Day 20...Yeah, I know

I was going to blog every day for thirty days. It was a beautiful dream; I could say "life got in the way", which it did, but i have realized that no one give a monkey flip whether i fulfill my 30 day promise...i do not say that in a "pity party" tone, but a "don't take yourself so seriously" tone.

It was Misty's and My BDay (21st and 23rd respectively); I got Misty a digital camera, and she suprised me with a trip to the Lake Blacksheare Resort, which Nicole's Parents (Bob and Sharon) manage. Andrew and Katie came with us, and it was really a lot of fun hanging out with them. Misty was so excited about my trip, and i realized afresh how deeply i am in love with her. There is truly no woman on this earth who i could be more comfortable with; and our friendship seems to continue to grow indefinitely.

I struggle with being bitter and cynical. I could probably explain pretty accurately where it comes from, but cannot seem to get over it. This is especially true of church lately. Our church has always emphasized healing and spirit-filled living as part of the life of a Christian. I hear people giving examples of how this looks in their life, and i feel myself want to say, "sure, maybe that works in your world of lolipops and rainbows and unicorns, but for the rest of us, we will try to just keep our feet on the ground, accept the facts of life". It feels good to be cynical; it makes you feel normal, like you are in control. The truth is, i long to see miracles, and people living in the spirit, living in a community where God is active; I long to have a relationship with God that is more real...more relational. How cool would it be to hear God say something...not the "still small voice", but a voice that has it's own accent, it's own personality.

Dinner's ready...check out some pics from the weekend.

Day 6: Why should I give you some of my Coke?

Saw Donnie, my older brother, and his wife Katie tonight at the Marietta Pizza Company. My Dad, Susan, Nathan, and Sammy all gathered to see them, and to celebrate Misty and my B'day (21st and 23rd of this month). It amazed me how excited I was to see Donnie D; your older brother is just kind of your older brother until you grow up...then you start to realize how awesome he is. I feel that way about all my siblings. It is a strange blessing I am seeing more and more; the ability to develop a new "type" of relationship with the same people that you ran around with in your "tighty whities".

A concept that keeps bouncing around in my mind comes from something Tom Tanner quoted the other day. Jim Elliot said "Wherever you are, be all there". He says this in regards to people who miss what God might have for them in the place they are, because they are daydreaming about missions to Africa. To the average evangelical Christian, this idea of living a missionary/college ministry/inner city/whatever life is put on a pedestal...and if your not careful, you decide you have missed something in God's plan for you because you aren't there. Meanwhile, there are people at work crying out for something to make sense of their life, and their pain. I want to be open to Africa, if it is in the plan; but i also want to have a big enough faith to see his calling for me in my medium sized engineering/surveying firm.

Day 4-5: General Beauregard

General Beauregard...that's my dog's name., although he likes to be called "The General" by his friends. We found him about a year and a half ago at my work. The surveyor's had been feeding him for about a week, so i decided to take him home. Me and Misty were so excited, because we had been talking about getting a dog, and it was our first really big decision/step in our marriage. We both knew (or thought we did) how much of a responsibility it would be, and were excited to take the step together.

The day i took him home, I actually took him to Misty's parents house because it was lunch-time, and i had to finish the day. Misty's brother, Josh, was there and said he was happy to watch him. I got a call about an hour later from Josh. He said that the dog (didn't have a name at the time) had been barking since i left, and could not be contained. We had decided to keep him in the bathroom, just in case he had an accident. We both decided it would be better to put something in front of the bathroom door, instead of closing him in; just in case he tried to scratch at the door. We stacked boxes in front of the door, up to above our heads, and reinforced them with a dresser-drawer. In spite of our best efforts, the dog would go into some sort of hyper-frenzied fit, jumping, climbing and barking, until he escaped his prison; it was as if his life depended on it.

The next 3 days were a blur...We took him home, and prepared a bed for him in the laundry room. He would bark for 45 minutes before he finally went to bed. Misty and I would be terrified to get up and go to the bathroom, because we thought we would wake him for another 45 minute fit. When we tried to walk him, and he would start running as fast as he could round and round on the end of his leash. There was no calming him down, so all you could do was to spin with him till he wore himself out. After 3 days Misty had had enough, and told me it wasn't working out. I secretly still had hope; but at this point, it was the dog or me, and i gladly sacrificed the dog. I took him back to my work. I suspected that he had been abandoned, but i was going to try and let him walk around to see if he might lead me to his home. Sure enough, we walked right to a back yard, not 50 feet from the back door of my work! I was pumped; we found his home, his owners were probably worried to death...all was right with the world.

I knocked on the door...feeling a little proud for all the kindness we had shown to this dog. He was running free around Powder Springs, and we saved him from being killed, or worse (i don't know what is worse...saw it on a movie). When the door opened, i prepared myself for "Aw, it was nothing, I'm just glad he is OK...money, no i can't take it (just take this Satan dog from me and we will call it even)". I saw recognition in the young man's eye...I said, "is this your dog"? He replied in broken English (he was Hispanic), "yes, but we don't want him no more". My excitement turned to dissapointment, which turned to anger. How could someone let their dog out the door and just forget him? I understood why (after only 3 days), but at least they could've taken him to the pound! I returned dejected to the house, dog in hand. My wife was amazed at the story, and we decided to keep him until we could find him a home.

Now, a year and a half later, he has come a long way. He still has more energy than the average dog, and when we have company, he gets excited, jumps, etc. But compared to when we found him, he is a pretty good ole dog. Whenever Me and Misty think about our first years of marraige, we definitly think of the discovery, adoption, and redemption of General Beauregard.

Day 3 - Midnight Case of the Blues

My heart is heavy tonight for several things. I don't have a tough life, but it does not matter how good you have it; life comes with pain, and at any given time it touches you, or someone to whom you are close. Several people are on my heart; and i don't mention them because i don't want to be sharing info that is not to be posted on the internet. There are times i cannot help but ask why things have to be so damn painful; why things are so broken.

I was thinking about this question the other day. When we get to the end of our lives, and we look back on all we discovered and experienced about this life, what would the one most meaningful truth about life be. The thing that if we had missed out on it, we would have missed everyhing. I know the answer would have to do with God's love for us; but it is the biggest cliche in the bible belt, and sometimes it is so hard to know how to accept it more, to believe it more.

I need to start blogging earlier, becuase the late night blogs go no where...My favorite song of all times is "Midnight case of the blues" by Roger Creager. The lyrics aren't really that good (it's country, give me a break), but it reminds me of many nights i have fought doubt, and found something real in being honest about my confusion to God...and finding him in that. This verse has been my bread and butter in knowing that there is no hard question that can trump God's love for me.

http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Romans+8%3A31-39

Day 2 in Blogathon

It is late, and this post will be quick. I have been reading a passage in Ephesians over and over, because i love how it defines those who know Christ...

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us [2] for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known [3] to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

It reminds me i have been chosen for a purpose - to be holy before him.

It reminds me i am a son of Christ, which reminds me of another verse that says he calls us friend.

It reminds me i have a purpose wrapped up in his will, that will lead to his praise and honor.

It reminds me he has forgiven my trespasses to the measure of the grace he holds.

It reminds me he has a plan set forth in Christ to unite all things in him.


On a lighter note; I want to share with the world that i have a new favorite TV show. It is called "Arrested Developement". Sean Kirkland got me into it, and me and Misty's favorite parts are the family's different chicken dances (movie 1), the characters Buster and Gob (2 and 3). Misty is calling...Peace to y'all - P.S. - third movie is a little risky--but kinda funny.

Blogathon - 30 days strong

Me and Matt A were talking about Annie Downs, and how she posts a blog every day...and who is to keep me from doing this? I can do anything i put my mind too, right? Heck ya! I have been told my blogs are deep...perhaps too deep, so i am going to stay a little closer to the surface; keep my feet on the ground if you will.

I went to youth camp 2008. It was a great experience. My cabin was the 8th grade guys, and they were cool. God allowed me to be used in some cool ways. I realized that the main thing God needs from me has nothing to do with knowledge or relational skills; but simply the willingness to obey. I kept reading this (http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Ephesians+3%3A14-19) verse , that talks about being rooted and grounded in love, having the strength to comprehend Christ's Love. It is very true that you must be rooted, and must have strength to understand Christ's Love. In this world, it is so easy to lose site of his love for us, and his purpose for our lives. I continue to pray the same prayer Paul praid for the Ephesians for the 8th Grade guys.

On arriving back to the real world, i came down with about the worst cold i have had in years. I am not a super evangelical guy who sees God or Satan in everything, but i do see that it would be easy to get my mind off of the things God had spoken to me...I was so excited for several things God spoke to me about; and after "surviving" the last 3 days at work...I can hardly remember the passion I had for them.

Misty just read what i wrote, and called me a "Debbie-Downer - Bwa, Bwa, Bwaaaa...". So on a lighter note. I spent the weekend with some of my best friends in Destin. It was such a cool time, because i realized how crazy awesome my friends are. I believe friendships are the most valuable things we can gain out of this crazy life...I love you guys.

Check some pictures out...