where have you been?

I have not blogged a new entry in a looooong time.

I have so much running through my mind lately yet can't seem to take a moment and get it done in writing.

This summer is my 20 year high school reunion. WOW!!!! I can't wait to see my old class mates. I can't wait for them to meet my wife. I can't wait to meet their spouses and here how they are all doing. I hope and pray they conveniently forget certain stories from high school days:-).

As of this writing I am sort of blond. That's right. We told the church that if they raised $5000 for missions during our annual penny crusade campaign I would dye my hair blond. It's actually more of a golden color. Oh well...anything for the Kingdom.

Natalie is wrapping up her second season of soccer. She never ceases to amaze me. She is so fast and is learning so much about team work. She is fun to watch.

Micah is trying his best to keep up with his big sister. He has turned into a little monkey and is climbing on EVERYTHING!!!!

This fall Natalie could very well be in kindergarten. I'm not sure any of us are ready for that. However, she can't stay little forever.

It seems like the further I go in life the more tempted I am to use cliches like "I don't know what tomorrow holds but I know who holds tomorrow." Well, duh. I know God holds it I just wish He would spell things out in a little more detail for me. But, I guess that wouldn't be faith.

So with that in mind I reckon I should turn the light out. Close my eyes and see what God has for us when I open them again.

Can't wait.

this day

I will never forget this day. Rather, I will never forget this date. December 13, 2003 the most amazing woman in the world became my wife. There is so much about that day I will never forget. How I got choked up during the vows.

How beautiful she looked in her wedding dress.

How we got out of town on our way to the honeymoon just before an ice storm hit.

The last seven years have been more than worth it. We now have two kids. Two dogs. A mortgage. A minivan.

Sometimes I look in the mirror and I have to laugh and asked "when did you become an adult?"

I wouldn't trade the last seven years for anything. I can't wait to see what's next.

Today Allison had to go to work. Working for hospice provides many moments people will never forget. Today she told a family that their loved one would likely die within the next six months.

I'm sure they will never forget this day either. I'm sure they will never forget this Christmas.

Sometimes we remember because we want to.

Sometimes we remember because we can't forget.

Sometimes we remember because of the lessons we learn.

Sometimes we remember because we just can't help it.

Even though I can't remember every single day that I have lived I do remember people that God has used throughout my life to impact me in an empowering way.

My prayer today is that I may walk in a manner so that one day, maybe a day someone will never forget, they will remember me and think, "wow, he helped me walked a little closer to Jesus."

Cool Poem

Here's a poem by Anne Jackson that I thought was really cool. Check out more of her stuff here.

As we spin with the world
Rotating among
The stars and particles
Swirling around us
Tides ebbing and flowing
The moon and the sun rising
We must command
Ourselves
To simply stop.
To simply be.

Breathe in the air
Not polluted by hurry
And breathe out the spirit
Of mercy and peace

(Anne Jackson, February 2010)

Letter to a reckless suv driver

Dear Morning Traffic SUV driver,

Thank you for swiftly and skillfully cutting me off this morning. If not for you I may have done something silly like enter the turn lane at the proper point and assumed that my two children in the car, the vehicle I was driving, and myself were all safe. I don't remember praying for patience but I obviously did since God put you in my path this morning to give the opportunity to not only increase my level of patience but my prayer life as well.

I noticed your bumper sticker which read, "Too poor to vote Republican". I did find this rather amusing since Republicans may or may not have caused you to be "poor" but I am confident the Democrats will do what they can to keep you that way. I do not speak as a Republican myself. I am actually just as fed up with both parties as I am with crazy early morning drivers who do not take into consideration the other vehicles around them.

I also found it rather amusing that your bumper sticker defined you as poor and yet you drove your gas guzzling vehicle very fast and very carelessly. Not at all a manner in which someone would be trying to conserve the precious and pricey gas we use to fill our vehicles.

In any case I wish you safe journeys and I pray that other drivers on the road are looking out for you as you seem to be clueless as to anyone else around. Good day and God's speed.

Apology

To all of our friends, family, and especially WJACC folks...

I apologize if you have left messages on our home phone over the last month. We made a change in our phone service and we now have voice mail on our home phone. We noticed that we had not been receiving any messages lately but didn't think much of it.

Then today Allison realized the we had not set up the voice mail yet and when she did she discovered a whole list of messages that were waiting for us from the last month. So please know that we did not intentionally ignore you. We just didn't realize you had called.

Thanks for understanding.

things I don't understand

Here are a couple of things that do not make sense to me.

1) Why do people leave witness tracts on the urinal in the men's bathroom? To be honest I've never seen a piece of paper stuck in a urinal pipe or sitting up on top and thought "hey I think that might have something to do with eternity and life and might be something I should consider taking home."

2) Why do some people leave a witness tract on the table at a restaurant and leave either a lousy tip or no tip at all? I can tell you from personal experience that the wait staff at your local restaurant are not busting their tails to serve you so that they may gather more reading material.

Here's the thing...tracts NEVER take the place of personal conversations so unless you are will to sit down with someone and walk them through the message of a witness track then please just keep it in your pocket. To leave it in the bathroom or to leave it with little to no tip communicates just how little you think about the message inside of it.

There, that feels a little better.

PS. Christians...please!!!! I beg you! Stop leaving lousy tips when you go out to eat. It's ridiculous the reputation we have. We should be known for our generosity. Not our stenginous!!!

There, that feels even better.

update-finally

Wow! It has been almost two months since my last blog post. I know some people have probably given up even checking for updates but I have not abandoned the blog.

Micah is now VERY mobile. He is not walking yet but he can get anywhere he wants to. Any day now he will take those first steps that send him into another stage of development and daddy into another stage of activity.

Micah is asleep right now and Sunday's sermon is ready so I'm taking a moment here for a quick update.

My dad's back surgery went well this week. For those who may not know, he had a herniated disc in his back causing pain and then numbness in his back and legs. Immediately after the surgery he experienced feeling in his legs again and the doctor said the rest will return in time. He has at least 6 weeks of recovery ahead of him so please keep my folks in your prayers as they attempt to get settled into a new house in the midst of this recovery.

Natalie has her first dance recital next weekend and she is beside herself with excitement. We can't wait to see her up on stage...(one of her favorite places at church).

Allison is doing well and continues to allow God to work through her at Hospice. Her ability to submit to God's Spirit in her job never ceases to amaze me...even when she's had "enough".

Back in April I had my latest check up at the doctor and had lost 18 lbs since October. I am no longer taking Prilosec and have had fewer problems with allergies. Notice I said fewer...just fewer.

I am setting a goal for myself of blogging at least once a week so everyone check back for more thoughts and things. Thanks to everyone who takes a moment to check in everyone so often.

God Bless!

Friday's thoughts

It's been a full plate lately. There's been all of the Easter activities and services and then this week a lot has fallen on my plate. Add Micah to the mix and it's been none stop action. However, I would not say it's been bad. I know some people who have had an actual "bad" week and I have nothing to complain about.

I say all of this to say I have several blogs in my head ready to come out so keep checking back here for updates.

In the mean time here's a prayer by John Wesley that I came across recently. I hope it helps you draw closer to God in some way.

Grace.

"Oh God, seeing as there is in Christ Jesus
An infinite fullness of all that we can want or desire
May we all receive from him, grace upon grace;
Grace to pardon our sins, and subdue our iniquities;
To justify our persons and to sanctify our souls;
And to complete that holy change, that renewal of our hearts,
Which will enable us to be transformed
Into the blessed image in which you created us.
O make us all acceptable to be partakers
Of the inheritance of your saints in light.
Amen."
-John Wesley

Psalm 33:11

Just a glimpse into one of my devotional times recently.

"The counsel of the Lord stands forever.
The plans of His heart from generation to generation."

What God accomplishes lasts for an eternity. If God does it then it will last. His plans pass through generations of lives.

One of the greatest things I can do is remind the next generation of God's plans. Remind them that if they want to see something last forever then learn to rely on and trust God's plans, not our own.

Lord,
Please help me be a part of passing the news of Your greatness on to the next generation.
Amen.

Spring and 300

2 Things for today:

#1-Remember, we spring forward this weekend so don't forget to reset your clocks!

#2-The last entry I posted was #300 for this blog. Wow! That's somewhat of a milestone for me. Thanks to everyone who takes a moment to read my blog from time to time. You are appreciated.

Friday random blog

Here are my two main guitars. Someone once said, "the electric guitar is of the devil." I used to follow that line of reasoning. Now I am more open to the possibilities an electric may bring and am having fun with it. Don't get me wrong I love my acoustic but it's fun to broaden your horizons sometimes.

I've also added a new link over on the right to guitar praise. If you are a musician you may find this site helpful. Enjoy!

PS...yes I do like blue!

Friday's randomness

• Check out the ten commandments of preaching here. It's a great reminder for all who attempt to communicate the gospel each and every week.
• Saw a very disturbing image of Homer Simpson today...and I thought the ones who showed it to me were my friends...oh well.
• If I didn't know it before I know it now...Ed Young is a nut...gotta love the video below

ubu

today's links

• Clayton nails it with this post. Be sure and take a moment to consider this.
• Last Friday had a Daddy/Daughter date with Natalie. Don't have a link for this but thought it was cool enough to share with everyone.
• Quote of the day...“Every great movement of God can be traced to a kneeling figure”–D.L. Moody
• Check out the latest digital version of Catalyst Leadership here.
• Hope everyone is having a great day!!!

Monday morning thoughts

• Yesterday was a great day to celebrate LOVE! I think I'll do that some more. You know...celebrate LOVE!
• This Wednesday night is our church semi-annual meeting where we are presenting our reports for last year and looking ahead for this year. I'm always as to what all God is up to and this year is no exception. I can not wait to see!
• The Olympics are going on right now and the American team has at least one gold medal already! U-S-A! Yeah! I love the Olympics!
• Next Sunday we are kicking off a series about strengthening families. Please pray that God will show us how will can build healthy families with God's Word.
• Here is the conversation of the week...Allison: "Please put this headband on and leave it on. Daddy said you wouldn't wear it but I really liked it. So please wear it so Mommy can be right." Natalie: "OK Mommy."
• I love my family!!!

Monday's weekend review

This past weekend was good but packed full. Here's a small glipse of what we experienced over the last couple of days.

• Saturday we stood in line for a looooooong time to register Natalie for VPK. It was a big moment for us as our little girl is growing sooooo fast.
• Something I learned about parents waiting in line to register their 3 and 4 year olds for VPK: Some like to dress ready to go clubbin'. You never know when they might break out the open bar and turn on the loud music! Seriously! Put some more clothes on.
• We had the chance to eat dinner with a friend who was in town for a conference Saturday night. Good times with Sarah! I just have one thing to say...red velvet cake cheesecake...you read that right and it was AMAZING!!!!!
• Sunday rocked the planet! Rev. Brent Ross is here at WJACC as our guest speaker for our Spiritual Enrichment week of services. Brent is a good long time friend and speaks God's Word from the heart. I can not even begin to describe how encouraging these services have been so far.
• Tonight is our next service. If you are in the area come out tonight and join us. The service starts at 7pm. We'll look for you.
• I was introduced today to a new BBQ place. In a word...YUMMO!

Time to get back in the groove

I took a few weeks off from blogging and in that time so much has happened that I thought I would just knock out some bullet points to catch up. So here's some of what I've experienced in the past few weeks.

• Celebrated New Year's in West Virginia and saw WVU lose to FSU at Bobby Bowden's last game as head coach.
• Saw Natalie play in the snow for the first time...including the construction of a snowman, snowball fight, sledding, and the high calorie eating of the snow.
• Had death impact friends and family as only that enemy can do. Pray for comfort for the grieving.
• Preached a sermon on the inseparable connection between God's will and God's word. God rocked that one!!!
• Was extremely encouraged by two believers who just want to be used by God and be supportive of their pastors. Thanks guys. You don't know how much that means.
• I turned 36 recently. Who knows what God has planned this year? At 35 I ran a marathon and saw the birth of our second child. That alone will fill up a year!!!!
• I am entering the world of electric guitar. It was once said that the electric guitar is of the devil. I guess I like living on the edge.:-)
• This Sunday is our homecoming at WJACC. We are kicking off our week of Spiritual Enrichment with additional services Sunday (6pm), Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday (7pm). Brent Ross will be our special speaker through the entire week and I am pumped!! Brent is a man after God's own heart and has a desire to see people come closer to an Almighty God. Please invite your friends, family, co-workers, neighbors for this special week of worship.
• "Fireside Blend" from World Market is some of THE best coffee I have ever tried.
• We are going through Colossians in our Wed. night Bible study and God is showing us just how mysterious He really is. He is so cool and sooooo creative.
• Finally, I hope and pray that this blog has been an encouragement for someone this past year and it is my prayer that you may benefit from it in some way this coming year. Just by reading my humble ramblings you play a role in my walk with Christ and I hope this forum is an encouragement for you in your walk with Christ as well.
• ps. Here's a will willimon quote that made me laugh so hard the other day I almost had to pull over..."I saw a sign the other day that read...'a church for those who don't like church'...I thought, man I don't want to deal with folks that don't like church. I can barely stand the ones that love the church." (Don't be offended by that statement...just laugh and carry on. :-)

Tiger Woods

Everywhere you turn lately everyone seems to be reporting on Tiger Woods and his family. You hear more about them than what's going on in the Middle East with Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc...

I have to admit that I am becoming more and more frustrated. I don't really want to hear any more about it but every time I check the news there seems to be a new development that they can not wait to tell me about.

Then today I found the following two posts on one of my favorite blogs.
Here's the first one that brought back some memories of several years ago.

Now read the followup to that. I think we all need to read this one from time to time.

Wow! We all need a savior! This Christmas we celebrate His birth! Thank you, LORD!!!!!

Friday randomness

• Be careful about taking things at face value. Check out Scot McKnight's post here.
• What a difference a year makes...see here.
• The coolest baby in the world here.
• Stocking stuffer idea here...OK this one is for me but you may enjoy it too. :-)
• This Sunday is the second Sunday of Advent. Look for this week's devotion posted here on Monday morning.

Friday's randomness

• Check out Mark Batterson's 5 creativity equations...good stuff.
• This is, in my opinion, Perry Noble's post of the week for pastors and church leaders check it out here.
• If you ever get the chance to look at Ed Young's blog at http://www.edyoungblog.com/ you will notice that under other bloggers he has his wife Lisa listed before TD Jakes. Good move! I always knew he was a smart man.
• Leadership/team lessons we can learn from the rock band U2...mmmm....check it out here.
• Finally...here is a video about managing money that is priceless...enjoy it and your weekend.

Elijah Offering Video from Elevation Church on Vimeo.

Seriously????

Wow...and I thought men played rough...check out this story.

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