Monthly Archives: October 2022

Nathan Dooley

It’s Either $102.20 A Month Or The Alternative … The Alternative

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The price for a Grande (16oz) Caffè Americano at Starbucks is currently $3.65 if you and your spouse shared a single cup—plus the backwash.

I thought, ah yes, it’s perfect and perfectly reasonable to make this Grande Caffè a 7 day commitment with my wife; there’s a view, great service and best of all it’s convenient in more ways than one; we found a nice spot outside to see the sunrise—when the weather permits—and a spot inside where we can talk, read and write—being that it’s not a busy location.

Laura looking cute in the sunrise drinking coffee

If my intuition was operating at full capacity and accurate, I’m sure Starbuck’s employees were watching out their windows curious about this couple that just randomly walks across an empty parking lot to watch the sunrise just a little closer than under their canopy (or awning—whatever). We stopped and just stared for a good 10-15 minutes as the the earth rotated for the sun to rise above our horizon and it felt so good to soak it in, I encourage it!

Do it, go outside when the sun rises at your location and soak it in!

Nathan and Laura happily investing time together

So here we are: investing time together. The wheels start turning. Ideas start emerging. “What if we made this a daily commitment,” I asked Laura while running the numbers, but she had a better idea after seeing the numbers.

Nathan looking awkward after Laura ditches the shot

And that’s why we’re getting divorced.

The end.

Joking!

Laura’s idea was far better than mine in so many ways, what if we turn our room into this experience; my mother-in-law has lived with us since before we were married to make a longer story shorter, and so our room is our “house” to get creative with.

Boom! Next thing we know: we’re on mission for a dynamic room space! The key is effort more than convenience for progressive growth; convenience needs to work in tandem or the result will be regressive.

And that it is, a dynamic room space – as I prepare to publish this post today, a week and two days later.

More to come… until next time, make an effort to see the sunrise.

Nathan Dooley

What Better Place To Be

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Tapping on the widows of Merit Coffee Co. in Deep Ellum was the rain of a season changing, it won’t be long now before we feel the death of winter – not that I mind the cold; I might actually prefer it. And how appropriate the change considering where I am in my life. The setting is just right for inspiration. What better place to be than next to my wife, not to mention the coffee.

It’s been nearly three days since I was at Merit Coffee with Laura. Here we are now at our local Starbucks taking advantage of their Wi-Fi and outlets at 2100 (9:00pm). Again. What better place to be than next to my wife: this reminds me of a post I read recently from The Devotional Guy encouraging 3 Ways to Love Your Wife Better. Laura was feeling a bit desperate to get out of the house and this was a way to love her better. It is an everlasting endeavor to love one’s spouse better, and so worth it even when it “isn’t”.

This is a simple post, a “kick-starter” if you will (or a storm bringing in a new season).

“Writing Is a Habit, Not an Art” is the chapter title to a good book called “Everybody Writes” by Ann Handley, and it stresses regular routines and schedules for writing, which is what this post means to do, not just for me, but you, the Reader.

You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.

1 Corinthians 3:2-3
Nathan Dooley

Red Ink | #1

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“What do you seek?”

Looking at the gospel according to John I imagine myself a Jew awaiting the prophecy of promise, the Messiah.

John the Baptist is on the scene and you are one of his two disciples. Meditate on that… Can you imagine going from disciple of John the Baptist to follower of the Lamb of God (John 1:35-37)? I can imagine thinking, what did John the Baptist mean exactly by this “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world”? As you’re following this human Lamb does curiosity not grip you? Do questions not shake you? Then imagine his attention shift to you, his focus on you, “What do you seek?”

When I go to the gospel (the Bible), what do I seek? A want? A wish? What?

What about you? What do you seek?

I want to remain in the “Red Ink” of Christ, the blood of Jesus, The Word of God! While that sounds good I’m quickly distracted by fleshly desires, social media and worldly affairs. I’m recognizing more and more the nature of sin in my life, the devil is in the details.

The apostle Paul wrote to the Roman’s: “For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” (8:13).

It’s time to live.