Do you know what makes him happy?

I started a new job a couple of months ago. It was a great move, but everything else in my life has pretty much taken a back seat since then.

I'm on a slow-road back to normal, but it might be a while before I get back in the blogging groove. Until then, I thought I'd point out a great post I read today...on my wife's blog!

Yep, she's a great writer. Mostly because she's honest about her struggles - our struggles. But she has a terrific knack for offering up a dose of "hope" for other's who oftentimes find there marriage "less than perfect."

Enjoy the post - and, don't just read it through as fast as you can. Think about it - pray about it - forward it to your wife.

Then talk. It could do wonders for your marriage.

Here's the post: Do You Know What Makes Him Happy?

Web 2.0 Must Have's for 2008

Actually, this is the Web 2.0 that Arrington (as in TechCrunch) can't live without, and it's worth a look whether you are a Web 2.0 Geek or not.

He's noted his Web 2.0's faves since 2006, and it's interesting to see what's survived and what has gone by the wayside.

Gone: Bloglines

Gone: Feedburner

Survivor: Amie Street, Netvibes, Skype, Digg

Back: Delicious

My faves on the list: TechMeme , Facebook, and Google Reader.

Arrington's complete web 2.0 list HERE.

New Year's Resolution: Top 3 Tips

This week at the Smith's Lost 'n Found

Matthew 2:10

Why Are Blogs Such a Big Deal?

Still struggling with this whole blog-thing?

CommonCraft does an excellent job of explaining "blogs" in plain english.

It's worth the 3 minutes:

Please pray for Andrew

Yesterday, Andrew McElyea, one of my closest friends, fell from a ladder - about 10-12 feet - and landed on his back on a flagstone walkway.

He has been in Parkland's ICU since yesterday afternoon.

He broke some ribs and breathing was labored so they placed him on a ventilator and have him in a medically induced coma to take the pressure off of his heart and lungs. They are still waiting on test results and watching him closely --- as of of this morning, his stats were looking good and he is stable.

Please pray for Andrew and Mary (and their children).

We love you Andrew - hang in their bro, and I'll see you this afternoon.

Dennis

The Happiest Moments of My Life ...

I haven't posted much lately because our schedule has been so crazy, but I managed to squeeze out a trip to Oklahoma recently and found the time to do a bit of fishing with a couple of the kids.

We had a great time, and the kids caught some catfish that actually required a nice fight to land 'em on the dock!

We even managed to cap off the day with our 6 year old losing (finally) one of her front teeth! Not a bad deal as she hauled in some major cash from the tooth fairies (Granddad and Uncle Dan)!

The weekend was just another reminder that I am never disappointed when I take the time to create a memory with my children.

So, on this Thanksgiving Day, I am thankful for the:

• scruffy shoes that clutter the entry of our lively home

• single, dirty socks that find their way to the far-reaches of every room...literally

• half-finished pages from a coloring book that line the coffee tables

• legos that find their way to the bottoms of my bare feet on the cold, hard bathroom floor

• empty soda cans that never make their way to the trash can

• DVD's that congregate in one big pile on the TV

• ingredients from the home-made smoke bomb that still adorn the kitchen counter-tops

• ever-present-always-overflowing kitchen trash can
  

• ever-present-always-overflowing laundry basket

• softball equipment that takes up every square inch of my car's trunk

And, finally, even though we have three bathrooms, I'm thankful that our children would rather brush their teeth in our bathroom (you know, where it's difficult for a family of seven to brush their teeth all at once).

Yes, I am a lucky man. Actually, I am blessed. Because in all this, I have a wife who loves me in spite of my faults, and children who are barely aware of my faults (at least today).

The happiest moments of my life have been the few which I have passed at home in the bosom of my family - Thomas Jefferson

Because I'm the Mom, and I said so!

Men, want to get a laugh out of your wife? This video ought to do the trick.


Anita Renfroe condenses everything a mom says in one day into a 2 minute song.

Thanks to XBoxWife for the video link!

FishCamp 2007 - A Point of Difference

I finally took the time to compile the pic's from FishCamp 2007 in Paul's Valley, OK.

Enjoy - the pictures are set to the song "Point of Difference," by Hillsong.

The Top Has a Lonely View

Excerpt from AllProDad.com:

There are very few businessmen who have succeeded in the corporate world like Lee Iacocca.

Iacocca was Chrysler’s chief executive and an American icon. However, later in life, the business mogul has been quoted as saying,

“Here I am in the twilight of my life, still wondering what it’s all about...
...I can tell you this, fame and fortune is for the birds.”

Wise men learn from their mistakes. Wiser men learn from the mistakes of others. Don’t pour your life into your job trying to get ahead at the expense of your family. Be a successful leader at home.

If you accomplish this and nothing else, you will be rich beyond imagination.

The Great Adventure (Men's Fraternity) Session #1

Matthew and Patrick kicked off the first session of The Great Adventure (Men's Fraternity) tonight and it was as expected...awesome.

The Men's Fraternity classes have had a significant impact on my life, and I'm looking forward to seeing what's in store for the next 19 remaining weeks.

Here's what Robert Lewis promised tonight for any man who completes all 20 sessions:

1. You will have opportunities to think deeply about who you are and where you are going while making some significant, personal discoveries in the process.
2. You will have the opportunity to interact with other men who can help you think more clearly and objectively about your life.
3. You will learn to focus your life using a Life Focus Chart.
4. You will develop a personal mission statement.
5. You will gain a better understanding of your "unique design" and what makes you "come alive."
6. You will have the opportunity to choose your future (you men can get a "jump start" on an exciting first half adventure in life, and older men can retool for an exciting second half adventure).

So, here's the question...are you man enough to join us?

Click HERE to find us at Hillcrest Church in Dallas, TX.

The Great Adventure classes are meeting at two different times during the week:

Wednesdays at 7:00pm in the Conference Center (2nd floor)
Fridays at 6:00am in the Seminar Room (2nd floor).

If you have any questions about the classes, please email me (Dennis) at MenofLegacy@gmail.com.

Look forward to meeting you -

Hillcrest Church Men's FishCamp 2007

Fishing ... camping ... wild coyotes ... the proverbial hook in the 6 year old's ear (ouch!) ... it doesn't get much better than that!

FishCamp 2007 was a blast! Thanks to my bro, David, for the time and hard work he invested to make this a great weekend for the men/sons of Hillcrest Church (I still owe you some cash, Dave...you know I'm good for it!).

Here's a few pic's of the weekend. For all that attended, I'll be working on a DVD soon.

By the way, congrats to David W. for the biggest catch of the weekend (6 lb. Catfish). Although we pulled a lot of fish out of the water, I think David was single-handedly responsible for the fish fry that fed this motley crew of campers.

Dennis

My Dad Likes to Play With Me

So, if your six year old daughter was asked to draw a picture on the school computer using the word "like" (the word-of-the-week), what would she choose to draw?
Let me help you out with the words she typed above her picture:

My dad likes to play with me

Back at you sweet-pea!

Got Dinner?

Not long ago, my son's Football Coach asked a group of 7th grade boys this question:

"How many of you have dinner with your family every night?"

Only one boy raised his hand. My son. And he answered,

I do!

The coach replied,

"That's tells me a lot about your family priorities."

Proud? Yes. And thankful. Thankful that we do all we can to keep "family dinner" a priority, and thankful that my son had the courage to raise his hand.

And now, today, Wally sends me this article from All Pro Dad. Kinda timely, eh?

The Power of Dinner
The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University reports ten benefits of frequent family dinners to children: 70% lower risk for substance abuse, half as likely to try cigarettes, half as likely to be a daily cigarette smoker, half as likely to try marijuana, one third less likely to try alcohol, half as likely to get drunk monthly, likelier to get better grades in school, less likely to have friends who drink alcohol and use marijuana, likelier to have parents who take responsibility for teen drug use, and 40% likelier to say future drug use will never happen.

The main reason for all these incredible positives? Dinnertime is often the only time during the day for uninterrupted communication. And communication is the lifeblood of relationships. Serious parents take eating together seriously.

FishCamp 2007: 5 Things You Need to Know

Listen up men!

If you've been getting my email updates about our pending FishCamp 2007 trip, there's just 5 more things you need to know to make your trip more enjoyable:

1) Folding Chair
- you will need a chair for fishing and for some campfire time...I can promise you, the fishing will take its toll on your legs without a folding chair. Don't forget this one!

2) Firewood
- this might seem like a strange request, but for those of you who actually have firewood, if there's any way you could pack 1-2 logs, we just might end up with a roaring fire on Friday night.

3) Fillet Knife
- we need at least one battery-powered fillet knife so we can actually eat what we catch on Saturday. If anybody has one they'd like to bring, please let me know by tomorrow (Thursday). Otherwise, I'll buy one.

4) Number 4 is for all the stuff I've already told you not to forget...
....like, bug spray, drinking water, minnow bucket (and money for minnows), TP, sleeping bag/tent, and.....FOOD!

Eats for Friday night, Saturday morning, and Saturday afternoon (unless you plan on eating what you catch for Sat's lunch). Don't forget, we'll have a grill going on Friday night if you want to bring your own Hamburger fixings, and a big cast-iron skillet for Saturday morning, if you want to bring your eggs and bacon/sausage.

5) Meeting time and Carpool
- meeting this Friday @ 1:00pm in the Hillcrest Church parking lot (north side).

Due to parking issues where we'll be camping, I'd like to see us double-up and carpool. If you have a large vehicle, please plan on asking somebody to ride with you (it's also cheaper for gas costs, and you might just make a new best friend).

Look forward to seeing you on Friday!

Dennis

Directions to our campsite, from the Wal-Mart in Pauls Valley:

From the Wal-Mart, go 1.2 miles west (cross under I-35) and then take a left. You'll be traveling south after your left turn.

Immediately after you turn left, the road curves to the right, and you'll be traveling west. Yes, we're officially "in the country" at this point. :)

Go 3.6 miles and take another left (it's the only county road you can turn on (don't forgot to watch your odometer - this one can sneak up on you, so pay extra attention once you've gone 3.5 miles).

Then, go 1.2 miles (it will be the first stop sign you see) and turn right.

Go 1.5 miles (west) and you'll be at the driveway (across the street is a mailbox that says "Murray" - just use this as a marker). Turn left in to the driveway, and we'll have our personal fishing/hunting guide (David Smith) take us the rest of the way.

Got Book?

I'm surprised Buddy didn't come up with this one....Baby Got Book.

A lot of you are going to hate this, but it made me laugh (thanks Andrew for keeping me supplied with edgy, funny, material!).

UPDATE: FishCamp 2007

We've made a couple of changes to the upcoming FishCamp 2007 - read on for the details....

My initial announcement noted that there would be a cost for the food - our intention was to buy the food for the meals in advance, and keep you from having to bring it with you.

This has turned out to be..... not such a good idea. First of all, it's hard to tear a man away from his food. And, secondly, since we've not collected any money, it's a bit difficult to get the food in advance.

So, here's the new plan...... there is NO CHARGE for the food, as each of you will be responsible for bringing your own food - snacks - drinks.

Here's a few more things you need to know:

When: Friday, October 5th (meet in church parking lot at 1:00pm - leave by 1:30pm). Camp Friday night and leave sometime after lunch on Saturday.

Where: Pauls Valley, OK - Mapquest is HERE. My brother will take us out to private property where we'll camp/fish.

Items to bring:

1) Something to sleep in (car - tent - ninja turtle pajamas, whatever...)

2) Bottled water (no running water onsite)

3) Food for three meals (Fri. supper - Sat. breakfast- Sat. lunch) - and, ya know, beef jerky, chips, etc, for in between. We're going to have a campfire and my brother is bringing his grill. If you want to grill burgers on Friday night (that's what I'm doing), and make eggs/bacon/sausage on Saturday morning (me), then bring your food - we'll have everything else to do the cooking.

4) Fishing Pole and Tackle (no license necessary)

5) Minnow Bucket (and money for minnows) - we will be stopping in Pauls Valley to buy minnows prior to heading for the water - it will be much easier if everybody already has a minnow bucket with them. You'll need the kind of minnow bucket that sits in the water, or your minnows will die a quick death and you'll be bummin' minnows from me all night. You can get one at almost any Wal-Mart - or, here's a link to one that's cheap and stays in the water: http://tinyurl.com/2u6mt8

If you've not spent much time fishing or camping, here's a checklist for you to review. Most of it is overkill as we're only going to be camping for one night. But if you're a checklist kinda guy, knock yourself out with this list that you can print: click HERE.

6) Lantern/Flashlight - in case it turns dark before you set up your tent, a lantern will come in handy. The flashlight could also come in handy when you need to take a short jaunt in to the woods for some personal business. Don't say I didn't warn you.

7) Bug spray - don't say I didn't warn you.

8) TP - at least one roll. By the way, we'll have one of these available in a small cabin onsite: http://tinyurl.com/2jsenb

9) Ice Chest (for your food, drinks, snacks)

10) Chocolate - Marshmallows - Graham Crackers ....duh!

Hope you can go with us - it's going to be a blast.

Marcus Ray and the Fab 4 have already confirmed...what'cha waiting on?

Email me so I'll know you are coming....MenofLegacy@gmail.com

We're guaranteed to have more fun than this guy had at the grocery store:

Need a laugh?

Click HERE and you'll be translated (literally) to Cremeans Couch.

Scroll down to the 2nd video - turn up the volume - and get ready for a little Chicago - a little Air Supply - and a couple of belly laughs (at the expense of all of us who've endured unrealistic relational expectations).

I'm sure this never happened to me...ya know, more than 10-20 times back in early 1984.

Thanks for the laughs, Buddy.

Huck Speaks Truth

That we would speak with such conviction about our faith.

Go Huck -

(thanks Andrew and Cliff for forwarding this my way)

The shadow of death

Kat's nephew - just a few months shy of his 21st birthday - died in an accident yesterday morning. He was a beautiful kid with a gentle, caring heart.

Our families will be together this week. We are in shock. We are cried out.

But we have to trust Him. Now more than ever.

Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for You are with me.

Psalm 23:4

Why Men Hate Church

Well, I'm ashamed to say I agree with a lot of these comments by....men.

Maybe that's why we're enjoying our "sports fix" tonight at church instead of staying home.

Climb Mountain by Friday ... check

I've checked my final "to do" for this week (at least on my "Work" list), and I'm about ready to check out and put on the "Husband-Daddy-Hat."

There were days this week when I wondered if I was going to make it to the top of the mountain - kind of felt like the guy in the cartoon. Hope this cartoon (which is greatness), helps you like it did me. Remember, things are never as they seem.

The only thing I don't like about this pic is that I think there ought to be at least two men climbing the mountain together.

Here's to the other men who helped me make it through this week,

Cheers

Cartoon by Dave Walker

(We Blog Cartoons)

The Elephant in the Church

Although Mark's not completely abandoned the Lions for the Elephants, he asks some great questions on his blog today, playing off of the old idiom "elephant in the room."

By the way, Mark, it's starting to look like a zoo around here, eh?

Anyway, here's the questions:

What are the issues that everybody is thinking about but nobody is talking about?

What are some taboo topics we ought to be talking about?

What are some confessions the church needs to make?

What are those issues that everybody is thinking about but nobody is talking about?

Any thoughts?

There's a few "pink elephant" comments posted on Mark's blog that are worth considering (here).

On Lions and Rudderless Boats

I'm working my way through a book by Ravi Zacharias titled, The Grand Weaver. The folks @ Zondervan sent it to Kath and asked if she'd read it and reference a review on her blog.

Sorry folks - it's going to take her a while as I've hijacked the book for a few days.

The Grand Weaver is a perfect complement to In a Pit, so I'm trying to take small bites every day from each book (without choking). Uh, in a good way.

Here's the jacket cover overview of Weaver:

How differently would we live if we believed that every event of our lives - from happy to the tragic to the mundane - was part of a meticulous and purposeful design in which all the elements intertwined with breathtaking precision?

How differently indeed.

My buddy is having lunch (at this very moment), with the President of a company with whom he hopes to do business. It's a meeting that came out of the blue (as far as we know). Or, maybe, by some strange, cosmic coincidence, they just happened to land on each other's calendar. Or, is it possible that the Creator of the Universe, as part of His meticulous and purposeful design, had a hand in this meeting?

Yeah, I know, I'm sounding like a nut-job. That's ok....I choose to believe our God does care about the details of our lives. And even the details about the details. And just because we choose to overlook these details, doesn't mean that He hasn't moved a mountain or two to make a "random" meeting seem so....random.

Excerpt from The Grand Weaver:

I pondered, one day, as I read the story of Noah (see Genesis 6:9-22). The Bible supplies every detail of the ark: how high, how wide, what kind of wood - the comprehensive blueprint. Yet two details are conspicuously absent: no sail and no rudder. Imagine preparing to float on water for that many days with nothing to control the direction of the ship! (p.43).

I guess what's hard for me to comprehend is this:

I don't always need a sail and/or rudder, I just need Him (see Gideon in Judges 7).

As long as I have faith to believe that the events of my life - from happy to tragic to mundane - are part of a meticulous and purposeful design of His making, it's much easier to stop obsessing over my rudderless boat.

And that gives this nut-job more time to chase lions.

This Lion's not from Narnia

We've been working through Batterson's In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day, in our Sunday morning class (The Candid Life), and last week we only got 5 pages into Chapter 5 (Taking Risks).

I found some of the text from Batterson's sermon on his ChasetheLion site, and wanted to reference them here just to help them sink in a bit:

During the Chase the Lion series we’re looking at one of the most courageous acts recorded in Scripture. An ancient warrior named Benaiah chased a lion into a pit on a snowy day and killed it.

Scripture goes on to list his military achievements and they are pretty impressive. He was one of the most decorated and celebrated warriors in Israel’s history. He was the captain of King David’s bodyguard. He was one of David’s thirty mighty men. In fact, Scripture says he was more honored than the other thirty. And Benaiah goes on to become Commander-in-Chief of Israel’s army.

But the genealogy of success can always be traced back to the risks we take. II Samuel 23 records three dominos. Benaiah took on two Moabites despite being outnumbered; he chased a lion despite snowy conditions; and he fought an Egyptian despite the fact that he was out armed. And those three risks had a domino effect.

As I reflect on my own life, I realize that most of the good things that have happened are the byproduct of a few risks. And the bigger the risks the bigger the rewards!

I'm still in the pit wrestling with one of my lion's (man, this is one long wrestling match). But I am determined to crawl out of this pit alone.

What lion are you chasing (or should be chasing)? I would bet that you can't even imagine the domino effect it will have on your life. What's keeping you from doing a roundhouse on the first domino?

Mine is fear of the unknown (it's career-related). What if it doesn't work out? Go as planned? One thing I know - whether it goes as "I" plan, matters not. I will have the lion skin on my wall.

And I'm convinced that God's blessing will follow.

By the way...it's a pretty boring existence in the pit alone - without any lions to kill.
I've decided that, while I'm there, I'm not comin' out unless I've got some fur between my teeth.

How 'bout you?

Dennis

The Candid Life

We've taken our Sunday morning class live....come join the conversation.

Or, if you'd like to print off a picture of our blog and throw darts at it, here's the address: CandidLife.net

Chase the Lions,

Dennis

'Twas the Day Before School and All Through the Casa ...

... dirty clothes were piled high because the clothes washer said, "No masa."

Yep, appliances only seem to break when you need them most, and so our beloved Maytag decided it was time to give up the ghost.

How convenient that school starts tomorrow, eh? The four laundry baskets were spilling over with clothes (are all of these really dirty?) and we were in need of Laundry-Man to swoop down from the skies and apply some serious super-hero power to our dirty clothes.

Well, we waited for a few minutes and nothing happened, so I told Kath I'd don the Bright Red cape and wheel it over to the local laundromat. Kath was overcome with appreciation - I figured it was the least I could do as she's single-handedly rounded up school supplies and whatever new clothes the budget allowed.

Wow...what was I thinking?! It's not like I've never done laundry. I guess I just never attempted to get so much done in one sitting.

The ease of filling the washer(s) is a bit deceiving. Sorting - no biggie. I know my colors from my whites, etc.

Over to the dryer....piece o' cake.

Folding....yikes, that's another story.

This seemed like a full-blown workout, especially in the laundromat that felt more like a sweat-shop than a laundromat....seriously, can we at least cool that place down to 95 or 96 degrees!

Anyway, I was so proud of my one-day accomplishment (which Kath manages to perform on a weekly basis), that I had to take a pic of the clothes filling the back our Suburban). In case you're wondering what kind of laundry is associated with a family of seven, I guess this is as real as it gets.

Nothin' like a bit of hard work to make you appreciate the person usually associated with that hard work. Kath - just one word for you....amazing. Today was just a lil' reminder of how much you do on a daily basis...and I am big-time grateful.

Oh, yeah, there was one bit of good news. I managed to haul in a whopping $20.75 (I snapped a pic of the twenty that was lying in the bottom of the clothes bin - having received a fresh wash and dry it was perfectly suitable for my wallet). However, I'm sure it was yours, Kath...so I'll give it to you later....promise ; )

Fishcamp 2007 Update

Since I posted recently about our pending "FishCamp 2007," I thought I'd note an article Jason Clymer sent me today - he received it in his daily email from AllProDad.com.

Since it's about Dad's and fishing, I thought it appropriate:

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the number of anglers has dropped 12 percent since 2001. Fishing is down a jaw-dropping 23 percent in the Great Lakes region. Overall freshwater fishing is off 10 percent and saltwater fishing fell by 15 percent. This notes a continued downward trend over the last 15 years with millions fewer people appreciating this ancient pastime. Reasons include urbanization, video games, television and, more importantly, fathers not passing the tradition down to their children. This is tragic. As any true father and fisher knows, when you go fishing with your kids, it’s not really the fish you’re after.

Here's a quick list of the men that have already added FishCamp 2007 to their list of to-do's in October:

Dennis Smith - Andrew McElyea - Wally Steidley
Jason Clymer - Mark Brand - Ray Smith - Cliff Maillet
Matthew Bratcher - Patrick Torres - Dewayne Pierce.

If you haven't registered, email me today (menoflegacy@gmail.com).

Because when you go fishing with your kids, it’s not really the fish you’re after.

Men, Are You Ready to Face the Giants?

Then come hang out with us for MEN'S NIGHT OUT Sunday night, Sept. 9th @ 7:00 at Hillcrest Church, in Dallas, TX! We're puttin' on the face paint (well, uh, maybe) and loosening the belt so we can slam pizzas and cheer the Cowboys.

Here's the scoop:

What: Cowboys vs Giants
When: Sunday, Sept. 9th @ 7:00pm
Where: Seminar Room (the big-screen) @ Hillcrest Church
Cost:
All-You-Can-Eat Pizza: $5.00

Iced Tea / Lemonade: $1.00
Double-Thick Fudge Brownie: $.50
Hangin' with your bro's watching football: priceless

Let us know you're coming so we can manage the pizza order! Email Dennis @ MenofLegacy@gmail.com.

CEODAD.com

I found a great site today that I think relates to many of you - CEODAD.com.

The creator, Tom Stern, is one funny guy. And, I think he's been spying on some of the conversations we've had in our home because this stuff is too real.

So check out CEODAD.com, and then read Tom's blog at Blog.CEODAD.com

Thanks Roy G ~

Mucho thanks to Roy Miller for the invitation to do the occasional post on his blog.

Most of my efforts to date have been focused here, on MenofLegacy.com, but even then I don't spend nearly as much time writing / blogging as I'd like. I'll try not to duplicate my efforts, but look forward to hangin' out with ya and talking about "schtuff."

Schtuff is what happens at my house between 6am and 11:30pm. It relies heavily on humor and pain, and is typically associated with one of my five children, two one dogs, and a cat named Jack. Oh yeah, and certainly of most importance, my beautiful wife and fellow blogger, Katherine (who happens to be the glue that holds this reality-show together).

As Katherine and I are fond of saying...at our house, somebody's either laughing or crying.

Visit Roy 'n Dennis @ RoyGMiller.Blogspot.com - you just might do the same.

Dennis