Cherish the moments!

Yesterday, I attended a memorial service for classmate/teammate Larry O’Donnell. He was all of 17 days older than me and left this life far too early. His daughter spoke of him taking time to sit and talk with her through the night shortly before his passing. How many times are we too focused on goals and objectives that we lose sight of what is important? We each are given so many breaths and while providing for your family is important, don’t lose sight of the family that is there supporting you. Take time to love on them and listen to them. Make the most of the moments you are given. As I heard a preacher say once, “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” In other words, don’t let the affairs and challenges of life overtake time with family and friends. Life is meant to be enjoyed. Nobody ever wishes they had one more day to work at the end of their days. We all have to work, but we can’t let it blot out the loved ones along for the ride.

The journey continues….

Easter is always a time of reflection and re-commitment for me. While stationed at Fort Greely, Alaska in 1987, I bought a Bible for my 21st birthday(I also bought a case of Michelob for which I was not carded). My older brother Rod had gotten a bible on his 21st birthday and I thought I would get one too. I figured I would read it and be able to tell anyone who asked, “Yeah I read the Bible.” At the time, I had a very devout United Pentecostal roomate and I think he kept me in my prayers and I kept him on his knees. After reading in the Bible for a few months, I came to realize that God’s capacity to forgive was far greater than mine. I couldn’t forgive myself for certain things(dealing drugs in my parents home being at the top of the list). I was humbled by His love and knelt beside my bunk one night and prayed a simple prayer from the back of a Gideon’s New Testament and dedicated myself to following Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. That was during Easter season of 1987. I am so thankful to the new creation that was brought about in my life. Old things passed away and life became new. I have never regretted praying that prayer and have had quite a journey with the Lord since then. While I may not be as confontational about my faith as I once was in my zeal to share what had happened in my heart, I am no less devoted to Him. May you know His love and forgiveness forever and always. I cherish them.

Attitude of Grattitude

I have a co-worker that can be counted on to complain about almost anything and everything. Almost everyday, they arrive with curses and complaints about someone cutting them off or some “idiot” that did something to them. I kid them and welcome them with “Hello sunshine.” It really is our decision what we do with what happens to us. We can choose to accentuate the positive or dwell on the negative. I hear the doom and gloom spilling out of the tv and remember I have a loving wife and a job. I have good health. My son may play his music loud in his room, but he is home and not a runaway. I may have bills, but fortunately I don’t have bill collectors banging on my door. I may not live in a mansion, but I have a roof over my head and utilities that work. I am not homeless and have food to eat. I remember doing mission work in the mountains of Mexico and seeing how grateful the people of the village were. They had dirt floors and drafty dwellings. Their church was made up of rocks and the pews were nothing more than 2 x 4s, but they were happy. Philippians 4:11 says ” I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.” For the majority of our 19 years togehter, we were vagabonds for Jesus. One year in Kempner, TX after we got married. Two years in Dallas, TX for bible school school. Four years in Aledo, TX as youth pastors. Three years in Tulsa, OK for college at ORU. Four years in Wilmore, KY for seminary and then work. We now have a place we aren’t renting and though it isn’t our dream home, it’s ours. We may have a teenager that can be moody or rude at times, but he is also principled and willing to go against the crowd when he thinks they are wrong. I am grateful to the Lord for the life he has given me and the wonderful things in my life.

What has happened since February?

A month with no blogging and now twice in a week. Go figure. On the 13th, we celebrated Renee’s birthday. I got her a Bluebell T-shirt and plush since we don’t have any Bluebell Ice Cream in CA. We took her to Mimi’s Cafe for dinner and then had some cake and ice cream when we got home.

Her parents arrived from TX the following Sunday and then the rain came down. We ended up taking them to the Route 66 museum in Victorville on President’s day. We drove Route 66 to Barstow and ate at Idle Spurs. The next night, Renee and I celebrated our 19th anniversary with her parents at Dinapoli’s Firehouse in Apple Valley. A few days at the house was enough for her folks so I took the rest of the week off to drive them around. On Thursday we went to the Hollywood Walk of Fame and Grauman’s Chinese Theater. We even got back through Cajon Pass before traffic got bad. On Friday, we went to Calico Ghost Town and stopped for an early dinner at Rosita’s. Saturday we drove them to the airport and I caught my pinky in the door as we unloaded. OUCH! I quickly wrapped it in some napkins and we saw them to the terminal.

On the 24th, I got older. Enough said. Renee insisted we go to dinner so we went to Mama Carpino’s in Apple Valley. Last weekend, Jesse and his youth group went to camp in the San Bernardino Mountains. With him gone, Renee and I enjoyed some Chinese food which he doesn’t like and finished her Columbo DVD. If you want to see any photos, join Facebook and friend us.

Happy Birthday Julie!

March 10th is the birthday of our dear friend and sister Julie. Our relationship with Julie began online as Renee helped her plan a chat. After that day in December 2000, we struck up an ongoing dialog and friendship. We e-mailed, sent photos and exchanged letters/gifts through the mail. We found out she was fighting cancer and stood with her in faith and prayer. She passed one milestone after another as doctor after doctor predicted the end was near. She kept outliving their predictions and we kept praising God.

When we moved to California in 2003, she came to attend classes at UCLA from France and we met for the first time. We spent the day in Westwood hanging out and enjoying each others company. This was the first of several visits between then and November 2005. When we purchased our own home, after years of renting due to our vagabond for Jesus lives, we made our guest room into the Julie Suite complete with a palm tree mural and surfboard desk/end table. During her visits we made trips to see Medieval Times, an Angels baseball game, Universal Studios, Joel Osteen, Santa Monica, Sea World, Rosita’s restaurant, and many to Disneyland, her favorite place in the world. She was not feeling well on one trip and apologized to me and I reminded her that “a bad day with Julie at Disneyland is better than a good day without her.”

Since December, we have not heard a word from her and her family. I had hoped by now that we would have. We continue to pray and believe good things for her. We miss hearing from her and still consider her part of our family. Until we see or hear from you again Julie, we wish you a happy birthday and know that the Julie Suite awaits you.

Friends are friends forever.

As we journey through this life, I find it interesting how some people are constants in our lives and others are there only for a season and then are gone. I have one friend that has remained a constant in my life since high school while others have drifted away. I have been in churches from Texas to Oklahoma to Kentucky and had some very dear friends I made along the way. As time and distance have separated us, some I could call and pick up right where we left off while others I will probably never hear from again. I am grateful for those that are, have been or will be among those I call friend. Thanks for sharing a laugh or cry. It is good to know that others are on the journey and we can help shoulder one another in times of joy and despair. Friends are friends forever.

Another Christmas has passed us by.

We spent Christmas at our house much like we have many that came before with just the three of us. We did open one present Christmas eve at my insistence. In years past, we did this to satiate Jesse’s desire for opening presents, but this time it was out of necessity. He opened the family’s new Nikon D40 so we would have it to use on Christmas morning.

Jesse may not be the kid he was, but he was up early and in the shower and ready to get to business by 8 am. We started with stockings and Jesse wasn’t too pleased to get razors and shaving cream in his. Renee’s funny stocking stuffer was a GIANT chocolate Santa. We found chocolate in her stocking from last year when we took the decorations out this year. I got some WWE trading cards in my stocking. Oooh yeah!

Our major presents this year included a new desk chair for Renee with built in massage, new PC speakers for Jesse and I FINALLY got an iPod. The cat even got in on the act with a big fur mouse that she promptly gathered in her teeth and ran off with. We had a ham dinner and then watched the Lakers beat the Celtics. The wind blew quite hard most of the day and I even had to chase after wrapping paper when the lid to the recycle bin blew open. Renee used the new camera to capture a double rainbow out the back door.

The rest of the weekend was pretty quiet though we did venture out Friday to make sure the gift cards were promptly spent. I also enjoyed my Sunday night as the Chargers eliminated the Broncos and surprisingly made the playoffs despite being 8-8.

16 more shopping days!

It seems this year will be another year of last minute shopping. I know people that finish their shopping before Thanksgiving and I have never been able to accomplish getting mine done that early. Every year I have good intentions of getting it all done early and life seems to prevent it from happening. Bills come first and always seem to make things interesting come the holidays. If you have managed to get all of your shopping done, I applaud you. I just ask for you not to sneer too much when you see me out there at the last minute doing mine. We did get our newsletter done and will mail it out as the cards arrive. I will also post it to our website for those that want to read it. I hope everyone is getting their holiday cheer this year. Have a blessed Christmas and Happy New Year.

Turkey Sandwiches for all!

Thanksgiving was a quiet day at our house with just the three of us around the table. I know for a lot of families it is a gathering of relatives far and wide, but that has been the exception rather than the rule for us. We live in California and Renee’s family is in Texas. My family used to be in California, but is now scattered from Florida to Oregon to West Virginia. When we lived in Kentucky, we went to West Virginia for a big get together at my Paw Paw’s (my grandfather) farm. Cousins, aunts and uncles were all around, but that was not our usual Thanksgiving. We have moved so many times over the years with our living in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kentucky before moving back to California that we rarely spent a Thanksgiving in someone else’s house. I don’t mind it, it just changes the way you view the holiday when it is normally portrayed as at least a dozen relatives and extended family members gathered under one roof with the kid’s table set up on the side. We don’t partake in the Friday morning madness of standing in line to battle your fellow man for the best deal either. We did stop by a store Friday, but it was around 5 pm and the store was very quiet by that point. The day after Thanksgiving is when we set up the Christmas tree and hang our lights outside. This year, I did so wearing a t-shirt as the weather was in the 70s. The remainder of the weekend was spent eating turkey sandwiches and watching football.