Yesterday during a way back home from eating out, Kyle told me he missed going to the Heritage. This is the nursing home that Walt stayed at during his rehab time before he passed last February. So tonight after supper and dropping some supplies off at the church office for our Water Fun day tomorrow at 6:30 - we headed over. We were both excited to see some folks we became friends with a few months back. We have not been there in some time since it has been such a busy summer and all. We first got to see Mary. She is in her 90's and a piece of work. Such a warm smile and loving heart. She goes to church every Sunday with family coming to pick her up. Her husband passed away over 60 years ago and has never remarried or dated anyone since then. She looks forward to seeing her husband again but until then she is living her life just as happy as anyone I know. We also got to see Miss Lizzie - she is the wonderful lady who calls Kyle Banjo. She cannot talk but she understand what we are saying. She was SO excited to see us and was mumbling 100 miles an hour and smiling big time. I wonder when the last time she smiled? Ben our buddy from Mt Airy was there and doing well. Mr. Houston is still there and is as sharp as always. He is Mr. Harrisburg and has lived her his entire life. Want some history of Harrisburg- he is your man. Carol and I want to film him and ask him questions about his past - the past of Harrisburg and the old days. We could listen to him talk for hours.... I think he could talk for hours :)
We also found out that Margaret has passed away and that is such a sad thing. She was a younger woman who was suffering from dimensia. Such a shame losing your thoughts and thinking abilities. She was a bright spot when visiting with her.
After we left and got back in the E - Kyle told me he loved going over there and making the older people smile. He is not afraid of them and that says something especially for a 10 year old boy. I think I would have been scared to death if my parents took me to a place like that when I was 10. After we got home we had a knock on the door. Little Amanda was here and we have not seen her all summer. We got to share some laughs, catch up on her summer in California and also sent her home with a bag of fresh Bateman Organic tomatoes and peppers. She was excited....
I am looking forward to water day tomorrow. I have invited 3 extra kids to bring along but only 2 have told me they ARE coming no matter what. Hope the weather holds out because this is going to be fun..... more on that tomorrow night.
Well, being a single dad this week - I am hitting it early. WORN out today ... I just dont know how single parents do it.... I am amazed that ANYTHING at all gets done..... I have changed my underwear and showered - thats a good thing in case you were wondering and we haven't run out of milk and cereal :)
Love you all,
Lonnie~
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
That is what I am talking about....
As many of you know, Carol is out of town for training this week.... Kyle and I are doing fine and running on all good cylinders (as long as we don't run out of milk and cereal). But last night we had some storms roll through the piedmont. Our dogs, Payton and Adger, sleep in our bedroom in their crates and during the storms... Kyle came in, Payton whimpered all night and Adger didn't move a muscle. So - I spent a few hour awake - listening to the storms and trying to keep Payton from waking Kyle. I had a lot running through my mind and all I could think about was the excitement from church Sunday.
I have been blogging now for almost 600 posts.... it has been a good ride and fun sharing the love of Jesus and what He means to me and my family. This excitement is what I have been so hard trying to share and get across. Sunday was a day that excitement took over and not for me but for those who shared their testimonies and those being baptised. They are sold out for Jesus. They are sold out for what Rocky River Community Church is all about. Reaching the lost people in our community - one person at a time. I especially had a special moment with a good 2 handfuls of those folks Sunday - tears in their eyes, smiles on their faces - all of them serving in some ministry our church has. They are learning and growing.... and that is making a big change in their lives.
I challenge you this morning to get involved. To step forward and out of the back sidelines and get involved in the game and what Jesus is doing. Going to church one day a week for an hour is not enough to experience what God wants to do through you. Commit your life to Jesus - ask Him where you should begin serving - meet others who are serving, changing and growing to be more like Jesus.
If something happened to your pastor at church, I bet the church would still go on. If something happened to our volunteers, your church would be screwed. Jesus loved the church and thus called it His bride. Showing up once a week for an hour and then going about your week as always is not going to do much in your growth and understanding and experiencing Jesus. There is far more ahead if you step out in faith, trust Jesus and get involved.
Life change happens - Its awesome to see these folks Sunday - changed - sold out for Jesus - sharing their testimony and living out their love for God...... serving together we can reach farther for Jesus than if we work alone or just coming and going on Sunday mornings.
My prayer for you today is to take that step in faith... to get involved at church and serve where you are needed. Let God change you - open yourself up so that you may experience all that God wants to give you.
My family and I are sold out on what God is doing at Rocky River Community Church - come and get in the game. Nobody experiences much standing on the sidelines watching.....
Heavenly Father, Lord thank You for this day. I pray for those folks this morning who are standing on the sidelines. Who are not engaged in their churches and commited to serving You. Lord I ask that You move this morning to a place where they can be SOLD OUT for You and Your church. May they begin to take steps to experience You in a new and powerful way. Life change happens Lord through serving and being committed to something so important that You gave Your son Jesus to. May we unite as one and serve together to make a place for those who are lost Lord. We are a broken people and without You there is nothing. May our vision blast wide open for us to be able to see and experience what You want to do in each of us. Thank You for those this past Sunday Lord who stepped forward and shared their experiences, showed their trust in You and may we continue to ride this momentum wave. Help us grow, help us experience You, help us push away our fears so that we may be SOLD out in what You are doing through our church. We love and give You all the honor and praise in Your sons name in Jesus,
Amen
I pray today is a day you take that next important step in being sold out for Jesus,
Love you all,
Lonnie~
I have been blogging now for almost 600 posts.... it has been a good ride and fun sharing the love of Jesus and what He means to me and my family. This excitement is what I have been so hard trying to share and get across. Sunday was a day that excitement took over and not for me but for those who shared their testimonies and those being baptised. They are sold out for Jesus. They are sold out for what Rocky River Community Church is all about. Reaching the lost people in our community - one person at a time. I especially had a special moment with a good 2 handfuls of those folks Sunday - tears in their eyes, smiles on their faces - all of them serving in some ministry our church has. They are learning and growing.... and that is making a big change in their lives.
I challenge you this morning to get involved. To step forward and out of the back sidelines and get involved in the game and what Jesus is doing. Going to church one day a week for an hour is not enough to experience what God wants to do through you. Commit your life to Jesus - ask Him where you should begin serving - meet others who are serving, changing and growing to be more like Jesus.
If something happened to your pastor at church, I bet the church would still go on. If something happened to our volunteers, your church would be screwed. Jesus loved the church and thus called it His bride. Showing up once a week for an hour and then going about your week as always is not going to do much in your growth and understanding and experiencing Jesus. There is far more ahead if you step out in faith, trust Jesus and get involved.
Life change happens - Its awesome to see these folks Sunday - changed - sold out for Jesus - sharing their testimony and living out their love for God...... serving together we can reach farther for Jesus than if we work alone or just coming and going on Sunday mornings.
My prayer for you today is to take that step in faith... to get involved at church and serve where you are needed. Let God change you - open yourself up so that you may experience all that God wants to give you.
My family and I are sold out on what God is doing at Rocky River Community Church - come and get in the game. Nobody experiences much standing on the sidelines watching.....
Heavenly Father, Lord thank You for this day. I pray for those folks this morning who are standing on the sidelines. Who are not engaged in their churches and commited to serving You. Lord I ask that You move this morning to a place where they can be SOLD OUT for You and Your church. May they begin to take steps to experience You in a new and powerful way. Life change happens Lord through serving and being committed to something so important that You gave Your son Jesus to. May we unite as one and serve together to make a place for those who are lost Lord. We are a broken people and without You there is nothing. May our vision blast wide open for us to be able to see and experience what You want to do in each of us. Thank You for those this past Sunday Lord who stepped forward and shared their experiences, showed their trust in You and may we continue to ride this momentum wave. Help us grow, help us experience You, help us push away our fears so that we may be SOLD out in what You are doing through our church. We love and give You all the honor and praise in Your sons name in Jesus,
Amen
I pray today is a day you take that next important step in being sold out for Jesus,
Love you all,
Lonnie~
Monday, July 28, 2008
Katie and 30,000 feet~
After Katies flight got canceled yesterday, I really wanted to see her off. I couldn't go yesterday because of all the activities at church and all. But this morning we were on the road headed to the airport at 7:30. We went right through all the lines, security fine, check in at the desk fine, StarBucks fine ... and then the 45 minute wait until boarding call. As I sat looking at her, I have to say we had such a great week. It was nice for Katie to change environments - to seize the moment as she often talks about - and to also spend a little quality time with her. Yesterdays canceled flight also opened the doors for Katie to hang out with the Davis family. They were at the house last night and they also "Seized" the opportunity to invest some time in Katie and our family -especially being short notice. 5 minutes is pretty short notice don't you think?
Being that Carol, Kyle and I were a little scared about having a teenager in the house for a week- I think God provided comfort for our fears and really encouraged us - we had such a great week. Katie, though upset yesterday at first with the canceled flight, smiled when she told me that it was ok because she got to spend another night with us and that she liked it here. I am especially happy and excited that she got to see church yesterday. It was a POWERFUL day and God was surely moving big time yesterday during both services but especially the 11:00 service. Lots of young folks there, 14 people being baptized, and the band was loud and rockin! Pastor Jimmy spoke about who we are in Christ and how we should not let anyone or anything define who we are. We are not that job, or that alcoholic, or man on the street corner - we are Gods chosen children and He defines who we are. With Christ we can move forward and leave the past behind.
I am looking forward to the next visit for Katie - or us going to PA to spend time with her. All in all - I miss her already - As the plane was pushed away from the gate - I sat for a good 10 minutes asking the Lord to protect her, to help her make good decisions, to be patient with her as the seed has been planted for Him - I prayed she took something away this week that will open her heart and mind to Jesus. Miranda - I especially want to thank you for your loving friendship and caring for Katie. May your friendship continue to blossom even with many miles seperating you. I love you for that (and for many other reasons :)! )
Lord, Katie is yours and I ask this morning that You water that seed so that Katie may come to know who you are and who she really is.
She is yours and I thank You Lord for Your love, mercy and grace and for giving us the time to invest in her at this time. May You keep her close to You Lord like a loving father does. Amen
We love you Katie, more than you know~there was nothing more special to Carol, Kyle and I seeing you laughing Saturday on the tube with Kyle. It was music to our hearts.....
hope to see you soon and know I am a phonecall or email away.
Gods continued blessings and continued prayers,
With Love.
Uncle Lonnie
Being that Carol, Kyle and I were a little scared about having a teenager in the house for a week- I think God provided comfort for our fears and really encouraged us - we had such a great week. Katie, though upset yesterday at first with the canceled flight, smiled when she told me that it was ok because she got to spend another night with us and that she liked it here. I am especially happy and excited that she got to see church yesterday. It was a POWERFUL day and God was surely moving big time yesterday during both services but especially the 11:00 service. Lots of young folks there, 14 people being baptized, and the band was loud and rockin! Pastor Jimmy spoke about who we are in Christ and how we should not let anyone or anything define who we are. We are not that job, or that alcoholic, or man on the street corner - we are Gods chosen children and He defines who we are. With Christ we can move forward and leave the past behind.
I am looking forward to the next visit for Katie - or us going to PA to spend time with her. All in all - I miss her already - As the plane was pushed away from the gate - I sat for a good 10 minutes asking the Lord to protect her, to help her make good decisions, to be patient with her as the seed has been planted for Him - I prayed she took something away this week that will open her heart and mind to Jesus. Miranda - I especially want to thank you for your loving friendship and caring for Katie. May your friendship continue to blossom even with many miles seperating you. I love you for that (and for many other reasons :)! )
Lord, Katie is yours and I ask this morning that You water that seed so that Katie may come to know who you are and who she really is.
She is yours and I thank You Lord for Your love, mercy and grace and for giving us the time to invest in her at this time. May You keep her close to You Lord like a loving father does. Amen
We love you Katie, more than you know~there was nothing more special to Carol, Kyle and I seeing you laughing Saturday on the tube with Kyle. It was music to our hearts.....
hope to see you soon and know I am a phonecall or email away.
Gods continued blessings and continued prayers,
With Love.
Uncle Lonnie
Saturday, July 26, 2008
What a great day....
We are home now after a night at the cabin. We got in last night around 7 and it was cool for a change up in the NC mountains. We didn't take a swim last but we made up for it today. After a rainy and nasty morning, the skies cleared and we got in some tubing. Kyle and Katie are a perfect match for riding the tube together. They had so much fun today and kept wanting more. It was good to see them laughing and smiling. Water was 83 and a bit warmer than most of the day today. So being in the water was nice.... and Katie has her first sun burn and is very happy about it. She looks good with a little color on her face.... I am so glad about today. What a great day ..... Kyle and Katie had one flip off the tube that had Carol in tears....
Looking forward to a great day at church tomorrow. I am so pumped that I probably wont even sleep tonight. I have to be in by 6AM and have to pick up the van with the baptism tub in the back...... God is going to do something amazing tomorrow. I can just feel it.....
Sad Katie is going home tomorrow - Prayers for safe travels for her. Going to miss her - she is a good kid and a great big sister for Kyle.
Lon~
Looking forward to a great day at church tomorrow. I am so pumped that I probably wont even sleep tonight. I have to be in by 6AM and have to pick up the van with the baptism tub in the back...... God is going to do something amazing tomorrow. I can just feel it.....
Sad Katie is going home tomorrow - Prayers for safe travels for her. Going to miss her - she is a good kid and a great big sister for Kyle.
Lon~
Friday, July 25, 2008
A post worth reading...
I came across a post today that I thought I would share. I know many folks who read my blog but may not follow a link to Tony Stevens web site to read his entry today concerning parenting so I posted it below.
It did rock my afternoon after reading it. After living through my teen years and now having my neice with me this week ... ~ friends are important but more importantly is what kind of friends they really are. Are they a bad influence on our children? Are they encouraging them and making them aim higher in life? From the chart it looks like time is short for many parents (me included). Our children are watching us, learning from us and if our window passes without us doing our job - guess who leads them? Their friends, society and the marketing media engine this world offers. How sad is that?.....
Tony Stevens has a web page you can follow here http://www.leadingsmart.com/leadingsmart/
I have read a few of his books and he is a leading man for God and Granger Community Church.
Enjoy and thanks for writing this Tony. Points hit home. Thankful that Rocky River Community Church (our church) has a strong youth ministry!
~Lonnie
Thinking About Parenting
I've been thinking alot about parenting lately. Maybe it is because we have four kids at home, ages 7, 11, 13 and 15. Yeah, our quiver is full.
I think everyone would admit that there is a point in a teen's life when the influence of his/her parents becomes less, and the influence of their friends becomes greater. I did an informal survey yesterday on Twitter, and again last night at dinner with some friends. It seems that the age at which the parents' influence drops dramatically happens somewhere around 13- to 15-years old.
As I reflected on my life as a child, the influence I perceive that I have with my own kids, and my informal survey, I charted it like this...
As a parent, the awareness of loss of influence can be alarming if you didn't see it coming. So be warned young parents, I have just given you a glimpse of the future.
Here is the key learning: Environments matter. Who my daughter is influenced by as a 15-year old is dependent greatly on the environments that my wife and I placed her in as a 10- and 12- and 14-year old.
It's a little early to tell whether we will survive life with teenagers, but here is the advice I would give parents of pre-teens...
Get involved in a great church with strong youth leaders.
As they start middle school, don't give them the option to stay home from the youth program.
Find a school that has strong values and where there is good chance they will be able to find solid friends. That might mean paying for private school or moving to a better school district.
Get them in situations where they are hanging with young adults who are following God. That's why we had college-age students live in our home for two years.
Teach them the joy of serving when they are very young.
Let them participate in events where there is a good chance they might take a step spiritually, like summer camp, missions trips, or weekend retreats.
Oh, and one last word of advice for those with teenagers---stop lecturing and start listening. Stop giving direction and start asking questions.
It's your turn now...is my chart way off?
It did rock my afternoon after reading it. After living through my teen years and now having my neice with me this week ... ~ friends are important but more importantly is what kind of friends they really are. Are they a bad influence on our children? Are they encouraging them and making them aim higher in life? From the chart it looks like time is short for many parents (me included). Our children are watching us, learning from us and if our window passes without us doing our job - guess who leads them? Their friends, society and the marketing media engine this world offers. How sad is that?.....
Tony Stevens has a web page you can follow here http://www.leadingsmart.com/leadingsmart/
I have read a few of his books and he is a leading man for God and Granger Community Church.
Enjoy and thanks for writing this Tony. Points hit home. Thankful that Rocky River Community Church (our church) has a strong youth ministry!
~Lonnie
Thinking About Parenting
I've been thinking alot about parenting lately. Maybe it is because we have four kids at home, ages 7, 11, 13 and 15. Yeah, our quiver is full.
I think everyone would admit that there is a point in a teen's life when the influence of his/her parents becomes less, and the influence of their friends becomes greater. I did an informal survey yesterday on Twitter, and again last night at dinner with some friends. It seems that the age at which the parents' influence drops dramatically happens somewhere around 13- to 15-years old.
As I reflected on my life as a child, the influence I perceive that I have with my own kids, and my informal survey, I charted it like this...
As a parent, the awareness of loss of influence can be alarming if you didn't see it coming. So be warned young parents, I have just given you a glimpse of the future.
Here is the key learning: Environments matter. Who my daughter is influenced by as a 15-year old is dependent greatly on the environments that my wife and I placed her in as a 10- and 12- and 14-year old.
It's a little early to tell whether we will survive life with teenagers, but here is the advice I would give parents of pre-teens...
Get involved in a great church with strong youth leaders.
As they start middle school, don't give them the option to stay home from the youth program.
Find a school that has strong values and where there is good chance they will be able to find solid friends. That might mean paying for private school or moving to a better school district.
Get them in situations where they are hanging with young adults who are following God. That's why we had college-age students live in our home for two years.
Teach them the joy of serving when they are very young.
Let them participate in events where there is a good chance they might take a step spiritually, like summer camp, missions trips, or weekend retreats.
Oh, and one last word of advice for those with teenagers---stop lecturing and start listening. Stop giving direction and start asking questions.
It's your turn now...is my chart way off?
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Something shared...
I didn't have time yesterday to share this, so I will this morning. I think its worth sharing and because I do my best to look for God in all things - even the little things - He shows up in amazing places that we would otherwise miss Him.
The last few days I have been playing Racqetball with some of the folks here in the college. It has been fun but I am really hurting because I am out of shape. I don't think at any point in my life that I have been away from the gym for so long. I am really feeling it though and doing my best to hang with the young guns! I am feeling good though because I am sore and stepping in the right direction. The last 2 weeks now I have known about a blood drive here on campus. I do my best and go out of my way to give blood when the red cross calls me or send me a reminder in the mail. It does go to a great cause in helping someone who is in need and it really is not a problem to give blood. Back when my mom was sick - I was asked to give some special blood that went specifically for cancer patients. They hook you to a machine that seperates white blood cells and puts back what it doesn't filter and saline back into your body. It really is a weird feeling because the saline is cold and it makes me shiver and makes my lips blue - it really is wild and takes 2X the amount of time over giving normal blood.
So yesterday - I was again asked and remembering back the last time I did this - I really felt crappy for 2 days afterwards. BUT - I figured the cancer patients feel crappier than I will so I said "Yes". Upon meeting Angie who was taking my paperwork and answering the 100 questions, I noticed a wrist band on her arm. It is the same color as mine. So - I asked her what her wrist band was about. She then went into a 15 minute conversation about her youngest sister (14 years old) who died back in November and she donated lots of her organs. I shared my story of Denise and at 42 also donated her organs. She was telling me about the reunion that was being planned for their 1 year get together with the families of those folks who got her sisters organs. She has planned a blood drive on August 5th for her sister in her honor. It was such a great conversation. She noticed my necklace and even though she did not say a word about it - I noticed she kept looking at it. I do believe that God was leading this conversation. I do believe that God has a plan for the blood and white blood cells that I donated yesterday. I believe He is going to use it for good in His honor for someone I don't even know. That really makes me feel good but more importantly - I know it will bring honor and praise to God.
Something on my part with just a little effort will bring so much more on the other side. Isn't it so true about life itself. We suffer and live our lives here on this side but the other side, if we know Jesus, will be so much better! No matter what we are struggling with today that our future is bright and full of hope. I am thankful for the little things and finding God in them. If we can find God in the little things we surely can find God in the big things. As I walked out, I made it a point to stop and wish her luck with her blood drive and all the blessings from above on that special day.
Last night, Carol and I took Kyle, Katie, Morgan and Taylor to see the new Batman movie. We had such a great time together - the movie was, in my opinion, the best Batman movie ever and there were some scary parts - some big explosions - the Joker was acted just amazing! Morgan held onto to my hand to keep from getting scared on a few occasions - even I was sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for the scene to unfold.
It truley is a blessing to be investing my heart into these young people. Opportunities ... we can make the most of them or flounder them.... its our choice. Just like being happy - being bored - its our choice no matter what is going on around us.
Have a blessed day today and may the Lord point your feet to do something wonderful for Him however big or small........
Lonnie~
The last few days I have been playing Racqetball with some of the folks here in the college. It has been fun but I am really hurting because I am out of shape. I don't think at any point in my life that I have been away from the gym for so long. I am really feeling it though and doing my best to hang with the young guns! I am feeling good though because I am sore and stepping in the right direction. The last 2 weeks now I have known about a blood drive here on campus. I do my best and go out of my way to give blood when the red cross calls me or send me a reminder in the mail. It does go to a great cause in helping someone who is in need and it really is not a problem to give blood. Back when my mom was sick - I was asked to give some special blood that went specifically for cancer patients. They hook you to a machine that seperates white blood cells and puts back what it doesn't filter and saline back into your body. It really is a weird feeling because the saline is cold and it makes me shiver and makes my lips blue - it really is wild and takes 2X the amount of time over giving normal blood.
So yesterday - I was again asked and remembering back the last time I did this - I really felt crappy for 2 days afterwards. BUT - I figured the cancer patients feel crappier than I will so I said "Yes". Upon meeting Angie who was taking my paperwork and answering the 100 questions, I noticed a wrist band on her arm. It is the same color as mine. So - I asked her what her wrist band was about. She then went into a 15 minute conversation about her youngest sister (14 years old) who died back in November and she donated lots of her organs. I shared my story of Denise and at 42 also donated her organs. She was telling me about the reunion that was being planned for their 1 year get together with the families of those folks who got her sisters organs. She has planned a blood drive on August 5th for her sister in her honor. It was such a great conversation. She noticed my necklace and even though she did not say a word about it - I noticed she kept looking at it. I do believe that God was leading this conversation. I do believe that God has a plan for the blood and white blood cells that I donated yesterday. I believe He is going to use it for good in His honor for someone I don't even know. That really makes me feel good but more importantly - I know it will bring honor and praise to God.
Something on my part with just a little effort will bring so much more on the other side. Isn't it so true about life itself. We suffer and live our lives here on this side but the other side, if we know Jesus, will be so much better! No matter what we are struggling with today that our future is bright and full of hope. I am thankful for the little things and finding God in them. If we can find God in the little things we surely can find God in the big things. As I walked out, I made it a point to stop and wish her luck with her blood drive and all the blessings from above on that special day.
Last night, Carol and I took Kyle, Katie, Morgan and Taylor to see the new Batman movie. We had such a great time together - the movie was, in my opinion, the best Batman movie ever and there were some scary parts - some big explosions - the Joker was acted just amazing! Morgan held onto to my hand to keep from getting scared on a few occasions - even I was sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for the scene to unfold.
It truley is a blessing to be investing my heart into these young people. Opportunities ... we can make the most of them or flounder them.... its our choice. Just like being happy - being bored - its our choice no matter what is going on around us.
Have a blessed day today and may the Lord point your feet to do something wonderful for Him however big or small........
Lonnie~
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Anticipation...
Anticipation - from Dictionary.com
1. the act of anticipating or the state of being anticipated. 2. realization in advance; foretaste.
3. expectation or hope. 4. previous notion; slight previous impression.
The last few days (especially) I have been praying hard for our youth ministry kids and parents at their beach trip. I am just building with excitement for these kids - for the adults who are there. I am anticipating big time God moving in our church this coming Sunday. I got news that we are having a baptism as well and maybe some of those kids who are at camp this week will show their faith this Sunday. I can't wait to sit down with some of the really close kids that I know and find out how their week was. What did God do in their life this week? What did they learn from Him and did they see God in a new and exciting way.
For me, I serve many Sunday mornings with setup and Sundays are the busiest day of the week for my family and I. Its a sacrifice we are willing to make and stand fully commited to being part of this family as we serve God and each other to reach people for Him. That excitement and anticipation is usually at peak levels when we are praying as a family and as one before our morning service. I know there will be folks coming through those doors who need Jesus - who are at the end of the rope and have found dead ends in life with material things. They need answers - they need change - they need purpose and they need to be loved and not judged - they need to be part of something much bigger than themselves and they need their children to know about Jesus. There are some who come who don't want to be there and maybe tired of being asked from a friend or family member to go with them - this is their first taste of church maybe ever or maybe in a VERY long time.
Everything has to work right - lights, band, music, greeters, smiles, coffee, friendly faces, childrens areas - so many things make up the decision to come back. Everything for them is on the line.... the eternity line is hanging in front of them. Why don't they just grab hold?
God is not that far away - His schedule is free for you to come and sit with Him.
My niece Katie is with us this week. I fully enjoyed our morning conversation this morning over coffee. She is smart and a great kid. She has been through a lot in life. I am very proud of her and pray for her daily - for good decisions and for that time that one day she will sit and get on Gods schedule.
For many this week - camp is part of that change. My anticipation is high and I am really looking forward to a charged service this Sunday - not a tired one full of tired folks and glad to be home after a week away folks- I am anticipating some energy and a "Bring It" attitude. I am praying that this is the service for Katie and many others ... to come away with a clearer vision, a tug at the heart and a little more understanding - a feeling that will not go away.
Just like that first time visitor who comes through the door looking for something so close and so real......
Anticipation - expection and hope.
Only through Jesus~
Lonnie
1. the act of anticipating or the state of being anticipated. 2. realization in advance; foretaste.
3. expectation or hope. 4. previous notion; slight previous impression.
The last few days (especially) I have been praying hard for our youth ministry kids and parents at their beach trip. I am just building with excitement for these kids - for the adults who are there. I am anticipating big time God moving in our church this coming Sunday. I got news that we are having a baptism as well and maybe some of those kids who are at camp this week will show their faith this Sunday. I can't wait to sit down with some of the really close kids that I know and find out how their week was. What did God do in their life this week? What did they learn from Him and did they see God in a new and exciting way.
For me, I serve many Sunday mornings with setup and Sundays are the busiest day of the week for my family and I. Its a sacrifice we are willing to make and stand fully commited to being part of this family as we serve God and each other to reach people for Him. That excitement and anticipation is usually at peak levels when we are praying as a family and as one before our morning service. I know there will be folks coming through those doors who need Jesus - who are at the end of the rope and have found dead ends in life with material things. They need answers - they need change - they need purpose and they need to be loved and not judged - they need to be part of something much bigger than themselves and they need their children to know about Jesus. There are some who come who don't want to be there and maybe tired of being asked from a friend or family member to go with them - this is their first taste of church maybe ever or maybe in a VERY long time.
Everything has to work right - lights, band, music, greeters, smiles, coffee, friendly faces, childrens areas - so many things make up the decision to come back. Everything for them is on the line.... the eternity line is hanging in front of them. Why don't they just grab hold?
God is not that far away - His schedule is free for you to come and sit with Him.
My niece Katie is with us this week. I fully enjoyed our morning conversation this morning over coffee. She is smart and a great kid. She has been through a lot in life. I am very proud of her and pray for her daily - for good decisions and for that time that one day she will sit and get on Gods schedule.
For many this week - camp is part of that change. My anticipation is high and I am really looking forward to a charged service this Sunday - not a tired one full of tired folks and glad to be home after a week away folks- I am anticipating some energy and a "Bring It" attitude. I am praying that this is the service for Katie and many others ... to come away with a clearer vision, a tug at the heart and a little more understanding - a feeling that will not go away.
Just like that first time visitor who comes through the door looking for something so close and so real......
Anticipation - expection and hope.
Only through Jesus~
Lonnie
Monday, July 21, 2008
Pictures from the weekend....
The adventure kids - Cliff diving off "The Rock"
I never dreamed that tubing could bring so many smiles and worried looks from Morgan. The funniest came from Morgan saying she had never seen a tubing adult before! Way to go Carol!
Taylor and Morgan are like our own and they are very much a part of our family. Looking forward to going back......
Luke 12
In my quiet time this morning, I am in the book of Luke and this really spoke to me.....
Luke 12
32"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
BE that example for others, don't just act it or say it and not mean it BUT actually do it. It was amazing to me yesterday how many kids I have a relationship with, how many look up to me and just how much I love them..... Luke 12:34 - For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. These kids, (MyKids) - their families are my treasure in life. I wish that I could invest in all of them... to really make a difference in them all.... yesterday at the end of Sunday school a mom came to me and thanked me for all I do for her daughter. Just as she was thanking me her daughter came over and gave me a hug and looked up and said - I love you - Nothing means more to me than being there like that for this child. For all of "MyKids" whom I feel connected and responsible for.
If you are a dad - if you are reading this and you are thinking about walking away from your family - from your wife and kids - your son - your daughter ... NOTHING is more important than your family and your children. Stick it out - MAKE it work. Ask the Lord to get involved and put Jesus first in those relationships. It will take work and understanding and even more patience than you think you are capable of and then one day .... Your daughter will thank you. Your son will thank you - because you stuck it out for them and showed them a good example in life. You didn't walk away ... You do love them and they were worth it.
That little girl yesterday - she has not seen her dad in 3 years. He recently moved far away and that chance of seeing him is probably now gone. I feel bad for him because he is missing out. His daughter is amazing - she will grow into a woman one day and have a part of her missing. So many kids today are missing that important piece.... either through divorce, death or a parent just giving up and walking away.
Funny how everyones treasure is different in life..... I am glad I know where mine is.
MyKids and their families are my treasure and they sure have my heart. We are Gods treasure and we have His heart......
Blessings today~
Lonnie
Luke 12
32"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
BE that example for others, don't just act it or say it and not mean it BUT actually do it. It was amazing to me yesterday how many kids I have a relationship with, how many look up to me and just how much I love them..... Luke 12:34 - For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. These kids, (MyKids) - their families are my treasure in life. I wish that I could invest in all of them... to really make a difference in them all.... yesterday at the end of Sunday school a mom came to me and thanked me for all I do for her daughter. Just as she was thanking me her daughter came over and gave me a hug and looked up and said - I love you - Nothing means more to me than being there like that for this child. For all of "MyKids" whom I feel connected and responsible for.
If you are a dad - if you are reading this and you are thinking about walking away from your family - from your wife and kids - your son - your daughter ... NOTHING is more important than your family and your children. Stick it out - MAKE it work. Ask the Lord to get involved and put Jesus first in those relationships. It will take work and understanding and even more patience than you think you are capable of and then one day .... Your daughter will thank you. Your son will thank you - because you stuck it out for them and showed them a good example in life. You didn't walk away ... You do love them and they were worth it.
That little girl yesterday - she has not seen her dad in 3 years. He recently moved far away and that chance of seeing him is probably now gone. I feel bad for him because he is missing out. His daughter is amazing - she will grow into a woman one day and have a part of her missing. So many kids today are missing that important piece.... either through divorce, death or a parent just giving up and walking away.
Funny how everyones treasure is different in life..... I am glad I know where mine is.
MyKids and their families are my treasure and they sure have my heart. We are Gods treasure and we have His heart......
Blessings today~
Lonnie
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Is it really over?
Wow - since 5:00PM Friday - it has been non stop. The memories made in the last 2 days have been amazing. I will post some pictures tomorrow when I get them off the camera. Carol is challenged on certain things and the memory stick is one of them. Friday, we left for the cabin for an overnight stay with Morgan and Taylor. That evening with lantern in hand and a flashlight - we headed down to the boat to swim. Nothing like swimming at the lake in the dark by lantern and looking up seeing the stars - seeing satellites over head and nothing but quiet stillness. We learned about spiders and the lantern did a really good job with providing some meals for "Joe". We will be checking on him this coming Friday when we once again head to the cabin overnight.
Saturday, we stayed on the boat all day. Tubing, rock climbing and jumping into the lake, swimming and lunch at butterfly beach. After a long day we all crashed for a good 2 hours with a big nap..... and then the ride home. Nobody wanted the time to end.
This morning Kyle went in early with me to do setup @church. It was a good day today with lots of smiling faces and happy parents @11:00. Our youth camp starts today and we had almost 70 kids headed to the beach. We will continue to pray for them, changed lives, safe travels, time for parents to rest and reflect, and an experience to last a life time.
We picked up Katie this afternoon from the airport. She is happy to be here and we are happy she is here. Looking forward to a fun filled week together. Tonight she got to meet some of our rock group. We were missing some folks but had fun nonetheless. I ended up in the pool with all the kids ~ Surprised?~ well it was fun and I couldnt help myself. I am really looking forward to our new families who have joined us ... and I am really looking forward to getting into a study because I have a few things planned and our group is FULL of awesome kids.
Well - its 9 and I am tired... but I know I am right where God wants me - My family is right where God wants us.
Pictures tomorrow...... and back to work for some rest :)
Lonnie~
Saturday, we stayed on the boat all day. Tubing, rock climbing and jumping into the lake, swimming and lunch at butterfly beach. After a long day we all crashed for a good 2 hours with a big nap..... and then the ride home. Nobody wanted the time to end.
This morning Kyle went in early with me to do setup @church. It was a good day today with lots of smiling faces and happy parents @11:00. Our youth camp starts today and we had almost 70 kids headed to the beach. We will continue to pray for them, changed lives, safe travels, time for parents to rest and reflect, and an experience to last a life time.
We picked up Katie this afternoon from the airport. She is happy to be here and we are happy she is here. Looking forward to a fun filled week together. Tonight she got to meet some of our rock group. We were missing some folks but had fun nonetheless. I ended up in the pool with all the kids ~ Surprised?~ well it was fun and I couldnt help myself. I am really looking forward to our new families who have joined us ... and I am really looking forward to getting into a study because I have a few things planned and our group is FULL of awesome kids.
Well - its 9 and I am tired... but I know I am right where God wants me - My family is right where God wants us.
Pictures tomorrow...... and back to work for some rest :)
Lonnie~
Friday, July 18, 2008
The little things......
Isn't so true that the little things add up to big things? I wanted to take a moment this morning and just share my son Kyle a little. He is an amazing young man. He has so many awesome little qualities about him that in the big things - he is just awesome. If you are a friend of Kyle's - you know you have a true friend. A friend who cares about you and wants only the best things for you. He is interested in your character and not what you give him or what he gives you. Kyle loves many different kinds of people and if you are in his inner circle like many are - its a good place to be. I got an email this morning from one of his teachers that is running his Nature camp and she told me that Kyle is such a wonderful person and how when she had children she would want a child like Kyle. What a great compliment and its something I don't take lightly. Far too many parents do not put their children on their schedules - they have to fit them into their lives and time - work is their priority or some other god that they are serving. Kyle serves God in church and every Sunday he asks if I need help in breakdown. He knows serving others is pleasing to the Lord and Carol and I by serving God also - we provide examples and opportunities for him to see this and experience this first hand. Our schedule next week should allow us to get back over to the Heritage (nursing home) where Walt stayed while he was here and spend some time with the folks there. We do miss them as we have become friends with a good handful of folks. I am especially excited to see Mr. Houston and Mary again - Margaret and Ben. Kyle is not afraid of being around the older generation nor is he afraid to be with the young ones either. He was such a big brother the other evening while out with our friends to supper. Kyle has been through a lot as a young little man - losing his Grandma's and one grandpa - family living far enough away that he does not see them often enough. He has experienced those pains in life that some adults can't get over but he has the love of Jesus in his heart and in so many ways - he looks for the big picture in everything. Loving of all animals, passionate about his friends, always ready to make someone smile and laugh - his nature is just a great kid and is always trying to please.
God has big plans ahead for him and I know as a parent there will be times where I am going to have to let him go - to stretch out a little more - 9 years old is different than 13 years old as is 18 years old. He will get the chance to experience life and the cost of his decisions. I know the teen years are ahead - I am scared of those years because our relationship is more than I ever imagined. But in truth, I know that he is Gods child before he is mine. I will show him the practical love of Jesus throughout my life and how I life my life and pray my face off for him to follow Jesus and not me. God will provide his path because my path is my own ... all I can do is coach him, love him no matter what, be patient with him always and let God handle the rest.
Kyle I love you buddy ... Mom and I are very proud of you. You led your grandpa to salvation - something nobody but you and God could have done. You have great things ahead in life and we love you. Proud the Jesus is shining in you for others to see.... keep that walk in life and your paths will be more than you could have ever imagined.
Little things do add up to big things........ you'll never be too old for you to sit in my chair with me and talk about whats going on in your life. God pulls us close and listens..... if we just take the time to talk.
Praying that as parents, we take the time to sit and listen to our children, to get involved in their lives and guide them in truth and by example. Love on the children you have responsibility for, your sunday school kids, your childs friends, family....etc...treat them as your own... and lead them all by example. What you do, what you say and how you treat others is being watched.... I pray I am the example I need to be and may they see Jesus through me.
Have a great Friday everyone.
Lonnie
Thursday, July 17, 2008
A Thursday morning moment.....
Kyle and his buddy Grant have really enjoyed their "Nature" camp this week. I have enjoyed spending time with them, lunch with them and just being part of the class. I am good friends with the teacher who is running the class and she is tops in my books. Great teacher! This afternoon they are cleaning a creek here on campus and the kids are just pumped about that!
Anyways, this morning 2 things happened that I want to share this afternoon.
On our walk over to the dorm where we drop the kids off before camp, we met a man that was working on some big heavy equipment. Not exactly sure what he was doing but in my normal self - I said "Good Morning, how are you?" and he replied "Good Morning and I am blessed and hope you are too".
So in a few steps past this man, Kyle said to me - "Daddy, did you hear what that man said?" I told Kyle that many folks would have never given that little conversation any thought but we noticed the word - "Blessed" - it just stuck out big time. The man had such a smile when he spoke ... now that I am thinking about that - that smile even sticks out too.
This also leads me to my other story that happened this morning. On our way to work - I usually have a sermon playing via my Ipod - yea I know but hey thats who I am - but today I put on some music and thats ok because I am driving Kyle in. I put a song on that I have heard many times - its from Lee McDerment - He is the Worship Pastor at a cool church in Anderson SC - NewSpring. I have his album that I got through Itunes and there is a song on the album - "For Your Glory". Now I don't know if he wrote this song or if someone else did but I tell you - it spoke to me this morning. I am not much to have a favorite song but this sure is at the tops.
Here is part of it:
From every nation, every language, to every people and tribe,
you've rescued and ransomed and chosen a family,
making the dead come alive.
Rejoin our voices with millions of angels,
all gathered around your throne,
lifted in chorus like a roar of the ocean, singing together as one.
For Your Glory,
For Your Kingdom,
For Your Holy Name,
We are saved for you.
I can just imagine right now my mom - my father n law Walt and so many others - standing around in heaven with arms raised - seeing this awesome picture of just pure rejoicing and uplifting love..... praising Jesus and all singing together. Its a picture that presses me through the hard times - encourages me to reach others, to comfort those who are hurting, to do my part with being Gods hands and feet, to love those around me..... wow its powerful and yes - like the man said this morning - We are blessed - because of Jesus.
Its for His glory, His kingdom and for His Holy name.
Be encouraged today and take a moment to let Jesus shine on you,
Lonnie~
Anyways, this morning 2 things happened that I want to share this afternoon.
On our walk over to the dorm where we drop the kids off before camp, we met a man that was working on some big heavy equipment. Not exactly sure what he was doing but in my normal self - I said "Good Morning, how are you?" and he replied "Good Morning and I am blessed and hope you are too".
So in a few steps past this man, Kyle said to me - "Daddy, did you hear what that man said?" I told Kyle that many folks would have never given that little conversation any thought but we noticed the word - "Blessed" - it just stuck out big time. The man had such a smile when he spoke ... now that I am thinking about that - that smile even sticks out too.
This also leads me to my other story that happened this morning. On our way to work - I usually have a sermon playing via my Ipod - yea I know but hey thats who I am - but today I put on some music and thats ok because I am driving Kyle in. I put a song on that I have heard many times - its from Lee McDerment - He is the Worship Pastor at a cool church in Anderson SC - NewSpring. I have his album that I got through Itunes and there is a song on the album - "For Your Glory". Now I don't know if he wrote this song or if someone else did but I tell you - it spoke to me this morning. I am not much to have a favorite song but this sure is at the tops.
Here is part of it:
From every nation, every language, to every people and tribe,
you've rescued and ransomed and chosen a family,
making the dead come alive.
Rejoin our voices with millions of angels,
all gathered around your throne,
lifted in chorus like a roar of the ocean, singing together as one.
For Your Glory,
For Your Kingdom,
For Your Holy Name,
We are saved for you.
I can just imagine right now my mom - my father n law Walt and so many others - standing around in heaven with arms raised - seeing this awesome picture of just pure rejoicing and uplifting love..... praising Jesus and all singing together. Its a picture that presses me through the hard times - encourages me to reach others, to comfort those who are hurting, to do my part with being Gods hands and feet, to love those around me..... wow its powerful and yes - like the man said this morning - We are blessed - because of Jesus.
Its for His glory, His kingdom and for His Holy name.
Be encouraged today and take a moment to let Jesus shine on you,
Lonnie~
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Texas RoadHouse & Adam
Tonight Carol, Kyle and I went and met our good friends the Brewers for supper at Texas RoadHouse @Concord Mills. The Brewers were just the "Boys" and it was a lot of fun. Buddy and the 3 boys met us there as we already had a table - the place was packed because of the awesome fund raiser they allowed to support little Adam and his medical bills. The line was out the door - handouts with information about Adam - wristbands with "Fight like a gator" written on them and just an awesome evening. We had some good food and an awesome patient watress.
Little Adam is suffering from a cancer of the kidney which is rare and he has had his hands full. His CaringBridge web address can be found at - http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/adamtanksley
Our Rock Group a few months back bad Adam and his brother and sister a Build a Bear - our kids really enjoyed doing that for them and really made a great connection with helping someone - especially a child.
I don't know the plans that God has for little Adam but I do know it is special. He is bringing all kinds of folks together and is showing all of us the power of family, the power of prayer and the power of His love through little Adam.
I will end tonights post with something funny - Buddy after wrestling 3 kids tonight and trying to eat him self - looked like he went through a "Dirty Jobs" episode. Chocolate ALL over shirt - spit up down the left side of him and 4 trips to "Pee Pee" and he was still smiling .... I love this family and even with the girls missing tonight - it was great hanging with such a God loving and awesome family. Too bad I did not get a picture this evening.... will have to upgrade my phone I guess :)
"Fight like a Gator"
Continued prayer little Adam ~
Lonnie~
Little Adam is suffering from a cancer of the kidney which is rare and he has had his hands full. His CaringBridge web address can be found at - http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/adamtanksley
Our Rock Group a few months back bad Adam and his brother and sister a Build a Bear - our kids really enjoyed doing that for them and really made a great connection with helping someone - especially a child.
I don't know the plans that God has for little Adam but I do know it is special. He is bringing all kinds of folks together and is showing all of us the power of family, the power of prayer and the power of His love through little Adam.
I will end tonights post with something funny - Buddy after wrestling 3 kids tonight and trying to eat him self - looked like he went through a "Dirty Jobs" episode. Chocolate ALL over shirt - spit up down the left side of him and 4 trips to "Pee Pee" and he was still smiling .... I love this family and even with the girls missing tonight - it was great hanging with such a God loving and awesome family. Too bad I did not get a picture this evening.... will have to upgrade my phone I guess :)
"Fight like a Gator"
Continued prayer little Adam ~
Lonnie~
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Long but worth reading...
Hang with me here ~ For those who know me, know I like baseball. I am a big Mets fan and have been all my life. So with the season coming to half way and the All Star game upon us - it brings in the homerun derby. Something I always enjoy watching..... but last night was much different.
There is the guy - a monster of a player - but a monster of a player with a story. I recalled last night remebering our church Pastor - Pastor Jimmy - always saying our church has a story to tell. We are are portable church and doing church each week can sometimes be hard...but one day our church will have such an amazing story.
SO I watched with amazement - Josh Hamilton smash some monsters @Yankee stadium. 28 blasts in the first round. He was enjoying the spot light - he was enjoying the crowd yelling and cheering for him. He looked so humbled ....appreciative and all smiles. I thought how different that is from most ball players - millions of dollors - the good life etc..... see what I didn't know was - Josh Hamilton has a story. He ended up losing the home run derby but he actually won on so many other ways. He has won in life........ In the closing interview - He took a moment and Gave thanks to his Lord and Savior - Jesus Christ - for the "Opportunity" for what he is doing today. I thought man - that is awesome - Jesus being praised in front of it all...National wide coverage....... Man it gave me chills and I became a fan - along with a million others last night.
Let me share Josh's story here....... its worth reading and it will make you Josh Hamilton fan as well. Watch the cheers tonight when he gets his turn to play the game of Baseball.
(This story was taken from ESPN interview) .....
'I'm proof that hope is never lost'
To let you know how far I've come, let me tell you where I've been.
Not that long ago, there were nights I went to sleep in strange places praying I wouldn't wake up. After another night of bad decisions, I'd lie down with my heart speeding inside my chest like it was about to burst through the skin. My thinking was clouded, and my talent was one day closer to being totally wasted.
I prayed to be spared another day of guilt and depression and addiction. I couldn't continue living the life of a crack addict, and I couldn't stop, either. It was a horrible downward spiral that I had to pull out of, or die. I lay there -- in a hot and dirty trailer in the North Carolina countryside, in a stranger's house, in the cab of my pickup -- and prayed the Lord would take me away from the nightmare my life had become.
When I think of those terrible times, there's one memory that stands out. I was walking down the double-yellow of a two-lane country highway outside Raleigh when I woke up out of a trance.
I was so out of it I had lost consciousness, but my body had kept going, down the middle of the road, cars whizzing by on either side. I had run out of gas on my way to a drug dealer's house, and from there I left the truck and started walking. I had taken Klonopin, a prescription antianxiety drug, along with whatever else I was using at the time, and the combination had put me over the edge. It's the perfect example of what I was: a dead man walking.
And now, as I stand on the green grass of a major league outfield or walk to the batter's box with people cheering for me, I repeatedly ask myself one simple question: How did I get here from there?
I've been in the big leagues as a member of the Cincinnati Reds for half a season, but I still find myself taking off my cap between pitches and taking a good look around. The uniform, the ballparks, the fans -- it doesn't seem real. How am I here? It makes no sense to anybody, and I feel almost guilty when I have to tell people, over and over, that I can't answer that one simple question.
I go to sleep every night with a clear mind and a clear conscience. Every day, I walk into an immaculate clubhouse with 10 TVs and all the food I can eat, a far cry from the rat-infested hellholes of my user past. I walk to my locker and change into a perfectly clean and pressed uniform that someone else hung up for me. I grab a bat and a glove and walk onto a beautifully manicured field to play a game for a living.
How am I here? I can only shrug and say, "It's a God thing." It's the only possible explanation.
There's a reason my prayers weren't answered during those dark, messed-up nights I spent scared out of my mind. There's a reason I have this blessed and unexpected opportunity to play baseball and tell people my story.
My wife, Katie, told me this day would come. At my lowest point, about three years ago, when I was wasting away to skin and bones and listening to nobody, she told me I'd be back playing baseball someday. She had no reason to believe in me. During that time, I did nothing to build my body and everything to destroy it. I'd go five or six months without picking up a ball or swinging a bat. By then, I'd been in rehab five or six times -- on my way to eight -- and failed to get clean. I was a bad husband and a bad father, and I had no relationship with God. Baseball wasn't even on my mind.
And still Katie told me, "You're going to be back playing baseball, because there's a bigger plan for you." I couldn't even look her in the eye. I said something like, "Yeah, yeah, quit talking to me."
She looks pretty smart, doesn't she? I have a mission now. My mission is to be the ray of hope, the guy who stands out there on that beautiful field and owns up to his mistakes and lets people know it's never completely hopeless, no matter how bad it seems at the time. I have a platform and a message, and now I go to bed at night, sober and happy, praying I can be a good messenger.
Addiction is a humbling experience. Getting it under control is even more humbling. I got better for one reason: I surrendered. Instead of asking to be bailed out, instead of making deals with God by saying, "If you get me out of this mess, I'll stop doing what I'm doing," I asked for help. I wouldn't do that before. I'd been the Devil Rays' No. 1 pick in the 1999 draft, supposedly a five-tool prospect. I was a big, strong man, and I was supposed to be able to handle my problems myself. That didn't work out so well.
Every day I'm reminded that my story is bigger than me. It never fails. Every time I go to the ballpark, I talk to people who are either battling addictions themselves or trying to help someone else who is. Who talks to me? Just about everybody. I walked to the plate to lead off an inning in early May, minding my own business, when the catcher jogged out to the mound to talk to his pitcher. As I was digging in, the home plate umpire (I'm intentionally not naming him) took off his mask and walked around the plate to brush it off. He looked up at me and said, "Josh, I'm really pulling for you. I've fought some battles myself, and I just want you to know I'm rooting for you."
A father will tell me about his son while I'm signing autographs. A mother will wait outside the players' parking lot to tell me about her daughter. They know where I've been. They look to me because I'm proof that hope is never lost.
They remind me that this isn't really about baseball. It's amazing that God allowed me to keep my baseball talents after I sat out three years and played only 15 games last season in A-ball. On May 6, I hit two homers against the Rockies at home, and I felt like I did in high school. I felt like I could do anything on the field.
I've been called the biggest surprise in baseball this year, and I can't argue with that. If you think about it, how many people have gone from being a crack addict to succeeding at anything, especially something as demanding as major league baseball? If I hadn't been picked up by the Reds after the Rule 5 draft, which opened up a major league roster spot for me, I'd probably still be in A-ball. Instead, I'm hanging around .270 with 13 homers through 60 games with Cincinnati; not bad for a 26-year-old major league rookie. But the way I look at it, I couldn't fail. I've been given this platform to talk about the hell I've been through, so it's almost like I need to do well, like I don't have a choice.
This may sound crazy, but I wouldn't change a thing about my path to the big leagues. I wouldn't even change the 26 tattoos that cover so much of my body, even though they're the most obvious signs of my life temporarily leaving the tracks. You're probably thinking, Bad decisions and addiction almost cost him his life, and he wouldn't change anything? But if I hadn't gone through all the hard times, this whole story would be just about baseball. If I'd made the big leagues at 21 and made my first All-Star team at 23 and done all the things expected of me, I would be a big-time baseball player, and that's it.
Baseball is third in my life right now, behind my relationship with God and my family. Without the first two, baseball isn't even in the picture. Believe me, I know.
***** I'LL NEVER forget Opening Day in Cincinnati. When they called my name during introductions and a sellout crowd stood and cheered, I looked into the stands and saw Katie and our two kids -- Sierra, who's nearly 2, and my 6-year-old stepdaughter, Julia -- and my parents and Katie's parents. I had to swallow hard to keep from breaking down right there. They were all crying, but I had to at least try to keep it together.
I pinch-hit in the eighth inning of that game against the Cubs, and Lou Piniella decided to make a pitching change before I got to the plate. The crowd stood and cheered me for what seemed like forever. It was the best sound I've ever heard. When I got into the box, Cubs catcher Michael Barrett looked up at me from his crouch and said, "You deserve it, Josh. Take it all in, brother. I'm happy for you." I lined out to left, but the following week I got my first start and my first hit -- a home run.
Whether I hit two bombs or strike out three times, like I did in a game against the Pirates, I never forget that I'm living with addiction. It's just part of my life. Johnny Narron, my former manager's brother, is a big part of my recovery. He's the Reds' video coordinator, and he once coached me in fall baseball when I was 15. He looks after me on the road. When they pass out meal money before a trip -- always in cash -- they give mine to Johnny, and he parcels it out to me when I need it.
I see no shame in that; it's just one of the realities of my situation. I don't need to be walking around with $400 in my pocket.
I know I'm different, and my teammates have been very accepting. Being a rookie in the big leagues, there are certain rituals involved, and one of them is carrying beer onto the plane. My teammates gave me that job on one of the first road trips, and I didn't do it. I didn't think it would be a good idea for me to be seen carrying beer onto a plane. They respected my decision.
I get a lot of abuse in visiting cities, but it only bothers me when people are vulgar around kids. The rest I can handle. Some of it is even funny. In St. Louis, I was standing in rightfield when a fan yelled, "My name is Josh Hamilton, and I'm a drug addict!" I turned around and looked at him with my palms raised to the sky. "Tell me something I don't know, dude," I said. The whole section started laughing and cheering, and the heckler turned to them and said, "Did you hear that? He's my new favorite player." They cheered me from that point on.
I live by a simple philosophy: Nobody can insult me as much as I've insulted myself. I've learned that I have to keep doing the right things and not worry about what people think. Fortunately, I have a strong support group with Katie, my family and Johnny. If I ever get in a bad situation, I know I would have to get out of it and give Johnny a call. The key is not getting myself into those situations, but we've talked about having a plan for removing myself just in case. It's all part of understanding the reality of the addiction.
In spring training, when I hit over .400 and made the team, there was a lot of interest in my story.
I decided to be open about what happened to me; early on, I was doing long interviews before my first game in every city. It's been amazing how people have responded, and I think being honest helped. I can't avoid my past, so I don't try. It's not always easy, though. I got sick in late May and ended up on the disabled list after going to the hospital with a stomach problem, and I knew I'd have to answer questions about whether I was using again. I can't control what people think, but the years of drug abuse tore up my immune system pretty good. I get tested three times a week, and if it comes back positive, I know I'm done with baseball for life.
Aside from our struggles as a team, this season has been a dream for me. And that's fitting, because in a way I had to learn how to dream all over again. When I was using, I never dreamed. I'd sleep the dead, dreamless sleep of a stalled brain. When I stopped using, I found my dreams returned. They weren't always good dreams; most of the ones I remember were haunting and dark. They stayed with me long after I woke up.
Within my first week of sobriety in October 2005 -- after I showed up at my grandmother's house in Raleigh in the middle of the night, coming off a crack binge -- I had the most haunting dream. I was fighting the devil, an awful-looking thing. I had a stick or a bat or something, and every time I hit the devil, he'd fall and get back up. Over and over I hit him, until I was exhausted and he was still standing.
I woke up in a sweat, as if I'd been truly fighting, and the terror that gripped me makes that dream feel real to this day. I'd been alone for so long, alone with the fears and emotions I worked so hard to kill. I'm not embarrassed to admit that after I woke up that night, I walked down the hall to my grandmother's room and crawled under the covers with her. The devil stayed out of my dreams for seven months after that. I stayed clean and worked hard and tried to put my marriage and my life back together. I got word in June 2006 that I'd been reinstated by Major League Baseball, and a few weeks afterward, the devil reappeared.
It was the same dream, with an important difference. I would hit him and he would bounce back up, the ugliest and most hideous creature you could imagine. This devil seemed unbeatable; I couldn't knock him out. But just when I felt like giving up, I felt a presence by my side. I turned my head and saw Jesus, battling alongside me. We kept fighting, and I was filled with strength. The devil didn't stand a chance.
You can doubt me, but I swear to you I dreamed it. When I woke up, I felt at peace. I wasn't scared. To me, the lesson was obvious: Alone, I couldn't win this battle. With Jesus, I couldn't lose.
***** I GET cravings sometimes, and I see it as the devil trying to catch me in a weak moment. The best thing I can do is get the thought out of my mind as soon as I can, so it doesn't turn into an obsession. When it happens, I talk to him. I talk to the devil and say, "These are just thoughts, and I'm not going to act on them." When I talk like that, when I tell him he's not going to get the best of me, I find the thought goes away sooner.
Believe it or not, talking to the devil is no harder to explain than many other experiences I've had since that day last December when my life changed. I was working for my brother's tree service in Raleigh, sending limbs through a chipper, when I found out I'd been selected by the Cubs and traded to the Reds in the Rule 5 draft.
But there is one story that sticks with me, so much so that I think of it every day. I was driving out of the players' parking lot at Great American Ball Park after a game in May, with Katie and our two girls. There's always a group of fans standing at the curb, hoping to get autographs, and I stop to sign as many as I can.
And on this particular night, a little boy of about 9 or 10, wearing a Reds cap, handed me a pen and something to sign. Nothing unusual there, but as I was writing the boy said, "Josh, you're my savior."
This stopped me. I looked at him and said, "Well, thank you. Do you know who my savior is?"
He thought for a minute. I could see the gears turning. Finally, he smiled and blurted out, "Jesus Christ." He said it like he'd just come up with the answer to a test. "That's exactly right," I said.
You see, I may not know how I got here from there, but every day I get a better understanding of why.
There is the guy - a monster of a player - but a monster of a player with a story. I recalled last night remebering our church Pastor - Pastor Jimmy - always saying our church has a story to tell. We are are portable church and doing church each week can sometimes be hard...but one day our church will have such an amazing story.
SO I watched with amazement - Josh Hamilton smash some monsters @Yankee stadium. 28 blasts in the first round. He was enjoying the spot light - he was enjoying the crowd yelling and cheering for him. He looked so humbled ....appreciative and all smiles. I thought how different that is from most ball players - millions of dollors - the good life etc..... see what I didn't know was - Josh Hamilton has a story. He ended up losing the home run derby but he actually won on so many other ways. He has won in life........ In the closing interview - He took a moment and Gave thanks to his Lord and Savior - Jesus Christ - for the "Opportunity" for what he is doing today. I thought man - that is awesome - Jesus being praised in front of it all...National wide coverage....... Man it gave me chills and I became a fan - along with a million others last night.
Let me share Josh's story here....... its worth reading and it will make you Josh Hamilton fan as well. Watch the cheers tonight when he gets his turn to play the game of Baseball.
(This story was taken from ESPN interview) .....
'I'm proof that hope is never lost'
To let you know how far I've come, let me tell you where I've been.
Not that long ago, there were nights I went to sleep in strange places praying I wouldn't wake up. After another night of bad decisions, I'd lie down with my heart speeding inside my chest like it was about to burst through the skin. My thinking was clouded, and my talent was one day closer to being totally wasted.
I prayed to be spared another day of guilt and depression and addiction. I couldn't continue living the life of a crack addict, and I couldn't stop, either. It was a horrible downward spiral that I had to pull out of, or die. I lay there -- in a hot and dirty trailer in the North Carolina countryside, in a stranger's house, in the cab of my pickup -- and prayed the Lord would take me away from the nightmare my life had become.
When I think of those terrible times, there's one memory that stands out. I was walking down the double-yellow of a two-lane country highway outside Raleigh when I woke up out of a trance.
I was so out of it I had lost consciousness, but my body had kept going, down the middle of the road, cars whizzing by on either side. I had run out of gas on my way to a drug dealer's house, and from there I left the truck and started walking. I had taken Klonopin, a prescription antianxiety drug, along with whatever else I was using at the time, and the combination had put me over the edge. It's the perfect example of what I was: a dead man walking.
And now, as I stand on the green grass of a major league outfield or walk to the batter's box with people cheering for me, I repeatedly ask myself one simple question: How did I get here from there?
I've been in the big leagues as a member of the Cincinnati Reds for half a season, but I still find myself taking off my cap between pitches and taking a good look around. The uniform, the ballparks, the fans -- it doesn't seem real. How am I here? It makes no sense to anybody, and I feel almost guilty when I have to tell people, over and over, that I can't answer that one simple question.
I go to sleep every night with a clear mind and a clear conscience. Every day, I walk into an immaculate clubhouse with 10 TVs and all the food I can eat, a far cry from the rat-infested hellholes of my user past. I walk to my locker and change into a perfectly clean and pressed uniform that someone else hung up for me. I grab a bat and a glove and walk onto a beautifully manicured field to play a game for a living.
How am I here? I can only shrug and say, "It's a God thing." It's the only possible explanation.
There's a reason my prayers weren't answered during those dark, messed-up nights I spent scared out of my mind. There's a reason I have this blessed and unexpected opportunity to play baseball and tell people my story.
My wife, Katie, told me this day would come. At my lowest point, about three years ago, when I was wasting away to skin and bones and listening to nobody, she told me I'd be back playing baseball someday. She had no reason to believe in me. During that time, I did nothing to build my body and everything to destroy it. I'd go five or six months without picking up a ball or swinging a bat. By then, I'd been in rehab five or six times -- on my way to eight -- and failed to get clean. I was a bad husband and a bad father, and I had no relationship with God. Baseball wasn't even on my mind.
And still Katie told me, "You're going to be back playing baseball, because there's a bigger plan for you." I couldn't even look her in the eye. I said something like, "Yeah, yeah, quit talking to me."
She looks pretty smart, doesn't she? I have a mission now. My mission is to be the ray of hope, the guy who stands out there on that beautiful field and owns up to his mistakes and lets people know it's never completely hopeless, no matter how bad it seems at the time. I have a platform and a message, and now I go to bed at night, sober and happy, praying I can be a good messenger.
Addiction is a humbling experience. Getting it under control is even more humbling. I got better for one reason: I surrendered. Instead of asking to be bailed out, instead of making deals with God by saying, "If you get me out of this mess, I'll stop doing what I'm doing," I asked for help. I wouldn't do that before. I'd been the Devil Rays' No. 1 pick in the 1999 draft, supposedly a five-tool prospect. I was a big, strong man, and I was supposed to be able to handle my problems myself. That didn't work out so well.
Every day I'm reminded that my story is bigger than me. It never fails. Every time I go to the ballpark, I talk to people who are either battling addictions themselves or trying to help someone else who is. Who talks to me? Just about everybody. I walked to the plate to lead off an inning in early May, minding my own business, when the catcher jogged out to the mound to talk to his pitcher. As I was digging in, the home plate umpire (I'm intentionally not naming him) took off his mask and walked around the plate to brush it off. He looked up at me and said, "Josh, I'm really pulling for you. I've fought some battles myself, and I just want you to know I'm rooting for you."
A father will tell me about his son while I'm signing autographs. A mother will wait outside the players' parking lot to tell me about her daughter. They know where I've been. They look to me because I'm proof that hope is never lost.
They remind me that this isn't really about baseball. It's amazing that God allowed me to keep my baseball talents after I sat out three years and played only 15 games last season in A-ball. On May 6, I hit two homers against the Rockies at home, and I felt like I did in high school. I felt like I could do anything on the field.
I've been called the biggest surprise in baseball this year, and I can't argue with that. If you think about it, how many people have gone from being a crack addict to succeeding at anything, especially something as demanding as major league baseball? If I hadn't been picked up by the Reds after the Rule 5 draft, which opened up a major league roster spot for me, I'd probably still be in A-ball. Instead, I'm hanging around .270 with 13 homers through 60 games with Cincinnati; not bad for a 26-year-old major league rookie. But the way I look at it, I couldn't fail. I've been given this platform to talk about the hell I've been through, so it's almost like I need to do well, like I don't have a choice.
This may sound crazy, but I wouldn't change a thing about my path to the big leagues. I wouldn't even change the 26 tattoos that cover so much of my body, even though they're the most obvious signs of my life temporarily leaving the tracks. You're probably thinking, Bad decisions and addiction almost cost him his life, and he wouldn't change anything? But if I hadn't gone through all the hard times, this whole story would be just about baseball. If I'd made the big leagues at 21 and made my first All-Star team at 23 and done all the things expected of me, I would be a big-time baseball player, and that's it.
Baseball is third in my life right now, behind my relationship with God and my family. Without the first two, baseball isn't even in the picture. Believe me, I know.
***** I'LL NEVER forget Opening Day in Cincinnati. When they called my name during introductions and a sellout crowd stood and cheered, I looked into the stands and saw Katie and our two kids -- Sierra, who's nearly 2, and my 6-year-old stepdaughter, Julia -- and my parents and Katie's parents. I had to swallow hard to keep from breaking down right there. They were all crying, but I had to at least try to keep it together.
I pinch-hit in the eighth inning of that game against the Cubs, and Lou Piniella decided to make a pitching change before I got to the plate. The crowd stood and cheered me for what seemed like forever. It was the best sound I've ever heard. When I got into the box, Cubs catcher Michael Barrett looked up at me from his crouch and said, "You deserve it, Josh. Take it all in, brother. I'm happy for you." I lined out to left, but the following week I got my first start and my first hit -- a home run.
Whether I hit two bombs or strike out three times, like I did in a game against the Pirates, I never forget that I'm living with addiction. It's just part of my life. Johnny Narron, my former manager's brother, is a big part of my recovery. He's the Reds' video coordinator, and he once coached me in fall baseball when I was 15. He looks after me on the road. When they pass out meal money before a trip -- always in cash -- they give mine to Johnny, and he parcels it out to me when I need it.
I see no shame in that; it's just one of the realities of my situation. I don't need to be walking around with $400 in my pocket.
I know I'm different, and my teammates have been very accepting. Being a rookie in the big leagues, there are certain rituals involved, and one of them is carrying beer onto the plane. My teammates gave me that job on one of the first road trips, and I didn't do it. I didn't think it would be a good idea for me to be seen carrying beer onto a plane. They respected my decision.
I get a lot of abuse in visiting cities, but it only bothers me when people are vulgar around kids. The rest I can handle. Some of it is even funny. In St. Louis, I was standing in rightfield when a fan yelled, "My name is Josh Hamilton, and I'm a drug addict!" I turned around and looked at him with my palms raised to the sky. "Tell me something I don't know, dude," I said. The whole section started laughing and cheering, and the heckler turned to them and said, "Did you hear that? He's my new favorite player." They cheered me from that point on.
I live by a simple philosophy: Nobody can insult me as much as I've insulted myself. I've learned that I have to keep doing the right things and not worry about what people think. Fortunately, I have a strong support group with Katie, my family and Johnny. If I ever get in a bad situation, I know I would have to get out of it and give Johnny a call. The key is not getting myself into those situations, but we've talked about having a plan for removing myself just in case. It's all part of understanding the reality of the addiction.
In spring training, when I hit over .400 and made the team, there was a lot of interest in my story.
I decided to be open about what happened to me; early on, I was doing long interviews before my first game in every city. It's been amazing how people have responded, and I think being honest helped. I can't avoid my past, so I don't try. It's not always easy, though. I got sick in late May and ended up on the disabled list after going to the hospital with a stomach problem, and I knew I'd have to answer questions about whether I was using again. I can't control what people think, but the years of drug abuse tore up my immune system pretty good. I get tested three times a week, and if it comes back positive, I know I'm done with baseball for life.
Aside from our struggles as a team, this season has been a dream for me. And that's fitting, because in a way I had to learn how to dream all over again. When I was using, I never dreamed. I'd sleep the dead, dreamless sleep of a stalled brain. When I stopped using, I found my dreams returned. They weren't always good dreams; most of the ones I remember were haunting and dark. They stayed with me long after I woke up.
Within my first week of sobriety in October 2005 -- after I showed up at my grandmother's house in Raleigh in the middle of the night, coming off a crack binge -- I had the most haunting dream. I was fighting the devil, an awful-looking thing. I had a stick or a bat or something, and every time I hit the devil, he'd fall and get back up. Over and over I hit him, until I was exhausted and he was still standing.
I woke up in a sweat, as if I'd been truly fighting, and the terror that gripped me makes that dream feel real to this day. I'd been alone for so long, alone with the fears and emotions I worked so hard to kill. I'm not embarrassed to admit that after I woke up that night, I walked down the hall to my grandmother's room and crawled under the covers with her. The devil stayed out of my dreams for seven months after that. I stayed clean and worked hard and tried to put my marriage and my life back together. I got word in June 2006 that I'd been reinstated by Major League Baseball, and a few weeks afterward, the devil reappeared.
It was the same dream, with an important difference. I would hit him and he would bounce back up, the ugliest and most hideous creature you could imagine. This devil seemed unbeatable; I couldn't knock him out. But just when I felt like giving up, I felt a presence by my side. I turned my head and saw Jesus, battling alongside me. We kept fighting, and I was filled with strength. The devil didn't stand a chance.
You can doubt me, but I swear to you I dreamed it. When I woke up, I felt at peace. I wasn't scared. To me, the lesson was obvious: Alone, I couldn't win this battle. With Jesus, I couldn't lose.
***** I GET cravings sometimes, and I see it as the devil trying to catch me in a weak moment. The best thing I can do is get the thought out of my mind as soon as I can, so it doesn't turn into an obsession. When it happens, I talk to him. I talk to the devil and say, "These are just thoughts, and I'm not going to act on them." When I talk like that, when I tell him he's not going to get the best of me, I find the thought goes away sooner.
Believe it or not, talking to the devil is no harder to explain than many other experiences I've had since that day last December when my life changed. I was working for my brother's tree service in Raleigh, sending limbs through a chipper, when I found out I'd been selected by the Cubs and traded to the Reds in the Rule 5 draft.
But there is one story that sticks with me, so much so that I think of it every day. I was driving out of the players' parking lot at Great American Ball Park after a game in May, with Katie and our two girls. There's always a group of fans standing at the curb, hoping to get autographs, and I stop to sign as many as I can.
And on this particular night, a little boy of about 9 or 10, wearing a Reds cap, handed me a pen and something to sign. Nothing unusual there, but as I was writing the boy said, "Josh, you're my savior."
This stopped me. I looked at him and said, "Well, thank you. Do you know who my savior is?"
He thought for a minute. I could see the gears turning. Finally, he smiled and blurted out, "Jesus Christ." He said it like he'd just come up with the answer to a test. "That's exactly right," I said.
You see, I may not know how I got here from there, but every day I get a better understanding of why.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Jazzed
And its not from the coffee... even though Carol makes some strong coffee. Honest - there have been times over the years where we have talked about having 2 coffee makers. One for her mud and the other for just normal coffee. I know she has to make 2 pots though in the mornings (lol) one for me being normal and then a kicker for her after I leave for work.
But this is not a post about coffee - even though it could be~ but I am still jazzed about yesterday. Still jazzed about Rock Group last night and just a few of our long term families sitting and planning ... talking about the future of our group and our "Outreach" for this summer and long term. It has me thinking late last night that even at 11:00 I was still up.
Change is a place that makes many people uncomfortable. But God sees change as an opportunity. God was speaking that word "Opportunity" to me a few weeks back. Being in Tupper Lake NY - far from home. Long hours working and cleaning up a home that has meant so much to my family - it was hard throwing items away that meant something. Hard to clean a home out of the material things but one thing will always remain.... memories. It made me want to be home..... it made me really homesick - homesick for home, for family, for church - for serving. Serving is what pleases the Lord - when we serve Him - it truely does please Him as we build His kingdom together. Its a part of my walk in Christ that I try and do everyday. Far too many people are trying to serve people alone. They are missing the point in by SERVING Jesus - we are serving people. Serving in this model also makes those people happy. Pastor Jimmy preached on this topic yesterday. To make a decision in life to follow Jesus or not.
During my small window of quiet time this morning - I am in the book of Luke and it all came together. Let me share the passage that really spoke to me this morning.
Luke 9:
The Cost of Following Jesus
57 As they were walking along, someone said to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go.”
58 But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.”
59 He said to another person, “Come, follow me.”
The man agreed, but he said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.”
60 But Jesus told him, “Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead![l] Your duty is to go and preach about the Kingdom of God.”
61 Another said, “Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say good-bye to my family.”
62 But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.”
This is where it all came together. "Opportunity" - God has given us all the "Opportunity" to follow Him. He has not forced us to do anything - we can love Him and trust Him or we can choose not to. Am I making the most of the "Opportunities" that God is placing before me?
We can't look back on following Jesus - we have to grasp hold of those incredible Opportunities and make the most of them. Being Homesick really meant that I needed to get back to "MyWalk" with God. Even in short periods of time - in those sweet moments that God is using us, speaking to us and teaching us. Those short periods can also go the other way when we are not reading our Bible, too busy with "THINGS" that fills our daily calendars, praying and spending quiet time with the Lord.
With everything that has happened the last few months and being busy and full throttle - being homesick was for me to get back into "MyWalk" and make the most of those "Opportunities" that God is placing before me.
What opportunities are you passing over in life? What is God asking you to do today? Is your schedule too full - are you too busy to even take notice? Are those things going to matter 2 days from now, a year from now or 3 years from now?
Jazzed about being back in Sunday school yesterday with Carol and "OurKids". Seeing them GET IT in Sunday School, smiling and having fun learning about Jesus - singing and dancing to music. Jazzed about the opportunities ahead for our Rock Group .... How can we look back? ~ When we have so much in front of us because of Jesus.... because of the people He has put into our lives .... because of the hope in tomorrow ... because of His grace and love.
Opportunity - what are you going to do with them?
Gods best today ..... planning my 3:00 coffee already :)
Lonnie~
But this is not a post about coffee - even though it could be~ but I am still jazzed about yesterday. Still jazzed about Rock Group last night and just a few of our long term families sitting and planning ... talking about the future of our group and our "Outreach" for this summer and long term. It has me thinking late last night that even at 11:00 I was still up.
Change is a place that makes many people uncomfortable. But God sees change as an opportunity. God was speaking that word "Opportunity" to me a few weeks back. Being in Tupper Lake NY - far from home. Long hours working and cleaning up a home that has meant so much to my family - it was hard throwing items away that meant something. Hard to clean a home out of the material things but one thing will always remain.... memories. It made me want to be home..... it made me really homesick - homesick for home, for family, for church - for serving. Serving is what pleases the Lord - when we serve Him - it truely does please Him as we build His kingdom together. Its a part of my walk in Christ that I try and do everyday. Far too many people are trying to serve people alone. They are missing the point in by SERVING Jesus - we are serving people. Serving in this model also makes those people happy. Pastor Jimmy preached on this topic yesterday. To make a decision in life to follow Jesus or not.
During my small window of quiet time this morning - I am in the book of Luke and it all came together. Let me share the passage that really spoke to me this morning.
Luke 9:
The Cost of Following Jesus
57 As they were walking along, someone said to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go.”
58 But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.”
59 He said to another person, “Come, follow me.”
The man agreed, but he said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.”
60 But Jesus told him, “Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead![l] Your duty is to go and preach about the Kingdom of God.”
61 Another said, “Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say good-bye to my family.”
62 But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.”
This is where it all came together. "Opportunity" - God has given us all the "Opportunity" to follow Him. He has not forced us to do anything - we can love Him and trust Him or we can choose not to. Am I making the most of the "Opportunities" that God is placing before me?
We can't look back on following Jesus - we have to grasp hold of those incredible Opportunities and make the most of them. Being Homesick really meant that I needed to get back to "MyWalk" with God. Even in short periods of time - in those sweet moments that God is using us, speaking to us and teaching us. Those short periods can also go the other way when we are not reading our Bible, too busy with "THINGS" that fills our daily calendars, praying and spending quiet time with the Lord.
With everything that has happened the last few months and being busy and full throttle - being homesick was for me to get back into "MyWalk" and make the most of those "Opportunities" that God is placing before me.
What opportunities are you passing over in life? What is God asking you to do today? Is your schedule too full - are you too busy to even take notice? Are those things going to matter 2 days from now, a year from now or 3 years from now?
Jazzed about being back in Sunday school yesterday with Carol and "OurKids". Seeing them GET IT in Sunday School, smiling and having fun learning about Jesus - singing and dancing to music. Jazzed about the opportunities ahead for our Rock Group .... How can we look back? ~ When we have so much in front of us because of Jesus.... because of the people He has put into our lives .... because of the hope in tomorrow ... because of His grace and love.
Opportunity - what are you going to do with them?
Gods best today ..... planning my 3:00 coffee already :)
Lonnie~
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Sunday thoughts....
Wow - it has been a while since my last post. Well heart felt post anyways. The last few days I have been in prayer and thought with some changes coming and also getting more and more excited about being with our church family Friday night (Carols ladies bible study party) Saturday night (my right hand man at church in serving - it was his birthday) and then serving this morning and actually being in church.
The last month or so - emotion was high and even with the few times in June we were at church- our focus was on our hearts as they were hurting... folks coming and talking to you - well it was hard to do. All I wanted to do was come into church - sit in the corner and just worship and praise the Lord in quiet stillness - just me and him - me, Carol and Kyle & Jesus. Time is passing and God is healing those hurts - His grace is enough and I am thankful for having our smile back.
Today is such a blessing because I got to teach Sunday school with Carol - some of "MyKids" that I haven't seen in weeks - some, I have not seen since school let out and it was great seeing them. 1 came running and jumped into my arms - telling me she loved me - another came and just hugged me and would not let go - she then asked if I was going to have lunch with her next year when school started. It really is such a great place to be....... even Friday night and Saturday getting to hang with some dear family in our church. These folks make life fun, they make life worth doing.... because we are a family - Gods family.
Tonight I am jazzed up because we have some new families coming to our Rock Group. One has left and that is ok - I love them anyways and they will be included in everything we do. I felt it coming as God has been speaking to me for the past few months preparing me for leading our Rock Group through this season. Man I miss them already but growth and understanding will continue if we all keep our eyes on Jesus.
I will tell you this - I am sad in part because church is also full of jazz with the youth headed to the beach next Sunday. I just can't do it - with all the time off from work - the vacation days low and all. I want to go but next year will be on the radar and look forward to experiencing life change with our youth at church. I am excited for them because I never got the chance to do something like this and in a way it would be my first time as well..... and something to remember - something to be part of a team of folks all going and leading - serving and making things possible. I do love the team work and love being part of the team. But next year ---- so look out Project 252 and our k-5 rising 6th graders! Mr Lonnie will be there - Lord willing.
Looking forward to getting back to everyday thoughts on "The Walk" - I needed the time to unplug and get things lined back up behind God.
Well - have to roll - Rock Group starts soon and need to pray before hand..... great having Kaylee here this afternoon with us. She is such a sweet child and I do love her and her family as well do.
Blessings,
Lonnie~
The last month or so - emotion was high and even with the few times in June we were at church- our focus was on our hearts as they were hurting... folks coming and talking to you - well it was hard to do. All I wanted to do was come into church - sit in the corner and just worship and praise the Lord in quiet stillness - just me and him - me, Carol and Kyle & Jesus. Time is passing and God is healing those hurts - His grace is enough and I am thankful for having our smile back.
Today is such a blessing because I got to teach Sunday school with Carol - some of "MyKids" that I haven't seen in weeks - some, I have not seen since school let out and it was great seeing them. 1 came running and jumped into my arms - telling me she loved me - another came and just hugged me and would not let go - she then asked if I was going to have lunch with her next year when school started. It really is such a great place to be....... even Friday night and Saturday getting to hang with some dear family in our church. These folks make life fun, they make life worth doing.... because we are a family - Gods family.
Tonight I am jazzed up because we have some new families coming to our Rock Group. One has left and that is ok - I love them anyways and they will be included in everything we do. I felt it coming as God has been speaking to me for the past few months preparing me for leading our Rock Group through this season. Man I miss them already but growth and understanding will continue if we all keep our eyes on Jesus.
I will tell you this - I am sad in part because church is also full of jazz with the youth headed to the beach next Sunday. I just can't do it - with all the time off from work - the vacation days low and all. I want to go but next year will be on the radar and look forward to experiencing life change with our youth at church. I am excited for them because I never got the chance to do something like this and in a way it would be my first time as well..... and something to remember - something to be part of a team of folks all going and leading - serving and making things possible. I do love the team work and love being part of the team. But next year ---- so look out Project 252 and our k-5 rising 6th graders! Mr Lonnie will be there - Lord willing.
Looking forward to getting back to everyday thoughts on "The Walk" - I needed the time to unplug and get things lined back up behind God.
Well - have to roll - Rock Group starts soon and need to pray before hand..... great having Kaylee here this afternoon with us. She is such a sweet child and I do love her and her family as well do.
Blessings,
Lonnie~
Thursday, July 10, 2008
July 10, 2005
3 years ago today - A statement of faith. A day that I had been praying about for months. It was the first baptism we would be a part of at our new church home. Rockyriver community church. Not knowing what to expect - I was asking God to open the invitation up to all. John the Baptist called out to anyone and everyone to accept the cleansing of one greater than he. That washing of sins is through Jesus Christ.
This time of my life my mom was not feeling good. It seemed as though life was just one lesson after another as God was preparing me for what was ahead. My health was not all that good as I was battling issues with Vertigo and doctors running scans - finding a spot on my brain and the knowing of "Not Knowing" was so real. A few years earlier having my close call was still very real to me and not a place I wanted to go to again. I started serving at church for the first time in my life. Accepting the invitation by a friend, Dan Wiktorek, to serve along side of him on Sunday mornings and knowing this is what God was asking of me. No more -excuses - no more dodging the call - no more ignoring that fact that God was doing something in my life even if I did not know what or where it was leading. Faith is trusting God in not what we see but by Him. The night before - Carol, Kyle - Carols cousing Karen and I were at the Kenny Chesney concert and it was a great time. Our first time seeing him.... it was a special evening. Getting in late, tired and ears still ringing it would have been easy to make excuses - to sleep in - to not go to church. That morning on our way out - Karen asked to go back in the house to get the camera? Why??? We are going to church - I remember thinking nothing ever happens in church worthy of picture taking. BOY was I wrong... I don't think that anymore. Life change happens to someone every Sunday. God rains down on someone every Sunday the gift of salvation - the forgiveness of sins and pasts being erased and futures being brighter than ever! This was the first day of a new beginning and a new path for me and my family. It is what matters most to me today and drives me to let people know what God has done for me. How can I be quiet about something that big? I just can't ... God has opened my eyes in leading my family the way He wants me to, to love my wife like I never knew I could, to put others before myself, to be the best example for Kyle in being a dad, a husband and leader of the family, how I treat people, respect people, finding my gift of encouragement and "MyKids!" What can I say about how "MyKids" have changed my life. I got a card in the mail from a dear child that I visited all year last year at school. What is written in that card will forever be dear to me. Investing in others, sharing life together and a vision of a church that Jesus is all about and still is all about! Our Presidential candidates promote change - but Jesus is the change this country needs. If He can do some thing like this for me - why can't He do this for you? There is no reason why He can't - you are that reason.
3 years ago today~ Life Change and in a Kenny Chesney t-shirt!!!! I wish my mom was here to be a part of all this but then again - she was a big part of it right in the beginning and all part of Gods perfect plan.
Thankful and humble today. My quiet time this morning-
Luke 8"He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
9His disciples asked him what this parable meant. 10He said, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, " 'though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.'[a]
11"This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 12Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. 14The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. 15But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.
Love you all,
Lonnie
What a difference it makes~
My family and I have been unplugged the last few days. 5 to be exact. I even called in this week to see if I could extend my few days off and it felt good to have that extra day. I can always tell when its time to get back to work - I usually cant sleep the night before knowing going back into the office there will be lots to catch up on and things flying all over the place. That was the case last night - little sleep - tossing and turning- up early. It was in perfect timing that I am back in the office now. Carol, Kyle and I got some much needed rest, some play time and together time. We almost didn't know what to do or how to act :) - we have been running since Walt fell back last August.
But we are back in the saddle now so to speak. I have been enjoying my book that I am reading - Activate - its a book about small groups in church. How we can be a church that has small groups or a church that IS small groups. It has opened my eyes and heart to a few issues already and I can see why God lead me to leading our Rock group to Reach Out this summer. I am looking forward to Rock Group this Sunday. It will be our first get together in some time now. I am really looking forward to digging in deeper in the book and learning more. I will blog about some of the main points later on.
Work is busy, have 2 lawns to get cut since it has actually been summer here in Charlotte NC with afternoon and evening thunderstorms - which means the grass grows during the summer!
I am really looking forward to seeing some folks over the next few weeks ... you know who you are!
Many thanks for the prayers and emails while we were away. It was good to unplug and refresh ourselves. It is incredible to have a place to unwind and get away from things - you can unplug totally if one chooses but that is a little too far and too long for me. God has us refocused once again and our eyes are on Him. The season has been long for the Batemans but its a season to learn as well. Thankful for even the hard times.
Love you all,
Lonnie
But we are back in the saddle now so to speak. I have been enjoying my book that I am reading - Activate - its a book about small groups in church. How we can be a church that has small groups or a church that IS small groups. It has opened my eyes and heart to a few issues already and I can see why God lead me to leading our Rock group to Reach Out this summer. I am looking forward to Rock Group this Sunday. It will be our first get together in some time now. I am really looking forward to digging in deeper in the book and learning more. I will blog about some of the main points later on.
Work is busy, have 2 lawns to get cut since it has actually been summer here in Charlotte NC with afternoon and evening thunderstorms - which means the grass grows during the summer!
I am really looking forward to seeing some folks over the next few weeks ... you know who you are!
Many thanks for the prayers and emails while we were away. It was good to unplug and refresh ourselves. It is incredible to have a place to unwind and get away from things - you can unplug totally if one chooses but that is a little too far and too long for me. God has us refocused once again and our eyes are on Him. The season has been long for the Batemans but its a season to learn as well. Thankful for even the hard times.
Love you all,
Lonnie
Friday, July 4, 2008
Happy 4th!!
Just wanted to wish everyone a happy 4th of July. Carol, Kyle and I met up with Donna, Taylor and Morgan this morning on highway 49 at 7:15 AM to get our good spot for the Harrisburg parade. Its always a great day for the town of Harrisburg. Got to see lots of folks, familiar faces and even some of our school kids. It was hot but its well worth it and seeing all the red, white and blue should make us all enjoy or freedom. Thanks to all our troops in past years and those serving today. Its because of you we can do the things we enjoy doing today.
I also want to wish my brother Danny a happy birthday. Hope you get to go home today bro - today is a day my mom always loved - we would all meet at mom and pops and enjoy a cookout and a swim together and then see who could eat the most watermelon. Miss and love you mom..... our family will get together soon over at Aunt Sharon and Uncle Busters for that BBQ and some fishing.... hope everyone can make it!
We are at the cabin for the next few days. We are already enjoying the down time. Kyle and I let Carol take a nap this afternoon as we went down to the boat - Heaven Cent - and cleaned her up and enjoyed some swim time. Water is 82 and very refreshing..............
Happy 4th of July everyone!
May God continue to bless us all,
Lonnie~
I also want to wish my brother Danny a happy birthday. Hope you get to go home today bro - today is a day my mom always loved - we would all meet at mom and pops and enjoy a cookout and a swim together and then see who could eat the most watermelon. Miss and love you mom..... our family will get together soon over at Aunt Sharon and Uncle Busters for that BBQ and some fishing.... hope everyone can make it!
We are at the cabin for the next few days. We are already enjoying the down time. Kyle and I let Carol take a nap this afternoon as we went down to the boat - Heaven Cent - and cleaned her up and enjoyed some swim time. Water is 82 and very refreshing..............
Happy 4th of July everyone!
May God continue to bless us all,
Lonnie~
Thursday, July 3, 2008
July 3rd...
I am so ready to move on this afternoon. I got some stuff knocked out this morning and this afternoon is dragging on. Not wishing my time away but just really looking forward to hanging our with some dear friends tonight - Donna, Taylor and Morgan. This is an awesome family!! Going to cook on the grill, swim in the pool and just share some invested time together. Tomorrow hopefully they dont have plans and can go with us to the Harrisburg Parade. Its always a special time - we get there early to get a good front row spot and then chill for the morning over some tunes, coffee and maybe even a walk to Bojangles for breakfast as we wait for the festivities to start. After the parade we are getting packed and headed to the cabin for a few days and really looking forward to that.
Hope everyone has a safe July 4th - I will post some pictures from the parade and some of the events.
Happy 4th and hope to see lots of R2C2 folks tomorrow~ Hey I got an idea - while everyone is out with friends, family, neighbors - why not invite them to church this coming Sunday with you - Or the following Sunday. MOST new folks who come through church doors have been invited by someone from that church. So invest while having fun and relaxing..... just because its hot out doesn't mean we can't grow spiritually and bring some new faces to church with us on Sundays. Better yet - IF they come with you - take 'em to lunch afterwards!!!!
Lonnie
Hope everyone has a safe July 4th - I will post some pictures from the parade and some of the events.
Happy 4th and hope to see lots of R2C2 folks tomorrow~ Hey I got an idea - while everyone is out with friends, family, neighbors - why not invite them to church this coming Sunday with you - Or the following Sunday. MOST new folks who come through church doors have been invited by someone from that church. So invest while having fun and relaxing..... just because its hot out doesn't mean we can't grow spiritually and bring some new faces to church with us on Sundays. Better yet - IF they come with you - take 'em to lunch afterwards!!!!
Lonnie
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Being Refreshed...
Yesterday was such an off day. Something down deep just not sitting with me well. Even with all the stuff going on, trying to find my groove back, letting little things bother me, looking at the big picture instead of the picture that is right in front of me..... today I do believe that has all turned a corner.
My brother Danny is doing fine -he is recovering in the hospital from surgery. He should be home on the 4th (his birthday) if all goes well. My dad is dating an awesome lady and the last few times I have been with him he has kicked his ~everything~ up a few notches. Work is busy - have some down time coming - My Aunt Sharon emailed me some pictures of some baby birds that have set up home in her gutter - the weather here in NC the last few days have been awesome!!! - Kyle's friends Danielle and David were over earlier in the week and I just love that family - Kyle is practicing his guitar and accomplished the chores I gave him. (I think all kids should have chores to do around the house so they learn responsibility and learn the value of money) - Carol is smiling again - My garden is starting to produce fruit!! I just love this time of year because its MATER season and there is nothing like walking out and picking something you have worked on and enjoy so much..... I have to say that life is good.... and with everything we have been through - God still needs to be our major focus and deserves our praise and honor even during those hard times.
I am a big fan of Dr. James McDonald. I got a few of his DVD's a while back and led a Rock Group lesson from his DVD message and have been following him for some 2 years steady now. Yesterday, I had heard he had a new cd that was coming out for folks who drive to work who would like some praise music, a small message of encouragement and have it long enough that you could finish it before getting to work. I thought...man I need to get that. I got home last night and there it was ... a note from WalkintheWord ministries all about it.
I wanted to share some of that amazing letter......
Hebrews 13:15 - Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name.
It is easy to praise the Lord when life is firing on all cylinders, but to express praise when circumstances turn upside down - well, thats what pleases God most. The difficult times in life are the best times to praise the Lord. Why do you think thats true? From my experience, I know that expressing praise to the Lord increases your faith. When the "LOGICAL" thing to do is worry, you can say, I can't see what You're doing Lord, But I know You're worthy of my confidence. You've never disappointed the one who trusts You.
Expressing praise also matures your faith. Praise invited you to see more of Gods character rather than looking for what He will do for you.
I tell you - it speaks volumes to me this morning. I read that last night as I started to unwind into the evening after supper, cutting the grass, dogs for a walk, a dip in the pool and talking with Carol and Kyle about their day .... dude - I needed this refocus....and there it was. A reminder to praise God through all things no matter how hard life is right now, no matter how tough things are, no matter what is taking place in life.
My entire quiet time this morning was thanking God for the blessings in my life. You are part of those blessings......
Be refreshed today ... Hope this helps someone who reads this and needed it today.
Gods blessings,
Lonnie~
My brother Danny is doing fine -he is recovering in the hospital from surgery. He should be home on the 4th (his birthday) if all goes well. My dad is dating an awesome lady and the last few times I have been with him he has kicked his ~everything~ up a few notches. Work is busy - have some down time coming - My Aunt Sharon emailed me some pictures of some baby birds that have set up home in her gutter - the weather here in NC the last few days have been awesome!!! - Kyle's friends Danielle and David were over earlier in the week and I just love that family - Kyle is practicing his guitar and accomplished the chores I gave him. (I think all kids should have chores to do around the house so they learn responsibility and learn the value of money) - Carol is smiling again - My garden is starting to produce fruit!! I just love this time of year because its MATER season and there is nothing like walking out and picking something you have worked on and enjoy so much..... I have to say that life is good.... and with everything we have been through - God still needs to be our major focus and deserves our praise and honor even during those hard times.
I am a big fan of Dr. James McDonald. I got a few of his DVD's a while back and led a Rock Group lesson from his DVD message and have been following him for some 2 years steady now. Yesterday, I had heard he had a new cd that was coming out for folks who drive to work who would like some praise music, a small message of encouragement and have it long enough that you could finish it before getting to work. I thought...man I need to get that. I got home last night and there it was ... a note from WalkintheWord ministries all about it.
I wanted to share some of that amazing letter......
Hebrews 13:15 - Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name.
It is easy to praise the Lord when life is firing on all cylinders, but to express praise when circumstances turn upside down - well, thats what pleases God most. The difficult times in life are the best times to praise the Lord. Why do you think thats true? From my experience, I know that expressing praise to the Lord increases your faith. When the "LOGICAL" thing to do is worry, you can say, I can't see what You're doing Lord, But I know You're worthy of my confidence. You've never disappointed the one who trusts You.
Expressing praise also matures your faith. Praise invited you to see more of Gods character rather than looking for what He will do for you.
I tell you - it speaks volumes to me this morning. I read that last night as I started to unwind into the evening after supper, cutting the grass, dogs for a walk, a dip in the pool and talking with Carol and Kyle about their day .... dude - I needed this refocus....and there it was. A reminder to praise God through all things no matter how hard life is right now, no matter how tough things are, no matter what is taking place in life.
My entire quiet time this morning was thanking God for the blessings in my life. You are part of those blessings......
Be refreshed today ... Hope this helps someone who reads this and needed it today.
Gods blessings,
Lonnie~
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Being Truthful....
I have to say - that I did it again. But before I share that story, I wanted to share that I am just overwhelmed with everything. Here at work - year end money has been spent and product is flying in. Stuff to do at every corner and I am usually on it because I love it when its busy but I am just not there right now. I am more focused, honestly, on Friday and 2 days next week for some DOWN TIME! I am more focused on getting some of Walts stuff put away that is in my garage and getting things cleaned up. Ask Carol - I am not one for clutter or having things not arranged somehow! But I know I will settle into a groove - start chipping away at getting things done and mark my to do list off.
Last night my dad called me and my brother Danny is in the hospital. This morning my dad called me and I am waiting to hear back about his surgery - he is having his gallbladder removed. Doctor told him that it was the worst he had ever seen ... so being in the local hospital - I am praying they don't remove his kidney - but honestly, praying all goes well and he recovers quickly. I do feel more so today that I just need to continue to pray that the Lord moves my family and I unto greener pastures and a time of rest from all the stuff that has been taking place - for what seems like a LONG TIME. I know that things will take a new direction when its time and these tough walks in life are for a purpose - preparing us for what is ahead. So I am focusing on others and what is it that God wants me to learn through these trials? Build my faith up a few notches and to trust Him even more.........
I wanted to share the "I did it again" - I have opened 2 books and seem to be going with both of them now. I always fall into that because I make the mistake of getting a new book in the mail that I ask Carol to get me and then I open it and off I go.
Book 1 that I am reading - is The 10 Most Common Objections to Christianity. So far it has been good and still looking for that one or two things that really hits home. I started reading this before I left for NY last week hoping to get a little more in depth in what folks are thinking and what they believe - about Christ- because I knew I would be talking with Katie. I know how important salvation is and with losing her mom - it could either push her FAR away from God or pull her in and I want to do my part to the best of my abilities to give her the TRUTH! I am reminded from 1 Peter 15-16
15But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.
Life these days seems to be more focused on being a good example for Jesus and sharing His love to others for me. It really does hit deep and how I just want folks in my family and in my life to know what God has done for me and how He has changed me.
The other book, which I just got, is from a brilliant leader in the church today- Nelson Searcy and I really look forward to getting in the middle of this book this coming week with some down time. 100% participation in a church in small groups is just unheard of and I really want to learn more. I am totally in on Small Groups - we call them Rock Groups at our church and I have blogged about it many times. Connecting people to follow Jesus in a family style and doing life together - there real relationships form, trust and accountability in life, a foundation of knowing that people close to us love and pray for us.... It is life changing if you have never experienced a small group before..... that same passion has led to our group extending outward this summer to reach some other families - to have some fun this summer with ballgames, pool parties, fishing at the park, movie nights - investing in each other so that folks get a feel for what it is all about. Being connected in this "Life" group is what really makes Sundays learning Gods word happen all week - because we are all focused on the same things.Following and learning about Jesus.
So I will let you know how the books are...... and hopefully in the next few days I can get my bearing straight and pointed in the right direction. Have to get this ship sailing again with some new fresh breezes......... with some Kenny Chesney playing in the background on the coast of somewhere beautiful.
Love you all,
Lonnie~
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