Dirkmonster

Chilled in the moment

I took a plunge into the 45 degree water of Percy Priest Lake on New Year's Day and didn't want it to end.

It was an awakening to some of the spiritual forces that can make my life full on a daily basis.

• When I summon the courage to follow through on something I feel is right for me (especially when others think it's crazy), I feel good about myself. 
• I realize how something daunting is easier to face in community rather than alone.  I stood on the shore of that lake among hundreds of fellow "Polar Bears" and plunged forward without hesitation because we were doing it together.
• Overcoming the fear and stinking thinking is the greatest challenge.  When I woke up to find it was raining, I actually thought of skipping the plunge because it would be unpleasant to get wet and cold.  It was easy to see through how silly that rationalization was.  Maybe I can draw on that the next time I want to find an excuse to avoid the unknown - hitting the water was worth it and I am glad fear didn't deprive me of the experience.
• It is a good thing to leave my comfort zone for a bigger comfort zone.
• Submerging myself in frigid water is an awakening to how thrilling it is to be super concious in the moment.  Too often I spend the present moments that make up my daily life thinking about the past, worrying about the future or trying to escape reality by just tuning out the here and now.  I recognize how damaging it is and yet it's so tough for me to consistently overcome.  But when I went in that lake, all that disappeared naturally and the experience came alive in a mindful rush of the moment at hand.

So it all leaves me thinking, do I have to go to extremes to be alive in the moment?  Or could there be value in realizing that I have it in me and I would benefit from practicing mindfulness on dry land?

I am grateful to the YMCA's Camp Widjiwagan for organizing this event.  The programs and facilities of the YMCA have been a blessing to us over the years.

While this was my first "Polar Bear Plunge", cold water has been floating my boat for awhile.  Here's why. 

My New Year's Resolution - Take the "Dirkmonster Challenge"

I'm no web 2.0 genius, but it seems to me that there are two things among many I have to do to get more readers (and commenters!) to the Dirkmonster blog in 2009:

1. Write more posts and post more regularly.
2. Give people a reason to read them regularly

To reiterate, I'm no genius about this stuff, so here's my lame solution which will also be my New Year's Resolution:

I will post at least 5 times every week.  In the event that I fail to do so, the first person to point it out in the comments will receive a gift card from me.  There.  Hopefully I will generate posts that won't be so boring that even a gift card is not worth the torture of keeping up with them.

An easy way to keep up, should you choose to do so, is to subscribe to this blog's RSS feed.  If you don't know about RSS, add a New Year's resolution to give it a try.  It will change the way you surf the Internet and bring you information you would have missed otherwise.  Learn more here.

Happy 2009 Dirkmonster Blog Aficianodos! The 2009 Dirkmonster Challenge is on. 

Please comment on this post and prognosticate on how this turns out.

Sianora 2008

Happy New Year everyone!

There are those years no one will ever forget, like 2001.  Others register instant memories for me: 1976 (Bicentennial celebration in DC), 1987 (Mom died), 1996 (I got married) and 2002/2005 (our children were born).

Other years, I'd have to think about it order to come up with something hugely significant.  There's something every year of course, but not every year is attached to my brain's random access memory.  I'll throw one out: 1983.  Eh?

Folks, I have a feeling 2008 will be one of those significant years for me.  I won't forget this was the year the Titans surprised everyone with the best regular season record in the NFL.  I agree with those who suggest 2008 was the best sports year ever.

I won't forget 2008 was the year Barack Obama was elected President of the United States.

I won't forget 2008 was the year I realized God didn't want me to drink.

I won't forget watching Lyn work harder than she ever needed to and ride a professional roller coaster in the process.

I won't forget watching Ross go to Kindergarten in a wonderful public school in the fall of 2008.  And by Christmas he was 6 years old reader and writer.  Jenna Claire is in preschool for the first time and loves all things Princess.

<--And just when you thought 2008 couldn't get any more wierd, my Dad asked me to be his friend on Facebook.

Tonight we'll close out the year with old friends in a new way.  I'm not worried about 2009 yet.  I'm waiting until next year for that.

Ross brushes off sickness for a Merry Christmas

We learned about Fifth Disease this Christmas as Ross broke out in rosy cheeks, a rash and woke up with sore legs.  He was sick on his birthday a week ago as well.  It did not slow him down.  Notably, this Christmas was the first one where we could sit back and have Ross deliver gifts from under the tree - he's reading!

Jenna Claire was overjoyed that Santa brought her a dollhouse, lots of Barbie and Princess related items and pretty clothes that matched.  Ross is excited about his basketball goal, a Nintendo DS and some video games.

See some pictures here.

This Christmas reminded me more than any what the Gospel teaches, that "With God, nothing is impossible".

Please add your items to this gratitude list

This Thanksgiving, I'm overtaken with what I have to be thankful for.  I pray for grace, mercy and peace to be with you and your loved ones.  If you wish, please comment on this post with a gratitude list you'd like to share.

I'm thankful for: My wife Lyn and our children Ross and Jenna Claire, the love and support of friends and family, my work family at Acxiom, Lyn's work family at NewsChannel 5, Sunset Elementary School, 1st Baptist Preschool, Jesus' birth, life, death, resurrection and exaltation, nourishing food and a warm home, my Dad, my late mother, my step-mom Jane, my brothers Adam and Carlos, Lyn's Dad and Cheri, Lyn's late grandparents, my college roomate and life long friend John and his family, my aunts, uncles and cousins, my late grandparents, cold water, warm coffee, exciting sports, the 10-1 Titans, the Predators, music, veterans and long weekends.

I will add more as I think of them.  You are welcome to list people and things you're thankful for in the comments of this post.  I would love to see it.