A Good Harvest

First I haven't wrote that my oldest little girl turned 5 last Friday. That is amazing especially remembering back to the day (week) she was born. She was so sick and there was times I thought to myself that she wasn't going to make it. I just remember that frail little baby hooked up to tubes and under a vent. Each day the stats stayed the same. I would pray time after time that God would help her Air stay up to 100% so she could get out of that hood. God was great and delivered my baby!

Today is Halloween and I am going to miss my kids all dresses up trick or treating. Every year except the year Abbi was born sick we have gone together. We go to mostly relatives and usually to Mcd's for them to eat. It is a small thing to most families I am sure. Not to me I love seeing them get excited and just spending time with them. Here lately I have seemed to miss a lot of things. School is pressing me and like tonight I have to put it first. I would skip this class except I need a good grade and this could make or break me.

Finally a quick note about a Good harvest:

Galatians 6:9-10
"9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. 10 Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith. "

Remember this fall that a Good harvest is putting Christ and others first. This "me first" attitude will lead to a corrupt and rotten harvest. We need to put Faith, Family and Friends First!

Quiet Christianity

I was pondering on the way to work today about some recent events in which is seems as Christianity is taking a hit. I decided to take a long hard look at how the media, music, artists, actors/actresses and other areas that are public display Christianity. I have come to the decision that is out of pure ignorance. For those who take offense from that word please understand what I am trying to state. That simply says "they don't know".

First we all know that the media produces and reports the negative before anything. So picking a claimed "Christian", that bombs an abortion clinic or claims that if you send them money they can pray and heal you, is bringing out the very extremes that do not portray Jesus. True Christians do not do things like that.

Second it seems as though they look at us like dumb and simple minded. When speaking of us it almost seems like they are talking down to us. I really don't mind this because it proves my point that "those that think they know everything actually know nothing". Great philosophers of all times were those in which they realized they knew very little. So to speak down to me as a Christian really is stating that you are arrogant and lacking true wisdom.

Third they degrade that in which we hold so dearly. I hold my Jesus up as great and worthy of praise. When you attack Christianity your are not only attacking a human but that person in which we worship. We respect our faith because we respect our Jesus. So degrading us is to degrade Jesus. How can one claim to be "accepting" in the world if they don't at least respect people of faith.

Finally if you noticed the title "Quiet Christianity" I would like to explain that. The majority of Christians out there have really used silence as a way to stand up for the truth. I don't write TV shows, Newspapers, actors/actresses and other people that attack our faith. Why is that? Because I know they don't care. There ignorance and arrogance has blinded them and they will not listen. They become apathetic to us. So we have turned the other check and minister quietly in our communities. We plug in and volunteer in food missions, disaster relief, community services, helping those less fortunate, visiting the sick, caring for those who the world has left for hopeless. Our voices may be small but our actions in communities are large. We are not doing it because we are building up ourselves. We are doing it because the one in which you attack wanted us to serve. To bad that doesn't get reported. There might be a change in the perception of Christianity.

I wrote this so that people might see that we are faithful and caring. If you turn your head to that then you have become hard and uncaring. Who is the one that needs to straighten up now?

Drinking java

This morning as I sip my coffee here at the desk I am trying to figure out what things to write. The last week has been full and there is so much to put down on this blog. I guess I can give you the A.D.D. version of it.

1) We took the little ones to Chucke Cheeses Friday. They have been speaking about this place for months and we decided to take them there instead of having a full blown B-day party. We also did a little pre-Christmas browsing.

2) Micah's offical B-day was Sunday. He turned 7 years old. I don't know why this one seem to be different. He is growing so fast it seems like only yesterday he looked like this:



3) Between work, church and classes I have had little time for anything else. I have classes Tue, Thur and Sat Nights. I am on a mission to get my electives out of the way before Feb 2007. I have one more to take after these.

4) Abbi's B-day will be Friday. She will be 5! That is another thing that is hard to handle. It seems like only yesterday she looked like this:



Well that is a quick overview of the last few days. I hope you all have a great day. The weather looks to be cold and wet for the next few days so stay dry.

Giants are calling out my name.

"This day I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other"

-Goliath

"Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified"

-Israel

"You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a boy"

-King Saul to David

"The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine."

-David to Saul

"This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I'll strike you down"

-David to Goliath

"So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone"

-The ending

"Oh what I would do to have the strength to stand before a giant with a sling and a stone. Surrounded by a thousand warriors shaking in their armor. Wishing they would have the strength to stand, but the giant is calling out my name and he laughs at me. Reminding me of all the times I have tried before and failed. The giant keeps on telling me time and time again "Boy you will never win" "YOU WILL NEVER WIN!".

BUT the voice of truth tells me a different story. The voice of truth says "Do not be afraid". "

-Casting Crowns (The voice of truth)

Remember when things in life seem overwhelming and huge. We have a huge God that can deliver us from those things. Our giants may be work, money, relationships, sicknesses, death and many other things. We cans storm hell with a water pistol simply because the Lord will deliver you. Take heart those who life has seemed to cave in. There is a brighter day ahead of us. Christ is coming back and until then we just need to live by faith. God is bigger than we can imagine. He is the same God that delivered David from this giant. He cares about you just as much. Love Him, Live for Him and Trust Him.

Gloomy days

Today is one of those gloomy days. These dark, rainy and cool days just make you want to sit inside cuddle up in a blanket and drink coffee and hot chocolate. In fact I just made some for the kids and they were so happy.

Sunday was a great day of worship. God always is showing up and showing out at PSBC. I really look foreword to Wednesday night. We have started a new program LXVI. It basically is the roman numeral for 66. We have embarked on a study of the 66 books of the bible. After a little encouragement for the youth we are moving foreword. The classes are great now. There are 4 different classes offered now. We have A 7th grade class, a 8th grade class then a 9-10 grade and finally a 11-12th grade class. I recommend that any church youth group check this out.

Anyway I need to get a few things done so you all have a great evening.

Fall is here and I am loving it.

I really love the fall season. For some reason it makes me want to go to an apple orchard and pick apples. The smell of the fallen leaves just is one of those things that is indescribable. Also for us Kentuckians the firing of tobacco wafts in the air. Many of you know that I do not really enjoy being around cigarette smoke but this is different. It is one of those things that I attribute to fall. Finally it is chili season that means it is time to break out the ole chili recipes and cheese sandwiches.

Halloween is just around the corner but first Micah and Abbi have their birthday. So to prepare for the Halloween season I have put Charlie Browns "Great Pumpkin" in the ole DVD player. Fall is here people put on your flannel shirts and get out there and enjoy it!

I think I saw a large bat.

I just noticed that this was in the draft section.

Tonight on the way home I swore I saw a bat the size of and owl. Of course I am so tired right now it takes major effort to sit straight up. This is my long day and I have seen my family all of a few minutes.

The church ground moving is going well. Today they got a huge tractor stuck in a whole. It took a bulldozer to push it out. That tractor I would have never seen getting stuck. But our church is surrounded by underground streams. I am sure they are hitting them.

Anyway just thought I would tell you about that bat that nearly carried off my car tonight. You all have a great evening!