Watching and listening!

How often are we so busy in our lives that we do not pay attention to our surroundings and what God has laid in our path.
My challenge to you is this. Sit outside, on a blanket, or in the grass, and just listen. Watch God at work. Calm and refresh yourself in Him.

The Value of ...

I borrowed this from a fellow blogger, http://berrymom2005.blogspot.com/
It was too good not to share with you...
To realize the value of a brother or sister Ask someone who doesn't have one.To realize the value of ten years Ask a newly divorced couple.
To realize the value of four years Ask a graduate.
To realize the value of one year Ask a student who has failed a final exam.
To realize the value of nine months Ask a mother who gave birth to a stillborn.
To realize the value of one month Ask a mother who has given birth to a premature baby.
To realize the value of one week Ask an editor of a weekly newspaper.
To realize the value of one minute Ask a person who has missed the train, bus or plane.
To realize the value of one-second Ask a person who has survived an accident.
Time waits for no one. Treasure every moment you have.
You will treasure it even more when you can share it with someone special.
To realize the value of a friend or family member LOSE ONE.
Peace, love and seeing the treasures of life in the smallest of things...

On the theory of FAIR!

We had a couple at our church yesterday who were here to candidate for the position of Assistant Pastor. There names are James and Aisling (pronounced Ashling) Solarek. Instead of Sunday school we had time for questions and answers with the young couple. They both attended college at Maranatha and Aisling is from Ireland. Anyway, enough rambling, this young man gave us a sermon at morning service. It is amazing to me how the Lord uses just the right people at just the right time. James started out by talking about how this world is not fair.
How many times have we all said this is not fair, what did I do to deserve this, why am I being punished, and thought about how famous people (who we view as wicked) have it so easy.
His next sentence was "When the world isn't fair, God is still good".
WOW! Talk about a thump on the head.
He based his sermon on Psalm 36: 5-7 pointing out that the Lord is always three things.
Faithful, Righteous, and Loving
5 Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.
6 Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O LORD, thou preservest man and beast.
7 How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.
Lord, I come to you humbled and needy. I thank You and praise You for all the You have given and blessed us with. I pray that my attention and focus stay upon You. I pray today for the many people who have helped me with encouraging words. Lord, wrap your arms around them and protect them from the deception of the world. Lord, please prepare my heart for what you have for me to do, and I pray that I be attentive and listen for your direction. Lord thank you for this day. In Jesus Holy and Precious name, Amen.

Things we take forgranted

During the last 2 months I have discovered that so many people (including myself) take so many things forgranted. I am going to give a little insight to what I have experienced during my marriage thus mentioning the things that are so often taken forgranted.

1. When you leave the house in the morning, you know exactly what you have in your house and expect it to be there when you get home.
2. When you get home and find it gone, you expect to have your spouse tell you the truth to the whereabouts.
3. When you find out that it has been sold, you expect that there be money left to help with the bills, not support some crack dealer and his life style.
4. When you call the man who is buying your things from your spouse and tell him the situation, you expect sympathy, instead what I heard was "Well you need to discuss this matter with him".
5. When your spouse gives you his word that he will do something, you expect it to be done. Not to have to beg and plead every day only to be betrayed by the one person who vowed to complete you.
6. You expect to never fear your husband or his actions. Jeckyl and Hyde are not people who you want to deal with on a daily basis.
7. Jesus and His awesome, never ending love for us. I am so easily distracted by this world and forget that while I look for comfort from a worldly person, Jesus never leaves my side.

Hard, yet fair

I need many prayers, I am embarking on a new time in my life. Through many prayers and many more intimate conversations with my Savior, I have made a decision in regards to my life.
Titus 3: 9-11
Avoid Dissension
9 But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless.
10 Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition,
11 knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned

I came across this passage at church last night, sitting in a room by myself, praying, asking the Lord for answers.

More pics

Pictures of the girls

Thankful again

Thank you all for the words of encouragement and praise about my eye.
I am asking you all to keep my brother- in- law, Don, in your prayers. He is 50 years old and had by quintuple by-pass surgery on Friday. Thank the Lord he did not have a heart attack, the doctor told him that he would not have lived through one. He seems to be doing fine, just please pray that no infection surfaces and that he will heal properly.

My girlfriend and her two little girls came by for the afternoon on Saturday. Her girls, Leah and Paige are getting so big. I will post some pictures of them soon.

The sermon on Sunday morning was about fasting. WOW... did I need that. So on Wednesday, the Pastor wants us to fast. The church is in the middle of an 18 month process to find an Asst. Pastor, and we have one coming to candidate this weekend.
Pray and fast, fast and Pray. Putting myself aside and focusing on the Lord and His will.

Eye Update!!!

Well, it is red and swollen and irritated. I called my eye doctor and he said just what everyone else said. Drops and anti-inflamitory medicine and rest. So I followed the advice and .... well the scratches feel much better. It is still very red and both of my eyes are very tired, but it is not nearly as irritating as it was yesterday. It was very itchy and it is not so bad now. Light hurts, so they unscrewed the bulbs above my cube, which is a huge help. So, time for MORE drops. Thanks to all who gave advice, much appreciated.

Help, I need advice!!!

I was in a knock down, drag out war with Nerf guns last night, and I got the worst end. A nerf bullet with velcro on the tip hit me in the eye. Yes, my eye was open. It feels like there is sand paper on the inside of my eyelid. It hurts to blink, it hurts to leave it open, it hurts to leave it shut.
Does anyone have any advice.

To the right is a before picture, and I can not even handle the flash for an after shot..... HELP!!! It hurts.

There is no place like home

We are home and we are tired. It was a very long weekend and we had lots of fun, but home is home and we are glad to be there. Blake lost all three games this weekend and played against teams that have a lot more experience than he or his team had. But being a little trooper he made the best of it and had fun anyway.
We went to visit an old friend of mine who lives not too far from Lansing and we had a very good time there too. He has two little boys ages 3 and 4 and Tyler, Blake and Danny had a great time playing with Allen and Gabe. It was good to see my old friend Rusty and his wife Ang. Rusty and I worked together for a couple years at Lowes and became very good friends.
I was so happy to be home and in my own bed. I missed Bill and Dalton very much this weekend. I can not remember the last time I was away from Dalton that long and am not looking to do it again any time soon.

HOME SWEET HOME.... Just imagine how much better heaven will be.

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It's off the Lansing We Go.

Please keep us in your prayers. We will be leaving this afternoon for Lansing. The weather is nice, a little rainy, but at least it is not snow. I am hoping for a relaxing and exciting weekend with the boys. I can't remember the last time that it was just Tyler, Blake, and me. Of course Danny is going as well, I consider him like my own though. Dalton will be spending the weekend with Bill, and going to his best friends (Michelle) birthday party on Sunday. He is so excited.... and a little upset that he can't go with us to stay at a hotel.

Anyway, pray for safe travel and that all that is done and said is for His glory.

God's Beauty

Stop and take a moment to appreciate God's blessing of true beauty.

Don't get me wrong, I am not a snow lover, I am a lover of spring and this picture means we are close to the refreshing birth of all things new.

This is an Ansel Adams picture and I adore his work. It is beautiful.

I ask that everyone take 60 seconds to count your blessings while looking at this picture.

Security duck!

This is Dalton and Flip (a stuffed duck that my mom gave him when she was moving out). They go everywhere together. Flip has attended church and Awana's and Sunday school for the past couple of months. He gives Dalton all the confidence in the world.
Shouldn't we carry Jesus with us the same way. He wraps us in His arms and protects and comforts us whenever we call to Him.
He should be our first priority, NOT our last resort.
Oh yeah, and he is jumping on my bed, ARRRGGGHHH... then I remember that it is only a bed, and how fun it used to be to do that. He is young and happy and full of joy. I want him to be little as long as possible. Some have told me that he is undisciplined because I let him do this.....
I must say.... I DON'T CARE!!!!! If you meet him, he makes you smile, he loves Jesus and is a good kid. He teaches me something new every day.
This picture made me remember that Jesus is always with me, ALWAYS.

A Few New Pictures!!!!

Just a few pictures of Dalton and Bill, and Blake.

Do we quit on Jesus?

Thought for the day.

Have you ever said, I will pray ( insert your own saying) more if this happens? Or I will spend more time reading the bible when this situation (your input) stops.

What if Jesus said, I will shed my blood when they realize who I am? He did not let us hinder His actions, He still carried the cross.

Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ dies for us.