Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Puppy Love

'Twas the night known as Wednesday
in the middle of the week,
I was on my way home,
to my wife I did speak.

I asked for her order
for food she could dine
as we could eat together
spending "quality time."

When all of a sudden
she told me to "shush"
as she crept down the hall
careful not to rush.

As she peered 'round the corner
toward the noise in the study,
she spied our dear son
acting giddy & nutty.

Several taps on the window
his fingers did make
I thought "what is he up to
for goodness sake?"

My wife began to chuckle
as he jumped up & down.
He was looking out the window
at teenage girls all around.

He giggled and waved
and blushed red with glee
as the girls all looked back
smiling daintily.

They waved and they laughed
and the boy laughed too.
He continued to jump on the couch
like a young kangaroo.

My wife whispered to me
"he's flirting with them"
as she remained hidden
to watch him again.

Then he stopped and he yelled
as he put on his sock
"Mom, let's go outside
and walk 'round the block."

The girls, all five
were walking away
and my son, bless his heart,
was wanting them to stay.

It filled my old heart
with admiration and pride.
Yet his mother was stopping him,
as she kept him inside.

"You're squelching his moves, Mom"
I said with disdain.
"He can't go outside" she replied...
"it looks like it could rain."

"C'mon" I shouted,
feeling his grief.
"The boy wants to say 'hi'
just give him some relief."

But alas, it was over
and the girls were now gone,
vanished from his viewpoint
away from the lawn.

Yet as summer continues,
the girls sure to return,
I know Jake will be waiting,
regardless the spurn.

Ah yes, puppy love
it pierces us all
regardless the age,
we hear Cupid's call.

And so for tonight
our tragic tale ends,
with heartache & sorrow
he waits for Jane and her friends.

For while he looks for the girls
with his time well spent,
I soon expect to hear him say...

"Watch out Dad...I'm about to
REPRESENT!"

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Another Tuesday Blog...

Seems weird that whenever I get inspired to write something on here, it's a Tuesday. Perhaps I'm subconsciously wishing to repay someone for something on this great day, ala Wimpy from the Popeye cartoons. Ha!

OK...time to play a little catch up before I retire for the night.

First off, my weight loss challenge to myself is going great! As of today, I've lost anywhere between 10-12 lbs, depending on a few factors:

a) time of day
b) how much I've eaten
c) how much I'm wearing
d) what scale I'm standing on

My dad said I should ALWAYS trust the scale that makes you lighter. Call me crazy but that sounds like great logic and motivation for me! LOL! So, we'll do that and say I've lost 12+ pounds since I started this program back in May. I have been really trying hard to watch my overall caloric intake each day in addition to getting some sort of extended cardio work in (ex: walking around the block, getting my 10K steps in each day, riding a stationary bike, etc) plus I'm doing weight training every Mon, Wed and Fri. My strength is increasing, my weight is decreasing and my pants are slowly beginning to look baggy on me.

Yes, it shan't be long until my wife is giddy about me yet again!!

I'm hoping by Sept 15 I'll be in real good shape, just in time for my wife to parade me around like her prized male trophy husband, in front of all my friends for my 20th high school reunion in the Chicago 'burbs.

Father's Day was great around the hacienda. We all woke up Sunday morning with great expectations for the day yet I woke up feeling like a mule had kicked me in the head. I slowly crawled from the bed, realizing we were late for church but Sunday School was very probable, and eeked my way into the shower. I let the steam and hot water fall over my head and it miraculously began to clear things up so that I felt much better 30 mintues later as we all left the house for church. We ate at a great place called Mimi's Cafe (it's fast become one of our favorites) and then rushed back to Fayetteville to get to the movies on time.

Jennifer took Kaitlyn to see "Nancy Drew" and I took the boy to see "Fantastic Four 2". I was a little scared of what he might see or hear in the movie but was pleasantly surprised to see the mild overall content of the movie. It wasn't much different than what he'd see on a Saturday morning cartoon show.

Well, except for Jessica Alba. He's seen pretty girls before but he didn't say or react much to the very few scenes of her wearing something tight & sexy.

He DID react as all boys would when he saw the Silver Surfer and the Human Torch racing through the skies, fighting and shooting energy rays & flames at each other.

Heck, I was even pretty excited about that!!

Still, once the movies were over and we all made it home, it was a great night to just sit & listen to the pitter patter of the rain outside and the pitter patter of the action inside. It was a fierce game of "Duck, Duck, Goose" and the old man got the worst of it.

Such is life, I guess.

I hope you're all having a great week and I'll try to get on here a little more often.

Right now though...I hear the bed calling me and the alarm (which is set for 5:25am).

Is it time to make the donuts already?

Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Constantly Abiding

Do any of you remember this old time hymn from back in the day? I can't begin to count the number of times we used to sing this song during my childhood as we stood in my grandfather's church and sang this wonderful song of faith. While I didn't know then what it truly meant, I certainly do now.

This past Sunday, our pastor led the service in such a way that my spirit and soul were set on fire! The doldrums and spiritual winter I'd been going through all melted away with a true joy and revelation of who Jesus is...how He wants so much to have that one on one relationship with us...and how I must strive to continuously abide in Him.

Pastor talked about how we all, as believers, need to prioritize our lives to make Christ the number one thing in EVERY area. He will not settle for second best or even share the top spot in our day with anything else.

Nor should He have to.

He is the great Creator of life, our Healer & Sustainer, the One who sets us free! He's the King of kings and the Lord of lords! He's the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the One who is and always shall be!

He's my King.

No wait a minute...let me say that again.

He's MY King!

There we go...that's better. He is MY King and He's YOUR King and we need to stop treating Him like He's something or someone who's just available for our convenience and purposes. Christ died for YOU. Christ died for ME and that ought to account for something.

Actually, it should account for everything in our lives.

To abide in the Lord means to "remain in, stay around or continue on" with Jesus. We have been challenged this week to consider 3 things each day:

1. Jesus alone is all we need. Believe it and live it.
2. Jesus is my fullness. He is the only one who fills me and completes me...not my wife, not my family, not my "stuff"...only Jesus.
3. Jesus is enough for me. There is nothing else I need in this world except Jesus for He provides for my every need.

Hebrews 13:5-6 says it so wonderfully, as I read it this morning in my quiet time.

"Be satisfied with what you have for He Himself has said 'I will never leave you nor forsake you'. Therefore, we can boldly say:

The Lord is my Helper.
I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?"

I don't know about you but I got fired up when I read that. If I will learn to abide in Him constantly and continuously, if I can think on Him and dwell with Him in everything, what can this old world do to me?

Nothing...because Christ is Number 1 in my life and His word never returns void. He has promised to always be with us, to deliver us, to restore us, to sustain & protect us...

that's MY King.

Check out this link below from Dr. S. M. Lockridge. It's a speech he gave called "That's My King" and just let the truth and the glory of the Lord bathe you as you listen.

You will be blessed!

Have a great day!

That's My King

Friday, June 01, 2007

Yes, I'm Still Here...

Well, as you can tell, it's been a while since I got on here to write anything. Part of it has to do with how utterly busy we've gotten as the school year is winding down, part of it is all the extra-curricular activities we're all involved in and some of it has to do with me trying to get my priorities straight.

First off though, from my last blog when I wrote I looked more like the Pillsbury Doughboy than Macho Man Randy Savage, I've been on my new diet & exercise program and have lost about 6-7 pounds. Granted, as happy as I am about losing the weight, I'm a little disappointed it's not coming off any faster. My daily goal is to walk about 10000 steps, a goal I've hit several times but not consistently. My dietary needs (ie: hunger) is starting to subside so my Healthy Choice meals are filling me up more, along with a big leafy lettuce salad and the 100 cal snack every 3 hours. I just need to stay the course, keep lifting my weights and running around on either the treadmill or the neighborhood and the weight and inches SHOULD start coming off more consistently.

We just took the kids to Branson for the Memorial Day weekend and stayed at a place called Big Cedar. It's a resort that is pretty much self-contained, offering anything you might want to do there on the grounds. We took the kids to their pools and water slide for swimming, to the stables for some horseback riding for Kate...Jake rode a pony named "Festus"...some great restaurants and an incredible Memorial Day fireworks display Sunday night. Needless to say, the kids did NOT want to go home that Monday and to be honest, neither did Mommy or Daddy. I was happy to see, however, that even though the brunch & buffet tables called my name loudly, I did not gain any weight and was even able to walk around the Big Cedar property twice...once in the rain (unexpectedly).

We also took the kids out on the lake to ride on the Showboat Branson Belle, a big boat that serves people dinner and then a nice family show of singing and comedy. The kids were very excited to be on board, sitting next to the big red rudders in the back of the boat. The kids even got a chance to meet the captain and see the big 10 ft steering wheel that helped drive the boat. We almost didn't make it though. The sheet we printed off the internet said the cruise started at 4pm but said nothing about boarding starting at 3p. As a result, we arrived at the boat with only about 10 minutes before they unhooked it from the dock and set sail. So, if you're ever planning on sailing the BB, make sure you're there an hour before the cruise starts 'cause they won't wait! HA!!

Jennifer is going to be starting a new job in Fayetteville on August 1 and we are thrilled to no end!! She'll be starting up with a group that offers 8+ weeks vacation a year, no call, no holidays, no nights and no weekends. You can't imagine how excited we all are to have Mommy home with us every night, weekend and holiday!! Oh, I forgot to mention...she'll also only have to work four days a week. Not a bad deal at all, eh?

We give God TOTAL glory for giving her this rare yet perfect opportunity!!

I got an unusual phone call from a Christian radio station right before we left for Big Cedar. They wanted to know if I might want to come work for them any time soon. I was extremely flattered and initially very excited to think about returning to work again until I sat down and really thought out what me going back to work would mean for our family.

I would be the one working late afternoons and early evenings.
I would be the one working weekends.
I would be the one working holidays.
I would be the one working with only 1-2 weeks vacation a year.

With Jennifer joining a group that was offering her the exact opposite of what I would be doing, we quickly realized that a full-time afternoon on-air job would not be very beneficial to me or the family. I politely declined their offer but I did say I'd love to help them out with any and all voiceover needs they might have. Their new Program Director and I hit it off pretty well and we've decided to meet one to two times a month so he can pick my brain because of my prior work experience and talent (he don't know me berry well, do he? Huh huh huh huh...read this in an Elmer Fudd voice). In all seriousness, it'll be great getting to talk to someone about radio issues as well as life in general and how God has led us each in different paths yet similar experiences.

As far as getting my personal priorities straight, that continues to be a work in progress. I'm finding that this doesn't only affect me adversely either. A lot of my friends & family relate to me the same things I'm feeling...of how I want to be able to meet with God early in the morning but I am so exhausted at 6am from working out or chasing the kids the day before (or even admittedly staying up too late watching TV) that if I DO make it into the living room for some quiet time, I'm too sleepy to concentrate on what God's word is telling me.

I've tried to make the 8-10am window my time to stop things and meet with Him but with my new workout schedule, I've found myself getting "busy" with my own stuff and agenda that often I fail miserably to set aside some time to just be with God. Granted, I know that He knows that I love Him with all my heart and He lives within me but I've felt such a disconnect from several points in my life and I know for a fact it's due in large part to me not making that effort for Him...to meet with Him, to pray to Him and listen for Him.

Just recently I started going back to choir on Wednesday nights. Our choir has had a new leader since December of 06 and I've noticed a lot of people, myself included, took that opportunity to quit singing on Sunday mornings. I can't speak for anyone else but I know that it had nothing to do with our new worship minister joining up as to why I quit coming. Initially, it was because I was taking some classes on Wednesday nights on discipleship but as time progressed and the classes ended, I really enjoyed going to church as a family, in one car, sitting with my beautiful wife in the audience.

I still do like to do that. However, the call has gone out to all choir members, past and current, to please reconsider joining back in the loft and helping lead worship on Sunday mornings. I thought I'd give it a shot and attended my first rehearsal this past Wednesday night.

I'm not sure what I was expecting but I have to be honest here...I left the church that night feeling disconnected...still. Perhaps it was just the idea of getting back into the swing of things and the old routine or maybe I had been expecting a vibrant, spiritual rehearsal in which God would rekindle a large flame within me. Unfortunately, none of that happened.

Was it because I went expectantly with some sort of benefit to me, instead of focusing on Him? Was it because there is still some disconnect in my life that leads me away from what God wants me to do or become?

Don't get me wrong...there was still that genuine warmth & greetings from some of my old singing buddies but something was not there for me. I can't quite put my finger on it but the old sense of being spiritually uplifted wasn't as obvious to me as it might have been to others.

Pastor Floyd recently spoke on his blog about each Christian going through "spiritual winters" and that it's perfectly normal if each of us go through these times. I'm feeling like that's where I am right now. Yet, while I may not feel as invigorated as I have in the past, I'm reassured by recent events in our lives (ie: Jennifer's job and the call from KLRC) that God is indeed in control, He's watching over us all and every so often, even though we may not give Him the attention He deserves, He gently reminds us that He is still...no matter what season we may be going through spiritually...our Heavenly Father.

Yes indeed...God is good...ALL the time.