September 11, 2011
Poignant memories today of sacrifice, bravery, and courage in the face of evil bring
me pause. I consider anew the things that are most important. What truly matters
most? Faith, Family, and Freedom is rather quippy and slides off the tongue. It
seems like wooden plaques line the walls of my mind with ready answers. In Bastrop
there are wildfires that have brought devestation to that community. Such quotes
are of no help to them. Nor to my kids. Nor to those who lost loved ones in the
twin towers. They are hollow for me as well. In all the struggles and triumphs I've
seen recently in life, it is enough to say humbly that God remains impossibly good
(how English fails) to me. I would let my life be a prayer to Christ to reflect
such thankfulness. May He change me to do this - free me to do this - equip, encourage,
rebuke, cut, grow, transform, and speak from nothingness into somethingness that
which He alone can produce within me. And to give away such life as Ge gives me
as freely as those who gave away priceless treasures on 9/11 is my hope. As they
did, they remind us through their sacrifice that everyday there is One who bears
the scars for me and rose victorious over that which would have utterly undone me.
Those who performed such brave, mortal feats had their eyes of loftier things than
"duty". For love - real love - steps into the breach - into the fires - and saves.
Oh my soul - see these things and know that the heroism of Christ towards you is
so much more than you know. The human equivalent is humbling, staggering, and inspiring.
Do not let the daily occurrence of such saving, miraculous grace in your life cause
you to grow cold in your response to it. Let the heroes you SEE bring you to the
Great Hero. And when no heroes can be seen - remember those you've seen - and most
importantly remember the One who inspired these who dare to dance into danger for
the least, the last, the lonely, and who need them.
February 5, 2011
Time for the annual update. We are again about a month away from Spring Break!
This year the family is taking a cheap cruise to Mexico out of Galveston.
It's going to be a great time - but life sure is changing around here.
Josiah is 18 now and moving into his own apartment soon, then going to college.
Marissa is 17, working at Subway, and gunning for top spot in her class of 2012.
Tamara is 15 and is already quite the young lady. She will be driving next year. Egads.
Noah is 13, and next year my youngest will be in high school. So yes, I am old as dirt, what of it?
Maureen does everything well, powered by faith in Christ and her pink MK bubble.
And I'm still skipping along wondering what I want to be when I grow up someday. Ha!
The life-coaching I do with a few friends is very rewarding, and my career remains rewarding as well.
We just finished up with SnowMegeddon 2011 where the kids were out of school for a full week due to ice and snow.
Our tax dollars at leisurely work - again. They should have to shovel snow or something!
Ah well...I leave you with the traditional Gaelic blessing:
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again,
may God hold you in the palm of His hand.
February 15, 2010
We are about a month away from Spring Break! This year we are taking a family vacation.
Stay tuned for details. The kids are doing fine. Josiah is driving now. Marissa
will start driving in just a few weeks. Soon I'll have four teenagers in the
house. Yes...let that sink in. There are times when it's wonderful beyond imagination.
Sometimes I simply wonder what I've done as the circus rails about me - an odd circus
mixed with some overly dramatic Shakespearian play! Somehow we survive and thrive,
which is a profound evidence to me of the grace and mercy of God sustaining us all.
Maureen continues to work hard and achieve amazing results in her Mary Kay business.
Josiah has discovered the wonderful world of working fast-food. Marissa has learned
that you can't find a job unless you are 16. And I've learned that a quiet desk
for programming is a pretty sweet deal. Other details abound - life is not a simple
tune, but a complex mix from myriad instruments. I am trying to keep a steady diet
of new music to provide a lyrical backdrop to juxtapose my own and lend clarity
by the similar echoes I find there. May you, in your own path of discovery, find
as I have how God loving plays the tune - and His High Music is the true hope of
every human heart that beats. May it be for you a balm that soothes, the place of
exaltation in your heart, and the quiet calm in the storms and stills of life.
August 25, 2009
School has started - hallelujah! The crazy details of the ever increasing complexity
of the lives of my kids is staggering - primarily to Maureen, but also to me. Where
we once feared our kids driving, we now have secret hopes that they will soon prove
themselves able to accommodate this with all due haste so that they will have a
means to deal with their own ever-spiraling-upward manicity. On all other fronts,
life is very good - how could I in good conscience say otherwise? The challenges
of the day are sufficient, as is the strength and peace God provides. He remains
so very good to all His children, yes, even those whose painful existence currently
will have a reward multiplied to them exponentially in the world to come. Their
reward will reveal His goodness one day. I digress, but you obviously have ample
time, or you wouldn't be reading THIS! Haha! In class recently we were reminded
that on the Earth, in this age before heaven, we see here glimpses of both heaven
and hell in the hearts and minds of men and women. God is still winning the hearts
of rebels honest enough to see that they are desperate for true life - and I smile
when I see God loving those into His kingdom - one heartbeat at a time. And every
time I see the miracles of this world in a small childs laughter, a glorious sunrise,
and the solemn dance of the clouds, I also see God - and I smile. It is too good
for me. A majestic orchestra for such a coarse soul like mine...such is the Goodness
of God. There is hope and peace for the hopeless and harried! Thank you God! Beauty
and life for those who would seek it. Thank you God!
July 18, 2009
We got back a few days ago from family vacation in Washington, DC! It was a great trip!
We saw the memorials, the capital building, the white house, and a few smithsonian museums.
It was really nice to unplug and just spend time with family. We stayed with Maureen's aunt
and uncle who live outside of DC. They were incredibly kind to us - God never ceases to amaze me
with the goodness poured from His hand.
Mar. 27, 2009
We got back a few days ago from our mission trip to Ciudad, Victoria working with
Youth for Christ. What an amazing trip!
There were 29 team members from our church, of which 20 were youth in the high school
Awana program. We made wonderful friends, painted houses,
prayed with children, youth, and adults to receive Christ, loved on new friends in orphanages, and Jesus changed
our lives as we gave ourselves away. Currently I'm exhausted, but I am also very, very rich.
Feb. 25, 2009
Tonight we watch "The Truman Show" with anyone from our ABF that comes. We also
have the Awana fund raiser at Joe Willy's tonight to help raise money for the Mexico
mission trip!
It's going to be a great day!
Feb. 22, 2009
As promised, here is the link to
Finding God In The Movies. This is a tool to help us ask questions about
the movies we watch and use this as a format to have meaningful conversations with
those in our sphere of influence. Thanks to Kurt Bruner for setting this up and creating the document
and conveying the ideas!
Feb. 21, 2009
I've added a background randomizer to the site and some graphics to provide a better
look/feel. I also tweaked some CSS styles, but I think I'm about done. I've just
got too many other things to do! I'll probably pull my videos and photos off FaceBook
and put them here. I may put some of them in a secured section so that you must
login to see them. But overall - I'm happy with the new framework in place!
We are have a DNOW weekend with 11th grade boys here this weekend. It's a great
event. JR Vassar is speaking and we've got a great in-home college
student named Steven from DBU leading discussions. With tons of food and lots of
laughter, there are significant ideas and conversations happening. I'm sure the
same is true for my other kids involved in this at other homes around town.
Also looking forward to church and class tonight at Lake Pointe!
Feb. 17, 2009
I've finally published this new web site! It's simply in design so I can maintain
it easily. Over time I hope to add some aesthetic changes to make it more graphically
interesting and look better!
July. 27, 2008
Well, here I sit again astounded at how quickly time is passing by. We are finishing
up a school year as we speak, looking forward to summer months, a mission trip to
Tampico, swimming, camping, and some fishing down at the coast.
A lot has occurred in the last year. I am especially thankful for all the wonderful
family and friends that have shared the journey with us, prayed for us, spurred
us on, encouraged, and graciously offered to simply listen when nothing else was
possible. If you are one of those miracles...gracias!
In a few short months I will have two in high school, one in junior high, and one
last child in elementary (last year of elementary...egads!). I am tremendously proud
of my kids and enjoy watching them become the men and women of God's shaping. Maureen
grows younger and more beautiful each day; but she also loves how I mow the yard
with my black dress socks pulled up to the knees (yes, I'm kidding - they only go
half way up my calf). Will the miracles ever cease??
I hope you'll look around this web site and find some reasons to thank God for the
good his brought into YOUR life!
|