last song

My friend reminded me of these words today:

"We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed."

That leads to my last song. These 3 are what I play over and over when I feel pressed on all sides. And this is the song I like to finish with, to remind me that He who is in me is greater than the world! I love you guys. We are praying. We are with you.




"God Will Lift Up Your Head"
Give to the wind your fear
Hope and be undismayed
God hears your sighs and counts your tears
God will lift up, God will lift up, lift up your head

Chorus:
God will lift up your head
God will lift up your head
God will lift up your head
Lift up your head

Leave to His sovereign sway
To choose and to command
Then shall we wandering on His way
Know how wise and how strong
How wise and how strong
How strong is His hand


Through waves and clouds and storms,
He gently clears the way
Wait because in His time, so shall this night
Soon end in joy, soon end in joy
Soon end in joy, soon end in joy
Soon end in joy, soon end in joy
Soon end in joy, soon end in joy
Soon end in joy, soon end in joy


God will lift up your head
Soon end in joy
God will lift up your head
Soon end in joy
-Jars of Clay

more love to Portland

this is another song that brings me strength in hard times. If you need it today, please make it yours:

"Borrow Mine"
Take my hand and walk with me a while
Cause it seems your smile has left you
And don't give in, when you fall apart
And your broken heart has failed you
I'll set a light up
On a hilltop
To show you my love
For this world to see

You can borrow mine
When your hope is gone
Borrow mine
When you can't go on
'Cause the world will not defeat you
When we're side by side
When your faith is hard to find
You can borrow mine

Take my love when all that you can see
Is the raging sea all around us
And don't give up 'cause I'm not letting go
And the God we know will not fail us
We'll lay it all down
As we call out
Sweet Savior
help our unbelief

You can borrow mine
When your hope is gone
Borrow mine
When you can't go on
'Cause the world will not defeat you
When we're side by side
When your faith is hard to find
You can borrow mine

When you are weak
Unable to speak
You are not alone
The God who has saved us
Will never forsake us
he's coming to take us
Take us to our home

You can borrow mine
When your hope is gone
Borrow mine
When you can't go on
'Cause the world will not defeat you
When we're side by side
When your faith is hard to find
When your faith is hard to find
You can borrow mine

Take my hand
Take my love
Don't give in
Don't give up
-Bebo Norman

Love to Portland Friends

I have friends in Portland. Some of them I have known for years. Others have a new special place in my life. Nevertheless, I love them all. One group has really seen an unbelievable amount of hardship fall their way this week. I am praying for my friends at PUMP. Many of them have no clue the love and respect I have for them and their mission. I love them and think the world of everyone at the church. They are going to be affected as a congregation and individually with the sad news that Cascade is closing down. Then, in what can only amount to indescribable news, the beautiful Caitlin was diagnosed with leukemia completely out of the blue. Her mother is one of my favorite people in Portland, and she is such a beautiful child!

In times like these we want to reach out, offer advice and even words of encouragement. But many times, despite what we know to be true, when we are the ones suffering we just want silence. So we silently pray for you. Our hearts break and bleed with yours, and our prayers beg and plead with yours.

This song has always been there for me in rough times.

"Learning To Breathe"

Hello, good morning, how you do?
What makes your rising sun so new?
I could use a fresh beginning too
All of my regrets are nothing new
So this is the way that I say I need You
This is the way that I'm

Learning to breathe
I'm learning to crawl
I'm finding that You and You alone can break my fall
I'm living again, awake and alive
I'm dying to breathe in these abundant skies

Hello, good morning, how you been?
Yesterday left my head kicked in
I never, never thought that
I would fall like that
Never knew that I could hurt this bad

So this is the way I say I need You
This is the way that I say I love You
This is the way that I say I'm Yours
This is the way, this is the way
-SWITCHFOOT

AC/DC vs Fannie and Freddie

It would seem Obama and McCain are focusing on all the wrong things when it comes to the economy. Apparently they do not have to get the mortgage market corrected or revise the banks. Kicker checks will not help either. It would seem that all they need to do is stop a very mediocre band from releasing music! read the story here:

ACDC

These are a few of my favorite things......

Well, it was a busy week...but here are some of the many highlights


For someone as handiman challenged as I...this is a dream if it works :)...so does it work???? Just ask my back yard faucet!!!!!


My son and I picked this up at Blockbuster. We had never seen it before. It is a GREAT movie...we both just loved it!


I got to meet these kids last week and hear them perform. They were really good. More than that I was so impressed with their hearts for ministry and knowledge of scriptures. It was a joy to hear, meet and pray with them. Pick up the CD, it is good.

Hey Dad!

I just returned from surprising my son and meeting him at school for lunch. It was awesome. I wish you could have seen him when he walked out and there I was. What a blessing. Everything was so cool. I got to put faces with names of friends, see him interact with peers, watch how their daily routine plays out, meet school employees, hear stories of amazing feats in class, and much much more. I even watched him run outside and make his way ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE MONKEY BARS (which I had never seen him accomplish). It was all so wonderful.

But, I gotta' tell you, the greatest thing about it all...was Jude's face. When he saw me, that beautiful smile lit up the hall. He was beaming with joy and pride that I had come. Despite his best efforts, he COULD NOT contain it as we walked. It was priceless and it meant the world to me!

I know a day will come where that face will not be one of joy, but embarrasement, and I DREAD it. But for now, I will simply thank God and count my blessings. Go Oak Grove Rams!

Deep Thoughts

The last few days have seen my brain become deep fried. For some strange reason, I have had the MOST random thoughts. So, I thought I would chronicle a few for you here:

I was thinking about that time we dressed Bigboy up as homeless with a "Will work for food" sign in downtown Searcy for a photography project.

I was thinking how much I hate it when a person who normally talk just like me, goes into some thick and crazy accent the minute they utter a Spanish word.

I loved my conversation with my son last night. Bible class had brought up the subject of Satan, and we discussed that even though he is not as strong as God, he is still a very strong foe to reckon with. Jude added, "I couldn't even beat him with an eye poke and kick in the nuts"

I remembered that weekend at Harding where it was a cold COLD day and Homecoming weekend, and I was fighting feeling lonely and depressed, so my parents loaded up and drove over from Memphis to love on me, watch some football, take me to dinner and buy me a new sweater and gloves.

I was thinking back to our earliest days in OR and the exploratory drives Jessie and I would take.

Calling Ben Stein

Man I dislike Dr. Dawkins! But I love this story, because of the use of the word PROBABLY in the slogan. Once again, way to waiver and leave an exit. For someone so sure, you sure do not seem so confident.

here

Stay Strong

Change is in the air. We see it in leaves in our lawns and feel it in the air. We’ve said goodbye and hello to dear ones. We hear about it in election campaigns. Change is exciting and offers hope!
One big change today is the way our economy is changing. Money is in a new place in our lives as we are scared to let it go. Debt is up. Spending is down. are looking at making major changes in the way we spend and what we spend on. I pray we remember to continue our commitments to give to the Lord.

Our tithing gives help and hope to others. Despite struggles we may face now, there is always someone less fortunate than you. Someone who is without a spouse, without a family, a job, food, shelter, clothing, and health. Our giving is recognition of our humanity and God's commandment to love our neighbor as we would love ourselves.

Every Christian is called to walk in love and overcome evil with good. Any other calling is not of God! Isn’t the demonstration of mercy a way of overcoming evil with good? If you are looking for your calling, this is one to do good to others and walk in love. One way we can do this is dig deep and continue to give to our Father who gives so richly to us even in these present times of trial!
I know how hard this can be. But change is in the air! Maybe this is the time we can change how the world looks at us! Maybe at a time when everyone is needing help and is hurting, WE could be the folks to offer love and shelter, because we loved and sacrificed, just as Jesus did.

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written:
"He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever."- II Corinthians 9:6-9

Put a sock in it

Just in case we weren't sure that Mr. Baldwin needs to shut his mouth quite often, here is more proof:

here

Everyone IS Beautiful

this story embodies the spirit and title of this blog. It is so good to hear that this world is still full of wonderful, beautiful people.

READ HERE

caution: Have a tissue in hand......literally

Freedom of speech...unless........

It bugs me how much the freedom to speak in this fine country is protected, except when it comes to any mention of Christian faith. We can say just about anything we feel, except profess our personal faith. I don't get too upset about many things usually. But this story REALLY bugs me. What do you guys think? Now mind you, I think she handled it dishonestly. I do not endorse that...but the fact that she would not have been allowed...MAN!

read it here

R.I.P. Ernie Groth

My dear friend and elder Ernie Groth died unexpectedly this last week from a massive stroke. My life is surely richer for knowing him.

This Sunday I was talking to the teens about the passing of Ernie Groth. I asked how many of them knew him, and the most common answer that they remember of him was this: he is the “Richly Blessed” man. Those two words were Ernie’s standard answer when asked how he was doing, and it seems our youth noticed and remembered. It made an impact on them.
And some of the last words I heard of Ernie speaking were quite similar. One of his fellow elders left the hospital last Friday with the parting words “May God bless you Ernie”. And Ernie replied with the words “He already has”. Isn’t that beautiful? I marvel that even in such a weak state, literally staring the end in the face, my friend could still proclaim God’s goodness in His life. And I proclaim to us today, that THIS is what it is all about. THIS is the picture of Christian faith and hope. THIS is what a life fully lived for the Lord looks like. It is a life that offers hope, when many would say all hope has come to an end!
What does it mean to be richly blessed? I could list many answers. I would say it means to be surrounded with people who love you. It means to live in a free country. It means to have provision. Yet above all these things, in times like last week, Ernie showed us all that a life truly blessed is one that has eternal hope, even in the face of death! It is one that knows this world is temporary, but a life with God is forever. And if these definitions fit, then He surely was a richly blessed man indeed!
Revelation 7:15-17
And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore, "they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them. Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

More signs of the apocalypse

once again....the end may be NEAR, as THIS was the #1 movie in America two weeks in a row



HELP!

Music Still Moves

Thanks to my boy for this group. They are amazing. Proof that great music still lives in the trenches :

Satanic panic

Well...seems someone has decided that a doll is a proseltyzing tool for the dark side. Now folks are freaking out, pulling it from shelves etc... It all sounds a little nuts to me. Read the story for yourself

here

Hey concerned parents...maybe you should take the toy back and use the money to feed a homeless person instead???

Bible Book Store

I went to Evangel today to pick up a book. Up front in a display, they had Sarah Palin's book. While this wasn't THAT big a'deal, right next to it they were selling bumper stickers that say "God loves Sarah" with campaign '08 next to it.

This REALLY bothered me! As if to infer that God does not love the other candidates? Is this the God you serve?

Am I crazy for being grossed out here?

Merrick Talk

Once again my middle daughter of 3 yrs age has spewed forth great knowledge from her tiny brain. I want to share it with my friends here in blog land:

"Daddy...Horsies are nice animals, not mean ones. They are very nice. They don't poop or pee on you. They are VERY nice."

And now we all know what determines a nice or mean animal! :)

Vacation 08

We just had the vacation of a lifetime! OK, maybe that's a little extreme but it was amazing! We started in Portland where we enjoyed a fabulous seminar, Flying Pie Pizza, Hopworks (awesome stout!), Children's museum and Chuck E Cheese! Then we went West to the coast...OMG! I had no clue how beautiful the north coast was!!!!! Canon Beach was awesome! White sand, real beaches, cool town, 85 degree weather! We played, shopped, ate, made bonfires etc.........thank you Lord for the blessing of this trip. My family needed it! Here's a bootyload of pics for you to enjoy!


hotels are fun!

ChuckE Cheese.....germ free since....never

more fun

look at all my tickets!

cashing in their prize!

beautiful beach

Merr does her best Mr. Miagi

where does the sky begin?

Thank God for PePa's

"look at my name"

did I mention it was gorgeous?

sunset from our porch

She loves her big bubby

My 1st trip to the beach

coastal flora

check out that view

My beauty queen

a first "bathing suit in Oregon Coast!

Bonfire lunch

Yummy

I cant believe how warm it is!

precious memories

its boring not walking!