I see it has been a little while since I last visited my blog. It has been busy here. Not bad busy, just busy.
Shortly after my last post my son came home over the 4th of July weekend and brought along his sweetheart to meet the family. That was a great weekend and we had a lot of fun and had a short but wonderful time getting to know this amazing (my son's favorite adjective for her) young lady. She is from Texas and had never been to the Rocky Mountains, so my wife and I took them for a drive through the mountains and we had a wonderful day. The next several days were very full and a lot of fun. We've sure missed them both since they went back to Oklahoma/Texas (him/her).
I've been working and trying to be mountain biking quite a bit trying to get ready for some long endurance events coming up, one of which is this weekend. We'll have to see how that turns out.
My wife and I went up to Fraser, Colorado this past weekend for a bike race and to enjoy having some husband/wife companionship time together. It sure seems hard to have time for one another when we're at home and busy with house work and chores and running the daughter to and from work and teaching her to drive.
We're both exhausted!
Our regular worship leader is at a family reunion in South Carolina, so I was blessed to be able to fill in this past Sunday. The Lord really led and anointed the time and many were blessed, so I too was blessed. What really is there that is better on this earth than time worshiping God? Nothing I can think of or have experienced.
All that said, God is so very good to us and we are immensely blessed and we thank Him for His blessings each day.
May you be richly blessed in Christ Jesus the Lord.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Monday, June 23, 2008
Grateful Beyond Words
Yesterday was my wife's and my 23rd wedding anniversary.
I cannot even begin to express the gratefulness in my heart for the blessing of having such a wonderful helpmeet - one whom God has made to be one with me - and my very best friend.
My wife and I went out for a nice dinner Saturday evening to celebrate and I was able to provide a surprise gift for her. That was fun!
All in all, yesterday was not a really eventful day, my wife spent the morning home from church resting, trying to fight a sinus infection which she is going to the doctor about today.
In the afternoon we had some time with my parents and sisters (the youngest of which is up from Phoenix with her kids for a few days), and it was good overall. Yet, it is always harder when my wife is not feeling well. She left early to head home and rest some more because the "gunk" has wiped her out. I struggle when she gets sick, because it seems there is so little I can do to help her, except try to be understanding.
I had a wonderful talk with my son last evening. He hasn't been home since last Christmas and we are all looking forward to being together again. An additionally exciting part is that he is bringing an amazing (his favorite adjective for her) young lady along for us to meet and begin to get to know. We are all looking forward to this event and are praying that she is able to be at peace and comfortable in our home. We know it can be a stressful event to meet your boyfriend/girlfriend's parents and family, but we know God is bigger. ;)
That's all for now.
I cannot even begin to express the gratefulness in my heart for the blessing of having such a wonderful helpmeet - one whom God has made to be one with me - and my very best friend.
My wife and I went out for a nice dinner Saturday evening to celebrate and I was able to provide a surprise gift for her. That was fun!
All in all, yesterday was not a really eventful day, my wife spent the morning home from church resting, trying to fight a sinus infection which she is going to the doctor about today.
In the afternoon we had some time with my parents and sisters (the youngest of which is up from Phoenix with her kids for a few days), and it was good overall. Yet, it is always harder when my wife is not feeling well. She left early to head home and rest some more because the "gunk" has wiped her out. I struggle when she gets sick, because it seems there is so little I can do to help her, except try to be understanding.
I had a wonderful talk with my son last evening. He hasn't been home since last Christmas and we are all looking forward to being together again. An additionally exciting part is that he is bringing an amazing (his favorite adjective for her) young lady along for us to meet and begin to get to know. We are all looking forward to this event and are praying that she is able to be at peace and comfortable in our home. We know it can be a stressful event to meet your boyfriend/girlfriend's parents and family, but we know God is bigger. ;)
That's all for now.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Father's Day
Thank you Lord God Almighty for being a good and perfect Father!
Thank you Lord Jesus for revealing the Father to us through the Holy Spirit and Your word.
When I consider myself as a father, I see my imperfection. I know the many times I've fallen short of being the father I've wanted to be able to be.
I'm grateful for my wife who has helped and continues to help me be as good of a father as I can be.
I'm thankful for my children (now mostly grown) who have helped teach me how to be a father.
-- Blessings!
Thank you Lord Jesus for revealing the Father to us through the Holy Spirit and Your word.
When I consider myself as a father, I see my imperfection. I know the many times I've fallen short of being the father I've wanted to be able to be.
I'm grateful for my wife who has helped and continues to help me be as good of a father as I can be.
I'm thankful for my children (now mostly grown) who have helped teach me how to be a father.
-- Blessings!
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Quick Note
I've added a link for a new blog I've created called Gearing Up. It may not be too interesting to some, but I wanted a place to capture some thoughts about my training for biking events this summer and I figured I might as well link to it. ;)
Cheers!
Cheers!
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
A Quick Trip
*** I hadn't realized how long it's been since my last post. ***
This past weekend my wife, my two daughters, and a third "daughter" took a quick trip up to Rapid City, South Dakota for the high school graduation of a wonderful young lady. We have been family friends with her family for many years now and we have spent many an hour in prayer for them as the United States Air Force has taken them from Colorado Springs to Oklahoma to Alaska and now to South Dakota; and in the midst of that has deployed the father to Afghanistan and now to Iraq.
We went up to S.D. to celebrate a wonderful accomplishment, but we also were able to make it a mini-vacation. We visited Mount Rushmore and even Sylvan lake, which were both shown in the movie National Treasure II (with a little bit of digital magic thrown in).
We had a blast and daughter number 3 kept us all laughing for the better part of the trip.
We also visited a cool little tourist trap called Bear Country which has an assortment of wildlife from the western U.S., but especially a lot of... you guessed it... bears. Everywhere it seemed, were bears. There were bears sleeping, walking, bathing, and even um, procreating, which was an interesting experience for all.
There were even baby bears.
So I hope you enjoy my short update about our recent adventures. Maybe in a day or two I can add a little more.
God Bless!
This past weekend my wife, my two daughters, and a third "daughter" took a quick trip up to Rapid City, South Dakota for the high school graduation of a wonderful young lady. We have been family friends with her family for many years now and we have spent many an hour in prayer for them as the United States Air Force has taken them from Colorado Springs to Oklahoma to Alaska and now to South Dakota; and in the midst of that has deployed the father to Afghanistan and now to Iraq.
We went up to S.D. to celebrate a wonderful accomplishment, but we also were able to make it a mini-vacation. We visited Mount Rushmore and even Sylvan lake, which were both shown in the movie National Treasure II (with a little bit of digital magic thrown in).
We had a blast and daughter number 3 kept us all laughing for the better part of the trip.
We also visited a cool little tourist trap called Bear Country which has an assortment of wildlife from the western U.S., but especially a lot of... you guessed it... bears. Everywhere it seemed, were bears. There were bears sleeping, walking, bathing, and even um, procreating, which was an interesting experience for all.
There were even baby bears.
So I hope you enjoy my short update about our recent adventures. Maybe in a day or two I can add a little more.
God Bless!
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Blessed With Great Kids
Sometimes I am just overwhelmingly blessed at how really, really great my kids are.
Sometimes it takes hearing about some of the difficulties other parents are experiencing with their kids to make me stop for a moment and really appreciate just how very blessed my wife and I have been. That our children have tended to make good choices as they are growing and learning can only be a testament to God's incomparable grace.
Some might say that it is because we have been good parents, and while I certainly try to appreciate the compliment, in my mind and heart I know that I (we) have made so many mistakes along the way that it really has little to do with me (us).
What brought this to mind and made me consider this was having a dear friend, who was looking very troubled, share with me the difficulties his son is having in college (failing two classes this spring semester). Not that my friend's son is a bad young man in any way, it is just that he struggles applying himself to college and not taking seriously the consequences for his lack of self-discipline (and the dad is footing most of the bill for college). This young man has missed classes because of oversleeping, not sought out help from the profs or TAs, and has not tried to find others to study with, but he is blaming the professors and how hard the classes are, and everything but himself for his failure. It breaks my heart for this young man and for my friend. My friend is a very responsible man. I know my friend has not raised his son to be irresponsible like this. He has tried and tried to teach his son how to be responsible. Also, it isn't because the young man is not capable - he had all A's and B's the fall semester of this school year.
I'm really praying that this summer will be a time of maturing for my friend's son. This young man is going on a Summer Project with Campus Crusade which is a missionary project to a big city. I am praying and trusting for the the Lord use this time and place as an opportunity for this young man to grasp hold of the maturity that he is called to as a young man - putting away childish things.
- As I consider this one instance, I remember that my daughter, a college freshman, who has struggled (though not failed) in one class all year, and try as she might, she just hasn't been able to do well on the tests, and she will have to take the classes over to be able to get into nursing clinicals. The difference - she has continued to try even when she may have really wanted to give up; and she has A's and B's in every other class.
- I also consider my son who just finished his junior year of college and has been on the dean's list every semester. He's a bright young man, but he also applies himself diligently even when he doesn't like or agree with what he has been assigned. He absolutely detests what he considers busy work, but he does it anyway.
- Finally, I consider my youngest just finishing her sophomore year of high school. She pours herself into working hard to get good grades. She participates in extracurricular activities and has had a job for the last year.
These are but illustrations of each of them and their many positive qualities.
By the way... I am not paying for my kid's college. Not because I don't value college, rather I very much do. We have set our kids up that college is what they will do after they finish high school. It isn't really an option. It's just that I believe if they have to work for all of it, then they will appreciate their investment in themselves like I appreciate having to work my way through college.
Each of my children have wonderful, tender hearts that long to follow after the Lord and what could a God-loving, God-fearing parent desire more for their child.
Thank you Lord God that you have blessed my wife and I with great kids.
We can never express it enough.
Sometimes it takes hearing about some of the difficulties other parents are experiencing with their kids to make me stop for a moment and really appreciate just how very blessed my wife and I have been. That our children have tended to make good choices as they are growing and learning can only be a testament to God's incomparable grace.
Some might say that it is because we have been good parents, and while I certainly try to appreciate the compliment, in my mind and heart I know that I (we) have made so many mistakes along the way that it really has little to do with me (us).
What brought this to mind and made me consider this was having a dear friend, who was looking very troubled, share with me the difficulties his son is having in college (failing two classes this spring semester). Not that my friend's son is a bad young man in any way, it is just that he struggles applying himself to college and not taking seriously the consequences for his lack of self-discipline (and the dad is footing most of the bill for college). This young man has missed classes because of oversleeping, not sought out help from the profs or TAs, and has not tried to find others to study with, but he is blaming the professors and how hard the classes are, and everything but himself for his failure. It breaks my heart for this young man and for my friend. My friend is a very responsible man. I know my friend has not raised his son to be irresponsible like this. He has tried and tried to teach his son how to be responsible. Also, it isn't because the young man is not capable - he had all A's and B's the fall semester of this school year.
I'm really praying that this summer will be a time of maturing for my friend's son. This young man is going on a Summer Project with Campus Crusade which is a missionary project to a big city. I am praying and trusting for the the Lord use this time and place as an opportunity for this young man to grasp hold of the maturity that he is called to as a young man - putting away childish things.
- As I consider this one instance, I remember that my daughter, a college freshman, who has struggled (though not failed) in one class all year, and try as she might, she just hasn't been able to do well on the tests, and she will have to take the classes over to be able to get into nursing clinicals. The difference - she has continued to try even when she may have really wanted to give up; and she has A's and B's in every other class.
- I also consider my son who just finished his junior year of college and has been on the dean's list every semester. He's a bright young man, but he also applies himself diligently even when he doesn't like or agree with what he has been assigned. He absolutely detests what he considers busy work, but he does it anyway.
- Finally, I consider my youngest just finishing her sophomore year of high school. She pours herself into working hard to get good grades. She participates in extracurricular activities and has had a job for the last year.
These are but illustrations of each of them and their many positive qualities.
By the way... I am not paying for my kid's college. Not because I don't value college, rather I very much do. We have set our kids up that college is what they will do after they finish high school. It isn't really an option. It's just that I believe if they have to work for all of it, then they will appreciate their investment in themselves like I appreciate having to work my way through college.
Each of my children have wonderful, tender hearts that long to follow after the Lord and what could a God-loving, God-fearing parent desire more for their child.
Thank you Lord God that you have blessed my wife and I with great kids.
We can never express it enough.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Recapping 'Life of Late'
Post of the month? It's sort of early in the month yet, so we'll see.
My last post noted my busyness of late.
* Work has still been very, very busy.
* I made the time and went skiing with my daughters Monday and Tuesday of their spring break and my wife was not able to go with us. :(
* All total I ended up doing five pieces of music for our Church Easter celebration.
I have sneaked in a couple opportunities to ride my bike, but only a couple (bummed about that).
Springtime in the Rockies always means windy. This year, the March weather was one or two little snowstorms a week. April has started the same way. We'll have a high of 60 degrees one day and 35-40 the next. Sunny and warm - cold and wet. Ah, you have to love it!
My chuckles of late come from the conversations with my son, that are happening about every week-and-a-half... I just keep hearing these phrases, "she's just so amazing...", and "when you meet her I know you'll think she's amazing too!"
I teased him a bit the last time he said that, saying, "What if we don't?"
He assured me that we would. ;) Too funny.
Young romance is fun to watch. It is just weird to me that it is really my son. Not because of him, but because of me. I don't feel old enough for him to be old enough. Then I have to remind myself that when I was his age, I was engaged to a wonderful and beautiful young woman that I was most fortunate to be able to marry. I'm pretty sure I never went around saying she was amazing, like Chris does about his interest, but that doesn't mean I don't thing she is. :)
Anyway, this post has been all over the map. Maybe you'll be amused by reading it.
God Bless!
My last post noted my busyness of late.
* Work has still been very, very busy.
* I made the time and went skiing with my daughters Monday and Tuesday of their spring break and my wife was not able to go with us. :(
* All total I ended up doing five pieces of music for our Church Easter celebration.
I have sneaked in a couple opportunities to ride my bike, but only a couple (bummed about that).
Springtime in the Rockies always means windy. This year, the March weather was one or two little snowstorms a week. April has started the same way. We'll have a high of 60 degrees one day and 35-40 the next. Sunny and warm - cold and wet. Ah, you have to love it!
My chuckles of late come from the conversations with my son, that are happening about every week-and-a-half... I just keep hearing these phrases, "she's just so amazing...", and "when you meet her I know you'll think she's amazing too!"
I teased him a bit the last time he said that, saying, "What if we don't?"
He assured me that we would. ;) Too funny.
Young romance is fun to watch. It is just weird to me that it is really my son. Not because of him, but because of me. I don't feel old enough for him to be old enough. Then I have to remind myself that when I was his age, I was engaged to a wonderful and beautiful young woman that I was most fortunate to be able to marry. I'm pretty sure I never went around saying she was amazing, like Chris does about his interest, but that doesn't mean I don't thing she is. :)
Anyway, this post has been all over the map. Maybe you'll be amused by reading it.
God Bless!
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