GRANDAUGHTERS

Tomorrow is my grangdaughters birthday. She will be 5 years old. Where did those years go? She is a sweet little girl. She seems to be the happiest when she does things for others. I think she gets that from her Grandma. And I'm really impressed by how she looks after her cousin Candace. She will go toe to toe with anyone when it comes to Candace. I have found this out first hand many times.



Emma still uses a "binky". Usually just when she sleeps. But really any time she is nervous. It's really not her fault. It was just always easier to give it to her rather than try to break her of using it. There were always reasons but really comes down to being lazy on our part. Last year Emma was starting to show interest in going fishing with me. So I figured great maybe I can get her to stop using the binky. So I told her she couldn't go until she stopped using it. She told me she would stop on her next birthday. Well then thats when you can start going fishing I told her. There really hasn't been much said about it since. Then the other day she said we could go fishing after her birthday because she won't be using her binky! It seems like she really will stop. I hope so, I can use a fishing buddy.



You hear people say "the best thing about grandkids is you can send them home". Well for me it's that I get a second chance. I really wasn't a very good father to my daughters. Ya I went to work so we could live decent but thats pretty much where it stopped. I could write forever on how I wasn't a good father. But theres no way of going back so I'll just try to do better this go around!



HAPPY BIRTHDAY EMMA

MARY

Being raised Catholic Mary was talked about a lot. But now going to a Baptist church I couldn't help but notice we very rarely mention her. I understand that Jesus should be our main focus but come on. She was the virgin, yes virgin mother of our Savior. That alone is something worth talking about. Can you imagine what she went thru when that was sprung on her? Then to be told your Son will die on a cross to save everyone. To come to learn that she basically is not His mother but that He is her Father. I can't even imagine the amount of faith she had.

That's why it was so refressing today when, at church, we talked about Mary. A lady at church, Diane, got up in front of everyone and gave Marys perspective of Jesus life. She did a great job. I was kind of expecting it to be glossed over but it wasn't. She talked about what Mary must have been thinking and feeling. And about the questions and doubts Mary must have had. And thru it all the faith she had in Gods plan.

We don't talk about Mary much at church but when we do theres nothing held back. It sure was nice to hear it. And this is just another one of those things I've been thinking about and then there it is answered. I'm telling you, there is some powerful stuff going on here!

GOD BLESS YOU

MIRACLES/ part 2

I guess Jesus had to perform miracles back then to get peoples attention. Till he was born you only had people saying a Savior was coming. God knew some people wouldn't believe it. So, he will be born of a virgin--Still don't believe? He will be perfect in every way--Still don't? He will make the blind see--Nothing? How about making crippled walk? Raising the dead? How about if He dies on a cross and after three days He gets up and goes to heaven?

We have the luxury of knowing all this. We shouldn't need to see anymore miracles.

MIRACLES

Do miracles still happen? Reading the Bible I notice that miracles were going on all over the place. People getting healed left and right. People coming from all over just to see Jesus so they would be healed. It seems to me like it was happening daily.

So why isn't that going on today? Sure you hear about it happening every now and then but not like it was back then. Could it be because we are not as good of a Christian as they were back then? That doesn't seem right. I don't think, In Gods eye, there are different levels of Christians. Just like theres not different levels of sinners.

This is what I think. Back then they didn't have the distractions we have today. Instead of getting on the internet they read the Bible. Instead of watching T.V they read the Bible. They were living as close to Gods word as you possibly can. And their faith in God was unshakable.

Well I guess I'll keep praying for the people who need a miracle and have faith.

God Bless You

THANKSGIVING

I have to be honest and say I've never really liked Thanksgiving. Whenever people would say what they were thankful for I would always think to myself " ya no kidding". It's not like I wasn't thankful for family, good health, job, but do we need a holiday for that?

This year is so much different. I am so greatful for my daughter Danielle who just refused to give up on me. And I'm thankful she asked the question,"what if "? I'm thankful that she has turned out to be a very nice Christian women. She really is a special person.

I'm also very greatful for my wife. She never gave up on me either. And believe me she had plenty of reasons to. I am so greatful that she holds this family together. It seems like she never gets a break. She's always juggling two or three things.

I'm greatful my family is in good health. Im greatful for my grandchildren and their mom's for taking good care of them.

Now this is where this year is different. I now know who I'm thankful to. In years past I was just thankful. This year I thank God for all of my blessings. I am greatful to God, that by His Grace, I was able to accept God as my Lord and Savior.

Happy Thanksgiving

Romans 12-14

This month at church the sermons are about Romans 12-14. The first two weeks seemed easy enough to follow in life. Love one another. Help each other. Don't carry grudges. Forgive each other. They all seem easy enough to follow. I'm sure in some cases they may not be. But over all not too hard.

Then this past week we got into the political part. Now this throws a big monkey wrench in the easy part. Political leaders are put in place by God. Show disrespect towards them then you are disrespecting God. This is where I wish you could pick and choose the parts of the Bible you want to follow. I know it doesn't work that way but just saying.

I am so guilty of not following this part of the Bible. I disagree with a lot of things the government does. Nothing wrong with that. However I do cross the line and turn disagreeing into disrespecting. This will be a struggle for me. However, with God by my side I'm sure I can over come this. And I'm sure there will be a lot of asking God to forgive me on this subject.

God Bless, and if be, Forgive You

El Salvador

My daughters best friend went to El Salvador with a group from Compassion. While there she kept everyone updated on her blog. This is where I should put a link to her blog, but hello, don't know how. It's thepipers.wordpress.com. I think! Anyhow I was amazed by how happy the people seem. They live in poor conditions and are still happy. She also got to visit with a child she sponsors. And my daughter and her husband now sponsor a child.