Unexpected Color Changes and Fenway

I have always been used to trees being of two colors: Green in the summer and brown in the winter.  There was really no in between.  That was until I moved to Kentucky.

It is getting to that time of year, when leaves begin to change around here.  Fall is beginning and it is something entirely new to me.

This morning I had to drive up to Lexington, crossing over the Kentucky River, and this is the view I got to take in.

It is absolutely amazing and I am thankful that I get to look at this two times a week as I drive.  Like I stated above, I had to head to Lexington early this morn, and what makes this spot so wonderful is how the fog just sits in every nook and cranny of the hills.  It finds its way in and out of the trees, calmly strolling across the high way, softly sitting atop the river.  It is awesome.

Another great thing about this drive, and specifically crossing over the Kentucky River, is that cell phone reception is virtually non existent.  Usually my drive home consists of calling relatives back home, but once I hit this point, I have to hang up and call back once I am home.  And I am perfectly ok with that.

Technology is a great thing.  It has done some unbelievable things for us.  Sent men to the moon, created Siri, brought us all the lovable character of Mario and allowed us to connect with individuals all around the world through Facebook.  But at times, I do feel life would be simpler without it.  It's times like these, when I get to drive over the Kentucky River, that I rarely notice.  I become so dependent on the 4 inch lighted screen that sits in my cup holder that I miss all the beauty that God has placed around me.  And I am sure a lot of us are like this.  We begin to become unaware of God's majestic beauty.

So many say "Prove God exists".  I feel like all you should have to say is look around.  Look at the leaves changing, the snow falling, the waves crashing, the thunder rumbling, the lighting flashing, and the sun shining.

...If it only it were that easy.

Nature is a beautiful thing.  Don't forget to take time and embrace it.  Before you know it, there won't be any left.

It is like the movie Wall-E.  All those people on that big space ship, hypnotized by technology, forgetting about everything they once knew.  I can only pray society does not get to that point.

A really cool thing happened this week in the Doyle Compound.

We found out that we are having a baby girl!! We are beyond excited.  Stephanie Boxx's face looks real mean, and displeased, but I promise she was happy.

Anyways, we can not wait to bring Fenway Eden Doyle into the world and meet her face to face.  She is a very healthy baby, and is growing very well.

You know, it's a funny thing.  I always pictured having a boy.  I don't know why, but I always dreamed of having a boy, and getting to do awesome boy things.  Teach him to surf, how to ride a skateboard, have wicked knuckle ball, and a beyond soft touch with a soccer ball.  And it has come to my attention that I can do all the same things with a little girl.

Am I going to have a little princess, pink loving, fluffy clothing, tutu wearing girl??  By no means.  She will be the coolest, fire starting, sling shot making, soccer playing, wave catching, concrete pushing, ivory playing, string strumming, God loving, Chuck wearing, folk/hipster girl you've ever seen!

Plus, I get the opportunity to some day, own a gun a clean it in front of some young lad who dares to win my beautiful daughters heart.  A little eccentric maybe, but isn't that what being a dad is all about?

Fenway is going to be a champ and I can not wait to see her thrive.

Thursday nights call for selfie's with your dog.



And then pictures of him...

I am going to end today with a proverb.  It comes from chapter 21.  It states, "Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered."

I saw a video just yesterday that had a young individual in it.  He was posing as a homeless person, and anyone who came up to give him money, he would return it to them with a twenty dollar bill.  His motive was he wanted to give to those who give.  The majority of the film was of people giving and how excited some got when receiving over double what they gave.  But for a short period at the beginning of the film, it showed those who called him worthless, told him to get a job, get away from the front of their store, and to work like everyone else.

It was quite sad.  And again, at the very end, he came across a middle aged woman who was begging on the streets.  She looked well dressed, had kids (not with her), and was simply trying to get a few bucks.  He proceeded to talk to her about being homeless and pan handling, and how hard it is, especially when there are those who abuse it.  Use money to buy drugs and alcohol, rather then get cleaned up and get food, and it effects all the other homeless people.  People assume all homeless are like this.  She thought he was homeless all along, until he pulled out a $20 dollar bill and gave it to her.  She instantly started balling.  Asked if she could hug him and shook her head.  She could not understand why he was doing this for her.

See Jesus loves the poor and loves people in general.  We are called to be witnesses to those around us.  We are called to help those around us who are less fortunate then we are.  It's not a matter of your motive and the reason behind your giving, but the fact that you are willing to do so.  You are willing to sacrifice just a little of your wealth so that someone else can have a chance.

Jesus says in Matthew 25, "Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these, you did it to me."  Just before this He claims that those who fed Him, clothed Him, visited Him and helped Him will enter the Kingdom.  But they can't understand why.  They never did this for Him?  And so he claims that what ever you do to those around you, you do for me as well.

Let's be a community that loves on people, helps the poor and strives to make Jesus' name known to those around us.  It is not just a dollar you are giving someone, or a t-shirt, or some water and food.  It is hope.  It is encouragement.  It is love.

This is a community of Middle Schoolers, praying before school that God would use them to reach their classmates, teachers, and sports teams.  Some 60 kids.  Seems we have a lot to learn from our younger generation.  

Timmy Ham, creator of @iamsloth, said this in a recent status update, 

"Wake up and be awesome."

We all have a choice when we wake up...make the right one.

Until next time,

-JTD-

Writing Stories for Another Time

When was the last time you stopped to smell the flowers?

There are so many good things going on this world, but the bad just covers it up.  And it is sad because if you never take the time to stop and smell the flowers, you may never find your way out.

I just watched someone try to parallel park into a space for about 10 minutes.  Apparently he could not figure it out, but it kept my attention, so I guess, I owe him a thank you.

Everyone loves a good story.  And you can not deny it one bit.  That's why as humans we are constantly reliving our lives through the expression of our stories in past memories.  We love telling them...we love hearing them...overall stories are awesome.  Especially fairy tale stories.  This may just be because of my recent investment in a TV show called "Once Upon A Time", but I am telling you fairy tale stories are somewhat of a lost heart.  We grow up on them, but fail to see the beauty in them past our early years.  Why are fairy tales awesome?  I am glad you asked...

• First off, there is dragons, and ogres and things of that nature.  And who doesn't like a story with dragons.
• Second, I have always wanted to be able to talk to animals.  Snow White had a knack for this and it seemed to work to her advantage.
• Third, swords are cool.
• Fourth, having the Disneyland castle become a reality wouldn't be so bad.  A
• Fifth, no technology of any kind.  What an amazing thing.  Living in a time when it was non existent would be surreal
• Sixth, "true love" has become a lost phrase.  I think many don't really believe in it anymore, nor see the power in it.
• Finally, good always wins.  Its inevitable.  Despite the struggle and temptation good faces throughout the journey, it wont be defeated.

And specifically those last two I find of extreme importance.  

Let's go ahead and start with true love.

True love, the lost idea that there is such a thing.  We have kind of grown accustomed to a culture where love is just an over used word that is thrown around for the use of lies and inconsistencies.  And unfortunately, this has taken a toll on our younger generation and allowed us to believe that true love does not exist and that if it does, it is hand in hand with how successful one is.  What happen to the days when people use to love for the right reasons?

Sacrifice, submission, faithfulness, trust, honesty, happiness.  Those reasons.

And it is sad to say, but you hardly see it anymore.  And I am going to take a wild guess, but maybe, just maybe, those things are non existent anymore.  Take a look at the latest headlines and news broadcasts.  Cheating, beating, abuse, affairs, prenups.  What are we doing to ourselves?  Love is a lost art, and although many say to be in love, you would never know.  Love is not a sound that comes out of the mouth, but an action that is worked by the hands.  It takes effort...it takes work.  But true love is rewarding.

 I am thankful that some one else had enough belief in true love to pursue someone like me.  You rock Mrs. Doyle.

Second point...good always wins.  Love it.  Love the words, love the meaning behind it.  And although this is not a fairy tale, it is a tale that has been extremely impactful on my up bringing...Star Wars.  Star Wars is a classic film that clearly portrays good and evil and how good triumphs.

Luke Skywalker, being the son of "Darth Vador", had an easy outlet into the dark side of the force.  Could of easily jumped to the side of his father, and proceeded on with the imperial take over.  But...as in any good story, he doesn't.  He chooses the difficult path and joined the rebellion, leading him to victory over, you guessed it...evil.

A familiar story in our lives...the life of Jesus Christ.  I am sure everyone has had a glimpse into this story, whether you are believe or not.  See Christ came to be a servant, sacrificing Himself for you and for me, so that evil would not triumph.  And that is exactly what he did.  No matter how He was tempted, how easy it would of been for Him to give up, he chose the difficult path, and came through in victory.  

And my point here is that no matter what evil has over taken your life, no matter what struggle or temptation you have faced, good has overcome that evil.  You no longer are facing it alone.  You are no longer tied up and held prisoner to it's ways.  1 Corinthians 15:55 says,

"Where, O death, is your victory?  Where, O death, is your sting?"

And what's funny about this last two statements...true love and good always winning...is that they go hand in hand with one another.  Christ's true love for you allowed for good to always win.  True love is something that one will never stop searching, and here we see that God in true love for you and for me never stopped searching.  And despite the evil that we were consuming ourselves with, God never stopped searching.  And good triumphed evil through the sacrifice of true love.

Fairy tales are great.  There is something to be learned from them.  Although simple, and easy to understand, there is a much deeper significance tied in, as long as your willing to search within.

Thank you "Once Upon A Time" for this reminder.

Until Next Time

-JTD-

Remembering the Past and Searching for the Future.

Have you ever done a duck dive before?

It is quite the experience to say the least.  It is a technique surfers use to get underneath the wave.  Easier to paddle out.  Literally, little to no pull and without, you would never make it out.  And the reason I love this picture is because of it's beauty.  The beauty in a wave.  How vast and huge something like this is. 

If you ever get a chance, check out the waves at Mavericks or Teahupo'o in Tahiti.  It is actually pronounced cho-poo.  Unbelievable waves, and beautiful to say the least.  

The Bible is a great book...the best book. 

It seems that every day, as I run my fingers through the pages and read the words, something speaks straight to my heart. Something in there speaks directly to the situations that I find my self in. And no matter how many times I read the same passage or chapter, I find something new in it and that is the beauty of it. God speaks to us constantly, in so many different ways, but most times we never listen. We tune out and pay attention to the static that no one can seem to make out.

Mark 5, starting in verse 24, "And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed." Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?" "You see the people crowding against you," his disciples answered, "and yet you can ask, 'Who touched me?' " But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.

You know what I find fascinating here? It is that her faith indeed was so great, that she longed for Him. She found a way to reach Him. Despite the crows and the hectic surrounding, she made her way to Him, just so she could touch His cloak. She didn't care how she would touch him, but she would. Her seeking Him never stopped.

And for many of us, including myself, it seems a bit out of the norm to seek anything. Think about it...when was the last time that you strived for something? When was the last time that you actually longed for something and went searching for it? And I am willing to bet that you can't remember the last time you did. Everything we need is a few touches away on our smart phones, or at the end of a phone call. We have it pretty easy and know that when we want something, we can easily get it.

And this leads to my next question...how many of us are earnestly seeking Christ? How many of us have an urgency to constantly pursue Him? For me, I lack at times. The excuses pile up and I find it easier to go my own way.

Proverbs 16:25 says, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but it's end is the way to death."

If there is one thing that I have learned over the years, through trials and faith, it is that God's way will never fail and no matter how hard you try, you will always end up back on his path. It's up to you to pick the road less traveled.

So seek Him. Search for Him. Look high and low. Constantly pursue Him. For God knows the path that you are suppose to take. We only think we know. Choose God and you will be choosing success.

At this point, I would like to take a quick moment and recognize this event.

I am sure we can all remember what we were doing at this exact moment. I know for me, I was sitting in my moms room, watching this from a small, not yet flat screen TV. And though I could not quite comprehend what was going on, or what it all meant, I knew that it hurt. People crying, and running on the screen. News broadcasters running franticly through the streets. This will be a day that will forever be remembered and for those in school today, these towers are only pictures. But for us, we remember the tragic incident and the families that were effected by this horrific incident. My condolences go out to all of those who had to face this face-to-face and the ones who endlessly searched, found and fought over seas so that we could remain the free country that we are.

I saw a country that day stand together. I saw a country that day respond and fight for one another. And although we do many things wrong as a country, I am truly proud to be apart of the family called the USA. We don't realize it at times, but we are truly blessed to be able to be apart of a place like this. A place with freedom. A place with health and values. A place of a greater purpose. A place of love. And no matter what comes up against us, I know we will stand together, like we did on September 11th, 2001. 

Tonight I got to take this wonderful woman on a date night.

And I love nights like these! When I can just sit and take in the perfection God has placed in my life.  It is weird to think about it, but one year ago today, I asked her to marry me.  And just five months ago, we started an amazing journey that would last forever.  And just a list of the reasons why I asked her to marry me a year ago...

• She does dishes.
• She forces me to drive her when ever possible.
• Her skin is softer then a unicorn's rear end and always warm.  Like a tortilla.  It's like she is a tortilla.  A homemade, buttered tortilla.  A tortilla with cinnamon and butter.  A rolled up tortilla to fit in my pocket.  Yes, I wish I could roll her up and put her in my pocket.
• She decorates our house, and wants a million candles everywhere.
• She wears work out clothes 5 days out of the week.  
• She loves to sleep when I get up in the morning. 
• She cuddles me when I want to.
• She wears these cool, colorful, spanish sandals almost everyday and looks great in a Marvel Comics t-shirt.
• I wonder sometimes if she is a princess from another land.
• I also wonder if it is possible to time travel so I can be with her 24/7 no matter where I am.
• She is carrying my baby.  Yes, my baby.  

I am going to be a dad.  A super cool, hip dad.  I will be copied and thrown up on.  I will have to wipe poop and pee from my arms and pick cheerios up off the floor constantly.  Make slingshots and wipe butts.  It is going to be great. 

By the way, we find out the sex on September 22nd and girl or boy, we are thrilled to find out what we can start preparing for.  Better yet, how we can prepare to raise a Godly child, focused on Christ and His calling. 

Stoked beyond belief.

We made a friend today.  In an old shaker town.  It felt a little spooky...like an old haunted town with weird things that happened there.  It felt abandoned but yet interesting all at the same time.

A donkey.  Mercedes patted his ear and rubbed behind it.  He seemed to like it.  And right after that, he scratched his but on the fence for a good 5 minutes.  Must of been his sign of thanks for her service.  He was making this weird face with his teeth to.  Like showing all his teeth as if it felt good or something.

And then she found this tree.

We get to live amongst these beautiful, huge trees and see them change colors.  I can't wait to experience seasons unlike the two seasons you barely get in Phoenix.  

It excites me to write. And I love sharing the life that God has given me.  I hope you all enjoy.

Until Next Time

-JTD-

Baby Aisles and Cinderella

This guy sitting next to me in this coffee shop is eating a salad with no meat...and to top it off I can smell the excessive amount of vinegar used to top it all. 

Rule #1:  never eat a salad without meat in it.

Rule #2:  never eat a salad without meat in it.

Last night I had a dream that I was getting a colonoscopy.  It was the worst dream that I have ever had, except for that time I was getting eaten by a cheeseburger.

Can you believe that? A cheeseburger was eating me.  

I mean it could just be something in the air that is causing me to have these dreams.  Look what it's doing to the rest of my family...

Causing them to sleep all funky and weird.  Literally, it's like they are stuck this way and when I try to move them I get a groan or a paw to the face.

Plus, doesn't that look super comfortable?

Everyone has heard the story of Cinderella.

Well maybe not everyone.  And if you haven't, then I ask you, what kind of childhood did you have?

If you haven't, let me sum it up real quick.  Cinderella was a slave girl to her step mom and two evil step sisters.  She would work for them all day, filling their every desire, cooking, cleaning, and was paid with nothing.  Then one day, the prince of the land asked for all the young woman to come to him for a ball, and he would then choose to marry one.  Cinderella of course, could not go, but with the help of her fairy godmother, she was transformed into this beautiful princess and sent to the ball.  But at midnight, she would be turned back into her rugged garments.  

So, come midnight, she ran away from him and left only a slipper behind.  When the prince went for her, and could not find her, but only found the glass slipper, he searched every woman, making them try on the glass slipper, to find Cinderella. And of course, as any fairytale would end, Cinderella was able to try on the slipper, and it fit.  She then went on to marry the prince and live happily...ever...after.

What a great story...a true underdog Cinderella was.

You know, Cinderella actually means, "one whose attributes are unrecognized, or one who unexpectedly achieves recognition or success after a period of obscurity and neglect."

Now the only reason this story is at the forefront of my mind is because my wife has gotten me hooked on a TV series called "Once Upon A Time" and I have grown to love it...3 episodes at a time love it.

But there is something fascinating about this story.

Like the definition for Cinderella states, success usually comes with neglect, and it creeps up on us unexpectedly.  Many of our traits that will lead us to success are unrecognized and often times go without recognition.  Take Bill Gates for instance.  He dropped out of college to pursue his dream...people called him crazy but I think we all know now that he is far from that.  I mean his first business, "Traf-O-Data" failed.

Or what about Albert Einstein.  He couldn't speak until he was 4 years old.  Teachers thought he was a dud...lazy.  Yet, he went on to create the theory of relativity, which most people still can't understand.

And probably one of the most well known artists, Vincent Van Gogh, was never recognized for his paintings until long after he was gone.  I mean he only sold one painting in his entire life! And despite having no money and being poor, he continued his dream and now he has nearly 900 works of art on display around the world.

And I could go on and on with this but the point is, what is your success story going to look like?  We all have the ability to succeed in some capacity.  For some of us it may be becoming a professional athlete...others an author...others a new anchor...others a family man or a stay at home mom.  But what ever it is, we all have a dream, and if we are not careful, we will go our whole life never pursuing it.

If we are not careful, we may wake up one day and realize that this gift of time that we have been given is no more.

And that's why I love the ending of Cinderella.  She knew she wanted something more...she desired something more and she worked her whole life, never getting an opportunity.  But when she finally did, she took advantage of it and changed her life.

See no one decides the path you choose to take.  Only you can take the first step.  Don't ever be content with where you are, because God has great things in store for you.  When you feel as if you have failed, keep searching.  When you are on your hands and knees, filthy, tired, and overwhelmed, remember, we all have the power to get back up.  But it depends on your willingness to do so.  

Who do you want to be remembered as?

The other day we were hanging out with the Schneiders (sorry if I spelt it wrong...not everyones name can be as easy as Doyle).  They took us to this cool, far to hip for us, coffee shop called "A Cup of Common Wealth".  

It was quite tasty.  They even had an old record player playing records in the corner...hipster.

When bae says no.

Don't mind Eric's arm.  It was pointing at something.  It reminds me of those chalk board, pointing fingers you find in hipster places telling you where to go.  Like to the bathroom.  Or exit.  You know?

I love mornings like this morning.  I got to cook breakfast for my wife, which is rare because I wake up in the early hours of the morn for work, and she sleeps a little longer.  But on days like today, I get to, and I love it.

Especially, when she brings the blanket downstairs and enjoys her breakfast like she is still in bed.  It's like breakfast in bed.  It's like she never had to get up.  She is fooling the breakfast.

If I am lucky, she may drip some egg and hot sauce on the blanket, and it will give me a bedtime surprise for later. 

I can only hope.

This is going to be my main due for the next couple weeks.  He was sent to me by my cousin Brooke in AZ,  His name is Stanley and he is super cool.  

He is everything that I could ask for in a friend, besides the talking part...

Is it weird that I carry him everywhere and force him to take selfies in front of random things and people? I suppose that is a benefit of no talking.  He has no say what we do.  He doesn't care...or maybe he does.  Regardless, he gives a mean paper cut.

Baby update:  Baby Doyle is not the size of a bell pepper!  He's getting there.  We have yet to find out the sex of the baby but I am feeling a boy.  Mercedes says she has no idea what she thinks it is, but that's cause she is pregnant and is feeling weird things all the time.

She knows it is a boy, she just doesn't know it yet. 

But in all seriousness, I am happy with either one.  I actually would love a girl.  But think a boy would be so cool.  You know, to do boy things with.  Fish, light firecrackers, shoot things with slingshots, give indian burns and wet willies to one another, play forts everyday, action figures, comic books.  I just want to enjoy these things with a son someday.

We find out the sex in two weeks and I am beyond stoked to find out.

Either way, this has become the popular aisle for my wife and I.

I still have a hard time comprehending this idea of being a father.  For a long time, I thought that when I had a kid, I would be set.  I would have it all figured out and know exactly what I was doing.  I have come to find that is further from the truth than anything else.

And as I try and try to figure out what parenting style I have, or how I will discipline them, or how I will get them involved in church and loving Jesus, I realize that you will never, ever be ready to have a baby.  Ever.  And although I do not have one yet, I just assume this because I see people prepare and prepare and plan for their baby to come, and they still end up missing something.

So I guess the best advice I have heard this far is, "It's a ticking time bomb".  Coming from the words in Juno the movie, this is true.  You don't know what will happen...how crazy it will be and how fast pace your life will become.  How to plan or how to prepare.  It will just come. But you do know that something beautiful and huge will come out of it.  And I can not wait.

Until then, I get practice with Hurley.

Benjamin Button said, "For what it's worth: it's never to late, or in my case, to early to be whoever you want to be.  There is no time limit; stop when ever you want.  You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing.  We can make the best or the worst of it.  I hope you make the best of it.  And I hope you see things that startle you.  I hope you feel things you never felt before.  I hope you meet people with a different point of view.  I hope you live a life you're proud of.  If you find that you're not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again."

Until next time,

-JTD-