..the pits of hell - rather, it (all the mess of lies that infiltrate our minds and attempt to penetrate our hearts) is not from the Lord.  Hear that again: It is not from the Lord!  It isn't. No, those do not belong in the same sentence; they are not a part of the breath of God.  When Jesus Christ walked in the upper room and breathed on His disciples, He was breathing the breath of life (the light and life of God) and the Holy Spirit upon them.  It was really Him.  Jesus Christ, fully God and fully man - the "visible expression of the invisible God" (-Colossians 1:15)

May we, somehow, never forget to remember that Jesus' love for us stretches as far as the East is from the West; His love and payment for us separates those that believe in Him from our sin as far as the East is from the West = forever...and ever!  Any time a feeling that is other steps or creeps in...it just is not from Him.  True North?  Happiness?  Hope and Peace?  Freedom?  Well, it exists.  They exist.....only in Him.  Those things not of Him or from Him are of no value.  The arguments at home, the thing you may be about to say in the midst of anger or in the midst of  frustration....or in a conflict that has not even happened....well, is it of any value??  The truth is that He is the value in our lives.  Jesus IS the ONLY true VALUE.  Everything else will fail....He is.  He was.  He will be forever.  Nothing can separate us from the love made known in Christ Jesus.  Forever and ever.

Is it just a feeling? perhaps the feeling is temporary. Jesus is not.  My faith in Him is not.  His being in me and me in Him:  not temporary.  The hope we have in Christ; the promise He gives...the infinite love and mercy and call:  Forever with the Father.  Pure in the eyes of the Lord.  To Hell with that which is not from Him.

All I need is in Christ...in Christ alone.

His Peace.

-ao