Did anyone get the make and model of that truck?

It's been a little over five weeks since i started dragging my tired old bones out of bed at 5:45 to get out the door to the gym. I wouldn't say it's definitely a habit yet, but i am enjoying it more. Yesterday though i was bone tired. Saturday the church i go to had a youth trip planned to King's Dominion, but late the week before it was in danger of being canceled. Not wanting DS1 to be disappointed i called up our Youth Pastor (the one who said he didn't have a 'passion' for the middle schoolers) and told him I would like to help drive, or do something to save the trip. Long story short we found six adults willing to drive and chaperon and made the trip. It was a long, hot, day - but a good time was had by all. Sunday my poor beloved was still suffering from a kidney stones. I have never (so far) had them so I cannot quite relate to what she is going through, but i can tell she is not a real happy camper. I have been encouraging her to relax and just work on getting through this (call doctors, etc.). The end result has been me picking up a little bit extra to do. She feels terrible, but to be honest, i would rather her get through this thing and feel better, then to make it last longer and feel miserable. Besides, the medication the doctors put her on make her sleepy, irritable, and down right miserable anyway. She has a follow up appointment with a urologist this afternoon. Yesterday i woke up beat-dead-tired. It didn't help that i had stayed up WAY too late Sunday night trying to spend time with my beloved, but i forced myself up and to the gym anyway. By the time I got to work I was so fatigued that i was actually trembling slightly. I was considering going home and getting back into bed but the day had other plans. By the time i had a moment to update my little blog here i just couldn't get up the motivation. So my apologies dear readers. "Music Monday" will return to it's regular time slot next week (hopefully). Some misc. ramblings... I was very happy to see that the Carolina Panthers pulled out another win this past Sunday. What a game! The first half Chicago's defense was smothering the Panther's offense, but they came alive in the second half. I am not a sports writer, so my "coverage" of the game is not all that in depth. Besides, there are plenty of other sources better than me out here on the web. To be honest, when Steve Smith earned his suspension for two games I thought that if the Panthers went 1-1 i would be happy. At 2-0 i am an ecstatic fan! The NFL season is a long one, and there are still fourteen more games to be played. Some against some very formidable opponents (Tampa Bay twice, New Orleans twice, the defending Super Bowl champions, to name a few). There will be injuries to overcome, and some just plain bad weeks. But i hope i can enjoy the ride for a while longer. Our home computer was sliding into the grave ever so slowly. The video card was not working with various programs that it once was able to, both of the disk drives would no longer open (well, one was temperamental, the other was plan old broke) so when I took it in to get fixed the difference in cost between repair and replacement was very little - I opted to just replace it. Growing pains are being experienced by all. Today i should be able to pick up the new system complete with a full file transfer from old to new. One good thing though... i found out that i probably will not have to spend as much as i thought i would have to on a laptop. Sweet! That means i can start saving for something else sooner. My next goal is to save for a sizable portion to take the family on a longer vacation. Well, that's all for now. God bless. Verse for today: Proverbs 16 : 2-7, ESV All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirit. Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established. The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble. Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished. By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the Lord one turns away from evil. When a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

Where to turn

My beloved and I have gone through this before. There is this underlying feeling that something is wrong, and we are left to try and figure out what God's will is for us.

I am not sure how much to write about here as there are some close friends who occasionally read these ramblings. It's not like I am trying to conceal a sin. A situation has come to light at the local church I attend and it has caused me some concern. So much so that I am considering taking my family away from that church and to another one. This is hard because we are deeply involved there. We serve in ministry there. Our children are involved in a lot of activities there. We have made a few friends there. But at the same time this issue has caused me to rethink our continued involvement there. And it is not just my family.

Should we stick it out? Should we bring these concerns to others? Right now it is not possible to bring this issue to the person as I should not know the situation.
Verse for today:
Titus 1 : 7-9, ESV
For an overseer, [4] as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound [5] doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.

Too tired - is it Friday yet?

This past weekend was out church's family retreat weekend. I had to work some overtime Friday night for an emergency issue, but to make that part a little shorter - I arrived out at the retreat center about 9:00 PM, and got settled in. There was a nice get together around a bonfire until 10ish. We then got all of the kids to bed and we stayed up playing 'Golf' (a card game) until about 1:00 something or other. The next day we were up bright and early to get to breakfast and the various organized activities we had set up. I shadowed DS2 (my 'Aspie') to a basketball skills activity, and then to the pond for fishing (man he loves fishing!). We enjoyed a nice lunch and then some family game time. I helped out with the 'baloon slingshot' game (all the while keeping tabs on DS2, and two kids from our friends who were also staying in our same cabin). That was a hoot. After this I suited up and took all of kids down to the pool for a couple hours while my beloved tried to get a nap (which was impossible BTW). Spagetti dinner was enjoyed by all - my beloved had signed up to help to make and serve, while I was signed up to help with the clean up. In hindsight, I got the raw end of that stick. LOL - then it was off for another fun campfire - with some skits put on by two of our resident funny men. The night did become a little stressful - and here I will get even more brief. DS2 went off to play with a friend of his - one my beloved and I trust. About 15 to 20 minutes later I thought it best to just go check on him (by now it was close to 9:00 PM). I wonder halfway across the camp to find an several of my son's friends all playing touch football. but no DS2. I was told that he stomped off in frustration. For anyone who deals with these types of children you probably know, this means that they are getting into a 'mode' where they close down and they do not always respond to outside sources. It took almost 30 minutes to find him (he had returned to the cabin and was in his bed - thank You God), but I also found out the source of his trouble. He had an altercation with some older boys that escalated until it was essentially 4 on 1. In the end God made sure that the Holy Spirit was with me as I was able to really deal with the situation fairly calmly (including a second confrontation with the older boys in question). I could type out another hundred words on this - but, it really raised the stress level. We closed out the night getting all the kids to bed, and playing some more cards with our friends until about 12:00 midnight. For a variety of reasons I didn't get to sleep until about 2:30 (ugh). Up again at 7:00 AM for Breakfast, Chapel, and clean up. But we were home by 12:30. DS1 had a friend come over - which really was a blessing because, once I picked up McDonald's for lunch, and my beloved got 3 out of 4 loads of laundry started we both settled down and took naps while the kids played (with me in front of the tube for some football!). I kept up with the Panthers via the local Fox network (watching/sleeping-through the Redskins/Giants), and the NFL channel, and my cell phone - man they came close to losing that game. The Buccaneers come to Charlotte next week - and I don't mind saying that I am a little nervous for my Panthers in this one. Well, enough rambling for now... Verse for today: James 2:14-17, ESV What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good [2] is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.