Wade Hinson

Love & War

2010-05-03T17:14:00.003-04:00

I am so excited I signed up yesterday to blog about a new book by Jon & Stasi Eldredge. We have already been reading this book and so far WOW! So watch for more once I finish reading it :)

Those pesky resolutions

2009-11-30T12:03:00.003-05:00

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

2009-09-17T10:25:00.002-04:00

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

2009-09-10T08:31:00.001-04:00

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

2009-08-11T11:24:00.000-04:00

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

2009-07-30T21:57:00.002-04:00

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

2009-07-27T15:44:00.003-04:00

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

2009-07-20T09:11:00.002-04:00

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

2009-07-09T10:29:00.000-04:00

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!

2009-07-07T08:26:00.000-04:00

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

2009-07-01T13:40:00.001-04:00

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

2009-06-30T09:34:00.000-04:00

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

2009-06-29T10:41:00.001-04:00

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

2009-06-24T20:40:00.002-04:00

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

2009-06-11T16:04:00.002-04:00

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

2009-03-19T12:59:00.002-04:00

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

2009-03-17T23:23:00.002-04:00

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

2009-02-28T11:42:00.002-05:00

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

2009-02-24T22:54:00.002-05:00

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

2009-02-21T09:15:00.002-05:00

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

2009-02-17T09:43:00.002-05:00

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

2009-02-14T11:05:00.003-05:00

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

2009-01-24T15:09:00.002-05:00

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

2009-01-21T08:35:00.001-05:00

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!

2009-01-19T14:08:00.003-05:00

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

2009-01-19T00:41:00.002-05:00

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?

2009-01-16T16:14:00.002-05:00

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

2009-01-13T04:01:00.003-05:00

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

2009-01-12T12:43:00.001-05:00

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

2009-01-03T17:11:00.000-05:00

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

2009-01-02T15:07:00.002-05:00

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

2009-01-01T19:05:00.003-05:00

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

2009-01-01T00:21:00.002-05:00

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!

Pressing Forward

2008-12-31T00:08:00.002-05:00

I'm not by nature a witch hunter or one who sees demons in every dark corner, but here lately it has seemed to me that that is exactly what I've been. Truthfully many people may think that about me at this point and in fact the few people that have talked to me have came close to calling me crazy. But I am here to tell you everything has happened just as I have said for one and for two the attacks keep coming in. I guess for three I and my wife are determined to not stop no matter what because we know we are in Gods wonderfully big hands and he will not allow more than we can bear, in fact I think most of the attacks have only served to shore up rough areas in our defenses. Each new attack on us has not deterred us so therefore it has accomplished nothing. I don't know if I have many readers but for those of you who do I am asking you to pray for us. My brother just told me he might possibly have Lupus. My brother was MY prayer come true, and it hurts me to see him in pain or worried. I was 14 when he was born so I think I missed out on a lot of the sibling things that most brothers get because I was out of the house by the time he was 4. With my deployments and being stationed overseas I would say there is a lot missing there but he is still the little brother I asked for and I will not give him up very easily. I am praying for him right now that God will place his hand in this situation and to let the report come back clean. I am tired, I am broken, but I am committed to press to the end.

Happy Holidays... All of them

2008-12-23T11:00:00.002-05:00

My wife was recently reading a blog about Santa Claus. The blogger was asking how people had been told there really wasn't a Santa, but of course it was a Christian blog so people turned it to the typical "Christians shouldn't celebrate Santa." It seems to me that someone somewhere in the Christian world always has a problem with one of the Holidays be it Easter, Christmas, Thanksgiving or whatever. In our house we celebrate them all and they all have special meaning. Most people don't even look at the reason xmas is xmas before they scream that the world is trying to take Christ out of Christmas. There are so many good reasons for the x one being that it is the greek letter for Christ or it represents the cross of Christ. Long before Christmas was made into the shopping Holiday it is today there was Xmas. I recently heard of a sermon about the kneeling Santa and how each part of the costume represented certain parts of salvation, easter eggs represent new beginnings in Christ, pumpkins represent the shell of who we were before the light was put in us, Xmas trees represent the everliving promise of God. Heres the thing that we need to look at as Christians, who are we going to believe? According to the oldest written historys the flood was brought on by old gods who got mad at most humans except of course the one he had to build a boat. Sound Familar? There are so many of the Bibles stories that have other secular content but we know the truth of things. The Flood was sent by God after he had Noah build a boat. So should we stop telling it because the pagans have somthing similar? Or should we loudly proclaim the truth? I think the reason for any season is Chirst and any season has a way to proclaim him so I will continue to carve my pumpkins, have Xmas trees, color Easter eggs and even tell my kids about Santa... A man who actually followed Christ teaching of selling everything he had and giving to the poor... A man who attended the council of Nicea and helped Christianity become what it is today... A man. I read this today "Those people who say "Bah humbug" to Christmas fun should find a way to transform holiday traditions into instruments of God's love." Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Take my Life

2008-12-21T01:49:00.002-05:00

You know the past few months of our life has been really tough to live out each day for God while it seems that everything is going against you. A couple of nights ago I was taking my nightly walk with the dog and a song by Third Day came on. The words go Please take from me my life when I don't have the strength to give it away to you; please take from me my life when I don't have the strength to give it away to you Jesus. I remember looking at my wife and saying we would ride in God's hands as long as it took to recover our loss, that he would be everything we needed never realizing how hard even that simple task was going to be for us. Yet everything continues to work out well for us, we are blessed despite our despair. God is there!

Today is the Best day of the Year!

2008-12-18T10:47:00.002-05:00

On this day 9 years ago Chrissy and I became husband and wife. Things get better every year and I thought that nothing could compare to that day to be honest. She has been the best partner a man could ask for.

I can now say I'm done..

2008-12-16T18:11:00.003-05:00

With the semester that is lol, I have turned in my last paper and I am actually caught up with everything I was behind on. I honestly didn't think I would ever get everything done. Now we can take a break and just breath as a family, with everything that has happened over the last few months that has been really hard to do.. just breath. But you know God has brought us through a lot of rough water so I know the journey isn't over in fact I am looking for something great in the next year!

I can now say I'm done..

2008-12-16T18:11:00.001-05:00

God's Protection

2008-12-14T02:04:00.004-05:00

OK its 2am and here I am wide awake and blogging, yes I said 2am. I have told you before how we have felt that Satan has been attacking our family personally ever since we publicly declared that we were going into a full time pastorate, well tonight we believe that another of those attacks may have been thwarted by God.
My wife's mother has been in the hospital and Christina really wanted to go down and see her, however with all of our schedules with school(both ours and Ainsley) it was really difficult to see how she could get down there. We hatched a plan for her to leave after Sunday night church service, drive to Huntsville and stay with a friend of ours, then see her mom on Monday leaving around lunch to get back here in time to see Ainsley cheer for the first time in a real game(more on that in a different post I'm sure..if not mine read Chrissy's lol). I took the dog outside for a walk and the thought came to me that I would never see her again, within seconds all the details flashed before me sending chills up my spine. I shrugged it off as just a bad thought associated with just normal fears. I came back in the house and she had half way decided there was no way she could do the trip so the whole thought just left me. Later that evening she mentioned still going and this time we were considering her taking Renah so that Renah would have a special trip with mommy. Once again I took the dog out and I was hit with the same thought, only this time Renah was gone too. I don't know why but I didn't tell Chrissy any of this but I said a prayer for God to protect them and went on with our daily plans. Fast forward a bit and we were laying in bed, neither of us seemed able to sleep so I rolled over to her and asked her what was on her mind. Without even skipping a beat she said "That if she went to Huntsville she wouldn't come back" Like a ton of bricks it all came back to me so I questioned her further as to what she meant. She had a thought that someone was going to hurt her and she wasn't going to come back alive. I then told her what I had thought earlier to which she replied I had just prayed to God for a sign right before you asked me what was on my mind and I really feel this is it. i don't know how to tell you what I felt in those next few moments, I don't even know that you would understand. Many people will try to tell me that its just coincidence but I'm telling you that it was a warning from God for her not to go which just further proves to us that God has a calling on our lives. She almost went last Sunday morning but the car had messed up the night before. Everything we have tried over the last week to get her down there has failed, this time it wouldn't have but my partner would not have come back! I know full well what just happened and it is miraculous divine intervention in my opinion. I don't know what else it could be but God. If you read my blog at all then you know we have had a rough couple of months please pray God's continued protection over my family.

Point Blank! Everything is going to be Alright

2008-11-08T22:48:00.003-05:00

From the title of my blog you would think I was referring to the election like every other McCain backer over the last few days, but in fact that is referring to a statement given to my wife and I by a minister. Last Sunday he was at our church to preach, but in our service he didn't get the opportunity as God moved in a very powerful way. As God started to move there was a call to come down if you needed anything from God. Chrissy and I came to a separate decision to not go down for prayer again for whatever reason. You know that feeling that you are being looked at, but you avoid looking in that direction no matter what happens you focus on something else? Well that was much the feeling I had as Floyd Lahaun walked down the aisle. It seemed that he made a bee line straight for me, and as he tapped me for prayer I moved out into the aisle with the thought I will not go down. For those that don't understand that, I meant get slain in the spirit which used to happen alot in pentecostal Church's. Now I observe a lot of things in church services and I do recognize the move of God when it happens, and there are times that people do what is expected. They dance, get slain whatever the "format" of the service is. I know that most are right on but there are always fakes in every crowd. I have always been careful with the spirit especially since I know I could do better imitations of the move of God than most. So there I was thinking to myself I won't go down. He prayed for what seemed a few minutes and I felt the push to go down. Then he stopped and touched my heart and said "Point Blank son I don't know what you are dealing with but God wants to consume you he wants you to give him everything you have including your problems and your fears." Now as much as I would like that to be a direct quote I was already sobbing so hard I could hardly breathe just after he used my own catch phrase against est me, point blank" As he touched my forehead again I remember my knees buckling and then I was coming to next to my wife, who apparently had also had an experience. As we stood up and moved back into our seat who should come back down the aisle but Floyd Lahaun, this time with a mike. He came up to us and started telling us that what he had to say no one in the church may understand, but that he knew God had words for us directly. Those words were Point Blank,everything is going to be alright. That no matter what had happened that God said it was going to be alright. Then of course he touched me with the red Bible again and I went down without even a thought in my head, I do know I was crying like a kid again. My wife told me later that she had been forced to a seat by me because I had such a tight hug on her. He had her stand up to put her back down again. For those of you that know what we have been through here recently and many in the audience that day, the immediate thought is the miscarriage. For my wife and I there was so much more that ran through our minds. The ministry we are getting ready to embark on and all the issues like our finances that are involved getting there. Yes the miscarriage was in our mind, bigger in Chrissy's than mine, but God had already showed us peace in that. You would think that after two knockouts from God that our day would be over but no at that evenings service he came down the aisle to us again and asked if we were the same couple from across the aisle that morning, of course we were. He told us that God had had us on his mind all day! Then he told us again, everything is going to be alright. This time I ended up on my face before God, half crying half laughing it seemed. I know this God is good, I never felt so relieved as I did that day. I know now that everything is going to be alright... Point Blank

Thoughts on My Son

2008-10-20T18:00:00.004-04:00

This blog will appear disjointed to many, simply thats because it is. I have written this over several weeks so many thoughts may have already been covered and I refuse to delete anything.

I still don't know where I stand in all of this, in fact I am hoping that by allowing my fingers to type perhaps something may come out. I have reserved my feelings throughout all of this pregnancy because deep down there just wasn't anything I wanted more than a son. I love my daughters and they are each special in their own way, but I wanted a son. I refused to let my wife wear pink and every night we went through a ritual of rubbing a little baseball outfit on her stomach as if it would help in some way. No I don't believe in superstition it was just a funny cutesy togetherness that my wife and I did. Everyone always suspected that he was a boy and most often "it" was referred to as "he".
On Tuesday night October 14th my wife called to tell me she was bleeding, I told her to go ahead and call the doctor and I was headed home. When I got there she was calmer but something still didn't seem right in her mind so she called my mom who I think calmed her down enough for her to grab a little sleep. I didn't know what to expect and other than my normal sleeplessness had a decent night.
On Wednesday I dropped Chrissy off at the doctors office for her routine appointment and started running errands, we were still planning on going out of town. I came home briefly to check an email for a phone number and while I was sitting at the computer she called me unable to speak crying so hard she seemed she couldn't breath, the doctor had to take the phone and in tears told me that my child was dead. Even then I had no fear, in fact as I went to the hospital I quoted scriptures about the promises of God and claimed life for my unborn baby. I even swore to myself that she would not take any medicine that could kill the baby. As soon as I arrived they started spelling out the options that we had, one of which was the DNC and the other was actual delivery. For several reasons we chose not to go with the DNC. It seemed to me at the time to give no chance for survival in case we were wrong and in Chrissy's mind she wanted to see it. So they gave her meds that started contractions and scheduled a delivery for 7am the next morning.
Needless to say Wednesday night neither of us could sleep, Chrissy went through times of crying while I sat there numb. I honestly felt a loss but didn't know what I had lost as honestly at that point in the pregnancy the guy doesn't get the connection with the child like the woman does. I was scared because I thought there might have been times where I didn't do enough for Chrissy, she was always wanting me to carry her bags and at times I jokingly refused. At this point I was having doubts about our calling and the ability to go on, in fact I had an email from the Chaplain recruiter that same day to whom I almost replied "just go away". By 3am I was struggling spiritually and didn't even realize it. 5am was the last time I saw the clock and as I feel asleep I think God prepared me for what was coming.
Chrissy had decided that this child needed a name, to which I was against at first. My mom told me to let her know if we would have a funeral, which confused me more...why would we have a funeral. My grief was still locked away and truthfully I wasn't letting it out for something as simple as this. Having seen so many people go through miscarriages and stillbirths I knew it was real but I was going to handle it the way I always have, internally. I'm sure many people saw that I was not in control, in fact my adviser noticed it within seconds of walking in, coherent sentences weren't my friend and as I said I was numb. So all this was on my mind and in my dream God came to me. He assured me that everything was in his hand and that he was full of grace. He told me that what I had lost would be rewarded two fold (yeah I warned Chrissy that twin boys were in our future lol) At that point I knew that my son, yes I knew at that point I had a son who was now dead, would have a name and that name would be Mishael Hananiah and that little boy would forever be a part of our lives.
We do feel that this was a direct attack against us by Satan. Unlike a lot of people who just give him credit for things, we feel in this case that it was a final attack in a long stream of attacks that started back when my wife and I first fully accepted the call to the chaplaincy and a pastorship. At first it was minor things like constant arguements between my wife and I. I once asked her have you noticed a change in us since accepting this call? Of course after putting a face to it things changed so the attacks came from elsewhere. Each one we closed the gap on through pray and every challenge taught us something new. I remember when I first started calling people about the conception, one of our trusted advisors Chaplain Egert asked me if it changed anything as far as our goals to go back in to which I answered no way, nothing is going to change my mind short of God. Little did I know that at 17 weeks I would have severe doubts about going any further. Weeks before the presidential election I remember praying God I have given up so much of my family already why should I go into the army under a president who doesn't care a bit about you? And still I hear him calling me further into him. What may have been intended for evil actually backfired because unlike a large amount of couples who go through this, we got closer. There are days where we just lay there and hold each other without a word passing between us, a lot of times I am praying for my wife because I have nothing to say and I know God does. There are times when we talk until all hours of the night and often our conversation returns to our future as a pastor and wife team. Often these conversations start with a thought of MH, but usually they just start. Pastor Moody on the day of the birth warned us againest becoming seperated in our grief. It just confirmed that we were still in a fight. I have never been so grief striken as I have been for the last few weeks, now almost a month. But I also feel so much closer to my God and my wife. I was close to both, in fact there have been many times in our relationship that we have had conversations until 3 in the morning or just held each other without words, but since this most recent trial we have decided to follow our destiny to the end no matter what hand in hand

The Catch-up

2008-10-13T17:07:00.003-04:00

I have let my blogging slide again, although I have thought of lots of things to blog about over the last few weeks. The problem, besides time of course comes from not wanting to inflame those who disagree with my points concerning the current political situation. For those of you on my face book you know by now that I have likened Obama not to the anti-Christ as many Christians have recently, but to Hitler. Now Hitler of course had actual leadership and he was at least honest in his goals unlike Obama who has neither leadership or goals. I don't mind people having a difference of opinion from me, but those who continue to insist that his leadership qualities are vast really tend to make me want to give them a little wall to wall counseling ;)..... Seriously even Palin has more experience in that department and I'm not much of a fan of hers either(McCain does have my vote). In a recent Army Times article McCain held over 67% of the military vote. Yeah I wonder why...hmmmm... perhaps its because they understand leadership! I think most civilians really need to ask themselves what leadership is, especially those who have business leadership or whatever leadership degrees and still insist that Obama has that trait. He couldn't be further from the truth in fact I would go as far as saying he is the unleader.
Anyway...
On to other topics before I really do get mad lol
These last few weeks have been rushed to the extreme. Chrissy of course is taking her first semester back in school in stride other than thinking she needs to study all the time. Ainsley loves kindergarten, I think she misses some part of her old life though ;). I am under a full 17 hr load with 3 labs. Of course that wasn't enough work for me so I also played the role of Tech Director for the Ocoee Players production of Cotton Patch Gospel and I am trying to learn guitar in addition to getting more involved with South Cleveland Church of God as I continue the process towards Chaplaincy. Yeah its been really busy lol.
Through it all though God reveals himself to be a God that is in control. The scary thing here recently has been the seeming loss of who God is by most of the church. In a recent discussion a certain type of church came up which doesn't have one religion under its roof, in fact you can even be atheist and attend. I don't mean this a church who welcomes all sinners I mean there are no sinners all under one roof. It is the same thing as Oprah has recently endorsed in that you don't have to accept Christ as the only way to heaven but that there are several ways into heaven. I made the statement that there is only one way into heaven and that in my mind anyone who believed otherwise was not a Christian. I tend to look at things different than most I know, for one I believe in religious freedom, however I also believe that anything counter to the Holy Bible is false and won't get you anywhere other than hell or whatever you want to call it. I also believe that one who is struggling with sin no matter the sin is in better shape than the one who has fallen into sin and continues to dwell there which means that one who struggles with homosexuality but continues to pray for help from God, doesn't fall into sin is in way better shape than the one who thinks porn every now and then is OK. God didn't make one to be gay anymore than he made one to be a whore or to cheat on their spouse. These things all seem easy to me but in a recent conversation with a fellow Lee student the concept seems hard to grasp for many. Perhaps we can place the blame on the church who felt it was more important to discuss why we are Catholic, Baptist, Pentecostal, Episcopalian and all the other denominations out there instead of what it means to be Christian. Of course that most likely was considered bad business by many mega churches and so they did away with the basics ans skipped to the good stuff like cookies and milk after every service. No there is nothing wrong with cookies and milk, in fact I am big on Churches being a servant group and the first/last appearances are the most important, but how about some Christ in the christian service first, besides what chapel service would be complete without cookies and milk as there are times that those cookies are the only sweet some fat recruit like I was would get for the entire week not that I partook ;)...I think that honestly we as Christians forgot how good God was and actually thought we needed to sell his services like some sort of department store. The church grows the most when the truth is presented in a way that can't be avoided. Now I would be wrong to end this rant without any way for someone to go further so here is the Prayer of Salvation. The truth of it all is that God so loved the world that he gave his only son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. The story doesn't end there. He was rose again three days later, and now sits in heaven with God. Anyone who ask him forgiveness and leaves his sinful ways is accepted into the kingdom of God.

Amazing Grace

2008-09-18T08:43:00.003-04:00

Isn't it awesome how God loves us no matter what and all we have to do is ask forgiveness when we mess up? I sometimes wonder how he does without ever losing sleep. There are times as a parent that I wonder man are they ever going to grow out of this disobedience stage, and let me say that my kids are really good...most of the time. But God has to deal with the entire human race who without remorse runs headlong into sins over and over. And each time the simple words "Forgive me God" brings it back right with him. Now sometimes there are periods of punishment so to speak such as with David and Bathsheeba. This is the man that God had a respect for and in the end David is someone we can all relate to in one way or another and know that God has an amazing plan of salvation for us.

Faith

2008-09-15T21:26:00.002-04:00

I have been thinking about Faith a lot here lately and in its application to the various portions of our lives. For those of you who have actually read my blogs you may know that I think in terms of a big unlimited God. But there are times that I feel I limit what God can do. Here in the city of Cleveland, TN people are always praying for rain, "because the good Lord knows we need it"! While several states perhaps they pray for no rain. Praying for rain in Cleveland, TN or for no rain in Killeen, TX and having the faith that God will answer your prayers is easy. But God promises us so much more, in fact in his word there were times when the impossible happened for his people. The first faithful man of God to request the impossible and to expect it to happen was Joshua. He stood before the people of God in prayer and said let the sun and moon stay where they are so that we can finish the job. He didn't pray that they could hurry up and get the job done or that the enemy would turn around and come back. These things would have been the easy faith thing to do, instead he asked for the passage of time to pause. Elijah was one who came to mind when I thought of all the prayer rquest for rain. He did something that truly required faith, in fact if he had been wrong he would have looked rather foolish.
Now Elijah, who was from Tishbe in Gilead, told King Ahab, “As surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives—the God I serve—there will be no dew or rain during the next few years until I give the word!” It happened just as he had faith it would and God honored him for his faith. Can you imagine if we prayed for no rain in Cleveland, TN until the wicked people turned to God? Can you imagine going up to someone and instead of saying "hey I prayed for rain and it came", you said "man I prayed for no rain until I said so and its been three years and still Cleveland, TN hasn't seen rain!" I am not saying that praying for rain is wrong, just that limiting your prayers to the normal course of things is. Pray Faithfully for the impossible it will shock you with the things that arent really impossible.

Africa or Bust?

2008-09-14T23:20:00.004-04:00

When I talk to people about answering God's call (for example becoming a Chaplain) I sometimes talk about my friend who is called to be a missionary in Africa. It seems that so many people are afraid to answer the call into the ministry because they don't want to be placed somewhere that they will hate. My friend was called to Africa almost from the time he was saved. He in fact dreamed of living in Africa for more than just the ministry he liked the whole thought of wide open country for some weird reason that I could never quite put my finger on. Personally I couldn't think of a more horrid calling to have to answer. For some people my calling to go back into the Army after my initial escape befuddles their minds. For me I enjoyed, for the most part, my military service and honestly can think of no ministry that could be nearly as exciting, much like my friend and his Africa. You see God calls people that he created to those things he created them for. To be quite honest I am yet to hear of someone who was called to a ministry that they just didn't like, if you know someone who is ask them truly if they are called to that or do they feel obligated you will see at first a look of outrage, then followed by a look of hmmm yeah that's true. Recently in church service we had a visiting missionary from the Congo(Africa). Now many of you are thinking awww that's nice he came back to fill the congregation in on his mission field. Nope he was from the Congo, missionary to the United States! Now who in the world would want to come as a missionary to the United States? But God placed a calling on his and his families life and here they are. My entire point is this, don't be afraid of Africa God has people with a heart for Africa. Where is your heart?

Who Am I?

2008-08-22T15:47:00.001-04:00

Over time God has taught me many lessons, not that I get them on the first go around. I am always telling people that in ministry you should never be the only one that makes the ministry go because then it becomes more about the individual instead of about God himself. If this "I'm the only one who do it behavior" doesn't lead to emotional breakdown it will lead to a loss of ministry opportunities because you will no longer grow in God. We lose our effectiveness by not taking time off, even Christ did. Obviously Billy Graham is a large part of what "Billy Graham Ministries" is, however God has people that are just as capable to step into his shoes when he is not there. These things are obvious, but what about the times when you think you are the only one serving God, or the only one who could have made a difference in someones life? Recently I attended the wake of a friend of mine whom I have recently had the privilege of getting to know but never out and out asked if he knew the Lord in a personal way. From the day I found out about his death I was grieving over not telling him. As my wife and I pulled up to the house I was still concerned that I had only lived my life in front of him. He knew of our plans for the chaplaincy,but these things come up in regular conversation. From the minute I walked into the house it was as if God was trying to teach me a thing or two about just who I was in the whole scheme of things. One lady mentioned that he had attended a church often because he enjoyed the music, at another conversation someone I knew from another church talked about my friend working for him. As soon as he said that I heard a voice say to me Who do you think you are that you would be the only opportunity for this man to know me? I was stunned and humbled at the same time. I am still heartbroken that I never broached the issue of salvation, but I am heartened that God had others to step into the gap that I had left open. I learned yet another lesson there and that was that God always has people to fill roles, be it so that someone can take time off from running the camera for church, or to show someone the plan of salvation when we drop the ball ourselves. Looking into scripture we find yet another who had the question of who am I answered that of Elijah. In 1 Kings 19 Elijah was feeling like he was the only one who was still serving God and he was at his wits end so to speak. But God came to him and lovingly persuaded him that there were at least 7000 others who had never bowed to Baal. Now you might think that this is stretching it but let me elaborate. If there are 7000 people who have never bowed a knee to Baal then don't you think there is at least one or two others who can do what you do in the kingdom? Ask yourself the question Who am I?

New Beginnings

2008-08-21T17:39:00.000-04:00

With the beginning of the school year my family has three students that call themselves full time now. My wife(who is pregnant), and my daughter(who just started Kindergarten) have joined me in the educational endeavors. My wife is going through the same thought process I went through a little over a year ago. As I was trying to motivate her it dawned on me how close this chapter of our life is to closing and just how close the next one is to starting. Obviously my daughter has just started her educational chapter but my wife and I are in our final year of undergrad education! My wife having just reached her 29th plus 1 birthday was worried about fitting into a room full of fresh faces who haven't had near the time out of school that she has, while my daughter was worried about passing test(how she knew about test is beyond me) Their worries were much the same. The scripture that comes to mind is found in Jeremiah 29:11 . In this verse God tells us he already knows what we are doing even when we think the chapter just started, amazingly he didn't have to read the last page and knowing the end doesn't ruin the story for him he stays with us every step of the way. My thought process after my last year of Lee is that I can do it with God in control ! And my words to those people starting new things trust God and know he was there when you started hes there already at the finish and he is in the middle of your walk already waiting to guide you.

Stay Alert

2008-07-14T09:20:00.001-04:00

This morning when I logged into Facebook I saw two things that have been on my mind the last few days. One was the daily scripture which can be found in Psalm 34 "

Taste and see that the Lord is good, blessed is the man who takes refuge in him",

and the second was a daily post called extreme Bible study...

Wednesday, July 16,2008
Written by Bill Scott

Luke 21:36
Keep alert at all times. And pray that you might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of Man.

The one thing I have learned throughout the years is that Satan is very patient. Satan will never attack you when you are at the top of your game. He will wait for the perfect storm to hit your life. He will wait until you have become weak and then pounce on you! If things are going well today praise the Lord! Now is the time to keep your guard up and be alert. The Bible says that Satan is seeking who he can devour and I do not want that to be you. This is why it’s so important to spend time in the Bible and pray on a regular basis. When you stop eating you’ll soon become weak. It won’t happen over night, it will be just a little each day until you are flat on your back. It’s the same way when you stop reading the Bible. Each day you are away from God you become a little weaker. So take this verse to heart today and stay alert. It’s not if Satan will attack, it’s when he’ll attack.
Extra Time in the Word: Luke 21

Everyday we are attacked by Satan, I know it sounds cheesy but it is true and if you don't beleive it then you might want to rethink your walk. Everywhere I go it seems that people have stopped worrying about Satan and his many attacks on not only the individual, but also the family and its structure. I welcome the attacks of Satan because it means there is something right going on in my family and our walk with God.

Influenceable

2008-07-12T12:31:00.001-04:00

While we were still in Texas our Pastor at the time used one of the younger cuties to get his point across about the influenceity of children. The catch phrase that to this day I remember was when she said in a childlike voice "influence me". Even then I didn't understand how influenceable a child's mind was. Some friends of ours had a daughter slightly older than Ainsley and she looked up to in just about every way. Even being away from Texas for over two years we still hear about the dog that Brooke played in Annie or about the particular toy that Brooke had that Ainsley loved. Since getting "older" Ainsley has wanted her hair cut short to both of our dismay. But since we want our hard lines to have meaning and in my opinion as long as she still looked like a little girl, we allowed it to be cut. So mom loaded her up in the car and after a hard hour she returned home to my surprise with a haircut just like Brooke! Does Ainsley even remember what Brooke's hair really looks like? I don't think she does conscientiously, however back in her brain somewhere she was influenced.
A book called "A Class Divided" goes into such deep detail of our at a young age a child can be taught to hate or to love. A teacher takes her third grade class and divides them according to eye color. On the first day all Blue eyed children are the best at everything and deserve special privileges. Immense hatred arises among life long friends. Students become violent and start to call the others names like "you brown eye". On the next day she switches it and immediately the attitudes change. Where before the downtrodden brown eyes felt inadequate, now they are superior and horde it over the poor blue eyes. Even grades change depending on who is being told is the better.
We in America tend to think that we are strong and uninfluenceable. It has been proven over and over that at the very least children are. I believe strongly that labels have truly influenced our society to the point that we can't advance past hatred and bitterness. Catch phrases like African American, Asian America and Hispanic American only lead to more segregation because regardless of side you are taught that you are different. My mom brought up a point recently that while she was growing up those who were Spanish were... white. Yeah shocking isn't it! We allowed a divide somewhere to come up, to the point that heritage really has nothing to do with it. Starting at a young age we should stop telling people they are any different and start showing them the things they really need to know. Around the world they have figured it out, yet the melting pot has became a salad of things that can be picked out and tossed aside. Recently you see racism at is finest with people like Obama as a presidential candidate. HE and no one else brings race into the mix. HE claims that the McCain group will bring it up and HE proves my point over and over and over again because suddenly there is a divide that can't be crossed created by HIM.
To influence our children to do right we need to start while they are yet young and continue it through their education then in their adult life the issues we face won't be the problems they have.

Sow What

2008-06-25T21:41:00.000-04:00

Yeah Yeah so I did a play on words, or did you think I just misspelled? Well I meant it that way so there. On my daily scripture for facebook Galatians 6:8 came up
The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction;
the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
After reading an article in the news yesterday that said people are more and more believing that their religion isn't the only way into heaven, this coming from 57% of evangelical Christians, I am led to believe that the church has too long sown from the sinful nature.
We have allowed things into our midst by letting our personal opinion lead our ideology and not the spirit as it should be. We take sins and elevate them higher then others because we are sickened by them, instead of calling sin.. sin. I so often hear about people who strongly stand against homosexuality, but then they cheat on their wives or are caught in some other moral sin. Sin is sin there isn't a sin ladder that you climb starting at lying and ending up gay. The man who looks at porn is the same as the gay man they are both sinning. All sin requires forgiveness from God and he says none is greater then another except blaspheming the Holy Spirit. Then there are the created sins, the ones that aren't even in the Bible but we push them anyway. The one that makes me laugh the hardest is the sin of not growing in Christ, not that I think we should stagnate in our walk but who is greatest among you let him cast the first stone. How many times have I heard he was a good man but he got his ear pierced I am just praying for God to bring him back to the fold or She isn't living right she wears those skirts that just barely cover the knees I am praying that God doesn't allow her to die before she comes back to church. These aren't the only made up sins out there, they are just the ones I chose for this blog.
My point in all of this is the Bible names the sins we should concern ourselves with, and on those we quickly forgive as we should. My dad recalls a lady who came to church while he was a teenager. She was saved at the service, her past life forgiven by all, but was met by the elder ladies in the church who proceeded to tell her how she needed to be dressed the next time she came to church, she of course never came back either from embarrassment or from the lack of money to buy new clothes. If they felt so strongly about it then they should have followed God's mandate and given her their Sunday best.
The Bible is plain about sin, it is also plain about how to react to it. We in the church need to get into the word and see what sin really is, Gods policy on how to react to those sins and stop creating sins for everyone else to fall short on. If we focus on God and start sowing into our spiritual field, as the scripture says the rain is coming prepare the field.
We have serious problems on our hands with people going to churches that are so accepting of everything. I recently heard of a church that you could be buddist, atheist or christian. Yes I left it lower case because I don't beleive anyone is a Christian if they think that there might be other ways into heaven. The Bible is plain, amazing how clear things are yet we always want to debate it, Jesus is the only way into heaven. If you are a slave to Christ, or Christian, then you must follow his teaching. Any deviation from that puts you in another classification, make something up you already have created the rest of your beliefs why stick to the classification.
Am I saying we should be intolerant of others? NO! They can believe the way they want, just don't bring those beliefs to my church and expect me to accept you as is. Sure I'll welcome you in and love you all the way into an experience with Christ.

God in a Box

2008-06-20T08:38:00.000-04:00

It's amazing how in the last several months God has shown me things about him that I thought I knew already, but liker most of us just didn't get. We claim, especially those of us in the charasmatic/pentacostal group, that with God nothing is impossible but we constantly put him into a neat little box where if he ever tried anything outside of that box we claim it to be anti-God. Most of you know that Christina and I have been on the move church wise again trying to find that home away from Faith Temple, but if you didn't there you go. We have been visiting a baptist church with some friends of ours in the last few weeks, breath everyone, and have truly been blessed by what we have seen.
Like I said at the beginning God has been dealing with me personally about boxes for a while, and on the first Sunday there would you believe the Pastor talked about boxes? Amazingly baptist people feel the leading of the spirit as so many people wrongly think. That sermon spoke right to me as he said "We the baptist church like to put God in a box and not allow him to work, now you Church og God people out there laugh but your guilty of it too your box is just bigger."
As I sat there I was hit with a lot of different thoughts, some concerning a certain baptist church that sang the same songs as we do, had their very own Marsha Hoxworth(one of the best pastors wives Christina and I have ever had), but a pastor who spoke to the heart of what God was dealing with me on.
Now I have always been a person of Faith, as long as you couldn't see inside my head anyway. I have to show strength for my family no matter what, thats my job. But there have been some real down moments for me since moving back to Cleveland. Everytime I think things are looking good again, it seems to turn within minutes. At one point after a particularly challenging problem was fixed I even said that I felt like God had pushed the envelope of my ability to continue on. I started to wonder did we make a bad choice in coming here? Is the dream that gave me to great for someone who is "non-traditional" at school? It seems that everytime I see somthing forming up its crushed and thoughts of moving back home resurface.
Today was a really bad day for me because Christina was hit with another one of migranes. She had more then her insurance alloted five of them so we had to call to get her refill only to hear that she couldn't get anymore in this month. The on call doctor in his great wisdom suggested we just buy one pill to get her through to Monday when her doctor will be available, but that one pill is $92.00! At least in the army they would have given her samples. The army looks really good for someone who thought God was calling him out, someone who wanted to stay in for life and had a family that supported that.
As all these thoughts are running through my head I remember my pastors words when we were discussing some ideas once. I am sure that if I tried to quote it I would mess it up so I'll "wadish" it. "Even though I know what God has in store for Faith Temple he has not yet released me to it". WHAT you mean God shows you things in the future but won't let you do it yet? You mean even though there is a struggle to maintain those things as they are he knew that when he told you but I can't do anything excpet keep walking?
I know over the last few months Christina and I have helped people with stuggles that we would have never seen or met in Killeen, Texas, our comfort zone. That doesn't mean that we don't know what some of what God has in store for us, nor does it mean that this is "our spot" its more like our wilderness." As sure as the world we had put God into a "prosperity box". A box that said we were doing what he wanted so things should go well, more like would go well.
So as I am sitting here thinking of being in God's box and not keeping him my box at 130 because I can't sleep yet again, I flip over to GOD TUBE and watch a video of a drama. For people that know me they know how I am about drama and media in the church. I despise those people that just want to get by. I believe that it is not that hard to make good quality no matter what your resources. I am also not real happy with those people who make excuses for not using it in their service. Excuses like we just dont know how, or God doesn't use that in church. These people are usually againest business managers in church too. Anyway enough ranting off subject, I watch the video that is attached here where this group is doing cheerleaderesk moves combined with drama and I see a place where God is not boxed out of the media/drama but is allowed to move freely in a backflip :)
To sum this rant all up nicely would most likely be impossible but let me try. God is greater then any box a demoniation can put around him. God is greater then any form of ministry can put around him. It doesn't matter how much people think we shouldn't copy the things of the world, because God is a creative person and humans are in his likeness they are therefore creative in the end they are in fact copying him. David danced for God years before churches made it a sin, banners were somthing of every worship service in Israel, so let God out of your box and climb into his!
Dramatically IHS

Think you are seeing two ?

2008-06-20T08:35:00.001-04:00

You might be if you followed my blogging on my space or face book, I am in the process of bringing them all here so that you don't need a membership somewhere in order to read and comment on them. I am hoping that by bringing them all here maybe I'll figure out what I want this blog to be :)

Old Friends; Old Crimes

2008-06-16T21:40:00.000-04:00

I am always apprehensive when I come in contact with old friends out of fear that they will remember things that I have done that may not have been something a Christian should have been doing, especially now that I am answering the call to pastor troops. Over the last week God has brought a lot of old friends into my life and so far my worries over the past have been unfounded. It reminds me of the scripture where God says that he will cast your sins from him as far as the east is from the west. I know that we on earth don't often forget the transgressions against us, nor do we forget the things others do if for no other reason then that of making sure they are never better then us. It doesn't really matter why we are reminded because according to the 1 Peter 5:8 Satan is like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour and he is called the accuser of the saints constantly reminding them of where they came from. We don't need to worry about these things, in fact the old saying "when the devil reminds you of your past remind him of his future" comes to mind here. So no matter what we have done in life, we can rest assured in our salvation as long as we accept Christ as our savior who died on the cross for our sins and rose three days later.

The Call of the Wild

2008-06-14T19:16:00.001-04:00

As many already known Christina and I have acknowledged the calling as a Chaplain in the army. Most have said that they aren't at all surprised, which to be honest neither are we. I think initially the hardest thing for me to overcome was accepting the fact that I was called into a pastorate, which I have always fought based on an image I had forged in my mind of a traditional "pulpit ministry".
Growing up as a pastors child I was always being told I was called to preach/pastor and I would always reply that they were off base because I was a rough and tumble mountain man not cut out for this soft pastoring thing that my father did so well. Don't get me wrong my dad is a mans man, in fact I would rather have him in a foxhole with me then just about anyone else. That might be because I know he is connected to God and my mom would have more angels around us then she ever prayed up for me during my two tours. But he is one of those that is just cut out for the cloth so to speak and I look better as an enforcer. This knowledge is what led me to the army in the first place, while there I met Chaplain Egert who was so much like my dad it amazed me.
I can honestly say that when we met the Egerts being in the ministry couldn't have been more distant from both of us. We had been through so much hurt at that point from "Christians" that I had swore off anything church related. Chrissy and I to this day laugh about the whole lunch with them that got me back teaching drama at church, renewed us to Godly Christians and eventually led us to the decision that we were called into the ministry, not yet as chaplains but as something in the church. Chet and Rhoda along with their daughters became fast friends to us and on every move we ended up running into them or they us and always caught right back up. During our tour of Italy he had a Chaplain recruiter come to Vicenza and introduced us to the whole idea in our living room along with John McDougall and his soon to be wife. Even so we just didn't know if it would ever be something we wanted to do. John and Bree did end up being called and I suppose that the ember was already embedded in us.
Getting out of the army was so hard on both of us because we had always felt that we were lifers. Often you hear of people who can't survive on the outside, Chrissy and I are not those people, we just like the Camaraderie that the army has, even among the wives. God in his wisdom didn't reveal to us anything further than get out and go to school. So after an eight year career we started over. A lot happened in the first few months after getting out, some came close to destroying the faith we had in God.
Soon after arriving at Lee, the promised job dissolved with the resignation of the head of campus safety. Having no other options Chrissy looked for work and was turned down constantly until, just in time, she got a waitressing job at Outback. Night after night the back breaking work wore her down but she stuck with it because it was all we had. During this time her father was diagnosed with cancer, which God had revealed to us meant her father was being called home. Every day off she had we headed south to be with him and eventually about 3 months after his diagnosis, he died at the end of June. During one of our visits, which turned out to be his last really good strong week, he prayed over Chrissy and I and passed down the blessing of family leadership and ministry. He was an ordained minister so this was really a strong time for us because you almost don't feel worthy to receive that mantle. Talking to him, he knew we were called to the chaplaincy and in fact we were getting that feeling that it was coming, we just hadn't quite accepted it yet. On the drive back home we looked at each other and wondered if God was already revealing another step to us.
The August after his death I started back to Lee ofter being out of school for 1o years. I look back now in disbelief as I see Gods hand at work the whole time. At the beginning of that semester I was a sophomore with a 1.4 gpa. After the first semester I was a junior with a 2.2. Each semester the gpa rises and so does my belief that God has something in store just around the corner. In pursuing the next level of education I thought surely God wanted me to get a masters in something like movie making or production since my BA is telecommunications with a church media emphasis. As I was perusing the Regent website I saw a Mdiv with a chaplaincy emphasis, then I saw a discounted tuition for those in the Chaplains Candidate Program. Understand this none of our decisions were made based on that find, it was just interesting that while looking for a degree tract to follow in the graduate program a chaplaincy degree would show up.
At this point Chrissy and I felt 99.9% positive that we were being pulled that way.
I called Chaplain Egert a few nights later and asked him how we should proceed. Before I knew it I had emails rolling in from people he had put me in contact with. We have prayed God please open and close doors for us so that we will know that this is your will. So far we haven't walked through a single door, just a blown away hole where once there was a door but God removed it so there was no doubt which way we needed to go. I called the Church of God(Cleveland, TN) Chaplains Commission and set up a meeting with Chaplain McNabb who heads the program. What a wonderful meeting it was for us as he confirmed things we had always been feeling. At one point I told him that I had never felt a calling to a "traditional pulpit ministry" and he immediately replied I know what you are trying to say and you are what the chaplaincy needs because you are called to pastor soldiers. Before we knew it Chrissy and I were being escorted around the seminary, and we felt that we were in the right place.
So there is where we stand on this calling into the pastorate. We have been told that the hardest thing for us will be the change from enlisted to officer, they may be right. But I think just admitting a calling into the pastorate was the hardest for me.

Calling all Smart smokers

2008-06-07T22:19:00.000-04:00

You wonder why non smokers such as myself think you should be banned from any public venue for smoking, well you can blame your stupid counterparts. Take my trip to McDonalds with my daughters today for instance. As I was sitting there a woman walked by the window smoking a cigarette. Just before she entered the door she tossed the still lit butt into the mulch that was all around the restaurant. Now besides the simple fact that some non-smoker will end up having to clean that up, it never fails non-smokers are the ones on butt duty, its really dry here and it was already starting to smolder. Had a few of the other customers and myself not been watching it would have been a fire within a few minutes. The crazy thing is she acted like we were intruding on her space. The funny thing is, most smokers will claim that this lady falls in the simple minority and that they, and most smokers, are just not like that. As much as I would like to believe them I have myself picked up way too many butts as a non smoker. So smart smokers if you want us non smokers to stop asking for more laws to stop this apparent interference into your life, police the dumb ones among you up because there are tons of them and they are really making you all look irresponsible.