Things I like:

Kids – I put this first because they bring so much joy to my life. Most kids are open and honest in all their dealings. Sure, you'll find one occasionally who's been corrupted by adults by letting them have their own way for too long, but for the most part they're easy to deal with.

As we get older we're influenced by others as to what they think is right and wrong, cool or uncool, proper and improper, but most children are innocent to these leanings. They talk without inhibition and prejudice and will kiss you, hug you, give you five, without worrying about what others might think. I love it when I'm in a store somewhere and some kid who does not know me from Adam will instinctively wave and say hi. He's not afraid if I'll say hi back or not, he's just a friendly kid who knows how to get a smile out of a stranger.

I also like to entertain and play with kids. I love to spark their imagination and tell them stories and aggravate and kid them. I love to see them smile and laugh and aggravate me back. I like to see them climb trees, roll down hills, collect cool rocks and pine cones, cuddle kittens and puppies, stomp in mud puddles and dig in the dirt. There is so much joy and wonderment lost to us as we grown older, and watching kids can spark that in our hearts again.

Music – If you know me you know I love music. I've been playing music since I was in the 6th grade and have never grown tired of it. I just moved from instrument to instrument and started writing. I love to create and write my own music. It's a gift from God and I love being able to bless others through doing it. I also find a great deal of joy and happiness from playing music with others. There's just something magical about taking a song and making it your own with other people.

Landscaping/Yard Work - I like this because it gives me another creative outlet. I'm able to spend time working and thinking and planning long term instead of worrying about a deadline or anyone else. When you're involve in church work there is always a deadline or meeting or something that demands your attention and involves a certain amount of stress. Work also has some built in stress that happens with all jobs and working in the yard is a way to lose that stress and think through things. When you push a lawn mower, your mind doesn't have to think about what it's doing. It can spend it's energy on solving all the problems that you've neglected to work through. And let's face it, you can't do that watching T.V.

Landscaping also has the element of creativity that makes it very attractive to me. It takes me some time to think through things because of both my color blindness and inexperience, but yard work is also forgiving. I can dig it up and move it, or give it away if it doesn't 'fit' what I'm doing. It's like a haircut, if you don't like it now just change it next time. For instance, I wanted something to cover a poured concrete wall out front and kept looking around until I discovered sweet potato vines. It worked perfectly, although it has to be trimmed about once a week or it will take over the whole yard. It took me over a year to find what I wanted, but once I did I was happy.

But inexperience is a challenge to me. I'm not really good with reading stuff and remembering them if it involves details. I'm more of a “try it and do it over if it doesn't work”, kind of guy. And that can be expensive if you're not careful. So, I look at my yard from every angle, look at other yards to see how theirs look and then plant one thing at a time. Occasionally I'll draw out a whole scene like I've recently done with an area of my backyard, but it's taken me 3 years to get it right in my head.

Sex - Okay, you don't want to hear about it and I don't want to share about it. Sorry!

Eating Out - My wife and I love to eat out. It's grown out of a habit we established when we were first married from dating every Friday night if we could. We love to go out with others and eat, sit, talk, eat, sit, talk, etc. I think it's one of the most important things in our lives and I believe it was invented in heaven (my own idea, not God's).

Spending Time With Family - Usually, there is no other time better spent. It can be the most relaxing and invigorating time you can invest in. We love to sit out on the driveway and watch the kids play; cook breakfast at night; sit on the deck or porch and talk; go shopping; go camping; or just watch a movie together. There's a comfort and security that's felt when you are with the ones you love. Even if there's something you have to be brutally honest about, it's always better doing it with family.

Getting up Early on Saturdays and Sundays and Sitting on the Front Porch - My time. I either listen to the radio, read, or just think, but it's my time, my place, alone and in the quiet. Everyone should have a 'place' that they can retreat to and be alone. How else can God speak to us if we are always around someone or something that captures our attention?

Writing - I think that’s rather obvious, right?
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