"Jesus: The Same Yesterday, Today & Forever"

I haven't blogged in FOREVER it seems! BUSY BUSY BUSY!! My BUSY-NESS was brought to a screeching halt a couple of months ago. While walking across the yard on my way to church one Sunday morning, I felt something "pop" in my back. Instantanious pain shot down my right leg, almost taking me to the ground. I paused for a moment & resumed walking. My back felt sore, but as I went on to church I became pain free. GREAT! It was ju

st a little something out of place! Nothing to worry about. As days passed, my back began to pain me again. The pain would actually go from one hip & leg to the other, never settling in one spot. As days came & went I began having more intense pain. Still believing it would "work itself out" I decided to "suck it up" & just deal with the pain! WRONG thing to do! The pain finally settled DEEP in my LEFT hip & down into my left leg. I still believed I could work it out! On this past Friday, walking outside, already bent at about a 45 degree angle, excrutiating pain hit all at once. The pain was SO intense I was having trouble even catching my breath! I made it back to the house thinking if I could relax, the muscle spasms would stop. They didn't & I ended up in the emergency room. After a pain shot, & a steroid shot, I was sent home. The ER Doc said I needed an MRI, but it was Memorial Day weekend and the techs were not available. So with pain meds in hand, I went home. The meds they gave me didn't even TOUCH the pain threshhold, so Sat. morning it's back to the ER. Again, they refused to call in the techs to do an MRI. They did not consider it an EMERGENCY! I guess not.... they weren't the one hurting! They DID give me some stronger pain killers. I was sent home again and waited til Tuesday to have the MRI done and see my family doctor. I was pretty shocked by what my doctor told me. The MRI showed two herniated discs in the lower lumbar region of my back, L3 & L4, stenosis in several places because of scar tissue from degenerative arthritis (old age)and a couple of more discs that were simply worn out from aging! He summed it up by giving me an exasperated look & said, "It's just really messy in there!" As of now, I am scheduled to see a spine specialist this Friday & hopefully put a plan of action into place. I don't know if it will involve surgery or another approach toward healing. You have to understand, I'm an OUTDOOR type guy. I despise being cooped up in the house. But here I am, and God has used the time to minister to my spirit & just spend time with me! COOL!! NOW the reason for this blog post! There are multitudes of people out there, struggling day after day just trying to live life! LIFE IS HARD! NO ONE is exempt from life's struggles. Some are hurting physically, some emotionally, some spiritually & some financially. Some suffer from dependency on drugs or alcohol. Some carry LOADS of guilt from past actions. And then there are those who are suffering more than ONE of these struggles. LIFE IS HARD! Having time on my hands, I let God lead my heart to places He wanted me to go... show me things He wanted me to see. I let Him speak to me things that I needed to hear. Alone time with God will put things in their proper perspective. I thought of those in my family & friends & church family who are also struggling. Some with cancer, some with heart disease, some with respiratory problems, crumbling marriages, errant children & a host of other needs. TROUBLE! It spans race, beliefs, gender & every class of people on every continent on this earth. When faced with these struggles, it's time to take stock of life. What really matters? What do we really believe? How are we going to put what we believe into action? For me, it was simply reaffirming who Jesus is! He is, of course, Alpha & Omega, beginning & end....... but He is also everything in between! I happened across the story of Todd & Angie Smith & their daughter Audrey Caroline. Todd is a member of the group, "Selah", one of my FAVS! Having gone for an ultrasound as they were expecting a child, they were handed the most devastating news any parent can get. When the doctor finished with the ultrasound, he simply said, "This child has issues, that are not compatible with life!" I can tell you from experience, those words are world shattering! I can best describe it as the scene in a snowglobe. Yes, things inside the globe move & shift & can even get turned upside down.... but everything is still surrounded, held in check & protected by that thin outer shell. But drop that globe... break that outer shield..... & the whole world falls apart! My wife & I have been there! We have little children awaiting us in Heaven. Reunion awaits.... but the loss is ever so real. The doctor gave Angie a moment to contemplate the diagnosis & then asked, "What are you thinking"? Her answer is ASTOUNDING! She replied, "I BELIEVE MY JESUS IS THE SAME NOW AS WHEN I WALKED INTO THIS ROOM"! YES!! YES!! There it IS! The undeniable truth, spoken by the one who IS truth! JESUS, the same yesterday & today & forever! That answer embodies the steadfast faith the Word of God says we can have!! Thru that statement rings these truths: No diagnosis from a doctor renders Jesus incapable of ANYTHING! It may SEEM that the world has tilted on it's axis & we will be flung unceremoniously into a void so dark that we will never again see light. But ONE word.... one precious name "JESUS" escaping our lips & Jesus comes to our rescue. Yes, we may STILL have to walk thru the flood or we may STILL pass thru the fire, or we may still have to traverse the darkness filled with the screaming hordes of Hell's demons..... we may still suffer loss but faith will lead us to GREAT gain! Jesus has promised to be WITH us, STAND beside us, GIRD us in HIS strength, LEAD us & SEE us safely thru. If you let them, the words people say in attempting to strengthen you, will be nothing more than meaningless, unwanted cliches! But, I encourage you... look beyond the cliches & find the TRUTH! "Jesus, the Same Yesterday, Today & Forever" Do you know Jesus as your personal Savior? Are your sins covered by His blood which He shed on Calvary? He WANTS to be your Savior! He died for YOU! You can call upon His name right now, wherever you are & He will answer you & give you life everlasting. All you have to do is: Confess that you are a sinner. Believe in your heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus is God's Son, slain for your sin, raised from the dead by God's holy power and you will be saved! Don't let the seeming simplicity fool you! This is the biggest day of your life! You have come face to face with the Savior of the world & He has welcomed you into the family of God! PLEASE! If you have made a decision for Christ & need to tell someone about it.... write a response & let us rejoice with you as you begin your new journey as a new creation in Christ. God bless you!

1 Year X Five= Lots of Blessings

Next month, my granddaughter, Abbi, will turn 5 years old! It doesn't seem possible, but time waits for no one.
I was thinking back to the time we learned that our granddaughter would arrive in a months time. Our daughter had been on a waiting list to adopt a baby for three years & it seemed it would never happen. But God had just the right time, just the right baby and just the right circumstance all under His control. It was almost a month to the day after we learned that Christie had been chosen to adopt, that Abbi came into the world & changed all our lives forever.

But let me back up a little. As August rolled around in 2006, and our daughter Christie prepared to go back to teaching school, Brenda (Nana) and I had decided we were going to take a two week trip out to Colorado in Sept. to Rocky Mountain National Park. It has always been a dream of mine to be there during the elk rut and to hear the bugling of the bulls as they form their harams for the breeding season. I'm an avid photographer & I had all these plans of getting some awesome photos. I was raring to go! So, we had scheduled our departure date for the 21st of Sept.
The truck was serviced, the travel trailer had been checked out and we were gearing up to pack the trailer and prepare for our fall vacation. Excitement was running high.

Our daughter had started a brand new job at a different school, after spending eight years teaching at another school in our area. On her first day on the job, she received a phone call from the adoption agency asking if she could talk. Since the adoption agency called from time to time, Christie didn't think too much about the call. She replied, "I'm extremely busy, so if it's not REAL important, I'll have to ask that you call back later." The lady on the other end said, "Well, I think it's kind of important. You've been chosen to adopt a baby girl who is due to be born the latter part of September, and we want to connect you and the birthmom as soon as possible!" Christie went into high gear & told the lady to let her get to a secure phone & she would call her right back! So began the change that would take place in our lives.

That evening after keeping the news to herself ALL that LONG day, Christie shared the news with her mom & I. WOW! I can still feel the excitement of the moment we realized that Christie's dream and ours had come true!

Forgotten was the trip to Rocky Mountain National Park! We were about to embark on a MUCH more meaningful journey!I was going to trade the bugles of bull elk for the mews, whimpers & cries of a newborn granddaughter! I could hardly contain my excitement as my heart thundered at the news!

Abigail was born September 25, 2006 and I cannot begin to tell you what an absolutely delightful journey it has been since the moment she entered this world.

As is many times the case, I just wonder how the years have slipped away so quickly. Brenda & I have watched our beautiful daughter as she has taken on the role of parent with a seemingly practiced ease. And we have fulfilled the role of grandparents with great anticipation.

As Abbi's birthday approaches, I am so thankful for these five years of sheer joy that she has brought into our lives. The blessings she has brought are too many to even try to name. But it's with grateful hearts we look back on the five years since our lives were so radically changed by a phone call on an otherwise ordinary day!

Every day we express out love to this beautiful little girl with words, hugs & kisses. It is such a joy to receive hugs & kisses in return, and hear that beautiful little voice say, "I love you, Nana. I love you, Papa."

Pink Pants & Little Red Wagons

Just thinking back to when I was a boy and remembering some of the experiences I had.

There was this guy that started coming to our church. His last name was "Vossler". (I'm not sure of the spelling)

Anyway, he had this pair of pink pants that he wore and he always wore cowboy boots and a western style shirt and a big western belt buckle. He dressed "corny" to say the least.

Lo and behold, my mother came in from shopping one day and had bought me a new pair of pants....and they were SALMON PINK!!!!

Of course my bratty brothers began right away calling me "Vossler"! Whatcha doing, Vossler? Where ya goin Vossler? Are ya gonna wear those pink pants, Vossler? and it was a never ending source of fun for them and humiliation for me. Of course there was NO WAY my mother was gonna let me NOT wear those pink pants! Every time I complained I got the same old song and dance about some little boy somewhere who would love to have a pair of pants like that. I wish I could have found that little sucker! I'd of give him a quarter (if I had one) just to take those pants!

From the very beginning I began to think of a way to get rid of those pants without momma knowing that I did it on purpose!

It so happened that Christmas Day was on Sunday that year and so we were up bright and early to open gifts. We NEVER opened gifts on Christmas Eve, no matter what, so even though it put us in a rush to get ready for church, we had to wait until Christmas morning to open gifts !That year I got a Red Wagon for Christmas!

So, after opening our gifts we were instructed to get ready for church and guess what? Mom had laid out those salmon pink pants! I knew better than to argue with her when the rush was on to get everyone ready for church. So, I dressed in a hurry, and believe it or not I talked mom into letting me ride down the hill "just one time" in my new wagon! The last thing she said when I went out th door was "And you had better NOT get those clothes messed up"!

Luck (or something) had shined on me, as it had rained a day or so earlier and there was still plenty of water and mud around. I took the wagon up the hill a little way and when I looked back down the hill..... THERE IT WAS... a beautiful puddle of muddy water!

Before I could "chicken out" I hopped in that wagon and down the hill I went, aiming for the puddle of mud. Just as I reached the puddle I turned that handle on the wagon and "SPLAT!!" I hit on my knees right center of that mud puddle!! My real intention was to get those pants so dirty that I would have to wear something else to church (it was worth getting my hiny busted) and so at least have a reprieve from the teasing by my bratty brothers.

BUT IT WAS MY DAY!!

Unknown to me there was a rock buried in that mud and one of my knees caught that rock and ripped those ugly pants in such a way that they couldn't be patched!! I went to the house, crying as though I was severely injured. (that rock DID hurt!)My mother was aghast at the condition of my clothes and somewhat concerned about my knee. But not enough to keep her from griping all the way to church and for the rest of the week or so!

It took a long time for my mother to finally get her fill of griping about those "good" pants I had ruined. As they say: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder... and I saw NOTHING good about those pants except that they were no longer wearable!!

That put a stop to the "Vossler" jokes and I could take any other teasing my bratty brothers came up with. I was finally free of those "pink" pants!!

Every time I looked at those scrathches on the side of my wagon, I had to smile! To me they just gave that wagon some "character"!

Planting Potatoes & Putting Things In Perspective

Every year I try to plant a garden since we enjoy the fresh veggies and we always try to can or freeze as much as possible for the coming winter.
This year I keep hearing that produce & veggies will be costlier than ever and I have even seen those higher prices at the stores already.

So this year I decided to plant by the signs according to the Farmers Almanac in hopes of harvesting a good crop. I usually just put the seed in the ground & hope for the best.

According to the signs, yesterday was THE day for planting root crops, so I planted potatoes and carrots, the two root crops we usually grow.

I prepared the spot in the garden for the potatoes and planted them and then planted the carrots.

Then it was off to other spring chores of which there are PLENTY!

We then had to pick our granddaughter up at school as the kids got out early, but her mom, who is a school teacher had meetings until later last evening. After we returned home, I went back to doing chores and Ab's and Nana went to the "Playhouse" for some fun.

Each time I would pass close enough for Ab's to see me, she would shout, "Hey Papa! How's your work going?" She was just "itching" for me to tell her she could come with me. But I had so much to do, I decided it was better to let her stay with Nana.

They finally went to the house, so Nana could fix supper. I continued working and when I finally went to the house to wash up, they had already given up on me and had set down to eat. Nana had fixed a wonderful supper of fried deer steaks, mashed potatoes, blackeyed peas, gravy and iced tea! Wow! Was it ever GOOD! Nana is a GREAT cook!

As for putting things in perspective...After we finished eating, I was sitting just trying to relax and drinking one more glass of that cold iced tea. Ab's sidled up to me and said, "Papa, you want to play with me?" I said, "Oh, baby girl, Papa has worked hard all day and I really don't feel like playing." Without missing a beat she said, "Papa, we don't have to play hard..... we can just do something BORING!

I guess that pretty much put things in perspective, huh?

A Pushover?.... Me?.... HA!

Me... a pushover? Ha! I can "NO" and make it stick! I can be tough as nails and hard as steel in my resolve!
It's just..... when my granddaughter, Abigail, looks at me with those liquid brown eyes and that "pout" on those perfect little lips and gets that hint of "I'm about to cry" tremble in her voice....... well, stick a fork in me... I'm DONE!

That's how it came to be that I'll be spending the night with her AT HER HOUSE tonite! When I FINALLY gave in, ;) you should have seen the smile on that little face! I mean, come on... we live SO FAR apart (about fifty feet between our houses) and we only see each other every day! So I couldn't very well say "NO", could I?

The last time I spent the night at her house, she was about three months old. Her mom insisted that I take her bed, she would sleep on the couch and Ab's would be at the OTHER END of the house in her own bedroom. I wanted Ab's to sleep with me, but her momma wouldn't hear of it! Something about starting something we couldn't stop or some such nonsense!!

Well, her monitor was on, so I gave in and went to bed without her. About three a.m. there was this "blood curdling" scream over the monitor!! I jumped out of bed to run down the hall to Abbi's room, only to collide with her mommma who was moving at warp speed in the same direction! We rushed into Abbi's room to find.....................
Abbi... sleeping peacefully on her tummy, her little arms and legs drawn up under her and her little bottom stuck up in the air! Her favorite postion for sleeping!
She was SO sweet, lying there sleeping like a ..... well.... like a BABY!

After watching her sleep for a bit, we returned to our own place to sleep. I didn't sleep much after that and if truth be known, neither did her momma! There were no other hair raising events throughout the nite.

Can I take just a moment to say what a great job her momma is doing in raising her? She is one of the very best momma's I know.

Well, back to the coming event tonite. I get to sleep in Abbi's room tonite! Abbi said so!! She said, "Papa, it's gonna be SO much fun! Just like camping out at the Buffalo River"!!

I could have said, "NO". But why would I?

And....... I'm still no "Pushover!"

Sleddin' the "BIG HILL"!!

With snow on the ground and a couple of new sleds there was no way the "BIG HILL" would escape! This was the year Abbi would conquer it and walk away "The Champion"!

The big hill is every bit of ten-twelve feet in elevation and the ride is probably 20 yards long. But when you are four years old, it could pass for Mt. Everest!!

So today, Abbi, Momma and I set off to the "Big Hill" for some sleddin'! It was the perfect sledding day. Bright sunshine, no wind, temp in the upper 20's. PERFECT!!
It didn't take but a couple of trips down the hill to get the "lane" in good shape!
Each trip would take one of us closer to "Abbi Creek" which flows at the bottom of the "Big Hill"!

Then Abbi says, "Papa, I wanna go down on your back!" Well, why not? And so the double decker sledder's were the first to go in the creek! It was just about an eighteen inch drop into the creek and it was frozen, so, no problem other than Papa's busted lip! Funny! The first thought that entered my mind was.... "I haven't had a busted lip in FOREVER!" Oh well! Small price to pay for the laughter shared with my daughter and granddaughter!

After a few more milder trips down the hill, Abbi said, "Papa, I want to go down sittin' in my sled"! So, she climbed in the disc and I let her go. She turned backward about halfway down and had she been dressed in pink she would have looked just like the Energizer Bunny... cause she just kept going & going & going...

You know how at some point things begin to appear to be happening in slow motion? Well, Abbi's actions seemed to be happening in slow motion! I watched as she started backward over the edge of the creek bank holding on to the sled for dear life and her little eyes just got bigger and bigger and bigger and then the sled tipped up and her eyes disappeared!

While Abbi's actions seemed to be in slow motion her momma saw what was going to happen and went from zero to 60 in two seconds flat! She started by hollering, "Don't go in the creek... don't go in the cr.... SHE'S GOING IN THE CREEK!! With each shout her voice took on a higher pitch and the last sentence was more like a high keening sound!

Christie sprinted down the "BIG HILL" faster than I've EVER seen her move!! Seeing all of this happening at once, I was laughing SO hard I couldn't even move! I knew the creek was frozen and there was no danger to Abbi, and it was one of the funniest things I've ever seen... those eyes getting bigger and bigger and then disappearing behind the sled!!

When I finally did get to them, Abbi was standing up and she looked around with wide eyes and said, "I didn't like THAT"!

Even with the "crash in the creek", she walked away a "conquerer" having taken on the "BIG HILL" and living to tell about it!

My mind went back to when I was a boy. My grandparents house sat up on a hill. I used to lie down and roll down that hill in front of the house when I was a kid and I thought it was a BIG hill! Back about 1986 I went back to where my grandparents house had stood, and as I stood there looking at that BIG hill, I realized it wasn't much higher than I was tall! In my memory from my childhood, that hill had ALWAYS been BIG! Memories are great things to have, but they can sure play tricks on you.

Should the Lord tarry and Abigail grows to be a young woman, I hope she has the chance to someday come back and see the "BIG HILL" she conquered when she was 4 yrs. old. I'm sure she will be amazed at how "BIG" it really is!

For me? I'll never forget sleddin' the BIG HILL with Abbi and her momma!
Ahhh! What memories!

BTW Christie's new nickname is "Thunderbird"!

A million plus germs!!!

My poor sweet ganddaughter! She has JUST finished three rounds of antibiotics to get rid of a LONG round of a snotty nose, drainage and the like. She's been back at school two days this week and already she's got a stuffed up nose, sneezing and I can tell she doesn't feel well just by looking at her little droopy eyes! I HATE it when she feels bad!!
I DID get in some "snuggle time" this afternoon! She is usually too busy to sit still for any length of time.
There are about twenty kids in her class at school, so multiply that by umpteen thousand germs and you've got a hotbed of activity that spells TROUBLE!

Bless her heart! She rarely complains. She just seems to take things in stride. She's not one to whine and moan.

Keep a watch on your little ones, as they can be fine one day and really sick the next.

2's & 3's What You See Is What You Get

Once a month my daughter and I are blessed to be able to watch the 2 and 3 year olds during morning worship hour.
Of course, there is NEVER a dull moment what with all the different personalities and noses to blow and bathroom needs!
But I love that hour spent with those children. Most of them call me Papa because they've heard my granddaughter call me by that name. I don't mind! I'd be proud to be "Papa" to any and all of them.
Today we had 8 in the class. We also had a couple of mom's to stay and help out!

In no particular order, there is Bella... a very petite little girl who is oh so cute! She was the FIRST today, to come and climb up in my lap. She just wanted to sit and watch the others play for a minute or two and then she was down and joining in the play. She came back a little later to be held again.
Wyatt is the only boy who didn't sit on my lap today. He is such a busy little guy and keeps himself entertained.
Then there was Halynn (not sure of the spelling). She is SO cute and just steals my heart! She sat on my lap for just a minute, but mostly wanted my daughter. In fact I heard her tell Christie, "I want you!"
Then there's Luke! I call him Mr. Luke and he just smiles. As soon as Bella climbed in my lap, he decided he wanted to be held too, so he came and held up his arms and I had two on my lap for a while! I don't mind! I'm in my element!I love kids!
Then there is Miss Maddie Moo! The minute she sees me come in she starts working her way around to me. She's not much of a one for being held, but she climbed up in my lap for just a bit. She loves for me to pick at her and she'll hide behind my chair until I ask, "Where's Maddie? I know she's here somewhere." She'll peek around the chair and not say a word. She's adorable!
Today was only the second or third time I have seen Shayla in the class and she surprised me by coming and holding up her arms wanting me to hold her. She has a head full of beautiful curls and beautiful eyes. What a darling!
Lelah Grace and her momma came in and Lelah stuck really close to mom! Lelah is another one that is just adorable.
Last, but not least was Landon! He also surprised ne by coming and climbing up in my lap. He wanted to inspect the ink pen in my pocket! Then he looked at his shirt and said, "No pockets!" We talked about the fact that he didn't have ANY pockets on his shirt or his pants. He'd ask, "You have pockets?" I'd say, "Yep, I've got pockets." He'd point to his shirt and say, "NO pockets!", and then he'd laugh as though that was just really funny! What a cute little guy!

What a privilege to share an hour with these little ones! Each with their own personality and character. Some are busy, some laid back and some very reserved, but they all are precious and special!

Checkin' the Deer Feeder

YEP! It's workin!

My 4 year old granddaughter came in from a birthday party for one of her little friends today, dressed as a butterfly, complete with wings and antenna. Totally CUTE! We talked about the party for a bit and she then decided she wanted Nana & Papa to go for a walk with her. We went outside and she decided we needed to go check the deer feeder to see if there were any deer at it! So, we walked out in the field and Nana showed her where the deer jump the fence to come to the feeder. She decided that Nana should "guard" one side of the trail and I should "guard" the other side of the trail while she, being the "deer hunter", went to check out the feeder! She was SO cute as she walked a little ways and stopped. She looked down and said, "Now that's what I call deer poop!"



She called for me to come to the feeder because she wanted to turn the crank that raises or lowers the feeder. So, I showed her how to do it and she started turning the crank and letting the feeder down. I didn't realize it was time for the feeder to cycle and so it caught us both by surprise when it started throwing out feed! She quickly let go of the crank to draw her arms against her chest and put her head down while the feeder showered us with corn! I grabbed the crank to keep from letting the feeder hit the ground. After it quit spitting out corn she looked up at me with a big grin and said, "WOW! Papa, that was COOL!"



We then went on to see if we could spot the deer who "live in Sherwood Forest"! That's the woods just beyond our property line.



We didn't see any deer, but we found some very interesting logs to balance on and duck underneath and some "tickle grass" which she just HAD to bring home. We looked at the creek which she wanted to wade across "like a deer does" and looked in the "springhouse" which she also thought was "cool".



She finally decided she was getting cold and thought it a good idea to come back to the house.



I cherish these times spent together! She is growing so fast and I know the day is coming when she'll have less time to spend with us, because she'll want to spend more time with her friends. I know that won't happen for a few more years, but .... wasn't it just yesterday that I saw and held her for the first time and she stole my heart away?

The Bully of the Bird World

We usually try to keep a little feed out for the birds during the winter months. It's fun to watch their interaction with one another. Of course, as in the world WE live in, there are those more dominate or should I say DOMINATING than others.

As a general rule, the birds feed and interact with one another without much bickering. The Northern Cardinals can be aggressive toward one another, but they generally leave the other birds alone.

We have one male Cardinal every year (I wonder if it's the SAME one) that is SO absolutely cocky that it's funny. He even tries to intimidate other species, and when they don't pay him any mind, he will hop up on the side of the feeder and raise his topknot as if to say.; "Hey, What's the deal? Don't you know who I am?" The other birds just go about their business of eating. He reminds me of some..... no...no, I'm not going there!

And then there is the most obnoxious, irritating, puffed up bully of all!! The Bluejays! When they fly to the tree adjacent to the feeder, ALL of the other birds vacate the premises! Then the bully sweeps in and begins to GORGE itself on the feed! It's feeding habits are disgusting, like a person who chews with their mouth open or smacks while eating!

I know they have to eat as well as the others, but their ATTITUDE just drives me nuts! I will sometimes wait until they land on the feeder and then JUST BEFORE they start gorging themselves, I'll throw a small pillow or something at the window and scare the daylights out of them! Hee-hee!!

I never have been able to tolerate a BULLY!!

Through a Child's Eyes

I love the innocence of children. It's such fun to listen as they express themselves. And it all depends on how they perceive things, how they hear things and how they relate those things to each event! Even before they are able to talk, they express themselves through expressions and actions. Some friends of ours at church have a little boy named Luke. He has the most expressive eyes I've ever seen in a child. His eyes are a beautiful blue, I call them ice blue, and even before he could talk he always appeared on the verge of just bustin' out talking. His eyes are SO alive! He is a handsome little guy.

Our granddaughter, Abbi, who is four years old, is always coming up with some of the cutest sayings, and it is a result of how she processes information and how she relates one thing to another.

One day when Abbi was three years old, as we were driving down the road, she and Nana were looking at a photo album of Abbi's baby pictures. Abbi looked at one photo and said, "When I was born, I was born in Texas." Nana said, "That's right. You were born in Texas." She turned a page in the book and it showed a photo of Abbi as she lay in the scales to be weighed right after birth. Abbi looked at the photo and said, "Right after I was born they put me in that SKILLET!" I suppose to her, the scales looked something like a skillet! At any rate it sure was cute!

Another time she said, "Nana, you can't touch my arm. Jesus made it, but if you touch it, it WILL break!"

She had finished her breakfast the other morning, but I was still eating. She brought a book and laid it on the table next to me and said; "Papa, you can't touch it!" I wasn't paying much attention to her, so she reaches up her little hand and turns my face to where she can look right in my eyes and with the most serious look on her face, says, "Papa, if you touch it, I'll have to take away your "Diggi" medal!" THAT got my attention, though I had no idea what a "Diggi" medal was. As soon as she turned away I reached out and touched the book. She instantly spun around and with her head down, and looking up at me very sternly, she said: "Papa, if you touch it again I'll have to take away BOTH of your "Diggi" medals!" Of course, to me it was just extremely cute! But to her, the possibility of having one's "Diggi" medals taken away was a sure fire way to make one obey!

I wish I could remember all the cute things she says and does in the course of a day, but there are just too many!

All too soon that childish innocence is lost in this world. I cherish every bit of life I get to glimpse through the eyes of a child, through the eyes of my beautiful granddaughter!

"Winds of Change"

Wow! I can't believe it's been been ten months since I blogged!

But those ten months have been some of the busiest and best of my life. I have a treasure chest of memories, made in those days just passed. My wife and I have been babysitters to our precious granddaughter, and all those months have been filled with Abbi, Abbi and more Abbi!! I wouldn't trade ANYTHING in this world for those busy days of playing with Abbi, watching her grow and seeing the changes as she has grown from a baby into a little girl. I have had the privilege of playing many characters such as, Robinhood, Little John, even Maid Marion, Pablo & Tyrone (the Backyardigans), and a host of others at her every whim and wish. WHAT FUN!!

She is now just a month away from four years old, and time has brought a change that I dreaded, even though I knew it was coming. Abbi started preschool this school year and now she is away from us for 8-9 hrs. a day and her little voice no longer fills the rooms of our house during the day as it has for the past four years. The "Winds of Change" have blown those days away. And it hurts!! They are now just treasures of gold in the memory vault of our hearts.

As I pondered the changes that have occurred, seemingly without regard for our feelings, I remembered another time when the "Winds of Change" blew into our lives. I went hunting through some old articles I had written all those years ago, found what I was looking for and decided to reprint it as my blog for today.

"The Winds of Change"

By Richard Sessions November 28, 1993

A cold November wind blew across the ridges of the Ozarks that early winter morning. It was deer season, and long before daybreak I had left the warmth and shelter of our home in hopes of putting some meat in the freezer for the coming winter.

As dawn was coming on, I chose the shelter of a huge dead fall as my hunting stand. It was a majestic oak, a monarch, that now lay twisted and broken on the ground, brought down by the ever changing winds that blow relentlessly across the ridges.

As I sat, quiet and still, in hopes that a deer would wander into shooting range, my mind began to wander as well. Suddenly, I felt a chill that literally shook me from head to toe. Not a chill caused by the persistent November winds, but from another wind that had recently blown into our lives. It too, blew with undeniable force. It was the dreaded "Winds of Change!"

God has richly blessed our home and our lives. He has given us a place in the ministry, and we have been privileged to pastor churches and spend several years in evangelistic work. Our daughter, Christie, had received her education on the road through "home schooling" since the second grade, so that we could travel as a family and minister as a family as well. We loved to travel and share the good news of the love of God and His Son, Jesus Christ. Being away from our families for a number of years had brought us together in a closeness, that perhaps, not many families are privileged to share. The three of us had learned to rely upon one another for strength and comfort as we weathered the storms of life which we occasionally encountered. We shared the bond, not only of being a family, but being ministers together of God's love. Each of us was an integral part of the ministry.

Christie's last year and a half had been finished in public school and she had graduated Valedictorian of her class. There was great excitement in our home as we looked with pride and thankfulness on our daughter's accomplishments. There was much talk of the scholarship which would help put her through college, and the plans for that were soon complete. She was the first grandchild on either side of our families to go to college. It was a time of great joy!

As I sat in the cold wind that November morning, my mind would not be denied it's journey back to the day a couple of months earlier, when we had moved our daughter into the residence hall at the University of Central Arkansas.

After moving all her things into her dorm room, we were sitting on the couch in the lobby, feeling the ever increasing force of the wind of change that would separate us in just a few more moments.Our daughter sat beside me with her head on my shoulder and I could feel her trembling as the tears flowed at the reality that the time for parting had come. Suddenly to me, the very thought of finding joy in this event seemed totally absurd. All the excitement of the thought of a new phase of life was lost in the stark reality of saying "goodbye"! My wife squeezed our daughter's hand and in a language only the two of them understood, strength, comfort and courage was conveyed. The close relationship they shared as mother and daughter was standing them in good stead.

Somehow, we got through the "goodbye's" and made our way to the car, leaving our daughter to face this part of her life on her own. Yet all of us knew she was not really alone, because God was her faithful guardian. And on many occasions to come, we would feel God's closeness as her years away from us progressed.

I don't remember much about the drive home. My wife and I were each lost in our own thoughts and memories and so talked very little on the return trip. Most of the time was spent in personal conversation with God as we each sought His comfort. We knew, that He was aware of the feelings of separation we were feeling. After all, He had one day had to leave His Son in a cruel world as well.

It's hard now to sing, without Christie's voice joining in with ours as it had for so many years. The contemporary gospel music she loves so well, no longer filters through the door of her bedroom to fill the house with youthful praise to God. Our mornings are different, for Christie is no longer there to share in the hugs and kisses and the wishing one another the best of God's blessings as we each go our own way for the day. Every aspect of life is different now and what had seemed so permanent a short time ago has fallen prey to the "Winds of Change." we cherish every moment of the weekends she is home. Through the week we glance anxiously at the phone as if doing so will somehow cause it to ring and we'll answer it and hear her sweet voice.

I lean heavily against that huge fallen oak, turn my face to the cold wind and weep! I weep for my precious daughter, because the constant shelter of our home that she has known all her life, is no longer available to her, and I see her as exposed to the elements of the world. She is exposed to the violent "Winds of Change"!

After the flood of tears had subsided, I looked around, and the soft gentle knowledge of God wrapped my spirit in a warm comforting blanket of His presence. I gazed at that huge fallen oak, with it's branches twisted grotesquely, reaching for the sky as if in protest of the brutal winds which had brought it to this end. I suddenly realized, that all the young oaks in that stand of timber had their beginnings in that fallen monarch . For untold years it had sheltered each of them, taking the brunt of the fierce winds which blew across those Ozark Mountains. Now each of them would have to learn how to stand by themselves and face the bitter winds. Every time the wind blows against them, it will cause their roots to seek a better hold in the soil and amongst the rocks beneath them.

Though it has only been a short time since the constant shelter of the home has been removed from our daughters life, I have witnessed a marvelous strength and confidence and maturity grow in her. Though she is no longer sheltered by our home, she is still sheltered by the God of this universe. He is the one who sees every wind that blows and can send peace and provide safety in the midst of every storm.

Thank you, God, for allowing us the privilege of sheltering our daughter for a time, until she was rooted and grounded in Jesus Christ, The Rock, before the "Winds of Change" began to blow!

When the Music Stops

In our men's Sunday School Class at First Baptist Church in Flippin, Arkansas, we are studying from the book of Psalms. The series name for the lessons we are currently studying is aptly named "When the Music Stops". It is an awesome study and we have such a great group of guys, it is such a joy to meet every Sunday.

Many different events can cause the "music" in our life to stop! But let us always be reminded that the One who gives the music in the first place is never far away. And He knows when to "strike up the band" again, and when to give the choir the nod!

The other day, my little granddaughter, Abigail, had disobeyed me in something and I had to scold her. That will break a grandpa's heart! After I scolded her, she walked out of the room with her head down. After a few minutes, she returned and through her tears said, "Papa, can you hold me?" Of course, I picked her up and held her close. She snuggled in close and laid her head on my chest. I explained to her why I had scolded her and she said, "Papa, I'm sorry!" I thanked her for apologizing and assured her that I still loved her. She raised her head up and smiled a huge smile and said, "Papa, You're happy again!!

I thought how I sometimes act the same way. I'm disobedient and then when my heavenly Father scolds me, I sometimes walk away, think it through and realize that, in fact, I deserved the scolding! So, it's back to the Father to say, "I'm sorry", and many times that is said through my tears. I'm not ashamed of my tears. I never want my heart to become so hardened that I lose the cleansing that shedding tears of repentance brings. I'm not ashamed to shed tears in public, such as in a worship service, as I have nothing to prove to anyone. I want my heart to always be pliable in the hands of my Father!

Now, I'm almost 60 years old, but I have to tell you; "There is nothing more comforting than to be be held (spiritually speaking) in the arms of my Father, and have Him minister to my heart that He still loves me!" And that is not just a metaphor! One can actually sense and feel the presence of God when one approaches Him in true repentance or true worship. I don't believe that ones relationship with God should be based on feelings, but on the other hand, I wouldn't give a plug nickel for a relationship with NO FEELING! As I set here writing this, I'm listening to a Don Moen worship cd and God's presence is SO real in my heart! Thank you, Lord for your presence!!

Whatever the reason that the "music stops" in your life; when it happens, it is time to seek God and determine through prayer and a contrite spirit, the cause and allow God to restore us until the "music" is once more playing in our heart and spirit, and worship is once more a natural occurence as we spend time with God each day.

When the music of heaven plays, my soul dances, my heart leaps like the deer and I am blessed and at rest. PLAY ON HEAVENLY BAND!! SING THROUGH ME HOLY SPIRIT!! OH GOD, HOW I LOVE YOU!! MY LORD, HOW I ADORE YOU!!

My prayer for you is that you are never without the "music" of life from heavenly places!!

God bless and keep you is my prayer!

If perhaps you are reading this and you have never experienced the "music" because you have never known Christ as your personal saviour, then I invite you to give your life to Him and let Him start the "music" playing in your heart. It's a simple thing to do. Just confess with your mouth, the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved!

"The Project"

Abigail (holding a huge earthworm) and momma

“Papa, can you come help me swing?” a tiny voice called from the doorway of my shop. I looked up from the project I was working on to find this inquisitive little chatterbox, who was never at a loss for words and always full of questions, standing with hands clasped behind her back, eyes bright with anticipation. This beautiful little dark haired girl was the granddaughter I had always wanted. I placed the tool I was using back in its place on the wall, wiped my hands and called ”Just a minute baby girl.” The project I was working on would have to wait another day.

Yesterday the call had been, “Papa, can we feed the fishies in the creek? They’re hungry!” The project I was working on had been set aside then as well. As I reached for the tiny hand being held up to me, I was captured by the beauty of her deep brown eyes. Like bottomless pools of molten umber they caught the light of the sun and reflected it back in tiny sparkles like the water in the creek we were heading for. We had to stop and dig some “wums” to feed the fish, which brought squeals, giggles of delight and a few genuine shrieks as they wiggled in her hand on the way to the can she put them in. Who would have thought, my “baby girl”, the one who wanted to be called “Princess”, delighted in the wriggly creatures we dug from the earth.

At the creek there was much laughter and squeals of sheer joy as the fish broke the surface of the water to retrieve the worms that were tossed to them. And then came the inevitable question. “Papa, do fishies go to heaven?” In the nanosecond before I could answer, the question was forgotten as she took my hand to guide me on a tour of her world. There were flowers to see, a butterfly to chase, a baby rabbit to cherish and a hundred other things, which briefly caught her attention. The project was forgotten and the day spent just being with my granddaughter.

Today, as we set out for the swing, she alternated between holding my hand and skipping ahead, only to return and tug me along, chattering all the while. I knew that work on the project had ceased for the day. As I listened to her endless descriptions of every thing she saw, I was aware of another voice trying to get a word in edgeways. I know the voice well, the voice of the Holy Spirit.
I marveled as His gentle words found their way into my heart. “Some projects are much more important than others!” Then He helped me to understand.

You see my precious granddaughter is adopted. She came into our lives as a result of much prayer, and the longing of our daughter’s heart. Our only daughter, and only living child, had never married, but longed for a child. Being the godly woman she is, having a child out of wedlock was not an option. And there were so many children who needed someone to love them and care for them and give them a stable home. We fully supported her when she told us of her decision to try to adopt a child.

From the time our daughter had decided to try for adoption, we had somehow always known she would adopt a girl and in all our conversations concerning the adoption, Abbi (Abigail) was called by name. We reveled in the thoughts that filled our hearts as we waited. What would she look like? What color was her hair? What color were her eyes? Would she grow up to be short or tall? Abigail was included in every plan we made, just in case “the call” came on any given day. On vacation in the mountains of Colorado, our daughter kept the cell phone at hand, waiting for the call. We made alternate plans, so we could be free to rush to her, if the call came. After a three year “eternity”, the call came that our daughter had been chosen to adopt, miracle of miracles, a then as yet unborn baby girl! God had answered our prayers! Abbi was coming to us! Oh the joy that filled our hearts when our daughter gave us the news! It was the last of August 2006 when word came, and Abigail was to be born in late September. That was the longest, hardest wait of my life! I don’t remember being that anxious during the nine months my wife carried our daughter, or our twin boys. (Our twins did not survive, but that’s another story for another time.) Though the days were filled with preparation, they seemed to pass at an interminably slow pace.
I must admit, I was probably good for nothing during those days of waiting. My every thought was of Abigail! We were about to find out the answers to all those musing of, what color eyes, what color hair, short or tall, slim or chubby, dark or fair complexion, and the waiting was eating me alive!

I remember arriving at the hospital the day Abbi was to be born. The doctor was to induce labor that morning and we were told we should expect a delivery sometime that day. WOW! I was going to be a grandpa!!

Let me take a moment to say that, the precious young lady who would bring Abigail into this world was one of the most beautiful individuals I have ever met. Her spirit was SO sweet, and her love for the baby she carried was ever so evident. She now found herself in a situation where some wrong choices had brought her to this point in life, where she had made a most difficult decision, but the right decision nonetheless, to give her baby life and allow someone else the desire of their heart. She knew adoption was best for Abigail and she was determined to do what was best! How my heart went out to her and still goes out to her. There is hardly a day goes by that I don’t think of her, wonder where she is, how she and Abbi’s half sister are, and they are always in my prayers. She will perhaps, never know the joy her selfless act brought into our lives; the gift she placed in our hands and the longing that was fulfilled by her decision. There is NO doubt in my mind about her love for Abigail. The breaking of her heart became the healing for our hearts. You can’t top that kind of selfless love!

At the hospital I settled into the waiting room with a book I would never remember reading as my daughter and my wife went to the delivery room to visit with Abigail’s birthmom while she waited for things to progress. This is the only thing I remember happening fast! It seemed I had only read the first page of the book, for maybe the fourth or fifth time, when I looked up to see my wife coming down the hospital corridor blubbering something I couldn't understand and crying uncontrollably! My first thought was that perhaps the young lady had changed her mind about the adoption. I shot out of my seat like I had a rocket strapped to me, and ran toward my wife saying, “What’s wrong, what’s wrong?” She proceeded right past me toward her purse and personal bag, which I was supposed to be watching, and said as she passed me, “Nothings wrong! She’s here and she’s BEAUTIFUL!!” It took just a moment to sink in that things had progressed THAT far THAT fast!! I was left standing there for the moment with a bewildered look on my face as my wife exclaimed, “I NEED MY CAMERA!!” WOW!! Just like that… I was a grandpa!! In just a few moments I was allowed into the room where I got my first look at Abigail! I’ll just say this… I was SMITTEN!!

We love Abigail as if she were our own flesh and blood. She is, in every sense of the word, our daughter’s daughter and our “granddaughter.” My wife cherishes the endearing name “Nana” and fills it to perfection.


Our daughter is an educator in the public school system where we live and is financially able to provide for her new daughter, and very much up to the task of rearing a child. She is a great mother to this little brown-eyed beauty. It is just another testament to God’s love and his wisdom and control over every situation that Abigail LOOKS SO MUCH LIKE HER MOM!!

Since adopting Abbi, I have seen the fullness of life in my daughter like never before. How good God is to give us the desires of our heart. The fact that they live next door to us and we get to babysit Abigail, is just “icing on the cake.”

Now, some are against the idea of adoption by a single person. But I, for one, see things differently. Were it not for adoption by a single person, I may never have known the joy of being “Papa.” And who’s to say that because there is a mommy and daddy at the start, that will be the case five or ten years down the road? I am the main male influence in this little one’s life, as her birth mother’s father has chosen from the start not to be in her life, and her biological father was eager to sign away his rights, or more likely, his responsibilities. I can only say, they have no idea what they are missing.

As the Holy Spirit teaches me about “the project” at hand, I know that this is one project I will never lay aside. Projects of wood or metal may be laid aside from time to time and resumed at will, but not a project as delicate as this. The Holy Spirit ministers to me, that constant attention to detail is of utmost importance and a gentle yet firm hand is needed in the shaping process. I find comfort in the fact that I am only the apprentice on this project and the “master craftsman” is really in charge!

“Papa, can we get something to drink? I’m thirsty!!” Back to “the project” at hand!!

Written by Richard Sessions 06-04-07

I penned this when my grand daughter was a little over eight months old. It was just something that unfolded in my mind and I wrote it down, as I have a habit of doing. So, at the time, it was part fact and part fiction. Obviously, she couldn’t walk or talk at that age, but the commentary surrounding her birth and adoption is true. And wouldn’t you know, I have a picture of her carrying around a big earthworm!! And now, at almost three years of age, she loves to swing and loves the creek on our property (as most kids would) and she is SO full of energy and life and chatters ALL of the time! What a blessing to see the things I envisioned and wrote about coming to pass!

Would you consider being adopted? I'm talking about the process of becoming a child of the King, whereby we are given the spirit of adoption. That is, Christ claiming us as His own and by that adoption we become sons and daughters of the most high God! I was adopted into God's family a number of years ago, and I can't begin to tell you what a joy and comfort it is to know that I belong to the Royal Family! And to top it all off.... I am given eternal life as a son and heir to God.

If you need a family to belong to, let me encourage you to contact me through this blog and I will lead you through the process of becoming a child of the King. There is always room for a new brother or sister!

What a summer!!

Wow!! They say time flies when your having fun. I just didn't know I was having THAT much fun!!
This has been an incredible summer so far. We had really HOT weather in June, and then really COOL weather in July, with several days not making it out of the 70's and quite a bit of rain for the month. August began HOT, but today we received a lot of rain (it's still raining) and once again the temp dropped into the 70's this afternoon. I have mowed grass until I'm sick of it! However, it has been a good year for pastures and hay. If this keeps up my cows will have graze til November!

What incredible things are happening in our country these days! It is amazing how quickly things go down hill when God turns His face away from man. And I believe He has done just that to America. When the president of America refuses to honor God by doing as presidents have done for many years in hosting a prayer breakfast on the National Day of Prayer, yet attends the gay and lesbian rally and praises lesbians and gays for their tenacity in seeking special privileges and rights, praises Muslims for their efforts to force the religion of Islam on the world and goes to Arab countries and declares that America is NO LONGER a Christian nation, but a conglomeration of Christians, atheists, muslims and agnostics, one can expect that Jehovah God, the ONLY true God, would be offended.

The one consolation for believers today, is that regardless of what man says or does, God is still in control of the final outcome and we have His promises that He will never leave us, but will go with us always, even to the end of the world.

The American people are being sold "a bill of goods" so to speak and many are buying it, lock-stock-and barrel. Even though many have seen the hand writing on the wall, their pride won't let them admit that they made a dumb choice in voting for Obama. They don't want to admit that they joined a mass vote for change, but paid no attention to the fact that JUST WHAT CHANGES were in store never were revealed! We as Americans now owe TRILLIONS of dollars in debt that we didn't owe at the end of the Bush administration. This is Obama's doing, not George Bushs'. Obama chose to ignore the "National Day of Prayer"! Obama seeks to bankrupt America. I believe it is his intention that there will not be another presidential election in America. Not three years and four months from now, NOT EVER! When do dictators come to power? When a country's' economy collapses!

It is indeed sad to watch America being systematically dismantled and brought down to third world status by the man who holds the highest office of the once greatest nation in the world!

Why do I say, the ONCE greatest nation? It's simple! A nation who elects as their leader a person who will not acknowledge God as being God, cannot expect a holy and righteous God to continue to heap blessings on them. America has only been the greatest nation on earth because of our Christian beliefs and our acknowledging God as the All Mighty, thus invoking His blessing on us and His power in our behalf. Now the leader of this nation thumbs his nose at God and that has had and will continue to have disastrous consequences for the nation. We are being told that everything is improving. That is a lie that will be borne out as man deals with the judgment of an All Mighty God, against whom, man cannot presume to fight! The wisdom of God in dealing with man, is greater than the wisdom of man in dealing with God!

Christians, get ready to suffer for the cause of Christ!!

We will be portrayed by the God haters of this world as the reason for the difficulties and strange happenings which I believe are about to befall America. Don't be caught sleeping or complacent and CERTAINLY don't be caught COMPLIANT with the world. Stand up and be numbered with the people of God!

As time passes I long more and more for my heavenly home. That house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens!

To every Christian who reads this blog, I encourage you to be strong and courageous in these last days. Hold fast to your salvation and don't be shaken by the forces of evil who are arrayed against us. Remember, our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, and powers and rulers of darkness in high places. Our weapons are not carnal, but are mighty through God and can pull down the strongholds of the enemy.

God bless each of you as you labor for the Master! May He cause you to be at peace and rest.

How Great Is Our God!!

I was privileged to take this photo of God's handiwork, in Rocky Mountain National Park.

WOW!! Over a month since my last blog! But with all the mowing lawns, working my garden, the photography studio business and, MOST IMPORTANTLY, watching Lovey play in the sprinkler or the pool, I've been a very busy guy. But in all this, I praise my Lord!!

I had no idea when I awoke Thursday morning at 6 a.m. that I would not sleep again until sometime in the early hours of this (Saturday) morning! It was REALLY strange!! I wasn't worried about anything. I wasn't fearful, upset, troubled or any of the things which might ordinarily keep me from sleeping! Nonetheless, I simply could not go to sleep. SO... I did OTHER things! Some just to pass time ( there's not much going on at my house throughout the night) and others to see if I could find a reason for not sleeping. ie: "soul searching"!

I won't bore you with the details, but sometime late Friday night, I just began to speak aloud the truths about God! I said, "God, You are the only true God. There is no other beside you! You are above all in all things! You are the redeemer. But more than that, You are MY redeemer! You are Jehovah Jireh, the provider, but more than that you are MY provider! You are the healer! But moreover You are MY healer! You are MY comfort! You are MY source!" And the list just continued to grow as I praised God for WHO HE IS to ME!!

I had been a little short of breath throughout the day Friday, which I attributed to being tired from not sleeping. However, in naming the attributes of God, I simply stated an obvious truth. I said, "God, You are my very BREATH! Without you I could not even breath in the air that you supply." Immediately as I spoke those words my breathing began to ease and once again I was totally AMAZED at the power of God and the spoken word!

The truths that I was speaking aloud, (there is a difference in knowing these things in our heart and speaking them aloud) are truths that we as believers all know. But, if you want these truths to be affirmed in your heart, I challenge you to just SPEAK THEM OUT LOUD!

You may have noticed as I talked about God being MY provider, MY healer, MY comfort, MY source........ I had spoken a truth BEFORE any of those things. That truth is, "God, You are the one true God!"

Now the question arose; Are You MY one true God? OUCH!! Do I ALWAYS put You first in EVERYTHING I SAY and DO? Do I EVER allow You to be crowded out by the cares of life?

Do I ALWAYS seek to GLORIFY YOU and not myself? Even when I praise You, am I seeking praise in return? When people look at me...... Do they see me, or do they see YOU!? Tough questions! But questions that must be answered nonetheless!

The Bible, God's Word, tells us in Colossians 1:18 (that JEWEL of wisdom between Philippians and First Thessalonians); "And He is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning; the firstborn from the dead: that in ALL things He might have the PRE-EMINENCE!"

The FIRST place, the place of HONOR, the position of AUTHORITY, the only OBJECT of PRAISE!!

I simply did what I knew to do! I asked God to forgive me for my failures in any and all areas, and asked Him to do what I cannot do; .......make my life His own. Paul said, "I live, nevertheless, not I, but Christ liveth in me. And the life that I NOW live in the FLESH, I live by faith of the Son of God."

Sometime after midnight, this a.m. sleep came and I slept soundly until waking at about 8:45, refreshed in both body and soul.

I am a simple person, and I am SO glad that God is willing to come down to my level, to teach me the things I need to learn. Such love...... I can't understand.

There is an old old song which I think sums it up as well as man can word it...... "Could we with ink, the oceans fill, and were the skies of parchment made. Were every stalk on earth a quill, And every man a scribe by trade. To write the love of God above, would drain the oceans dry! Nor could the scroll, contain the whole, though stretched from sky to sky! Oh love of God. How rich and pure. How measureless and strong! It shall forevermore endure; the saints and angels song!

I trust something I have shared has touched your heart and drawn you closer to God. If so, then I have accomplished something worthwhile, by sharing my experience and glorifying God.

If you don't know Christ as your personal Saviour, you can. Simply confess to Him that you are a sinner. Ask Him to forgive your sin. Believe on Him for salvation, and you shall be saved. Then share your decision to follow Christ with someone.

HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD!!! That's a statement, NOT a question!!

CAREFUL!! It's Easy to Lose Your Balance!

Last Friday Lovey and Nana had gone down to Abbiland (a little park I built for my granddaughter) to spend sometime swinging, sliding, rock climbing etc.

Before long I found myself wandering in that direction. Oh, I had plenty to do, but I just felt drawn to where they were. I was pretty sure what would happen upon my arrival and sure enough the all important question was quickly voiced by Lovey. "Pa, can we go to the creek?" Well, it's only ten steps from Abbiland, so what could a grandpa say? So off we went to the creek to throw some rocks and gather some water in a bucket and countless other things that just could not wait til another day!

As the play progressed, Lovey became bolder and bolder as she ferried water back and forth from one side of the low water slab to the other. (You don't know what a low water slab is? It's just THAT, a slab that lets you cross the creek during low water times!) Anyway, I was continually cautioning her, "Careful!! It's easy to lose your balance!"

As you can see from the picture above, my warnings went pretty much unheeded and sure enough on one rambunctious trip to get another bucket of water, she pitched face first right out in the creek!

I had followed her back and forth, back and forth across the slab so I would be close when the inevitable happened. So, as she landed face first in the water I was already reaching to grab her. I hauled her, spitting, sputtering and wailing out of the water and held her close and assured her she was OK. She had a little abrasion on her hand and being the "Queen of Drama" she was going to make the most of it. SO, I had to kiss her hand and Nana had to kiss her hand and we had to stop and listen to how she had fell in that "ole wet water" and got hurt! It just so happened, I had given my camera to Nana a moment before and she had started taking pictures. Thus the picture above. So, off we went to the house for dry clothes and to play at something else for a while.

I then went about some things I had to do, and this is when things REALLY started to get INTERESTING!! I was involved in the mundane task of cutting some branches back away from the drive way. They had grown out to where they would scrape along the side of my truck when going in or out the driveway. You city folk probably won't quite understand this. Trust me, It's a country thing!!

Anyway, it doesn't take a great deal of concentration to actually accomplish the task, so my mind was pretty available at the time. So God chose to use the time to His advantage! Do you ever notice how we are sometimes too busy even to listen to our creator? He's the one who has walked the path before us, knows every pitfall, and we don't have time to listen to what He has to say! AMAZING!!

As I was thinking about Lovey's little accident, the Spirit of the Lord just spoke quietly to my heart and said; "Kind of reminds you of my oft repeated warning huh? Careful! It's easy to lose your balance!" That gentle but very forceful voice brought me up short! I thought about how often I got that; I Know What I'm Doing! attitude and God ended up following me around saying; Careful, It's easy to lose your balance! AND so that He would be there to pick me up when the inevitable happened and I finally lost my balance and fell flat on my face! I thought of how I always find something or someone to blame it on as I wail to God about how unfair life is! As Lovey said, 'That ole water got me wet!" Well of course it did! Water is WET!! AND, the muck we sometimes mix up and then fall into is ugly and yucky and unpleasant, to say the least!! Of course an attitude of "It won't happen to me" is a recipe for disaster! And when you are NOT careful, you WILL lose your balance.

This lesson was reinforced Sunday morning by our Sunday School lesson as we studied about how the leaders of Israel leaned to their own desires and lusts until finally they lost their balance and fell face first into the cesspool created by their own hand. Up until that moment they had maintained that nothing bad would come of their actions and even stated that surely God was with them. Well, I'm glad that God is indeed with us, for He is the only one who can rescue us from our "face down in the dirt" position.

But, just as I scooped my granddaughter up and held her close and reassured her that she was ok, so God has done for me many times after a fall. Sometimes my falls were only witnessed by me and God. Other times my failures were allowed to be viewed by others. Public failures are perhaps more difficult as our flaws are there for everyone to see. But the lessons learned from those failures are, perhaps, much more profound.

At any rate, for me, God used a simple action by an over eager child, that ended with a sputter and a wail, to teach me a life lesson that I should have learned long ago.

"CAREFUL! IT'S EASY TO LOSE YOUR BALANCE!!"

"The Wonders of Spaghetti"

Spaghetti and children go together like .... um ..... um .... uhh ..... hmmmm.... Oh well, never mind! It's interesting to say the least. For a two year old spaghetti is like ...... a new galaxy to an astronomer, an ancient dig to an archaeologist, a....... a...... a newly discovered, totally flat, dehydrated frog carcase to a house dog who has been let out for his morning stroll!! It's tantalizing! It's totally mesmerizing! It stretches the boundaries of the imagination!! I discovered this when we sat down to a dinner of spaghetti this evening.

Lovey began right away to experiment to see what all it could be used for. During the course of the meal, her spaghetti became ... whiskers, which kept her occupied for a while, worms, which kept her occupied for QUITE a while, string, to tie around the handle of her cup and numerous other items that were mentioned briefly. OH, it also became a sort of musical instrument so that when you hum and pull it up and down over your lips, it changes the sound a little. However, it doesn't last very long when used for this purpose. Of course during the experiments it became known that one could "slurp" a string of spaghetti ..... the longer the string, the better to "slurp"!

OK!! OK!! So I showed her how to do THAT!! I'm still a kid at heart and DON"T TRY TO TELL ME YOU NEVER SLURPED SPAGHETTI!!! It's like a rite of passage! And besides, I wanted her to know how to act when her mother takes her to The Olive Garden to eat out with friends!! Grandkids are SUCH fun!!

I looked at those sparkling brown eyes above those sauce streaked lips and cheeks and I thought ........"OH, YEAH!! This is what grandkids are for!!"

Now, what was it I heard kids could do with green beans.... ?

However, as with most things, the wonder of it all soon began to fade and as Nana attempted to wash her hands and face, (dread chore) THAT became the new game for the moment! As soon as that was accomplished, it was on to the musical floor mat to dance until she couldn't stand up!!

You know .... we adults could learn a lot from kids. For example, Experiment... you never know what an item can be used for. Let your imagination lead you! Create a game out of your most unpleasant chores. Don't dwell on one thing too long. Adults tend to wrestle a problem long after it has surrendered. And don't forget to sing and dance!! Sometimes during the day I will hear Lovey in another room just singing away! Sometimes it is a made up song about something that has caught her attention. Or it may be a verse or so from two or three songs that, in her mind and her world, go together just perfectly!! And it always brings a smile to my face when I walk in a room and see her caught up in some little dance that is just an outflow of her zest for and joy of life!

There is a song that says something like .... "I'm gonna sing, like nobody's listening, love, like I'll never get hurt. I'm gonna dance, dance, dance, like nobody's watching.......

So, "Go ahead! Let that song out!! Nobody's listening!! And if they are .... you might hear them take the harmony part! And go ahead. Take that twirl or do that little two step. Nobody's watching!! And if they are, you might just find you have a partner!

I guess what I'm trying to say is, "Life should be enjoyed.... like a good meal of spaghetti!!!

Blessings to you! And I double dog dare you to sing and dance!!

P.S. The associated picture of Lovey was taken at age 13 months. She is now 2 years, 7 months.

SPRING!!! Again?

Well, a week or so back the weather teased us a little and made us think spring was here. Then it turned cold on us. However, I know not to pay much attention to a warm day or two. For me, the real sign that spring has arrived is when the walnut trees put out leaves. The young ones are just now starting to leaf and the mature ones have yet to make a showing. But.... the gardening bug bit me and so I've started my garden in hopes that all the frost and freezes are behind us. I've got taters up, onions up, carrots up and corn, squash, green peas and some tomatos and sweet peppers planted. I love spring and I love gardening, though you would never know it by listening to me moan and groan at the end of a day spent plowing, planting or weeding! In a few weeks the squash will be maturing, and the tomatos and other stuff I like won't be far behind. Yum-yum. And when that "Gotta have it" sweet corn matures... OH YEAH!! I can't resist eating that first ear right there in the garden!

Here in our little valley we are about two weeks behind as far as things blooming out. It is just cold enough here to hold things back a little. Brenda's lilacs are just now blooming and my iris' are just now beginning to show buds. We get to see everyone else's flowers and then we get to enjoy our own! How cool is that?

Lovey enjoyed being outside today, even though it was a little windy. Ok, it was VERY windy! But that child loves the outdoors and she never slows down once she gets outside. What a joy it is to watch her romp and run and to hear that little voice calling, "Chase me, Pa!" She loves to play "tag" and she has learned to "trick" us, by bending over, looking at the ground and saying, "Oh look at this. Isn't it pretty?" Then when you come to see "it" she will jump up and touch you and shout, "Tag. You're it!" She seems never to tire of that game. She doesn't understand why Pa and Nana need to sit down and rest now and then. To her it seems such a waste of good play time! And besides, if she DOES get tired, Pa can always carry her or pull her in the wagon! Problem solved!!

I look at Lovey and I can't help but wonder what the world holds if the Lord should tarry much longer. I must be truthful... Sometimes a feeling of fear tries to worm it's way into my mind as I realize how much evil is in the world today and how vulnerable our little ones are. It is such a relief to know that God is in control of the life of those who invite Him to live within. With all the turmoil in the world today and such uncertainty as to what lies ahead, I am so glad to have the promise of my Lord, that He will never leave me nor forsake me, but will go with me to the end! The promises and the person of God are the only REAL certainties we have. We have no promise of life on this earth tomorrow. But that does not leave us destitute! For we DO have a promise of eternal life in Christ! If you have not availed yourself of that promise, won't you do so today? When you do, share your decision with someone!

Have a blessed day.

Where did the warm weather go?

BRRRRRRRRRRRR!! It's cold tonight!! Thank God for a warm house and a comfortable bed to sleep in. Nights like this I can't help but think about those less fortunate than myself. Do I have everything I want? NO!! But I certainly have everything I need! How blessed I am and all because of unmerited favor. GOD LOVES ME!! How awesome is that?!! He loves you too. I hope you know that.

My wife is back home after visiting her mom's family for a couple of days. Man, I miss her when she's gone!! I'm just glad she always comes back! :-) I always leave a few dishes sitting around, just so she'll feel right at home as SOON as she returns!! :-) Now isn't that just the sweetest gesture on my part?

Lovey was her usual charming self today! That child is SO sweet!! I am so blessed to be able to spend time with her every day! She is such a little "drama queen"!! I showed her some pictures today of the train we rode when on vacation in Colorado; the Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge.
So she says in her most pitiful voice; "Pa, I NEED to go to RODORADO and ride the train!!" She is SUCH a DOLL!!

Well, I am getting very sleepy and I don't want to fight it, (har) so.... "Now I lay me down to sleep.....

Until next time,
May the God of all creation shower you with blessings.

OFF TO THE CIRCUS!!

Yesterday evening me, Lovey and Lovey's momma went to the circus. After chasing tickets all day, Lovey and I finally drove to Mt.Home and bought them at the Chamber of Commerce. Then it was back home for a quick nap before the great adventure! Lovey was SO excited and that got momma and Pa excited too!! We had front row seats and Lovey just couldn't be still. The music just got in her little body and she had to MOVE! So, it was dance and jump and twist and turn! What fun to watch her having such a great time. She loved the elephants and the puppy dogs. She didn't much care for the clowns. She didn't like it because they "hit" each other. She kept shouting at them; "NO.... STOP....DON'T!!" She wasn't too sure about the tigers when they came out of their cages. She asked momma; "They won't get me?" Momma assured her that she was safe. She got to ride an elephant with momma. That was SO cool. She made friends with a little girl she met there and it was so cute to watch them standing there holding hands and talking like oldtime friends. Of course Lovey NEVER meets a stranger, so wherever she goes she's going to have some friends before she leaves! What a fun time we had!!

Lovey is at the age where she is trying to assert herself and take charge. The other day she and I went to the pharmacy to pick up some meds. As we entered the store she said, "I can talk to these people." I didn't think much about it. However, when we walked up to the counter I guess things weren't moving fast enough to suit her. So... she stands up on her tiptoes and is just barely able to be seen by the cashier and she says very loudly, "Excuse me lady. Do you have some medicine for my Pa?" Of course everyone with in hearing just started laughing. She was the center of attention and that is just what she wanted!

Well, evening has come. The last rays of daylight have faded. Tomorrow is the Lord's day and I'm looking forward to being in His house. Tomorrow we mark his triumphant entry into Jerusalem as he prepares to offer himself as the Sacrificial Lamb for the sins of the world.

Do you know that he died for you? Oh yes, it's true! He knew that we could never pay the price for our own sins, because we were already tainted by a sin nature. So, he willingly became sin for us, that he might offer us eternal life! All we have to do is confess our sins, believe on him as the Son of God who God raised from the dead, we will be saved! Yes, it really IS that simple. Won't you ask him into your heart right now? He's waiting for you!

Have a great weekend!

Just the two of us

What a beautiful morning, this third day of April, 2009!! It was frosty in our valley this morning with the temp at 31 degrees. But the sun is shining bright and the temps are going UP!

Lovey and I will spend the day together, just the two of us. Nana has gone for a visit with her family and mom is at work, so it's just Lovey and me. We plan to be outside as much as possible! This evening we plan on going to the circus in Mt. Home! What FUN that should be! Lovey's FIRST circus!! Mom will be going with us!

Have a wonderful day and I encourage you to make time to talk with God today, and give Him praise. "

"Let every thing that has breath praise the Lord!"

Are you breathing? :-)

Frosty morning

The forecast called for a low of 35 in our area last night. When I awoke a 6:30 a.m. this morning it was 29 here in our little valley. FROSTY!! Good thing I covered up my wife's flowers last night!
But the sun is shining and gives a hint of a warmer day as the hours pass. Lovey has already asked me if we could go outside. I know she is tired of being stuck in the house all winter. SO AM I!!
I watched a little bit of fog rise from the creek as the sun began to make it's presence known. As usual, my mind turned to our Creator and how He has established all things in their own time. He even likened our life to that vapor that rises from the earth and within moments is passed away. I am so glad to know I have eternal life in Christ; another wonder of our Creator!

If today you experience loss, frustration, lonlieness, fear or uncertainty I encourage you to seek the safety and peace that is found only in Christ Jesus. Just ask him to help you. We are invited in his word (Ist Peter 5:7 ) to cast all our care on him, because he cares for us. What a comforting assurance!

Have a great day!! God bless.