Been busy! Who hasn't!

I have been so busy these last few weeks, alot going on. With Spring here I have been getting really busy @ work. My step-father has given full responsibility of our business to my brother and I. That has brought extra stress that I didn't realize he had to deal with. I am really grateful God has put a man in my life that loves and treats me like his own son. Thank you Jesus! My church softball league has started practicing and that keeps me busy on Mondays. Praise the Lord!!! My last blog was about my mom having cancer. Many things have happened since then. Not to long after she was told she had cancer she saw a cancer doctor. He suspected something else besides cancer. Long story short she had surgery and is cancer free. Praise the Lord!!! God is so good he only gives us what we can handle. 1 Corinthians 10:13 "no temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." This is the verse I had that kept me together. Kept me from just losing it. My faith in God has grown even deeper through all of the stuff with my mom, my wife lost her great aunt last month, and her sister is still fighting her battle. I know God has a plan for everybody and I just pray that I can be a light for him. God is good all the time. Shawshank Redemption; "get busy living or get busy dying." I pray we all can get busy living, living for Christ. God Bless!

Is life fair?

Earlier today I found out that my mom has cervical cancer. At first I didn't know how to react. Do I cry, Do I get angry, Do I blame something or someone? I just sat there with no real emotion. A few moments later when I called my wife to tell her I started to choke up. I got off of the phone with my wife I really started to cry. This is really hard for my family because my step dad's mom just passed away a few months ago from cancer. I just pray that God will be glorified through this. I pray God will give me an opportunity to share the good news with my parents. I have been arguing with them for 8 years about Christ. I think now I will try it God's way and not my own. God's timing is always perfect. My timing has made me look like a fool for 8 years. The bible says in Romans: we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. This is truly my prayer that God would be lifted up during this and my family would be open to the truth. Life is not fair because we deserve way worse than God allows us to have. Even though we deserve death, God offers us a free gift of eternity with him. Romans 6:23 - for the wages of sin is death, but the free gist of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. I pray for my mom's soul not for the battle with cancer. Just because she is healed from cancer does give her eternity with our Father in heaven. That is why I pray for her soul. God is in complete control of all things and now is the time for me to give my entire life to him, not just when it feels good, or when it is convenient, or when people are watching me, but because he is deserving. His son died for me and I could never pay a price like that for someone else so His love truly is enough. God is faithful all the time.

Faithful

Is God not faithful? I believe God has been faithful my entire life. I look back from when I was young and can see God having a hand in things I did. I look at what I had done as a kid like experimenting with smoking and pot. I was a little thief that stole candy and toys just anything I could get my hands on. The last time I stole something was when I got caught. I was so scared I did not know what to do. I got grounded for two weeks.

I'm sitting here grateful and honored that God knew me before the foundations of the earth. He is faithful indeed. I was raised in a twice divorced home. There was no quality time with the family. My family was on drugs and I was not aware of it. I thought everyone lived and acted like our family. My parents worked nights so I never really saw them except on weekends. I was in school all day and when I got home they were at work. My parents after years of doing drugs got out of that lifestyle. Thank you Jesus! All of these things that I experienced in my youth God was present. He was preparing me to be a faithful, loving, God-fearing husband and father and friend. JOY J=Jesus O=Others Y=You. I am thankful I can now, as a follower of Christ, experience true joy. God is faithful. God Bless!

Let it snow

This week has been crazy. With this weather we have had I haven't been working that much. It is nice because I get to spend a lot of time with my wife and kids. Just yesterday my wife, her friend and I went up to the mountains for a little fun in the snow. I took the two of them snowboarding for the first time. It was perfect weather for first timers. Plenty of powder (fresh snow not yet groomed) which gave them extra cushion for when they fell. When they first started I thought they would never get the hang of it, But they really started to improve quickly. It was a good time up there. Next time we go they will really enjoy themselves. Right now I am nervous because the Laker's are struggling against the Warriors. This weekend I get to repeat last weekend by moving my brother instead of my sister. Tons of fun! I'm always ready to help family.

The weekend started early due to rain. My brother and I helped my sister and her fiance move on Friday. It was going smooth and quickly but then the chaos began. My sisters fiance's dad was moving in with them that's where the chaos started. I drove 25 miles to his house, pulling my trailer, he was not even close to being packed and ready, which by the way I asked everyone to be ready because I had plans that night and so did my brother, My brother and I were taking stuff off of shelves to put them in the trailer. It was crazy. Did I mention it was raining. We were only able to get just over half on that trip. Another 25 miles back to the new place. I was planning on being at my bible study by 6:30 but there was no way I could not help them because the dad needed to be out that day. So another 25 miles in the rain and traffic. We got the majority left in the apartment and took off. Another 25 miles back to the new place in the rain and even more traffic. I was a little upset at first but realized that I needed to be there to help my sister. Started helping at around 10:30 in the morning and finished at 7:30. Tons of fun! Saturday I just hung out around the house. My wife, kids and I went to our favorite fast food restaurant "Sonic." It's so cool there they roller skate your food out to you and they have yummy onion rings. I love it there. Today we were off to church, this morning we heard a great message on intimacy. It's always good to know that Christ wants intimacy in our marriages and acts of love and affection. Today we brought one of my wife's friends from school. I hope she was blessed during the service and is interested in returning. After church we were on the way to my uncles for Daytona. It was fun to visit with the family and the nachos were bomb! The race ended early due to rain. It was a good time.

Back to the Norm.

Today I went back to work for the first time since Thursday. Last Friday it rained, the weekend I'm off, Monday it rained, Tuesday I was sick. It was nice to get back to work. Today I came across the worlds largest tumbleweed. That's my brother (5'-8") peeking over the top. I'm still feeling a little under the weather but, good enough to work. I am really excited about this weekend: Friday I go meet with the greatest group of people at my bible study, Saturday my sister is moving in to her own place, of course I'll be helping, Sunday is Daytona party at my uncles. Saturday I know is Valentines Day, I got something special for my beautiful wife.

Today I didn't have to work because of the weather. It is kinda of nice sometimes to get a day off but, I don't like missing my houses because it makes me feel flaky. After I got my kids from school we drove up the hill to see the snow. Shortly after we got home it started to snow at our house. The kids played out front for a while and then we went for a drive. It was so beautiful today with all the snow. Later in the day I started to feel a little sick. Hopefully I will feel better by morning.