Merry Christmas!

As I type this post on a tiny new Apple Wireless Keyboard and upload photos to the Kodak Gallery to share with our new Kodak EASYSHARE EX811 digital photo frame, it is easy to get caught up in the excitement of material wealth... so many wonderful toys! I was also pretty overwhelmed by the amount of visual and auditory distractions my son received from family this Christmas... playtime will never end!

But as I reflect this evening, before I go to sleep and end another wonderful Christmas, I am amazed at the blessings with which God has showered my family. I cannot begin to share how generous and caring my family has been to my wife, son, and I. We feel so loved during these times. The joy of celebrating the greatest gift we will ever receive, Jesus, is made new every year in the laughs and smiles of all my family members. That blessing will last longer than any material gift.

One final note. For those of you wondering, my uncle, Jimmy Beyer, won the family award this year. He is a first time award winner. I will try to tell the story later, but for now, I need to get to bed!

My Martial Arts Experience

Aikido Shoanjuku logo
Originally uploaded by Philip J Beyer

Last night, I posted a big update over on our dojo site that may interest you. I should take a step back though. Some of you may not know my history with the martial arts.

When I attended my high school, one of the available activities was an after school Taekwondo club. Like many young boys, I had a fascination with the kung fu movies on TV over the weekend, but never pursued any study or training other than the occasional book here and there. Thanks to a wonderful experience in the classroom with the club's head instructor in my sophomore year, I began an experience with the martial arts that has profoundly affected my life.

By now, I have been training for almost a decade at an Aikido dojo in San Antonio, Aikido Shoanjuku. I have assumed the position of sensei and am very much enjoying the progress of both my own training and that of my students. And that brings us up to the present... the post I made is about the seminar our dojo hosted in October. We invited our master instructor as we have done many times before, and everyone had a great time.

My training in the martial arts began as a drive to dominate my opponent. Now, fifteen years later, thanks to solid instruction and shining example, my life as a martial artist is marked by peace and balance. I would have it no other way.

My Truck is For Sale

Nissan Frontier 2003 For Sale - 06
Originally uploaded by Philip J Beyer

Our one car experiment was a success, so we are moving forward with the effort to sell my truck. It is a 2003 Nissan Frontier in excellent shape with just under 72000 miles on it. The sale price is $11,000.

It has served my family and I very well. Take a look at the photos, and let me know if you are interested. I will be posting the details in a few other places later this week, but until then, my blog readers have an exclusive!