About
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Hi, I'm Bart Kesner and thanks for dropping by!
Since receiving my MBA immediately following undergraduate school, my professional background consists of a variety of senior leadership roles focused on transformation management, customer experience, client relationships, and program/project management. Thanks to my parents and a well rounded upbringing, my personal interests run the gamut from sports, travel, arts, outdoors and technology just to name a few. I try to enjoy those things with my friends and family which includes my wife and daughters (and yes, dog!). |
Take a look around and feel free to reach out to me here. If you are curious why I started this site, you can find out in my Journal. Some of my most recent updates and plans for future posts can be found in the Spotlight below.
Spotlight
January 20, 2023
Christmas Dinner Prayer
A few years ago, we found ourselves hosting the traditional family Christmas dinner. Not just my immediate family mind you, but the broader family including sister, brother-in-law, niece and nephew and (gulp) in-laws! Now, there is a lot of preparation that goes into planning any dinner really, but in particular the official Christmas dinner. Unlike Thanksgiving where tradition dictates Turkey, the sky really is the limit. What perhaps receives a little less advanced planning, however, is the prayer preceding the meal.
In terms of the prayer, I couldn’t help but feeling this particular year included a bit more scrutiny as my father-in-law is a retired minister. As would be expected, I needed to say a few words before we ate but I really had no idea what they would be. For so long, we have always used the tried and true “Come Lord Jesus be our quest, and let these gifts to use be blessed” prayer because of the kids. It had become so ingrained in my thinking I wasn’t even sure how to go about offering thanks in a more meaningful way. So, in such times of uncertainty and deep philosophical questioning I did what I always do.
I turned to Google.
Surely, there are some fantastic prayers I could find on the internet that would fit this occasion perfectly. Apparently there are not.
At least none that I could find to my satisfaction. I wanted something that was simple, but impactful. Something people could hopefully take with them and enjoy later. Spiritual leftovers if you will.
Frustrated from my hours of Googling I finally decided to write something myself. Here is where you come in my friends. If you too, are searching for a Christmas dinner prayer and you aren’t quite sure what it should be, perhaps your internet search will lead you here. Feel free to use, change, or even ignore the following.
Christmas Dinner Prayer
A few years ago, we found ourselves hosting the traditional family Christmas dinner. Not just my immediate family mind you, but the broader family including sister, brother-in-law, niece and nephew and (gulp) in-laws! Now, there is a lot of preparation that goes into planning any dinner really, but in particular the official Christmas dinner. Unlike Thanksgiving where tradition dictates Turkey, the sky really is the limit. What perhaps receives a little less advanced planning, however, is the prayer preceding the meal.
In terms of the prayer, I couldn’t help but feeling this particular year included a bit more scrutiny as my father-in-law is a retired minister. As would be expected, I needed to say a few words before we ate but I really had no idea what they would be. For so long, we have always used the tried and true “Come Lord Jesus be our quest, and let these gifts to use be blessed” prayer because of the kids. It had become so ingrained in my thinking I wasn’t even sure how to go about offering thanks in a more meaningful way. So, in such times of uncertainty and deep philosophical questioning I did what I always do.
I turned to Google.
Surely, there are some fantastic prayers I could find on the internet that would fit this occasion perfectly. Apparently there are not.
At least none that I could find to my satisfaction. I wanted something that was simple, but impactful. Something people could hopefully take with them and enjoy later. Spiritual leftovers if you will.
Frustrated from my hours of Googling I finally decided to write something myself. Here is where you come in my friends. If you too, are searching for a Christmas dinner prayer and you aren’t quite sure what it should be, perhaps your internet search will lead you here. Feel free to use, change, or even ignore the following.
~
Heavenly Father:
Love brought Jesus to this earth, and love brings us now to this Christmas table
As we bow our heads, we give thanks. We Thank you for the opportunity to gather in your name, and we thank you for the opportunity to live our lives in a way that would bring you glory and honor.
But as we fall so short of taking advantage of those opportunities, we most of all give thanks for the salvation you have provided us through your Son Jesus Christ - whose birth we celebrate today.
And It is through that birth we are forever reminded; “the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness cannot overcome it”.
In your name we pray.
Amen
Love brought Jesus to this earth, and love brings us now to this Christmas table
As we bow our heads, we give thanks. We Thank you for the opportunity to gather in your name, and we thank you for the opportunity to live our lives in a way that would bring you glory and honor.
But as we fall so short of taking advantage of those opportunities, we most of all give thanks for the salvation you have provided us through your Son Jesus Christ - whose birth we celebrate today.
And It is through that birth we are forever reminded; “the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness cannot overcome it”.
In your name we pray.
Amen
****
December 29, 2022
Weekend Getaway
Are there any better sounding 2 words?
Ok, Happy Hour is probably at the top of the list….Merry Christmas for sure, Not Guilty…
Despite my slight exaggeration I contend “Weekend Getaway” is top 5 anyway. There is just something about getting away for a couple days that brings a smile to my face. The combination of leaving the norm and arriving someplace different is a tonic that when delivered at the right time is unbeatable.
Now, there are 2 rules of thought around Weekend Getaways. You should either use them as 1) an adventure where you cram as much excitement into it as possible or, 2) an opportunity to reset and recharge. For me, it’s the latter. Vacations are for that adrenaline pumping, white knuckle activity you’ve been dreaming about. A Weekend Getaway is the pause button of life. It doesn’t mean you won’t have fun, it just means you’ll hopefully gain more energy than expend.
This past summer, I had the opportunity to do just that. Get out of town for a little bit with the family and exhale. Our destination of choice? Chicago. Far enough away from Kansas City to feel like you’ve left, but not far enough away to dread the trip.
What did our perfect Chicago Weekend Getaway look like? I’m glad you asked.
Day 1, Friday
Day 2, Saturday
Day 3, Sunday
Day 4, Monday
Weekend Getaway
Are there any better sounding 2 words?
Ok, Happy Hour is probably at the top of the list….Merry Christmas for sure, Not Guilty…
Despite my slight exaggeration I contend “Weekend Getaway” is top 5 anyway. There is just something about getting away for a couple days that brings a smile to my face. The combination of leaving the norm and arriving someplace different is a tonic that when delivered at the right time is unbeatable.
Now, there are 2 rules of thought around Weekend Getaways. You should either use them as 1) an adventure where you cram as much excitement into it as possible or, 2) an opportunity to reset and recharge. For me, it’s the latter. Vacations are for that adrenaline pumping, white knuckle activity you’ve been dreaming about. A Weekend Getaway is the pause button of life. It doesn’t mean you won’t have fun, it just means you’ll hopefully gain more energy than expend.
This past summer, I had the opportunity to do just that. Get out of town for a little bit with the family and exhale. Our destination of choice? Chicago. Far enough away from Kansas City to feel like you’ve left, but not far enough away to dread the trip.
What did our perfect Chicago Weekend Getaway look like? I’m glad you asked.
Day 1, Friday
- Arrive late afternoon and check into the quaint and artsy 21c Museum Hotel in the heart of downtown
- Enjoy a beverage in the hotel lounge, and walk down to Navy Pier.
- Late night dinner at La Pizza & La Pasta - Eataly
Day 2, Saturday
- Explore the city starting at Starbucks Reserve Roastery
- Riverwalk
- Panoramic views at Willis Tower
- Cool off a bit at Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams
- Visit Ohio Street Beach at Lincoln Park
- Get our art fix with “The Devil Wears Prada” at the James N. Nederlander Theatre
- Cap it off with a late night dinner of Chinese food at Chi Cafe
Day 3, Sunday
- Sleep in and start the day with brunch at The Hampton Social
- Shop along the Miracle Mile...every inch of it
- Feel fancy at the Drake Bar & Lounge
- Carbo load with some Deep dish pizza at Gino’s East
Day 4, Monday
- Get a caffeine fix at Big Shoulders Coffee - the marshmallow latte is a must try
- Fight the crowds in and around Millennium Park to get a photo of “Cloud Gate” (the Bean)!
- Checkout the Chicago Cultural Center (old Public Library building). It’s no New York public library, but kind of cool
- Something for the parents; Crushed by Giants brewery - highly recommend the beer tasting flight
- Finally, a Cubs game at Wrigley Field - the perfect ending to the perfect weekend
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Feel free to explore the rest of the site. You'll notice I've included the following sections:
- Media - Photos and videos primarily from trips or special occassions
- Journal - Thoughts and opinions captured in my blog, and some songs I wrote back when I had time to do such things
- Resume - Highlights of my professional accomplishments
- Stuff I Use - Tech or other items I use which I find especially useful
- Contact - Best ways to reach out to me