October Blur

These last 2 weeks of this month have been a blur to me. It seems like it has taken forever for the last 2 weeks to pass by. With the 2 kids involved with football now and their seasons coming to end, from having to write for my English writing composition class, going to see an evangelist at my father-in-law's church, (more on that in a minute)the fall festival at our church, (more on that in a minute)riding with my Leadership Pastor to Atlanta, (more on that in a minute) and finally (brace yourselves for this) I received a call Wednesday night the 29th to go to work for a new company on Monday November the 4th.

I want to talk about the last point first. I know I am starting backwards but work with me on this. I had been talking with one of my Bible studies teachers about getting ready for that day when I would have to mentally draw a line in the sand and say this is it, this will be the day that I decide that I would not go back to my old job no matter what. I finally did that on Tuesday and set the date for November the 14th. How cool is that to do that and receive an offer to go to work for a different company on the next day. My wife and I had also gone to Walmart on Tuesday evening and I said let's buy some Whoppers. (You all know that Whoppers are my weakness, you know that chocolate covered malted milk ball. I could sit and eat those things until I became sick. I have done that MANY TIMES. My weight shows it too.) Well I bought them to celebrate God's divine intervention in my life. (My wife might disagree on that because she might say I celebrate too much.)I know you are wondering how the two go together. Well, we celebrate when someone comes to know Jesus Christ as savior or we can definitely tell when God has chosen to show He has moved in our lives. He has moved by giving me a new job to get me out of a bad situation with my employer so that possibly our relationship can be redeemed. Our God is a God of redemption otherwise He would not have sent His son Jesus Christ to die as a sacrifice for our sins and be that propitiation to give us redemption so that He could bridge the gap between God and us. So all who know me celebrate with me and how God has moved in providing me with a new job. I think I am more excited about the end to the former employment so that hopefully the relationship will be redeemed.

God has also given us a gift of a 2003 Dodge Dakota extended cab truck for free! God has truly blessed us this year even through what we have sometimes thought has been the worst time of our lives. Its funny how God works right! As He said in James God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Our family has been humbled so many times this year. The people in our life connection class have many times over blessed us with meals, with prayer, (OH THANK YOU FOR THE PRAYERS) with money, and I do not know what else because in the beginning I could not keep up with much due to the pain and the heavy medications that I was on. Our church even has stepped up to the plate and helped out TREMENDOUSLY! Thank you Church! Our family also has been incredible.

Know back to the first point. This past Sunday October the 26th we went to my father in law's church to hear a man by the name of David Ring. He was absolutely moving. If you have not heard of him like I had not, google him and find out about him. His testimony hit me right between the eyes. He kept saying several times over "I've got cerebral palsy, what's your problem!" He was incredible, go check him out. He has a powerful testimony! He also kept saying IF YOU DON'T TELL YOUR STORY IT WON'T GET TOLD!

Fall festival was incredible. I sat with an older gentleman, which most of the teenagers in our church calls him "grandpa", and he and I talked before we got busy. He and I were selling food for $3 dollars and less and man was it busy. My back was so sore that night and the next morning for sitting there for 4 hours. I am not complaining I enjoyed every minute that I was there because I got the pleasure of talking with several people that I have added to my prayer list.

This past Monday, October 27th I rode over to Atlanta airport with our Leadership Pastor to drop off a team to go over seas on a mission project. It was great to share with them before they left. My prayer and challenge to them was Phil 2:7-8 that they would be obedient and that they would be used by God in such a huge way that it would be bigger than their mindset could grasp. We all have our ideas on how big God will use us but when we ask God to use us bigger than our mindset can comprehend most people just look at you with the deer in the headlights look. That's what I got from them except for one lady that went. She knew.
Anyway on the way back from Atlanta the Leadership Pastor and I talked about subjects all the way back. It was a very incredible time for me to hear a pastor share with me the most private of emotions and things that have happened in the past to him and his family. He told me anytime he could share with someone how God has worked with and through him to bless someone else that he would do it anytime, but only when it brings glory to God and not himself. WOW! It was an absolute incredible series of discussions.

Well my wife and I talked last night about a resignation letter and we had to talk through our scars but also talk about how we should say it. If we can leave with character and with not lashing out, because that would not glorify God, but leave on a good note and not attack that would bring glory to God later on down the road. I also talked it out with a GREAT friend of mine and he is also helping with the wording of the resignation letter. I tell you he is a great friend because he has done some very humble things. He is a great friend who I can just pick up the phone and say HEY WHAT ARE YOU DOING??

Well I promise to get back to the original reason for this blog. I have algebra next month. Ouch! I have not taken algebra in 23 years. I hope I can blow the dust off of that area of the brain.

By the way, for those of you who are involved with our family, I can never say enough how much this family appreciates all that you have done. We love you and cannot say enough how much we are humbled by the grace you have shown us. Thanks to all of you! The body of Christ.