Memories

It was eight years ago today my Dad died.  In some ways it seems so long ago and in other ways the pain is fresh.  I miss him a lot. 

He was an aeronautical engineer plus he had more common sense than four people put together!  Though he was a quiet man, stoic, he loved deeply and listened well. 

It hurts that he did not get to see our children graduate or marry.  He will not hold his great-grandchildren.

Yet, in so many ways, he is with me all the time.  I feel his presence when I am lonely.  I hear his words of wisdom when I am questioning.  I feel his arms around me when I am scared. 

My earthly father had so many characteristics of my Heavenly Father.  Perhaps that is why my faith is so simple.  I am blessed.

God is good.

Home

We love the home we are in.  It is just the right size, wonderful location, cozy.  There are things we would love to do - but we can't.  It is not ours.  The folks we are renting from want to sell it, we want to buy it.  But in today's economy, we don't qualify. 

It is fo frustrating.  We are living within our means.  We are on a three year plan to be totally out of debt.  We save 10%, tithe 10% and live on 80%.  Yet, according to the standards, we aren't good enough. 

We have settle in so easily - it is home.  Part of me is sad, maybe we will only be here a short while.  They will be at law school for two to three years so even though our lease is for a year, more than likely we will be here longer.  The challenge we pray about regularly - is the price they will want for our home reasonable and within our means. 

Can't wait to see how God answers this one.

God is so good.

Hurting Child

We absolutely adore our children - God has blessed us with amazing children - all very unique, strong-willed, creative and full of faith (though they may not realize it yet!).

The past few days have been difficult as we are watching David struggle.  His decision to go into the Army may not happen.  He has some health issues, while not life and death, will probably keep him home.

So, we watch him - what does he do?  He is hurting, doesn't think what he does is important.  The devil is putting so many lies from the pit of hell into his mind it is making us mad!!!

It is David who stood by me when Brian walked out - he was an incredible source of strength.  It is David who confronted his Dad about the sin in his life, then stood by us as we have reconciled.  It is David who cried at Kara's wedding.  He is a man after God's own heart.

God has great and mighty things planned for him.  Just as Jacob wrestled God and then was used to build a nation - David is wrestling God.  He may not build a nation - but we have absolutely no doubt he will make an impact on those God puts in his life.

So we sit back, love our child and pray.  God will bring him through and God will be glorified in David's life.

God is good.

Temptation

Visited CCV last weekend.  Always good to see what is going on in other churches.  The worship was amazing, the sermon was excellent (Don Wilson was my Youth Pastor oh so many years ago....).   There was a part of the sermon, an aside actually, that really caught us.....

Falling to temptation has five steps (see James 1:13-15):

1. Desire
2. Deception
3. Decision
4. Destruction
5. Death

Too often folks don't think through their decisions.  They don't consider the destruction it will bring into not only their life, but into the lives of those they love and into the lives of those around them. 

Having lived through this and seen how God is glorified when we stand firm - it is always good to remember - God's standards are absolute, they do NOT change.

He will ALWAYS provide an escape from temptation and thus victory.  Guess we should focus on the eternal, rather than the immediate.

God has blessed us so very much.  God is so good.

Camping on the Rim

Here we are on the edge of the Mogollion Rim - we spent a delightful couple of days camping at Milk Ranch Point. 

To say it was peaceful would be an understatement.  The only challenge we faced - the bugs.  They seem to like Brian much better than Vicki - so it is all good!!

It was so cool - we bought mountain bikes.  Totally sure it would have made a great video watching us ride the first time.  It is much more difficult to ride up hill than down hill.  Though downhill is a tad bit scarier - especially with all those rocks in the road!!  Having those new knees is beyond words.  We are so thankful for both technology and a great doctor.

We drove the Rim Road - saw a mama deer and her baby, watched the progress of the forest since the Dude Fire nine years ago, enjoyed the changing colors of the land and the sky.


One of Brian's favorite parts of camping - pizza!!   Somehow pizza tastes so much better when it is cooked out in the open.  In fact, all food tastes better when eaten around a fire.

Our last night out our fire started nicely - the wonderful smell....  well then the rain decided to put the fire out - it literally rained all night long.  No S'Mores for Brian!!  We sat in the trailer and played Zilch and War.  By morning the sun was out (as were the bugs!).  We packed up and headed home.

God is so creative - the colors, the sounds, the smells.  We can't wait to see wait Heaven will be like.  You see, He took six days to create the earth - He has been working on Heaven for over 2,000 years.

God is good.

Marriage Ministry

We will be working with the Marriage Ministry at Palm Valley.  God doesn't take you through an experience like ours to let it sit on the shelf.  So we will take the pain we experienced, the healing we have been blessed with and walk with other couples who are struggling. 

It is amusing because we felt led in this direction about six months ago and volunteered.  But, the training wouldn't happen until about now.  So we waited.  We think God wanted us to get past the first year being reconciliation.  God has blessed our socks off in the past year.

During the last three months God has brought two families to us who are hurting because of affairs.  One of them has ended in divorce (which God hates) but the beautiful lady is learning Jesus is all she needs.  The other couple is working on the marriage - we are hoping they will let us walk with them.

We expect this will bring up some pain - but it is an honor because Jesus hurts.

God is so good!

 

Home

We are about 95% settle in!!  It has been an amazing story.  Brian and David got the truck on Thurday morning (July 29) and had the truck loaded by mid-afternoon.  We drove by the new place and they were still here.  Next morning I drove by about 5:30am and they were gone - I texted Brian and David - they were here before 8:00 unloading. 

I got off work about 1:00 and headed to the old place to "help".  We threw everything else in and then unloaded - we were able to return the truck a day early and call our friends and say - "Your Saturday is free!"

Saturday it rained all day long - not just rain, but pouring rain.  Brian's dad came over and painted a wall for us and we spent the day unpacking.

Throughout the week we have unpacked more and more.  This morning I tackled the spare room - everything out - then everything back in.  We have a few more things to finish up and hang pictures in the family room.

David came home from church and said - "This feels like home."

Thank you Lord for a new home.  God is so good.