Cleaning at Mom's

I was off today so I accompanied my wife to my mom's. She cleans the house once a week and Monday is her usual day so off we go.

Instead of doing much help with the cleaning I was assigned the task to bring up all the Christmas decorations. This means totting numerous boxes from the cramped basement to the den. Not too much of a problem really except some of the boxes are rather heavy. It was also raining at the time, but no biggy. I was able to get them all up and stayed relatively dry.

So, after that I asked Kathy if she needed any help cleaning and she suggested I vacuum for her. Now, we have been spoiled because we own an Oreck, which is the best engineered vacuum in the world (in my humble experience). Mom recently bought the worst engineered vacuum in the world (in my humble but accurate opinion). 1st, the chord is short, which is stupid; 2nd, the chord attaches at the base of the vacuum, which means you're always stepping on it and stopping all forward progress; 3rd, it doesn't vacuum stuff off the floor (hmmm, isn't that like, the point?); and 4th, you have to clean up a filter everytime you use it! Now, I may be prejudiced, but I'm not stupid. The engineer for the Hoover was stupid, however.

Anyway, I tied the chord to the top of the handle and vacuumed each section of floor twice so as to get most of the stuff up. Then Kathy and I went and bought another Oreck at Target because her's was getting old and needed replacing. But, we've had the thing for over 8 years and ran a cleaning business for like 4 of those years. Needless to say we've gotten our money's worth and did not hesitate buying another one.

My only question is, why would Hoover put anything like that vacuum on the market? All it can ever do is give them a bad name. I know I'll never buy one.

We also bought another DVD player for the kids to use upstairs. If you haven't bought one in a while they're really cheap now.

Okay, that's all my shopping updates for the day. Have a good one.

Just another day in paradise

Kathy and I visited WestHills church in Villa Rica this morning. They had an unusual service that they do once a year and our hosts wondered if we would we enjoy it. They had no preaching (which we would have loved to hear), instead they had different booths set up around the building. We moved from booth to booth at our own pace and the over-all theme was prayer. We prayed for ourselves, missionaries, leaders and our families. I think I can also speak for Kathy and say that we really enjoyed it.

Most of the people we met were probably under 40, although we met a few people in our age range. That didn't matter at all. In fact, it was one of the friendliest churches I've ever visited. We were met outside by a group of young men who made us feel very welcome. It might have helped that I knew the worship leader and he introduced us to a few people, but I don't think it would have mattered that much. We were confronted by a lot more overly friendly people once inside. I'm not sure if someone put a tag on our backs that said 'visitor - please greet me' or not.

The music was understated this morning since the service was focused on prayer. They only did 2 slower songs but the band sounded tight and the lead guitarist had a nice touch. The worship leader played an acoustic guitar that I was not familiar with but it sounded very nice. Had a good bright sound but wasn't missing the mids.

I'm glad the band didn't play much. Everytime I go to a church I'm picking through the music, trying to decide what I like and what I don't. It's rather annoying and often times prevents me from enjoying the service. This short music presentation was short enough to enjoy and slow enough not to distract me from the words or music.

In short, we enjoyed the visit and enjoyed the service. Westhills is a very friendly Baptist church who is breaking all the 'Baptist' rules. I'm sure we'll visit again soon.

Long lazy weekend

I took a day of vacation on Wednesday and won't go back to work until Tuesday. It's been rather confusing really. I kept thinking yesterday was Saturday. Our minds get so used to certain patterns that it's hard to enjoy the moment. It's like when you're driving and you find yourself on the way to work when all you wanted to do was go to Ingles. It happens to me all the time. I guess it's worse as you grown older because your life gets more and more in a pattern.

I don't really have a problem with it though. I sorta like the common place now. I tend to like getting up at the same time, doing the same stuff and going to bed early. I'm sure it's a certain sign that I'm getting older. Wait! I'm my grandfather! aaarrgggghhh!

Well, I don't think there's much I can do about it. Some parts of growing older are inevitable, like getting up 3 times during the night to pee.

Well, I'm heading out to Joey's to help him and Jennie move. And I'm not looking forward to it at all. I've been exercising but not too well lately and I know I'm going to get tired quickly. I did some running on the treadmill yesterday morning and I'm still a little sore from that. Yes, you're right, I'm lazy. I always seem to get that way during the winter. I hate it and will try to work around it, but I'm not optimistic.

A Month Of Thankfulness - Thankful for God and His Love

Thank you God for you unfailing love that has rescued me from myself.

A Month of Thankfulness - Thankful for Age

Yes, that's right! I'm actually thankful for growing older. Believe it or not (especially those who know me best)I think I have actually grown wiser as I've grown older. How do you measure wisdom? Well, I'm sure there's many ways but I look at it this way. I think you're wise if you can say 'no' to something you really want if you realize it is not the best thing to do or if it could hurt another. Like, if you have the opportunity to drink a bottle of wine because no one would know and you don't because it would give you a headache. Or, you realize that while you're drunk someone in your family might really need you. That's one aspect of wisdom.

It also means you do stuff you would rather not because it is best for you or for someone you love. Like slowing your car down so you'll make it home in one piece even though you wish that clown in front of you would get out of the way!

In other words, you're gaining wisdom when others are more important than you are. You can sacrifice yourself for the good of others.

I'm thankful that God has been very patient with me and give me a measure of wisdom that I never knew.

And to me you just can't grow in wisdom in 20 years. It takes time. It takes 30 to 40 years of hard stuff to get to where you get a measure of wisdom.

And growing old means grandkids and grandkids are wonderful!!!!

Thank You God for keeping me around a while. I hope You give me a little longer.

A Month Of Thankfulness - Thankful for Church

Church is more than a social event or gathering. Church is a place where you can give of yourself to something that is larger than yourself. It is a place where you can feel like you're making a difference in someone's life. It offers the opportunity for someone to focus intently on God, His plan for your life and His involvement in the lives of others.

I love church and I love the friendships I've made over the years as I've worked along side others in the church environment. The people I've come to love the most are the ones who are sacrificial and unselfish with their time and talents. They are not only givers, but love to give.

I've learned so much from people over the years in church. I not only learned more about God but I've learned a lot of practical stuff too. Through various relationships I've learned more about carpentry, music, mechanics, writing, and the world. I've visited places in the world that most people would not think of going on vacation to. Places like Romania and the small towns I visited there, working with their local churchs. They are just like us, only poorer. Places like the mountains of Jamaica where I was able to live with a family for a week while we labored on their new church building. These memories of my 'vacations' are more cherished and vivid than the beaches and mountains I've visited. You won't get those kind of opportunities outside of 'church'.

Kathy and I have decided just this week that it's time for us to find another church to get involved in. We are sad in one sense because we know we'll lose touch with some wonderful people we've gotten to know. We also thought that this would be the church we'd be in for the remainder of our lives. But, we just don't feel a part of it anymore. We're expecting more than the church is able to provide. We've hoped for what we felt like the church was capable of and have never seen it try and reach that potential over the years. It's a struggle that we're just tired of. We realize now that there are few in the church who even realize what the original vision was so no one is interested in reaching it.

So, we're moving on. Hopefully we'll be able to find a church that is striving for that vision and will follow it faithfully.

But, even if we don't, we're thankful for all the churchs we've known over the years and all the people who make up those churches.

A Month Of Thankfulness - Thankful for Water

The most unique natural resource in the earth. Without it we could not live, in fact we are composed of a great deal of water. All other substances shrink when they freeze. If water did it would sink to the bottom of lakes, streams and the ocean. Ice would then accumulate until all the rivers and lakes would freeze solid. God designed water to float on top and allow the fish to live underneath.

Water also stores heat very well which helps maintain a stable environment.

It would seem that earth is the only planet in the solar system that has liquid water. That makes us unique. We are in God's eye. In fact, He made all of this for us.

Thank You God for water. You who are the Living Water.

A Month Of Thankfulness - Thankful for Being Born When I Was

Of course, I'm also thankful for being born in the US. That almost goes without saying. If you're born in the greatest country in the world and you enjoy more freedom than anyone in the world, you have to be thankful for that.

But I'm very thankful to be a part of this generation in the US. We enjoyed, without a doubt, one of the greatest times so far. We saw innumeral inventions that added enjoyment to our lives and made living so much easier. Some of those inventions might have taken away certain aspects of life, such as the TV taking away family time, but their effect on us is determined by us.

I mean, think about it, we can travel almost anywhere in the world in 12 hours. We can talk to anyone in the world without any difficulty at at. We can actually talk to someone in Australia and see their image on our computer at the same time. We take lights, heat and air conditioner for granted, as if it's our birthright. And water! We eat anytime we want and just about anything we want. We work 40 hours a week and earn enough to buy just about anything we want.

My generation also grew up during a time of peace. As young kids our parents could let us roam the neighborhood and extend neighborhoods without worry. It was a time of peace and prosperity and we enjoyed it all.

I would have loved to have seen Jesus personally, but that's the only other time I would have liked to be alive that I know of. And, even then would have been a tough time to live.

Thank You God for picking this time and place for me to live.

A Month Of Thankfulness - Thankful for My Ears

Of course I love music, couldn't you tell. And without the wonder of my ears I would not be able to enjoy it or create it. Not much else I can say about it except I'm so thankful for the gift of sound.

A Monthy of Thankfulness - Thankful for my Guitars

I really like playing guitars. I have been blessed to have had some nice guitars and am thankful for what I have now. I started out with an old, classic Ovation. It sounded really nice, but had poor pickups. I 'sold' to it a young girl who was learning guitar. I didn't get anywhere near what it was worth but it went to a good cause. I sold her brother another nice guitar. It was a Martin and had a nice sound also. Anthony was leading worship and needed a better guitar so I sold it to him for a good bargain price too.

Since then I've owned a Taylor which was a nice guitar but not my favorite. Again, I sold it to a young man who was a worship leader. He got a good price too.

Now I have a Larivee (nice sound, good pickups), a Tacoma (my favorite acoustic), a American Made Deluxe Strat and a Epiphone Les Paul (cheap but solid). I have enough to have a backup guitar on stage or an extra for alternate tunings.

I have learned to get over the temptation that makes me want a better and better guitar and I'm content with what I have. They are all solid and sound good. What more to you want? I just wish I could play them up to their potential.

Thank You God for my mistresses (guitars).

A Month Of Thankfulness - Thankful for my Brain

Yes, I know, it's a small one and my memory seems to not find it's way around at times, but I'm thankful for what I've got.

I honestly find it difficult to understand how anyone can believe that something as complex, fast could have evolved. The brain is such as picture of creation! It's workings and architecture is unknowable and it simply cries out, "I am a wonder of creation"! To me, there is no other rational explanation. I guess my brain knows it's origins and demands that I acknowledge it.

We all know someone whose brain has gotten crossed up and are living in a 'different' world and I'm just so very grateful that mine is working as well as it does.

Thank you God for my brain.

A Month Of Thankfulness - Thankful for my Talents

We all need to acknowledge that our talents and skills are a gift from God. Refining and honing those skills are our job, but the initial dose is His to distribute as He sees fit. How He sorts them out is a mystery to us all and I'm sure most of us have questioned His fairness from time to time.

I know I have. I have had the privilege of playing with many very talented musicians over the years and have often questioned God as to why they were better than I was. Some of my buds just had this inborn ability to play with such skill that I just grew jealous over time. I tried not to question God and His seemingly lack of fairness but I did.

Of course, I am musically talented. I am the only member of my family that even plays an instrument and I'm not sure if any of them could ever sing very well. If they could, they didn't. I've also been told by other people that I'm very talented and I know that's true. It's true because compared to them I am very talented. It's all relative.

So, I am thankful that God has given me the talent He has. I can sing, play guitar, write and dance (ok, I can't dance). Thank You God for my talent.

A Monthy of Thankfullness - Thankful for my Freedom

If you're an American you have to be thankful for freedom. It's something I hope I never take for granted. I can drive from here to Ohio (not that I would) and no one stops me at each state border for my papers. I can work at any profession I want, I can go or not go to church, I can eat what I want, drive what I want (until Al Gore finds a way to ban cars), and carry out any decision I make without worry.

It's a wonderful thing if you sit and think about it for a moment. I think it's what God had planned all along - do what you feel led to do unless it hurts another in any way. I wish the world was different and every country operated in this manner. We would all be more prosperous and happy (no doubt).

I'm not going to go on and on about this, mostly because I have a headache. You get the picture though. I'm thankful for freedom God. I believe it was your idea and and thankful You shared it with us.

A Month Of Thankfulness - Thankful for Fingers

Yes, that's right, fingers! I have been playing guitar tonight and realize how valuable my fingers are to me and my expression on the guitar. I love to play and just couldn't do it without the ten digits God has given me.

So taken for granted, yet so important to my world. I can type, play guitar, insert CD's, use a remote, hold cup of water, turn on a light, pick the eggshells out of the eggs when I'm cooking breakfast and a million other things with these wonderful tools that were conceived and created by the mind of God.

Thank You God for my fingers.

This was brought to you by 9 of the 10 digits that I possess. The left hand thumb just gives me balance when I'm typing.

A Month Of Thankfulness – Thankful for Music

Not much to say about this because saying anything about music comes up short if it's not put into a song. Music has been a part of my life as long as I can remember. I remember being told when I was rather young by our music minister at church that I couldn't sing. I sorta dedicated myself to proving her wrong and can remember standing in front of the bathroom mirror doing voice exercises so I could learn.

I took music in the 6th grade and was introduced to a trumpet and I fell in love with that. I played it through high school but gave it up afterwards because I had no one to play with.

I didn't think much of my singing abilities after that but was encouraged by another music minister who actually asked me to sing at his wedding. I was surprised but did sing for them.

Later, in my 30's I started playing guitar seriously to play in a home church group. I had played around with it a bit when I was in my teens but didn't work at it much. Now I had a reason to work at it and took it seriously. I practiced for hours every night and even took some lessons occasionally to learn different techniques. I didn't want to take the time to learn songs lick for lick because I was trying to spend time with my wife and kids at that time so I would learn a little, then make it my own by writing a song using the lick I has stolen. In this way I was able to learn a few new licks and write some of my own music.

As I shared my songs with people I started receiving positive feedback so I kept writing. I now have a very large catalog and one CD. I play my songs at church occasionally and find a great deal of personal satisfaction in sharing them with others.

So, you see that music has always been a big part of my life and I love it dearly. I can express myself much better through a song than any other way.

Thank You God for Music.

A Month Of Thankfulness - Thankful for God's Provision

I have a good job. I work for a very good company and work with some of the finest people in Atlanta. I am paid well for what I do and have never complained about how much I make. I've just always been thankful that life has worked out so that I do what I do and make a decent living at it.

I've been to other countries like Jamaica and Romania where unemployment is high and moral is low. I've seen people stuck in jobs that give them no challenge or hope for anything better. I've seen people who make enough money to just survive on and nothing more. I am thankful to be living here in the United States where the possibilities are almost endless and where the living standards are some of the highest in the world. You can't help but be thankful after you've seen how the rest of the world lives.

That's one of the reasons I have a bit of a problem with the glamorization of the 'homeless' here in the U.S. There are genuine problems for a lot of people here, but our idea of homelessness and the rest of the world's is completely different. I'm afraid most of our 'homeless' are there because they just don't want to work. Well, that's my humble opinion and it's only an opinion.

One of the main reasons I'm thankful for my job and how God has blessed me is because I was headed in the direction of homelessness when I was rescued. I had come to rely on drugs pretty heavily and didn't want to work much. I would have been content to take handouts soon, I'm sure. But God rescued me, shook me off and put me to work.

I've also been able to work 2 or 3 extra jobs during the time I've been married to help provide for my family. Now Kathy has a business that helps us out and I don't have to work as many jobs. That makes me even more thankful.

So, thank you God for providing for me and my family. Thank you for the energy and will to work and thank for the good compensation available here in the states.

A Month Of Thankfulness - Thankful for Grandkids

Oooo, this is an easy one. Grandkids, especially at the age ours are at, are so much fun. You marvel at their wittiness, talent and intelligence, and you find humor in their every action. They can be as sweet as honey and as aggravating as a boil from one minute to the next. The girls talk almost non-stop and the boys are always into some mischief or competition. When all five of them are over you really hope for good weather so they can spend as much time outside as possible. That way they can run and slide and chase each other without it sounding and feeling like your in the mosh pit of a punk rock concert.

I love to see them and love to have them help me plant flowers or do some other work in the yard. Most of them want to help you with whatever you’re doing, especially if it involves a shovel, hoe or rake. Of course, they love it if we’re using a hose because then they have a chance to spray each other. You have to have some patience, of course, and you have to make up your mind that all your plants are expendable, but the kids are not. They are going to destroy or harm something in the course of play or work, so if you already have that loss planned it won’t bother you as much.

I’ve always tried to keep this straight in my mind, that people are always more valuable and important than things. I don’t mind losing something or having it harmed as much as I do a child or an adult. So, if one of the kids breaks something or one of my friends need to borrow something and it’s broken in their care, it doesn’t matter. They are always more important than any thing. This way of looking at life really helps when you have grandkids that have absolutely no concept of the value of guitars, cars, computers or plants. I can take the loss of a thing, but never want to lose one of them.

So, I am very thankful for the privilege of raising my kids and I am very thankful that they have had children that I can love, cherish and teach. Thank You God for my grandkids, those who I know now and for those whom I will know in the future.

A Month Of Thankfulness - Thankful for my son-in-law Tony

All 'my boys' are hard workers and are leaders in their work areas. They have all been raised to value hard work and are all smart and dedicated to their families and Tony is no exception. Tony is an electrician. It can be very hard work at times and can also be very dangerous. You need to know what you're doing and you have to do it right or it could cost you your life.

Tony is a union electrician and as such is very well educated in his field. He spent a great deal of time in a classroom environment before he ever touched a wire and it was a very tough school. But, Tony is a smart guy and he did well. In fact, he finished at the top of his class.

Tony grew up in a broken home and because of that has dedicated himself to be a good husband and father and he's done a good job at both. He works very hard everyday but doesn't mind helping out around the house when he gets home. He loves his kids and spends time playing with them and training them to do what's right. I'm very proud of the way he has loved my daughter and his kids.

Tony and I get along great, like I do with Paul, but we almost act like siblings. We can kid around and poke fun at each other because we are a lot alike.

I could not have asked for a better son-in-law and am proud of Tony and how well he's handled himself as an adult, husband and father. I thank God that He sent Tony to our family.

A Month Of Thankfulness - Thankful for my son-in-law Paul

Paul is married to my oldest daughter Dawn. They met in college and seemed to fall in love overnight after knowing each others for a couple of years. Paul has fit into our family as if he were one of our own, which is what every parent wants for the people who marry their kids.

He is a smart young man who majored in business and seems to have a head for it. He works for a bank in Columbus Georgia and is doing well in that business.

Paul is a lot of fun and mixes well with whoever he meets. He comes from a good traditional southern family and has obviously been raised on good Christian values.

But the main thing you want for your daughters is someone who will love them tenderly and treat them like a princess. Paul has loved Dawn since he met her and has treated her like she deserves to be treated. She is a special person and he treats her like a treasure. We are proud to have Paul as a member of our family and are thankful that God has sent him our way.

A Month Of Thankfulness - Thankful for my Daughter Joy

Of all my kids, Joy is the most appropriately named. She is a joy to be around and just naturally brings joy to those around her. Being the last was a challenge I'm afraid. By the time she was born we had 3 other little rambunctious toddlers running around and she ended up competing to get attention. Of course, she fit right in and kept up as best she could. We did spoil her a bit though.

With three others vying for attention we tended to just give her what she wanted. It's like Bill Cosby once told one of his kids who were complaining that their younger brother had their stuff, "just give her what she wants, she's got my stuff too"! She'll admit she was spoiled too, but she overcame it well.

Joy was undoubtedly designed to be a mother. She has 3 kids now and is doing a great job taking care of them and keeping them in line. They all know she loves them and they all know she's the boss (after their dad). When she gives an order there is no doubt she will follow up if it's not carried out, but she also shows them grace when it's needed. I marvel at her motherly skills.

Joy is also a loving and loyal wife. She and her husband have a solid, fun and good relationship together. They laugh at and with each other without apology or inhibition and they can correct each other safely without the other getting their feelings hurt.

Now, if you know Joy you know she loves animals. Although I had large dogs around when they were growing up I can do without animals in my life now without a problem. But, Joy does not know that there are limits on how many animals a suburban family can handle. She's not a crazy cat lady, but she does push her husband's patience at times when she talks about getting another dog. At the latest count she had 2 chihuahuas and a boxer and was asking around for another large dog for their boxer to play with.

Joy was not planned, but then again I don't remember planning any of our kids. But, the best things in life are suprises anyway. Joy was a great suprise and continues to be a joy in our family. Thank you God for Joy.

A Month Of Thankfulness - Thankful for my Daughter Angela

Today I’m thankful for my daughter Angela, my third born. Is it a characteristic of 3rd born children to be agreeable and cooperative? I’m not sure, but those are 2 of Angela’s personality slants. We have never had much trouble at all out of Angela. She is just one of those types of people that wants to please.

Now, wanting to please can be both good and bad. Good, if she’s doing what she knows is right, but bad if she ends up pleasing someone who is taking her down the wrong road. Fortunately Angela has always had an obedient heart for God, so she was strong enough to say no to those kinds of people. She has always had a very tender heart, but also a strong one, which is a great combination if you can get it.

Angela has the natural athletic abilities of her brother too. She really excelled on the soccer field and it was more of a case of giftedness than work. She could just do it and do it well. She was also very teachable which helped. She was also good at basketball, but only because of her lightning fast reflexes in the defensive field of play. She may have made 3 baskets her entire career, but the number of steals she accumulated would be hard to match.

As I said earlier, Angela has always had a heart for God. She loves Him intensely and obeys His voice. She also has a heart for others and puts that love into action in every way she can find. She is involved in many ministries here locally and has even gone overseas a number of times to work with the extremely needy in the world.

A heart for God; a heart for others; a hearty laugh and fun loving personality; an obedient spirit and beauty to top it all off; Angela is someone I’ll always be thankful for.

Thank you God for giving us such a precious gift.

A Month Of Thankfulness - Thankful for my Daughter Dawn

Dawn is the 2nd born in our family, but the 1st daughter. As such, she has always assumed the 1st born characteristics of leadership, being driven, wanting everything to be under control. When the kids were young Dawn was the one calling the shots and organizing games. Nathan was laid back enough to let her assume leadership and didn't seem to mind.

It was fun to watch them all interact, especially Dawn and Nathan. Nathan never saw an obstacle he didn't think he could overcome and Dawn always had some kind of idea for them do. I'll never forget watching him try and help her climb a fence. She had a rope around her waist and it was draped over a tree above her. He had the other end wrapped around his butt and was backing up, pulling her up the fence toward the tree. She was in charge though, telling him how fast to go and when to stop and start. It was a great glimpse into their relationship. He could do anything with the right tools and she told him what they were going to be doing.

Dawn is a very smart girl. She has a great ability to memorize facts and has always done exceptionally well in school. She decided in grammar school that she would only make A's and that's what she did all the way through he schooling career, with very few exceptions.

She is one of the most driven people I've ever met, but she balances that with great humor and a love for people. Give her a goal to reach and she'll work herself in the ground to meet it. Give her someone in need and she'll drop whatever she's doing and see that they're helped.

She gave her heart to the Lord as a young girl and has never looked back to question that decision. She has remained faithful to His calling and has maintained her integrity since that time.

She is so much fun; so full of love and laughter; so smart and beautiful and I'm thankful she's my daughter. Although, I'll have to give Kathy most of the credit for Dawn's intelligence and beauty, I'll at least take credit for her laughter.

A Month of Thankfulness - Thankful for my son

Today I’m thankful for my son Nathan. A guy is always hopeful for a son, and especially a son who becomes a real man; independent, resourceful, a leader, and tender toward his wife. Nathan is all of those things and I’m very proud of him.

He was always very athletic (unlike his dad) and tough. He always excelled in any sport or activity he tried and I was always amazed and proud as I watched him. He had some health issues as a youth and had to take some time off from organized sports but that didn’t slow him down much. Instead, he concentrated on personally challenging style sports like rock climbing. He trained well and did well at that too.

He did spend some time as a musician. He played in a high school band with some buddies and they really were pretty good. He can’t find his bass anymore but has expressed and interest in doing it again. His generation just kills me. They don’t see anything as a challenge like we do. They just do it.

Nathan is a leader in the business world and is very good at what he does and has been rewarded well by his employers. He is a talented carpenter and remodeler too. In fact, I don’t think there’s anything he can’t do if he puts his mind to it.

He has struggled with addiction but seems to be getting that behind him now. I certainly hope he does and finds some peace with that. He’s also spent some time married to the wrong woman but that is thankfully nearing an end. I just wish his children lived closer to him so we could all see them more often.

Nathan is a good man. He is all I have ever hoped for in a son and I’m thankful that God entrusted him to Kathy and I as his parents.

Thankful for my wife

Today I’m thankful for my wife. We’ve been together 31 years, and yes there have been times where we’ve both wondered if we had done the right thing. I say that for the benefit of the younger readers of this site. Everyone will have doubts and questions about their marriage, because we all have faults and weaknesses. But, hanging in there and working through those times make the other 99% all the more precious.

We are so unlike each other in many ways; she likes soft music and I like rock; she likes emotional TV and I like action; she worries about the kids and grandkids and I am content to let them get through their own troubles and pains; she likes coleslaw and I don’t.  But we have been best friends since we started dating. I was attracted to her because she was easy to talk to and I felt very comfortable around her.

She is much smarter than me (except when it comes to computers, which she hates). She handles so many details with the budget and her business and is something of an expert in my mind in the real estate business. She is compassionate and caring and is not a shy person at all. She loves people and loves talking and she’s not shy about telling someone they need The Lord.

She loves her children and grandkids and will stay connected in their lives whether they want her to or not. But, they don’t ever seem to mind. They know she loves them more than life itself and know she would not hesitate to give her life for one of theirs if it ever came to that.

I have found life with Kathy to be easy, comfortable, pleasant, entertaining, challenging, good and satisfying. I have tried to cherish our relationship and protect it. I have loved her from the first kiss and hope we can enjoy many more. She is a blessing.

What I'm thankful for today

I'm thankful for redemption. I'm thankful that I have been bought back from the devil and the hold he had on my life. As it is with most people I was very selfish and hurt many people because of that outlook on life. That led me to a dependancy on drugs and other hurtful vices and I helped other people in my life to 'enjoy' the effects of them. What you don't think of when you're involved in that lifestyle is the damage you're doing to others when you introduce them to sin and I did a lot of damage back then.


When God redeemed me He broke the chains that held me and set me free from myself and my selfishness. I changed my focus from me and refocused on the needs of others. That led me to a good relationship with my wife and helped me raise my children. It empowered me to work hard to supply for my family, working  2 or 3 jobs most of the time we have been married, and not thinking of it as a sacrifice.


An outward focus helped me work in church for very little pay over the years and not thinking I was being short-changed. I looked at it as a privilege and not as a chore. Work became a joy and not a burden.


I have been able to forgive those who have hurt me rather than seek vengeance or retribution. I have learned to love and have been given the great gift of patience.


I am thankful that God bought my life back from the one who can only kill, steal and destroy. I am thankful he is my Dad.

Halloween has come and gone and the demons lost foothold again!

Although, I'm not completely sure about that. My point is, everyone in the neighborhood had fun and none of the kids in our neighborhood seemed to become demon possessed during the holiday. I think we might have turned the corner and it's now just a time for kids to have fun. I don't think the devil giggles every year knowing he has a night all to himself to enslave the unaware. He already has the world in his grasp anyway.

My son-in-law packed his kids up in his truck, invited a few around him to come over too and took them all on a hayride in my trailer. He wanted to do my neighborhood because it's a bit more compact than his and requires less walking. The kids were all dressed up in their spookiest and cutest costumes and had a great time extorting candy from our neighbors.

I didn't dress up (although I'm going to next year), but I did decorate our porch and run a smoke machine. A lot of the parents were impressed and some of the younger ones were a bit scared of it, but it was a nice effect. I'm going to add a bit more to the whole scene next year. Seems like every year I walk away from each holiday with better ideas for the next year. I guess that's normal, but I wish I would get into the season a bit more before it actually arrived. I always seem so unprepared. I keep putting off any effort until their right on top of me and them I'm scramblin' to get everything done. Then I miss stuff. Oh well, it's not like I'm trying to win a contest or anything, just want to make it fun for the kids.

Speaking of that, I think they had as much fun running the smoke machine as anything. I let our kids push the button before they went off hunting for tricks and they fought over doing it. The 2 year old had the most fun with it. He liked the hanging lights too. In fact, I was afraid he was going to knock them down, but they hung in there. Having a 2 year old around is so much fun.They're so easy to impress and entertain. On the other hand, they don't have a very long attention span so you have to stay sharp to stay ahead of them.

The only way I could distract him from the lights was to give him candy. Everytime he would turn back to them I would say, "want some more candy Hunter?" and he would spin around and  say "more PawPaw". No problem keeping their attention when you have candy around.

So, Saturday night was a success. Sunday was nice because we took a nap after church and then visited my mom and my son in the evening. It's always nice getting to visit with everyone.