Wednesday, October 31, 2007

18 years and...

You are always new.

The last of your kisses

was ever the sweetest…

John Keats

(English Poet)

Saturday, October 20, 2007

Life Accomplishment #2


(Given in no particular order)

I have two great children of whom I am extremely proud.

I need to say with each and every accomplishment that I put on this blog, that the glory of the accomplishment does not go to me. Some people list their accomplishments or achievements as a way to lift themselves up, sort of a self-promotion, or a "look at me" mentality. This is prideful, and frankly its naive. I want to make sure that all readers understand that any accomplishment that I list is purely because of the grace of God. The are in reality, His accomplishments.

Psalm 19 is one of my favorite Psalms, and I am currently going through this psalm in my Bible class at BRCA. I bring this up at this point because of Psalm 19:7, which states, "...The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making Wise the Simple." I love this particular verse because it gives me great hope. You see, I could easily drop myself into the category of the simpletons, but by God's grace, and that alone, I am seeing the fruits of wisdom in my life.

One of these fruits is evident in my children. They are both a pure blessing of God and an accomplishment of God. Here is a picture of them at work with me. I work a part-time job at my church doing some janitorial work. I will occasionally haul them of to work with me, and it is not to run around the halls playing and screaming. They are there to work. There are certain things that they can do, and that is exactly what they do while they are there.

They have done such a good job that my boss has more than once been disappointed that they weren't there because he had a job for them to handle. Their absence also affects me when I don't bring them, because some of the basic jobs that I do take so much longer to get done.

They are both doing great in school this year, which also makes me very proud of them. In fact, most of the time when we go to a friend's house with the children, we will get at least one, "... your kids are so good." We usually shrug it off, but it brings great joy to my heart. Proverbs 10:1 says, "A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son grief to his mother." This is so true.

I am extremely proud of my boys. I am not ashamed at all that they are mine. The one (and only one) hope that I have for them, is that they will turn to Jesus Christ. I genuinely don't care what they choose in life as far as occupation or anything else, as long as Jesus is their Lord.


See the extremely short list of Life Accomplishments

Monday, October 15, 2007

Food, I Love You

In light of recent events (which you can read about here and here) and the changes that these events will surely cause in my life, I decided to make a little movie...





It's been a good 35 years, food, but it looks like you've been killing me.

Friday, October 12, 2007

Life Accomplishment #1

(Given in no particular order)

I married the love of my life,
          and I am still married to her.


She was my high school girlfriend. Well, actually she was the high school girlfriend. I had other girlfriends, but she was the one that I would always go back to. She was the girl that I loved.

We got married in 1996, and I have never... Never... had a day of regret. (Surprised honey?) It is absolutely true.

Don't get me wrong. There have been some times that were really difficult. Really. There have been some times that I wasn't sure that we were going to make it.

But God is so faithful. And He is the one who deserves the credit for this accomplishment. He has allowed me to keep the wife of my youth, and what a wonderful blessing that is turning out to be.

In a world that discards marriage so easily. Where people drop out of marriage the way they drop out of heir cell phone contracts, I am so happy that when the going got tough, we didn't give up. I think that I am more "in love" today than I was 11 years ago.


If I am going to list some life accomplishments, then this is the best place to start. Of all the things that I have done in my life, getting (and staying) married is one of my greatest accomplishments.

Sunday, October 7, 2007

99 Balloons

If you didn't cry at the last video. I know that I will get you on this one.

Our Church showed this one to us a few weeks ago. Wonderful message in this one.

Everything Skit

We watched this video this morning in church. I admit, I was a little skeptical at first, but it pulled me right in. Wonderfully done.



I got the video from this site.

Update: Ok. I have watched this video at least four times since this morning. I have bawled everytime. I am talking about tears rolling down my face.

I think that if you have never been entangled by sin and sinful desires, then you won't get this. I have been entangled in sin. I have known its power. I have seen it in others, and I see it more and more all of the time. Almost everyday I encounter another person who has fallen.

The thing that I love about this video (and the thing that gets the tears rolling) is that Christ is always beckoning. Through the whole thing He continues this. I love then when she turns. Don't fool yourself. That is key. We must turn from sin and run to Him.

But we won't make it.

Neither does she. She throws everything she has to get to Christ, and He continues to pull. But we will never make it. We will never free ourselves. It doesn't matter how much will power we have or how much determination, we will fail.

BUT CHRIST steps in! I love it in the video. He steps in and defeats them all. I am getting teary just typing about it. I love HIM. I love who He is. And when I watch a video that Glorifies, that lifts Him up... even if it is just some skit... I love it.

Is HE all you want? Is He your everything?