Well-almost done. Spent black Friday on my computer finishing up the shopping for the kiddos!
Our Denver church is growing like gangbusters-moving to 3 services a week from tomorrow.
For Christmas Eve we are also having 3 services.
MOST exciting to me is that my little girls Eva and Juliet are coming over Christmas Eve and waking up Christmas morning at my house. Yay!
We had a fun Thanksgiving: My FIRST ex-wife Diane Czarkowski, her husband Jay, their daughter Riga who is 6, came over to my house to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner on Monday at my house with my mom and step dad, my girlfriend Mary, and 4 of my kiddos: Tyler, Madison, Eva & Juliet. If only Eli could have come it would ave been perfect!
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Tuesday, September 06, 2011
Friday, July 29, 2011
Denver Chiropractor
Doing work for a chiropractor based in Denver. Very nice office and great doctors. If you are in the Denver area and looking for a great chiropractor this is the place!
Denver chiropractor
Denver chiropractor
Friday, May 13, 2011
Are YOU going to hell?
(Blogger.com glitched, so I had to re-post this-I have also made some clarification related changes)
We have been speaking about heaven and hell in church lately and will continue to do so over the next few weeks. Of course it will be something we talk about on an ongoing basis -probably until the end of my life time.
Those who call themselves Christians and those who do not often get very uncomfortable with the heaven and hell topic when it is brought up.
I am one of the ones who reluctantly calls himself a Christian, and it’s “reluctant” mostly because of the fact that I associate “Christians” with the words “judgmental, ‘mental’, persecuting, hateful, unloving, insecure, weak, gay-bashing, prudes, boring, holier than…” the list goes on and on. Many people even associate "Christian" with "murderer" because since Christ died so-called “Christians” (people CLAIMING to be Christians) have killed millions of people in the "name of Christ" (yes, other religions have done and still do the same, but let’s stay focused on “us” for the time being). Even Hitler claimed to be a Catholic and was not officially "renounced" by the Pope until the latter part of the 20th century. No wonder we have such baggage to deal with!
I still have a hard time not laughing at the joke “Would YOU want to be in heaven with those people!?!”
However, before I was a “Christian” and to this day I am all for “living my life in the way of Christ.” I think that when most people think of Jesus they think of words like “Loving, wise, defender of the weak, defender of the poor, defender of anyone who is willing to love, empathetic, accepting, strong…” the list goes on and on.
Many coaches I know have a saying we throw around: “Give me a team of orphans and I would be a happier coach.” As a Christian who gets annoyed by the often deserved perception of Christians I would say “Give me a world without Christians and I would be able to lead a lot more people to Christ.”
That must have been what it was like for the first disciples. Going around loving and helping others who had not heard much or any of the way of Christ was the way Christianity has spread most successfully throughout history. It seems to grow in those places where the baggage of jerky Christians was not as present as it is today in the west.
Christ spoke against the believers of his day who went around judging and persecuting others. He spoke against the people who behave very much like the ones who have a bad reputation today as Christians (the intolerant, the unloving, the judgmental, etc.).
His disciples lectured many of the early Christians who after Jesus died very quickly went back to a life style of judgment, materialism, lying and trying to earn their way into heaven by doing good works. Much of what you read in the New Testament is Paul and others writing letters telling people “I love you, but STOP BEING ASSHOLES! Jesus wants your HEART, not your WORKS!” (OK, so he didn’t use those exact words, but this is the beginning of my new translation that REALLY connects with people like me who have potty mouths when children are not around.)
So are YOU or any of us going to hell?
The short answer is the one followers of Christ should be giving is “I don’t know.”
Because we do not. Jesus gave us two directives that are what I believe to be the most important; “Love yourselves like I love you, love others and DO NOT JUDGE.” Of course that is a paraphrase. I was not there. Many of the Christians I have known either skip right over these two directives or finish it with a “but…”, or a “Yah-yah, love is great but do you want to go to hell?!?”
At the very least, can we use the word “and” after talking about these two "directives" (as I like to call them) from Jesus?
Even better, can we just focus on those first two?
If you live in the way of Christ you will do your darndest to love yourself and others the way he loves us, and you will stay humble and not judge others because you are so imperfect that going around thinking of or telling others how imperfect they are is a hypocritical, sad, arrogant and hellish way of life. (do I have to throw in a caveat that I DO think we should be discerning)
So are you going to hell? Am I going to hell? What is hell?
I think that when I live my life thinking about how “bad others are” to make myself feel better I am living in my own personal hell. It is a band-aid that covers up the hurt I am experiencing because of my own feelings of inadequacy. It is an act that does not come from my heart but from my wounded-ness. When I get to a healthy, loving place and reflect back on this behavior place I am very sad.
I think that when I lie to others for any reason it erodes my heart a bit. I feel sad, disappointed, lonely, depressed and guilty for my behavior.
After I do things JUST for money, power, control, lust, to look good, to feel good now, to escape from the reality of life, to degrade others I look back on it when I am in a love filled place and I feel a bit of shame.
Why do I feel this shame?
Because I know it is a behavior that brings me further away from love in my life and from loving others. It is a personal hell to live life in the ways of greed, pride, lust sloth, etc. When I realize that there are people who love me and forgive me for these bad behaviors I begin to heal. The people in my life show me this love and I know it comes from something beyond the physical realm. It comes from the heart God gave them. The heart God wants them to have for themselves and others. That is heavenly. When I think about the fact that God loves me and forgives me for this behavior I begin to heal at the level of my soul.
When we hear stories or see people who spend their whole lives in these unhealthy ways don’t most of us realize that they must have felt lonely, depressed, sad, bad, weak, insecure, inadequate, unloved, deeply alone the majority of the time?
Don’t you hope and pray that before they died they had a moment where they went “Oh…I am so sorry. Thank you for loving me despite how badly I have lived my life.” Don’t you think it would be profoundly sad to NOT realize you were loved before you died, to NOT realize that God loves you, and that you were forgiven for all of the bad things you have ever done by good loving people, and a good, loving God who is waiting for you with his and her arms wide open ready to take all the pain of your wounded life away?
The person who has led a despicable life, but realizes before he or she dies the error of their ways, feels pure love, and feels it towards others has glimpsed heaven at least once before they pass on.
The person who dies bitter, lonely, sad, feeling unloved and does not know what it is like to purely love others has lived a life of hell.
My adoptive father, Jeff Stratford...
...died alone in an apartment in front of his television in Albuquerque a few days before he turned 50 back in 1996, technically from a heart attack. He had not spoken to me, my sister, his mother or any of his family or life long friends for years. Before we got there his neighbors who called 911 likely robbed him of the gold ring his father gave him that he never would have sold and would have been mine. They stole anything of value to them; they took his jewelry, the last of his weed, his cocaine and left him with the stuff that they did not think was of any value. I found the tan leather sport coat he bought in the 70s that was worn, soft, torn, and stained from his life. It is my one possession I wear to remember him by (and to get a lot of compliments when I wear it). It reminds me of hell and redemption.
He led a life of extensive drug and alcohol abuse. Of chasing money, women and cars-he literally raced Porsches and other automobiles for much of his adult life. He verbally and physically abused those he loved-who loved him. He spent his life trying to find “God” or “Nirvana” or” something” in everything BUT love day after day. I could tell you stories that would make you cry. At least they still make me cry.
His life, how he lived, how he felt must have been a living hell. Even when he was “up” I suspect he was in the hell of his insecurity, in the hell of his fear of losing it all, in the hell of the fear of being sober.
Did he go to hell? I don’t know. I know he lived a life that often must have felt like hell.
Only God knows where he is now.
God also knows he came from a family of mental illness. Only God knows if it was true that his mom tried to drown him when he was a baby (as she also struggled with mental illness). God knows that his father died when has a boy. God knows that he grew up with a mother who once had him committed to a mental hospital so he could not claim the inheritance money his father had left for him. God knows he went to Vietnam with the assignment of dragging men who were literally blown up to awaiting medics like Forrest Gump did. He didn’t do it just once-it was his regular job for his short 6 months in the Marines before he was blown up and spent another year in a hospital. All of this before he met my mom when he was barely 21. 2 years younger than my oldest son is now.
When I think of him I pray that even if it was only just before he died he saw love, he saw God and said “Oh. Thank you for loving me. Please hold me daddy. I have missed you so much…”
Only God knows our true hearts, our true selves during our lives and when we die. Only He can make the decision as to whether or not to open up his arms and hold us despite of all of our brokenness and all of the bad things we have done in our lives. I believe He loves me. I believe that if I try to live my life feeling love, giving love and being humble-understanding I am at least as imperfect as most people, and that without the love of others that comes from God I would be so sad and lost. I believe that when others love me despite my faults I am tasting heaven.
To me the way of Christ spiritually, philosophically and even intellectually seems like the way to a bit of heaven on earth, and I hope more of it after I pass on. Does that exclude you if you don’t follow “Jesus” specifically? I don’t know. I may never know. I just know that living my life the way Jesus wants me to live it seems like a path towards heaven-and that includes NOT telling others that I know whether or not they are going to hell.
I can't say this too many times: "Only God knows if he is taking me into heaven after I die, but at least I get to experience a bit of it at any time while I am here on earth."
So are you going heaven or are you going to hell? Where am I going to end up?
One more time: "I don’t know," AND...whether you consider yourself spiritual, atheist, religious, agnostic, Muslim, Hindu or even British I invite you to join me in this journey trying to live my life in the way of Christ, NOT in the way of what you and I have perceived as the way of Christians. Follow Jesus for a while and your life will probably be better. Not easier, but better. Then you can decide if want to take the leap of faith that Jesus died for your sins, that he is THE Son of God. I don’t even know if that’s true, but I have come to a place in my life that I have faith in Jesus, and sometimes I even have something "near" faith in Christians.
Since Google does not decide whether or not I am going to heaven or hell, I am going to add an SEO related link to this post: denver church
Who knows, maybe it will help lead someone to the way of Christ!
We have been speaking about heaven and hell in church lately and will continue to do so over the next few weeks. Of course it will be something we talk about on an ongoing basis -probably until the end of my life time.
Those who call themselves Christians and those who do not often get very uncomfortable with the heaven and hell topic when it is brought up.
I am one of the ones who reluctantly calls himself a Christian, and it’s “reluctant” mostly because of the fact that I associate “Christians” with the words “judgmental, ‘mental’, persecuting, hateful, unloving, insecure, weak, gay-bashing, prudes, boring, holier than…” the list goes on and on. Many people even associate "Christian" with "murderer" because since Christ died so-called “Christians” (people CLAIMING to be Christians) have killed millions of people in the "name of Christ" (yes, other religions have done and still do the same, but let’s stay focused on “us” for the time being). Even Hitler claimed to be a Catholic and was not officially "renounced" by the Pope until the latter part of the 20th century. No wonder we have such baggage to deal with!
I still have a hard time not laughing at the joke “Would YOU want to be in heaven with those people!?!”
However, before I was a “Christian” and to this day I am all for “living my life in the way of Christ.” I think that when most people think of Jesus they think of words like “Loving, wise, defender of the weak, defender of the poor, defender of anyone who is willing to love, empathetic, accepting, strong…” the list goes on and on.
Many coaches I know have a saying we throw around: “Give me a team of orphans and I would be a happier coach.” As a Christian who gets annoyed by the often deserved perception of Christians I would say “Give me a world without Christians and I would be able to lead a lot more people to Christ.”
That must have been what it was like for the first disciples. Going around loving and helping others who had not heard much or any of the way of Christ was the way Christianity has spread most successfully throughout history. It seems to grow in those places where the baggage of jerky Christians was not as present as it is today in the west.
Christ spoke against the believers of his day who went around judging and persecuting others. He spoke against the people who behave very much like the ones who have a bad reputation today as Christians (the intolerant, the unloving, the judgmental, etc.).
His disciples lectured many of the early Christians who after Jesus died very quickly went back to a life style of judgment, materialism, lying and trying to earn their way into heaven by doing good works. Much of what you read in the New Testament is Paul and others writing letters telling people “I love you, but STOP BEING ASSHOLES! Jesus wants your HEART, not your WORKS!” (OK, so he didn’t use those exact words, but this is the beginning of my new translation that REALLY connects with people like me who have potty mouths when children are not around.)
So are YOU or any of us going to hell?
The short answer is the one followers of Christ should be giving is “I don’t know.”
Because we do not. Jesus gave us two directives that are what I believe to be the most important; “Love yourselves like I love you, love others and DO NOT JUDGE.” Of course that is a paraphrase. I was not there. Many of the Christians I have known either skip right over these two directives or finish it with a “but…”, or a “Yah-yah, love is great but do you want to go to hell?!?”
At the very least, can we use the word “and” after talking about these two "directives" (as I like to call them) from Jesus?
Even better, can we just focus on those first two?
If you live in the way of Christ you will do your darndest to love yourself and others the way he loves us, and you will stay humble and not judge others because you are so imperfect that going around thinking of or telling others how imperfect they are is a hypocritical, sad, arrogant and hellish way of life. (do I have to throw in a caveat that I DO think we should be discerning)
So are you going to hell? Am I going to hell? What is hell?
I think that when I live my life thinking about how “bad others are” to make myself feel better I am living in my own personal hell. It is a band-aid that covers up the hurt I am experiencing because of my own feelings of inadequacy. It is an act that does not come from my heart but from my wounded-ness. When I get to a healthy, loving place and reflect back on this behavior place I am very sad.
I think that when I lie to others for any reason it erodes my heart a bit. I feel sad, disappointed, lonely, depressed and guilty for my behavior.
After I do things JUST for money, power, control, lust, to look good, to feel good now, to escape from the reality of life, to degrade others I look back on it when I am in a love filled place and I feel a bit of shame.
Why do I feel this shame?
Because I know it is a behavior that brings me further away from love in my life and from loving others. It is a personal hell to live life in the ways of greed, pride, lust sloth, etc. When I realize that there are people who love me and forgive me for these bad behaviors I begin to heal. The people in my life show me this love and I know it comes from something beyond the physical realm. It comes from the heart God gave them. The heart God wants them to have for themselves and others. That is heavenly. When I think about the fact that God loves me and forgives me for this behavior I begin to heal at the level of my soul.
When we hear stories or see people who spend their whole lives in these unhealthy ways don’t most of us realize that they must have felt lonely, depressed, sad, bad, weak, insecure, inadequate, unloved, deeply alone the majority of the time?
Don’t you hope and pray that before they died they had a moment where they went “Oh…I am so sorry. Thank you for loving me despite how badly I have lived my life.” Don’t you think it would be profoundly sad to NOT realize you were loved before you died, to NOT realize that God loves you, and that you were forgiven for all of the bad things you have ever done by good loving people, and a good, loving God who is waiting for you with his and her arms wide open ready to take all the pain of your wounded life away?
The person who has led a despicable life, but realizes before he or she dies the error of their ways, feels pure love, and feels it towards others has glimpsed heaven at least once before they pass on.
The person who dies bitter, lonely, sad, feeling unloved and does not know what it is like to purely love others has lived a life of hell.
My adoptive father, Jeff Stratford...
...died alone in an apartment in front of his television in Albuquerque a few days before he turned 50 back in 1996, technically from a heart attack. He had not spoken to me, my sister, his mother or any of his family or life long friends for years. Before we got there his neighbors who called 911 likely robbed him of the gold ring his father gave him that he never would have sold and would have been mine. They stole anything of value to them; they took his jewelry, the last of his weed, his cocaine and left him with the stuff that they did not think was of any value. I found the tan leather sport coat he bought in the 70s that was worn, soft, torn, and stained from his life. It is my one possession I wear to remember him by (and to get a lot of compliments when I wear it). It reminds me of hell and redemption.
He led a life of extensive drug and alcohol abuse. Of chasing money, women and cars-he literally raced Porsches and other automobiles for much of his adult life. He verbally and physically abused those he loved-who loved him. He spent his life trying to find “God” or “Nirvana” or” something” in everything BUT love day after day. I could tell you stories that would make you cry. At least they still make me cry.
His life, how he lived, how he felt must have been a living hell. Even when he was “up” I suspect he was in the hell of his insecurity, in the hell of his fear of losing it all, in the hell of the fear of being sober.
Did he go to hell? I don’t know. I know he lived a life that often must have felt like hell.
Only God knows where he is now.
God also knows he came from a family of mental illness. Only God knows if it was true that his mom tried to drown him when he was a baby (as she also struggled with mental illness). God knows that his father died when has a boy. God knows that he grew up with a mother who once had him committed to a mental hospital so he could not claim the inheritance money his father had left for him. God knows he went to Vietnam with the assignment of dragging men who were literally blown up to awaiting medics like Forrest Gump did. He didn’t do it just once-it was his regular job for his short 6 months in the Marines before he was blown up and spent another year in a hospital. All of this before he met my mom when he was barely 21. 2 years younger than my oldest son is now.
When I think of him I pray that even if it was only just before he died he saw love, he saw God and said “Oh. Thank you for loving me. Please hold me daddy. I have missed you so much…”
Only God knows our true hearts, our true selves during our lives and when we die. Only He can make the decision as to whether or not to open up his arms and hold us despite of all of our brokenness and all of the bad things we have done in our lives. I believe He loves me. I believe that if I try to live my life feeling love, giving love and being humble-understanding I am at least as imperfect as most people, and that without the love of others that comes from God I would be so sad and lost. I believe that when others love me despite my faults I am tasting heaven.
To me the way of Christ spiritually, philosophically and even intellectually seems like the way to a bit of heaven on earth, and I hope more of it after I pass on. Does that exclude you if you don’t follow “Jesus” specifically? I don’t know. I may never know. I just know that living my life the way Jesus wants me to live it seems like a path towards heaven-and that includes NOT telling others that I know whether or not they are going to hell.
I can't say this too many times: "Only God knows if he is taking me into heaven after I die, but at least I get to experience a bit of it at any time while I am here on earth."
So are you going heaven or are you going to hell? Where am I going to end up?
One more time: "I don’t know," AND...whether you consider yourself spiritual, atheist, religious, agnostic, Muslim, Hindu or even British I invite you to join me in this journey trying to live my life in the way of Christ, NOT in the way of what you and I have perceived as the way of Christians. Follow Jesus for a while and your life will probably be better. Not easier, but better. Then you can decide if want to take the leap of faith that Jesus died for your sins, that he is THE Son of God. I don’t even know if that’s true, but I have come to a place in my life that I have faith in Jesus, and sometimes I even have something "near" faith in Christians.
Since Google does not decide whether or not I am going to heaven or hell, I am going to add an SEO related link to this post: denver church
Who knows, maybe it will help lead someone to the way of Christ!
Saturday, April 09, 2011
HCX Highlands Ranch is Back by Park Meadows
One of my hair salon clients is "back". Since the Highlands Ranch location cosed, I am now helping the HCX hair salon by Park Meadows with their online marketing. They do a great job.
Check them out if you need a cut, color or waxing!
This is content from their home page...
HCX Park Meadows
Haircolorxperts of Park Meadows
9615 East County Line Road, Unit B
Centennial, CO 80112
Call Now For an Appointment: 720-257-9482
Our Park Meadows Hair Salon:
At HaircolorXperts of Park Meadows we pride ourselves on providing quality hair care, styling, hair color, dimensional hair color and facial waxing. We are a Bumble & Bumble salon which sets us apart from the rest. In addition to providing top notch hair care, our salon is founded on several core values which guide all that we do: integrity, passion, creativity, & community. These values guide our business and we know you will recognize them as soon as you come into the salon.
Each one of our individually selected stylists is ready and eager to serve your needs and provide you with one of the best hair salon experiences you have ever had. Feel free to contact us today to learn more.
HaircolorXperts is a premier hair salon by Park Meadows Mall serving Denver, Highlands Ranch, Centennial, Littleton, Parker, Castle Pines, Castle Rock, Greenwood Village & Englewood Hair Salon Clients.
Please call or email us to schedule an appointment today at: 720-257-9482
Hair Salon Lone Tree, Hair Salon Littleton, Hair Color in Denver, Beauty Salon Denver, Hair Salon Highlands Ranch, Hair Salon Denver, Hair Salon Castle Rock, Best Hair Salon Denver, Best Beauty Salon Denver, Colorado Hair Salon, Colorado Beauty Salon, Englewood Hair Salon, Greenwood Village Hair Salon, Denver Hair Cut, Denver Hair Stylists, Highlands Ranch Beauty Salon, Parker Hair Salon, Denver Beauty Salon, Lone Tree Hair Salon, Highlands Ranch Hair Salon, Englewood Beauty Salon, Littleton Hair Salon, HCX, Haircolorxperts | Denver Beauty Salon -Highlands Ranch Hair Stylist
Haircolorxperts of Park Meadows
9615 East County Line Road, Unit B
Centennial, CO 80112
Call Now For an Appointment: 720-257-9482
Our Park Meadows Hair Salon:
At HaircolorXperts of Park Meadows we pride ourselves on providing quality hair care, styling, hair color, dimensional hair color and facial waxing. We are a Bumble & Bumble salon which sets us apart from the rest. In addition to providing top notch hair care, our salon is founded on several core values which guide all that we do: integrity, passion, creativity, & community. These values guide our business and we know you will recognize them as soon as you come into the salon.
Each one of our individually selected stylists is ready and eager to serve your needs and provide you with one of the best hair salon experiences you have ever had. Feel free to contact us today to learn more.
HaircolorXperts is a premier hair salon by Park Meadows Mall serving Denver, Highlands Ranch, Centennial, Littleton, Parker, Castle Pines, Castle Rock, Greenwood Village & Englewood Hair Salon Clients.
Please call or email us to schedule an appointment today at: 720-257-9482
Hair Salon Lone Tree, Hair Salon Littleton, Hair Color in Denver, Beauty Salon Denver, Hair Salon Highlands Ranch, Hair Salon Denver, Hair Salon Castle Rock, Best Hair Salon Denver, Best Beauty Salon Denver, Colorado Hair Salon, Colorado Beauty Salon, Englewood Hair Salon, Greenwood Village Hair Salon, Denver Hair Cut, Denver Hair Stylists, Highlands Ranch Beauty Salon, Parker Hair Salon, Denver Beauty Salon, Lone Tree Hair Salon, Highlands Ranch Hair Salon, Englewood Beauty Salon, Littleton Hair Salon, HCX, Haircolorxperts | Denver Beauty Salon -Highlands Ranch Hair Stylist
Saturday, April 02, 2011
Questions for or about God?
My church in Denver, Restoration Community Church, is doing a pretty cool series over the next few weeks leading up to Easter:
Sermon Series
"Morph"
April 2011
April 3:
Morph: Romans 5 - Resistance Training
April 10:
Morph: Romans 6 - I ( ___ ) therefore I am
April 17:
Morph: Romans 7 - Upside Down World
Denver Easter Service April 24:
FAQS4GOD: Romans 8 - Does God Really Care About Me?
On Easter we are going to answer questions for or about God at www.FAQs4God.com.
People are submitting their questions randomly and we encourage everyone to do the same.
Have a great April!
Sermon Series
"Morph"
April 2011
April 3:
Morph: Romans 5 - Resistance Training
April 10:
Morph: Romans 6 - I ( ___ ) therefore I am
April 17:
Morph: Romans 7 - Upside Down World
Denver Easter Service April 24:
FAQS4GOD: Romans 8 - Does God Really Care About Me?
On Easter we are going to answer questions for or about God at www.FAQs4God.com.
People are submitting their questions randomly and we encourage everyone to do the same.
Have a great April!
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Rv Rental Denver
I am actually considering renting a big luxury RV for a week or so this summer. I met this really nice young couple who own a RV Rental service in Denver. They are from Michigan and now own 12 luxury RV's in Colorado.
I think it would be an awesome way to see the Grand Canyon on the way to Disneyland with the kiddos.
Anyone have any suggestions when it comes to renting an RV and going on a RV trip?
Their site needs a little work, but you can get to it via this link...
RV Rental Denver
I think it would be an awesome way to see the Grand Canyon on the way to Disneyland with the kiddos.
Anyone have any suggestions when it comes to renting an RV and going on a RV trip?
Their site needs a little work, but you can get to it via this link...
RV Rental Denver
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
My gift to all of you, my dearest friends...
I have been very busy buying gifts for my kids, some friends, and for myself. In fact, I spent a little too much on myself. Really; all I need you to do is send me some money so I can buy you some gifts. On second thought; give yourself some money and consider it from me!
Merry Christmas!
You are welcome!
Dan Stratford
Merry Christmas!
You are welcome!
Dan Stratford
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Friday, December 10, 2010
Saturday, December 04, 2010
Christmas Eve Church Services in Denver
I am so excited about our new building for Restoration Community Church. We did have a minor set back; the basement of the church flooded. The cool thing is that the insurance company that insures many of the churches in Denver actually covered the losses. Which means our basement is going be redone with a new space for our children's programs and other programs.
In the meantime, the insurance company is paying for us to have a temporary building in our parking lot for our children's services so they have a nice space to meet learn and play in while the parents and other adults worship.
If you are looking for Christmas Eve Church Services in Denver don't hesitate to visit Restoration Community Church in Denver.
In the meantime, the insurance company is paying for us to have a temporary building in our parking lot for our children's services so they have a nice space to meet learn and play in while the parents and other adults worship.
If you are looking for Christmas Eve Church Services in Denver don't hesitate to visit Restoration Community Church in Denver.
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
Should you take your car to your dealer or Discount Tire for tires?
With regards to my experience with Acura, Lexis, Mazda, Porsche and Audi dealerships…
Here I am sitting at Discount Tires because I chose to save a few hundred dollars vs. getting my tires at the Acura dealership. Whenever I buy something from multiple shops or vendors I get a little anxious because when something goes wrong a lot of "passing the buck" wastes a lot of time and causes a ot of headaches, which costs me MORE than the few hundred dollars I thought I saved!
This is what happened: I bought tires from Discount Tires a few weeks ago before I headed out of town. They weren't cheap, they were Yokohama, which are very god tires and about $200 less for 4 of them vs. the Michelins. I then took my car to the Acura dealership to have the oil changed and the wheels aligned while I was out of town. (I already learned my lesson about getting my wheels aligned by someone else than the Acura dealership a year ago; Big O Tires aligns the wheels to a much lower standard than the Acura dealership.)
When I picked up my car it was very clean-almost detailed, but it pulled to the right a bit while driving on any kind of road. I drove it for a few days and then took it back to the Acura dealership for their assessment. Luckily I can work from anywhere, so sitting at the dealership with WiFi was very handy.
They checked everything-including rotating the tires in multiple ways to negate the possibility that one tire was causing the problem. Then they told me I had to go back to Discount Tires to see if they would replace all or 2 of the tires.
Good news-good result:
I went back to Discount Tires, I only waited for about 20 minutes after explaining to them what happened.
They replaced the front tires and that seemed to fix the problem.
If they hadn’t made it so easy I probably would not buy tires from them again, just because of all of the back and forth I got into. Discount is much closer to me than the dealership, so going there regularly to get my tires rotated will still be convenient. Usually “back and forth” means “passing the buck” in these situations, but both discount Tires and Courtesy Acura in Littleton shot me straight, fixed the problem and going above and beyond what I expected!
Acura dealerships Denver
Tires in Denver
NYC Pawn Shop
Here I am sitting at Discount Tires because I chose to save a few hundred dollars vs. getting my tires at the Acura dealership. Whenever I buy something from multiple shops or vendors I get a little anxious because when something goes wrong a lot of "passing the buck" wastes a lot of time and causes a ot of headaches, which costs me MORE than the few hundred dollars I thought I saved!
This is what happened: I bought tires from Discount Tires a few weeks ago before I headed out of town. They weren't cheap, they were Yokohama, which are very god tires and about $200 less for 4 of them vs. the Michelins. I then took my car to the Acura dealership to have the oil changed and the wheels aligned while I was out of town. (I already learned my lesson about getting my wheels aligned by someone else than the Acura dealership a year ago; Big O Tires aligns the wheels to a much lower standard than the Acura dealership.)
When I picked up my car it was very clean-almost detailed, but it pulled to the right a bit while driving on any kind of road. I drove it for a few days and then took it back to the Acura dealership for their assessment. Luckily I can work from anywhere, so sitting at the dealership with WiFi was very handy.
They checked everything-including rotating the tires in multiple ways to negate the possibility that one tire was causing the problem. Then they told me I had to go back to Discount Tires to see if they would replace all or 2 of the tires.
Good news-good result:
I went back to Discount Tires, I only waited for about 20 minutes after explaining to them what happened.
They replaced the front tires and that seemed to fix the problem.
If they hadn’t made it so easy I probably would not buy tires from them again, just because of all of the back and forth I got into. Discount is much closer to me than the dealership, so going there regularly to get my tires rotated will still be convenient. Usually “back and forth” means “passing the buck” in these situations, but both discount Tires and Courtesy Acura in Littleton shot me straight, fixed the problem and going above and beyond what I expected!
Acura dealerships Denver
Tires in Denver
NYC Pawn Shop
Saturday, October 02, 2010
What is Smallville?
It hit me today what the best way is to describe the show Smallville: It is essentially a 10 year long "Origin of Superman" story. The show goes off on tangents sometimes (whose idea was it to link everything to native Americans and a cave?), but at the heart of the show that is what it is all about-how did a boy from Krypton become a Super-Hu-Man.
Like God became a man in Jesus, this Kryptonian shed his previous life to become the near perfect man. Jesus was perfect because he was exactly what God wanted for us (oh yeah, and technically he didn't sin) Superman is the nearest to what might be considered the perfect hero. He transcends race, religion, languages, culture, age, sex-everything. Who doesn't love Superman? Who shouldn't love Christ?
Anyway, back to the "light" hearted point of this blog post...
So far this season is above average for the show, I hope they don't "jump the shark" before the end of this final season. I mean, they already have to convince us Clark should fly around in tights & a cape-how could you come up with anything more crazy than that!
Superman-my 2nd favorite hero of all time! (Believe it or not, out of respect, Jesus is my my 1st favorite, especially now that you can get the bible in comic form).
These are my top 12 favorite heroes that I respect (fictional or real), for one reason or another...
1-Jesus (real)
2-Superman (fiction)
3-Steve Martin (fiction)
4-Brian Regan (real)
5-Maximus (real)
6-William Wallace (real)
7-Prince (fiction)
8-Dr. Porsche (real)
9-George Washington (fiction)
10-Tom Robbins (real)
11-CS Lewis (real)
12-Chris Rock (real)
Who are your top 5, 10 or 12?
Like God became a man in Jesus, this Kryptonian shed his previous life to become the near perfect man. Jesus was perfect because he was exactly what God wanted for us (oh yeah, and technically he didn't sin) Superman is the nearest to what might be considered the perfect hero. He transcends race, religion, languages, culture, age, sex-everything. Who doesn't love Superman? Who shouldn't love Christ?
Anyway, back to the "light" hearted point of this blog post...
So far this season is above average for the show, I hope they don't "jump the shark" before the end of this final season. I mean, they already have to convince us Clark should fly around in tights & a cape-how could you come up with anything more crazy than that!
Superman-my 2nd favorite hero of all time! (Believe it or not, out of respect, Jesus is my my 1st favorite, especially now that you can get the bible in comic form).
These are my top 12 favorite heroes that I respect (fictional or real), for one reason or another...
1-Jesus (real)
2-Superman (fiction)
3-Steve Martin (fiction)
4-Brian Regan (real)
5-Maximus (real)
6-William Wallace (real)
7-Prince (fiction)
8-Dr. Porsche (real)
9-George Washington (fiction)
10-Tom Robbins (real)
11-CS Lewis (real)
12-Chris Rock (real)
Who are your top 5, 10 or 12?
Friday, September 17, 2010
Tuesday, August 03, 2010
My Favorite Dennis Miller Quote from Monday's Radio Show
“In war news…Netherlands became the 1st NATO country to conclude its mission in Afghanistan and withdraw its troops. The news of their departure was the first time the Afghan people, US soldiers, NATO and even in fact the Dutch military realized they were in fact involved in Afghanistan. Thank you guys, and get back there to hooka detail. ‘Hut! Hut! You gotta get high cause you can’t get down! Sound off!’”
LOL!!
(I love this guy!)
And now for the unabashed search engine optimization part of this message: :)
Restoration Church in Denver wants you to join us this Saturday for worship and dinner afterwords.
LOL!!
(I love this guy!)
And now for the unabashed search engine optimization part of this message: :)
Restoration Church in Denver wants you to join us this Saturday for worship and dinner afterwords.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Restoration Community Church in Denver This Saturday...
Restoration Friends, (by Ron Johnson)
I am not sure this week's message is for you! God has really been working on my heart this week as I have studied and prayed. The question I keep pondering is this, "do I have enough of God?" That question is messing with my heart and leading me to Jesus in some very good ways. I hope you come tomorrow night and join me.
On the fifth weekend of each month we bring surplus from our lives to our worship service to give to those less fortunate than we are. There are a lot of kids in schools on the southside of the city of Denver who do not have money to buy school supplies and even food. So, please take some time to bring some of the following: scissors, gluesticks, folders, erasers, notebooks, markers, non-persihable snacks, crackers, fruit bars, pretzels, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, and hair brushes. Jill will get these supplies to grade school children who need them. Let's be the church and help out with this need. Thanks.
One last thing; PARENTS MARK YOUR CALENDARS! After our worship service on August 14th we will have a meeting with all Restoration parents in our church to discuss our Family Life Plans for the fall. Don't miss this. It will help your kids know God's love in ways that will shape their future!
Next Service: Saturday, July 31 at 5pm
Restoration Community Church in Denver
I am not sure this week's message is for you! God has really been working on my heart this week as I have studied and prayed. The question I keep pondering is this, "do I have enough of God?" That question is messing with my heart and leading me to Jesus in some very good ways. I hope you come tomorrow night and join me.
On the fifth weekend of each month we bring surplus from our lives to our worship service to give to those less fortunate than we are. There are a lot of kids in schools on the southside of the city of Denver who do not have money to buy school supplies and even food. So, please take some time to bring some of the following: scissors, gluesticks, folders, erasers, notebooks, markers, non-persihable snacks, crackers, fruit bars, pretzels, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, and hair brushes. Jill will get these supplies to grade school children who need them. Let's be the church and help out with this need. Thanks.
One last thing; PARENTS MARK YOUR CALENDARS! After our worship service on August 14th we will have a meeting with all Restoration parents in our church to discuss our Family Life Plans for the fall. Don't miss this. It will help your kids know God's love in ways that will shape their future!
Next Service: Saturday, July 31 at 5pm
Restoration Community Church in Denver
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
The Best Day of 2010 So Far
ALL 5 of my children were together with me this past Sunday. Yes it was chaos, yes the house and the day was messy, but when there is such a strong family bond between us, so much joy and so much love, worrying about the messiness in life seems just downright silly.
I would rather have a messy house, a messy yard, a messy car and even the messy bickering that often accompanies living with 5 kids and big teddy bear of a dog than anything else in the world.
Of course, the old Porsche will have to be an extra car-and only 2-4 of us will be able to ride in it at a time, with one of my older kids driving behind with the dog and the other kiddos in the SUV!
I will posting pictures and videos of the messy, chaotic, fun and love filled day here and on my Facebook profile in my "spare time" over the next few days.
Blessings.
I would rather have a messy house, a messy yard, a messy car and even the messy bickering that often accompanies living with 5 kids and big teddy bear of a dog than anything else in the world.
Of course, the old Porsche will have to be an extra car-and only 2-4 of us will be able to ride in it at a time, with one of my older kids driving behind with the dog and the other kiddos in the SUV!
I will posting pictures and videos of the messy, chaotic, fun and love filled day here and on my Facebook profile in my "spare time" over the next few days.
Blessings.
Friday, July 16, 2010
How I lost 10 pounds the last 4 weeks!
My 3 step formula for FREE:
1-I ate less food.
2-I biked, ran and/or lifted weights 6-7 days a week.
3-The 3rd part was motivation. I had a very personal reason for wanting to lose the weight, that I often focused on before, during and even after workouts.
10 more pounds coming off in the next 4 weeks with this formula!
1-I ate less food.
2-I biked, ran and/or lifted weights 6-7 days a week.
3-The 3rd part was motivation. I had a very personal reason for wanting to lose the weight, that I often focused on before, during and even after workouts.
10 more pounds coming off in the next 4 weeks with this formula!
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