Thanksgiving Vacation Photos

We had a fun time on our Thanksgiving vacation.

We enjoyed plenty of food of course along

with a bunch of sight seeing. Here are some fun photos

of us enjoying the big town of Dubuque and surrounding areas.Us at the Festival of Trees in down town Dubuque.
This was a silent auction and I was tempted to bid on
this amazing Hawkeye loving Christmas tree.

This was our favorite wreath. We both love these colors.

Then I got to meet Miss Too Cool For School, Suzy Q

and I fell in love head over heals all over again. :-)

We went and seen grandma on Thanksgiving day

and the day after.

Suzy and I at the bank of the Mississippi River.

Suzy and I at the top of the 4th st. elevator.

That was a lot of fun.

The End!

I'm Outa Here

I'm getting ready for my third web design class tonight. It's been a head ache but I have learned a little on how to use dreamweaver software. The instructor goes way to fast to follow along on the computer, take notes and let anything he says sink in. I'm sure glad this is not a graded class.

After work tomorrow, Suzy and I are off to Debuque, Ia for three days with her family. I'm so out of here. With so many things going on and tons of over time to put in at work this three days will be nice. I have to be back for church on Sunday though. We are having a staff meeting and going over the entire 2010 calendar year. Also I need to get my papers typed up for my web building budget request to go before the board meeting in December. So to put it this way, you wont be hearing from me in a while so with that said, have a super happy Thanksgiving everybody.

The Pain In Criticism

It's amazing how peoples words can build us up or tear us down. I woke up this morning in very good spirits full of joy and praise. But later I found a message from a former friend on facebook telling me I haven't changed one bit. I'm not a man of God and I have traded one addiction for another. Telling me I also need to grow up because I wouldn't add them to my friends list. Well, she was right about one thing. My former addictions to bad thoughts and substances have changed to faith filled thoughts and surrounding my self with God, His people and His Word. But her words cut deep, making me feel guilty and ashamed. It took some coaxing from Suzy to build me back up again. I toyed with the thought of leaving her another message but that would only bring me down to her level and that's not who I am anymore. All this has truly shown me why I left my old friends (by left I don't mean run away from like she said). They don't care like they say they care and they criticize my way of life and judge me in their hearts because of my actions. They continually tell me how they think that I think I'm better than them because I go to church. Peoples criticism is never helpful but hurtful. Criticism is usually coming from a judging heart. At least that's how I view it. Not that I'm always right. =) So from now on I think I will try and be careful myself in how I use my words. I don't want to hurt people the way I was hurt this morning.

Headed Down The Road

I look at this picture and I'm reminded of my relationship with Suzy. It is a lot like a cartoon, its almost unreal. Its too good to be true. Its like a fantasy coming to pass. But it's not...Its for really real and I'm living it out. As each day goes by I feel our love growing stronger for each other and for Jesus. Slowly we are being made as one. Each of our personal relationships with Jesus has been strengthened and built up since we have started going out. We each have decided to pick up the pieces of our lives and with the help of the Holy Spirit put them together making a new picture of our lives together. I used to tell her that everytime we got to hang out it was like another piece of the puzzle was being put together as we discovered who each other were. Life is full of choices. God gives us free will so we can choose. You can choose to re-sculpt a new picture from your fragments or you can choose self-pity and sit in your own stink as I like to say. I have refused to remain defeated. This time my free will chooses God's ways over my ways. Though it might be difficult in the sense that I can't see His plans over mine, I am willing to trust and let Him lead me to whats next for us in this life. I praise and celebrate our God for what He is doing in our lives today. I don't always notice what He's doing in the present but rest assured His ways are above my ways and I will see this picture painted out for me down the road.

The Insanity Of Jesus

A while back I was reading through the book of John. I couldn't help but notice how so many people thought Jesus was out of His mind. There were divisions of the people because of Him and the words He spoke. Some went as far to say Jesus had a demon. Read chapters 6-8 and you will see how crazy the Jews thought He truly was. In Chapter 6:66 we see that some of Jesus' own disciples stopped walking with Him. Jesus was good at ruffling feathers. Or as I like to call it. Rubbing the hair on the cat backwards. Organized religion can't stand up to the truth and people can't seem to grasp this concept of personal relationship.

Being the only Christian at my workplace some people think I am crazy. Some of them think I'm crazy just for believing in heaven and hell. Some think I'm crazy for the ministry work I do for no pay. Yet others think I'm crazy for giving up so many pleasures that I once enjoyed.

I guess where I am going with this is....I must be being transformed into the likeness of Christ then...right.? Everyone thought He was insane.....and now everyone thinks I'm insane. In my Bible study one night we talked about the fruit of the Spirit and if people recognized us for Christians by it. Are there any signs that the fruit is in you? I would have to say yes. I look back at what I once was and what I am now and I don't recognize myself. The Holy Spirit has done a mighty work in me starting from the inside out.

In conclusion, I started out as everyone else (supposedly normal) and now Christ's insanity is in me and emanating through me. Here's to being crazy and mad and whacked out. =)

Friday Night With Skillet

Here is a short video from friday night. I would have to say that this Skillet show blows most bands I've seen way out of the water. This was the best, visual wise, concert I have ever attended and I have seen many, many famous rock bands.


CROWD CAM: Ames, IA 11.13.09

Skillet MySpace Video

Are You Serving For The Right Reasons?

I have learned not to look toward people for praise. Although it's nice to get a thank you, or a 'That A Boy' or a 'Job Well Done' once in a while, that's not why I work hard at everything I do. This is true for every area of my life and your life as well. Whether you're on the job site, at home, volunteering your time and talents or serving in the church for Christ, you shouldn't look for that pat on the back. You will only set yourself up for disappointment. If I'm at work I'm working for the Lord, if I'm serving the church I'm working for the Lord, If I'm volunteering my time for a worthy cause I'm working for the Lord. I will get my pat on the back in due time. In this life and the next I'm sure.

Recently I over heard a man complaining about our Staff Appreciation Day we had at our church. Take note this was an appreciation to those who are on staff and work with the pastor to keep things organized and running smoothly as possible. This man was disgruntled because he does something (I won't mention what so not to give his identity away) once a month for the church and his wife also serves in the church. I heard him saying "I see what kind of church I go to, I do this and my wife does that but we don't get no appreciation" Now you can see how this man has set himself up for disappointment. I seriously wanted to lay into him not just because what he was saying was wrong but because he was saying these things in front of first time guests in the foyer.

I don't serve Christ in the church to be noticed by man and you shouldn't either. When at our day jobs we shouldn't do things only to be noticed by our superiors. When no one is around I work just as hard as if my boss were in the same room. It's all our reasonable service toward God. I feel if this man were seriously serving the Lord he would never be upset about not being recognized. It saddens my heart and makes me wonder who this man is truly serving. In my mind I think he is only serving himself. How can we ever find the joy of the Lord serving only ourselves? Who are you serving and why?

Exhaustive Concordance

I've recently discovered this magnificent book, The NIV Exhaustive concordance. This is a cool book. It's helped me out a lot when looking for scripture. Sometimes I can't remember where to find a particular scripture but I can remember a couple particular words. Looking up the Greek words and definitions makes studying so much more real and fun. But I was curious as to why they called it the exhaustive concordance. Now I know it's because when you dig into it......you become exhausted. =)

Juggling Act

Today I was asked if I could put in some overtime at work. Of course my response was "yes" without hesitation. So this means I have to work tomorrow morning. Which also means I have to wake up to the dreaded sound of an alarm clock, something I hate on a Saturday. I was prompt to tell my supervisor I can't work late on Tuesdays because I have this new Web Design class I'm taking. I also told him I can't work late on Wednesday nights because of my church buss route.

So I find myself juggling a bunch of stuff again. So in between doing some side projects for a couple of guys from church during my break times, I also have a bathroom I'm trying to get finished at work on my own time. Apparently I need to get up extra early and go to bed extra late for the next several weeks. The question is....Will the pain be worth the pay? I'm hoping so considering the holidays are coming up fast.

After work tomorrow I have yard work, garden work and Jeep maintenance along with a hair cut and lets not forget spending time with my girlfriend before she goes to work. Wow, I almost ran out of breath just typing that up. Amongst all these things I have had some thoughts running through my head that I would like to blog about if I find the time. Here are a few

1. Charisma
2. Pentecostal
3. Criticism
4. The Holy Spirit
5. Concordance
6. The Written Word

Under His Wings

As I came across this picture in my emails I couldn't help but be reminded of Psalm 91. (vs. 1) "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. (vs. 4) He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark." God has given us so many awesome promises in His Divine Word and truly is faithful. The best promise ever, I would have to say, is the promise of everlasting life we receive from just believing and trusting in His son Jesus who shed His precious blood for us. Somehow I doubt anyone is going to argue with me.