March 31, 1923

Today we went to see my grandfather (Dad's Dad). He is celebrating his 89th birthday today. Oh man! 89 years.

He has seen a lot change over the years. He has seen 2 sets of kids grow up (his own and his son's). He has seen things change with the times in the area and city he has lived in for all these years.

He has also got to see his great granddaughter Brooklynn and is on course to see his great grandson Emmerson in May. I mentioned Emmerson to him today and he seemed like he understood what I meant. He sometimes knows and sometimes doesn't. But I am glad he remembers Brooklynn, Sunnshyne, my siblings, my parents and myself. So I can't wait to take little baby Emmerson up there to see him. He always seems really excited to see Brooklynn.

He's a great man.

Happy Birthday Grandpa!

Power of Social Media - Gas Out

It's amazing what we can do with social medial.




I just got on face book this morning and I see this.. 

Millions and millions of people see Facebook and to put something like this on there and having people share and even possibly participate in this nation-wide "Gas Out" would be pretty cool.

Gas prices climb and fall almost all the time. They go up .30 in an hour and then they trickle down over weeks of time. Then spike in an hour again. I don't know all the details behind this I just don't like it.

This is just one of the many things I see on Facebook. Everyone posts something on Facebook or Twitter (Myspace when it was popular) to advertise something to get a campaign going or even to help further business. Companies give out deals every once in a while for liking their Facebook page. 

The uses of social media like Facebook and Twitter and any others are probably endless on the power that they hold. 

Good or bad.

"...It was Good"

This picture was taken (along with the ones of the Rocky Mountains I posted earlier) on my Senior Trip to Hawaii way back in 2005... 



We went to Diamond Head crater on one of the many sight seeing tour of the area. Diamond Head however was a little different. In order to get to see what beauty was waiting for us we had to go UP.. way up. It was a little over a mile hike to the top of this crater. It was a long hike and uphill. Wow! But when we got to the top we saw this...

This is a picture of the Pacific Ocean (left) and Honolulu (right).


But in order to get out to the look out point. We had to crawl through this little window and it was a tight fit I might add.


But what a great view.


Well I should say views... Here's more.

This is looking down. Those are buildings!! We were up there.

This the one that got me. This is a view of the never-ending Pacific Ocean. It seems to keep going and going and going. It's also a pretty blue!! But I don't think at the time I took this picture I thought.. "Wow isn't that amazing!" As a matter of fact I know I didn't to point of this is God's creation. I did think this is pretty cool. But it's more than cool. It's amazing. 


God created this view. 


Genesis 1:9-12 (New Living Translation) 
9 Then God said, “Let the waters beneath the sky flow together into one place, so dry ground may appear.” And that is what happened. 
10 God called the dry ground “land” and the waters “seas.” And God saw that it was good. 
11 Then God said, “Let the land sprout with vegetation—every sort of seed-bearing plant, and trees that grow seed-bearing fruit. These seeds will then produce the kinds of plants and trees from which they came.” And that is what happened. 
12 The land produced vegetation—all sorts of seed-bearing plants, and trees with seed-bearing fruit. Their seeds produced plants and trees of the same kind. And God saw that it was good.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%201:9-12&version=NLT

A Dream Shattered part 3

                                       A DREAM SHATTERED part 3

            We began to roll out of the pit one by one. We took about three pace laps and then got the green flag. I was finally racing my dreams! I passed the first few drivers with ease, but I struggled a little after that. When we had raced for about twenty-five laps, I had moved from forty-third to thirty-fifth. I didn't really care; I was living my dream.

            About lap 125, I came around the last turn and started down the straightaway. Then the most dreadful thing happened. A car lost control right and front of me, and I didn't even have enough time to react. I hit the back of the car, and the impact sent me sliding sideways. We got lost in a big cloud of smoke. I started to roll down the banked track, and just before I rolled off the track, a car going about eighty miles an hour hit me.

            The EMT's came to take me out of my car. I was hurt pretty badly, but I wouldn't know how severe my injuries were until my parents told me. they told that I was paralyzed from the waist down and would never get to race again.

            About eight months later, I returned home to be with my family. I still sit and watch the Daytona 500, but I watch with a little different feeling than I did when I was a kid. I sit and watch the Daytona 500, remembering how David Price help me learn how to drive. I remember how exciting actually racing in my first Nascar race was. I also remember the incident that shattered my whole racing dream. When I see cars spin out, I know how nerve-wrecking it is for drivers lost in a big cloud of smoke, not knowing what is going to happen to them. I forget that painful memory when I think about all the fun I had racing go-kart and Nascar. I will treasure this experience for the rest of my life.

THE END

The Girl Who Cries "Ball"

I have heard that children attach at certain word to everything. For example "Baba" = bottle/sippy cup at least with Brooklynn. But now anything that resembles a circular shape is a "BALL"

It doesn't matter what it is an orange, an apple, a lemon, or even a watermelon. Its a ball. It doesn't matter if its a circle or an oval. Its a ball.

We walk through Walmart (especially the produce area) and all we hear is "Ball ball ball ball" but there are none in sight.

But however Sunnshyne was in Walmart with her and she started saying "Ball" and ran off. She was found next to one of the big ball bins. She had this....

She walked around Walmart for a while with this ball. She was getting a lot of comments about how cute she is. I mean it had to have been cute, I mean the ball is slightly bigger than she is. She can barely carry it and she is walking (maybe even running) through Walmart it.

But she's learning about her surroundings and what to call things. She definitely has "ball" down that's for sure.

Toys 'R' Brooklynn

Well you thought her clothes were something to see. Well what about this...

Toys everywhere. 

And yes that is a Despicable Me minion in there! This isn't all of them either. She has a lego table, a learning type table, 2 foam puzzle mats (one letters and numbers and one sesame street), a blow up ball pit and over 100 balls to go with it. She has a little kitchen (that she loves) but we did take the dishes and other stuff away for when she gets older and so she has them at that time. She just loves putting things in there and closing the door. We know this because we found a sippy cup that had been missing for a week or so in there. 

It had milk in it. 

Gross.

Kids are a joy. They give you countless memories. But one thing we learned way back before Brooklynn was even born is....

THEY CAN SURE COLLECT A BUNCH AND BUNCH 

AND BUNCH of stuff. 

But the good news is there is always someone that may need something and then you may be able to help them and give them joy!

A Dream Shattered part 1

This is the story I wrote in high school....

A DREAM SHATTERED part 1

          Ever since I was six I wanted to be a race car driver. I would sit in front of the television every Sunday and and watch the Nascar race. Every night when the race was over, I would go to bed and imagine how much fun it would be racing in the Daytona 500.

            "And the winner is James Parker!" the announcer would shout into the microphone.

            When I turned fifteen, I began the first phase of my racing dream. One Monday morning, which happened to be my birthday, my dad took me out to the shed and told me to close my eyes. I heard the doors open. Then he said, "Open your eyes!"

            I opened my eyes, and there sat my very own go-kart.

            "You're going to race with me this summer," Dad said smiling. He knew how much I liked going to watch him race. Now I would get to race too.

            The months of November, December, and January, dragged by. Every day I went out to look at my go-kart. Sometimes I'd get behind the wheel and imagine.

            "There they come around turn one," the announcer would say, "James Parker is slowly making his way through the field. Here they come down the front stretch, and there's the white flag. Parker has made a great run; he is currently in third place, but he's still moving up as they come out of turn two and start down the back straightaway. Here they come out of turn four! Will Parker have enough to pass the leader? Yes! Yes, he does! James Parker has just won the Daytona 500 in one of the closest races in Nascar history!"

            April finally came! Dad and I loaded the go-karts on the flat-bed trailer, and we drove to the track. That trip seemed like the longest thirty minutes ever.

            I had to wait until May to drive in my first race. The early part of my season was rather rough, but I got the hang of the track and improved. Then came the championship race, and I was ready. The time for my race came. I climbed into my go-kart, and my Dad got ready to start me. We took our pace lap, came around turn five, and started down the straightaway. The green flag waved; and we took off toward turn one. Because of a bad qualifying event, I had started the race in twelfth place out of sixteen racers; and I had only twenty laps to try to win.  (to be continued)

A Dream Shattered part 2

                                          A DREAM SHATTERED part 2

            I wasn't making much progress. I had only moved up four positions in six laps. We went around turn two, then turn three, and flew down a short straightaway. I had started to move up in the field when we flew past the flag stand. When I saw a go-kart sitting in the middle of the track, I turned the wheel hard to the left to miss it; and I swerved into the grass, which slowed me down.

            I caught up to third, but I didn't have enough speed to pass the driver in second place. I wound up finishing in third place.

            Dad and I went home, and we put the go-karts back into the shed for the long off-season. We raced for three more years, before we had to quit because of financial problems when I was eighteen. That setback was not the end of my racing dream.

            I went to Florida University. During my junior year I got to see the Daytona 500 in person instead of on television. That was the best day of my life. I called Dad and told him that I had gone to the Daytona 500. He knew how much I had wanted to race Nascar.

            The next year he came down, and we went to see the Daytona 500 together. My dad had met this man, named David Price, who had an old race car that his dad had raced. The car was about six years old. I was solid white with black numbers. David Price taught me how to drive it. Throughout the rest of the summer, David Price taught me how to drive it.

            I practiced all that I could, but I still wouldn't be ready for all the other track at which I would have to race.

            During the winter I made a few changes to the car. I painted it solid black with two red pinstripes. Then I painted the number eighty-five in gold letters on the sides and the top.

            Spring came; but I still wasn't ready for my first race.

            "James, it's not any different than when you learned how to drive your go-kart for the first time and even raced it for the first time," Dad said.

            He was right; the only difference was that everything was much bigger. Then, I thought, it couldn't be any different than driving a car.

            The next-to-the-last Nascar race of the 2003 season was at Daytona, the track I had learned. We had raced there once before at the beginning of the season. I qualified really well for a rookie and got into the race under a provisional, which means I started in forty-third place. I was very excited. The opening ceremonies began. Drivers got into the cars and waited for the most famous words in Nascar.

            "Gentlemen, start your engines!" the man shouted.   
(to be continued) 

The Wall

This is something that I used to do a while and is something that I would like to do again when we move. That's write on the wall!! Who doesn't like writing on the wall??

I have had to different rooms up at my grandparents house (where we are currently staying). One of the rooms I was in I wrote on the wall but the walls got painted and so did my words and verses. So I moved rooms and started the same thing.

I was in there the other day and I saw the things I wrote and Sunnshyne drew on the wall. I think some good posts are to follow with the things on the wall.

Blocked

BLOCKED!

http://www.giantbomb.com/mario-block/93-702/ 

Don't you hate it. Writer's block. However, I am far from a "writer" but I have been suffering from the writer's block.

I sat down here yesterday to type up a blog post and had nothing. It was great. I looked around for an idea and I couldn't really find anything or think of anything to tell you about. I was bummed.

But what I did realize through writer's block is you do have something to write about. I sat in the car thinking about what to type up. Then I thought of it "Write about being blocked!! I know it's really weird and maybe a little out there but go ahead." I thought to myself. 

So that is why you are reading this because I have some form of writer's block. I am not sure of what kind but I am sure it is some kind.

But look for some more interesting things to show up here on this blog. We have a busy few weeks ahead. I also am going to sometime soon one of my short stories from high school. I thought you might find it interesting. My English teacher in school thought the story was pretty cool. It's called "A Dream Shattered". (The story will be posted in 2 or 3 parts.)

Well I think this concludes my ramble. 

Please Wait... for Me

This is a long wait.

I know its only been a week but still it seems like forever. You ever have that. Time seems to go so slow when you are waiting for something to happen or to go somewhere or even for a baby. Time seems to drag and drag on. But then the time finally gets here and you are packing up the car or you finally get the call or you are off to hospital to welcome a new family member. The time is finally here!! Then time goes so fast. The day is over before you know it or you realize the kids are getting big on you. The wait was worth it though.

http://sidepodcast.com/post/please-wait

The wait is worth it in this case as well. Yes, I would for them to call right this second and tell me "YES" or "NO" but I just have to continue to wait and be..... patient.

I was listening to some old messages from Grace Church today and this verse came up in his message..

Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)
⁶ Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. ⁷ Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=phil%204&version=NLT

God is telling to just wait... He's got it.

Not Very Rocky??

I love stumbling across old pictures. They bring back some memories. They make you think back to that time and remember. Like these....

Those believe it or not are the Rocky Mountains... from about 30,000 feet or more. This is the first and only time I have ever seen the Rockys. But I think I saw them at the best angle. The top. They look like little piles of dirt with snow on top. But they are indeed not piles of dirt. They are HUGE! They are also one of God's great creations. Like this picture...

I still remember that day. October 12, 2010. The best day ever. I had waited 10 long months for this little bundle and she was more than I expected. This picture was the day after she was born and all hooked up in the NICU due to a very high heart rate (probably caused by the lengthy labor we suspect). But she is doing alright today!! Then this picture was taken...

Daddy and daughters first picture together. God's creation in my hands. Amazing! Sunnshyne still loves this picture and so do I. I spent a long time as my profile picture on my facebook. Then this one...

The first family picture. This picture was actually taken by her NICU doctor. He was a very nice man. We all were very very tired. We had a long few days.

It's amazing how a picture can bring up a memory...

A Field of Memory

Well this past Sunday I along with Sunnshyne and Brooklynn went to see her Great Grandma. That's where I took this picture....

This picture has a story that goes along with it though because right now this looks just like a field. But at the time that I first visited this field was in the summer of 2009 and the trees had leaves on them and the bushes that you can see had leaves and flowers on them. This place had a nice are of shade in the little bit of clearing there.

But was hold memory in this place is this...

MY WEDDING!!

I don't really have any pictures that I can find of the above picture decorated for my wedding but this is the place where we held it.

I am really glad the we get to go and visit that place every once in a while. It's a great memory.

I don't know if you can tell from the picture. But standing across from me that day made her that happiest girl alive. I mean check out that grin!! It made me the happiest man alive!!



It was the highlight of both of our lives. We will not forget it.

One Promise of Many

I love it when it rains and storms!

I find myself looking on in amazement. I love the sound of the rain as it hits the roof of the house. Come on, you have to know what I am talking about.

When I am at Meijer working overnight and the store is quiet, I always know when it is raining. The sound of the rain hitting the roof of the building sounds like cheers of many many people. It is very relaxing.

But there is also another thing that I love about rain and that is this...





This rainbow was captured by my brother.

... a rainbow. Not only are they just awesome to look at but they are a promise. Just one promise of many!!!

^{Genesis 9:12-17(NLT)}

¹² "Then God said, 'I am giving you a sign of my covenant with you and with all living creatures, for all generations to come. ¹³ I have placed my rainbow in the clouds. It is the sign of my covenant with you and with all the earth. ¹⁴ When I send clouds over the earth, the rainbow will appear in the clouds, ¹⁵ and I will remember my covenant with you and with all living creatures. Never again will the floodwaters destroy all life. ¹⁶ When I see the rainbow in the clouds, I will remember the eternal covenant between God and every living creature on earth.' ¹⁷ Then God said to Noah, 'Yes, this rainbow is the sign of the covenant I am confirming with all the creatures on earth.'”

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+9&version=NLT

That's how I feel about the rain and being reminded of a promise from long ago!



Highlight number 2 of My Weekend

It really is a Jungle down there!!

I got to spend the weekend with some amazing people in the Jungle Room at church this weekend! But there is also the amazing kids that we get to spend our time with.

I got the privilege of teaching them at story from Daniel and challenge them. It was amazing time.

I cant wait to do it again!!

http://alexmindofme.blogspot.com/2012/03/hand-for-king.html

Voicemail (Job Interview #3 Update)

This interview was kind of like I expected. It was a meet and greet. He did ask me interview questions but they were basic first interview questions.

However, I still didnt get any word on wether or not they are going to hire me or not. Bill (who interviewed me) and Jessica (who conducted my other 2 interviews) are going to talk and get back with me later on in the week.

Sometimes I wonder why we cant  just speed up prodocal and get to end. I am ok with doing all the interviews in one week. But I know it is all in time. God's time.

Galatians 5:22 (NLT)
"But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,"
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians+5:22&version=NLT

I seem to always find myself learning patience. This is one of those times. I just wish they would hurry up and let me know if I have the position or not. But I also know that if it is God's plan for me then it is already in the bag.

(Another update to follow. Keep checking back!)

What Happens When You Give a Kid a Lemon??

Nothing.

I was at Cracker Barrel with Brooklynn and Sunnshyne several weeks ago. I ordered a sweet tea to drink. Well I forgot to tell them not to put a lemon in it. So I fished it out and set it aside.

Later we were sitting there waiting for the food to come and I had this idea; What would Brooklynn do with a lemon? What kind of faces would she make? I built this whole scenario up in my head of being one of the funniest Brooklynn moments. But what I thought would happen... did not.

She took the lemon from me and put it in her mouth. She did not make any faces at all. She actually started eating it after a while. Then the food came so I was going to take the lemon away so she could eat. She would not give the lemon back. She kept it and kept eating it.

This whole thing was the complete opposite of what I thought would happen.

So I guess that's what happens when you give my kid a lemon!

Highlight of the Weekend

I actually had two highlights of my weekend. I will mention only one in this post.

I was at church last night and I received this text message from my wife. The text said " (I) was thinking maybe going on a date tonight if you wanted to."  I was so excited!! I was actually thinking the same thing right before I received that text. It was so cool.  It was definitely one of the highlights of my weekend.

Even though we have had a lot of time together over the last few weeks we really needed that moment of time to ourselves. I definitely enjoyed every second of it. She is so amazing and she is my best friend. I am glad I am the one that got a hold of her!

Wedding Photo

My God is So BIG...

I was reminded of a children's song that I used to sing in Sunday School and then later sang to kids serving in my church.  The words go like this...

My God is so big

So strong and so mighty

There's nothing my God can not do.

The video below reminded me of how BIG my God really is. I mean he has to be... Watch the video below. It's about 8 mins. The part that is really cool and important is about 3mins 50secs into it.

The video is Louie Giglio with his look on this topic of how big God is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRiIWL04po8

 

That is so very amazing!! I got a little teary eyed when I saw this video again. I mean He is so BIG!! He created all of this. So He would have to be a big and powerful God.

 

Genesis 1:1 (NLT)

¹ "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=genesis%201&version=NLT

 

This all just makes me go WOW!!

...and the Peaceful

(goes with ...The Mad...)

This is what I was talking about. The peaceful.

I have heard countless parents talk about this very moment.

Watching their child sleep. I could watch Brooklynn sleep for hours.

The calm after the storm. The quiet. The peaceful.

These three posts together make up The Good, The Mad and the Peaceful. It reminds me of a hurricane.

Its really nice and calm before it hits. She is just like that. She is sweet and loving and just a good little girl.

Then the storm hits. She starts being a little terror. It is usually time for a nap by then but good luck getting her to take one. She then calms down and takes her nap.

Then peace and calm and deep breath.

Page 496

Psalm 121:1-2 (NLT)
"I look up to the mountains—
does my help come from there?
² My help comes from the LORD,
who made heaven and earth!"

I turned to this page at random. This is the passage that I noticed right at first. Sounds kind of coincidental and that might be. But I thought it was very relavent to me right now. 

Voicemail (part 3)

Interview went great again!!


I have another interview on Monday at 2. This interview is to meet a person more than an actual interview I think. On Monday I am meeting their Front Line Manager. He is the person (if I get the Kitchen Manager position) that I will be working most directly with as he will be running the Front end of the store and I would be running the Kitchen area.

The Kitchen Manager position is a salary position. I hope and I am praying that I get that position.

There is also still the Shift Lead positions open. So I feel pretty confident that I will be hired at
Chick-fil-a.

However, there is still one more interview after the one on Monday. In that interview I meet the Owner of the store. That is the BIG one. The lady I have been talking with has a lot of the say in hiring, but the owner has enough to either make or break me.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (The Message)
"Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
don't try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
he's the one who will keep you on track."
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=proverbs%203:5-6&version=MSG

Jeremiah 29:11 (The Message)
"I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for."

365

Sunnshyne sent me this picture last night...


Brooklynn 5 months old. This day last year.



Brooklynn last month.

She has gotten so big in the last 365 days. 

I just thought when I got that text from Sunnshyne look how big shes gotten. It was cool that she found that picture.

I also thought of this verse just now.

Proverbs 22:6 (NIV)
"Start children off on the way they should go,
and even when they are old they will not turn from it."

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=proverbs%2022.6&version=NIV

...The Mad...

(goes with post "The Good...")



As I said before she is normally a level headed child. But she does have her moments.

She is a very busy child. That sometimes leads to the mad.

She gets mad when she takes down the gate and I have to take it and put it back up. She doesn't like being blocked in anywhere.

If she doesn't want to go a certain way or to where you want her to go, she will drop to her knees and then won't put her feet down.

And of course going to bed makes her mad also. I don't understand what it is with naps and sleeping of any kind (unless in the car seat) that she doesn't want to have anything to do with. People tell me she is afraid she is going to miss something in her slumber.

As I said though she really is mad or bad all the time. She is really a good kid for first round parents.

There is however one parents great joy. I have heard people talk about it and talk about it. But that is for a later time.

Signs of Spring

Well there are definitely signs of spring out there today!!

Its 70!!! Its supposed to get warmer!!

And this...

Sunnshyne found these out by a tree in the yard.

It's really neat to see. Hopefully spring is here to stay and we aren't going to be in the 30s again next week.

But you never know with Indiana weather. We can just keep out fingers crossed.

Can't take the Heat, Then Don't Turn it On

Well this morning we realized that we forgot to do some thing last night before we went to bed. Yep that right. We forgot to turn back on the heat for the night. It is a nice 58 degrees in the house.

But you know something.. When it's 58 outside it feels a little warmer than when  it's 58 inside.

What a way to wake up!!

Came to Mind

This came to mind this morning..

Psalm 84 (NIV)
¹ How lovely is your dwelling place,
LORD Almighty!
² My soul yearns, even faints,
for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and my flesh cry out
for the living God.
³ Even the sparrow has found a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may have her young—
a place near your altar,
LORD Almighty, my King and my God.
⁴ Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
they are ever praising you.^[c]
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%2084&version=NLT 

How Much Money Can You Make Cleaning Out Your Car??




Well we cleaned out the car today. Boy, did it need it!!  But while cleaning the car we got paid. We made a whole $2.43!!!

Not actually the change found. We added it to this jar.



See what you find when you clean out the car!!





A Hand for the King

I am preparing a lesson for Granger Kids this weekend. I am teaching the 2nd-3rd graders or the Jungle Room. Anyway I have been looking at this story in Daniel 5.

When I am reading and preparing a lesson I try and imagine myself in the story. Well this story is no different. What happens to the king in this story would scare me to death as well.

Well you see King Belshazzar is throwing a feast (or party) and his actions make God angry and this happens...

⁵ "Suddenly, they saw the fingers of a human hand writing on the plaster wall of the king’s palace, near the lampstand. The king himself saw the hand as it wrote, ⁶ and his face turned pale with fright. His knees knocked together in fear and his legs gave way beneath him." Daniel 5:5-6 (NLT)
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=daniel%205&version=NLT

He was freaked out.

Now that would scare me. Every thing in the above passage is true. If I saw a hand and nothing else writing on the wall I would definitely have to change my pants. That would be totally freaky!

This was just something that hit me this morning as I was preparing my lesson for this weekend.

2 am

Well I think this is a new kind of early. I have to be to work in an hour. 3-1130 is weird a shift. But that is what I work today.

But after yesterday and the good sleep that I have had. This is on my mind this morning...

Psalm 100 (KJV)

 ¹Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
²Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
³Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
⁴Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
⁵For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%20100&version=KJV

Yes, I went old school with this passage. This is what I memorized many many years ago. I would say I was around 7 or 8 when I memorized this in church and school.

Wow!! That's 20 years ago.

Jeopardy!

Jeopardy.  What a great show. It has been on for years.

I find myself watching the show from time to time. Not really because I am going to know all the answers but because I like to see what answers I am able to come up with. It's fun. I get some of the answers right and a lot of time I am merely guessing.

It also makes me wonder how long and how much the contestants on the Jeopardy study to prepare for the show. That must take a long long time.

Voicemail UPDATE

The interview went GREAT!!

I have another interview on Thursday at 2. This interview is the second of a possible 4. So there is still a lengthy process a head of me. But in the end I hope I am employed at Chick-fil-a.

They are looking for two different manager positions. One is hourly and one is salary. I am hoping for the salary position.

This is just a great opportunity for me. Hopefully this will get me out of working 2 jobs and get me home with my family more.

I said it before and I will say it again...

Psalm 136 (NLT)

 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good!

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+136:1&version=NLT

Voicemail

 For those of you that are not aware, I left Taco Bell about 2 weeks ago. I am currently looking for a job to help replace Taco Bell.

I started applying for other positions before I actually left Taco Bell. Which is how you are supposed to handle a situation like this. But with out any luck finding a position I made a choice to leave Taco Bell and put this situation into the hands of God.

Proverbs 3 (NLT)

Trusting in the LORD

⁵ Trust in the LORD with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
⁶ Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%203&version=NLT

Having not heard anything yet I was starting to get a little worried. I am still a little worried. But I woke up this morning and was reminded of this that He is always there.

I woke up to a voicemail from Chick-fil-a got an interview for 3 TODAY!!!

God always does it. Every time I get worried or every time or afraid about something, God reminds me that He has it all in control. It give me great joy to know that.

Psalm 9:2(NLT)

² I will be filled with joy because of you.
I will sing praises to your name, O Most High.

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%209:2&version=NLT

The Good...

Isn't she precious?!

Brooklynn has always been a good baby from birth. I brought her home from the hospital and she slept right through the night. She slept through many nights after that as well. I was happy for this. I had heard horror stories from parents about how awful the first few months of being a parent was for them. But as I said I was very very relieved when Brooklynn was as easy as she was.

Even now she is a good girl. She really doesn't give us to much trouble. She does have her moments just like any child, but overall she is pretty calm and collected.


But those moments I mentioned is for another time.

Sun Rise

I saw this passage around 2 am on my sisters facebook page.

Psalm 19 (NLT)

For the choir director: A psalm of David.

 ¹ The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
      The skies display his craftsmanship.
 ² Day after day they continue to speak;
      night after night they make him known.
 ³ They speak without a sound or word;
      their voice is never heard.^[a]
 4 Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,
      and their words to all the world.
   God has made a home in the heavens for the sun.
 ⁵ It bursts forth like a radiant bridegroom after his wedding.
      It rejoices like a great athlete eager to run the race.
 ⁶ The sun rises at one end of the heavens
      and follows its course to the other end.
      Nothing can hide from its heat.

Then I walked out side outside of Meijer around 730 and saw this..

I could become a morning person.

Bubbles!! My Bubbles!! part 2

This is too funny to pass up. I forgot to mention this in the other post about Brooklynn. There is someone else in my household that loves bubbles... Lilly!!

Lilly catching the bubbles. (the light part on her body is sunlight)

Lilly is my black lab. She is 2 years old. I got her in September 2009 (shortly after I got married). That's right Lilly is our first child. She is a good dog (for the most part) and really really friendly. At times she can be so friendly people think that she is going to attack them. But she just wants to say "Hi!!"

I also found that she is a little more cat than dog. I found out that she loves chasing a laser pointer. She loves playing fetch (even though she loves keep away more). I have not owned a dog that would play fetch before!! I cant really remember how I found out that she likes bubbles. But I remembered when I was blowing some bubbles for Brooklynn and Lilly jumped up and started popping them too.

She is sometimes a handful and very clingy, but I love this dog.

The Best of Times and the Worst of Times

I saw a picture on facebook yesterday that made me think of these verses. The picture was divided in half and on one side showed a stormy day with the words "When life is rough PRAY." Then on the other side it had the words "When life is great PRAY."

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NLT)

¹⁶ Always be joyful. ¹⁷ Never stop praying. ¹⁸ Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Thes%205:16-18&version=NLT

Just a thought on my way out the door for work.

Overpowering Wardrobe

Well we just realized how much clothes our little daughter has... A LOT!!!! She has more clothes than I or Sunnshyne have ever owned EVER!!

Playpen half full of clothes

Playpen half full of clothes

 It just makes me happy to know that people were that generous. Most of the clothes however came from my mom and she still has more for us in her closet for when Brooklynn gets older. You wouldn't know it sometimes but she loves being a grandma. She loves Brooklynn.

The good news is having this many clothes from Brooklynn will allow us to get clothes for Emmerson.

Thanks Mom. Love ya!!

His Faithful Love Endures Forever (Psalm 136)

I was thinking of something to post this morning and I thought about God's love. This is the passage that came into my head. The passage keeps repeating one phrase.

Psalm 136 (NLT)

¹ Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever.
² Give thanks to the God of gods.
His faithful love endures forever.
³ Give thanks to the Lord of lords.
His faithful love endures forever.
⁴ Give thanks to him who alone does mighty miracles.
His faithful love endures forever.
⁵ Give thanks to him who made the heavens so skillfully.
His faithful love endures forever.
⁶ Give thanks to him who placed the earth among the waters.
His faithful love endures forever.
⁷ Give thanks to him who made the heavenly lights—
His faithful love endures forever.
⁸ the sun to rule the day,
His faithful love endures forever.
⁹ and the moon and stars to rule the night.
His faithful love endures forever.
¹⁰ Give thanks to him who killed the firstborn of Egypt.
His faithful love endures forever.
¹¹ He brought Israel out of Egypt.
His faithful love endures forever.
¹² He acted with a strong hand and powerful arm.
His faithful love endures forever.
¹³ Give thanks to him who parted the Red Sea.^[a]
His faithful love endures forever.
¹⁴ He led Israel safely through,
His faithful love endures forever.
¹⁵ but he hurled Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea.
His faithful love endures forever.
¹⁶ Give thanks to him who led his people through the wilderness.
His faithful love endures forever.
¹⁷ Give thanks to him who struck down mighty kings.
His faithful love endures forever.
¹⁸ He killed powerful kings—
His faithful love endures forever.
¹⁹ Sihon king of the Amorites,
His faithful love endures forever.
²⁰ and Og king of Bashan.
His faithful love endures forever.
²¹ God gave the land of these kings as an inheritance—
His faithful love endures forever.
²² a special possession to his servant Israel.
His faithful love endures forever.
²³ He remembered us in our weakness.
His faithful love endures forever.
²⁴ He saved us from our enemies.
His faithful love endures forever.
²⁵ He gives food to every living thing.
His faithful love endures forever.
²⁶ Give thanks to the God of heaven.
His faithful love endures forever.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalms%20136&version=NLT

Bubbles!! My Bubbles!!

Brooklynn has found every toddlers fascination.. BUBBLES! I just grab the bottle and she knows what is inside and instantly starts saying "Bubbles". She will stand there and stare at them until they start to hit her and then she will start swinging her arms to pop them.

Another interesting thing about Bubbles is that she can say that word. I ask her to say any other word (with the exception of "Mama" and "Dada" which she has been saying for a while) and she will not say the word. It's words like "Cat" or "Dog" small simple words and she will not say them. I know she knows them, but she just will not spit them out. But "Bubbles" she will say every time. It's very funny and cute when she says it.

But it also amazing at how fast they pick up those words. It did not take her very long to start saying
"Bubbles". I wonder what she will being saying in a few weeks or months from now!!

It is so much fun to get kids to learn to talk. It is another story getting them to be quiet though. Brooklynn is not that far along yet but I know it will be soon and she will be telling me all about everything at 90mph. It is going to be fun to try and listen to that and keep up with what she is saying.