Thursday, January 27, 2005
Roman Empire & USA
BONUS TIME
"I don't mind you comin' here/And wastin' all my time/Cause when you're standin' oh so near/I kinda lose my mind"
Nobody got the last BT (Glass Tiger, Don't forget me when I'm gone...oh how soon we forget!)
Learned about this in our Men's Bible Study as we are studying Romans. This Wednesday morning, 6:30 a.m., the text wasChapter 1:18-32:
18The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities–his eternal power and divine nature–have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
21For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
24Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to ual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator–who is forever praised. Amen.
26Because of this, God gave them over to shameful s. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 27In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with for one another. Men committed acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.
28Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. 29They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, , strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30slanderers, Godhaters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve , they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.
Back in the late 1700's, a British parliamentarian and soldier named Edward Gibbon wrote a book entitled The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire . There are some reviews you can check out at the link. Anyway, our teacher, Bernard, said that Gibbon gives five reasons for the fall of Rome. Check them out, keepin the above passage in mind, and tell me what you think:
1. Undermining of the family unit
2. Overtaxation of the people
3. Mad craze for pleasure
4. Great armement to fight those outside their borders
5. Decay of religious faith
"I don't mind you comin' here/And wastin' all my time/Cause when you're standin' oh so near/I kinda lose my mind"
Nobody got the last BT (Glass Tiger, Don't forget me when I'm gone...oh how soon we forget!)
Learned about this in our Men's Bible Study as we are studying Romans. This Wednesday morning, 6:30 a.m., the text wasChapter 1:18-32:
18The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities–his eternal power and divine nature–have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
21For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
24Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to ual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator–who is forever praised. Amen.
26Because of this, God gave them over to shameful s. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 27In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with for one another. Men committed acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.
28Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. 29They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, , strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30slanderers, Godhaters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve , they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.
Back in the late 1700's, a British parliamentarian and soldier named Edward Gibbon wrote a book entitled The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire . There are some reviews you can check out at the link. Anyway, our teacher, Bernard, said that Gibbon gives five reasons for the fall of Rome. Check them out, keepin the above passage in mind, and tell me what you think:
1. Undermining of the family unit
2. Overtaxation of the people
3. Mad craze for pleasure
4. Great armement to fight those outside their borders
5. Decay of religious faith
Tuesday, January 25, 2005
I Peter Thoughts
On Sunday's, we have been going through 1 Peter and I will say it has been very good. The thoughts heard on Sunday morning carry over into our Sunday evening small group discussion. I love hearing everyone's thoughts. Anyway, one of the speakers points that has stayed with me is in reference to a slide he had shown called (I think) the hierachy principle:
They all interrelate (your settings and situations affect your behavior which affect your skills and abilities, etc) but rather than working it this way and only staying focused on the bottom half, his urge was that we move near the top and discover those and watch them change the bottom portion. (At least this is what I got out of it and it is helping!!)
So, on Sunday evening & Monday morning I confessed to our small group and staff at church about my angry "behavior" towards my children. I don't like it. I have tried and tried to conrol this "behavior" especially in the "settings and situations" where my children are disobedient, defiant or disrespectful. And while I can lay the law down, the anger that comes from within I can only think is more damaging than the correction needed. (I must admit, I'm embarrassed sharing this.)
However, what I have focused on for so long is the "behavior." I've prayed for it to change, for newness, I've tried to go the route of counting to ten before responding (this actually helps), but ultimately, I fail everytime. So nowI am trying to focus on my "spiritual essence" and my "identity". Mike Armour said "If we wear God's name we should bear his nature." I Peter 1:15-16, "But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy.'" I need to become what I am...holy...that is my essence and identity. If I can focus on that, then my behavior would change to one that is more like Christ, right?
Just some thoughts...still thinking!
Spiritual Essence
Identity
Values Beliefs & Convictions
Attitudes
Skills & Abilities
Behavior
Settings & Situations
They all interrelate (your settings and situations affect your behavior which affect your skills and abilities, etc) but rather than working it this way and only staying focused on the bottom half, his urge was that we move near the top and discover those and watch them change the bottom portion. (At least this is what I got out of it and it is helping!!)
So, on Sunday evening & Monday morning I confessed to our small group and staff at church about my angry "behavior" towards my children. I don't like it. I have tried and tried to conrol this "behavior" especially in the "settings and situations" where my children are disobedient, defiant or disrespectful. And while I can lay the law down, the anger that comes from within I can only think is more damaging than the correction needed. (I must admit, I'm embarrassed sharing this.)
However, what I have focused on for so long is the "behavior." I've prayed for it to change, for newness, I've tried to go the route of counting to ten before responding (this actually helps), but ultimately, I fail everytime. So nowI am trying to focus on my "spiritual essence" and my "identity". Mike Armour said "If we wear God's name we should bear his nature." I Peter 1:15-16, "But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy.'" I need to become what I am...holy...that is my essence and identity. If I can focus on that, then my behavior would change to one that is more like Christ, right?
Just some thoughts...still thinking!
Monday, January 24, 2005
Just time for a game...
BONUS TIME
You take my breath away/Love thinks it's here to stay/There's still so much for me to do/And I can't stop loving you/Oh can this be true
You take my breath away/Love thinks it's here to stay/There's still so much for me to do/And I can't stop loving you/Oh can this be true
Thursday, January 20, 2005
Darth Tater
BONUS TIME
"What's the soup du jour?"
Waiter: "It's the soup of the day."
"Mmm... that does sound good."
Here is something funny:
Darth Tater
"What's the soup du jour?"
Waiter: "It's the soup of the day."
"Mmm... that does sound good."
Here is something funny:
Darth Tater
Wednesday, January 19, 2005
Joshua 5
BONUS TIME
"Waits at the window, wearing the face that she keeps in a jar by the door/ Who is it for?"
(BTW, Nobody got Monday's BONUS TIME: Nickle Creek's "Out of the Woods". NC is a great folksy, bluegrass, modern kind of sound...i like them a lot. Love the mandolin.)
Had a great Wednesday gathering at the Power Source Cafe. We had the message interspersed with songs. Camped out in Joshua 5. Here was our order for the night:
Come, let us worship and bow down
I will call upon the Lord
Part 1--obedience...(Joshua and the Israelites are about to attack Jericho, so to prepare for war, Joshua circumcises all the males...none were while in the forty years of desert time and that was the covenant with Abraham. OUCH!) But they obeyed!
Creat In Me A Clean Heart
Lord, Take Control
Part 2--worship...the Israelites no longer had manna provided, at this time they were living off the land and THEY LOVED IT. The celebrated with a feast and worshiped.
You're worthy of my praise
O Worship the King
Part 3--the presence of God...interesting / it wasn't until after obedience and worship that the commander of the Lord's army appeared (Jesus). We don't go about it that way, do we... We want to see/feel his presence THEN we will obey, THEN we will worship. Not right!
I Stand in Awe
Here I am to Worship
Part 4--Victory...do you really think feet stomping on the ground for seven days and a loud shout brought down the walls? It was God...and he started the process through the people way back when the priests stepped in the water and it parted. WHOA! What are some walls you have and are you willing to step into the water to begin the victory that is yours for the taking.
The Battle belongs to the Lord
Thanks to Doug Allison (my friend, co-worker, wild at heart brother) for these thoughts.
"Waits at the window, wearing the face that she keeps in a jar by the door/ Who is it for?"
(BTW, Nobody got Monday's BONUS TIME: Nickle Creek's "Out of the Woods". NC is a great folksy, bluegrass, modern kind of sound...i like them a lot. Love the mandolin.)
Had a great Wednesday gathering at the Power Source Cafe. We had the message interspersed with songs. Camped out in Joshua 5. Here was our order for the night:
Come, let us worship and bow down
I will call upon the Lord
Part 1--obedience...(Joshua and the Israelites are about to attack Jericho, so to prepare for war, Joshua circumcises all the males...none were while in the forty years of desert time and that was the covenant with Abraham. OUCH!) But they obeyed!
Creat In Me A Clean Heart
Lord, Take Control
Part 2--worship...the Israelites no longer had manna provided, at this time they were living off the land and THEY LOVED IT. The celebrated with a feast and worshiped.
You're worthy of my praise
O Worship the King
Part 3--the presence of God...interesting / it wasn't until after obedience and worship that the commander of the Lord's army appeared (Jesus). We don't go about it that way, do we... We want to see/feel his presence THEN we will obey, THEN we will worship. Not right!
I Stand in Awe
Here I am to Worship
Part 4--Victory...do you really think feet stomping on the ground for seven days and a loud shout brought down the walls? It was God...and he started the process through the people way back when the priests stepped in the water and it parted. WHOA! What are some walls you have and are you willing to step into the water to begin the victory that is yours for the taking.
The Battle belongs to the Lord
Thanks to Doug Allison (my friend, co-worker, wild at heart brother) for these thoughts.
Tuesday, January 18, 2005
Life in the Pause
BONUS TIME
"It's a dog eat dog world and I'm wearing Milk-Bone underwear!" (who said it)
I've begun to reread Wild at Heart (see side bar for link) and have joined a group of men to go through it this go around. I'm excited about it and getting to know this "band of brothers!" We dealt last night with fear and being a poser. (Next week we begin on the wound).
When I think of poser, I go back to high school days (late eighties) and while I never owned a skateboard or could even ride on one, I looked the part. Except for the Vans...I never got into those. Anyway, as we talked last night and the question was posed about what character are you most like in a movie (supposedly most men want to be William Wallace in Braveheart or Indiana Jones, I'd be content with Fletch). Well, for last night the part I picked was that of "Shooter" in Hoosiers. (A couple of things to get straight: I'm not the town drunk or any drunk for that matter and I don't know that much about basketball) However, I picked him for one spot in the move.
When Gene Hackman, who plays the coach, gets himself kicked out of the game its a ploy to force Shooter to step up and be somebody. There is a big pause as the fans, players, refs, everybody looks to Shooter for guidance. It takes one of the players (I think his son) to throw out an idea then Shooter takes off and they win the game and he is excited. (Later on he stumbles again but then afterwards has more determination to change his life.)
OK, that BIG Pause. That's my fear, that's where my poser comes out. I've got this inner dilemma where I know God has plans for me beyond my wildest imagination, and I feel like He's put me to the task and everyone is watching, wondering...and it's in that pause I find myself. It's a rather stuck feeling. Many think I could do this or that, and yet, I stay in the pause.
I know digging deeper into the wound, while it can hurt, will help. I want to get on in life and not stay paused forever.
"It's a dog eat dog world and I'm wearing Milk-Bone underwear!" (who said it)
I've begun to reread Wild at Heart (see side bar for link) and have joined a group of men to go through it this go around. I'm excited about it and getting to know this "band of brothers!" We dealt last night with fear and being a poser. (Next week we begin on the wound).
When I think of poser, I go back to high school days (late eighties) and while I never owned a skateboard or could even ride on one, I looked the part. Except for the Vans...I never got into those. Anyway, as we talked last night and the question was posed about what character are you most like in a movie (supposedly most men want to be William Wallace in Braveheart or Indiana Jones, I'd be content with Fletch). Well, for last night the part I picked was that of "Shooter" in Hoosiers. (A couple of things to get straight: I'm not the town drunk or any drunk for that matter and I don't know that much about basketball) However, I picked him for one spot in the move.
When Gene Hackman, who plays the coach, gets himself kicked out of the game its a ploy to force Shooter to step up and be somebody. There is a big pause as the fans, players, refs, everybody looks to Shooter for guidance. It takes one of the players (I think his son) to throw out an idea then Shooter takes off and they win the game and he is excited. (Later on he stumbles again but then afterwards has more determination to change his life.)
OK, that BIG Pause. That's my fear, that's where my poser comes out. I've got this inner dilemma where I know God has plans for me beyond my wildest imagination, and I feel like He's put me to the task and everyone is watching, wondering...and it's in that pause I find myself. It's a rather stuck feeling. Many think I could do this or that, and yet, I stay in the pause.
I know digging deeper into the wound, while it can hurt, will help. I want to get on in life and not stay paused forever.
Monday, January 17, 2005
Mike Cope, Highland & non-important stuff
Those of you who read my blog, know I offer a link to Mike Cope's blog as well. Be in prayer for him and his family along with the Highland church, where he preaches. Several kids on the way back from Winterfest (a huge church retreat here in the DFW area) flipped in the suburban they were riding in. Mike's son, Chris was one of three boys who had to be flown to Cooks in FW. Another young boy died at the scene and others experienced the need for some medical attention. Still other kids in vehicles following witnessed the . Be in prayer and click on Mike's link or Val's to get some updates.
Non-important stuff.
BONUS TIME (hint...song)
"I rollercoaster for you/ Time out of mind/ Must be heavenly."
I have yet to see the movie, but enough of my buds have that I had to post this quiz...so who are you! I was
Pedro Sanchez
(Please rate my quiz)
Which Napoleon Dynamite character are you?
brought to you by Quizilla
I found a way to get music to play on this blog, but using only free materials, I think I have alreayd maxed out my transfer usage (i get 10mb in a 24-hour period from www.ripway.com) But when you come back tomorrow, you should be able to hear and even choose from a list of a few tunes. Kind of fun messing with this blog stuff!
Non-important stuff.
BONUS TIME (hint...song)
"I rollercoaster for you/ Time out of mind/ Must be heavenly."
I have yet to see the movie, but enough of my buds have that I had to post this quiz...so who are you! I was
Pedro Sanchez
(Please rate my quiz)
Which Napoleon Dynamite character are you?
brought to you by Quizilla
I found a way to get music to play on this blog, but using only free materials, I think I have alreayd maxed out my transfer usage (i get 10mb in a 24-hour period from www.ripway.com) But when you come back tomorrow, you should be able to hear and even choose from a list of a few tunes. Kind of fun messing with this blog stuff!
Sunday, January 16, 2005
Games, New Life, Holiness, &
The game continues (b/w quotations)...but instead of that name, we'll just call it BONUS TIME. Jenni is winning with 2 points (see side bar for stats so far). She did confess to googling for the answer, but at the time that wasn't against the rules. However, we will now make it one. No googling for answers! Guess the quote and earn a point each for the movie and the name of the movie character who said it. Your name could be immortalized on Nino's Blog!!! (Like that's worth something). Another easy one:
"True love is the greatest thing in the world. Except for a nice MLT... mutton, lettuce and tomato sandwich where the mutton is nice and lean, and the tomato is ripe....they're so perky. I love that. "
BTW, nobody guessed the last quote from Fiddler on the Roof, spoken by Tevye!
Today was a great day gathered with the body. I had the honor of baptizing Lindsey Meyer this morning. What a sweet little sister in Christ I have. My prayer for her is that she will continue to grow in the ways of God and that the Holy Spirit will continue to be her guide in all she does. Speaking of Sunday AM, we are in I Peter and today was "Be holy as I am holy" so the message revolved around understanding the holiness of God. Next week we will look at our part in that.
On another note, this last week a family called me who had visited Southlake maybe 6-8 times or so. I had never met them but when I went to their I house I recognized the dad. They hadn't been at church in awhile. This family of 5 (Dad, Mom, Son-24, daugher-13, daughter-8) called and asked if I would help plan and speak at their Dad's funeral. David has cancer and is currently in Hospice care, bed-ridden in his home. So I went over last Thursday and met with he and his wife, Sherry, for over an hour. It was odd to plan a funeral for someone who is still living and yet the peace in this house was truly unexplainable. We joked and laughed (he is going to be cremated and being the big Beatles fan that he is, wants a Yellow Submerine Urn) and we prayed and talked frankly about . Nobody wants him to die, but they are OK with him dying.
I met with the kids on Saturday. What a family! the 8 year old is working on a poem and the 13 year old is jotting down some thoughts in her journal. The scripture I turn to in these times is Isaiah 55...it sure is easier to read it than to grasp to it and cling to it. But His ways are not my ways! And honostly, that's a good thing. (Like Jim Carry in Bruce Almighty just saying "yes" to everyone's prayers and all "chaos" breaking loose).
Anyway, don't know how long he will live, but as you read this, pray for the Johnson family. And pray for me, too, as I help in planning his funeral.
"True love is the greatest thing in the world. Except for a nice MLT... mutton, lettuce and tomato sandwich where the mutton is nice and lean, and the tomato is ripe....they're so perky. I love that. "
BTW, nobody guessed the last quote from Fiddler on the Roof, spoken by Tevye!
Today was a great day gathered with the body. I had the honor of baptizing Lindsey Meyer this morning. What a sweet little sister in Christ I have. My prayer for her is that she will continue to grow in the ways of God and that the Holy Spirit will continue to be her guide in all she does. Speaking of Sunday AM, we are in I Peter and today was "Be holy as I am holy" so the message revolved around understanding the holiness of God. Next week we will look at our part in that.
On another note, this last week a family called me who had visited Southlake maybe 6-8 times or so. I had never met them but when I went to their I house I recognized the dad. They hadn't been at church in awhile. This family of 5 (Dad, Mom, Son-24, daugher-13, daughter-8) called and asked if I would help plan and speak at their Dad's funeral. David has cancer and is currently in Hospice care, bed-ridden in his home. So I went over last Thursday and met with he and his wife, Sherry, for over an hour. It was odd to plan a funeral for someone who is still living and yet the peace in this house was truly unexplainable. We joked and laughed (he is going to be cremated and being the big Beatles fan that he is, wants a Yellow Submerine Urn) and we prayed and talked frankly about . Nobody wants him to die, but they are OK with him dying.
I met with the kids on Saturday. What a family! the 8 year old is working on a poem and the 13 year old is jotting down some thoughts in her journal. The scripture I turn to in these times is Isaiah 55...it sure is easier to read it than to grasp to it and cling to it. But His ways are not my ways! And honostly, that's a good thing. (Like Jim Carry in Bruce Almighty just saying "yes" to everyone's prayers and all "chaos" breaking loose).
Anyway, don't know how long he will live, but as you read this, pray for the Johnson family. And pray for me, too, as I help in planning his funeral.
Thursday, January 13, 2005
The Foam Trip
b/w quotations (between quotations)
"I know, I know. We are your chosen people. But, once in a while, can't you choose someone else? "
Our auditorium (sanctuary) is a big, bare-walled place that has noise (music) ricocheting all over the place. This unfortunately would make for a muddy sound. Thankfully, our sound tech has worked magic and made things pretty crystal clear. However, we both agree there is a need for some sound proofing in the room. Enter Greg & Ryan! Greg (buddy of sound tech, Kyle) knows of this need, and hears from Ryan (buddy of Greg) about 10 pallets of foam that are about to be thrown away. Greg and Ryan salvage said foam and store it in most of Ryan's (& wife, Rebekah) garage. Most because one had to go in the living room.
Upfront, we know have 24,000 pieces of 10" X 10" foam (like you would have on your mattress to give it extra comfort). The pallets measure 3' X 3' X 5'. Anyway, we got those out of Ryan's place and to the church building. Now the need to configure, do the math and begin to piece and place this foam on the bare walls of our place. Fun! Fun! Fun!
"I know, I know. We are your chosen people. But, once in a while, can't you choose someone else? "
Our auditorium (sanctuary) is a big, bare-walled place that has noise (music) ricocheting all over the place. This unfortunately would make for a muddy sound. Thankfully, our sound tech has worked magic and made things pretty crystal clear. However, we both agree there is a need for some sound proofing in the room. Enter Greg & Ryan! Greg (buddy of sound tech, Kyle) knows of this need, and hears from Ryan (buddy of Greg) about 10 pallets of foam that are about to be thrown away. Greg and Ryan salvage said foam and store it in most of Ryan's (& wife, Rebekah) garage. Most because one had to go in the living room.
Upfront, we know have 24,000 pieces of 10" X 10" foam (like you would have on your mattress to give it extra comfort). The pallets measure 3' X 3' X 5'. Anyway, we got those out of Ryan's place and to the church building. Now the need to configure, do the math and begin to piece and place this foam on the bare walls of our place. Fun! Fun! Fun!
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
b/w quotations and my week
A little game and we will keep score...we'll call it "b/w quotations." I'll offer a quote from a TV/Movie/Song (Secular or Christian) and the first person who comments with the correct guess gets the point. (Bonus points may also be offered later.) Maybe this will cause me to start writing regularly. We'll go easy at first...
"Do you ever just get down on your knees and thank God that you know me and have access to my dementia?"
On to my week...I've had a tough week in the sense that I haven't gotten to be around my family or wife. Our schedule as of the 9th:
SUNDAY: I'm up and out of the house by 5:30 a.m. I sort of see the fam around 11 at church. We get home by 1:00 and chill, watch some football, nap, Ali goes to Wal-Mart. Then at 6 p.m. it's off to small group, rush home around 8:15 and get the kids down to bed.
MONDAY: Get up, make lunches, take kids to school and head to work. Get home around 5:45 eat and play with kids a bit, then head back to church for Wild At Heart group that meets 8:30 - 10:30 (love it).
TUESDAY: Get up, make lunches, take kids to school and head to work. Force myself to go meet the family at a nearby park by 4 p.m. Eat ice cream, push the swing, venture into the library then head back to church at 5:20 to go pick up foam. Yeah, foam! And lots of it! Get back and unload said foam and it is 7 p.m. Race home to pick up David for Bball practice from 7:30 - 8:30. Rush him home so that I can then go back to church for Praise Band practice...8:30 - 11:30.
WEDNESDAY: Get up, no lunches or kids, leave by 6:15 for bible study at church then head on into work. Interiview a dying man and his wife to plan his funeral. (Another blog!). The day goes on at work, and now will try to steal away for a few more precious moments with family before heading back up to church (recurring theme in my life) with family in tow this time for our Wednesday gathering. Then home...maybe stay up and watch Alias and look forward to tomorrow night when I will get to stay home! Aahhhhhh!
"Do you ever just get down on your knees and thank God that you know me and have access to my dementia?"
On to my week...I've had a tough week in the sense that I haven't gotten to be around my family or wife. Our schedule as of the 9th:
SUNDAY: I'm up and out of the house by 5:30 a.m. I sort of see the fam around 11 at church. We get home by 1:00 and chill, watch some football, nap, Ali goes to Wal-Mart. Then at 6 p.m. it's off to small group, rush home around 8:15 and get the kids down to bed.
MONDAY: Get up, make lunches, take kids to school and head to work. Get home around 5:45 eat and play with kids a bit, then head back to church for Wild At Heart group that meets 8:30 - 10:30 (love it).
TUESDAY: Get up, make lunches, take kids to school and head to work. Force myself to go meet the family at a nearby park by 4 p.m. Eat ice cream, push the swing, venture into the library then head back to church at 5:20 to go pick up foam. Yeah, foam! And lots of it! Get back and unload said foam and it is 7 p.m. Race home to pick up David for Bball practice from 7:30 - 8:30. Rush him home so that I can then go back to church for Praise Band practice...8:30 - 11:30.
WEDNESDAY: Get up, no lunches or kids, leave by 6:15 for bible study at church then head on into work. Interiview a dying man and his wife to plan his funeral. (Another blog!). The day goes on at work, and now will try to steal away for a few more precious moments with family before heading back up to church (recurring theme in my life) with family in tow this time for our Wednesday gathering. Then home...maybe stay up and watch Alias and look forward to tomorrow night when I will get to stay home! Aahhhhhh!
A little game and we will keep score...I'll offer a quote from TV/Movie/Song (Secular or Christian) and the first comment to guess gets the point. Maybe this will cause me to start righting regularly. We'll go easy at first...
"Do you ever just get down on your knees and thank God that you know me and have access to my dementia?"
I've had a tough week in the sense that I haven't gotten to be around my family or wife. Our schedule as of the 9th:
SUNDAY: I'm up and out of the house by 5:30 a.m. I sort of see the fam around 11 at church. We get home by 1:00 and chill, watch some football, nap, Ali goes to Wal-Mart. Then at 6 p.m. it's off to small group, rush home around 8:15 and get the kids down to bed.
MONDAY: Get up, make lunches, take kids to school and head to work. Get home around 5:45 eat and play with kids a bit, then head back to church for Wild At Heart group that meets 8:30 - 10:30 (love it).
TUESDAY: Get up, make lunches, take kids to school and head to work. Force myself to go meet the family at a nearby park by 4 p.m. Eat ice cream, push the swing, venture into the library then head back to church at 5:20 to go pick up foam. Yeah, foam! And lots of it! Get back and unload said foam and it is 7 p.m. Race home to pick up David for Bball practice from 7:30 - 8:30. Rush him home so that I can then go back to church for Praise Band practice...8:30 - 11:30.
WEDNESDAY: Get up, no lunches or kids, leave by 6:15 for bible study at church then head on into work. Interiview a dying man and his wife to plan his funeral. (Another blog!). The day goes on at work, and now will try to steal away for a few more precious moments with family before heading back up to church (recurring theme in my life) with family in tow this time for our Wednesday gathering. Then home...maybe stay up and watch Alias and look forward to tomorrow night when I will get to stay home!
"Do you ever just get down on your knees and thank God that you know me and have access to my dementia?"
I've had a tough week in the sense that I haven't gotten to be around my family or wife. Our schedule as of the 9th:
SUNDAY: I'm up and out of the house by 5:30 a.m. I sort of see the fam around 11 at church. We get home by 1:00 and chill, watch some football, nap, Ali goes to Wal-Mart. Then at 6 p.m. it's off to small group, rush home around 8:15 and get the kids down to bed.
MONDAY: Get up, make lunches, take kids to school and head to work. Get home around 5:45 eat and play with kids a bit, then head back to church for Wild At Heart group that meets 8:30 - 10:30 (love it).
TUESDAY: Get up, make lunches, take kids to school and head to work. Force myself to go meet the family at a nearby park by 4 p.m. Eat ice cream, push the swing, venture into the library then head back to church at 5:20 to go pick up foam. Yeah, foam! And lots of it! Get back and unload said foam and it is 7 p.m. Race home to pick up David for Bball practice from 7:30 - 8:30. Rush him home so that I can then go back to church for Praise Band practice...8:30 - 11:30.
WEDNESDAY: Get up, no lunches or kids, leave by 6:15 for bible study at church then head on into work. Interiview a dying man and his wife to plan his funeral. (Another blog!). The day goes on at work, and now will try to steal away for a few more precious moments with family before heading back up to church (recurring theme in my life) with family in tow this time for our Wednesday gathering. Then home...maybe stay up and watch Alias and look forward to tomorrow night when I will get to stay home!
Monday, January 03, 2005
A Great Birthday
I had a great birthday on Saturday. Ali surprised me with the plans of going on a ski trip in early March. A no-kids trip! It was very special and the topper was that our great friends and prayer partners, the Clyde's, will be coming with us!
What made the birthday special was having the Clyde's around all weekend. We brought in the new year and then piddled and worked New Years day and then grilled out on Saturday night. We invited the Conway family over and it was great to see the interaction between these two dear families that we love.
My sweet Elizabeth also gave me present...she figured out "Happy Birthday" on the piano and played it for me (several times!!) What a gift and what a joy! And David drew for me a card that showed me on the stage at church with guitar in hand, piano to my right, and behind me is the screen with these words of worship: "Holy is the Lord, God Almighty. The earth is filled with His glory." David is paying attention!!
Elizabeth & Andrew also made cards as well as the Clyde children. My favorite pound cake (my granny's recipe) and ice cream was also delicious. Ron got me a computer game that we will be able to play over the internet...Rise of Nations...I've already had a few solo battles and could see that this could be addictive.
Finally, we bit the bullet and went with the Fiber Optics that Verizon is offering. AMAZING, especially after dial-up!!! Anyway, what I didn't expect was what Verizon sent early Friday morning...an IPOD. So I have been having fun learning all about it as well.
I Hope your 2005 is blessed. Mine has already begun in a great way, not so much the material things of life, but being surrounded by a family and friends who love me. Praise the Lord!
What made the birthday special was having the Clyde's around all weekend. We brought in the new year and then piddled and worked New Years day and then grilled out on Saturday night. We invited the Conway family over and it was great to see the interaction between these two dear families that we love.
My sweet Elizabeth also gave me present...she figured out "Happy Birthday" on the piano and played it for me (several times!!) What a gift and what a joy! And David drew for me a card that showed me on the stage at church with guitar in hand, piano to my right, and behind me is the screen with these words of worship: "Holy is the Lord, God Almighty. The earth is filled with His glory." David is paying attention!!
Elizabeth & Andrew also made cards as well as the Clyde children. My favorite pound cake (my granny's recipe) and ice cream was also delicious. Ron got me a computer game that we will be able to play over the internet...Rise of Nations...I've already had a few solo battles and could see that this could be addictive.
Finally, we bit the bullet and went with the Fiber Optics that Verizon is offering. AMAZING, especially after dial-up!!! Anyway, what I didn't expect was what Verizon sent early Friday morning...an IPOD. So I have been having fun learning all about it as well.
I Hope your 2005 is blessed. Mine has already begun in a great way, not so much the material things of life, but being surrounded by a family and friends who love me. Praise the Lord!
Saturday, January 01, 2005
35 Years of Existence
Happy New Year to the Blog world! Wow, 2005 and today I celebrate my 35th year of existence! So not only do I feel the need to reflect on 2004 but also the past 35 years. (I'm actually in my mid-30's now and on the closer side to 40...bizarre!)
There is a feature I enjoy reading in our local paper about what was going on 10 and 20 years ago. I noticed the same feature in my parents paper except that it also shows 30 years ago. So I want to attempt that although I would need the help of my family to get through some it.
30 years ago...January 1, 1975
After being born in Verona, Italy, by now we are living in Pordenone (could be misspelled) and I'm 5. I have a friend by the name of Valentina who lives in our same apartment complex. I go to a Catholic preschool (that actually may be the next year). I live through an earthquake. My favorite show and character is Zorro!
20 years ago...January 1, 1985
I'm fifteen and a freshman at Temple High School. I'm playing on our Freshman soccer team, the Wildcats. We have an amazing season where we go 15-0 and have 14 shutouts. For non-sports enthusiasts, a shutout is when the opposing team has no score a the end of the game...a goose egg. This is a bigger deal for me because I am playing defense and helping to keep the ball away from our goal. The one game where someone scored was obviously a fluke since we won 10-1.
The dating scene has continued but most likely I'm not "going with" anyone at this time...this gets me out of the gift giving need! It seems like I "went with" Holly W. in the first semester and I can't recall who it would have been following this birthday. I'm also in choir and very arrogant about my voice. I am probably thinking that I am God's gift to this Choir program. (Boy, has God done a work in me!)
At this point I'm leading singing at our church on some Sunday mornings, nights and Wednesday nights. My buddy, Robert B. and I along with Todd C., are becoming the "youth ministers" of our little youth group. We don't have a youth minister, but instead have a youth deacon. So we take over.
10 years ago...January 1, 1995
I'm married now to an amazing woman and we are now about to begin our second semester of graduate school. I was in youth ministry in San Antonio before coming back to school. I'm getting my degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. (I will discover a lot about myself as I go through this program). We live in a little 3 bedroom one bath just down from Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas. We don't totally realize it yet, but our debt is about to go out of control! I'm making some amazing friends through this program and through church.
I'm also working as an interim worship minister at the Highland Church of Christ with Mike Cope. I plan and lead the Wednesday nights and I help to plan Sunday mornings. (By this time next year, I will be leading on Sunday mornings as well ). This is where I believe God changed my life in a huge way and taught me the difference between being a song leader and a lead worshiper.
Well, that's it for now...I'll reflect on 2004 in the next blog? What was going on in your life 10, 20, 30 years ago?
There is a feature I enjoy reading in our local paper about what was going on 10 and 20 years ago. I noticed the same feature in my parents paper except that it also shows 30 years ago. So I want to attempt that although I would need the help of my family to get through some it.
30 years ago...January 1, 1975
After being born in Verona, Italy, by now we are living in Pordenone (could be misspelled) and I'm 5. I have a friend by the name of Valentina who lives in our same apartment complex. I go to a Catholic preschool (that actually may be the next year). I live through an earthquake. My favorite show and character is Zorro!
20 years ago...January 1, 1985
I'm fifteen and a freshman at Temple High School. I'm playing on our Freshman soccer team, the Wildcats. We have an amazing season where we go 15-0 and have 14 shutouts. For non-sports enthusiasts, a shutout is when the opposing team has no score a the end of the game...a goose egg. This is a bigger deal for me because I am playing defense and helping to keep the ball away from our goal. The one game where someone scored was obviously a fluke since we won 10-1.
The dating scene has continued but most likely I'm not "going with" anyone at this time...this gets me out of the gift giving need! It seems like I "went with" Holly W. in the first semester and I can't recall who it would have been following this birthday. I'm also in choir and very arrogant about my voice. I am probably thinking that I am God's gift to this Choir program. (Boy, has God done a work in me!)
At this point I'm leading singing at our church on some Sunday mornings, nights and Wednesday nights. My buddy, Robert B. and I along with Todd C., are becoming the "youth ministers" of our little youth group. We don't have a youth minister, but instead have a youth deacon. So we take over.
10 years ago...January 1, 1995
I'm married now to an amazing woman and we are now about to begin our second semester of graduate school. I was in youth ministry in San Antonio before coming back to school. I'm getting my degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. (I will discover a lot about myself as I go through this program). We live in a little 3 bedroom one bath just down from Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas. We don't totally realize it yet, but our debt is about to go out of control! I'm making some amazing friends through this program and through church.
I'm also working as an interim worship minister at the Highland Church of Christ with Mike Cope. I plan and lead the Wednesday nights and I help to plan Sunday mornings. (By this time next year, I will be leading on Sunday mornings as well ). This is where I believe God changed my life in a huge way and taught me the difference between being a song leader and a lead worshiper.
Well, that's it for now...I'll reflect on 2004 in the next blog? What was going on in your life 10, 20, 30 years ago?
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