David Petersen

1. was a lecturer, author and retired comprehensive financial planner. (true – I am a lecturer, aspiring author and I retired from my financial planning career after 6 months)
2. is one of the coolest dudes working in comics today. (really? why thank you)
3. is married. (Well they got that right)
4. has a good dating list by features in the appendices (I must have misplaced that in high school, somewhere near the bibliography. That explains why I never dated in college.)
5. has 32 friends (tells you how much they know. According to facebook, I have 274 friends)
6. has no plans to resign, despite the recent scandal in his office involving misuse of state resources and pressure from those in his own (OK – now I’m getting worried)
7. is a master of his trade. (Really? I thought I was master of my domain)
8. has done a wonderful job with this world he has created (Exactly – see previous comment)
9. was fortunate enough to teach the children at Oso Grande Elementary about the basics of podiatry (that must have been after I retired from financial planning)
10. has 24 years of auction experience. (One dollar bid, now two, now two, will ya’ give me two? Two dollar bid, now three, now three, will ya’ give me three?)
11. is a writer’s writer (Let’s just hope)
12. was able to obtain such a wonderful robust collection (must have left that with my dating list)
13. is a careful man in the forest. (You got that right. If you fall there, nobody will hear you.)
14. is one of the founding members of the club. (Yes – the club is the place to be. It is so exclusive, it doesn’t have a name)
15. has a friend “Bob” who designs and builds Chinese style. (“Bob” is not his real name.)
16. is responsible for setting the vision and execution path of Sense. (Don’t we all need to be on the path of Sense? It’s my new religion.)

OK, enough of this wasting time. Time to get back to something more important, like teaching small children the basics of Podiatry.

To quote his take-away.

“The ‘lesson’ that funeral taught me was the power of decency and thoughtfulness. It wasn’t that my mom and dad hadn’t done a lot of that, but this was the Ultimate Technicolor Illustration. In the most unassuming way, Grandpa Owen had ‘been there’ for an entire community and beyond—and a great dust storm of people, some, who’d moved, from 100 miles away, had come to say one last thanks. If there isn’t a crystal clear message, and, de facto, advice in that, I don’t know where you’d find it.”

So – how do you measure up? After reading this, I know I have a long way to go. Will there be a great dust storm of people at your funeral? How will you be remembered?

I’m going to start making changes in my life. To be genuinely interested in strangers. To “be there” for others. Like Tom asks in the book,”To make the obvious more obvious: How do you stack up on The Great “Being There” Exam? It’s the ultimate “life question”—and the ultimate “business-career-success question.”

What would you do if you were caught in an earthquake, injured and sure you were going to die?  View this video below to hear what one man did.  If you can’t see the video, or want to read the story, you can read it here.

Here’s a thought.  What would you write to your wife/kids/loved-ones if you found yourself in a similar situation?  Leave a comment – let’s see how interesting this becomes!

Cpl. Paul Flewwellin and Sgt. David Petersen

Yesterday was the Marine Corps 234th Birthday. As our custom, I called my bro’ Paul and wished him a Happy Birthday. We hadn’t talked for about a year but it was as if we were still onboard the USS Raleigh in the middle of the Persian Gulf talking about our dreams, goals and our wives. We didn’t know each other very well before that deployment but by the end of the deployment, we became brothers. It’s been about 16 years since I’ve seen him. When we talk, we speak about how fun it would be to get back together. Another year passes and we do it all over again. Our kids grow older, our hair gets grayer (or in Paul’s case – becomes non-existent). But one day a year, we are back on that ship. Laying on the deck staring up into the vast theater of stars provided by God, talking about life and solidifying our bond as brothers.

It is with this fond memory that I wish all who served a Happy Veterans Day. The bond we share is deep and only fully understood by those who have served. God Bless those who are standing in harms way today – forming the bonds that will last them for the rest of their lives.

Semper Fi. I Love Ya ‘Bro.

J. Lee Grady writes a blog entitled, Fire In My Bones in which he writes about what fires him up. He’s much more regular than I am and I think he hit the nail on the head this time. Please enjoy his article and then let me know your thoughts!

http://charismamag.com/index.php/fire-in-my-bones/22383-reality-check-the-case-for-relational-christianity

If you want to read the article, go to http://www.enterprisepub.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=15155.

Let me know what you think!

I was listening to the radio this morning and I heard the announcer read an email that our Democrat Senator Ben Nelson received regarding his stance on the Congressional spending bill they are calling a stimulus package. The email said, “You can scrape a few flys off a poop sandwich but you tell me how it is NOT still a poop sandwich”.

I don’t think it needs an explaination.

Well said.

That got me thinking about what it means to allow our light to shine. Much has been written in about Jesus bringing a light to a dark world. That light shines in us if we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. But what does it really mean to allow that light to shine in our life? How do we reflect that concept in our daily life?

Obviously there are some high-profile examples like Mother Teresa, but what does it look like in our normal everyday life? It could be something as always being a positive influence in your immediate circle of friends. It means doing the right thing when nobody is looking. It means loving those who treat you badly. It means helping those who can’t help themselves. It means being humble and caring. It means forgiving those who offend you. Basically – it’s acting differently than the rest of the world.

It reminds me of a story I read recently. Lee Strobel was an atheist. He married a fun loving girl the everything was fine until his wife became a Christian. He started noticing a change in her. He had to admit that something was different about her. As a journalist, he set out to disprove Jesus. During his two year investigation of the evidence of Jesus, he became a Christian. He is now one of the leading apologists for Christ, writing books entitled, God’s Outrageous Claims, The Case for Christmas, The Case for Easter, What Jesus Would Say, among others. But it was the difference he noticed in his wife’s life that prompted him to seek further. He saw her light.

So – Happy New Year and make it a point to Let Jesus Shine in 2009!

I just read this great city guide on Omaha. It’s a great guide for things to do and places to go in Omaha. Some of those places I didn’t even know about. I can’t wait to visit. Checkout the whole guide at Design*Sponge

Another benefit of writing about it here? I don’t lose the link!

Have a great day!

The Christmas classic that almost wasn’t by Bill Nichols (USA Today)

A Charlie Brown Christmas Devotional

Can’t see the video? Go here to watch it.

Can’t see it – go here!

Every November 10, Marines around the world celebrate their birthday. So today I want to wish my fellow Marines, Happy Birthday! Semper Fidelis. Below I have reproduced the Commadant of the Marine Corps, General James T. Conway’s message to Marines worldwide. I was fortunate to server under then Colonel Conway in 1988 in the Persian Gulf.

—–

During the summer of 1982, in the wake of a Presidential Directive, Marines went ashore at Beirut, Lebanon. Fifteen months later, on 23 October 1983, extremists struck the first major blow against American Forces – starting this long war on terrorism. On that Sunday morning, a suicide bomber drove an
explosive-laden truck into the headquarters of Battalion Landing Team 1/8, destroying the building and killing 241 Marines and Corpsmen.

Extremists have attacked our nation, at home and abroad, numerous times since that fateful day in Beirut. Their aim has always been the same – to kill as many innocent Americans as possible. The attacks of 11 September 2001 changed our nation forever, and our President has resolved that this nation will not stand idle while murderous terrorists plot their next strike. Marines will continue to take the fight to the enemy – hitting them
on their own turf, crushing them when they show themselves, and finding them where they hide.

Only a few Americans choose the dangerous, but necessary, work of fighting our nation’s enemies. When our chapter of history is written, it will be a saga of a selfless generation of Marines who were willing to stand up and fight for our nation; to defend those who could not defend themselves; to thrive on the hardship and sacrifice expected of an elite warrior class; to march to the sound of the guns; and to ably shoulder the legacy of those Marines who have gone before.

On our 233rd birthday, first remember those who have served and those “angels” who have fallen – our reputation was built on their sacrifices. Remember our families; they are the unsung heroes whose support and dedication allow us to answer our nation’s call. Finally, to all Marines and Sailors, know that I am proud of you and what you do. Your successes on the battlefield have only added to our illustrious history. General Victor H. “Brute” Krulak said it best when he wrote, “… The United States does not need a Marine Corps … The United States wants a Marine Corps.” Your actions, in Iraq and Afghanistan, and across the globe, are at the core of why America loves her Marines.

Happy Birthday, Marines and Semper Fidelis!

General James T. Conway
Commandant of the Marine Corps

I saw a funny story today about one citizen’s effort to make his feelings about this election known. Regardless of who wins – this is pretty funny.

My favorite line from the story is, “I think Obama’s plan is just one big old poop sandwich and we’re all going to have to take a bite”. Ewwwwwww!

Read the whole story here!

So now you don’t have an excuse!

Regardless of who wins this election, on November 5th, I will still be praying for our leadership. Isn’t that what all Christians should do? Pastor Jeff Leake has a great response when he is asked, Are you going to speak on the election? You can read the complete post at his site but here is a summary of his points:

1. My hope for the future of the USA does not rest in this election.
2. My primary concern is with the Kingdom of God and not with the United States of America.
3. I believe that a believer should consider moral values, character, and vision when they make their decision to vote.
4. My responsibility is to pray for and even bless governmental leaders, even when I disagree with their policies.
5. I think at times we can over-estimate the election season.
6. My passion is to represent Jesus well in the world. Partisan attitudes often divide.
7. I want to protect the unity of the church (not just APC but believers all throughout this nation).
8. I like to consider what Jesus did regarding politics when he walked the earth.

I really like one of his last statements, “I think it is safe to say that neither Obama nor McCain is the hope of the world. That is Jesus. It is also safe to say that neither candidate will be as much a threat as Nero, Herod, or Mao. If the Kingdom can expand under their leadership, I am confident God can continue to work no matter who is elected in 2008.”

Another Pastor that I read frequently is Mark Batterson. He pastors National Community Church in Washington D.C. His church is unique in that the livelihood of a lot of his congregation is dependent on the election. His church regularly goes through a change with each election cycle. He has a sermon series called the Elephant in the Church where he discusses issues that everyone knows are there but don’t want to talk about in church. This week is the Political Elephant. I urge all of you to listen to or watch his message. It is a great perspective.

So – I will be voting. I will be voting my conscience. I will be voting based on character, values and vision. When the next president is sworn in, I will commit to pray for his leadership regardless of who wins the election. My hope is in Christ – not the president. Besides, like I have said in other posts, I’ve read the book. I know who wins!

Take 9 minutes out of your day to watch and listen to his message.

If you can’t see the video above, click here to watch the video.