Tuesday, June 17, 2008

My Parents-My Mom

Today is a special day to three children born to an out of the norm situation in accordance with society's view of what constitutes a family. Today is the birthday of the only parent we know, the only parent, that at the age we are, we want to know. For myself, my mother has been and is the epitome of what a mother and father should be. She taught me how to play baseball, how to shoot basketball, how to fish, how to drive and even taught me about the birds and the bees. Everything that my father would have taught me she did as well as how to deal with women. Did I lack anything? I suppose from the view point that a father would have taught me how to work on a car or build things which I could have learned from vocational school.

What I am saying is that I have a tremendous amount of respect, gratitude, and love for the woman who decided to put herself last, fight through the difficult circumstances, and do whatever was necessary to provide for her three children. I don't know of many men who have survived and triumphed through so much and then be able to overcome and still have that love she has for her grandchildren. Guess we should have been wishing her a Happy Father's Day too but we do have a terrific hard working step dad.

So mom I know you will see this post and I know I could not find a card to say what I said above. Happy Birthday mom. Love you double.

"Honor thy father and thy mother for this is the commandment with promise."

I Can Make It

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Vacation with Family

Just returned from exciting trip with my family. This was my oldest daughter's-Gabby-first trip to the beach. I must say that my child was very excited as her little feet hit the warm, soft sand of the crisp white beaches in Gulf Shores, Al. All she could say was "I can see the whole ocean." She was excited to be there and I was happy to take her along with her younger sister of course who could care less about being there.

There is a vast difference in the way a 4 year old sees things and the way a 2 year old sees the same things. Chrissy, short for Christiana, was fixated on the fact that it was too much water to deal with whereas Gabby was at the point of complete euphoria with the fact it was so much water. However, our 7 week old daughter just wanted to get back in the air conditioned car. To watch these two little girls in action was hilarious because one of them wanted to be there and the other one just wanted to play in the sand for five minutes, cling to her daddy, and leave.

It was fun and very rewarding in the sense I finally got to share in a moment without the panic of rushing or worrying about how I was going to get home in time to finish work or what time we should leave. We just truly enjoyed a fun-filled weekend at church then the beach. Oh, and as we were leaving Gulf Shores, I must say the zoo there is very good. The animals we saw were awesome. My wife and I could not believe how big some of those big cats were. The male lion had to be twice all of our sizes together and the white tiger was just as big. Gabby was fascinated by all animals while Chrissy just wanted to look at the birds, any bird whether it was in a cage or just flying around. In any case we just enjoyed being together for a change and I would do it all over again just to see the joy on my families faces.

God created such beauty and we thoroughly enjoyed our little trip. Enjoy what He has to offer and every now and then take time out to "smell the roses."

I Can Make It

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Truth about Me

Today’s post is a little different because I want to share something with everyone who reads or have been reading my blog. I was reading the Bible this morning-yes that is my favorite book and I do read it-and discovered something about myself as I was reading from the book of Deuteronomy. As Moses was reminding the Israelites how God had delivered them from the hands of their former oppressors-Egyptians-and how rebellious they had become up until the crossing of Jordan, it suddenly all came together for me personally. How is that since I am saved and filled with the Holy Ghost that something so simple and yet so profound just hit me? Well, I have been wondering around for 40 years in my own desert not being able to cross the Jordan not because of enemies, what people say about me, how I am viewed, or because of something I was not doing for God. The reason is because of what I allowed me to dictate to me; how I have viewed the deliverance of God almighty from my terrors at night and the many storms endured throughout the course of my life.

When I reflect on past struggles, what I did not have, what I did have, the places visited, the people I thought were friends, the different churches attended, the different views on religion, the house where I was raised, and so many other things that there is not enough time or space on this blog to get into at this time, I realize that it is NOW that is most important. The views I have now, the home I have now, the life I live now, the family I have now, the church I attend now, the Jesus I believe in now, the mom I have now, and all that is now at this time, not yesterday. Deliverance did come and my insatiable desire to be set free from the past blinded me from all that He has done for me and is doing right now. My past is, or should I say, was my Egypt and He personally delivered me from it. As God told Moses-(paraphrase) “They that you see now you shall see no more….” is what my past is; it is gone.

I have begun my crossing over my Jordan River into a land flowing with all that was promised to me not to be blindsided with the negativity that is in view for what is for me is mine. It is already done by faith. Like the wind I don’t have to see it to know it exists but I have to believe it, receive it, and achieve it. The only thing that can hinder my progress to the Promised Land is I myself. After 40 years of wondering my appointed time is NOW!


I Can Make It