Jack Rabbit stew

5:30am today I ran over a jack rabbit while rollin at about 22 mph on my bike. Scared the living crud out of me. Didn't fall but I thought I was going down. Pitch dark riding on the American River Trail with a bright light and all of the sudden a large jack rabbit shoots out in front of me. My common practice is to give a shout and usually the rabbit or squirrel will hear me and run off the road. This rabbit darted around back and forth and then jumped directly in front of me and snap, crackle, pop, he was a gonner. 245 lbs of bike and well, me, rolled over that guy. Couldn't see anything in the dark after the incident.

Anyway welcome to my morning.

Doug

Quiet

The moments of pure silence in our lives are nearly impossible to find. The rush of our culture like the white water rapids of a river seem to never end yet if you follow the river long enough there are the most peaceful places on earth. Are you living in the rapids and never finding the quiet times of your life? I think all of us fall into this trap, which leads to discontent, burnout, shallow relationships and limited potential. Live life to the fullest, take time today to stop and listen and think in the midst of beautiful silence. You may have to practice this, at first the silence may be defening to you because your mind won't slow down. Keep at for a few days and what how serenity sets in.

Live the Epic Life.

Pd

Giving not getting.

Living life around what you can give rather than what you get? Sounds crazy, this is the kind of life Jesus lived and compelled us to live as well. A life of giving. Amazing how it works, the more I give the more God provides and trusts me with. He knows I'm not going to hoard and keep things to myself. Check out what Ephesians says.

Ephesians 5:25Husbands, go all out in your love for your wives, exactly as Christ did for the church—a love marked by giving, not getting. Christ's love makes the church whole. His words evoke her beauty. Everything he does and says is designed to bring the best out of her, dressing her in dazzling white silk, radiant with holiness. And that is how husbands ought to love their wives. They're really doing themselves a favor—since they're already "one" in marriage.

This doesn't just count for marriage, it applies to our whole life. Let's live this kind of life together.

Pd

Refreshed By Generosity.

If you missed the message today in church, I spoke on being Refreshed by Generosity. Using the gifts God has placed in you! Check it out the message at ccconline.cc. Notes will be available as well.

Pd

Refreshed by Generosity!

Mike Mallot - Rockin it at the xterra nationals last year!! Team Captain. Team Epic Life!

I'm excited to see what I can do in addition to what I already do. I want to be that generous person referred to in Proverbs. Giving not getting that's where it's at. What is the one thing you can give to use your the gifts God has given you. I love what Ashley L has started using the gifts God has given her to help others get in shape. They call it the, "The Fit Factor"! Way to go Ash, I'm really proud of you for stepping out to make this happen. God is going to bless you as you do this.

Pd

Making lemonade out of lemons.

Missed a few days after messing up my knee! I have an MRI first thing in the Wednesday morning to find out what's going on. Dr. says I blew my ACL. Wow, I love doing active things and it looks like right now that I'll be stuck for a few months of nothing.

I've already been challenged to keep the right attitude and find something else to do that I love. I've had the opportunity to catch up on things I just wouldn't have done without being forced into this situation. Sometimes I think God knows when we need to slow down a little and look at life a little different.

Making lemonade out of lemons.

Here's a cool video of my dogs, I made while having some time on my hands.

Diligence

Diligence is a big word that we are often scared of, sounds like work, responsibility or duties. We often don't talk about the reward of diligence. The reward of diligence is amazing, look at those that have been successful in starting there own business or some kind of new venture. When we are diligent in our lives, amazing results come out. Diligence requires time, which goes against our fast food, get it now, info savvy world. Diligence takes time, patience, endurance and well, work. God wants us to live our life using diligence and hard work.

Proverbs 10:4-5, talks about it. Take a moment and read this passage and apply it to your life with God. Are you diligent daily to know God in all areas of your life? That's what I'm working towards, allowing God to help me develop diligence in all areas of my life.

Living the Epic Life requires hard work and diligence, and as you see from the pic on top, if your willing to pay the price to make the climb the view from the top is amazing!!

Photos by Russell Breton

Have a great day!!

Pd

Never to late!

For fathers day, I gave my dad a bike. I don't remember seeing him ride a bike growing up but he mentioned to me a while back that he'd like to start riding. I thought that was so awesome, it's never to late to start something new or try something different. The bible teaches us that all things can be made new. God wants to give us all kinds of opportunities and fresh starts. It's just up to us to jump on a give life our best.

Check this out.

2 Corinthians 5:17
Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other.

I love fresh starts, new things. God wants each of us to experience this daily. We know we are forgiven, our past is gone and a new life is available. Sweeeeet!!!

D