my love...

I don't have much to say right now, but my good friend Chris took this picture of Laynie and I think it's awesome...We were praying at a baptism and she was on my shoulders. I know, I'm bias...........i don't care.

I also love my sister-in-law VERY much.

the wisdom of my friend...

this morning i meet with john fooshee to talk about my talents and strenghts and how to develop and utilize them to the max. there is something serious going on in my life right now, but i can't explain it. and when i can't explain it, john seems to help put the pieces together in a real, personable, friendly way. i was instructed to come up with 15 things in my life, from birth to the present, that i have BOTH loved AND been good at. i came up with 10:

1. Basketball
2. Friendships/ Relationships
3. Words- Reading- Language
4. Communication
5. Competition
6. Acting/ Drama/ Characters
7. Being a dad
8. Being a husband
9. Youth Ministry
10. Discipleship

oh, well. so we met, talked and he asked questions about the stories behind each one of the ten things. here's are some of the themes we came up with, from a simple conversation:

Themes: I am drawn to the challenge of being involved in people's lives.
I most desire to understand people for the purpose of helping them live life to the full.

We also came up with some environments I thrive in: Team, High Energy, Group environments where I'm up front so that I can build into lives one-on- one later, places where the coach or leader values me over the task at hand, and being outside. more on this later...

God in my shower...

In my life, it seems the only still, quiet place is the shower. And so I've been trying to meditate on things above while I'm washing. Acouple nights ago, God showed up and laid on my mind a question that Lensey told me she asked Laynie today. The answer is what got me, though. They were driving around and Laynie was asking 1,000 questions, (she's 2 and a half) and Lens said, "Where are all these questions coming from?!" Laynie thought for a minute and then said, "Ummm, they're coming from God."
And so God started teaching me in the shower.
If God is giving my little girl questions, my response shouldn't be impatience or frustration, because that shows her I'm not interested in what she' interested in. No, my responsibility is to see that God is giving me opportunities to point my daughter to Him! By answering her questions (even if I don't know the answer) I'm teaching her that God, and me are interested in everything in her little world and we will always be available to listen to her and answer her questions.
Is that not how God feels towards us? We question, we doubt, we inquire and He sits, listens, answers, and responds with compassion and love.
Thank you God for showing me something new about You in the shower. Grant me the brains to remember this forever. May You use this experience some day for Your glory.

Another shot...

So i'm going to give this blogging thing another shot and see how it goes. If I truly suck at it and you are really my friend, you'll tell me...and I'll stop. Read if you dare.