My wife has helped open a lot of opportunities to me that wouldn't otherwise have opened up.  Recently her skills with her camera has really helped earn her some much deserved recognition.  She's been doing some freelance photography that has drawn some attention to her and opened up some things that could really help us financially in the long run.  I've mentioned before that she's been published in several magazines for her work.  I've been so blessed to see her succeed in this way.  I like to think that I'm her biggest fan!  That being said recently she's done some photography work for some people at a Christian school here in our city and so received some tickets for a banquet and fundraiser for this Christian school .  This year former governor Mike Huckabee was the chief speaker.  He caught my interest some when he was running for president.  Some say he could now end up vice presidential candidate with Senator McKain, I have no idea if this will even happen.  I admit I had some curiosity about the guy and looked forward to hearing what he'd have to say.  I found out that our table was to be right next to the stage which was kind of cool.  I found out that I'd have to dress up a bit too since we were near the front...no problem except I didn't know this until right before hand so I had to run home and change.  I was so proud of myself in that I kept my cool and showed up in time to talk to Mike before heading over to the banquet hall  .  Let me say that my first impression was a very good one.  He's a very down to earth and easy to talk to guy.  He has a heck of a sense of humor as well.  We waited through auction that was selling various items to support this little Christian school...not very exciting but I'm glad they raise some good money for the kids there.  The speech was really excellent and I felt it spoke to me personally .  I home school my kids for a variety of reason not the least of which I believe that they deserve a morale and spiritual education that goes with the training of the mind and I do extensive missionary work in which I bring my family with me and home schooling makes this possible.  Mike told of many stories he had as he was growing up and what it was like to be a republican governor in a very much democrat state ...Clinton's state as a matter of fact.  They actually nailed the door to his office shut so he couldn't go inside for nearly two months before public outcry finally cause them to open it up...imagine that!  He isn't bitter or obnoxious about it...the message is about moral integrity and perseverance....which I also appreciated.  The two stories that stuck out to me the most where one in which he mentioned how before he couldn't even stand before people and was so shy that it was painful and when he found the Lord he really changed in this...it was something supernatural.  He said that while he was governor he had the chance to go to the Olympic village and would you believe they made him bobsled?  He said they gave him all of one day to be 'trained' but a sixteen year old athlete before he had to go down this steep hill at unbelievable speeds.  This kid was walking him up the hill and pointing out the turns and how you have to steer this way or that to make it through the turn.  Upon reaching the top he could see that the governor was terrified about going down the hill and so he said:  "look, it's not all that complicated really, you just have to remember that you need to make the adjustment before the turn...the moment you see that turn coming up correct for it because once you're in the turn itself centrifugal force will be so strong that you'll be through the turn before you adjustment will take place anyway."  Mike said that unknowingly this kid had given him the greatest advice he'd ever received in his whole life about everything in life wether it be politics, jobs, relationships...life in general .  He said this is why our children are so important.  They represent the change of the future...boy did this strike me with my children in particular.  They are the ones to shape the future.  They can't do this without God and without morals...God is the epitome of all that's moral and right, to remove Him from the equation is to remove success.  How can our society hope to stand without morals?  If you think about it if we walked according biblical principle we'd have a much better society.  The bible condemns those things which are not right and defines right and wrong.  It condemns murder and adultery and the things that now poison our society.  It's the perfect economic solution as well since the money saved if people followed the principle of the Word would be amazing...fewer in prison...no need for various drug treatment houses and places for abused spouses and or abused children...just think of that!  If we really treated our neighbor as we ourselves wanted to be treated it would really make all the difference in the world.  I don't mean to oversimplify things but really, the principle is sound.  Christianity may not solve all the world's crisis but you know it's the foundations of all that's good.  It's the economy stupid?  I don't think so...I think it's morality stupid.  Throwing our money at one sound good philosophy after the other might make us temporarily self righteous but has it really done anything?  Putting money into a broken school system...sounds good for the politician making the speech but did it really fix anything?  I think that sound morals will answer a multitude of problems and to say that it doesn't matter is insanity.  If it's just being rich that is so grand then we should stop hunting drug lords and instead ask how they succeeded so well.  I felt generally encouraged.  I don't know what kind of guy Mike Huckabee really is but I appreciated the speech.  I felt like God let me see that for a reason.  I find that I'm even more secure in the course I've set for my children.  I'm not indoctrinating them to only see my view but I'm showing them some of the things I believe to be true about the bible instead of throwing God out and patting myself on the back for separating church and state.  Isn't school supposed to be and open forum of free thought where the teachers instruct and encourage?  Why is it now it's about everything but Christian principle?  What's so liberal or free thinking about that?

I received this today in my e-mail.  It was forwarded to my mom and then came from her to me.  It absolutely struck me hard as can be.  I couldn't say it better than this.  I know that what we see in the natural realm is just a shadow of things spiritually.  I felt to go ahead and post this so I'm going to directly cut and paste: 

DUTCH SHEETS - URGENT PRAYER ALERT

Urgent Prayer Alert

I have been waiting several weeks to write this prayer alert, making every effort to hear from the Lord as clearly as possible. I try not to write national prayer alerts frequently, only when I feel they are urgent. This is probably one of the
most important assignments I've ever had. Although it is unusually long, please read it prayerfully and pass it on.
In our partnering with God to turn America back to its Christian heritage and God-given destiny, indeed, to experience another great awakening that will impact every aspect of our culture and bring millions of people to Christ, we are at a great crossroads. I believe we are at the deciding point in the war. While writing this letter I was handed a newsletter of Cindy Jacobs, a prophet and international leader in the prayer movement; she believes this also, stating: As I pray for the
United States, I see that we are at a crossroads where we will either keep the gro und we have taken and advance to see our nation transformed, or we will deteriorate at an alarming rate.
The Battle of the Bulge

A friend of mine likens where we are to the Battle of the Bulge. This battle was an intense counter offensive launched by Hitler in WW II after D Day, when it looked like the Allies had won the war, Hitler tried one final, desperate onslaught to turn the tide. This caught the Allies by surprise and, though we eventually defeated Hitler's armies, was for a season demoralizing and very costly to us. Likewise today, an intense counter offensive has been orchestrated from Hell to pull down President Bush and derail the destiny of America . This whirlwind of darkness over America is bringing great national confusion and is causing paralysis even in the praying church.
I have sensed this strong confusion in both the civil and spiritual realms, from leaders on down. It is strong in Washington D.C., godly governmental leaders know things are in disarray and that something is desperately wrong, but also say that nothing seems to work wh en it comes to reversing it. Spiritual leaders also know things are not right, that we have lost momentum and that anti-Christ forces seem to be prevailing,  but no one seems to know what to do about it. My friend Lou Engle, in a recent prayer alert said, "Wherever I go, I can feel the attitude of resignation, criticism and despair" Lou's entire alert can be found at www.justicehouseofprayer.com
The Spirit of Babylon

Chuck Pierce, another friend and internationally trusted prophet connected our desperate condition to the war in Iraq : the spirit of Babylon is slapping us around. Iraq is modern day Babylon . Babylon means 'confusion', which is obviously one of the results of this spiritual war. America's armies had no problem taking out Saddam's physical army, but we are now dealing with an ancient principality, the spirit of Babylon , which cannot be defeated with natural weapons and strategies. This spirit is currently, though I believe it not be permanently, prevailing against us. As previously stated, the symptoms of confusion and disarray can be seen in the church, on our president and in the nation in general.
A further result of all this on our President is political disfavor. He has one of the most unfavorable performance ratings of any president in history, ranking down with Nixon during Watergate. The cover of one major magazine reads: "How Low Can He Go" Usually when the economy thrives, and ours is, a president's ratings are high, (even if he is sexually involved with an intern and lies about it!). But not this president. He has lost his favor and consequently his voice, neither of which will return until certain things occur.
A Dream About the President
Regarding this loss of voice, a pastor related to me a dream he had recently about President Bush. The president was in a jail cell in a desert r egion. He was very agitated and his bottom lip was torn in half. I believe this desert region represents Iraq and the tearing of the president's lip pictures my assertion that his voice has been torn from him.

As the dream continued a man grabbed the president from behind, and said, "Let go. Give in." Snakes then came out of the man's cloak, wrapped around the president and one of them bit his torn lip. The president fell to the ground and disappeared. The snake then took the form of a woman, looked at the man having the dream (who had run in to try and help the president) and said, "There is nothing you can do to stop this."
The man in the dream changing into a serpent confirms to me that we are no longer dealing with flesh and blood in Iraq, but with 'principalities and powers' (see Ephesians 6:12). They have entrapped our president, stolen his voice and intend to completely destroy his effectiveness. Their ultimate goal is to steal his destiny, which is warring against terrorism and shifting the courts, especially the Supreme Court of America. Though the president has been disabled and seemingly taken out by this spirit, it is not true that there is nothing we can do
to stop it. I will address this momentarily.
The Reality of Where We Are
It is vital for us to grasp the magnitude of this spiritual war against America and our president, and also to realize that the forces of evil are currently prevailing, though it need not remain so. If the November, 2006 elections were held today, it is almost certain that pro-life and morally conservative voices would lose some, if not complete, control of Congress. It is also quite likely that if the third vacancy occurred on the Supreme Court now (and I believe it is coming soon), one of two things would happen. Either Bush would bow to the temptation to appoint a moderate because of his weak position; or if he appointed a true conservative constitutionalists like Roberts or Alito, the liberals would be empowered enough to stop the nomination through filibustering or character assassination.
Worse yet, if the vacancy doesn't occur until after the November elections and conservatives do lose control of Congress, we can very likely kiss goodbye our current opportunity to shift the Supreme Court of America. This would be the most devastating setback of our day. The consequences are unthinkable. The killing of babies and pro-death culture would continue, God would continue to be unwelcome in schools, government and public life and another generation would spiral further downward into Godless, humanistic relativism. Our God-given destiny in America could be lost indefinitely, perhaps forever. We simply cannot allow this.
Regarding the war on terrorism, if we don't turn the tide spiritually and do so fairly soon, it will turn into a quagmire that our generation doesn't have the strength, courage, boldness or selflessness to endure. This is the reality of where we are.
What God Is Saying to the Church

What must happen in the prayi ng church and with our president at this critical time? There are biblical pictures that can help us identify our current position and point us toward the right strategy. First, where is the church and what must we do?
If the praying church does not re-engage in informed, consistent and fervent intercession for our nation and president NOW , we will lose our Battle of the Bulge. Our past victories and the ground we have gained are all on the line. So is our future. We have grown complacent and overconfident, as did the Israelites at Ai. In their attempt to conquer the promised land, Israel had won a great and impressive victory at Jericho (see Joshua 6). However, they grew overconfident and when they confronted the next town, small and insignificant Ai, did not pray for God's help and strategy. Consequently, God wasn't with them. The result was a devastating defeat.
We, too, have grown spiritually overconfident and complacent due to our recent vict ories. Now, like Joshua after the defeat at Ai, we are confused and disoriented (see Joshua 7:6-9). We must re-engage in prayer immediately. Lou Engle, in the above mentioned prayer alert also said, "Maybe President Bush's legacy and the future of our nation hinge more on our prayers than on the whole political debate that rages now." Right on, Lou, except I believe we can scratch the word 'maybe'. Our future absolutely hinges on our prayers.

What God Is Saying to Our President

What of our president? In biblical context where is he, and what must he do? In Genesis 32, Jacob, Abraham's grandson and the man who produced the nation of Israel through his twelve sons, came to his own personal crossroads. He, like our president, had come to a great crisis. Years earlier Jacob had connived to attain his brother Esau?s birthright and stolen the blessing reserved for him as the firstborn son. Now, twenty years later, Jacob is returning to face Esau, who has sworn to kill him. On the way, he has a life-changing encounter with God
(see Genesis 32:24-32). Several parts of this story parallel
where our president currently is and what he must do:
1) Jacob was left alone. Consistent with his conniving nature, which is what his name meant, Jacob's possessions, servants and family had all been sent ahead to 'appease' Esau.  Then, in his wrestling with the angel, Jacob's thigh, a symbol
of strength, was dislocated, causing him to walk with a permanent limp. Everything Jacob owned, all of his family and now, all of his strength, was gone. God was allowing him to lose all, at least Jacob thought so, and also removing from him what he had relied on all of his life, his ability to connive (which, again, is the meaning of his name) his way out of trouble and into blessing through his own strength and manipulation.
For our president, I believe this conniving nature of Jacob pictures what occurs so often in the political realm. Not that the political world and those who are a part of it are necessarily evil, but a political spirit is. It is the equivalent of a 'Jacob' nature, which we're all born with,that believes there is always a way to reverse our fortunes through manipulation and control, conniving and self-effort.
Some actually prevail through this spirit, but God will not allow Bush to succeed by operating in it. He has, therefore, allowed our president to lose favor for a season and nothing Bush has done can or will reverse this. Politics cannot help him, Rove can't, his party can't, and his troops in Iraq and Afghanistan cannot. God wants our president to know that the only one who can help him now is the One who put him where he is: Himself.
This does not necessarily mean our president has sinned or failed. Of course, he is human and therefore imperfect. And like all of us he has a Jacob nature to contend with. But this doesn't make him a failure in God's eyes. There is nothing to indicate that God was angry with Jacob but rather that He wanted to move him further toward his destiny, which was to birth the nation of Israel . His Jacob nature stood in the way and God needed to change it. This is what must occur in our president, which brings me to the second parallel to Jacob and our president.
2 ) Jacob's name was changed to Israel . (See Genesis 32:28) Names represented nature, identity and purpose in those days. That Jacob was after one thing, restored favor and blessing, and God was after another, a nature change, is obvious in the story. Jacob finally realized this when he responded to the angel's question of what his name was: 'The Man asked him, "What is your name", And in shock of realization, whispering he said, 'Jacob' [supplanter, schemer, trickster, swindler]!" (Genesis 32:27, Amplified)
Jacob's acknowledgment of his condition, equivalent to repentance and confession, allowed God to break off of him the Jacob nature. God then re-named him Israel , moving him into his destiny. Likewise, God has a destiny on our president that cannot be accomplished through politics or human ability. Only the power, wisdom and enablement of the Holy Spirit can equip President Bush to accomplish his destiny concerning terrorism and the courts of America . I wa nt to be very bold and make a statement that may seem unusual regarding a government leader: God has removed favor from our president and is wrestling with him, in order to remove from him all confidence that he can prevail through human strength and methods, including politics. He wants him to walk with a limp. God wants to anoint him for his assignment, giving him a supernatural ability to prevail. To accomplish this, He desires to visit our president in a holy and awesome way, just as He did Jacob. President Bush has an appointment with God!

3) Jacob named the place Peniel, which means 'the face of God.' He stated, "I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been preserved." Jacob?s life was transformed, favor with Esau was given and all possessions were returned. In an interesting irony, the word 'appease' (verse 20), what Jacob was attempting
with Esau, and the word Peniel come from the same Hebrew root which means 'face.' To appease is to put something in another person's 'face' in order to buy or procure favor. God was in essence saying to Jacob, "You can't appease your enemy, but you can appease Me. Facing your enemy through the Jacob (political) spirit won't help you anymore, but facing Me will."
Likewise, God is saying to our president that He alone holds the key to favor and blessing in this hour. President Bush cannot prevail through appeasement, politics or any other human effort alone. But if he will face God and rely solely on Him, God will visit him face to face, favor will return and the president can
fulfill his destiny. We must pray this understanding/revelation to our president and we must birth this holy visitation. For him to live and operate in a political world without being caught up in it will indeed require great revelation and humility. This could come either through God speaking to him personally or by getting the right individual to him with this message. Our responsibility is to pray until it happens. If it does not, our president will not recover and America is in big trouble.
[For a complete explanation, you can order the message I
recently shared on this subject, entitled 'Jacob at Peniel.'
Order it by going to <>www.dutchsheets.org and clicking on the
link on the home page.]
Nuts!
In closing, a final story related to the Battle of the Bulge is pertinent. The Allies chose to stop Hitler's advance at a place called Bostogne. The 101st Airborne Division, nicknamed "The Screaming Eagles" were assigned, against all odds, to hold Bostogne. The Germans surrounded the 101st at Bostogne and demanded their surrender. Brigadier General Anthony McAuliffe's now famous response was "Nuts." When the Germans asked for an interpretation of this, the American officer delivering the message said, "It means you can go to hell."
The Allies then needed the weather to clear up in order to use their air superiority. General Patton ordered his chaplain to compose a prayer asking God to clear up the weather. The next day the skies were clear and our aircraft began to control the air war and destroy the enemy. Before the battle, the 101st's first commander, Major General William C. Lee, made the following statement to hi s soldiers:
The 101st Airborne Division, activated at Camp Claiborne , Louisiana , has no history, but it has a rendezvous with destiny. Like the early American pioneers whose invincible courage was the foundation stone of this nation, we have broken with the past and its traditions in order to establish our claim to the future. Due to the nature of our armament, and the tactics in which we shall perfect ourselves, we shall be called upon to carry out operations of far-reaching military importance and we shall habitually go into action when the need is immediate and extreme. Let me call your attention to the fact that our badge is the great American eagle. This is a fitting emblem for a division that will crush its enemies by falling upon them like a thunderbolt from the skies. The history we shall make, the record of high achievement we hope to write in the annals of the American Army and the American people, depends wholly and completely on the men of this d ivision. Each individual, each officer and each enlisted man, must therefore regard himself as a necessary part of a complex and powerful instrument for the overcoming of the enemies of the nation. Each, in his own job, must realize that he is not only a means, but an indispensable means for obtaining the goal of victory. It is, therefore, not too much to say that the future itself, in whose molding we expect to have our share, is in the hands of the soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division. (Emphasis mine.)

The Screaming Eagles Must Arise

Hitler personally orchestrated the Battle of the Bulge. I believe Satan is personally orchestrating his forces in the battle against Bush and the church of America . God is calling the 'Screaming Eagles' of intercession to take our stand and win the air war in the heavenlies, stopping the enemy's advance. Like the
Screaming Eagles of yesterday, we can write a history of commitment, bravery, self-sacrifice and victory. The future itself, in whose molding we expect to have our share, is in the hands of the church. Satan says we can't win, I say "Nuts!"
We can win this war against terrorism and for the soul of America , but only in the spirit.. If we don't do so, the greater sin won't be our president's but ours, the church of America .
If this word rings true in your heart, pass it on and PRAY!
Pray in church services; hold special prayer meetings; fast and
pray; send a prayer team to Washington , D.C. to pray; pause at
family gatherings to pray; pray at home groups. Pray, pray,
pray.   Let's do our part and win this war.  

Dutch Sheets
May the Lord Bless you and protect you
May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you.
May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.   Numbers 6:24-26

Today being Sunday was a day of reflection for me as it often is.  I find myself getting up early and going over the Word of God and/or just trying to prepare for church.  I don't like going to church with my hand out all the time.  Shouldn't it be a place where we go to give God something?  I'm not just talking about money but something of ourselves.  I really strive to do that.  Today I want to share some of the scripture that meant something to me today.  Exodus chapter 36 is what caught my attention.  It is talking about people that God had appointed to make the tabernacle.  I see how God laid it on people's hearts to be skillfully creative in the making of the tabernacle.  This brings me to the first part of what I was saying.  They came to give something to the work of God.  This is the prayer of my heart today that I got from this scripture:  Oh Lord, that you would put your wisdom and understanding into me to know how to do all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary.  Stir my heart Lord to come and do the work.  Lord let the material be sufficient for the work...if you read the verse here it says that there was actually more than enough to do the work.  I prayed this today not in a material sense at all but in a sense that I want to be useful to the kingdom of God...this isn't just the church building and the people there but also to those of you that read this.  You know this is where the title of this blog comes in.  Never in my life have I seen that I have nothing in myself to give...I am and have nothing apart from God.  I can try to work up what would maybe look like compassion and feign interest in others but to have that really can only come from God.  We know how to act but we seldom know how to really have genuine care for our fellow man.  Real compassion can only come from God...He is the source.  Lately I've been so compelled to be an open door for something good...I want to be able to really listen if that's what someone needs or have something that can help as God would direct.  I want above this to be pleasing to God.  I don't want to just care for what He can do.  Lot's of people want things from God, they want money, they want healing, they want lots of things but who really wants to know God for God?  This world can make us so jaded that it's hard to feel much that's genuine anymore.  Right now I know for me personally I'm still being broken...still fighting the bitterness that wants to take hold but beyond the difficulties of life I know that I am aware of the love of God for the human race and I am determined to direct my own love back in return.

I have to say that I never and I mean never do this, in fact I wouldn't be doing it now if I hadn't been tagged y someone that has been very supportive of me personally....you know who you are.  First off let me include the rules here: 

• Link the person who tagged you.
• Mention the rules in your blog.
• Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours.
• Tag 6 following bloggers by linking them.
• Leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger's blogs letting them know they've been tagged.

Rambling on tagged me and I'm not all that surprised somehow....I'll have to think of a cruel and unusual punishment for you later.

Six things about me:

1)  I absolutely hate having a bunch of unread mail in my inbox...like an itch I must scratch!

2)I'm a spicy food freak...Thailand ruined me that way and I'll never go back.

3)I almost always have music going somewhere...love it, need it, and usually it must rock!

4)I almost always must have a cold carbonated drink in the morning...summer or winter...doesn't matter...it's a ritual from highschool that stays with me...it must be leaded...in other words not diet.

5)I love and listen to hard music all the time but my favorite thing to play is worship...go figure...LOL!

6)I'm a TruTV addict and I like to watch the ubeliebable video they show on SpikeTV..go figure...now...who shall I nominate to get tagged?  How about:  Jayne, Nancy Jane, Fizz, D, Lavender Rain and MaDukes?

I've got a few things to post about and it will hopefully kill more than one bird with a single stone...erm, post.  My son is often brought along to my wife's various classes that she teaches on various scrapbook related projects.  This happens and my son does pretty well with it.  He just does projects with his own flair.  The last time he was involved with such a project he decided to go for a self portrait of him with his gas mask:  .  I thought it was pretty close to the real thing don't you: ?  I'm kind of in a quandary about what to do to test my picture quota problem so this is supposed to test wether or not this has been finally resolved.  There's few things in life that can bug me like a computer related error .  I love to put pictures here because I realize that as thrilled as you all may be to hear what I've got to say a picture is still worth a thousand words .  Beyond all of this my wife's birthday is coming up .  She hasn't been really forthcoming about what she wants so finding out what to do about that is kind of a challenge.  I figure that what she really wants is something to do with her photography because she's really skilled...she easily surpasses me in fact.  The problem is I'm not really an expert so it's tricky to do this without her knowing.  That being said I want to say once again just how blessed I am to have her.  I had to go all the way around the world to find her but oh my, she's so worth it!  I had reached a point in life where I thought I wasn't going to find "the one" and then along she came into my life.  The celebration of her life is always a reminder to me of the greatest gift God has ever given me:  her.  God bless Lovely on her day and everyday.  May she be blessed as she's been a blessing!

A little rain must fall right?  Well, how about snow, in the spring, with unseasonably cold weather?  That's just exactly what we're getting here and it's supposed to be like this for quite a while now.  I've kind of been in a slump and wondered what on earth I can do to inspire myself enough to get a blog going again before I fall right off the map.  I got some great little animations that I wanted to put in my blog from the Animation Factory.  I finally was set and had a clever little blog set to go and would you believe that the old familiar warning about my space picture quota being full came up again?  That disgusted me enough to delay this posting for another day...sigh!  I've kind of had a spell here too that seems to drain my faith and vision like a gallon milk just shot with a .12 gauge at point blank range.  Ever noticed how weather can do that sometimes?  It just sort of saps the life out of me when there's endless cloudy skies and cold that is here with bitter wind day after day.  I expected rain and cooler temperatures but c'mon 25 degrees with snow?!?  Times like that I can only cling to every good thing I possibly can and thank God at every opportunity to stop the free fall.  Oh, and there's other things that let me know just how blessed I really am.  Remember me talking about my friend that just went back to Iraq?  Well, he sent off a quick e-mail to me a few days ago.  I thought no big deal he's still training in Kuwait right?  Wrong!  He's had a couple of missions in Iraq and one involved a IED (you all know what that is at this point I imagine).  My friend's group was called in to respond to this incident.  Reading it made my blood run cold but it had a positive note:  nobody was killed or hurt!  The vehicle was destroyed but no loss of life!  What a miracle!  He said at the end of the mail that it was looking like the beginning of a long tour.  I had another friend that I've known since high school.  He's a combat medic who is now home from Iraq...he's a hero in my book as are all that serve our country honorably.  He just was part of a funeral for another soldier who passed away...no, not in combat.  Talking to these guys put my life in real perspective in a hurry.  I can't just sit around feeling sorry for myself.  I mean, I can't do everything but there are some things that I can do and I want to be there for these guys and my family needs me.  You know sometimes a person can feel used, we can feel that nobody understands.  We can even feel that God doesn't get it but when you see the reality of what good men and women have suffered throughout the ages...often without recognition of any sort....just look at Christ...how can we even think that He doesn't get it?  He doesn't sit on some throne somewhere untouched by our suffering.  He ceaselessly works to bring to pass His promises to us.  It's not about being a pastor or having some man given position but it's a God given responsibility of every Christian to think outside of themselves and consider their fellow man.  This is not a whiny anti-war note, this is not a chance for self pitying nor is it meant to be religious.  This is life and the Living God, this isn't reality, it's actuality....and yes, I did borrow that from TruTV formerly known as Court TV! 

I finally got the pictures loaded and even a short video.  I hope you all enjoy taking a peak at it.  There's some innocence in youth that always touches me.  The times before the darker temptations that come along later...I remember those days.  I love to see the kids enjoy themselves with the other kids of the neighborhood and even Angie who came by from Mike's Christian martial arts class.  It was really good day...fact is it's been several days that were like mini-birthdays for Mike.  It was fun to watch and fun to be a part of it.  Enjoy the pictures in SkyDrive!

Today my son turns nine years old.  I still remember him being born.  We always thought that our first would be a boy but such was not the case....then along came Michael.  We've always named our kids with purpose.  I know that this is not a particularly unique name on the surface but underneath the name is a meaning.  The name means "Who is Like God?".  That's what I was thinking when I saw Michael born though we had the name in our heats long before he was actually born.  Each of our kids is named as we felt God led us.  We have Danielle, Michael and Gabrielle.  The bible shows that each of these names interacted with each other in a most unique way.  Most know that Gabrielle and Michael are two archangels that relate to the prophet Daniel...we gave our daughter the female version of this name.  I just always felt that these three would have a very unique and blessed relation to each other.  They've been very good together even though they do have the normal spats that siblings always have.  They've all been huge blessings to us each in their own unique way.  Their personalities really compliment each other.  Michael has some real clowniness in him that I truly appreciate.  He's got a big heart and always looks out for his little sister.  Gabby...well, Gabby is a fiery little thing that never thinks that she's limited in anything and can't comprehend that sometimes bigger kids do things that littler kids can't do.  My eldest daughter Danielle...she's a lot like me in so many ways...she's intense beyond her years sometimes but she also has a killer personality.  All of these guys make our family complete in every way.  We are all united in our belief in God and we all know we are blessed to have each other.  We are a unit, we have served on the mission field together, we've known happiness and sadness and we cannot be broken apart.  I'm very proud of all my kids but today is Michael's day.

I ready today in John chapter nine about how Jesus anointed the eyes of a blind man to see and from that moment on he was able to see but late on in the chapter something else happens besides him just receiving his physical sight.  His eyes were opened to who Jesus Christ really is.  Today I pray that especially for Michael.  Let him find new vision to the things of God...let him experience all the good things in life that God has to offer.  May he remember that sometimes you have to stop and realize just how blessed you are.  Having vision is great but let it not ever blind you to the beauty of what's right under your nose!  Happy birthday my son! 

My friend just sent this to me today in my e-mail.  He has a son that serves in the United States Army.  There are several of our young men that serve in the military and we are so proud of them all.  We have a very small church so the amount of young men serving is all the more significantly felt by all of us.  Today we have one that is currently serving his second tour in Iraq.  We are so thankful for their willingness to serve.  Sometimes a person can get so beaten down but the war of words that we see every single day but this sort of brought everything back around for me and made it all come into focus.  I post this not as a political statement at all but as a reminder to what makes our country great.  It will never be patriotic to hate America or what it stands for.

YouTube - Red Skelton's Pledge of Allegiance
  

I added some new pictures into SkyDrive if anyone would like to check it out.  It's just a few shots that I had left in my camera before clearing the card but please feel free to look and see what you think.  I am eagerly waiting some better weather and some chances to take pictures of something new like spring flowers and such but we're not there yet but I remain hopeful for the better weather promised for the weekend and Monday...even Saturday doesn't sound too bad...things are looking up!

My reading in the Word today took me to 1Thessalonians 4:13-14.  Does it seem that I'm on a roll lately?  For better or for worse I have really considered this blog and it's purpose.  I've got no problem with stating things that are going on in life in general but for me as a Christian there's nothing in life where I can't see God doing something.  Right now in light of my mom's blog about my grandma I've had eternity on my mind a whole lot.  Some people just don't understand the power of Christianity.  It is not as some seem to think a way to be closed minded and hard headed.  Christianity is not as some have supposed a way to get a guide book on being self righteous...quite the opposite in fact.  The bible says that our own (self)righteousness is as filthy rags....in other words trying to be good enough on your own is about as effective as squeezing sand in your fist.  Christ provides those that believe on Him with His own righteousness and this in turn liberates from self absorbed pursuits of trying to be superior to everyone around us....or at least it should.  Religion is quite the opposite of relationship with Jesus Christ.  Religion provides a way to look good...at least as far as man can understand good without having all that messy business of relationship with God and our fellow man getting in the way.  This was never the intention of God.  Rather He wanted us to be free of this futile struggling where we are obsessed with the unattainable and loose us to follow what we are destined to have:  a life filled with appreciation for what God has done for us in spite of the fact that none of us deserve and in turn be free to love other people realizing that we all struggle with the same battles...somewhere out there are people going through the exact same thing...maybe misery just loves company but I find that very comforting!  Not just to suffer but realize that if I'm not alone in the difficulty maybe I won't be alone in the solution either and we can rejoice with others when we find that God will truly help us through the difficulties of life!  Well, let's focus on verse 13 here:  But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.  Just so you know when it says them which are asleep it doesn't mean a nap but means being quite simply:  dead.  It says we don't have to sorry about that like people that have no hope....I could paraphrase by saying no hope in salvation because they don't know God.  We who know Christ have this blessed hope that we will see our loved ones that have passed on before us again.  Those that know Christ will be reunited...that's a blessed hope indeed!  Take a moment and consider what this means if I'm right:  Christ is the way the truth and the life and therefore what He says is true and so eternity in heaven is something which belongs to us as believers.  What if I'm wrong?  Well, then nothing happens and at least this has led me to live a positive life to the best of my ability right?  I must not take a chance that I'm wrong and this is why I take this blog space to let people at least think.  I would hope nobody came by and didn't at least have the chance to think about it.  If you go your way I don't condemn you one bit...please understand this but as a person that has some medical knowledge I can't ignore someone that I feel needs my help either right?  So, thus why I am posting this.  Lastly I want to look at verse 14:  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.  This speaks of the return of Christ which is our great hope...when He comes it says he will bring them which sleep (are dead) when He comes back.  By the way this isn't some grisly return of the dead like some zombie flick but Christ returning with those that have died on this side but live again with Him and now have new resurrected bodies.  I just find this so encouraging.  My mom always tells me when I have to do something really unpleasant to just consider that in just a bit it will be over and forgotten...like a shot in the doctor's office.  Imagine if death is the same?  What's the worst life ever next to a hope filled eternity?  This hope has led me to lead a positive life indeed though God knows I've struggled my share of times.  I've not transcended from natural feelings but I've rather learned that in spite of being human with all the failings thereof I do have this Big Advantage!  There's not just some higher, impersonal power out there but a great and awesome person who we know of as God that has not just our life but our afterlife in mind....wow, He's thought of it all!

I know, I know, I suppose this should be a funny post but today I don't really have something funny to post.  I do want to share something though.  I've been reading Exodus where it speaks of the great detail of the tabernacle of God.  Every single item is described.  The measurements are carefully mentioned and the way that things are sanctified for temple use is also explained very carefully.  One of the most profound things in the new testament to me is where Jesus says:  "Know ye not that ye are the temple of the living God?"  I just am so touched at that when I consider the context of the descriptions of the old tabernacle how awesome that Christ calls us the temple!  I know that a lot of us struggle with various issues about self worth.  Sometimes we don't feel that it could be possible that there's any way we really could be valuable to God.  The beauty of reality is that God Himself has provided for the materials of this temple with the same care He gave the old tabernacle He much more constructs us and shapes our lives.  Much like many materials that went through the fire of refining to finally be shaped for use in the temple we have been through the fires of refining.  Fire can be destructive if not carefully managed.  The good news is that we are the workmanship of God who just happens to be a master craftsman!  Yes, there are trials in life and no not everything is easy, in fact much can seem devastating at face value but I believe that by keeping our faith intact is essential to see what the final masterpiece will be.  Beyond our own faith that God has given us is the faith that God Himself has in us.  It never enters His mind that we will be a failure.  This is the time year many people sweep out their house and prepare to start a new season with a clean new living space.  I just want to encourage everyone that even more important than the natural house cleaning is the cleaning of the old dusty thoughts we have.  Time to sweep out the old dusty thoughts that don't go anywhere.  Time to focus on the things that bring life.  Time to believe the things that God says about us over the negative.  I'm not into false hopes but I am into the reality of God's promises made to every single person regardless of your color, age or sex...even regardless of your political persuasion though this may seem hard to believe!  May the season's change bring the realizations of God's great hope in us!