Hello again, I have not blogged for a while and I guess it's time to blog or blog out! I guess every time I went to my blog I saw the ones I posted @ the election and was reminded of how upset I got and how my words just could not convey what I was truly feeling. But, time to move on. God is in control, right? We have been in a series at MH's called Let it Be Christmas. One of the reasons that I love MH's so much is that are not afraid to step out of the Christian box and use medias and illustration that for years have been banned as "going to hell" stuff. Like "secular" music, and in particular rock and roll music and heaven forbid, Beatles music! I mean wasn't John Lennon that said that The Beatles were more popular than Jesus Christ! A statement that he apologized for over and over again, knowing that it was a self uplifting and a arrogant statement. But do you know what was more horrible than the statement itself. The fact that it was true. Sorry, I know I just horrified everyone, but we have to face the fact that there are a lot of things that student aged kids are more into than Jesus at that time and still today. We need to change that one student at a time. We need ideas that change not only the mind of students, but their hearts also. I can change my mind all day, from one thing to another, several times a day. But to change a heart, Ahh, that's forever! That's what we got to do, change hearts, not minds. Jesus said that where you heart is there your mind is also. Notice which is first, the heart. Any way back to the services....

I am a huge Beatles fan, I must admit, quite humbly, that I have forgotten more about The Beatles than most other people know. It was really awesome to hear Rodney sing Yesterday the first week, see the Eleanor Rigby video the second week, can't wait to see what they will do with HELP this coming week and wrap it up with Let It Be on the 20-21st. Music team leaders, if you read this and your planning to actually play Let It be, PLEASE use the album version, the guitar solos really kick in that version.

Did you know that the original name for Yesterday while it was being composed was called Scrambled Eggs? Also, George Martin, the Beatles producer, was worried because that was the first song that only had one Beatle on it. No other Beatles was involved in writing or performing the studio version of Yesterday. This was the beginning of the seperation of the Lennon/McCartny team. Did you also know that HELP was a song that was written by John to cry out for help because he could not handle the fame and fortune and the problems associated with fame anymore? Like most actors and musicians find out.This is what drove the Beatles out of the lime light and into the studios. Did you know that the lyric in Let it Be that says "When I find myself in times of trouble mother Mary comes to me, speaking words of wisdom, Let it Be" was not taking about Mary Jane, a slang word for marijuana or the Blessed Virgin Mary as previous thought, but was simply remembering words that his mother, Mary, spoke to him as a boy. She died, as did Johns' mother did when they were @14 years old. John also has a song about his mother, Julie, on the White Album. You should check it out someday. Just beautiful.

So I thought that a little Beatle trivia would be nice. I look forward to finishing the services and as always look for what God has to say to me thru them. So, Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year, lets hope it's a good one, without any fears.

Nice piture of the kids and grandchild, eh? Or that's how I see it anyway.

I guess it's me....

I thought I had a pretty good handle on what "should" be important to us in the past election. I guess I was wrong. It seems that the only ones who have the right to their own opinion are the ones who agree with the "Mainstream".

People have told me again about not being able to legislate morality, the abortion issue. I really wish someone will explain that to me. Is murder, and I am not talking about abortion here, a moral issue or a legal issue? Is not murder illegal because we as a society have decided that murder is morally wrong? Stealing? Is that also morally wrong? Forgive me, I'm confused!

Should not the chance of challenging Roe vs Wade been at least a consideration for my vote.

I went to the "website" and seen that our President elect.."Barack Obama understands that abortion is a divisive issue, and respects those who disagree with him. However, he has been a consistent champion of reproductive choice and will make preserving women's rights under Roe v. Wade a priority as President. He opposes any constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court's decision in that case." source change.gov website of the president elect.

I'm still confused. A woman's right. I suppose he's talking a woman's right to choose what to do with her own body. Still confused though! A pregnant woman walks into a abortion clinic. Has an abortion. Comes out with every part of her body that she walk in with. Correct? Only thing missing is the baby that was in her womb. it's dead. Woman's choice to do with "HER BODY" as she chooses. Dose not sound like her body at all. Someone help me here! I'm so confused.

You look at the "Whats the most important issue that America faces" polls that you see all the time and the right to a life of a unborn baby is not there. Money is. Health care is. The Iraqi war is. Global warming is. I wonder why. Oh that's right, you cannot legislate morality. But I'm still confused.

I'm not a educated man. Barely made it out of high school. But I still believe that God will judge this nation one day for the disposal, (I tried to use a political correct word here, but I'm gonna change my mind and call it what it is,) the killing of it's unborn baby's. I am not a political person. Could not wait till the election was over. To get rid of the ads. One thing I did notice though was that they all were for the "Children", as they should be, but only the ones who were allowed to be born. But I guess that's just me. I'm feeling lonelier and lonelier on this issue, or at least that's how I see it.

So Obama has won, or so it seems at 10:30 Tuesday evening. My heart is heavy. Would McCain of been a better choice? For the things that I hold important? Yes. In this day of economic uncertainty, stock market crashes, insurance needs, etc we, as a country voted for the one we felt would fix these issues, forgetting the things that he will bring along with it. Last week a classroom of grade school children in San Francisco took a field trip to the court house to witness a gay marriage of two women. Get used to it. We could of placed McCain in office and he could of appointed 4 justices to the Supreme Court Bench and hopefully challenged Roe vs Wade. Watch the babys fall now. Watch your 2nd amendment rights wither away while crime in the streets increases. Someday only the criminal will own a gun. Coming soon. Watch as the godless East and West coast media and entertainment industries invade middle America. Bringing with them there way of life with no values. values that contradict the Law of God. Watch the Oprahs and the Gary Mahers come out of the woodwork. Watch as he weakens America's defense and leaves us open for more 911's. Watch as he abandons policy in support of Israel and she stands alone. Watch as he sides with Islamic Regimes. Listen in the next couple of weeks as these militant groups voice their approval of "America's" choice.

I feel as down as I ever been. America has sold out their moral stability, which was very weak anyway, for economic prosperity.

God help us, God forgive us. I have never been a doom and gloom type person but my discerning heart is breaking tonite. Breaking for our future, which dose not seem very bright, or at least, that's how I see it.

Impact day....

Which was about a week ago actually. Had a blast. I always do! Was some talk out there that maybe our efforts should of been focused elsewhere. Know what I say? That talk don't amount to doodly sqat! (Whatever that is) Where else besides the schools can you minister to almost every family in the Valley at the same time. I had to go back on Sunday afternoon to finish some painting at the Middle School at AV and I brought my son Ricky, have you meet this boy? He is the bomb !!!! That's his picture at the top. Any hoo, he heard that his playground was cleaned up of all the grass clumps and leveled out somewhat. He had to go up and see. He was excited. He was amazed at the work. He was ministered to!!! Beside where else can you paint a floor, conquer bubbles, distribute "sprinkles", and discuss personal hygene all in 5 hours. And to my co-painters, they came (the bubbles ) we met the challange head on and conqured! Thank you, Lord for allowing me to be a part of MH's Impact Day three years running.

Time.........

Time...it's a constant thing.....10 seconds has past since I started to type.....it keeps going. i cannot stop it. Lets try. On the count of 3 lets stop time. 1...2....3Oh there it went. The 1...2...3... come and went. We could not stop it. Sometimes I wish i could. I want to stop it, get off the ride for a second and take a look around. See everything standing still....timeless. During the fearless seris we were asked in our final study at Lifegroup, what were we afraid of running out ofthe most. Answers looked for....money.....goods.....friends....and my answer....time. Several of us had this answer My greatest worry about running out of something, was running out of time. Time to do what I need to do. Time to raise my two little ones. They are 9 and almost 6. Time to see my grandaughter get married, have children. Time to do God's will. I pray for time everyday. I pray not to waste time. I want time to relax. I want time to work. I want time to work for me. I have in the past wasted many years of time. Time away from God. Time not putting others first. Time being selfish and greedy. Time being insensitive. Time worring and not adding a single moment of time to my life. Bible says our time is but a vaypor that is here today and then blown away in the wind.

I ask you to pray that I use every second of time in the best way that I can. For God, for my family, for my friends, and for His church. Pray with me....

Dear God, help me and all that pray with me to use the time that we have left in this world for things that are pleasing to you and benificial for those who we hold dear to our hearts and even those we do not know. Our lives are Yours, use them for your glory. In Jesus name we pray...

Thank you, till next time...

I got big trouble brewing........

My 9 year old baby girl got a Hanna Montana play wig for her B-Day a couple of weeks ago. She looks like she likes it very much. She also got a head-set and she has been prancing around the host dancing and singing like she is on stage. I think that if I hear "Best of both worlds" one more time I'm gonna scream !!!! Trouble is, she's really good at it. She really has talent. She auditioned for the part of Ms Cratchet from A Christmas Carol in the school play and got the part. Teacher said she nailed the part! I had heard her practicing the lines a week before the audition. She knew them so well that I thought she had already got the part. I am really proud of her. God has great plans for her. I am blessed with a great family and wonderful friends. I do not have many needs or wants. I am 52 years old and pretty well have everything that I could possibly want when it comes right down to it. I don't hunt or fish much, although it's actually time to reinvest in such things with the kids growing up. I don't golf or frequent bars and clubs. I love it at home. I love to visit or E-Mail friends. I love to go to church and teach All-Stars. Simple things for a simple person. As the old Emerson, Lake and Palmer song title says...."Oh what a lucky man he was..( I prefer IS) 'cause I'm still around. I have been traveling in the Book of Psalms here the last month or so with Through the Bible Radio ( www.ttb.org ) and one thing that keeps popping up is being grateful to God for all that he has blessed me with. Oh by the way, the blond Hanna Montana wig, it's got to go. Makes that 9 year old act like she's i9. I got big trouble coming. Our at least, that's how I see it.

Crack the sky......

Ever wish that God would just "Crack the Sky" and get it over with? Then you would be free from this worlds grips. Satan's temptations. You look around and see people starving to death. You see little children you know that are under attack by Satan physically and the suffering that it causes them and their parents. You see the suffering of those for Christ. The woes of this world. The injustices inflicted on people by man and the empires that he has created. It angers me sometimes, well actually all the time at the pain that man causes each other.

Ever hear of Mylon LeFevre and Broken Heart? For us really old people, Mylon was one of the founding members of the rock band of the early 70's, The Atlanta Rhythm Section. Well, anyway they, Broken Heart, have a tune called "Crack the Sky" Here are the lyrics.....

Sometimes I think it doesn't matter what I wish
Sometimes I wonder if I'd ever be missed if You came for me, if You came for me
Never asked You for a whole lot of things
Never begged You for the riches of kings
But I've one request, I hold it up to You...

Come on and Crack the Sky for me, Come on and crack the Sky and take me home
Take me home
Come on and Crack the Sky for me, Come on and crack the Sky and take me home,
Take me home, tonight!

I know You got where You want me to be
I know You got a plan of using me, but I long for You, For I long for You...
So I work here till Your ready for me,
But I don't know if I can ever guarantee that I'll never try, I'll never try to get to You!

Come on and Crack the Sky for me, Come on and crack the Sky and take me home
Take me home
Come on and Crack the Sky for me, Come on and crack the Sky and take me home,
Take me home, tonight!

What a great tune! Hard driving, lots of loud screaming guitars, really gets you going! Just think of it. No more diabetes on our love ones. No more heart diseases on our parents. No more depression on our people. No more oppression of the poor. No more ripping us off at the pumps! Yeah !!!! No more death, no more killing, no more drug abuse, no more temptations, no more of our beautiful ladies ruined by horrible abuses, no more of the tragedies of life, just healing!!!! Think about it! And when I do I always wind up in the same place....What about the ones that are yet to be saved, the ones whose turn is next? Those who are seeking. Then I start to feel selfish and I pray that Christ tarries till we work a little more, for that next one who will say yes. You know them...our unsaved children, our parents, our brother and sisters, our friends, the empty chair in our Lifegroups, the students of 24/7 who are accountable, the list is endless. There is so much work yet to do. Please pray that I an where God wants me to be till He "Cracks the Sky". I feel God is calling for me to do more. To trust Him more, to be open to His will no matter what or where it leads.

Do I want to go "Home"? You bet, but not till I have done all He wants of me.
Any hoo, that's how I see it.

Birthday weeek....

This was birthday week around here. Two of my favorite ladies had B-Days this past week. Crystal, my eldest, turned twenty something on the 11th (and it's not that I don't know that's she is really 27, but I learned at an early age not to give out a woman's age) and my Abie turned 9 on the 8th. I am blessed with a wonderful family. Crystal is a wonderful young lady. She is a great mom and a great wife to Wade. I have really never heard a bad thing said about her. She will do whatever it takes to please everyone. A real gift from God that she uses it well.

Abie, well Abie is a couple of bundles of pure energy. Some good and some....well you know if you know Abbs. She is pure love and will be somebody some day. I really cannot wait to see what she will do in life. I hope she turns all that energy and passion to work for the Lord. Can draw a horse better than anyone, Down to the eyelashes and muscles in the legs. As a matter of a fact there was a time in her life that she thought she was a horse, and she was so good at it we weren't to sure she wasn't. So we got to callin' her ..."our little Nebuchadnezzar". She is really a riot.

I'll tell you though raising a child in your twenties was allot easier than raising children in your 50's. But God gave these other two little one's to Tammy and I to raise (abie and ricky)and i know that he will give us all the strength and resources to do it with., and I thank Him for it. He always has, or that's how I see it.

Oh by the way, thats Abie and Ricky's granpa Dennis, my brother, in the picture with Abie, and that's Crydtal's husband Wade and daughter Sarala in the other picture.

24/7

Great night at UNDERGROUND ! AV Campus saw over 60 on campus and I heard the Fredericktown Campus was rockin also. Thanks to everyone who helped out. !!!!!!

Fearful....

Had a great week in church this past week. 24/4 Underground Kicked off this past Wednesday. Fearless series started up on Sat and Sunday. Life groups got going this week. I feel fortunate to be a part of each segment of our church ministry. I do not feel that I am capable of being an All-Stars Classroom Leader, or the 24/7 Underground Coordinator, or a Life Group Leader because of my fears. I have a terrible fear of getting in front of people and teaching, singing (Which is a good thing), leading in All-Stars, UG duties, or anything else that draws me in front of people. These are fears that only God can help me through. Speaking of fears, this series we are into about fears should be beneficial to me, but I must say I am afraid that the kids in All-Stars (The Children's Ministry at Meadow Heights Church) has beat the rest of the church to it. We studied fears (About witnessing ) in class a week ago. Nice to see that the rest of you guys are following our lead. We learned about the farmer sowing seeds on how the seeds fell on different kinds of soil. (Matt 13) As we broke into small groups my students (Grades 3-5) and I explored different fears that we might have. They were amazed when I shared with them the fears that I have about being in front of people. They did not believe that I could do something that terrified me week after week. The lesson told us to treat fear as a weed and to pray that God will help us to "Pull the weed of fear" and toss it out of our way so we could do God's will. This is true of me. I told the kids that in order to be able to do what I do I must "pull that weed" every time I lead All-Stars. I hope that it helped them. All-Stars is to cool. If you have not had a chance to check it out. Please do!

"Party on dudes'"

What a great evening. My grand baby is 2 years old. We celebrated at the park this evening. Lots of people came out and helped. As I enjoyed myself I also took a moment to realize how incredibly lucky I am. I really don't have a real care in the world. I have concerns. Bills, relationships, crazy workplace, repairs here, repairs there,24/7 opening up in a week, and the everyday concerns of everyday life, but problems, naw, only solutions. Problems to me are things like my sins not covered. Now that's a problem, but with a simple solution. Acts 16:31 has Paul and Silas telling the Jailer that he should "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved..." It is really that easy. Now the word "believe" takes on a whole big responsibility that goes along with it. There is trust, rely upon and obey as the amplified version says. We must also be ready to repent. Acts 2:38, 3:19, 8:22, 17:30, 26:20 all talk of repentance. To turn away from our sins. Some are easier than others, but when it comes right down to it, salvation is easy, living it is a little harder, but problematic? (If Webster will forgive me) No way. At the point of conversion from a lost soul to a redeemed child of God the power to repent is within us. We just have to choose to utilize it.

So i really got away from what I was going to say. i was wanting to go to Psalm 32:1-5. " How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven. (ME) Whose sin is covered. (MINE) Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. (THE REPENTED ONES) When I kept quite about my sin, my body washed away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me. (CONVICTION) My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of the summer. I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I did not hide; I said 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord'; and You forgave the guilt of my sin."

Salvation, what a great thing. Lucky man, you better believe it. Why I was drawn to God by the Holy Spirit, why I was granted salvation for my sins, why a holy God thinks of ME at all, I will never really understand. All I know is that He loves me! He loves you, and that it is not His will"....that even one shall perish, but that all will come to repentance."

I started out about Sarala's B-day party. Great time, great friends, great spirit about the whole event. Like i said, I'm a lucky man, or at least that's how I see it.

Blast from the past...

Ever have something that's reminds you of the past so suddenly that you become instantly overwhelmed? So I'm sitting here at my computer at 12:50 am on a Sat morning thinking I should go to bed when I thought I'd check and see what the weather for Sat would be. So I went the the channel 5 website (KSDK) and noticed that one of the stories on line at that moment was that Brian Wilson had come out of retirement and had cut a new album. (CD) Who might Brian Wilson be, you might ask. (If your under 40). Brian was THE driving force behind the Beach Boys. A writing genius to say the least. But due to drugs and what nots of that era, had a tough time grasping life, fame and everyday living. Literally spent years in his room, secluding himself from everyone. Hence the song "In my Room".

Well they had some sample cuts from the CD and I just started clicking on them and discovered that there was a song called "Lucky Old Sun" on there. I was floored ! Suddenly floods of childhood memories poured into my heart as I remembered my mother walking through the house singing that very song many, many years ago. I was almost overwhelmed. My mother went to be with our Lord a little more than eight years ago. Sometimes you forget how much you miss someone until you are unexpectedly reminded of that someone not only with memories, but with memories accompanied with emotions. There is a saying around my house we use sometimes and it comes from an old M*A*S*H episode about a solider that was overcome with grief (Frank Burns) and some how Radar got a call to Burn's mom and she comforted him. When told what a good job he did Radar replied that ..."sometimes a guy just needs his mom." Very true statement. Sometimes a person just needs their mom. I miss my mom, raised 11 children and a husband. Never complained much. Tammy, my wife, says she never felt like a daughter in law around my mom, just a daughter. My two youngest, Abie and Ricky never met there grandma, she past away before Ricky was born and before Abie was sent out to us from San Fran. Although the day she past away, Feb 15, 2000, we had a picture that was sent to us from Abie's case worker and showed it to my mom in the hospital before her surgery and she said that she was the most beautiful baby she had ever seen and that she could not wait to see her. She never got the chance, she passed away later that day from complications from her surgery she had to try and relieve her airways from cancerous tumors that blocked her breathing. The point is that when she said that Abie was the most beautiful baby she'd ever seen, she would of said the same thing to the next picture of another grandchild or the next or the next and meant it every time.

I'm missing my mom very much right now. You know what they say, "Sometimes a guy just needs his mom." Not this time, but I will rely upon Christ who will provide the comfort for tonite.

My mom's name is Dorthy, that's her picture above, in her mid 30's I believe. She passed away in her late 60's. You have heard the saying that when we cross to Jordan Jesus will send a love one to help us across to the other side,I hope it's my mom.

Pretty silly, huh?

Thanks for listening.

What a great message this past Sunday. The only thing wrong with it was that I realized that i have fallen asleep on many occasions. Too many ! Got a call from a old friend of mine today, July 3rd, 2008, and she told me that "Jimbo" died today. Jimbo was a friend that I spent the better part of my late teen years clear up to the time I was 24 years old. I'm talking day and night, week after week, month after month from around 1972 till around 1981 or so and sporadically ever since. After Tammy and I was married, Jimbo was my #2 man, and he and Jane was married, I was Jimbos #2 man, we kinda drifted apart. Me to the Arcadia Valley and Him to Winfield. Last time I seen him was at his mother's funeral a couple of years ago.

Any hoo, Jimbo and me did everything together. Some good, some not so good. We were not in God at that time. We drank, smoked, ran around, used drugs, built Harley's from parts in a box and had each others backs. Jimbo was a bro, as we called ourselves in those days. Trusted to the very end.

After Tammy and I were saved in 1988, people did not come around that often any more, and to be honest we did not go around them that often either. So you just chalk it up to different strokes for different folks type thing.

Jimbo was 52 years old. Died of kidney failure and diabetes. He died as he walked out of his house to do his dyalislis this morning. I would love make this a happy ending and to say that Jimbo knew the Lord before he passed on, but unless he had a death bed conversion, he was not. I had fallen asleep, and his life slipped thru the cracks. Someone please help me to stay awake.

Jimbo was a good man. Loved his wife and children. Loved his mom and dad, sister and brother-in-law.(My best man, Derrick). He would give you anything. Do anything for you. Never hurt a person who didn't earn it. He was the defender of people that the world considered weak.Many times we had to "help" in in a bar room situation after Jimbo found a young lady or man who was being picked on by bullies or thugs. Jimbo hated people that picked on weaker people and was not afraid to let people know it.

I pray that when Jimbo walked out of his door this morning and felt the life leaving him that he cried out to Jesus and received Him.

Only eternity will tell.

No funeral for Jimbo, no wake, no visitation. He would of not wanted that. Just memories. With Winfield, Mo in the news so much lately Jimbo had been on my mind. I kept saying that I needed to call him and to say hello. I did not do it, I was asleep. God forgive me.

I guess I went long here, but I wanted to put something out there in honor of my friend, Jim Vernitte. I can here his voice telling me, as he did many times, " see you later turkey boy". So long, Jimbo, thanks for everything.

I love sunrises, but you have to get up so early now a days to see on. I took this picture about 2 days ago as I got up to go to work. I was thinking about friends today at work. Friends that I have know both in my younger days and today. I have met a large variety of friends in my days in all kinds of settings. I was wondering about heaven and my friends that are already there and the ones that will come after me. How will it be? Will I know them by name? By their spirit? By their faces? I do not know. It is interesting to think about such things. Then I thought of the One who made it possible for me and my friends to be together in heaven for all eternity. If you know me at all you know that I love music. I love to be ministered by it both with lyrics or just with instruments. Sometimes at church I just close my eyes and listen to the different instruments that are playing and I think of what God given talent that God has blessed the MH's family with. And I listen to all kinds of music. Mostly faith based music, but I do on a occasion dig back to my teen and early days for a bit of oldies music. I sometimes feel sorry for people who were born after the golden years of music ( 1964-1978 or so )because they missed out on some of the most clean, crisp music that we have ever had the opportunity to listen to. I know that several people would argue that point, and maybe win, but that's just how I See it. Now back to friends, there is a group that played in the late 90's and early 00's that was called PFR. They were originality called "Pray for Rain" but after their first album had to change it to PFR due to another band who already had that name. PFR was a great faith based band. I guess I liked their music so well was because of their awesome lyrics and their 1960-70's sound. The music was clean and crisp, allot going on and allot of changes in tempo and rhythm. I just loved it, but on their last CD they had a song called " Forever". Not knowing how to put music on a blog yet I would like to share the lyrics with you, so here goes.....

I'm remembering the Word inside my head, I heard them yesterday
A whisper, telling me that life waits up ahead, beyond the day to day
Though this world will hand me my fair share of pain and will leaves me broke and bruised,
I know, there's a Father and His Son who know my name, they will see me through, oh yeah, I know...
I believe He paid the price of sacrifice so we could be together, forever,
And I know that when I see Jesus's face all my tears will be erased, forever, forever.
Hidden in my heart, the day He called me friend, the day He set me free,
I found Him one summer day, or better said, Jesus You found me
I gave you my loneliness and broken heart, oh oh o You gave to me Your Love, Your Love..
I believe He paid the price of sacrifice so we could be together, forever,
And I know that when I see Jesus's face all my tears will be erased, forever, forever.
I come to know, I come to know Love, I come to know the truth, I come to know Love...
I believe He paid the price of sacrifice so that we could be together, forever,
I do believe I'll see the face of Jesus and we'll both embrace together, forever....

Forever by
PFR
From the CD " The Late, Great PFR "

What a great tune. It really don't matter how we will recognize each other, we will, c
'cause He paid the price to make it happen, any hoo that's how I see it.

Have a great day in our Lord !!

CLOUD WATCHING..........

Here is how I see it..... I think that we do not stop and watch the clouds any more. Remember when we were kids? We use to watch the clouds as they rolled by. Above is a picture of the sky and horizon from my front yard. Myself and my 5 year old son was sitting there and just watching the clouds. We seen trucks, trains, planes, lions, and everything else that a boy could see. The great part of it was that I seen them also. I also seen the glory of the Lord. In the clouds, the breeze, the grass and all of nature. The Bible says that all creation shouts out the Glory of the Lord. Sometimes we have to just stop, look and listen for it. What a great day this has been. I thank God for it all. Happy father's day to all you " dads " out there. We are lucky men. Of course that's just how I see it....

52

Well, as i see it... 52 years old this past week. Never really thought I'd make it this far. But I did, and I have so much to do yet. My oldest daughter and her husband and my grandchild was over this evening when i got home. We swam, bar b qed and ate alot of food. Ever tried grilled cabbage. Aughhh! not really. It was really good. I laughed at first and told Crystal, my oldest, that that was " girl food." A term I use to describe anything healthy or different. But like I said it was really good. My youngest boy and girl, as did my wife had nothing to do with such things.

My boy, Ricky is almost 6 and my youngest daughter Abie is almost 9. They are a real trip. They keep this 52 year old very young. My grandaughter, Sarala, (refer to my son in laws blog ) is the sweetest thing. She has just learned to speak, and when she says Pa Pa, it just melts me. I am a very lucky man. I have everything. A wonderful wife of almost 30 years, Tammy. My 3 children and son in law. I have aquired a couple of things in life. Home, cars friends, but the most precious thing I have aquired in salvation. God has seen it fit that I would be saved thru His Son, Jesus. How much more could I ask for. I attend a church, Meadow Heights, where religion and legalisim takes a back seat to Christ and presenting Him to the parkland and beyond. We are a commumity minded church. We step out of our comfort zones and take Christ out of the church and into the world. It is very exciting.

But back to my birthday. Got a E-Mail card from my brother. I will try and post it, but I have not had much luck yet. But I had a nice quite time with my family. That's what i like to do now a days.

The picture above is of my wife Tammy and my daughter Abie. It is several years old, but it is one of my favorites.

The other one is the E-Card from my brother.

Have a great day.

Reaching up....

Still practicing on this blog, but I think that I am ready to do more with it. This is one of my favorite songs of all thime. It talks about reaching up to God and reaching out to each other. About not being satisfied with a comfortable life. To step out and lose all of youself. No more comming up short....oh just check out the video.

Reach
Brian Hardin, Jill Parr

Step up, come over to the other side
Raise the bar higher
Live an adventurous life
Scale the mountains of faith
Feel the wind on our face
Hear destiny calling
See the wonder of grace

Reach up to God
Reach into one another
Reach out to the world
Reach for the future

I'm no longer comfortable
Living a harmless life
I'm standing counter to that
I'm not afraid of the fight
I'm tired of coming up short
I'm tired of losing the faith
This is a revolution
This is my revolution

I want to speak truer
I want to think purer
I want to walk straighter
I've got to know His love is deeper
I want to be kinder
I've got to press harder
I'm at the end of myself
I'm at the end of myself

I've got to let go
I've got to trust Him more complete
I've got to hold on to hope
I know His love is changing me
I feel the peace returning
I feel a fire burning
This is my revolution
This is our revolution
This is our future

©2006 Little China Music/sesac

Facing death in life.

My family has been no stranger to death the past couple of years. We lost my sister's husband 2 years ago, another sister lost her husband a year later, I lost one of my 5 brothers last year, my wife Tammy lost her mother in March of this year and now she has lost her aunt, her dads sister, a couple of days ago. It seems that we just go from one loss to another, without much chance to absorb the previous loss.

Death is so unfair. The only fair part about it is that we all will die someday. My 8 year old daughter when told about her great-aunt's passing ask me...." why did she die. I prayed so hard for her not to." We are told to have faith, pray and that God will take care of it. What we don't say or realize is that sometimes, and it seems when death is involved, quite often, death wins over. "...but I prayed for her to be healed."...."but I prayed for him to be spared." "I had faith that he would not die. "I have thought these same things myself at times. We forget that death is only a separation of the body and the soul. Paul says that to be absent from the body is to be present in Christ. 2 Cor 5:8 No more pain, no more tears, no more sickness or decay. Alive with Christ, in His presence. Sounds like healing to me. This is tough for us who survive without our love ones to comprehend sometimes. Unless the Lord takes me suddenly, someday not all the prayers in the world will keep me here with you. Someday I will become ill and die, but keep one thing in mind, you prayed for me to be healed, you prayed for me to be free of this sickness and pain, and I was.

"(Yes) we have confident and hopeful courage, and we are well pleased rather to be away from home out of the body and to be at home with the Lord."

2nd Corinthians 5:8 AMP

Michael W Smith writes...." into every life a little rain must fall, and losing one you love is like a storm. Storms are passing, I hear, Lisha, singing in Heaven tonite, and in between the sadness, I hear Lisha, telling me that's shes' alright."

Michael W Smith

Lisha

From the CD i 2 i

Getting started

One very wise person, who did not even have a brain said that it was always best to start at the beginning, so here it goes. I never thought of having a blog before. Did not really know what one was till my son-in law started one. I was so impressed with his I thought I would start my own. That's me in the picture. I'm the older one. the other is my son, Ricky. We were on a train in Cape. He was having such a great time he just grabbed my arm and said..." Your the best dad ever." What a thing to hear ! Made me wonder how often we think of our heavenly father as "dad". Not often enough I am afraid. Dad is a special word you know. The old saying any man can be a father, but it takes some one special to be a dad is true. How more special can a "DAD" be than what God is to us? I provided a train ride for my family one afternoon, God provides us with everything. He created to world, the sun, the moon, the stars. He is my provider ! Think about this, the same God who created the heavens and the earth provides our "daily bread". Now that's a dad. With all that is going on, He still has time for me. For you. Be sure to say hello to your "DAD" today.