Out of the Ashes

This time I mean it

2011-07-04T08:33:00.008-04:00

Paula and I just returned from Creation yesterday and maaaaan was it awesome !!!
I'm finally feeling motivated - actually, I'm feeling lead by the Holy Spirit - to start blogging again. I don't know if anybody will read what I post but that doesn't matter. I know that I've neglected this "ministry" for so long that I wouldn't be surprised if none of my regular visitors never return to see if I've added anything ever again. But it's OK because I trust that God knows what He's doing by leading back here. So, without any further delays, here's what I'm feeling lead to share with everyone/anyone...

Below is a message from Louie Giglio, one of the speakers at Creation this year (and last year). The message in this video was the one he shared at Creation last year - though the video is not from his Creation appearance.
I'll give everyone/anyone fair warning; it's a 41 minute long message that is worth every second of viewing. Make the time to watch it! I promise you, you will love this!

Louie Giglio: How Great is Our God

Did it not blow your mind ?!?
This was such a cool message for a stargazing freak like me. I love looking up at the night-time sky and seeing all the stars that God has created. And I am always in awe of my Creator when I see the vast display of His creative power. But I also love how Louie brings it all down to the smallness of a cohesion molecule called Laminin. And we see the awesome power of God in that as well.

This year's message at Creation was just as mind blowing. The video below is just a short excerpt from That message. But you're gonna need some background first.
Louie began by talking a little bit about what he shared in his previous year's message (about the size of the universe) but then he takes a different route. He then started to explain how scientists have been using radio telescopes for years to search for sounds of potential extraterrestrial life. As they've conducted this search they've pointed their radio telescopes at various objects in the cosmos to find out what's out there and they've recorded some rather interesting sounds from various stars, novas and pulsars. He played three samples for the audience so we could hear what they sounded like. Two sounded like nothing more than rapid drum beats. One series of pulsars sounded like keys on a synthesizer being played randomly. It was way cool!
Then Louie spoke of the whale song and how whales use it to find their way through the oceans. He included that sample as well. The video is what Louie (and Chris Tomlin) have mixed together from these sounds. But you'll get the rest from this 9 minute video...

Louie Giglio: Praise of the Universe

How great is our God, indeed ?!?

So, after watching these videos I hope you understand why I'm feeling motivated, inspired, to start sharing again. But there's more at work here than my feelings of awestruck wonder for the Almighty God, the Creator of Heaven and Earth, The Lord of Heaven's Armies.

The entire festival was an amazing challenge for Paula and I to do more. If you've been a regular here in the past you know about my involvement with Compassion. You've seen the banner on my sidebar that will lead you to the website. Perhaps you've even followed the link. But this is no longer enough.
After talking to several of the other Advocates at Creation, and hearing about what they're doing to expand the ministry of Compassion, I feel like I'm slacking. Especially when we've gotten to meet several of the "children" who've graduated from Compassion projects. If I'm truly passionate about finding sponsors for these children then I need to be doing more than casually mentioning my involvement and hoping somebody will ask me about it. Because Compassion is helping these children to see just how great our God is.
This year at Creation we met two young ladies from Kenya; Nelly and Selena. Listening to the two of them share stories from their lives wrecked us! Nelly said something that began as something humorous but it wasn't meant to be. She said "Saturdays are my favorite day of the week." When she said it we (Paula and I and the other Advocates who were talking with Nelly) kinda chuckled because every kid loves Saturdays. Typically because they don't have to go to school. For Nelly, however, it was different. She continued "I love Saturdays because that's the day I would go to the programme and I would get three meals that day. At lunch I would fill up my plate and take it to the gate so I could share it with my brothers and sisters." We asked her what she did on other days and she told us that they only ate one meal a day at dinner time. They would each get a cake made from cornmeal - about the size of your palm - and some boiled down kale. Because that's all her family could get. I asked her "Does it ever trouble you to see the 'stuff' we spend our money on here?" She was so sweet when she explained that she doesn't feel jealous or angry but believes that God made things this way so that those of us who are willing and can help have someone to help. But she does wish she could just take anyone who complains about what they don't have to see what it really means to not have anything. What an incredible point of view to hold.
Meanwhile, our kids (meaning kids all across this country - as well as mine and Paula's) gripe when they don't get the newest hot item the very same day it comes out. Or if dinner is late. Or if we can't go out to eat. Or if they can't have "whatever" it is that they've set their eyes upon. We could learn from Nelly's example.

This is what Compassion is doing for over 1.2 million children in 26 countries around the world. This makes me so proud of my involvement but it also makes me feel like I'm not doing enough. So I'm going to be doing more. And it all starts here, today! I'm gonna start blogging again so I can use this blog as a platform for kids like Nelly and Selena and the others that Paula and I have met and spoken with. I'll share some of their stories as I can. I'll share what is on my/our own hearts. I'll share the stories that we get from our own sponsored chidren as they write to us. And I'll share anything that we are doing to promote the minsitry of Compassion. I hope you'll be encouraged to want to do more yourself. Whether it be sponsoring a child, making a donation to Compassion or even if it is to pursue with your whole heart those charities which you are passionate about.

This Amazing Gift

2010-12-25T00:01:00.002-05:00

a parable

Imagine, if you will, receiving from your parents an unexpected gift. A gift that you, by no means, ever asked for, nor said that you wanted. Yet, your parents gave it to you anyway, and you accepted it with great joy.
You played, with great excitement, with this amazing gift, finding new and more delightful uses for it with each passing day. Perplexed by the magnificent qualities that this gift possessed. Such fragile form for so sturdy a substance, strangely simple and curiously complex. It was all such a wonder to you.
Everyday was a new adventure for you with this remarkable trinket. All the world lay open to you, the wild imaginings of one so enthralled by such a beautiful bauble. You awoke each day with a radiant smile, bright enough to eclipse the rising sun. When you slept, you dreamt of glorious escapades with your treasure, your prize. The key to all the wonders that the universe held was in your possession, even in your right hand.
As time went by, eventually, you began to lose interest in your present. The luster having faded, the glow it once held now a mere reflection of what light it was held in. Finding less surprise in it, only savoring the memories of when it was new. Seeing less shine to it than any of those memories could recall. Becoming discontent with it almost to the point of disgust. Looking at it now serving only to remind you that it was no longer the object of great joy that it once was. So you placed it on a shelf where it silently stayed, collecting dust. Seldom looking at it for the fear of the pain that may come to mind of strange innocence lost.
Then one day, as if by chance, you glance at it. A glimmer.
"What was that I just saw?".
So, turning to face it, for the first time in a great while, you discover something that might be of use. You realize that your gift has been broken. Strange that you never noticed it before. How long has it been this way? Could it be that this was why you lost that thrill of playing with your gift? Oh, let it be so.
So you take your present from the shelf and carefully dust it off, hoping to find some clue as to what happened to it. You set yourself to repair this once cherished and prized possession. But all of your clumsy fumbling and your impatience only frustrates you further. The pain returns.
Then, out of the clear blue sky, it occurs to you.
"Perhaps I can find someone who can repair it. Maybe the One who made it."
A spark of hopeful enthusiasm flashes across your heart. Hope springs... if only for a moment.
So you take your gift to the Shopkeeper where your parents found it and you walk into the shop, apprehensive at the thought that the Man behind the counter may not be able to fix it. Your fears are quieted by the display of wondrous gifts that the Shopkeeper has on His shelves.
“Maybe, just maybe, He will be able to fix it.”
You stand watching Him tinker with some item behind His counter, barely noticing you, yet completely aware of your every move.
You approach Him with caution, as if He were a beast of some renown, a legendary monster whose only lot in life was the destruction of those who came to annoy Him. You try to muster some semblance of strength by which to speak, your mouth so suddenly dry and sour. You shamble a half pace closer to His workbench, each step requiring every ounce of your concentration.
He stands abruptly. The sudden shock of this seemingly old Man and the quickness with which He moves, shakes you to your soul. You want to hide from Him, but you know that it's too late now.
"Dear, Child! I've been waiting for you!" His exclamation sends a shudder through you as if thunder itself had spoken your name.
"Waiting for me? He doesn't even know me." you think to yourself.
"Come, let me see what you've got there." He says with an outstretched hand.
You dread giving this once precious gift to this Stranger, but you really have no choice. Your hand trembles as you reach out to the Shopkeeper, His eyes gazing deeply into your soul. You begin to pull back, the pain of knowing just how broken your prize is. Then you notice a smile on the Shopkeepers face. A look of confidence that bolsters your weary heart. He knows that you will give it to Him. He is patient enough to wait another moment if needed. One more moment is nothing to Him.
You resign yourself to His expertise. He takes your gift and looks it over. There's no obvious determination to His expression. He turns it this way and that, holding it up to the light to see more than you could ever know of it. He notices your nervous pacing as you wait for His diagnosis.
"I don't remember giving it away like this." He says with a curious grin.
"It's broken. I don't know how it happened. Can you fix it?" Your voice a quivering whisper.
"Of course, I can fix it." He says. "When I've finished it will be like new... even better." there was no hint of boastful pride in His remark, just a simple statement of fact.
As He sets to working on your gift, He starts to ask you questions about it. The two of you converse, as if you were old friends getting reacquainted. In an odd way, you feel safe discussing it with Him, the glory days of your time with this amazing gift. He begins to show you the various dents and dings that you've managed to inflict on your prize, not to make accusations, only to inform you. Taking time to tell you how to avoid such problems in the future.
When He finally finishes with your gift, He polishes it up and hands it back to you. Startled by the restored shine and wonder, you ponder whether He didn't switch your beaten trinket with one of the others in the shop. It was beautiful once again.
"How much do I owe you?", you ask, afraid that it will cost you more than you have, or could afford.
He shakes His head and smiles at you. "Oh, There’s no charge for this. It‘s already been taken care of."
The weight of what He has just said stuns you.
"You can see my Son about the warranty." He says, pointing to an office on His right side. An office you hadn't noticed to this point.
You walk with a spring in your step that you haven't had in a long time. You approach the door only to be greeted by a younger version of the older Man behind the counter.
"All of the work is in order." He declares boldly. "I've taken care of everything."
"There are things about your gift that you've never discovered. We can show you how to use them all. So, come by, or call on Us occasionally for tips and pointers." He pauses for a brief moment before going on. "...And, about those things My Father showed you, try to avoid doing them again. They're still covered, and you can always bring it back if something happens, or even if something doesn't. But for all the love We put into these presents, it hurts Us when people don't take care of them, or use them properly."
You extend your hand to the younger Man, noticing a peculiar scar on His wrist as He shakes it.
"Curious.", you think to yourself. As you turn to leave, you look back over your shoulder.
"Be sure to tell all of your friends about Us. They may have some gift that needs repaired as well." They said together.
"That, I most certainly will do."

Michael +

May you all enjoy God's blessings on this Holiday. Merry Christmas.

Redemption

2010-12-24T07:01:00.003-05:00

Well, it's Christmas Eve (and, yes, I'm maintaining my tradition of re-posting my Christmas posts from earlier years) and I've been taking time this year to reflect even more deeply on just what Christmas is all about. Have you?
Yes, Christmas is about traditions and family and being together to celebrate the things which we hold dear. And it is especially about our celebration of faith in Christ. But lest we forget just why Jesus was born into this fallen world; it was for our Redemption.
As I said, I've been reflecting on Christmas lately and I've noticed something this year that I missed before. The redemption story is what really strikes a chord in all of us at this time of year. As I've sat and watched numerous Christmas specials and movies, I've seen it much more clearly this year than ever before.
Every Christmas show or movie that we know and love is all about the redemption of one of the main characters. Of course, A Christmas Carol is probably the most significant one. Consider how many times it's been done and re-done with a new twist, or adapted to reflect popular culture. The tale is always the same. The self-involved "scrooge" sees just how wretched they are and their life is turned around by the spirit(s) of Christmas. And I believe people respond to this because we all want to have that kind of hope. We all want that redemption, even if we're not sure if, or why, we need it.
And I've been seeing the redemption story in every Christmas special I've watched so far. Think about it...
Rudolph: Rudoplph is redeemed when he realizes he can't run from his problems forever. When he finds the courage to face his "uniqueness" he becomes a hero. As a result, everybody else is redeemed when they see how wrong they were about him.
And let's not forget about all of the misfit toys who end up with children who love them because of Rudolph!
Santa Claus is Coming To Town: The Winter Warlock, whose icey heart is melted by the kindness of Kris Kringle.
Year Without a Santa Claus: Santa himself is redeemed when every child in the world agrees that he deserves a day off.
Little Drummer Boy: He's an angry kid who hates the world for the way it's treated him. But when Aaron meets Jesus, he is changed forever.
The Grinch: Need I say anything about this one?
I could go on, but I hope you get the point by now.
I guess what I'm saying is this; when we consider the reason why Jesus was born, it becomes clear that even in celebrating His birth, we recognize just what it is about Him that draws us to love this time of year. Because it's at this time of year that our redemption truly draws near to us.
Have a Merry Christmas!

The Gospel According to Jack Skellington

2010-12-24T00:01:00.001-05:00

Originally posted on 12/24/08:

This is the sermon I gave at both services. I hope you all enjoy it.

Good morning. I want to start by thanking P.Dave, and all of you, for the confidence to trust me with today's message. I'll try not to disappoint you.

As P.Dave mentioned, the title of today's sermon is The Gospel According to Jack. So, allow me to introduce all of you to Jack.

I don't suppose I have to tell anyone that Jack Skellington isn't really an apostle. But I still think we can learn something from the story he tells.
As I'm sure you've all noticed, Jack lives in a rather dark and colorless world. it's a place of fright and gloom. But since this is normal for his world, nobody ever considers that something might be amiss. Yet, for some odd reason, Jack knows that there is.
It's kinda like our own world. We live in a world full of crime and injustice. We have poor and needy everywhere. And we have sickness and disease. So we're never really surprised to hear about these things happening in our world, whether it be to someone around the corner, or someone on the other side of the world. We've gotten used to hearing about these things. But still, we know that our world shouldn't be like this. And Jack knows that's true, too.
You see, Jack wonders about it since he sees something wrong in his own life. He tells us in his song that he knows that he's the very best at what it is that he does. And what he does is scare people. Well, in a dark and dismal world of perpetual Halloween, this is normal. But in spite of being the very best at what he does, Jack is not satisfied with his life. In spite of all of the fame and the praise of all his peers, Jack is unfulfilled. He is longing for something more. That's what he's searching for. And he's about to stumble upon something.

Jack has discovered Christmas!
In his wanderings Jack has stumbled upon Christmas. It's a world of bright lights and dazzling colors. And Jack suddenly feels something inside that he's been missing for more years than he can recall. It invigorates him, and excites him. So much so that he decides to take over. He kidnaps Santa Claus and tries to take his place for the year. But Jack isn't Santa, so the whole thing turns into a fiasco.
Sounds like a lot of us, doesn't it? We try our best to do everything we can, in our own power, only to watch things fall apart at the seams. And even when we let God have control of our situations, we can't resist trying to make things work out by ourselves.
We have this tendancy to forget that while God is always willing to use us, when we're willing to be used, He doesn't actually allow us to do anything. He will work in others who are near us, He will work in circumstances around us, and He will do things through us. But we have to remember that He is the one doing the work - we are simply the tool. And like most tools, we are meant for specific jobs, specific purposes. And when we don't pay attention to what God wants to use us for, and we try to go it alone, things go wrong. When we try to do the job on our own, it never works out.

You see, Jack was trying to be Santa Claus, trying to do Santa's job. But Jack is no Santa Claus, so he failed at it, and miserably so. He left Christmas in ruins for children everywhere. Then he finally comes to the realization that there's only one who can really fix the mess that he's made.

Jack has finally come to his senses that Christmas isn't his thing. Scaring people is what he does, and he's good at it. But Christmas belongs to Santa. And, since Santa - being a character based upon a real saint - is a representation of Christ, we see that only Santa can fix the mess that Jack has made. And that is us all over. Or, at least, that's me all over
I'm reminded of one of my favorite passages of scripture; Romans 7:21-25

"I have discovered this principle of life - that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God's law with all my heart. But there is another power within me at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is; In my mind I really want to obey God's law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin."

Sometimes we forget Who we serve, and we make mistakes. I know that there is a calling on my life. I know I serve some greater purpose in God's plan. But it certainly isn't to be a pastor. But I'm thankful that P.Dave recognizes my calling, and my ability to have something worth sharing every once in awhile. And as long as I'm walking in that purpose, and allowing God to work through me, God will watch out for me. It's when I try to take matters into my own hands that things get messy.
But it's OK to mess up once in awhile. We're all bound to do it. But thank God that when we do mess up, He's always there waiting to fix things for us.

Quote for 12/05/10

2010-12-05T06:25:00.001-05:00

"My idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern, is very simple: loving others. Come to think of it, why do we have to wait for Christmas to do that?"
Bob Hope

Coming back to life

2010-11-30T05:18:00.002-05:00

Has it really been seven months?
I guess so. Especially since I can clearly see that my last post was from March 30th and today is November 30th. Where has the time gone?
It's hard for me to want to write anything at the moment. I've been away from it long enough that it seems foreign to me. I feel out of my element. Yet, I feel as if this is the direction God wants me to take.
I suppose filling everybody in on what has been happening with Paula and I would be a good place to start.
Life is good.
We've done so much together and things are just exploding for us, spiritually speaking. It's been a whirlwind of activities and changes that have taken us by surprise at times. We've left The Revolution Church, though not for anything negative. We still support the vision of P.Dave, but we felt that God was calling us to be elsewhere. That, and because there was something absent for Paula's kids there. We needed to find a youth group where we could get them involved, and growing in their own faith, instead of just showing up with us at church on Sundays. So that is what we've done by returning to the church I grew up in. And while doing that we believed we might find opportunities to serve in our new church, every urging of the Holy Spirit is to simply "wait". We seem to be in a time of restoring and rest instead of service.
In May, Paula and I visited Fort Recovery together when one of my uncles passed away. She fell as in love with the place as I have always loved it. And we do believe that we're called to be there someday, soon. But we're waiting to see what doors God opens for us with that.
We had an amazing summer as we attended Creation, Purple Door and Uprise together as volunteers for Compassion. And in doing so, we've found ourselves profoundly challenged to really solidify our commitment to Christ. Not to mention, we attended a few smaller concerts as volunteers and have found ourselves engaged in a somewhat unique ministry of praying with the bands or their representatives before we leave the event. It's just something the Spirit placed on our hearts. And the thing about it that strikes me as odd is that each time we've prayed with someone, they've said "Nobody's ever done that for us before.". Something is truly lacking when prayer is missing from a Christian event...
We've had some ups-n-downs with the kids. Bob has decided to leave us to live with his mother. But I get the feeling he's regretting it. Tim, Paula's youngest (13 yr old), had such issues with the atmosphere at Gateway that we enrolled him in cyber-school. Tad, Paula's 15 year old, actually did good as a part of Gateway's 9th grade football team. Otherwise, the blended family seems to be mashing itself together alright.
Paula hasn't been working very steadily, sporadic photo sessions here and there - which is the nature of being self-employed in economic times such as these. It's made things kinda tight for us, but God provides. As a result of some of her free-time, Paula has been writing a book. We've looked into all sorts of publishing possibilities and most of them would cost outrageous sums of money to get started. So we're looking into self-publishing of a different kind. But I'll share more on that as it developes.
I've also been inspired to write a book. Unfortunately I don't have the kind of free-time to just sit down and get started. So, I'm doing bits and pieces of research for it as I can. But more than anything I'm waiting for Paula to finish up with hers.
Paula joined Mom and I on our annual pilgrimage to Fort Recovery for Thankgiving. It was an awesome time there. Paula is so inspired by my aunts and uncles. She was absolutely enthralled by so many of the stories they tell. She's considering asking them if she could put them into a book so their kids would have them as keepsakes for years to come. What an amazing idea. My Baby is just wonderful...
Well, I guess that's all I have for now. I think I've covered all of the important stuff. I apologize for being away for so long. I'll try not to let it happen again. But I'm sure some of you remember what it's like to be a newlywed.

Coming up for air

2010-03-30T21:56:00.002-04:00

I'd like to say that I have something rather significant to share, but I really don't. I know it's been a looooong time since I've posted anything - and I've neglected a few comments that I really must address - but I just haven't had any time to write.
I do want to say this; being married to Paula has brought such incredible joy to my life. Though it has been hectic. I wish I had time to share more about what's been going on, but I really need to get some stuff done before my Beloved comes home from work. I just wanted to let anyone who still visits know that I'm still alive and all is well.
I guess I'll have some time to post as things get more settled around here. Until then, take care.

Quote for 2/27/10

2010-02-27T20:08:00.000-05:00

"Certain thoughts are prayers. There are moments when, whatever be the attitude of the body, the soul is on its knees."
Victor Hugo

Quote for 2/25/10

2010-02-25T15:39:00.001-05:00

"Pain is temporary, quitting is forever."
Lance Armstrong

My posts may be infrequent lately, but I haven't quit altogether...

All is well

2010-02-22T16:13:00.004-05:00

It's been a great week as newlyweds. I have a few pictures on my camera, but none that I would like to post. The lighting just wasn't good for my camera and my niece wasn't sure how to adjust for that. But you can go to my Facebook page and see some of the pics that have been posted by Paula and a few others who had cameras.
We've been getting Paula and the kids moved in through most of the last week, a little bit at a time. It's been strenuous, and there have been some conflicts, but God has used it to help us all grow.
CJ's first birthday party was yesterday. He's getting so big.
Paula and I did our first Compassion event together as husband and wife last night. We are meant for ministry together. A band named Leo was playing in Greensburg and they're a Compassion band. I got to give a 1 minute presentation between bands. Two kids were sponsored. I wish I had more time to share about it all, but I'm wiped out from everything we've done lately. And we still have so much to do yet.
Please, just keep us in your prayers as we continue to transition our families into one.

Quote for 2/14/10

2010-02-14T07:06:00.001-05:00

"If there is such a thing as a good marriage, it is because it resembles friendship rather than love."
Michel de Montaigne

Today's the day, people. Thank you for all of your well wishes. God is truly in this! And that is the most important thing I can say about us.

Quote for 2/12/10

2010-02-12T17:30:00.005-05:00

"A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person."
Mignon McLaughlin

Only two days away, folks. Paula and I have waited so long to find each other, it's hard to believe we're actually here.

I thank God for all that He has done to bring us together.

Quotes from 1/2010

2010-02-12T17:29:00.002-05:00

Quote for 1/5/10

Quote for 1/8/10

Quote for 1/13/10

Quote for 1/19/10

Quote for 1/24/10

Quote for 1/25/10

Dear Soon-To-Be Mrs. Michael Cross

2010-02-06T08:06:00.009-05:00

And anyone else who cares to read...

Thank you for taking a few minutes to fill everybody in on what's been going on with your recent comments.

I don't think that things will settled down after we're blissfully wed. I'm only hoping that I'll have a little bit of time each day - or during each week - to post something about our activities. Maybe together we'll be able to come up with some really good stuff to share.

Don't you downplay your acivities either. You've been busier than I have with all of the planning. You've just had more time than I do each day to do it in.

Yes, my poor broom is gone. Now I'll have to use the shovel...

I was going to post about Bob today, but now you've stolen my thunder. I haven't gotten all of the info yet, either. So we'll wait and see how things ended up later on.

I happen to love chinese! And it was only something quick and easy that I could work with. My other option would've been chicken alfredo - and I know you prefer red sauce over alfredo. So I went with chinese rather than italian.

OK, I'll post a couple of pics of us from the night I proposed. That way everyone will see my beard - and just how happy we are.

There. Is that better?
Now everyone gets to see me with a beard, and how truly beautiful you are.

The Youth Encounter event was a great day for me.
Compassion contacted me on kinda short notice about two weeks before this event. Compassion's HQ contacted me because my friend Randy couldn't cover the event himself, because of a previous engagement. So he recommended me. Needless to say I was grateful to be shown such confidence by someone that I truly respect and admire for his commitment to Compassion.
The event itself was agathering of local youth - mostly Middle and Jr High schoolers. So I wasn't expecting an overwhelming flood of new sponsors.
The high point fo the day, for me, was that I was allowed to give a 15 minute presentation to the crowd of about 300. I did good - from what I was told.
I used the following passages of scripture to emphasize what our callling as followers of Christ means.

Revelation 20:11-15
I focused on vs 13.
13) The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done.

I reminded the kids that we're not really judge on what we do, but that our faith is dead without us doing something to show for it.

Matthew 7:21-23
21) "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22) Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23) Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!"

I explained that Jesus doesn't seem so concerned with the big stuff - the miracles, casting out demons or prophecying. So, what is it that Jesus wants us to be doing for Him? What deeds does Jesus think are worthy of allowing us into Heaven?

Matthew 25:31-46
I focused on vs 34-40.
34) "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35) For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36) I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
37) "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38) When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39) When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40) "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

I told the kids that Jesus is concerned with the way we deal with one another, and with strangers. I told them that they have more opporunity to succeed than most kids in the world, and that I was offering them the chance to help a child to find greater opportunity to succedd in their life. I pressed them to consider what Jesus was telling them with the last passage. And I questioned whether or not they were going to walk away when they've been shown 21 children who are hungry and thirsty and in need of care. I asked if they were going to turn away from these needy children when they've been blessed with so much.

I realized that there's not a whole lot that a bunch of Middle and Jr. High schoolers can do as individuals. So I guess my appeal was more to the youth leaders and pastors among the group - that they might be moved to consider sponsoring a child as a youth group.
It worked for 2 youth groups. One of which is going to see how the youth group handles the responsibility and then they may ask me to give a presentation at their church. I have to admit, I'm pretty excited about that possibility.
But as a side note, during the day I was able to talk to several of the people who were involved with the whole event. My contact person was a young lady named Amanda. She was really excited to have the connection between Youth Encounter and Compassion. It was something that her and several other people in her office had been wanting to do for years and this years's theme of "Do. Love. Walk." (based on Micah 6:8) was the perfect opportunity.
One of the things that most impressed Amanda was the way I told the story of how Paula and I came together. And she loved the way I explained how it was all God's doing, that He had been working in our lives since we were young, in order to make us into who He wanted us to be for one another.

BTW, you can all check out our story at our Wedding Page. Ther's a lot to it, so take your time and read each section. But don't delay for too long because we'll be taking the page down after the Big Day!

Something else that had Amanda rather excited was my openess to talk about my spiritual gifts. Without being told, I deduced that this event was a Lutheran gathering. Most of the youth groups represented Lutheran congregations, and the order of worship was quite familiar. So I wasn't too sure how well received my expressions of my spiritual walk would be. But Amanda explained how she was a part of a charismatic Lutheran congregation, and she was so glad to see someone talk about such things with such boldness.
She asked me what direction I thought the charismatic movement was heading in because she sometimes felt stiffled in her church. I explained that I think the charismatic movement is turning into something that it was always meant to be. I told her that I believed that those individuals who believe that "speaking in tongues" is the most important evidence of the Spirit's work in someon's life are falling to the wayside. God is ready to use anyone who is willing to let Him have His way in them. Whether it be speaking in tongues, or prophecying, or speaking a word of knowledge or wisdom isn't as important as long as they're obedient to follow the the Holy Spirit's leading. And I told her that I expect to see miracles happening as aresult of this new move, and she should as well.
I was truly uplifted to have the conversations that I had with her. And I believe that even with the two sponsorships, my real purpose for having been at this event was to give Amanda the encouragement that she needed. I am convinced that the sponsorships were a side-blessing for me, because I was obedient to being used to exhort Amanda in her spiritual walk. And I love that as much as I love helping kids sponsored.

And one last thing...
As some of the people I work with have begun to countdown the days to my wedding with me, a conversation began at work yesterday that was another blessing for me.
As I explained mine and Paula's non-traditional wedding, one of the young ladies posed a question regarding my being "really religious". I got to talk about mine and Paula's distaste for things "religious" and how we're all about faith and following Christ. I explained that "religion" creates a list of do's and don'ts that will supposedly get us into Heaven. But what I believe is that if you have faith, then just believing that God will do what He's said He will do - which is let us into Heaven by His grace - then that's all we have to do; just believe. To which one of the other young ladies standing nearby replied that's what she's been trying live by for years.
She also expressed her desire to find a church that is non-traditional and isn't all about the religion, or the building or whatever it is that turns so many people away from church. So I invited her to The Revolution Church, since we're about as non-traditional as churches get these days. We also talked about the idea that the church is becoming more centered on Christ and following the New Testament model of small groups and home Bible studies than Sunday morning services. And she loved that idea. I even invited her to a small group that Paula and I will be starting in our home after the wedding. I hope she'll show up for one or the other.

Sometimes, God is just too cool!

So, that's what I haven't been sharing lately. But with the snowstorm dropping well over a foot of snow outside, and the subsequent State Of Emergency having been declared for Allegheny County - not to mention Monroeville - I have some free time on my hands. Now I can take a nap...

Don't look !!!

2010-02-06T07:43:00.005-05:00

This was what it looked like at about 6:00 PM last night...

And at about 8:00 PM...

And about 10:30 PM...

This is what I woke up to at 7:30 this morning...

Looks like I've got a lot of shoveling to do...

Still alive

2010-02-05T18:47:00.003-05:00

In case any of you were wondering; Yes! I am still alive. Paula and I have been busy planning the wedding, so I haven't had any time to post anything. Now, mind you, there has been a lot of good stuff going on for us, I just haven't been able to share any of it with all of you. Sorry.
But don't worry, when the dust has settled, and Paula and I are blissfully wed, I'll be able to return to a bit more regular posting schedule - I hope...
Who knows what God will do with us next?

Youth Encounter

2010-01-30T23:46:00.003-05:00

I wish I weren't so tired because I'd love to tell everyone about the day I had doing my Compassion thing for a youth event called Youth Encounter. It was amazing to be a part of, and even though there was only one sponsorship for the entire day, I got to meet and talk to some truly wonderful people.
I'm hoping I have time to share more about it all later on, but the reason why my blog has fallen into such sorry shape is because Paula and I have had so much to do with planning our wedding (which takes place in two weeks). And I'm not sure how much time I'm going to have available while we continue to work things out for the joyous occasion.

Quote for 1/25/10

2010-01-25T06:05:00.000-05:00

"Between whom there is hearty truth, there is love."
Henry David Thoreau

Quote for 1/24/10

2010-01-24T07:56:00.000-05:00

"Friendship often ends in love; but love in friendship, never."
Charles Caleb Colton

Quote for 1/19/10

2010-01-19T15:57:00.000-05:00

"Our main business is not to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do what clearly lies at hand."
Thomas Carlyle

I think you all should know

2010-01-15T17:23:00.002-05:00

Paula and I are getting married in a month.

Valentine's Day...

Now, I'm sure that many of you are wondering how it's possible that I only began talking about her at Thanksgiving, and we're already getting married. Let me just say, if I told you the entire story of how God brought us together, and demonstrated to us that we're meant to be together, you'd understand (probably). However, I'm not going to share that story here. At least, not yet...
Instead, Paula and I have decided that we're going to wait until our wedding to tell everybody at once. So, if you want to hear the story, you'll have to come to the wedding.

Yes. That means if you're reading this, you're invited.

Now, I doubt many of you will show. None of you have ever shown up at any other events which I've posted invitations to, why should this one be any differnt? But if you do feel inclined to come to our wedding, please send me an e-mail saying you'd like to come. Include your mailing address so we can send you an offical invitation.

Sorry for the delay

2010-01-14T18:11:00.001-05:00

I will begin this post with a profuse apology for taking so long to get it posted.
I'm sorry. This should've been posted on Saturday. I'll try not to let it happen again.

OK, now comes the hard part; remembering what happened on Friday night when JT, Paula, her youngest son, Tim, and myself headed to Butler to The Net Outreach for a concert.
I do remember that there was a lot of snow. and that it took us nearly two hours to get there - when it usually takes us just under an hour.

Of course, you all know that I went in my capacity as a Volunteer Advocate for Compassion. Little did I know that there was a surprise in store for me.
When we arrived the guys from Manic Drive seemed rather glad to see us. Cool enough that they remembered JT and I, but they remembered that we had something to do with Compassion, too. And I was not aware of it at the time, but they also had something to do with Compassion. But more on that later...

We took my materials in and set up the table. Paula and Tim stopped in the cafe to get coffees for us. Things were starting out kinda slow. But they got better.

The first band come on about 7:30 - a half hour later than things were supposed to start. But they were pretty good. They were a local band called Becoming Less.

I think all of the sets were abbreviated because of the weather and the late start.

Then came our friends, Third From First. I think this is the 5th or 6th time we've seen these guys.

Tim really liked their set. He came back to where Paula was sitting next to me and just kept going on about the guitar solo on one of their songs. And he couldn't wait till everything was over so he could talk to them.
This was a high point for me because I really wanted him to have fun with us. He did.

Next up was Burning Yesterday. A more hardcore band, but not a screaming metal band, though Paula thinks they were....

Tim really liked these guys too. And once again I was happy to hear it because I wanted to know he was really enjoying the show.

Finally came the main act, Manic Drive.

Now, I have to say this first. I made sure to get video of their intro, because last year's intro was so cool and funny. And this year's was even better. Unfortunately, the video won't load into a post, so I can't let anyone see it. But I'll tell everyone a little bit about it.
They basically made fun of the book/movie series, Twilight, by describing themselves as vampires and poking fun at the movies while doing it. It was pretty cool.
They did an excellent set. Tim loved the way the guitarist did the robot while he played.
They even added their funky wind-sock guys (see pics above) to the show. But they added something else that kinda took me by surprise - a Compassion presentation.
They had been told that there hadn't been enough notice to get any Compassion volunteers to the show, but this is already my monthly gig. So when I showed up, and they remembered me from last year and being their neighbor at the Moraine State Park Summer Festival, they were excited to know that Compassion actually did manage to get a couple of volunteers there on such short notice.
They did a packet pass. I handed out 6 child packets and got two sponsorships, two guys came up and admitted they couldn't afford it right now, but they wanted to now if they could go online when they could afford it.

After the shows were done Tim got posters and autographs from all of the bands. I talked to the guys from Becoming Less because they collectively sponsored a child. I told themI'd gladly bring a table to any of their shows if they'd like that. They seemed a bit interested. So I may have more gigs to set up at in the future.
Then the guys from Manic Drive came over to thank me for showing up with such short notice. That's when I told them I had already arranged to be there each month, so it worked out great for us both. It was good to just talk to them a little bit about their involvement with Compassion. And I told them I was glad they did the presentation because that helps me with my ministry too.
We wrapped things up around 12:00 and headed back out into the snow for a cautious 1 1/2 hour ride home. But I'd have to say it was well worth the trip, both ways. Tim and Paula both got to experience their first concert. Paula got to watch me do my thing for Compassion. JT realized that all of the local bands know us - and are fans of his podcast. And me, I got to do my ministry with people I love. What a way to kick off the new year...
Who could ask for more?

Quote for 1/13/10

2010-01-13T17:42:00.001-05:00

"There is never time in the future in which we will work out our salvation. The challenge is in the moment; the time is always now."
James Baldwin

Quote for 1/8/10

2010-01-08T15:35:00.002-05:00

"The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, not to worry about the future, or not to anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly."
Buddha

Out-n-about again

2010-01-08T15:18:00.002-05:00

Despite the nasty weather - the cold and the snow overabounding - JT, Paula and I are braving the elements to see Manic Drive, Third From First, and a couple of other local bands at The Net Outreach tonight. It's gonna be a lot colder this time than the last time we saw these two bands together...

Our first concert of 2010. Paula's first concert, ever! Pretty cool! And I will be setting up a table for Compassion. I'll also make sure to get some pics to share with everyone later on.

Testify

2010-01-07T16:16:00.003-05:00

I had a really cool experience at work today that truly reflects my calling and demonstrates for me the direction that God has been leading me into for several months now.
The whole event actually began as I woke up early this morning from a rather disturbing dream. For some odd reason, in my dream, I was running late for work. Not only is this unusual for me, it's one of those things that really gets me agitated.
To briefly explain, there are two reasons why being late for work is so disturbing to me. First, because I am the kind of person who makes sure to have plenty of time to get somewhere - no matter where I may be going. I don't like being late. And I don't understand how some people can be habitually late for anything. I see it as a character flaw; an inability to properly manage one's time. It also demonstrates a lack of commitment to keep an appointed time. Which always leaves me wondering what else might such a person lack commitment to...
But enough on that.
The second reason why being late to work is so disturbing to me is because I'm a man. And as a man, there is a part of my identity that is wrapped up in my work. Men tend to identify more with what they do than who they actually are. When men meet for the first time in social settings one of the first questions most commonly discussed is "What do you do for a living?" (or something to that effect). So when I'm running late for work I feel as if I'm betraying some part of myself. Being less of a man. Which means I tend to see any man who tends to be habitually late as something less of a man.
But these are just my opinions and have little to do with the rest of the story. I just needed to explain that I woke up early this morning from a disturbing dream and why it was disturbing.
Anyways...
the thought of being late to work shook me awake much earlier than I needed to be. But it's not without good reason because once I was awake the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart about a co-worker. The Spirit politely asked me to get up and get on the computer so I could send an e-mail to my friend Shaun. He had been in a car accident a few weeks back and was injured, rather severely, but was up & about and working - though in some substantial pain. And all the Spirit asked me to type was this:

Shaun,
Come see me after you read this. God wants me to lay hands on you. He woke me up this morning to make sure I knew that.
M+

And that was it.
I tended to some other e-mails to my Beloved, Paula. And I went about getting ready for work as I normally do thinking this really only had to do with Shaun needing some prayer for his injuries.
Sure enough, I get to work and go about my normal business still not too concerned about why God woke me up earlier than I had to be. I was just waiting for Shaun to come and see me. He did that shortly after my first break.
I could see that he was somewhat excited to find me, since he's not always sure of where I'll be - because I'm not always too sure of it myself. But as soon as he stepped up to me I stood up and said "Ready?" and he just nodded. So I placed my right hand in his as if we were shaking hands and then I placed my left hand on his neck and shoulder and I began to pray.

Now, before anyone get's too excited about this, there was no miraculous healing that took place. At least not any that I'm aware of. I simply prayed with a friend who needed prayer. But this wasn't really about his healing.

After I finished praying he began to talk to me about some of the things that have been going on in his life over the last few weeks. Nothing horribly disheartening, but troublesome just the same. And he has been feeling worn down by it all lately because of the injuries and some other health issues that he and his wife are dealing with. And it all seemed to come to a peak last night so that he just cried out to God for a little help. Then he comes into work to find my e-mail saying God thought his situation important enough to wake me up to get me to pray with him today.

How awesome is God to do something like that?
How awesome is God to take notice of my friend and send help to him almost immediately?
How awesome is God to pick me to be used in this way?

And this is why I testify to God's glory: His love endures forever!

So much for global warming

2010-01-06T18:08:00.003-05:00

It's been snowing here since New Years Day. That's 5 days of snow - non-stop. Every time I go outside my car is covered with at least 2 inches of snow. That includes when I leave work to come home. My driveway is buried under nearly 8 inches of the stuff since I was sick over the last day or so and haven't been able to get out to shovel. Now I think I'll just let it go until it stops snowing altogether.

Oh, and the temperatures have been dangling in the low 20's and upper teens over the last week or so. And this is happening all across the country.

Global Warming my a$$ !!! But this could be a sign of the Apocalypse...

Quote for 1/5/10

2010-01-05T18:08:00.000-05:00

"You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment."
Henry David Thoreau

Quotes from 12/2009

2010-01-05T18:07:00.004-05:00

Quote for 12/3/09

Quote for 12/5/09

Quote for 12/9/09

Quote for 12/13/09

Quote for 12/19/09

Quote for 12/21/09

Quote for 12/22/09

Quote for 12/23/09

Quote for 12/31/09

Quotes from 2009

2010-01-05T18:05:00.003-05:00

Quotes from 1/2009

Quotes from 2/2009

Quotes from 3/2009

Quotes from 4/2009

Quotes from 5/2009

Quotes from 6/2009

Quotes from 7/2009

Quotes from 8/2009

Quotes from 9/2009

Quotes from 10/2009

Quotes from 11/2009

Quotes from 12/2009

New beginnings

2010-01-02T09:01:00.003-05:00

So, how was your New Years celebration?

Ours was quite enjoyable.
I got home from work around 3:30 and decided to go ahead and start the kielbasa & hotdogs with saurkraut before heading off to JT's. So I arrived at JT's shortly before 5:00. We knew we had to stop at the State Store for some alcohol so that was our first stop since we didn't know how late they would remain open.
While we were on our way JT asked if I had my heart set on having the Captain join us. I asked what he might have in mind otherwise. To which he suggested picking up the things we would need for White Russians. It sounded like a great idea to me. So that's what we did.
The line was long and people were everywhere. But we still had a good time while we waited as we met a lady who was visiting from Georgia. Her and JT had a great conversation about different types of alcohol and brands of certain ones. I just kinda stood there and chuckled since I have such a limited knowledge of these things.
From there we made what was supposed to be a quick stop at Giant Eagle. JT wanted to grab some cranberry juice - just in case someone would prefer to have cranberry & vodka to a White Russian. I also wanted to spend the last of the money available on my Flex Spending Account card for some over the counter medications that are always useful (Tylenol, Benedryl, etc...). And as I once lamented that they don't accept the card at the liquor store - even if the whiskey is going to be for medicinal purposes - I had no choice but to use it all at Giant Eagle. However, once I tried to ring up the $26 worth of medications, my card was being denied for all but $8.59. Which was weird since I had checked my balance before leaving to get JT and I still had $72 available with a $30 prescription pending. So I have no idea what happened to the other $42 and the website hasn't updated that info yet.
Anyways, after trying to hash things out at the register for about 15 minutes I ended up with a big bottle of Tylenol...
So we were finally on our way back to my house where our festivities for the evening would begin. Once we arrived we set about to getting our various foods prepared and ready to serve. And JT immediately fixed us each a White Russian.
The kielbasa & hotdogs with saurkraut was already smelling good. So I popped in pizza rolls and cheese sticks while I heated up the nacho cheese in the microwave. I also pulled the shrimp ring out of the fridge to discover that the shrimp was still pretty well frozen, so we let it sit for awhile to thaw. Once the pizza rolls and cheese sticks were ready we brought them into the living room to watch our first movie, The Bourne Ultimatum.
My Beloved arrived sometime close to the end of the movie. She brought a veggie tray with her own dip and she also brought BBQ pulled pork for sandwiches - which was awesome!
The next DVD we decided to watch was Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog. I hadn't seen it in awhile and Paula had never seen it, so we opted for the humorous musical. It was fun.
This lead JT to want to watch Serenity next so that's waht we did. However, as we were watching Paula vocalized her thoughts that our idea of celebrating didn't feel much like celebrating to her. She thought we shold be interactng more - not just sitting around eating and watching movies. It's not something she's used to doing. So she asked if I would be offended if she were to call her daughter and see what she was doing and possibly join her for awhile. I didn't have a problem with itas long as we were still together at Midnight.
Unfortunately, her daughter was already in the Southside with one of her friends. Paula might have liked to join them, but had no idea where they were. So she asked if we'd be opposed to going with her. After some discussion we decided that heading down to the Southside wouldn't be a good idea, but going somewhere local for a few drinks and some human interaction woud be nice.
Our first stop was a place just at the opposite end of my street from where my house is. It's called the Rivertown Inn. It didn't look too crowded but full enough for some fun. But once we walked inside we discovered that they had a cover charge for their party. $50 per person but it was All-You-Can-Eat-&-Drink. A bit steep for us since we'd already spent some substantial cash for the food and drink we had at home. But we did keep this in mind for next year...
Instead we opted for Primanti Bros. We grabbed a booth by the bar and talked with each other. There weren't very many people there celebrating. It wasn't quite what Paula had in mind, but it was better than just sitting around watching movies. And we did get to talk more and interact with each other. So it was good.
We watched Dick Clark's Rockin' New Years Eve for the ball drop at midnight. I got to kiss someone very special to me at the beginning of the New Year. And that's something that I haven't been able to do for several years. We lingered for a little while before heading back to the house. We opted for one more movie before we headed to bed, The Matrix. Another one that Paula had never seen.
By the time it was over it was well after 3:30 and we were all ready for some sleep.

In the morning we still had plenty of food to choose from to start the day. JT kicked things off with LOTR: The Fellowship Of The Ring. That was about 11:30 AM, and when it was done it was time for me to take him to his sister's for his family's New Years Day dinner. While I was on my way home Paula texted me to stop and get Oreos. I obliged.
Once I got back we just stayed in and enjoyed each other's company, talking, praying and kissing (alot), until nearly 11:00 PM. When she left I felt her absence more strongly than ever before.

It was a wonderful celebration. Something a little different for us, but enjoyable. And I've started this year with someone very special. I am truly blessed! And I can't wait to see what else God has in store for us with this year...

Happy New Year, everybody!

Quote for 12/31/09

2009-12-31T16:04:00.002-05:00

"Youth is when you're allowed to stay up late on New Years Eve. Middle age is when you're forced to."
Bill Vaughn

I hope none of you feel that way. I know I'm looking forward to tonight's celebration.

Have a safe one, everybody!

The tradition continues

2009-12-30T16:42:00.003-05:00

Many of you have been reading my blog for a few years now, so you're already familiar with the annual tradition that I'm speaking of; mine and JT's New Years Eve Movies-n-Munchies Marathon.

This is a tradition that began for us shortly after my EX decided that she didn't want to be married to me anymore. And it just seemed like such a great way for JT and I to get together to hang out and blow off some steam without having to worry about crashing the car or fighting through a crowd of people that we don't know.
Now, another part of this tradition is that anyone who wishes to attend is welcome to do so - though nobody else ever does. Except for this year. My Beloved will be joining us for the festivites. She'll be the one bringing the veggie tray. But she also promised to bring something else with her, some kind of pork. She must really love me...

Now that it's over

2009-12-28T20:05:00.000-05:00

I just want to share a little bit about how Christmas went for me and the family this year.
First off, I have to say this was quite possibly the best Christmas I've ever had. And I will say that the reason for it is because I finally have my Soul-Mate with me to celebrate the holidays.

That being said; our festivities actually began on Wednesday night as Paula and I with Bob and her two youngest kids, Tad and Tim, headed off to see the Rite-Aid Celebration of Lights at Hartwood Acres. A wonderful drive-thru light display that raises money for one of the Salvation Army's charity projects each year. Too bad I can never get pictures of any of the lights. I guess you'll just have to go see them for yourself...

Christmas Eve was a run-around day for us. Bob and I joined Paula in visiting her family at her sister's house. I got to meet her family for the fisrt time and they liked me. And since there were several younger children there, Bob had a blast throwing them around and wrestling with all of them.
After leaving there we headed over to my brother's house for my family's traditional Christmas Eve celebration.
There were 4 generations present.

Not to mention that my grand-nephew Conner was also there so it was 4 generations for my sister-in-law, Beth's family too.

Of course there was plenty of food to be had.

And after everyone had their fill it was time to open presents.

This is CJ's first Christmas and I enjoyed watching him opening his gifts. In fact, in this pic Both CJ and Conner are opening the presents I gave them.

Here are Paula's youngest sons opening the presents I had for them.

Tim is sitting on the loveseat beside Paula and Tad is standing up behind them.
A few weeks earlier we had all gone out to see A Christmas Carol - the 3D animated version starring Jim Carrey - and when we were done we had gone to Toys-R-Us to play with the Nerf swords. We had a blast - me, Bob, Tad & Tim - just running around the store beating on each other with the foam swords so I made sure to pick them up for Tad and Tim. They loved it!

Then mom opened her present from Paula.

It's a wooden carving made of olive wood from the Holy Land. Mom really appreciated it.

And of course I got to spend a little one-on-one time with CJ.

After we left my brother's house Aliesha and Bob headed over to their mother's. Paula and I returned to my house to watch A Christmas Story together. She'd never seen it before, but she enjoyed it. And she would have to in order to fit in with my family.
When the first showing of the 24 hour A Christmas Story marathon was over we went to her house so that we could celebrate Christmas with her kids in the morning.

This is Paula's Christmas tree.

We all woke up sometime after 7:30 and were soon opening presents.
Seated here are Tim, Fran - Paula's daughter who is her oldest - and Ted.

And here we have Tad and Paula.

I'm sure she wants to kill me for posting this pic, but I'll make up for it with the last picture I post.
Anyways, Paula made everyone breakfast and then we just kinda lounged around for the remainder of the day. Tad and Tim played with their Nerf swords and I played with them a little bit. And as the day progressed I took a little nap. Or maybe I should say that a nap took me, because I was wiped out.

Yeah, I posted that pic so Paula can't be too mad at me for posting the one of her having only recently woke up. I still think she's beautiful.

And that was about it for this year's Christmas celebrations. I trust all of yours were wonderful, too.

Quote for 12/23/09

2009-12-23T15:53:00.000-05:00

"Christmas is a time when you get homesick - even when you're home."
Carol Nelson

For the time being

2009-12-23T15:41:00.002-05:00

I must apologize for neglecting my blog of late - save for the Quotes about Christmas - I've been far too busy to actually post anything significant. And my brain has been far too frazzled to come up with anything profound.
You see, I've been working a lot of Over-Time. Ten hour weekdays and eight hour Saturdays have wrecked my sleep cycle. Good for the bank account, but it takes it's toll on one's other aspirations - like posting something worthwhile on the blog. Not to mention that I have a very special someone that I've been able to share some time with and I'm doing my best to make the most of that time. Thus, the blog has been relegated to my "To Do" list.
All of that being said, I do promise to maintain my Christmas tradition of re-posting my parable on Christmas Day. But I've also decided to begin a new tradition by re-posting something else that is dear to me. And that post will come tomorrow; Christmas Eve.

I may even find some time over the next few days to come up with something original to post as well.

Quote for 12/22/09

2009-12-22T16:28:00.001-05:00

"The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other."
Burton Hillis

Quote for 12/21/09

2009-12-21T21:40:00.000-05:00

"Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love!"
Hamilton Wright Mabie

Quote for 12/19/09

2009-12-19T13:50:00.000-05:00

"Christmas is the gentlest, loveliest festival of the revolving year - and yet, for all that, when it speaks, its voice has strong authority."
W.J. Cameron

Less than a week away !!!

My apologies

2009-12-19T13:39:00.003-05:00

For those of you who read my previous post and were concerned with my reaction to the anonymous comment, I apologize for dragging all of you into the situation. I was hoping that the anonymous commentor would return to see if I had replied and discover his/her error. Because I am convinced that this is a matter of Anonymous mistaking me for the person that I was making reference to in the original post.

I also apologize for letting my "gammar nazi" out for a moment. Sometimes I just can't help myself...

Dear Anonymous

2009-12-17T20:57:00.000-05:00

So, I found this new comment in my mailbox to an old post that has me really confused. Or maybe it's the person who wrote the comment who is really confused, because I have no idea what this person is talking about.
See for yourself...

"Your fruit of actions sound louder than your words...Unfortunitly your actions of late(bigomy, lieing,unaccountable for actions) have been corupeted and there is little going on inside are far as shame of the fruit you have produced. Nor do you feel it is right to apoigise and make restitution to all you have harmed or wronged. How can you justify in Gods eyes that what you do is upright?"

Anonymous, I just want you to know that I am not JD. I simply quoted him. And that quote came from a time when he was at least acting like a respectable and faithful follower of Christ. But I'm in no position to comment any further on his behavior since that time. I've neither seen nor spoken to him in more than a year. So, whatever accusations you seem to be leveling in your comment - you've got the wrong guy! Check my profile and see for yourself.
However, if you think you know me and you're convinced that I am the right guy, please present your reasons for believing that I've commited bigamy. I know I've lied, plenty of times, but you'll need to point out some specific examples of my lying so I can apologize for them. Then I'll be willing to stand accountable for my actions. Otherwise, try not to hide behind your anonymity if you're going to bring such allegations against me. Especially if you've mistaken my blog for someone elses.

BTW, your spelling is an abomination before God and men, and your grammar leaves much to be desired.

Quote for 12/13/09

2009-12-13T08:25:00.000-05:00

"All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on their dreams with open eyes, to make them possible."
T. E. Lawrence (aka, Lawrence of Arabia)

Quote for 12/9/09

2009-12-09T18:08:00.000-05:00

"The joy in life is to be used for a purpose. I want to be used up when I die."
George Bernard Shaw

Yummy

2009-12-09T17:56:00.005-05:00

I have one of the coolest kids in the world.
Bob decided to make sushi for dinner. How cool is that?

But don't ask him to fill the ice trays...

More pics - n other stuff

2009-12-08T17:30:00.008-05:00

I wanted to share a few more of the pics that Paula and I took together last week. In part because I really like them. But more importantly because Paula is a professional photographer (you can check out some of her work at Studio Paula), and we had some fun taking them - as well as editing them a little bit, too.

We didn't do anything to alter the ones that are just below, but I absolutely love the subject of these shots.

I love her smile in both of these pics. Especially the one below since she looks so playful in it.

And you all know me and my love for edged weaponry. Well, we couldn't resist playing around with one of my favorite toys.

Doesn't she look like she's having fun with it? Is it any wonder I love her so much...

Then we did a little more "serious" pose.

Cropped it a little and shaded it.

Then we edited the color.

I really enjoyed creating those pics with her.
Then we got one of her and my masterpiece of body art.

This is sooooo cool because she was originally put off by my branding and tattoo. It's not something she ever expected her soul-mate to have or be interested in. Yet, here I am! And she has come to truly love the whole design. Now she says she can feel the energy that my brand puts out and she can't resist touching it when she's with me.

After I finished playing with my camera, Paula took a few pics of me. And of course, since we were playing I had to have my toys in this shot with me.
Paula liked taking this one.

So I e-mailed her the pics that she wanted and she used Photoshop to blend these two together.

This is such an awesome creation.
OK, that's all I wanted to share with everyone. I hope you liked the pics.

Another reminder

2009-12-07T16:23:00.002-05:00

For those of you who care, A Charlie Brown Christmas is on tmorrow night at 8:00PM on ABC. It was originally scheduled for last Tuesday, but the President's speech pre-empted it.
I only mention this because it has been one of my favorites for as long as I can remember. Maybe not as much as Rudoph. But I'm especially fond of the fact that A Charlie Brown Christmas is one of the few Christmas specials that actually has anything to do with Christ.

Quote for 12/5/09

2009-12-05T16:39:00.002-05:00

"We are formed and molded by our thoughts. Those whose minds are shaped by selfless thoughts give joy when they speak or act. Joy follows them like a shadow that never leaves them."
Buddha

Emphasis mine. And every follower of Christ ought to embrace this idea, as well.

Lovely

2009-12-03T15:45:00.002-05:00

So, Paula stopped over on her way home from work the other night and just out of the blue we took out my camera and got a few pics of each other. Just for fun.

Well, some of them turned out really nice. I'm especially fond of this shot of her.

And then we did a little editing to get this picture of the both of us.

There were a few others as well, but I'm keeping those ones a bit more personal. I need not share everything about my life here on the blog...

I apologize if my most recent posts make me seem like some love-struck teenager, but it's been a long time since I've felt as good as I do now. And there's a depth to our relationship that far exceeds any relationship I've ever experienced before.
I thank God for this woman every day of my life!

Quote for 12/3/09

2009-12-03T15:42:00.000-05:00

"Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls. A joyful heart is the inevitable result of a heart burning with love."
Mother Teresa

Quotes from 11/2009

2009-12-03T15:40:00.002-05:00

Quote for 11/7/09

Quote for 11/8/09

Quote for 11/14/09

Quote for 11/17/09

Quote for 11/22/09

Quote for 11/23/09

Quote for 11/26/09

This is serious

2009-12-02T17:29:00.003-05:00

I dunno, is a cell phone the modern day equivalent to an engagment ring?

Paula gave me her old cell phone and bought a new one for herslf so we'll never have to go 5 days without being able to contact each other again. Unlimited calling to each other.

She must really like me or something...

A reminder

2009-12-02T17:26:00.001-05:00

Just so everyone knows, Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer is on tonight at 8:00 - on CBS.

And we're already two days into ABC/Family Channel's 25 Days of Christmas.

Now go get your Holiday Spirit charged up and running. It's almost Christmas!

While I was away

2009-12-01T14:10:00.014-05:00

I don't have a great deal to share about my visit to Ft. Recovery over Thanksgiving, but I do have a few things to write about. However, I do have a lot of pictures that reflect my joyous holiday spirit. I'll get to those shortly.

Our adventure began Tuesday morning with breakfast at Denny's. Mom and I enjoyed it the last time we did one of these trips, so we thought we'd try it again. Only this time we had a couple of additional guests with us. Bob came along since we didn't do our traditional Sunday dinner with Mom this week - we didn't want her to have to fuss over dinner on Sunday with us leaving on Tuesday. We were also joined by Paula since she didn't have to leave for work until after noon.

Now, just so everyone knows, this was not the first meeting between Mom and Paula. Paula, with two of her sons, had accompanied Bob and I to one of Mom's Sunday night dinners two weeks earlier. And I was overjoyed by how well they got along. This is always a good sign.

Anyways, Mom and I managed to get on the road shortly after 12:00. And we arrived at my Aunt Kathleen's shortly after 6:00.
It was really nice driving through some of the small communities that lie on the last leg of the ride. Several of them had their Christmas decorations up and it gave us such a sense of warmth along our way. There was a rather homey sense of comfort that came over me as I admired it all. And it only got better when we arrived in Ft. Recovery to see their decorations, as well.

I suppose I could say that my days were spent in much the same way they always are in Ft. Recovery. I woke in the morning to eat breakfast, took a walk around town to see if anything had changed - and nothing does, then back to Aunt Kathleen's for a nap before eating again, walking again, and napping again. Of course there was also time spent reading and praying, and there were visits from family throughout the weekend. But the most profound difference between this trip and any others was the way in which I was feeling the absence of my lady. Five days without seeing her face, hearing her voice, or even opening an e-mail from her. It sucks to be that far removed from someone you love. And for the first time that I can recall, I wished I had a cell phone, and I was also excited when it came time to return to Pittsburgh.

OK, all of that being said, here are the pics I took while I was gone. Enjoy!

The Steeler fans have a new flag this year.

Walking through town.

Day and night.

The Fort

This is the place where Santa stays when he visit's Ft Recovery for all of the children there.

Of course, I had to get a shot with the water tower in the background.

And it's just barely visible in this one too.

And more shots with the water tower in the background.

For those of you who don't already know this about me. The water tower is what I consider to be the quintessential image of Ft Recovery. Maybe even more than the replica of the fort. It was always the first thing I'd see when we came here when I was young. And it was always the last thing I'd see as we left. It was the beacon that stood out as if to say "This way for food and rest". And rest I do find while I'm there.
of course, the following pics also lend to that sense of homey comfort that I mentioned earlier.

And, as I mentioned the last time I visited, I spent some time sitting in the park next to this "memorial" to a fallen brother.

I find a strange solitude with God here. Moreso than anywhere else I know.

But I also find a pleasure in the fact that the nearby park/playground is another comfort of home that I can enjoy here.

And finally, a couple of shots that have a more specific significance to a few people that will enjoy them.

Well, JT, apparently the most interesting man in the world does his grocery shopping in Ft Recovery, because they've got his beer right here on their shelves...

Stay thirsty my friends.

Now, allow me to share the story behind this flower arrangement.

Remember how I said Paula had come to dinner at Mom's on Sunday night two weeks earlier. Well, she brought these flowers with her. And since Mom enjoyed the flowers, the colors and even the length of time that they've remained alive & beautiful, she decided that there was no point to leaving them at home where nobody else would be able to enjoy them. So Mom brought them along on our trip. And here they are, exactly two weeks after Paula brought them to her, still looking beautiful. That, to me, is a sign from God!
But this is all I have for now. I promise to share more about how Paula and I came together - in the not-too-distant-future. But for now, you'll just have to be patient as we allow God to grow our relationship into something that is nothing short of a miracle.

Home

2009-11-29T19:46:00.002-05:00

Just wanted to let everyone know that I have made it home, safe and sound and I will be posting about my adventures sometime soon. But for now, I have a lovely lady who requires my undivided attentions...

Quote for 11/26/09

2009-11-26T00:02:00.001-05:00

"Life without thankfulness is devoid of love and passion. Hope without thankfulness is lacking in fine perception. Faith without thankfulness lacks strength and fortitude. Every virtue divorced from thankfulness is maimed and limps along the spiritual road."
John Henry Jowett

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T00:01:00.009-05:00

It's time, once again, for all of us to be mindful of all that we have been blessed with and to give thanks, appropriately enough, to God for all of it.
This year I have all of the traditional blessings - faith, family, friends, house, car, job, etc... - that I typically give thanks for. But there is one additonal blessing that I wish to give exceptional thanks to God for, and that would be the beautiful lady, who's pictured below.

This is Paula, and the photo doesn't really do her beauty the justice she deserves.
I've been hesitant to mention the fact that I've been dating her because it always seems that whenever I begin to post about my relationships, they fall apart shortly thereafter. So I didn't want to jinx this relationship, too. But this time, everything seems different.
We share a common faith in Christ, a deep spirituality, a desire to minister and a desire to serve. And this is only scratching the surface of the connection that we have with one another. It's rather miraculous how God has brought us together. But I'll save the true depth of our story for another time. I just wanted to express my heartfelt gratitude to God for bringing Paula into my life.

Have a happy and blessed Thanksgiving, everyone!

Preparations

2009-11-23T10:15:00.003-05:00

Well, the time is drawing near for me and Mom to make our annual Thanksgiving pilgrimage to Fort Recovery, Ohio.
I've got some grocery shopping to do so Bob won't starve while I'm gone. I've got my laundry to do today so I can pack this evening. And I have to clean the car so mom won't complain about how filthy it is for the whole trip. Then we can leave tomorrow morning after we have breakfast at Denny's.
I'm excited about the trip this year. Even moreso than most years it seems. And yet there's something that gives me hesitation as well. I'll share more about that in my Thanksgiving Day post, so watch for that.
OK, I'm gonna go get my day's activities rolling. I may actually be able to get a nap in this afternoon. Wouldn't that be sweet?

Quote for 11/23/09

2009-11-23T10:14:00.000-05:00

"The passions are like fire, useful in a thousand ways and dangerous only in one, through their excess."
Christian Nevell Bovee

Quote for 11/22/09

2009-11-22T09:08:00.001-05:00

"Change your life today. Don't gamble on the future, act now, without delay."
Simone de Beauvoir

Perhaps I should've said something sooner

2009-11-22T08:57:00.003-05:00

With Thanksgiving fast approaching, I have come to realize that I have sooooo much to be thankful for. And while I'll be scheduling a post for Thanksgiving Day, I just wanted to express a bit of gratitude to God for everything He's doing in my life right now.

I'm feeling rested and relaxed right now and haven't felt so good in years. And I'll share more about why that is later - in my Thanksgiving Day post - but I know a part of the reason is my wisdom in the use of my vacation time this year. I left work at 10:45 AM on Thursday for the Michael W Smith concert & Compassion event. And I will not return to work until Wednesday, December 2th. How cool is that?

Not that I'm gloating...

OK, I'm off to get ready for church.

Do me this favor

2009-11-20T15:05:00.002-05:00

OK, I have to admit, I'm kinda late in getting this post out there. And I do have to apologize to JT for this. But if all of you who read my blog will do this small favor for me, I'm sure it will make it up to him.

Now, here's what I'm asking all of you to do.
I need, well actually, JT needs, all of you to go to the Podcast Awards and cast your vote for JT's Indie Podcast - listed under the Podsafe Music category. You can vote once a day and it will require a "verification" visit to the site after each vote (an e-mail will be sent to you) that you cast. But you all know that JT is my bestest friend in the whole world and I want him to win this. So, please, help me show my bestest friend in the whole world how much I love him by voting for him each day until the end of voting on November 30th.
Thanks!

This is especially important to me since I'll be losing a few days of voting while I take mom to visit our family for Thanksgiving next week.

This just in

2009-11-20T00:47:00.002-05:00

Well, I had a Compassion event tonight and I just got home from it.
It was Michael W Smith's New Hallelujah Tour. I traveled to Johnstown with my friend, Jen, from church for this one.
It was not the kind of concert that I usuually go to. There was no mosh pit. Instead, this one was sooooo worshipful, and I loved it! In fact, I bet my mom would've really enjoyed it. And if you'd like to hear one of my favorite songs from Michael W Smith you can check the video for Healing Rain on You Tube here.

Oh, by the way, 37 children sponsored out of a crowd of about 2500. Not bad at all.

Quote for 11/17/09

2009-11-17T19:27:00.001-05:00

"We've got this gift of love, but love is like a precious plant. You can't just accept it and leave it in the cupboard or just think it's going to get on by itself. You've got to keep watering it. You've got to really look after it and nurture it."
John Lennon

I'm not generally a big fan of the man who once said "christianity will go", but he does have a good point with this statement.

Quote for 11/14/09

2009-11-14T21:09:00.001-05:00

"There is only one happiness in life -- to love and to be loved."
George Sand

Flyleaf

2009-11-13T16:51:00.012-05:00

We started our adventure at P.Dave's and headed off to Taco Bell for a quick bite. From there we were off to Millvale and Mr Smalls. We arrived around 6:15 to a short line. Much shorter than the line we waited in when Skillet was playing with Flyleaf in 07.
Anyways, doors opened at 7:00. The opening act came on at 8:00.
This is Paper Tongues.

They're an amazing hip-hop-rock/techno-rap band with a little bit of funk that makes the music jump.

They introduced themselves as a garage band from North Carolina.

But they put on one great show. We know why Flyleaf has them on their tour.

I loved their bass player, this guy was phenomenal!

Flyleaf rocks!

They came out rockin' and the crowd was fired up.

But everyone went crazy when Lacey spoke to the crowd for the first time of the evening.
"This is our love song for Jesus." was all she said, to introduced All Around Me.

Flyleaf have matured since their first release. The music and lyrics are so much more powerful on the new release. There's no guessing about their faith on this one. And Lacey even did a little "preaching" during the set.
She spoke about the fact that there's really nothing special about them that makes them so popular, just that God pulled off all kinds of miracles to get them to where they are. She also spoke of being an atheist until she was 16, but God revealed Himself to her in a powerful way as she was getting ready to commit suicide. Then she reminded everyone that God loves all of them, too. I loved it.

She also spoke of recently marrying a wonderful guy from Pittsburgh, so now this is her home. the crowd loved hearing that.

I can't say much more. The pictures speak for themselves.
After the show the guys from Paper Tongues came out to meet everyone and sign CD's and whatnot. They were really cool and loved having their pictures taken with everyone.
Then Flyleaf came out to sign copies of their new CD. So I had them sign my copy. JT did too. They were so cool to everyone. Nobody was allowed to take pictures, but Flyleaf took the time to say something to everyone who had a CD to be signed. Ya gotta love that about them.

No time to post

2009-11-12T17:56:00.002-05:00

I apologize for not having time to post anything about last night's Flyleaf concert. Suffice it to say that it was AWESOME !!!
I'll try to get everything posted tomorrow, but the overtime has jumped on me very suddenly and I'm exhausted.

No time to talk

2009-11-11T16:16:00.002-05:00

Flyleaf concert tonight with JT and P.Dave. Gotta go. I'm hoping to have pics tomorrow.

Quote for 11/8/09

2009-11-08T06:30:00.004-05:00

"Since people are going to be living longer and getting older, they'll just have to learn how to be babies longer."
Andy Warhol

It's sad that we can't do anything about that. And CJ is getting bigger everytime I see him. Like yesterday...

Babysitting again

2009-11-08T06:25:00.003-05:00

Well, my darling daughter, Aliesha, called me yesterday around 10:00 AM to ask if I had any plans for the day. Fortunately, all I had in mind was laundry. So, when she told me that she had to work from 11:00 - 6:00 I told her "Of course I can watch CJ!".
He and I had fun.

We did spend some time outside just sitting on the porch enjoying the beautiful day. And the little guy took a bit of nap for me so I cold eat lunch and straighten up the mess we were making from playing. I love having my grandson over, and I think he enjoys coming to see me.
Grandfatherhood is a wonderful thing!

Quote for 11/7/09

2009-11-07T10:57:00.000-05:00

"A loving heart is the beginning of all knowledge."
Thomas Carlyle

Isn't it?

Quotes from 10/2009

2009-11-07T10:51:00.002-05:00

Quote for 10/2/09

Quote for 10/7/09

Quote for 10/13/09

Quote for 10/19/09

Quote for 10/22/09

Quote for 10/23/09

Quote for 10/26/09

How interesting

2009-11-06T14:19:00.002-05:00

So, Bob comes home from running around with his friends yesterday and tells me that he's signing up to go to CCAC (Community College of Allegheny County).

Imagine my surprise!

I'm really excited about this. He has to take a placement test to see what classes he can skirt by and which ones he'll have to get under his belt. Not sure which ones he'll need for Culinary Arts or Criminal Justice - which seems like an unusual combination, even to me. But other than that he's looking forward to getting started. We're just not sure how we're going to pay for it...
Oh well, God better provide!

I love Halloween and so should you!

2009-10-31T16:32:00.005-04:00

Happy Halloween everybody!
I just wanted to say that because I know several people who won't have anything to do with Halloween because of it's pagan, wiccan and satanic orgins. I feel sorry for them.
Yes, I realize that this is a high holy day for individuals who practice the pagan, wiccan or satanic religions. And there will be worship of "false gods" being done tonight. And it will happen all over the world. But I have to wonder why that should stop any of us from dressing up in a costume and going out to have some fun? Or why should we prevent our kids from getting dressed up and going trick-or-treating? How do these things contribute to the worship of the devil?

I have a few points that I'd like to make about this foolishness.
First, I don't understand how some of the various symbols of Halloween can be considered evil in and of themselves. Is a black cat really evil? Or what about a full moon being viewed through the bare trees? How about bats or wolves or any of the natural creatures that are associated with Halloween? How can we call them evil? How can people associate them with devil worship? Don't these people realize that they're acting in rebellion to the Word of God by implying such things?
Oh, yes, I did say that!
The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean." (Acts 10:15)
Peter had a vision of a sheet full of animals being lowered out of Heaven and God told him to eat them. But Peter refused because they were considered to be "impure" by the Jewish laws and traditions. But if Christ redeemed all of creation by His death and resurrection, then every animal that God has created is now "clean". And that was indicated to Peter by the vision he had.
So, for anyone to consider black cats, bats or wolves to be "evil" because of their association with Halloween, they're rebelling against God's word.
If anything, such people are actually giving glory to the devil by attributing some sphere of influence to him that does not belong to him. And it steals glory from God by diminishing His redemptive work.

My other point is even more pressing.
We all know that Halloween has it's origins in pagan, wiccan and satanic religious practices and some people refuse to celebrate because of that.
Really? And how many people understand that Christmas also has it's roots in the pagan, wiccan and satanic religions? There is absolutely no scriptural reason for celebrating the birth of Christ. Especially not in December. This is all just a sanitized expression of pagan culture. But it's OK because we like this pagan high holy day. All we did was change the name.
Christmas trees, evergreen wreaths and stringing up lights (candles originally) were all ways in which the pagan and wiccan celebrants of the winter solstice expressed their faith. And now we've "christianized" them and pretend that makes Christmas OK to celebrate, while Halloween is off limits.
What monumental hypocrisy!

I've ranted enough about this. But I want to close on one last thought.

"4) So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one. 5) For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many "gods" and many "lords"), 6) yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live."

If Paul can recognize that the so-called gods of the pagan religions are not really gods at all, then why can't these others see that?
I don't mind if they choose not to take part in Halloween celebrations. But I think it's horribly wrong of them to condemn anyone else for doing so. People ought to live according to their own conscience. Isn't that what Paul is really trying to tell us in his passage?

OK, I have to put my Punisher T-shirt on for the Harvest Party at church tonight - it's a Halloween Party, but some of our members don't like to celebrate Halloween...

I'm tired

2009-10-30T03:47:00.000-04:00

It's been a long week!
I've been working overtime since Tuesday this week and while I like that fact that the money will be coming in at the most opportune time, I'm feeling rather wiped out by it. Getting up at 3:30 in the morning is not something I'm used to doing anymore. And I fear that if I stay on this schedule for more than a week or so it'll become a habit that I won't be able to break.
Still, it's been a good week. I'm excited about the fact that God has used me a few times this week to share some wisdom and encouragement with some of my co-workers. It's amazing how far an encouraging word goes with someone who usually has to deal with other people's problems. And of course, most of my "disciples" have turned to me at one point or another to seek some advice, guidance or prayer. Even though these things are kinda typical for me in any given week, they just seem to stand out more when I'm feeling tired. It's like the Holy Spirit is reminding me that no matter what I still have a job to do. I still have to remain true to my calling.

But I'd still appreciate all of your prayers. Aside from the work and being tired there is some stuff going on in my life that I'm not ready to talk about yet, and I really need some guidance for myself with it.

Do you believe this?

2009-10-28T15:52:00.002-04:00

I found something out completely by accident that has me kinda geeked today.

As I was checking my Sitemeter I saw that I had a visit via a horror film website called Horror Fan Zine. The link came from their report on the Monroeville Zombie Walk, which just happened to feature some of the pictures that I had posted about my little excursion to World Zombie Day. The front page picture for the article was this shot. And since they used my photos they linked back to my blog post and gave me credit at the end of the article.

How cool is that?
I'm almost famous!

Quote for 10/26/09

2009-10-26T16:53:00.002-04:00

"It is not by the gray of the hair that one knows the age of the heart."
Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton

I'm not feeling any older today. Just a little wiser...

Kronicles

2009-10-25T06:34:00.007-04:00

Well people, last night was another one of mine and JT's little adventures to The Net in Butler. We went to see Kronicles and to set up my very first, self-initiated Compassion event (that wasn't a simple one-on-one).

I have to start by saying that things didn't go quite as planned. For one, neither of the two opening acts was able to make it. The first band had a scheduling conflict, which they apologized for. And the second band didn't know that they were supposed to be promoting the show themselves to their fan-base. Which would seem like something you would just want to do anyways. Esepcially if you had a band and were just starting out, that is. I know I would, and I have in the past (and expect to do so in the future as Chocolate Sundae Jesus begins to actually do more than exist in name only...).
As a result, the audience was somewhat limited in size. But I'll come back to that.

So, anyways, JT and I showed up a little before 5:30 so I could get my Compassion materials in and set up. We managed to do that in just a few minutes. And here I am...

I didn't bring a whole lot with me. 5 child packets, the stand-up display and the table cover. And I made sure to bring my own child's pictures, info and the letters she's sent me. I wanted to be able to share those with anyone who might be interested in knowing more about that aspect of being a Compassion sponsor.

Crystal, who is one of the people who runs this little venue/outreach, came over to talk to us and explained the whole audience thing. We felt really bad about it, but we're always glad to see one another. And JT and I just love what they're doing with this place as an outeach. So we made sure to tell her how much we like coming to their shows and how much of a high-point it is for us when we do. Even if the audience is small.
Crystal also apologized to me that there wasn't a larger audience for us to appeal to on behalf of Compassion. But I told her I was just happy to have a presence at their shows. I also told her that I'm looking forward to doing more of them, and thanked her for allowing me to set up the table. And because her family is already involved with Compassion as sponsors, she was still excited to have me there.

After this JT and I got to talk to the guys from Kronicles while they were wrapping up their sound check. They understood the whole audience situation and were glad that we showed up to check them out. I told their lead singer, Danny, that I was glad to come to see them because I missed them at other shows/festivals. So this was my first time since adding them as friends on my Myspace page.
Now, about the audience. Typically, when JT and I go to one of these shows, there's a crowd of 50, at least, and sometimes a lot more. Last night's crowd was 12, and that included JT and I. But it didn't stop us from having a good time.
Kronicle is another one of those little known bands who are just beginning to grow in their popularity. And with last night's show, I can see why.

They have a lot of energy and the message is clear in their music.

There was a mosh pit! Yes, I did jump into it, even though there were only 6 of us. I hesitated at first because the kids who had started it all knew one another and I didn't want to impose myself on their fun. But they kinda pulled me into the fray as I was standing so close to them. After the show I introduced myself to them and they were glad I jumped in. That's when two of them told me that they were already Compassion sponsors. So that was great to know.

We all got to meet and hang out with the guys from Kronicles too. The beauty of having a small audience is that everyone gets to hang out with the band afterwards. And They were practically giving away their CDs for $5. So I grabbed a CD and threw a dollar into their "Gas donations" jar, as well.
They were a great bunch of guys, and I know I say that about all of the bands that we see at The Net, but this was a little bit different. It's easy to say a band is a great bunch of guys when they've just played a decent sized show and their feeling good from the mutual energetic exchange that happens at such events. But these guys came here knowing the crowd would be small and they did their best to give the audience a great show. And they encouraged everyone to support the ministry and outreach of The Net, because they know that a lot of places like this are failing in our current economy. That is so unselfish - and one more reason why I'm so impressed by these guys and so many other Cristian artists these days. Tey have a heart for the ministry that is partnered with them.
Speaking of which. JT and I also spoke more to Crystal about the things that they have going on at this place when they aren't doing shows. It's amazing what God has dropped into their hands. I don't remember it all, but I do remember that they have several Butler County initiatives taking place that revolve around teen-education on drugs and alcohol. It's so cool.
But Crystal also told us about some of the opposition that they face. It's hard to believe that almost all of it comes from churches. As if they're trying to "steal" the young people from other churches. But, then again, JT and I are already familiar with such opposition because of what our church has done and faced as a result of trying to be an outreach to unchurched people. Why do so many churches feel such a greeat need to protect their little fiefdoms? This only reinforces my convictions of late regarding the destructive nature of the institutional church and organized religion in general. But that's a topic for another day.
So we wrapped things up and said our goodbyes to everyone and headed for home. Another adventure lived well!

Quote for 10/23/09

2009-10-23T15:38:00.000-04:00

"We love to expect, and when expectation is either disappointed or gratified, we want to be again expecting."
Samuel Johnson

Quote for 10/22/09

2009-10-22T17:47:00.001-04:00

"It is a myth, not a mandate, a fable not a logic, and symbol rather than a reason by which men are moved."
Irwin Edman

Ladybug, ladybug, fly away home...

2009-10-21T16:07:00.004-04:00

Holy crap !!!
Has anyone else been swarmed by ladybugs over the last few days? It's absolutely insane !!! There are dozens of ladybugs flitting about and climbing all over my front door. Then any time I open it, to come in or go out, half of them fly inside. They're everywhere. And I don't want to just swat them like I would any other insect, because they're supposed to be beneficial to the plants or something - especially roses. But this is nuts !!!
Any suggestions?

Quote for 10/19/09

2009-10-19T16:34:00.001-04:00

"Life would be infinitely happier if we could only be born at the age of eighty and gradually approach eighteen."
Mark Twain

Update

2009-10-18T08:59:00.001-04:00

At the moment, it looks like 6:00 PM is the official time for mine and JT's joint birthday celebration tomorrow.
Once again, it will be at the Red Lobster in Monroeville, and anyone who is reading this is invited. No RSVP needed, but please be punctual as we'll need to tell the hostess exactly how many people are in our party before we can be seated.
So far I know it's JT, P.Dave, myself and my son. Patrick has some kind of charity event to go to, and my daughter made previous plans as well. But two of Bob's friends, Andrea and Judah, may show up. So we'll see way happens.

Guess who came for a visit yesterday

2009-10-18T08:49:00.004-04:00

That's right, my grandson CJ!
He's getting so big. Crawls a little bit, stands and wishes he could walk.
Aliesha had called to ask what I was doing and since the only thing I had planned was laundry (isn't that a sad commentary on my life?) I said to bring him on over. She just needed a litle break to get some things done and the little guy was being fussy, that's all.
We played with his toys but he seemed most amused with my empty Pepsi bottle.

While CJ was there Bob's friend, Andrea came over with her baby, Jack. So we let the two little guys hang out together.

They got along just fine. And then CJ decided that he wanted to get up and move around, but he couldn't do it in the bean-bag. So he fussed a little for me.

It was a wonderful afternoon for us!

An open invitation

2009-10-16T16:47:00.002-04:00

OK, it's that time of year again. JT and I will be having our joint birthday celebration on Monday evening, the 19th. Yes, everyone who is reading this is invited to join us.
The where is once again going to be Red Lobster in Monroeville. Endless Shrimp, you know !?! The exact when is currently undecided. P.Dave is still waiting to hear back from Patrick. I'll be sure to post the time before Monday.
So, if you're feeling up to the challenge, or even if you just want to come hang out with us, please do. We'd enjoy your company.

Quote for 10/13/09

2009-10-13T19:11:00.000-04:00

"Do the best you can, and don't take life too serious."
Will Rogers

World Zombie Day

2009-10-12T16:06:00.008-04:00

This was a lot of fun!
I'm not gonna write a whole lot about the whole event. I'll let the pictures do most of the talking. But I will make a few comments to some of them just to give you a better feel for the overall festivities.
We did our make-up and left right from Church.
JT and I didn't do much make-up. We slapped on a couple of temporay tattoos and said we'd be "freshly infected" victims.

Jen, however, looks rather undead.

Chris looks even more undead.

The walking dead were everywhere!

Ken Foree, from the original Dawn of the Dead, and the MC for the Walk - whose name escapes me.

Now who bled all over the parking lot?

This was cool! A booth where we could sign up to be extras in a purposed TV series that will be filmed here in Pittsburgh - THE zombie capital of the world!

There was un-live music. This is Cult of the Psychic Fetus. They're an awesome punk band! Old School!

Zombie punks were out in fullforce to enjoy the tunes.

Brain eating contest!

Fun for the entire family.

These two were amazing.

Supercharged Suicide. A rock-a-billy punk band. Pretty good!

And, of course, you can never have a public event without the protesters showing up to cause problems...

A Gene Simmons look-a-like.

JT and I had to leave before the actual Walk of the Dead. But it was still a blast to be a part of World Zombie Day at Monroeville Mall.

Let's go Pitt

2009-10-12T16:05:00.003-04:00

I really enjoyed the Pitt game with P.Dave. Got to see the Great Hall again, but none of the trophies were on display.

There was a pretty decent sized crowd for the game.

You'll see more people in some of the later pics.
Had a blast with the people around us. They've gotten to know P.Dave and Ella over the last few years as they've all had season tix and have been in the same seats each year. Every time Pitt did something good there'd be high fives and chest bumps and all kinds of screaming.
Something you don't see at the Steelers games is cheerleaders.

Pretty girls are always a pleasant distraction...

Pitt came out strong, but couldn't get it in the end zone. They settled for a field goal in the first quarter, and that was the only score until U Conn scored in the second quarter.

It got a little scary after that since Pitt wasn't doing well offensively, or defensively. In the third Quarter U Conn scored twice more - once on an interception, and Pitt did nothing. But in the fourth quarter Pitt took control and scored twice to bring the game within reach. Then in the last 3 seconds of the game they kicked the winning field goal.

It was so sweet. And the crowd went wild!

After the game P.Dave and I headed over to visit his grandmother briefly. She's 102 years old. And she's in great shape! Very sharp and fairly active. I was quite pleased to finally meet her. And I joked with P.Dave about knowing what to expect now for when my mother gets to that age.
Yes, I suspect that woman will outlive many of us...
Wrapped things up and headed home to get ready for my date. Unfortunately, she called to postpone since she was tired from working all weekend. So I'll have more to share about that some other time.

We'll talk about it later

2009-10-11T20:57:00.002-04:00

Hey! It was a good weekend. Can't talk about it right now, though. I've got a lot of good pics to download from yesterday's Pitt game and today's Zombie Walk. Check back tomorrow evening.

The days are just packed

2009-10-10T11:51:00.002-04:00

I've been a busy boy! And it's not slowing down yet, either.
A lot going on at work. Training someone to do my previous assembly work as I prepare to move into my new postion with the Lifeline products. Still a work in progress, on both counts.
I had some great conversations with my "disciples". One of which was exceptionally encouraging. For those of you who remember my various discussions with one of our manufacturing engineers, we had another great conversation yesterday. And I ended it by asking her if she had ever suspected (prior to us having these talks) that she'd be able to havesuch deep spiritual exchanges with me. Surprisingly she said "Yes. I've always found your attitude to be so much better, more postive, than nearly everyone else here." Believe it or not, that's the first time anyone has ever said that too me.
Today I have some big plans. I'll be heading over to P.Dave's shortly. We're going to the Pitt game this afternoon. So that will be cool.
Then comes the something I'm kinda reluctant to talk about; I've got a date tonight. Actually met her earlier in the week and things went well. But that's all I'm gonna say about it for now.
OK, that's how my life is shaping up recently.
Oh, before I go, Zombie Walk tomorrow !!! I'll get pics.

Quote for 10/7/09

2009-10-07T17:33:00.001-04:00

"Nothing is so wretched or foolish as to anticipate misfortunes. What madness is it to be expecting evil before it comes."
Lucius Annaeus Seneca

Another one of those nights

2009-10-06T21:09:00.004-04:00

Went to church tonight for a little youth event that we were having. It was a puppet show like the ones we've had before. And I was in the kitchen taking care of the hot dogs and chips.
It was a lot fun. There were about 70 kids with parents and they were all well behaved. P.Dave and I played one song to set the atmosphere. But there was also one song that was played from a CD that was used during our summer Kidz Klub. And the thing that tells me that the end of the world is near is the fact that P.Dave - who is probably THE whitest man I've ever known - was trying to teach a bunch of kids (predominantely african-american) how to dance to it...

I don't care if that sounded racist.

In any event this was a precursor to our upcoming Harvest Party. I've volunteered for it again because I had so much fun last year. And the kids that come to our events lately just seem to be so much more pleasant than the ones we've had in years past. I think this is God's way of blessing us for having persevered for so long through the troublesome kids that used to come to our events. And maybe we're having an impact in the community after all of these years, as well.

Braaaaains...

2009-10-03T17:00:00.004-04:00

Zombie Walk next Sunday at Monroeville Mall!

Bob and I sooooo want to do this. And I know a few people from church who would probably love it as well. How about you? Anybody else feel like smearing on the make-up, dressing down and shambling around the Mall for a few hours with us?
Bob is going to talk to some of his friends about this too. And keep in mind, there is a World Record at stake here...

Should be a lot of fun!

Quote for 10/2/09

2009-10-02T17:32:00.006-04:00

"Before you say it, consider the fact that I have an industrial razor in my hand."
M+

It's OK! I didn't have to hurt anyone, but you can read the story below.

My aren't we clever

2009-10-02T17:30:00.001-04:00

The Lifeline work-benches and equipment arrived from Boston the other day. Since I was a part of the whole transition, the powers-that-be thought it'd be a good idea for me to be involved in setting things up on our production floor. So I've been spending some time re-assembling them. But I've also been on clean-up detail.
Ya know, it's amazing how much junk accumulates on a work-bench - unused labels, tape, stickers, etc... - over the years. And it fell upon me to scrape it all off and scrub the benches down. Which is not one of my favorite activities, but I'm getting paid well for it. Besides, they gave me a really cool industrial razor blade to work with. And you all know how much I enjoy a nice, edged "untensil".
Of course, as some of my co-workers would pass by they would invariably look over at me - scraping and scrubbing away - and say "When you're done there you can come over to my house."

Yeah, it got old real fast...

It got to the point that as I would see the ones who know me well enough to get away with saying it coming my way, I would just hold up my hand and tell them the Quote... for today. And since all of them also know how much I love a nice, edged "utensils", they would chuckle and walk by without saying anything.

All in all, everything worked out well. The work area looks great. Almost all of the equipment is set up, and we'll be starting our pilot run in another week or so.
I'm geeked!

Quotes from 9/2009

2009-10-02T17:28:00.000-04:00

Quote for 9/2/09

Quote for 9/6/09

Quote for 9/13/09

Quote for 9/14/09

Quote for 9/19/09

Quote for 9/21/09

Quote for 9/22/09

Quote for 9/23/09

Quote for 9/24/09

Quote for 9/25/09

It's good to be back home

2009-09-26T11:15:00.006-04:00

It's been a full week. And I do have some good stories to tell. But I'll start by telling everyone about the products we were learning about.
Some of you may be familiar with Lifeline. You may even know an elderly person who is subscribed to this service. Well, that's us now, kinda. The Call Center will remain in Boston, since that's something that they're very good at. But production of the PHBs (Personal Help Button) and the Communicator Boxes (which do the actual dialing out to the call center) will be done in our Murrysville facility from now on.

So, it all began on Sunday. Aliesha and CJ stopped by to see me off.

They also had to pick up Bob so they could go to their cousin's birthday party. After they left I locked up the house and headed to work.
We began our adventure in the parking lot waiting for our shuttle to the airport to arrive. For some odd reason, when arrangements were made to have a vehicle to pick us up, nobody metioned the size of our group. So here we are, 8 of us with luggage, and only a Lincoln Town Car as our transportation...
A few phone calls were made and about a half hour later a van shows up. Got to the airport, made it through security and arrived at our gate just in time to see the opening kick-off of the Steelers game. We gathered at the Samuel Adams Pub to watch the game while we awaited our boarding announcement. Even had a few Patriots fans there to torment with the loss of the Pats to the Jets. Made it through the first quarter and part of the second before we had to leave.
Forunately, we were flying out on Jet Blue, and they have little TV's on the back of each seat. So we got to watch most of the rest of the game while we were in flight. We landed with less than 5 minutes to go in the game. By the time we claimed our luggage we found out that the Steelers lost. It sucked to hear that. And I told everyone it was because of all the gloating we did over the Pats losing to the Jets. Oh, well...
This was the only picture I managed to get from the plane.

I like that the boats are that close to the airport. I thought it was cool.

By the time we had our rental SUV's we were exhausted, but we needed to eat. Our first dinner was at TGIFriday's. I can't remember what I had, some kind of burger, but it was good. We made it to the hotel - the Hampton Inn - around 9:30. The end to a long day.
Up at 5:00 AM so I could be ready for work and down to breakfast by 6:00. We all met for our complimentary breakfast and left for work at 7:15. And this was our routine for the remainder of the week.
The facility was really nice.

We were assigned a conference room to gather at to discuss our plan of action for each day and to have debriefings at the end of each day.
Two pics of our little troop because somebody had to take each picture, but we didn't want anybody left out altogether.

From L - R: Gary, Wanda, Jason, Jill, Paula, Shirley, Bill, Barb and M+

In this one you'll notice Tara on the end, instead of Jason.
We spent our first hal hour at the Call Center where we were allowed to sit in and listen to calls as they came in. To see how the operators do their job. It was really neat to watch.
The girl I sat with didn't have any emergency calls. She did have a few "test" calls, where the person with the button presses it to make sure it's working properly. Subscribers are asked to do this once a month on a specific day. But a few of us did have emergency calls come in while were there. And it really does leave an impression as to how important our work is to somebody.
Afterwards we headed out to the production floor to start learning. We observed for an hour or so before finally stepping in and trying to do the work for ourselves. Today we began with the Communicator Boxes. My trainer was Nick. He was a temp and had only been there for a week. But he knew what he was doing. He's originally from California but moved to Boston to live with his sister. It was his parents way of keeping him out of trouble. And that's all I'm going to say about that except that we did have a few decent conversations through the day.
Lunch was an experience. While I think that we have a nice cafeteria at our plant, this place was amazing. And the food was way better than anything our food-service people provide for us. And at a reasonable price too. It became the running joke all week long that we should be sending people up to learn how to transfer their cafeteria processes to our facility...
Ended our day full of new knowledge and a willingness to learn more. Even put in some over-time, which I have sorely missed for a long time. Dinner was at Olive Garden. I had the Never Ending Pasta Bowl. I also had Bill and Shirley's leftovers. It seems I serve a dual purpose on these trips. First, to learn what it is I'm supposed to learn. And second, to finish what my associates can't eat because we have no place to keep any doggy bags.
Tuesday was more of the same, only this time we did all of the work ourselves. We even managed to get close to the required production numbers for daily output. Not bad. And more OT. For dinner we went to Ruby Tuesday. I enjoyed their Triple Play - ribs, chicken and shrimp. Also went out to do a little shopping aftewards. Tara actually went shopping every night. This night I decided to join her, just to get out for awhile. Went to a place called Home Goods - a subsidiary of TJ Maxx. A lot of nice stuff for home decor, and more. When we got back to the hotel I realized how much I was really missing Bob and my computer, not to mention my NFL Network. But I had some reading to do.
Wednesday, we started on the PHBs. A lot of numbers to keep straight and colored labels too. That night we went out for a special dinner. A realy nice seafood place called Legal Seafood. Very pricey. I had a fried seafood platter (and some leftovers). Called it a night after that.
Thursday was more on the PHBs. But there was a special party planned for the evening. A way of saying thanks for everything to everyone invloved. A place called Jullians, right next to Fenway Park. It's a really neat place. A warehouse that's been converted into a party place with bowling alleys and all kinds of other entertainment. We had a room reserved with a few pool tables. And the food was great, wings, sesame chicken strips, teriyaki beef and chicken on skewers, fried mac-n-cheese nuggets and pizzas.

It was a great way to blow-off some steam from the week's insanity. It was a shame that none of the production people showed up. But we all understood. It would've felt too much like celebrating losing their jobs. Still, a lot of the managers and adminstrative people came to celebrate with us. It was nice to get to know some of them too. They're all very confident about the future of the product and the people working there.
Friday was a half day because of our travel arrangements. Finished the last of our training and had our final lunch in the cafeteria. We're gonna miss that places.
Coming home was interesting. All sorts of security stuff going on because of the G-20 Summit. And no traffic with the city shut-down for it. I was home shortly after 7:00 last night.

Now, I'm recovering nicely.

I'm home

2009-09-25T20:02:00.001-04:00

Too tired to stay on. Feeling somewhat sleep deprived. I'll share more later on this weekend. But I will say everything went great!

Quote for 9/25/09

2009-09-25T12:00:00.001-04:00

"If men as individuals surrender to the call of their elementary instincts, avoiding pain and seeking satisfaction only for their own selves, the result for them all taken together must be a state of insecurity, of fear, and of promiscuous misery."
Albert Einstein

I don't know why this one jumped out at me, but I really like it.

Quote for 9/24/09

2009-09-24T12:00:00.001-04:00

"Whatever your life's work is, do it well. A man should do his job so well that the living, the dead, and the unborn could do it no better."
Martin Luther King Jr.

Quote for 9/23/09

2009-09-23T12:00:00.001-04:00

"Learning is not attained by chance. It must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence."
Abigail Adams