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| After almost 5 years of blogging here, I have decided to move my blog to an actual website using WordPress. You now have more options of subscribing to my blog, and I would love to have you continue reading at GabeTaviano.com.
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God's given me a stronger desire to use my blog, and I'd be grateful of your prayers and connection as we watch Him use it as He pleases. Thanks for your time!
Gabe Taviano - now blogging at http://www.GabeTaviano.com | | |
|  Got a phone call today from my buddy (or so he thinks) Troy from the one and only TruGreen lawn care. Not sure if he noticed the snow storm that just blew in yesterday or not, but I can't even see my lawn. Apparently Troy took some notes while at my door last fall, when I could see my lawn, and kept them after I turned his business away at our door. To give you some insight into the following conversation we had today on the phone, Troy stopped by while we were on the way out of the door to our two older daughters' soccer game. They came to the door with me to see who it was that was so interested in meeting us. Troy gave me a ring today on the phone and so it began.....
TROY: Hey Keith!
ME: Gabe. You mean Gabe?
TROY: Oh yeah. Hey Gabe. This is Troy from TruGreen. I stopped by your house last fall.
ME: Right.
TROY: Well, I just wanted to check back in with you and see if I could help you with the weeds?
ME: The weeds?
TROY: Right.
ME: Umm. I don't have any weeds.
TROY: Oh. Well, I remember I stopped by and you were on the way out the door to your boys' soccer game.
ME: You mean girls? I don't have any boys. I have three GIRLS.
TROY: Oh yeah. Well, I guess I just have all of my notes mixed up today, don't I?
ME: Yeah, sure appears that way!
TROY: Well, I'll let you go. Have a nice day!
ME: You too!
TROY: Hangs up....
GABE: Wishing he had Troy's number so he could call him back and....
- Ask Gary, I mean Troy, how business was going at Mower Brothers.
- See if he wanted to come over and help me cut my snow.
- Ask him if he's doing any traveling over Christmas break next week.
- Invite him to join me at the boys' soccer tournament next weekend.
- Try to sell him one of my husband's new Expecting books.
Decided to drop it instead, fall out of my chair in laughter, and do him a favor and publicly humiliate him on my blog. If you want some lawn service, do me a favor and make sure they take better notes next time. You might end up with purple grass or have some freak show show up at your kids' soccer game.
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| One thing I've learned recently about being a Christ-follower is that the path you are walking cannot be planned. There are some things that you pursue in your walk with the Lord that require more out of you than you can handle, and then there are some things that arrive as a blessing almost too soon for you to be able to truly understand how much of a blessing they are. The two events / organizations below have made this even more clear this month as God has brought them into my life.
 BibleTech 2009 is a conference sponsored and hosted by Logos Bible Software in Seattle, Washington on March 27-28th. This is the second year for the conference, and I've heard last year was a tremendous success. After interviewing Logos Bible Software and seeing the impact their Bible study software has had on believers around the world, it's not really a shocker to believe that.
Somehow talks began of me traveling out west and being one of the speakers for this year. It will be an honor to hang out with so many individuals who desire to allow the cross of Christ to invade their lives and re-define how they are using technology. I will be discussing what it means to "Become a Digital Disciple". God is moving in today's culture through technology, but I think He's ready to stretch us beyond a few limits. If you're interested in joining me at the conference, I'd love to hear from you. If you can't make it, but long to be stretched in both technology and theology, I believe the ministry below might be for you. I'd be thrilled to have you pray for me as I prepare for this exciting event - specifically that God would really change lives through the discussions and friendships made.
 It's finally here! The first gathering of Digital Disciples will take place on February 5th in Columbus, OH. A ministry that excites me more than any that I've been involved with before. God's called me to start something that I really wish would have been around years ago. A ministry of free monthly local gatherings, starting here in Ohio, where individuals will have the chance to grow deeper in their use of technology and their walk with Christ. This truly is the first of its kind, from what I have seen across the web and while interacting with others. There are groups and conferences whose desire is to push the church (organizations) to increase their use of technology, which are great and definitely needed. I'm thrilled those groups and conferences exist, but I believe that God desires to move beyond the four walls of an organization and really stretch individuals to unselfish measures.
The first time I got some decent technology training was while attending college, a result of some serious sacrifice on my parent's and my part to even make that possible financially. Imagine your friend or family member having the chance to come and learn from others that have been in their shoes. People enjoy technology, but there's always room for improvement. No matter if you are what the world calls an "expert, amateur or beginner". But that's not where it stops. Just learning technology is fun for sure, but that only takes us so far. What about understanding how God wants to use it, or even how He might want to shape the rest of your life through His Word and lessons you can learn with others like you. God works through His Word, through the Spirit and through the lives of others. I believe that can be accomplished, and that's why I have started this ministry. I'd be thrilled to have you join me on February 5th here in Columbus, Ohio, or to help you start a Digital Disciples group just like it in your town! Please do me a favor and share the http://www.DigitalDisciples.net website with your friends and family that might have even just a little interest in this. My first desire I have in starting this ministry is to allow others to grow in Christ, or possibly even meet Him for the first time.
Kind of ironic that the cross is at the center of both of these logos, don't you think? Thanks for reading and praying!
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|  Our youngest (Nina - in photo) turns 3 in just a few hours. Pretty hard to believe for sure. I'll blog later about some of what happened this past week on our trip to Florida, but wanted to dedicate a post to her first.
I'm pretty sure she could vaguely remember going to the ocean back in August of '07, so Marla and I were all pretty excited to surprise her and her two sisters with a visit to Little Talbot Beach outside of Jacksonville, FL after our day at the zoo. Her eyes lit up and she was anxious to get out of the seat belt quickly. It was exciting to lift her up over the waves, run and get a little more crazy than usual, and also to hear what she thought of it all. Her mind instantly realized that this was a HUGE (her favorite word) beach and ocean, but that the God she loves created it all. What a reminder to always look at the world with the heart of a child, not letting the world get between us and what God is up to.
When I look back over the last year of her life I have to laugh at the "terrible twos" motto that people talk about. Sure, there were times when she naturally acted up or made things a little harder than when she was a baby. Sure, she's getting more of a personality that also brings with it maturity and the usual selfishness. But God's brought a HUGE amount more of laughs and smiles into our lives this past year just by creating Nina the way He did than anything people might consider "terrible". I'm very thankful that each child is unique, and that God sees us all that way. I pray that I can bring more joy to each of their lives, and do what I can to help Nina grow closer to God and enjoy the life He's given her. So much more for me to work on than to expect out of others. God is more than good.
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|  We just returned late tonight from a fun day with my family for Christmas and are packing (and blogging) and heading to bed for an early start on the 14 hour journey tomorrow to Florida. I had to snap my daily mugshot for the day, which is now part of the animation you see on the left of my blog (feel free to slow it down and see all of my insane mugs if you're bored!We'll be making stops at the Jacksonville Zoo, Sea World, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo, Busch Gardens, and the Miami Metro Zoo in the next 11 days.
Yes, we're a bit crazy, but we're seeing that is where God wants us. The ways that this trip have come together (you can read them in Marla's book when it comes out) are nothing short of obvious examples that He is in control and is still eager to work in our lives today. The girls are looking forward to seeing HUHHHHHYOUGE whales (as Nina puts it with arms spread open wide), contemplating going on a first real rollercoaster at Busch Gardens (Livi slips through at the 54" mark but we'll see when we get there), many great animals and making more memories.
Praise God for what He's already done along with us, and we'd be thrilled to have you pray for us as we travel and stretch ourselves through this pretty intense trip. Health is something we're grateful for at the moment, and we'd be so thankful to make it through this trip and just be tired when we return. I hope you all had a great Christmas and I look forward to what God has in store for us all in 2009! | | |
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