First Day In CA!!

Well, it’s my first day here and before an hour was up with Randy Wray, he’s already taken a shot at the lack of blogging I have done recently.  So I thought I had better get this one in this morning and shock them all!! The week is still young brother and there are still plenty of opportunities to get him back.  

The plane ride was relatively uneventful.  It was bumpier than last year.  The first thing the pilot told us was to expect a bumpy ride out until we got past the Mississippi River area.   I didn’t like starting the ride with that kind of announcement, but as I told the guy next to me when the plane started down the runway, “I guess it’s too late to get off.”  I have no pictures of the ride out this year because I got an aisle seat.  To top that off, the guy at the window (a really nice person) wanted to close the window in order to see the movie screen better. 

I appreciate Greg and Janice for opening their home to us “hoodlums.”  I look forward to a fun time together today practicing for the praise band. 

I miss my family already, but expect God to bring us back together on Friday night.  Love to you guys big time!! 

I hope to write more as the week progresses.  With more pressure from Randy, I’m sure I will.

Danielle’s Trip and Homecoming

I am so thankful to report to you that Danielle’s trip to Florida went wonderfully well.  She got home yesterday from a week’s stay in Panama City.  She had no adversity with her seizures that we are aware of.  That is the best news to me about the whole thing. 

She did, however, have some homesickness.  Not being away from us any length of time in her life made it a little tough on her somewhere around Wednesday night.  From then on, she was calling home a lot.  But that’s not a big deal at all.  We were glad for her to call.  In fact, it made us feel pretty good. 

I hear stories all of the time of parents who are glad to “get rid” of the kids for a week.  I know of a situation right now and you probably do too of some kids who are ready to leave home at any time because of the poor home-life they live. 

We are not perfect by any stretch of the imagination.  We have our family issues like everyone else (with the exception of Greg and Randy:)).  But I’m so thankful for my children.  Ellen and I love to spend time with them and watch them grow up.  When they hurt, we hurt and when they laugh, it makes our day.

Anyway, I’m really glad Danielle had a good week, and I’m really really glad she is home safe with us.  Thanks for all of your prayers and concerns.

Danielle’s Trip

Well guys and gals Ellen and I are doing something this week that makes us very nervous.  A friend of Danielle’s called her and asked her to join her family on a trip to the beach (all expenses paid I might add).  Now for Steve, Greg and Cecil a trip like that doesn’t mean much physical distance, but for us it means our baby girl will be several hours away from us.

This will be the first time in her life that she has gone that far away from us for that long.  That would be tough enough, but add epilepsy to the whole deal and it becomes much tougher.

So I ask you all to pray for mom and dad chickens and their little chick as they go through this week.  Especially pray for Danielle that she has no seizure activity this week. 

What A Mess!!

Well, it’s 11.30pm in Alabama.  I am at my office.  I know what your thinking.  “What a dedicated guy!!”  Before you go to thinking too much, let me explain why I’m here. 

We have been having some plumbing problems at our building.  On Easter Sunday we had the largest crowd we’ve had in a long time when the toilets in our restrooms began to overflow.  Bad news!!  The same thing happened tonight at our midweek meeting.  We called the city utilities department who came out to “blow out” the lines.  Well, they blew them “in” instead of out.  As I am typing this, the cleaning guys are here.  We’ve got sewage water everywhere–under cabinets, under walls, in the hall ways, in the restrooms.  WHAT A MESS!! 

I’m trying to come up with a sermon illustration from all of this, but I’m having trouble.  So there’s an open door for you guys.  Be nice, but have some fun with this one.  It’s sure not fun being here right now.

Passion Play and Prayer Request

I know I know it’s been a week since my last blog.  I’m really trying to do better, it’s just tough some weeks.  I really admire all of you who keep up day to day with it.  I also really appreciate all of you who continually check my blog and leave comments.  It is so encouraging.

Last night my family and I was able to attend for the first time ever the annual Passion Play put on by the the First Assembly of God in Florence.  WOW!!!  It is a first class production with music, lighting, and some of the best acting by amature people that I have ever seen.  All of that combined to tell once again the story of the resurrection that never ever gets old in a way that motivated all of us to see Jesus closer.  You really felt like you were there. 

I want you to pray for someone.  He is becoming more and more a part of our lives.  I call him my “boyfriend-in-law.”  His name is Gary.  Gary is dating my oldest daughter, Tabitha.  They have been together only a few months, but I think that she is really in love with him.  To tell you the truth, it scares me a bit.  This whole idea of any boy thinking that he is even close enough to be good enough for any of my three beautiful daughters is almost unbearable for me.  Oh well, it’s truly a part of life. But I digress.  Please pray for Gary who started talking to Tabitha about salvation last night after the play.  He is a very nice young man who is trying to find his way.  I pray that God will touch his life in a big way. 

God is awesome and worthy of our praise and adoration!!!

Finding God

I read a great quote today that you may or may not have seen.  It says, “An honest atheist will find God, a dishonest Christian won’t.”  Do you think that’s true?  Why or why not? 

Short blog, but lots to think about.