DanLance.com

Things I’m looking forward to right now…

Dan — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 15:45:41 +0000

Going to look at this house in 2 hours that sits on 5 sweet acres

Light the Letters E.P. coming out. Got the masters back yesterday…it’s going to blow your mind!

This season of life for Alyssa and I as we go through Love After Marriage

The Rooster Party…the time has come!

Olive Garden with Tim Kaiser in 3 hours

Immerse. A two year training that I’ve been thinking about for a long time

Be present…but it’s nice to have things you’re looking forward to.

What’s your list?

I’ve passed them 100 times

Dan — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 16:06:59 +0000

Today I got up for my Friday morning run
Got to the river trail…no Sean
Sent my text threatening death if he was still sleeping
His phone had died during the night…bummer
So that leaves me with the decision…run…no run
I pick option 3…walk
I’m so sore from wake boarding that walking sounded incredible. I headed out on the trail and actually had an amazing time in prayer and enjoying my surroundings.
Half way through I notice these two ladies emerge from the bushes on the side of the trail. They have 2 huge ziplock bags filled with blackberries. I started looking on the side of the trail and noticed millions of blackberries everywhere. I’ve run that trail 100 times and this is the first time I had seen the blackberries. I started thinking about my crazy life and the amazing things that God has all around me that I am flying by and missing everyday.
I’m grateful for the ones that stop to jump into bushes for blackberries. They taught me something this morning. So much of life can become background noise and nice scenery. Slow down…open your eyes…breath…open your ears…breath…pick some blueberries!

5 days

Dan — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 15:27:23 +0000

It feels really weird to come to the end of a two year project.
I remember what it was like when VCC moved to the Grove. What a crazy experience. I was basically born and raised in that building. I was there every week for 30 years. Then in one week we moved and I never went back. No more green pews. No more pipes on the wall. No more carpeted gym. No more Garden Room…weird!
After this week, another chapter of my life closes and a new one begins. It’s been a great 3.5 years.
5 days…weird!

Embrace the chaos

Dan — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 15:46:08 +0000

I feel like this is the new mantra for this season in life.

Today we move our offices into our new space.
In 11 days we have our first official Sunday in our new space.
In the last month I’ve recorded a 5 song E.P. that I’m hoping with change the world (or at least the people that listen to it)
The last 2 weekends I’ve been camping with family and friends.
Our house has been real busy in the last month. We’re thinking of opening a Bed and Breakfast
My wife threw the baby shower of the century yesterday.
I’m setting up a trampoline for my kids tomorrow.
I’m making decisions on paint, booths, tables, lights, sound, projectors, screens, chairs, toilets, menus, kitchen equipment, baseboards, signs, and light switches.

It’s a busy time in life.

I’m pretty sure there was a reason God kept telling his people to set up big piles of rocks as reminders. It’s easy to get caught in the busy and forget the journey. I put on my Stirring Stroll shirt today and remembered the idea to raise money with a run. Which led me to remember the offering we took and raised exactly the amount we asked God for. Which made me remember the 5 times we thought about stopping our project because we thought we were dead in the water. Which led me to remember the first time hearing that a person wanted us to use her bookstore for a church. It’s been a crazy year and a half!

Set up stones in your life. Embrace the chaos. You only get one shot. Laugh, cry, yell, and scream. It’s all good. There’s life to live in the craziness. I’m tryin’ to find it!

Laps, shoulders, and strollers

Dan — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 15:26:08 +0000

You ever have those moments…

Last night at the fireworks my son Zeke (8) enjoyed his first firework show without freaking out, screaming and covering his ears. He loved every minute. He leaned back in my lap and took in the whole thing. I couldn’t believe how big he was as we sat there together and I just thought to myself this might be the last year that I get this kind of moment with Zeke. There were a billion people at the convention center and I got to hold his hand on the way to get snow cones. Felt like it could be the last time as well. I soaked it up. It was awesome. Crap…I’m crying at Starbucks right now.

We walked across the 44 fwy walking bridge and I had Sof on my shoulders for most of the way. I realized that is probably not going to happen much longer.

We pushed Moses in his stroller across the bridge for probably the last time.

It was just one of those moments…and I loved it! Great night.

Enjoy the moments!!!

Speaking tomorrow at the Stirring

Dan — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 22:04:50 +0000

Generosity shouts! I’m speaking out of two passages: Matt 16:26 You can have everything the world could offer and somehow lose yourself in the process. That sounds like a bummer. I Timothy 6:17 God gives us everything we need to enjoy. Use your money to do good, give to needy and share. Little choices everyday. We only get one shot.[...] Read More...

You know it’s a busy season when…

Dan — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 01:51:15 +0000

…it’s Thursday and you realize today that you are going to see U2 on Tuesday! I’m so stinkin pumped. Jeremy is workin on back stage passes. I’ll ask the Edge if he’s up for playing our new venue for our opening Sunday.

Things have been so busy that I seriously forgot till I went to hang out with Jeremy this morning. This will be my fifth time seeing them. I rank those moments as some of the best I’ve had.
Stoked!!!

Calvin peein’ on stuff

Dan — Wed, 25 May 2011 20:03:42 +0000

Can we talk about this for a minute?

Today I pull up behind this dude that has Calvin sticker peeing on President Obama on the back window of his truck.

Here’s the question…

When did it become socially exceptable to put a sticker of a weird little kid peeing on stuff on your car?
We’re talking about adults that have enough sense to pass their driving test, unless they are stealing their parents car…total possibility. At some point they walked into a store and were weeding through the bumper stickers, passed on “my boss is a jewish carpenter” and went straight for kid with flying urine! I just don’t get it. I’ve seen him peeing on Ford’s and Chevy’s and Bush and other Calvins and now Obama.

Somebody help me out here.

New song

Dan — Sat, 14 May 2011 05:03:16 +0000

Tonight I finished the lyrics for one of our new songs called Burn the Maps.

Here’s a sneak peek at the second verse into the chorus.
The band hasn’t even seen this yet.
We go to the Soundhouse tomorrow to record a practice for pre production notes for our recording in June. Stoked!

My life crashed desperately into a story
Of a treasure that could never be taken
The compass of my life led me to a field
And just below the surface I found something real

So I gave it all away. Yeah I gave it all away.

We can never go back. We can never go back. We can never go back.
Let’s burn the maps.

I have issues

Dan — Fri, 13 May 2011 03:03:45 +0000

It doesn’t matter how crazy the season of life I find myself in, I am always finding ways to look at random houses that I would like to purchase. I have a strange obsession with real estate. Right now I’m looking for a house or mobile on acreage that we could live in and build on.
Then tonight I stumbled across a 1350 sq ft house across from Caldwell park that is selling for $55,000. What I wouldn’t give to be a first time buyer right now.
Anyways, I just wanted to give you a window into the weirdness that is my life. I’m just glad Aly loves me and supports my little trips to snoop and look through windows. Houses are fun. New projects, new neighbors, new possibilities. I’m ready!
What’s your issue?