KG

Kevin Garnett traded?! Say it ain't so...

Being Remembered

Whenever there's a major sporting event, such as this weekend's British Open golf championship, I am often reminded of those sports figures from the past. The exploits of Bobby Jones and the colorful antics of Walter Hagen in golf; "The Georgia Peach" (Ty Cobb) and "The Sultan of Swat" (Babe Ruth) of baseball fame; the Green Bay Packers' excitable Vince Lombardi and the Dallas Cowboys' stoic Tom Landry, to name but a few. I have always been intrigued by the sports heroes and scapegoats that came before us, and in knowing that our current superstars and lovable losers will someday be nothing more than a name from the past, to our future generations.

When our time on earth is done, what mark will you have left behind? What will you be remembered for? Did your impact on someones life effect them in such a way that you are being talked about years after your passing? Let's lead a life that is similar to Jesus', in that He is still being talked about, adored, and worshiped 2,000+ years after He last walked the earth.

Recognizing the Shepherd

"I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice." Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them.

Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

John 10:1-10

Hear, obey, and follow.

The Kingdom of God

Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you."

Then he said to his disciples, "The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. Men will tell you, 'There he is!' or 'Here he is!' Do not go running off after them. For the Son of Man in his day will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other. But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation."

Luke 17:20-25

Highly Recommend

I'm not one to often recommend places to eat or to visit, but last night Aimee and I had dinner at Rice Paper (www.ricepaperrestaurant.com), an Asian Fusion restaurant in the Linden Hills neighborhood (right next to Lake Harriet). I would highly recommend you checking it out. We had the Shrimp Spring Rolls for an appetizer, and we each had the Song Huong Beef Plate for dinner - the food might be a bit expensive, but the taste was absolutely amazing!

There are also many neat places to shop in the Linden Hills neighborhood (www.linden-hills.com), including Bibelot (http://bibelotshops.com/Store_Linden.html), which was closed by the time we were done eating but just by looking in their window I could see that it's a place that I'll go back to soon. There is also a great children's bookstore called Wild Rumpus (www.wildrumpusbooks.com/NASApp/store/IndexJsp), with many different live animals wandering around the store, or in cages - a great experience for kids of all ages.

Be sure to check out Rice Paper and the Linden Hills neighborhood - you won't be dissapointed!

Fathers

Fathers. We've all had them at one point in our lives. Some have had close relationships with their fathers, while others have had difficult relationships. Nonetheless, fathers play a vital role in our lives.

This past week I got to see an awesome father/child relationship modeled to me in Aimee and her dad Wayne. Aimee called me at work on Tuesday to say that her dad had a heart attack, and was in the hospital. When I got to the hospital later that afternoon, I saw a room full of people who clearly loved Wayne - Aimee's mom, Aimee, Aimee's sister and brother-in-law, and Aimee's little niece. I was also able to watch the July 4th fireworks from Abbott Northwestern hospital with Aimee and her dad last night. It was very apparent to me the love that Aimee has for her father, and the love he has for his daughter.

Yesterday, I also got to spend the day with my dad at our cabin. Aimee was going to join us, but obviously had more important matters to attend to with her dad. My dad and I enjoyed a bbq lunch, went for a pontoon ride, and sat on the dock just talking for over an hour. My relationship with my dad has always been strained, and has only gotten more difficult after my mom passed away almost 12 years ago. However, yesterday was a good day spent with him. He and I talked non-stop (we both possess the gift of gab)! We also had a few close moments together when we talked about mom, and her absence from our lives. I'm going to post a few pictures of he and I sometime soon.

Fathers. Whether you love them, or don't always like them, they are an important part of our lives. Be sure to hug your dad sometime soon, and tell him how you feel about him. If you can't do that, than at least be thankful for him today. If that's too hard, than be blessed knowing your Heavenly Father cares for you.