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.