Out and About...

I was just thinking, if you live in America, you probably read the title to this blog post as "Owt and Abowt". If you are in Canada you probably read it as "Oot and Aboot". Since I'm a dual citizen, I can go either way. It's one of the great things about being Canadian and American, I'm practically fluent in both dialects. Anyways...

If there is one thing that Isaiah has been teaching us recently, it is to slow down and enjoy or at least notice the little things in life. As "grown-ups" we're always running from place to place with our eyes so focused on accomplishing tasks that we don't often realize all the amusing, amazing, or awesome things all around us.

For instance, did you know that a US Air Force C130 can somehow get 30 tons of metal and payload to fly 400 miles an hour and can be re-configured to fit a helicopter, a semi truck, or pallets of relief supplies inside? I didn't know that either, but they practice stop and go's at the airport near our house all the time and Isaiah gets so excited, he thinks they are putting on an air-show just for him.

Isaiah's excitement about the little things in life like a bug, a school bus, or a box of raisins has become contagious. So over the last few days we've been trying to make a conscious effort to slow down a little and observe life from the eyes of a child. I've been using the camera on my cell phone to capture some of it. Here's just a few pictures that we snapped while we were out and about recently...

Amazing: the color and quickness of this lizard was impressive...


Odd/Creepy: children who would like to borrow a DVD from our local library are free to choose between the Eloise, Bin Laden, or Adventure Kids...


Amusing: This quote spotted at Starbucks, while waiting for a $3 hot beverage on a 105 degree day in a time of economic concern...


Disheartening: a modern day reality of a 3,000 year old truth. Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 2, "Oh, I did great things: built houses, planted vineyards... piled up silver and gold... Then I took a good look at everything I'd done, looked at all the sweat and hard work. But when I looked, I saw nothing but smoke. Smoke and spitting into the wind. There was nothing to any of it. Nothing."

Refreshing: especially in light of the newspaper clipping above...


Sizzling: The other night it was 99 degrees at 8:05 PM...

Adorable: watching Isaiah learn how to use chopsticks at our favorite Asian restaurant, Pei Wei (a fast-food version of PF Changs)...

Inspiring: a new twist on the "if life gives you lemons" quote...

Awesome: God puts on a display like this night after night after night after night...

Hopefully you will be encouraged to slow down a little and savor the little things in life. If you do, snap a picture and send it to us! For an interesting article on how "pausing to ponder" can improve your leadership skills, visit the website of one of my favorite authors, Patrick Lencioni.