Travis Johnson

Triple Threat

Kourtney, McKenna, and Blake.

Feet in the Ocean and Friends More Numerous than Sand

Today, we (the family) went to the beach...no HUGE outing, just a walk, lunch, and walking in the sand.  Kourtney, McKenna, and I played around in the surf.  Then, I took Blake and dabbed him in the water.  It's a really big ocean.  It's a big world.  I know he's going to take it by storm...if his sisters don't beat him to it that is.  Kourtney, McKenna, and now Blake have made life pretty awesome.  I really love being their dad.

With Blake coming on the scene, everybody has been really incredible...making our life easier.  We haven't fixed a meal in over two weeks.  Let me tell you that there are some women at Life Pointe that can throw down in the kitchen! I've gotten more voice mails, emails, and blog comments than I could ever return.  Today, we even got flowers from a cool-as-heck pastor and his wife Stephanie from right up the road.

I'm a blessed guy.  My son put his feet in the ocean and I feel like I have more friends than a beach has sand.

iBlake

My boy digs a Mac.

My son is a cool cat

Blake is as cool as the other side of the pillow.  He's got my eyes.  When he cries, he sounds like a little man.  His first set of PJs had football helmets.  He sleeps like crazy.  Kourtney and McKenna are in love with him.  Kelly is more beautiful than ever when she holds him.  I'm loving life.  I'm skipping the office again tomorrow.  Sue me.

My Son Is Here

Today at 5:40 PM, Kelly introduced a handsome young guy by the name of Blake Matthew Johnson to the world.  He's 8 lbs. 14 oz. and 22 inches long.  He is totally a guy.  Right off the bat, he looked at me and gave me a head nod.  What a cool little cat.

Kelly is an amazing woman.  I could say that a thousand times and it would still be an understatement. God totally hooked me up with a wonderful girl that I've never deserved.  I am amazed at His goodness. 

Thanks to everyone that was praying for a healthy baby and mom, especially our super Life Pointe Church family.  Leaving you guys after the 9 am service to cheer on my wife and meet my son was so special.  What an incredible day.

Guess What?!

Guess what!.....my boy is comfortable.  He's not coming out.  Lots of text messages, voice mails, and Kelly's site meter is off the charts...still no baby.

I'll have my son in my arms

Kelly is past her due date.  We've rearranged schedules.  We've readied the house.  We've hurried up so we can wait.  Now, I'm ready for my son to be here. 

It's all I can do to not to share his name with you.  I will soon.  After I've held him on my chest and loved on my wife, I'll begin the process of making phone calls to friends and family that are out of town.  I'll post a picture and the details. 

In the meantime, I just wait and thank God for His grace through Kelly's pregnancy.  She's an amazing woman.  God has been good.  I'm ready to be a dad for the third time.

Enjoying the Last Days

 

I'm enjoying the last days of being a female dominated house.  My little guy will be here soon.  I almost fainted when Kourtney was born (seriously).  I was wonderfully surprised when McKenna was born (we were told she was a boy).  I'll feel immensely complete when my son is here.  But, for now, I'm enjoying my beautiful pregnant wife and two amazing little girls who rule the roost and mesmerize their daddy.

Drink it in!  Thanks to Kelly for sharing a few pics while I'm in the office.

 

Happy Birthday, Little K!

My sweetheart, Kourtney Lauren Johnson turned 4 years old on Monday.  Kelly shares how we celebrated with a trip to Cartoon Cuts at the Falls for her first "real haircut."  It was great fun.

That morning, it seemed like she woke up and acted, looked, and talked older. Amazing.  I'm more in love with Kourtney now than ever.  I'm a proud dad of a beautiful young lady.  She's intelligent, funny, beautiful, thoughtful, and creative.  She takes up for her little sister at the play area at Dolphin Mall.  She has lots of friends.  And, she loves her daddy.  I love you, buddy...proud that I get the privilege of watching you grow up!

My Son

I dreamt about my son all night last night.  We are coming down the home stretch, maybe a couple weeks or a couple days...who knows.  I pictured him laying on my chest asleep.  I was skipping a day in the office to be with him.

Kelly is pretty amazing.  She's so strong and beautiful.  She manages motherhood with so much grace.  Amazed.

God is incredible for allowing us the privilege of feeling the kind of love for our own children that He feels for us.  Simply amazed.

A milestone reached in the Johnson House

Today was a big day in the Johnson house.  I bought Kourtney and McKenna their first fishing poles Thursday.  We tied measuring cups to the line and let them practice casting in the living room.  They got pretty good at it.  So, we went fishing for about 10 minutes on Friday.  They haven't talked about anything else since then. 

So, we planned a Saturday fishing excursion in our neighborhood.  There's a great shaded walking bridge just around the corner.  That was our spot.  McKenna didn't get a hook like Kourtney...just the measuring spoon.  She has no fear using her rod.  I could visualize Kelly or me going to the ER with a hook in an ear or worse.

Kourtney on the other hand pulled in her first fish ever at age 3.  I couldn't stop smiling watching her lasso and wrestle in this monster.  She dreamt about this fish.  Except she did say that the fish in her dream was a little bit bigger...not hard to imagine.  Still, it was a Kourtney sized fish and a great point of celebration, a new milestone reached!  What a great girl. 

Disney Day: Best Moment & Worst Moment

Best Moment: Holding the girls during Belle's Story Time in Fairytale Garden.

Worst Moment: Accidentally Brushing my teeth with Desitin.  The upside is that it will prevent diaper rash on my teeth.

Breather

Tonight, we kick off a summer message series for emerging leaders at Life Pointe and I'm not there...kind of a weird feeling. While I'm here in Orlando, Paul and Jesse are leading this service. I can't wait to see the video.

In the meantime, I'm enjoying my 3 girls (and the player to be named later). We hit Disney tomorrow for McKenna's birthday. The girls are super excited and I'm kind of second guessing my decision to bring the single stroller. Oh well.

I'll be back in the office sometime on Friday to hook up with Paul to get our bearings. I'm glad to be here, especially knowing that our team is even stronger than before and can function well without me.

Thinking Through Process

I leave at 4 in the morning for my coaching network.  Being in this group is one of the best decisions I've made.  I imagine that I'll be a part of some type of coaching network from here on out.  It has definitely helped me to think through process and get some better tools in hand.  And, I've gotten to hang out with some really incredible guys and take in some great sights.  The only downside is that the alarm comes really early.

An Angel in Disguise

This man, W. J. Roberts was not real.  He taught me how to shoot a gun when I was four (walked a way with a black eye).  He taught me how to watch out for my brother (and not crawl under trains).  He taught me how to love (by reading the Bible to my grandmother when she lost her sight).  He showed me how to  live and have fun.  His prayers were heard by God.  He knew how to serve humanity.  He carried the message of Jesus with humility.  He showed me how to die. 

On the 4th of July, I said goodbye to a giant of a man.  Any sadness I have had is far exceeded by thankfulness for having been loved by Pop Roberts.

Broken Hearted: I lost two great men today

Last night at 1 AM, I lost my grandpa, W.J. Roberts.  This afternoon, Ivan Ortega lost a brief but aggressive bout with liver cancer.  I want to share a bit about these two men:

Ivan Ortega
Ivan came to Life Pointe two years ago.  He was a continual source of encouragement, optimism, and generosity.  On his first Sunday, we were kicking off a "Canning Hunger" project where we asked our neighbors to help us fight hunger by contributing their canned food to needs in our community.  He and Ela, without being familiar with our church and after a decision to renew faith in God, collected more food than anyone else.

That attitude of generosity permeated everything he did. At the time, our church was in a critical stage of formation.  Ivan's attitude has been significant in the formation of the DNA of our church.  This is tough news to share.  I really don't know how to do it other than to just say how special Ivan was and how much he'll be missed.  Information on the funeral will be posted here tomorrow and emailed to our church database.  The family has asked that in lieu of flowers, you would contribute to the University of Miami - Jackson Memorial Transplant Center.

W.J. Roberts
My grandfather was an amazing man.  I've shared my heart about him and who he was.   You can check out those posts below.  Tonight when I got home from the hospital, I sat down with Kourtney and explained to her that "Pop Roberts" died.  You can imagine the questions. 

As I talked to her, I thought about how Andrew and William Ortega grieved over their dad.  I listened to those personal words honoring their father in his last moments.  I thought about the sadness I feel for my mom, her brother Mike, and us grandkids.  And, I wondered if I would be a man that would be grieved like these two men.

That remains to be seen.  I know that when I got home, I wanted to hold my family and love on them more.  I want to model how to honestly and passionately pursue this Christ that pursues us.

WJ Roberts: A Gift of Heritage - Grandpa: Following Jesus Is a Manly Sport

Mac Attack

I finally broke down and got a Mac Book Pro.  The girls are always after me to go to the Apple store to play on the photo booth.  They had the Mac most of the night snaggin' pics.  We had fun...glad they're in bed so I can mess around with it without starting a war.

a man child

update: isn't this a cool little guy?!  Note that he isn't carrying a man bag.

Mom

There are two moms involved in my life.  My wife is mom to our girls, I'm madly in love with her.  She is an unbelievably amazing woman.  And, there's my mom.  She's always caring for people...a great mom to me.  I love both of you so much.

Grandpa: "Following Jesus is a Manly Sport"

I had a great time hanging with my grandpa this week.  He's a great man.  Check this out about my grandpa, who we call the "Silver Fox":

• He was in the Battle of the Bulge, the bloodiest battle for the Allies in WWII. 19,000 Americans soldiers died- almost all of those in the first 3 days of fighting.
• After the army, he fell off the roof of a house, broke his neck, and drove himself to the hospital.
• After the army, he went to Lee University and lived in the same dormitory I would eventually live in when I was a freshman.
• He never lets us leave his house without prayer.
• He is kind, wise, and listens to people.  That made him a great pastor.
• Up until he was 85, he kept a vegetable garden that was over an acre big.
• After my grandmother died, I went on a double date with him while I was in college.
• He remarried a really beautiful sweet lady...proving that he still had it after all those years!  They make a really great couple.

This is the coolest guy in the world.  When I was leaving his house, yesterday, he looked at me with a little gleem in his eye, took me by the arm, and said, "I'm going to tell you the same thing Jesus told Peter.  'Feed my sheep.  Feed my lambs.  Don't sheer them.  Don't fleece them.  Don't try to separate them from the goats.  Just feed them." He still has a fire in his belly for the mission of Jesus.  I love that he continues to show me that following Jesus is a manly sport.

A Gift of Heritage

Yesterday morning, I was sitting in the Burger King at Miami International Airport waiting for a flight to Charlotte, NC. Two tables over was a dad and a son.  The boy was around 8 years old.  The dad was reading Scriptures, explaining to his son how God knew the boy before he was even formed inside of his mom.  He was passing on a heritage to his son.

Today, I'm in North Carolina visiting my grandfather, W.J. Roberts.  He's sick.  Hospice has started coming into his home.  My grandfather has been a pastor, a great dad and grandpa, the best husband to his wife, and a follower of Jesus. 

My grandmother went through a lot physically.  She lost her sight because of experimental drugs for her debilitating Rheumatoid arthritis.  My grandmother read the Bible more than anyone I've known.  When she lost her sight, not being able to read was tough on her.  My grandfather totally took care of her by fixing her hair, taking care of the house, and loving her.  He read the Bible to her every day.

Yesterday, I took my laptop and showed my grandpa pictures of Kelly and the girls.  Before we went to bed, we prayed.  I thanked God for a heritage of faith in Jesus that had been passed down to me.  I asked Him to let me live in a way that my children and grandchildren would pray the same prayer.

I've had my share of mess-ups that I'd like to forget.  But, my life has been blessed because the gift of God has operated in the life of my parents and grandparents.  I want to tell the story of Jesus to my girls.  I want to live my life in a way that points to His grace.  I want to give a heritage of faith in Jesus to my children and to their children.  I think there is no greater gift that you can pass on. 

When you are sitting in Burger King, share the story.  In the everyday conversations, share the story.  As you live your life, share the story.  Pass it down.  Make it real.  When you are old, let them bless you for the heritage they've received.

 

Pre-conference Hang Out

Before we left for Exponential, we went out in the bay to celebrate my mom's birthday.  We docked at Bayside and hit Bubba Gumps.  We saw at least 25 dolphin playing.  It was killer...never seen anything like this.  Check it out.

My Best of 2006

My girls Kelly, Kourtney, and McKenna at the end of 2006.  These three always keep me on my toes.  They are my very best of 2006.

Thanksgiving- a Heritage to Pass On

Thanksgiving is a day full of tradition and memories for my family.  When I was a kid, we would gather at my Grandpa Johnson's house with all of his kids and grandkids.  The table was full and the house was full of activity.  My grandmother would hurry around with apron on, finishing up the last minute details.  I can still hear her moving about singing hymns and melodies.

Finally, the table was prepared - a golden turkey covered to the breast in dressing, cranberry sauce, casseroles, mashed potatoes, rice, sliced tomatoes, fried okra, watermelon rind pickles, breads, pies, and home-made banana ice cream.  My grandfather would take his place at the head of the table and gather us together.  He would lead us all in sharing something we were thankful for.  We would hold hands and sing the Doxology as our prayer.  It was the most beautiful harmony.  To this day, their are few songs that move me like that does. 

After prayer, we sat, ate, told stories, and breathed in the experience.  Our Thanksgiving was spent exactly like that until I was a fresman in college.  Hurricane Andrew hit Homestead and we had Thanksgiving under a tarped roof.  The meal was on paper plates.  I was surrounded by people that I barely knew but somehow felt connected to as my family and our friends were the recipients of great generosity during a time of total chaos.

The Easter morning after that Thanksgiving, my grandmother died and the structure of our family began to change.  Our family gatherings were never quite the same as each of the families assumed their new roles with new fathers and grandfathers sitting at the heads of the tables all arranged in different homes in different cities. 

This year, our Thanksgiving festivities began Wednesday night around a fire in our backyard.  We told stories, roasted marshmallows, bananas, apples, hotdogs, and enjoyed one another.  Thanksgiving morning started with Macy's Parade and NFL Football (Miami v. Detroit), and then rolled into the big show (a.k.a. the food experience).

We had four generations here this year with Kelly's Granpa Hall being the senior guy.  He is 82 and has had a rough couple of years.  His short term memory is poor.  His sentence structure gets jumbled a bit as well.  I put his seat at the head of the table and we asked him to lead us in returning thanks to God for his blessings in our lives.  He prayed a beautiful prayer.  As he did, I could see a strength come over him as he seemed more in control than he has been the whole time he has been here.  We ate and shared the things we were truly thankful for.

After retiring from the table, we played games and took a leisurely dusk walk with everyone.  My mom gave the girls glow sticks which they thoroughly enjoyed.  We stopped, laid on the ground and looked at the stars.  After about an hour, we got home to see the UM v. Boston College game.  The night ended with another backyard fire and plenty of embarrassing stories.

We relived some of our traditions and retold stories for a great Thanksgiving.  After seven years of marriage and three years of being a dad, it seems like we are just now able to pass along the richness of our family traditions and even make some new ones of our own. 

This blog entry is one of the new traditions.  One day, when my girls need to look back, they can read about their family and see the experiences that started us out, the heritage that was passed on, and the common experiences we all shared.  I know these times will be the most important times for them as they develop and try to figure out who they are. 

In times of personal turbulence following a bad decision or experience, I could always reach back into my heart and soul and remember the godly heritage passed down.  I could reaffirm my identity and call on God for the same help and strength He had offered my father, my grandfather, my great-grandfather, and other members of my family who had built on a spiritual and familial foundation laid by significant people in their lives. 

Cleveland and Charlotte Chronicles

Posting from the Savannah Homewood Suites, the most signage-impaired hotel I've ever stayed in:

Kelly, the girls, and I are on our way to Charlotte to see my grandfather, W.J. Roberts.  We call him the "Silver Fox."  Kourtney calls him "Pop Roberts."  He is an awesome man.  McKenna has never met him.  He hasn't been feeling well and the doctors haven't given him the best news lately.  But, at 87, he still mows his own lawn and gives me a hard time.  I'll post an entire entry later on some really inspiring things about WJ.  I'm really looking forward to tomorrow.

Thursday, we will be in Cleveland, TN for Celebration '06 at Lee University where I'll be representing the Class of '97.  I am a big L.U. evangelist.  I love going back, especially for this event.  Everytime I'm there, I get to see a few new buildings that have gone up.  That place is rocking.  It is a great school being run by a great leader. 

I got a call from the Rabbi today.  He's there along with a lot of good friends I really look forward to seeing. 

tagged: lee university - paul conn - Church of God

Back to the Real World

I'm back.  Six days of rest and relaxation were just what he doctor ordered.  We took Carnival's Imagination to Ocho Rios, Jamaica and Grand Cayman.  We ate more than I would care to talk about, slept in daily, caught some rays, took in some shows, re-enacted the bow scene from Titanic (Kelly), swam with stingrays, climbed Dunn's River Falls, went sockless to a formal dinner (me), and read.  It was fantastic.

Being with Kelly apart from phones, internet, work schedules, and the girls (though we greatly missed them) was really a blessing.  She's a godly babe who has an eye for me.  I really am the most blessed man on the planet.

I also finished off a couple books, Breaking the Missional Code by Ed Stetzer and David Putnam and Silas Marner by George Eliot.  Thanks to all for the great book recommendations.  I'll be picking some of those up soon. 

Here are a few pictures from the trip.  I know you won't enjoy them like I did.  But, at least its not a slide show of all the vacation pics at Aunt Edna's house.  Peace.

Perception is Reality

I lied.  I can't stop blogging.  I hope that blog entry doesn't kill my traffic that I have been enjoying over the last few weeks.

Tonight after picking Kourtney up from her grandparents' house, we were driving home.  Whenever she takes a "Daddy trip" (just me and her), she always wants to listen to rock and roll.  Of course, I indulge her.  As Guns 'n Roses played "Knockin' on Heaven's Door," she turned down the volume and said, "Dad, why are they knockin' on KEVIN's door?"

The lesson?  Make sure what you are saying is what they are hearing.  What is being said and what is being heard are largely two totally different animals.

My ballerina

I guess my little girl is growing up.  Since her best friends, Julia and Sari had their dance recital at South Dade High School, she has not stopped talking about how she wants to be a "blue bird and dance on the stage."

Today, Kelly enrolled her at the Dance Studio.  She got fitted for her "GaLeotard" (for whatever reason, that is what Kourtney calls it), her ballet slippers, tights, and tap shoes.  I was in meetings and didn't get to hear it for myself.  But, she continues to ask her pretty mom, "Am I a ballerina?"  I know she's a little princess.  I know her dad is a sucker.  I'm bursting with pride.

See more pics on Kelly's blog.