normal?

Someone once told me that "normal" is nothing but a setting on a washing machine.

We are in a season of our lives where we are adjusting to the "new normal". Raegan is now a couple weeks old and Hannah is still a red-head in her terrible (although hilarious) two's. Hannah is now adding jealousy to her personality & Raegan is sleeping great - DURING THE DAY!!!

Deni is getting an average of 8 hours of sleep -PER WEEK!!! I am doing what I can around the house and with Hannah but I just don't have the right equipment (breasts) to provide what Raegan needs (milk).

Adjusting to a newborn is amazing. I absolutely love it. It is just different than what we are used to - normal. Well, it is now the new "normal".

My point: you can keep a list of the negative or you can focus on the positive. So many people have bad relationships because they keep score. Unfortunately the bad is remembered or scored more often than the good. If you want great relationships, keep a running list of the positive things. Let the negatives go. That way - winners all around.

What are you still dreding or allowing yourself to have a bad attitude about that you just need to accept as the new "normal"?

If you want to see "normal", look on your washing machine.

Raegan Noelle

I apologize to my fan (notice that is not plural) for not blogging in a while. I have been out having a baby. Well, I didn't actually have the baby...

We went to the hospital last thurs night and had a beautiful little baby girl friday morning. Raegan was born at 10:45am on Dec 7th. She weighed 7lbs 9oz and was 19.5 inches long. Those stats really don't say much to me but they seem to be the ones people want to know.

She looks a lot like her sister Hannah did when she was born but I can only pray she doesn't act like her... She has traces of red hair on that bald head of hers - Lord help me!!!

What's in a name:
- We chose the name "Raegan" because we like it. Enough said!! Actually each letter in her name can be taken from our names and used to form "Raegan". "Raegan" means "royalty" and she is our little princess. My suggestion was "Dengar", which means "Deni got pregnant by Gary and they had a little girl", but Deni wasn't having any of that.
- Her middle name is "Noelle". We chose that simply because she is our holiday season baby. It is not a family name at all - we just thought it was a good December kind of name.
- Her last name is "Fowler", that name was chosen for her because it was my sperm that created her. Ok, enough about the name.

Raegan is a beautiful, healthy little girl. I pray she has a great life with a HUGE dream. It is so exciting to dream of all the possible things this little girl will do with this precious life.

My point: life is precious and is meant to be lived with purpose. If you don't have a dream, I am sorry. If you do, what are you doing to help that dream become a reality. With a new life comes new responsibility. It is cool knowing part of the reason I was put on this earth is to "train up these girls in the way they should go..." (it's in the Bible, it's not a gfowler original quote)

The fact that I am responsible for another human life (actually 3 of them) is utterly ridiculous!!!

more cowbell

"Living the dream" is what I tell people when they ask how things are going @ C3.

Part of the dream is working with great people and great friends. As part of a team, I know my role. Part of my role is to speak Sunday's on occasion. Konan needs a break every now and then, so today was my turn (& maybe my last...ha)

I always thought it would be really cool to use the "cowbell" skit from SNL. I was never sure how to make it fit... until now.

I talked about 1 Cor 12 where Paul tells us that we are all a bunch of different parts but our faith in Jesus unites us into one body. One body with many parts. Those parts work together to create something that by themselves would never be able to become. Christians are to work together to form a healthy body. That healthy body is then able to "reach, tell, serve, bless, teach"... and everything else a healthy strong body is supposed to do.

Enter the cowbell:

I used the skit to illustrate how, just like a band, we all have different talents and if misused (like Gene does with the cowbell when he is mad), the body is not healthy. But if used to compliment and accent others, we can create gold records. Our body can even wear "gold diapers" (you gotta watch the clip to understand that one...).

My point: Are you playing well with others. If you are a Christian, you need to be part of a body. You have a gift that will strengthen the body. If you are not a Christian - email me, we can talk. If you are a Christian and not part of a body (local church), you are missing out - BIG TIME!!! You are like a hand in a jar - detached from the body. That is just gross!!!

We had fun today. Now you can tell everyone that "C3 church played the cowbell skit."

disclaimer: we edited the video to remove the cuss word. The one on here contains a word that rhymes with "bell"... view at your own discretion.

day 2?

I did not have to move my bracelet yesterday. I did great without complaining, criticizing or gossiping.

I actually got up this morning thinking "did I do it, or did I just forget to move my bracelet?". I am very aware of when I mess up and am usually changing hands before anyone even knows I messed up. So after replaying the day in my head, I just accepted that I made it a day!

I was feeling very good after my successful day - then it happened. Konan and I were talking and he said something and I shot back with a blazing comment that was without a doubt, HILARIOUS, but unfortunately it was critical. Before I knew it, it was just shooting out of my mouth. He didn't even have to say anything before I realized I blew it. I was bummed. It was 5pm and we were leaving for the day and I lost it...

Day 2 quickly became day 1 AGAIN!!! This is more difficult than I thought it would be. I thought I was a very positive person (I still think I am) but I didn't realize all the critical statements I make. Others don't hear my comments unless I want them to but once again it is stupid to attempt to deceive yourself.

My point: Even if you do good one day, that doesn't mean you have arrived. You still have to try. Don't get cocky. You are not "the man" just because you did good one day.

I am pretty excited about moving on to day 1 tomorrow... AGAIN!!!

my bad

I screwed up again today.

There is a man we know who is a good ol' country boy. The funny thing is that he cannot say "Konan". He always says "Kowan" (ko-win). I think it is absolutely hysterical. He says it with a country twang and it is just down right funny.

Today, Konan was talking about him and I put on my best country twang and said "aw Kowan"... then I realized, I was trying to be funny at the expense of someone else. I moved my bracelet and was frustrated at myself. I was doing so good. Oh well, day one starts again tomorrow.

My point: be honest enough with yourself and hold yourself to a higher standard than others do. It may take you longer to finish the 21 day challenge but you will be a lot more positive in the long run. If you deceive yourself into not moving the bracelet, the change is not real change, it is a lie.

If it keeps going like this, I will be on day one forever. So what, I will still beat you!!! - yes I moved it again. The day starts over in about an hour...

is it wrong if it's true?

Ok, so I moved my bracelet today. I was making a comment about how I wanted to do something so I wasn't like this other place and then it hit me - THAT WAS NEGATIVE!!!

I was tearing someone else down to build myself up. I could've easily justified it by saying "that wasn't wrong, it is true". Just because its true doesn't mean it is ok to say.

Let's face it, most negative comments or insults hurt because there may be some truth laced in it. The truth is that most "true" comments you make about others is probably "true" about you too. We tend to notice things in others that we also do - but we refuse to acknowledge it.

So now, I am not just dealing with the comment, but my heart and motive behind it. I am sure I can explain it in a way to make it appear that I was not criticizing, complaining or gossiping but what good would that do? I would just be lying to myself and then I wouldn't like myself. Self-deception is a slippery slope to nothing good.

My point: you know your heart. You can justify, make excuses or explain it any way you want to but the bottom line is that you know your heart behind the comment. If you are lying to yourself - you are worse off than those who are being honest and trying to change.

Don't add lying to the fact that you are a jerk. What?!!! Ok, I moved my bracelet again!

Tomorrow is day one... again

complaint free

Day one and counting...

I am taking the complaint free challenge. I am wearing a purple bracelet that reminds me to think before I speak. Every time I complain, gossip or criticize I have to move the bracelet to the other arm. The goal is to go 21 days without moving the bracelet. It takes the average person 4 - 8 months to accomplish this.

I am on day one. I actually made it today without having to move it. I just didn't speak...

This is amazing. I am blown away that just because I am wearing a bracelet and there is a challenge issued, I am less negative. WOW!!! What if everyone actually thought before they spoke. This world would be - well, "complaint free". Can you imagine a world where you didn't have to hear bickering, moaning and groaning.

I am finding that I am less tolerant of when others complain now but the kicker is that I can't say anything about it. If I point out that another person is complaining, I have to move my bracelet. The goal is to focus on what you can change - YOU!!!

My point: It isn't my job to get others not to complain. It is my responsibility to keep myself from being negative. It is my mouth that I am to control. If I could keep others from complaining and being negative - believe me, I would but that is YOUR job. For the love of all that is pure and good - Do your job!!!

I may slip up (I will tell you when I do) but the goal is to keep trying.

Get a bracelet and stop griping!!!