Those pesky resolutions

It is that time of year again and as I look back at my post I may have accomplished one of my new years resolutions! Why do we do this to ourselves anyway, is it some sort of sadomasochistic desire to hurt ourselves or a desire to truly better ourselves? For me I believe it does come from that desire to get better year after year but I fail after the third or fourth month, sometimes the third or fourth day. Its as if I can't pick motivating themes that will keep me going the full year, maybe they are just too hard. Having said all of that I am starting early this year, by the time January 1st hits I plan to have it all mapped out. My theme this year is "Heritage and Legacy" and I plan to revolve most of my resolutions around my kids. Chrissy and I discussed some of them on the way home the other night and we both feel that we need to pour more into our children this year than ever before. This pouring is not only of our time but spiritually as well. In this day where the family is made to be less important we want to lift it up as the most important unit in this country. I will list my resolutions out in a few weeks but until then help me out,have you thought about your resolutions for 2010? If so what do you think they might be?

What if God texted the 10 Commandments

LOL just saw this and thought someone else might get a kick out of it


1. no1 b4 me. srsly.

. dnt wrshp pix/idols

3. no omg's

4. no wrk on w/end ...(sat .........4 now; sun l8r)

5. pos ok - ur m&d r cool

6. dnt kill ppl

7. :-X only w/ m8

8. ...dnt steal

9. dnt lie re: bf

10. dnt ogle ur bf's m8. or ox. or dnkey.

Now this is an awesome revenge lol

Subject: Ad Posted to Craig's List Personals:

To the Guy Who Tried to Mug Me in Downtown Savannah night before last. Date: 05-27-09, 1:43 A M EST.

I was the guy wearing the black Burberry jacket that you demanded that I hand over, shortly after you pulled the knife on my girlfriend, threatening our lives and me.

You also asked for my girlfriend's purse and earrings.

I can only hope that you somehow come across this rather important message.

First, I'd like to apologize for your embarrassment when I drew my pistol after you took my Jacket. The evening was not that cold, and I was wearing the jacket for a reason.

My girlfriend had just bought me that Kimber Model 1911 .45 A CP pistol for my birthday, and we had picked up a shoulder holster for it that very evening.

Obviously you agree that it is a very Intimidating weapon when pointed at your head wasn't it?

I know it probably wasn't fun walking back to wherever you'd come from bare footed since I made you leave your shoes, cell phone, and wallet with me.. [That prevented you from calling or running to your buddies to come help mug us again].

After I called your mother, or "Momma" as you had her listed in your cell, I explained the entire episode of what you'd done. Then I Went and filled up my gas tank as well as four other people's in the gas station on your credit card. The guy with the big motor home took 150 gallons and was extremely grateful!

I gave your shoes to a homeless guy outside Vinnie Van Go Go's, along with all the cash in your wallet. [That made his day!]

I then threw your wallet into the big pink "pimp mobile" that was parked at the curb ... after I broke the windshield and side window and keyed the entire driver's side of the car.

Later, I called a bunch of phone 900 numbers from your cell phone.
Ma Bell just now shut down the line, although I only used the phone for a little over a day now, so what's going on with that?

Earlier, I managed to get in two threatening phone calls to the DA's office and one to the FBI, while mentioning President Obama as my possible target. The FBI guy seemed really intense and we had a nice long chat (I guess while he traced your number etc.).

In a way, perhaps I should apologize for not killing you .... but I feel this type of retribution is a far more appropriate punishment for your threatened crime.. I wish you well as you try to sort through some of these rather immediate pressing issues, and can only hope that you have the opportunity to reflect upon, and perhaps reconsider the career path you've chosen to pursue in life.

Remember, next time you might not be so lucky.

Have a good day!

Thoughtfully yours,
Alex

P.S. Remember this motto.
An armed society makes for a more civil society!

Defying the Diagnosis

Stephen Hawking was just twenty-one years old in 1962 when he received the awful news that would change his life—he had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease.It's a devastating diagnosis: the disease is progressive, incurable and fatal. His doctors told him he had just a few years to live.

At the time, Hawking was a doctoral student at Cambridge, having already earned a degree from Oxford. But his research hadn't been going well; he was unmotivated in his work and bored with his life. His diagnosis was a turning point: he could either give up his studies and wait to die, or he could make the most of what time he had left. At first, he chose the road of despair and resignation. He wanted to give up because he didn't see any point in finishing his degree if he was going to die soon.

But he didn't give up for long. Through the encouragement and love of his girlfriend, Jane, he pulled out of his despair and found the fire and determination that had been missing before his diagnosis. He married Jane in 1965, finished his studies, and got a job at a university. True, he was afraid of dying, but even more, he was afraid that he would die without achieving anything in his life.

Hawking and Jane had three children together, and she devotedly cared for him year after year as his disease progressed. While his body was deteriorating, his career was blossoming. He was elected as one of the youngest Fellows of the Royal Society in 1974, became a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1982, and became a Companion of Honor in 1989. These acknowledgements and public honors were bestowed on Hawking for his contri- butions to the fields of theoretical cosmology and quantum gravity, especially in the context of black holes. He has published hundreds of research papers, as well as six books. His runaway bestseller was A Brief History of Time, which stayed on the Sunday Times best-seller list for a record-breaking 237 weeks -- unheard of for a science book.

It's been over forty years since Hawking got his diagnosis from the doctors. He defied their prediction of an early death, as well as his early impulse to give up. Now completely paralyzed, wheelchair-bound and compelled to use a computer voice synthesizer, he is a respected scientist, a world-renowned celebrity and an inspiration to millions.

In a 2005 interview, Hawking said, "It is a waste of time to be angry about my disability. One has to get on with life and I haven't done badly. People won't have time for you if you are always angry or complaining." That's not a bad credo to live by. Excerpted from The Best Way Out Is Always Through, by B. J. Gallagher

The Link

Well Saturday is just two more days and we are still so excited to finally be there. For all of those who can't make it, or lets face it would prefer to not sit in the main auditorium, this is the link that the University streams too.
Thanks for all of your support and prayers



IHS


Wade & Chrissy

Graduation

Greetings Everyone,


Christina and I are sitting about 5 days from graduation and have sent the last of the announcements out. There were so many people we wanted to send them to, yet as many of you know Lee only gives us so many. We had the option of asking for more but decided it wasn't feasible. So please don't worry that we didn't like you if you don't get one just think more along the lines that we knew you wouldn't freak if you didn't get one lol ;)

Seriously though you are more than welcome to come to the ceremonies or watch them on the web for those who are too far away to make it. I will post that on here once I get the information to the link. We are so thankful to you all for your prayers through all of this and would love to see or hear from each of you on that day. God has brought us through so much over the last two years, yet here we stand ready to complete this leg of the race set before us.

Onto the information that I am sure you all are wondering about! Yes we will be having a sorta party Saturday Evening starting around 5pm. There will be a $20 cover charge but it covers you all night until we lock the doors at 9pm. Early Bird special gets you a discount bringing your total down to $19.95! We are not offering a group discount at this time just in case there are people in your group that I don't like! If you take any of this information away please take away the times as that is really the only thing that is true about all of this paragraph lol ;)



P.S.

I was selected to carry the banner for the School of Arts and Science which is an awesome honor IMHO

Don't Be Discouraged

This little story came to me in an email this morning and as I read it I thought of several people who might need to know they have not even received their bat yet. So many times we let Satan beat us down before we even step up to the plate, we let him talk so much smack to us that we just turn around and walk out of the park never realizing God has the game in his hands. Revelations 21:3,4.

On my way home one day, I stopped to watch a Little League baseball game. As I sat down behind the bench on the first base line, I asked one of the boys what the score was. "We're behind 14 to nothing," he answered with a smile. "Really," I said. "I have to say you don't look very discouraged." "Discouraged?" the boy asked with a puzzled look on his face. "Why should we be discouraged? We haven't been up to bat yet."

Think About This

I received this in an email this morning and thought it was insightful

Every morning I pour coffee in my favorite cup which has a verse on it which says:

Excellence can be attained if you . . .
Care more than others think is wise . . .
Risk more than others think is safe . .
Dream more than others think is practical . . .
Expect more than others think is possible.

In this world where negativism is constantly bombarding our everyday lives it can be difficult to be and stay positive, especially when we are striving to reach your goals and dreams. Henry Ford put it this way, "If you believe that you can or you believe that you can't, you are right".

In your life you will need to make decisions on which path you will want to take, the path that leads to freedom or the path that leads to bondage. That path can only be determined if you make a decision on what you want your destination to be. If you have no destination you will definitely get there: nowhere.

There is one statement from President Abraham Lincoln, which I believe we should realize applies to everyone: "People are as happy as they make their mind up to be." So it is up to you to decide what you want to do, how you want to be and where you want to go in life. It is your life, so make a decision!

NEVER, NEVER, QUIT!

The Abraham Lincoln Story

In 1814 he had to work to support his family after they were forced out of their home. 1816 His mother died. 1818 Failed in business.1831 Was defeated for legislature. 1832 Lost his job and couldn't get into law school.1832 Declared bankruptcy and spent the next 178 years of his life paying off the money he borrowed from friends to start his business. 1833 Was defeated for legislature again.1834 Was engaged to be married, but his sweetheart died and his heart was broken. 1835 Had a nervous breakdown and spent the next 6 months in bed. 1836 Was defeated in becoming the speaker of the legislature. 1838 Was defeated in becoming elector. 1840 Was defeated for Congress. 1843 Was defeated for congress. 1846 Was defeated for Congress again. 1848 Was rejected for job of land officer in his home state. 1849 Was defeated for Senate. 1854 Was defeated for Vice-President... Got less than 100 votes. 1858 Was elected president of the United States.



Worthwhile goals and aspirations take time to accomplish. It took Abraham Lincoln 30 years to achieve his dream of becoming the President of the United States. Even though President Lincoln faced a multitude of seemingly insurmountable obstacles, he never thought of giving up. Yes, he didn't quit no matter what happened. So you shouldn't quit either no matter what challenges you're currently facing or what obstacles you'll encounter while traveling on the path to achieve your dreams.

Change

Change Begins With Choice

Any day we wish we can discipline ourselves to change it all. Any day we wish we can open the book that will open our mind to new knowledge. Any day we wish we can start a new activity. Any day we wish we can start the process of life change. We can do it immediately, or next week, or next month, or next year.

We can also do nothing. We can pretend rather than perform. And if the idea of having to change ourselves makes us uncomfortable, we can remain as we are. We can choose rest over labor, entertainment over education, delusion over truth, and doubt over confidence. The choices are ours to make. But while we curse the effect, we continue to nourish the cause. As Shakespeare uniquely observed, "The fault is not in the starts, but in ourselves."

We cannot allow our errors in judgment, repeated every day, to lead us down the wrong path. We must keep coming back to those basics that make the biggest difference in how our life works out. And then we must make the very choices that will bring life, happiness and joy into our daily lives.

And if I may be so bold to offer my last piece of advice for someone seeking and needing to make changes in their life - If you don't like how things are, change it! You're not a tree. You have the ability to totally transform every area in your life - and it all begins with your very own power of choice.

By Jim Rohn

Failure is nothing to fear

Don't Be Afraid to Fail

You've failed many times, although you may not remember. You fell down the first time you tried to walk. You almost drowned the first time you tried to swim, didn't you? Did you hit the ball the first time you swung a bat? Heavy hitters, the ones who hit the most home runs, also strike out a lot.



R.H. Macy failed seven times before his store in New York caught on.



English novelist John Creasey got 753 rejection slips before he published 564 books.



Babe Ruth struck out 1,330 times, but he also hit 714 home runs.



Don't worry about failure. Worry about the chances you miss when you don't even try.



Author unknown.

The Price of Success

This came in my email today and I thought it was worthy of a copy/paste, the author is unknown apparently :)




THE PRICE OF SUCCESS IS....
1. To use all your courage to force yourself to concentrate on the problem in hand; to think of it deeply and constantly; to study it from all angles; and plan ahead.

2. To have a high and sustained determination to achieve what you plan to accomplish, not only when conditions are favorable to its accomplishment, but in spite of all adverse circumstances that may arise.

3. To refuse to believe that there are circumstances sufficiently strong to defeat you in the accomplishment of your purpose. Hard? Of course it is! That's why so many never reach for success, they yield instead to the siren call of the rut and remain on the beaten path that is for beaten people. Nothing of note has ever been achieved without constant endeavor, some pain, and ceaseless application of the lash of ambition.


THAT'S THE PRICE OF SUCCESS... Everyone should ask themselves: Shall I accept the uneasy and inadequate contentment that comes with mediocrity? Or am I willing to endure the pain of this struggle for the rewards and glory that come with achievement?

In the Midst

Last night when we got home from Camp Meeting we received word that one of the most influential couples in mine and Christina's lives were in this area and wanted to see us before they left to head back to Fort Bragg. I have been struggling with a lot of stuff over the last few weeks and have felt like I was not going to make it out of this particular jungle, knowing full well that God has me in his hand it has still been so hard. Just walking around campus talking with him refreshed me in the battle even though not once did I mention how much of a God send he was to me. Then at lunch she said "Wade I remember praying for you before I ever really knew you and I knew then that God had a call on your life which is now confirmed." My heart jumped for joy to know that God had placed me in such a special person's heart even before she really knew me. So I am refreshed and ready for the next battle because God sent his messengers to me to let me know that he is working in our favor even in people that don't know us we have prayer partners.

Still in Flight

Things are going very well for us this summer, in fact I can blame that on why I have not blogged since whoa... Mar lol. In this one I will try to get you all caught up in a nice orderly fashion. First we were blessed greatly with a new/old house. All of the houses we have lived in since moving to Cleveland could fit into this house and we would have as much room to move around as before lol. It is on Broad Street, mere blocks away from Gardners Market, Lee, Seminary and the girls school. We are still unpacking boxes and moving stuff from our storage unit but feel a lot more settled than ever before. Also during this time I passed the final bits of testing for my Exhorters license in the Church of God. Anyone who ever tries to convince me a licensed minister doesn't know something had better just stop now because I am going to fill their head with all of the things I had to study just to get the entrance level license. Meanwhile we found out that Christina is carrying what I fondly refer to as the troll child! She(yes she three girls now, with a son in heaven laughing his fool head off at me)is in the 97th percentile for weight and they are estimating that if we goto full term she will weigh over 9lbs. Needless to say we are going to pick a day in September for Mackenzie Grace to enter our lives. Since May I have been working 6-8hrs a day with my internship at COG World Missions making the videos they use to promote missionaries on the web or by dvd. It has been a great time working with these various people, many of whom really are a hoot to listen to. Also in May my family went camping with what ended up being most of SCCOG. We all had a blast including the girls who never found time to just lay there with all the bikes to ride and rocks to throw. We met and got to know people that we ordinarily would have never been in contact with or had the time to sit down and just talk with. According to Pastor Moody the trip is not of God, but for once in my life I have to say that Pastor may need to really pour out his heart to God and repent ;)because he missed the voice of the Lord on this one lol. We have found our connection here in Cleveland and are so thankful for them(not just the ones who went camping). Graduation for us is very quickly approaching and this portion of our lives comes to an end on August 1st! Seminary will start within weeks of it and Christina is still thinking she is going to jump in at a close to popping 28 weeks! God is so good to those who trust in him! I know that I have done nothing extraordinary to deserve even the smallest amount of love and mercy from God yet he has given it us time and time again. He has blessed us in our business(another blog but we own an online travel agency now that has jumped out of control)he has blessed with our friendships, our housing, our children and many many many other things that I wish I could remember and name it all but only God has a memory that large.

I disagree

With all of the people who claim that "Fire Proof" was good only when compared to other Christian movies. Even Kirk Cameron, who in my opinion can not act at all did a decent job with this movie. There were things wrong with, but hey when compared to other movies in Hollywood I would say it was right in line with those. The special effects felt real, although when the LT lost his hard hat I cracked a smile. I am surprised that this movie is making it next to others simply because more so than "Facing The Giants" Christ is at the center and Christianity as the answer is very blatant. Don't get me wrong I am all for it, my wife and I know a lot of couples that are currently having severe marital issues that if allowed to continue down the current path will end in a disastrous divorce. In our society today marriage doesn't mean forever it just means for now, people jump into marriage like they jump into a bumper car at the amusement park. They drive around expecting nothing to actually hit them and when it does they are ready to change rides. Some people jump into marriage thinking it is for like, never expecting to actually have to work on it after the wedding ceremony. Of course I am sure there are others that things just sneak on them, regardless this movie has came out at a very good time.

Vacation

We felt that it was time to get away and boy did we pick the right spot lol. Phil and Kate met us in Pigeon Forge for a couple days of relaxation. We rented a cabin that came complete with Jacuzzi and pool table, really though we didn't spend a whole lot of time there as everyday we went somewhere to explore. We absolutely loved coming home at night to the "hot tub" as the girls called it or a rousting game of pool that I have yet to actually figure out. My wife and Phil on the other hand are pool sharks! For those of you who have never been to that area you need to go. We saw a show the last night we there called "Hoot and Holler". It is a dinner show that makes you laugh from the minute you walk into the room. Overall a very good time for us. I caught up with another friend of ours who didn't know anything that had happened to us last year but he said he and his wife had kept us in their prayers and felt we were on our way to something great now, finding out what we had been through only confirmed that it is indeed time.

Why

Tell me why the films of the 80's are still good lol. I am sitting here this morning watching The Karate Kid movies and wondering why our modern movies although have better technology still suck in comparison. I find it sad that I can't sit down with my kids and watch a good Karate movie without fear of having their minds polluted with things that no human being, let alone a child should see or hear. For the record I love the new movies too I just find so few that I can watch with my kids and enjoy :)

Forum Crawling

I have found myself these last few days really looking at a ton of forums. My mother and aunt have even tried to get me to post on one of theirs which has some very hotly contested topics. My problem with all of this is that as much as I like to debate there are some people on these forums that really just need a serious spanking(insert violent beating here for the rated r version). With the recent elections I have seen things like "it's the first time I slept in 8 years or I can now fly my flag outside(apparently I misunderstood the meaning as I always thought it supported the troops but this lady said I was wrong that it meant support of the President... yeah right) and the list goes on and on. Issues such as abortion get debated by the ill informed on both sides, yet when someone comes in with a somewhat intelligent discourse they are called every name in the book as if they were the cause of the lack of education to date in that particular posters life. I have actually had my life threatened for presenting an opinion that made them look foolish, and all I said was if the pro abortion people could just settle on a set time that life begins then we could debate but if they continue to be all over the pregnancy timeline we will continue to call them out for not really knowing any facts concerning the conception of life. No I don't think sperm or egg is alive in the sentient sense, which seems to always be their retort. Anyway life threatened as if he/she knew who I was. I suppose I will post eventually on that forum too though if for no other reason than to have a good reason for always watching over my shoulder lol

The Last Post

Was not directed at Mike Chapman, I think he went about things in the right way. I was referring to those post that slam every little thing that the COG is about. It's bad enough that there are people from outside that slam everything about it without the licensed ministers doing it. In my opinion these people should give up their license. So once again just to make sure it is understood I am not referring to dialogue or discussion that might bring up some various points to be discussed, but to those who feel the need to slam, insult, or otherwise degrade the COG.

Chill

This last week has been a hard week for me. Yeah sure we moved into our new building at church which should have been a major time of rejoicing and it was. My problem has been a change in many people whom I may have disagreed with before but still respected. Now I am not one to claim one denomination over the other but I do believe that if you sign on with(hold license) a particular organization then you should at the very least keep your feelings in check so that outsiders don't see a bitterness that comes from you the licensed minister. I have recently read blogs blasting the COG from holders of the highest level of license we have, not just because of the recent charges brought against a minister. I know people are human and they get upset with the system and that is fine. I think there are problems with Christians today, not just the COG. I think that there are Christians out there afraid to let go of their past so they claim that God loves them anyway(which is true) so they don't have to change(not true). We do all have our struggles in our walk but that doesn't mean we can waller in the horse dung we fell in and call it ok. The churches across the board are being infected with an attitude that sin isn't so bad anymore, that we all sin regularly and so it is ok to sin just as long as you proclaim Jesus. What happened to the change when Christ comes into your heart? We have lost our edge as ministers if we preach this watered down message. The point of this blog is this however: its ok to disagree with your organization it is not ok to disagree to the point you start slamming it publicly, this accomplishes nothing and honestly it causes people to not want anything to do with the organization being slammed or any other one for that matter including the in home group you start in protest.

Yep

I'm not as good as my wife about keeping this up mostly because I fear what my own rants will do at times. I have always said that my Biblical personality was somewhere between John the Baptist and Peter, in other words I am always on the lookout for a beheading or cruxifiction lol. I do think I will always run just outside of the normal church circles, not that I would choose to be there but because I feel like God designed me to run there. Anyway here is another post just to let everyone know I am still here.

36 years

36 Years since one of the largest mistakes this country has ever made in my opinion. That mistake has led to 50 million deaths, 50 million regrets, and yet here we stand still debating an issue that truthfully most Americans claim to be against personally they just don't want to impose their thoughts on others. Clinton's words during his run for office "I would never have one myself" echo the thoughts of most liberals who support it that I have talked to, in fact I have yet to actually talk to one who would. Most agree that it leads to a lot of issues later in life but we wouldn't want to intrude on someone elses space. These same people are the ones who stand by and allow others to suffer, people who beg for help. They claim that its not our place to interfere, that to do so would be imposing our religious beliefs onto those who just don't care. In a society where people seek after their own gratification there are few who hear and the truth and respond, there are few who even reconize the truth at all. There could be no doubt that that little baby was a life, but 36 years ago this country legalized a womans right to murder other children just like my son before they even have a chance to see what life is like outside of the womb. At one point I would say I was Pro-Life, because it is positive and upbeat; but now I am ANTI-ABORTION and I dare anyone to try to convince me that my son wasn't a living breathing being. I dare someone to tell me that he didn't have a right to live, that my wife had a right to terminate him just because it was her body and he was "invasive". I dare someone to try to convince me of any of the pro-abortion filth and propaganda is anything more than lies. I don't need to have a fancy pamplet I can show pictures of a little boy that we delivered, of a little boy with little fingers and toes, of a little boy with a face. Of course no one who believes abortion is ok wants to see those. I wish we had thought and brought in girls thinking of abortions and let them see what they would be killing off, because the old saying "the truth will set you free" would have proven true yet again. Some would say that I am being stubborn and not willing to work with others and that is most likely trueThis quote comes from a book entited "Won by Love"
"I was sitting in O.R.'s offices when I noticed a fetal development poster. The progression was so obvious, the eyes were so sweet. It hurt my heart, just looking at them. I ran outside and finally, it dawned on me. "Norma," I said to myself, "They're right." I had worked with pregnant women for years. I had been through three pregnancies and deliveries myself. I should have known. Yet something in that poster made me lose my breath. I kept seeing the picture of that tiny, 10-week-old embryo, and I said to myself, that's a baby! It's as if blinders just fell off my eyes and I suddenly understood the truth--that's a baby!"
for those who are wondering the author of that book is Norma McCorvey who is the "Roe" of "Roe V Wade" fame. She who was the one it all revolved around is now pro-life, what should that tell you? I will never back down on this, nor can anyone convince me I am wrong. I am willing to get along with others; I will never back down from those things I feel are wrong and this is one of them.

Word to the Wise

I love what this man had to say

http://www.voddiebaucham.org/vbm/Blog/Entries/2009/1/17_Warren_Or_Robinson%3A__Who_Should_Be_Offended.html

Military Response to Civilian Stupidity!

Ok so not all civilians are stupid, but there are a lot that think they could do without the military. A lot know the facts that without the military they would not have the freedom to even think much less to even complain aloud about the many, many things they see as wrong in the U.S.A. or its defenders. This link is about a certain moron civilian who felt the need to show his blatant stupidity and the civil response that a local Officer gave him.

http://www.godtube.com/GodTubeCentral/blog/view/30980

To all of the many civilians who do support the military I thank you and apologize if I in any way made you feel included with the others. I know there are many of you out there who like my sister who proudly wears a shirt that proclaims "if you can't stand behind the soldiers then please stand in front of them". There are lots of you I know!

A Gift of a Bible

After watching this link by Penn(an avowed athiest) of Penn and Teller fame I wanted to post it here because I think every Christian should watch this and ask themselves are they doing what they should be when it comes to witnessing to others about Christ.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JHS8adO3hM

Sportsmanship vs Christianity?

Last night my daughters schools girls basketball team won a match(first I've actually seen them win), while I should be jumping for joy(which I am... sorta), I am also really disappointed in the overall behavior of some of the adults we have encountered coaching the various teams. There are two things that pop into my mind when I think of a coaches mentality and that is example and leader. It seems that so far(I've not seen every coach) we have had an abundance of really bad attitudes all around. I honestly don't know most of them, so I can't hold them to the "Christ-like" rule, however they should still show a good example of sportsmanship thus leading their young charges in the way things are done. I enjoy a good game and truthfully as my wife says I will heckle anyone in good fun, even the eight year old who is getting all the baskets on the other team. But I am not going to lose my cool over a "game" nor am I going to pitch a fit because the call didn't go my way, make fun of the umpire/referee that may need glasses yes. Maybe I am wrong and I would love for someone to actually prove it me but good natured ribbing is not where things go south to me, in fact if I would hope that if Christ played on my team he would heckle the other team too, I know I would heckle him lol...
Can you imagine what he would say "Hey Jordan you can't touch" this as he jumps from one end of the court to the other doing several summersaults in the air finnally slamdunking the basket from the rafters breaking the backboard only to put it back together again with only his touch as he turns to the speechless Jordan with his tougne hanging further than ever before he sas "In your face son". hmm what a rabbit trail....
There is a point though that heckling can become bad I know this; im referring to the goodnatured kind, now back to the point...
The problem with coaches is the loss of control over their emotions. I remember playing third base one time and the opposing coach was so mad and had lost all control of her mouth, emotions and just about everything else, including her players. She finnaly took her clipboard and slammed it down so hard on the fench it snapped into two peices. Now for the record to the best of my knowledge there was no money on the line here, most of us in fact were actually under the age of 15 I think maybe not even that old. She was supposed to be thier leader in matters of sportsmanship, yet the only example she showed was how to break things when life didn't go right in your eyes. We all lose it at times, I myself more than others I think, however if you choose to coach you have to have a lot more self control than the normal human being. I would never willingly coach girls basketball or boys for that matter. I may eat my words one day when my kids are older and there isn't anyone to do it but for now I'm standing on that. I've seen too many coaches this year lose it over silly things that have no meaning in the long scheme of things. Whats worse is that two coaches this year I know goto church and are heavily imvolved in church, what kind of example do those people set for not only those around them that know they claim christianity but for the kids under them who know the same things? Getting excited and revved up is awesome but when it becomes an issue of atitude then its time to reevaluate why you are here.

Ramblings about my Heritage

I am here at my computer because there is so much running through my mind that I can't sleep. I am so grateful that I was raised by God fearing parents who loved my siblings and I with a love that never gave up on us no matter how far we may have tried to push away. They were of course human, but lived each day for the purpose of showing us the love of God. Sure they made human mistakes(they never claimed perfection), but to this day I hold no grudge against them. I can only hope that I and my wife meet the standard of parenting that they set for us. I disagreed with a lot of their decisions, but never their intent. In fact many of those decisions will never reach an agreement by either party. It has been said that a good parent becomes a good friend when your child reaches adulthood and I have seen my parents and I become friends, don't get me wrong I still go to them as the Godly parents they are but I enjoy their company as a friend. Growing up I never wanted my dad to go shopping with me when shopping was for shoes or clothes. He always seemed to have a knack for picking out the bobo shoes(don't ask me it just meant nerdy lol), which to be honest I don't even think he would have been caught dead in. Now that I am old I enjoy shopping with him(i hate shopping though), of course he still doesn't get to choose my clothes. For the record until I got to college I had only ever owned a name brand pair of shoes once and that is honestly one of my greatest regrets. My mom on the other hand was the shopper who never seemed to pick up the wrong pair for me. She was also forcefully protective of her kids, sometimes to the embarrassment of them lol. I remember when I was nearly 18 there was a girl who had decided to start calling me. I was handling it my way, in the hopes that she would just lose interest soon. However she continued to call.. a lot. Finally she called one day and asked my mom for me and my mom told her she could talk to me when my mom could have a conversation with the girls father, needless to say that was the last time I heard from that girl. Now I was furious that my mom had interfered and to this day think my way was working just fine, but she handled it in her way and to this day she thinks she was right. I can agree with her in one point only, she did it because she loved me and that's all that matters because honestly that girl was nothing to me. As many of you know I am not the family person that most people are, I don't like crowds even if I know them. I get uncomfortable and have to leave rooms when I hear tons of voices all in their own conversations. But I don't think there are many days that I don't call my parents just to talk.. ramble. I recently went to visit them over Thanksgiving break, which was the first holiday in a long time that we were all together. I used to think I got my love of books from my mother, but now I know I got that from my dad after seeing his massive collection of books that have grown a lot since I left home, from my mom I got a love of reading. My mother's library mostly resides next to her tub taking over most of the bathroom. During the visit I got to play drums during the service and she remembered that my favorite song from the Red backed Hymnal was Keep on the Firing line, which to be honest I had almost completely forgotten. My dad ties as many knots as I do when he packs, and has the issues about being in the drivers seat yet he let me drive for some reason. They have both taken my wife into their nest, she loves them as if they were her parents. We were in church regardless of circumstances that might keep some people out of church, like the Superbowl. My dad once set up the camcorder to record the Superbowl because it was starting right in the middle of church. When I look back I am glad for the example they set. In church on Sunday we prayed for the children, the teens, then the parents and finally the people that no longer had kids at home. Each prayer was touching in and of itself, however the last group hit home for me more than any other. Those people have rasied the next generation and passed the mantle of parenthood down, just as my parents have and now they liberally claim gradparental rights to their grandchildren. To mine I say well done and thank you have at your grandkids!

Random Facts that people need to know about Israel

I may be starting something here, but I wanted to post these because I can

BRIEF FACTS ON THE ISRAELI CONFLICT TODAY

This information came to me in the form of an e-mail from a friend at church through another friend that has moved away. How funny is that? These are some fact most people need to know about this conflict. I just did a cut and paste, can you believe I have those computer skills?

Benjamin Netanyahu gave an interview and was asked about Israel 's occupation of Arab lands -- his response was "It's our land." The reporter (CNN or the like) was stunned -- read on.

Here are overlooked facts in the current Middle East situation. These were compiled by a Christian university professor. BRIEF FACTS ON THE ISRAELI CONFLICT TODAY.... (It takes just 1.5 minutes to read!!!!) It makes sense and it's not slanted. Jew and non-Jew--it doesn't matter.

• 1. Nationhood and Jerusalem. Israel became a nation in 1312 B.C.E. Two thousand years before the rise of Islam.
• 2. Arab refugees in Israel began identifying themselves as part of a Palestinian people in 1967, two decades after the establishment of the modern State of Israel .
• 3. Since the Jewish conquest in 1272 B.C.E., the Jews have had dominion over the land for one thousand years with a continuous presence in the land for the past 3,300 years.
• 4. The only Arab dominion since the conquest in 635 C.E. Lasted no more than 22 years.
• 5. For over 3,300 years, Jerusalem has been the Jewish capital. Jerusalem has never been the capital of any Arab or Muslim entity. Even when the Jordanians occupied Jerusalem, they never sought to make it their capital, and Arab leaders did not come to visit.
• 6. Jerusalem is mentioned over 700 times in Tanach, the Jewish Holy Scriptures. Jerusalem is not mentioned once in the Koran.
• 7. King David founded the city of Jerusalem. Mohammed never came to Jerusalem.
• 8. Jews pray facing Jerusalem. Muslims pray with their backs toward Jerusalem.
• 9. Arab and Jewish Refugees: In 1948 the Arab refugees were encouraged to leave Israel by Arab leaders promising to purge the land of Jews. Sixty-ei ght percent left without ever seeing an Israeli soldier.
• 10. The Jewish refugees were forced to flee from Arab lands due to Arab brutality, persecution and pogroms.
• 11. The number of Arab refugees who left Israel in 1948 is estimated to be around 630,000. The number of Jewish refugees from Arab lands is estimated to be the same.
• 12. Arab refugees were INTENTIONALLY not absorbed or integrated into the Arab lands to which they fled, despite the vast Arab territory. Out of the 100,000,000 refugees since World War II, theirs is the only refugee group in the world that has never been absorbed or integrated into their own peoples' lands. Jewish refugees were completely absorbed into Israel, a country no larger than the state of New Jersey.
• 13. The Arab - Israeli Conflict: The Arabs are represented by eight separate nations, not including the Palestinians. There is only one Jewish nation. The Arab nations initiated all five wars and lost. Israel defended itself each time and won.
• 14. The P.L.O.'s Charter still calls for the destruction of the State of Israel. Israel has given the Palestinians most of the West Bank land, autonomy under the Palestinian Authority, and has supplied them.
• 15. Under Jordanian rule, Jewish holy sites were desecrated and the Jews were denied access to pla ces of worship. Under Israeli rule, all Muslim and Christian sites have been preserved and made accessible to people of all faiths.
• 16. The U.N. Record on Israel and the Arabs: of the 175 Security Council resolutions passed before 1990, 97 were directed against Israel.
• 17. Of the 690 General Assembly resolutions voted on before 1990, 429 were directed against Israel.
• 18. The U.N was silent while 58 Jerusalem Synagogues were destroyed by the Jordanians.
• 19. The U.N. Was silent while the Jordanians systematically desecrated the ancient Jewish cemetery on the Mount of Olives.
• 20. The U.N. Was silent while the Jordanians enforced an aparthei d-like a policy of preventing Jews from visiting the Temple Mount and the Western Wall.

What can you do? What will you tell your grandchildren what you did when there was a turning point in Jewish destiny, an opportunity to make a difference?

START NOW- Send this to other people you know and ask them to send it to others, Jew and non-Jew--it doesn't really matter.

The logic of a five year old

A couple of months ago we succumbed and became a DVR family. They are really cool mostly because we can watch our show anytime we want but also because we can skip commercials. As we were sitting there on the couch watching "Could you survive"(yet another fitness show which allows couch potatoes to sit and watch other people exercise lol) my daughter ask why are they showing the same commercials over and over mommy.... then in answer to her own question maybe we should buy that stuff so they won't show us anymore. Man the industry is going to love her when she is old enough to have money of her own lol

Typical

Ok so I've caught a bug from my wife with blog reading and last night I discovered a blog that listed a lot of chaplain/candidate chaplain blogs. Boy was I surprised to read some of them and see that they had went through a lot of the same processes getting to their calling, questions from friends and family, and it all turned out ok lol. I remember when I first told my parents my dad asked me "Son make sure you aren't just going back in because of the money, I know you are called to the ministry and I could see you in this but just make sure" and low and behold I read two other chaplains who had had the same question put to them. At one point I was even asked if Christina being pregnant would change my mind about going in, apparently thats a normal question also. All in all I learned a lot about people by reading these blogs. In a recent conversation with a friend of mine whom I consider a sister, she couldn't grasp that a chaplain is a pastor, once again apparently her confusion is not abnormal but many people wonder about it lol. I guess the biggest reason is that most civilian chaplains aren't in actual pastoral roles maybe, honestly I don't know that either. I do know that one of the biggest hurdles for me to get over was the fact that I knew chaplains while I was in who weren't called to pastor and frankly they sucked! I didn't want to be that person as much as I felt the calling to the role I felt it was wrong because I didn't want to be a pastor. As most of my 10's of readers know(i have a tracker so I know I have 10 readers somewhere lol)I accepted the fact that I was called to that role and since then have actually embraced it and I am looking forward to becoming a full time pastor. These thoughts are once again common in a lot of people called into the chaplaincy from places in life similar to mine. I know there are people who go into pastorates before they are called into the chaplaincy so it works both ways, I only know it from my perspective though. Overall I guess I could say that I was encouraged to hear that I wasn't the only one who had questions, who had questions asked and who didn't have really good answers lol

New Years Resolutions

I don't think I have ever sat down and actually decided on New Years resolutions but this being the year of change I thought it would be cool to do so. These are rough, I am going to type them as I can think of them, honestly a lot of them have been on my mind for a while it just seems a good time to start. These are in no certain order!

1. As a family I want us to read through the Bible completely by next year, I think Chrissy and I have both down it separately but I know we have never done this as a family.

2. I want to run a half marathon in a decent time, decent being above average but maybe not top ten lol.

3. I want to take an APFT and score above 80% in all events.

4. I want to, by the time 2010 rolls around, spend at least an hour a day with God.

5. I would like to lead at least 12 people to Christ, I say 12 because that is one per month but to be honest I would love to be able to do a lot more; its my goal though.

6. I'm sure its obvious without mentioning, however just for the record I want to lose 93 lbs this year, 50 by my August graduation.

7. I want to grow closer to my wife this year, to get to know her better, spiritually connected stronger than ever before.

8. I want to actually have a set aside night with the family, with the kids so young we've never really had to have that but as they are growing I want to set it aside now to establish a habit so that when they are older its ingrained and we won't lose them like I've seen in so many families.

9. I would like to go green lol, more so in the organic foods and such, we have even discussed some sort of coop. This also covers all around just eating healthier.

10. I want to learn Golf, I've never even picked up a club before(except for putt-putt) but I want to learn it.

11. I want to learn a new recipe per week, I may even make that a weekly food blog about our experiences with it.

12. I want to have a decent savings at years end, I don't know any amount so I'll have to add that later based on our analysis of the finances.

So thats my 12 (yes one for each month of the Year)

2009

I really think this year is going to be an awesome year. Both Christina and I are in site of graduation and plan to walk on the 1st of August, the process(beyond the paperwork) for my ministers license in the Church of God starts, and our chaplains board is in March. I am sure that God has a lot more in store for us and we are anxiously watching the horizon of the new year!