12/31/04

To start this I must explain that Helen got one of those microbead pillows two weeks ago and loved it. She has slept with it everynight and wont go to bed without it. So last night was our Christmas exchange at Faith's parents house. There were 30 people here and they do the exchange white elephant style. Where we all fight over stuff. They break it up between the girls and guys. So I must go back now and tell you about Uncle Paul. He is big and has a very deep voice. Helen has always been very afraid of him. I mean burst into tears at the sight of him scared. He is a big teddy bear but she has just been too little to get it. This year was much better and she was ok with him but still kept her distance. She did sit beside him and pet his dog Fritz two days ago. We have prayed with her about it and we were happy that she was finally warming up to him. Well so last night at the exchange Paul wanted some tools but they got taken away from him so he decided on a microbead pillow but that got taken away from him too. Helen had been in the thick of all the shouting all night but I noticed she had gone. I figured all the shouting and laughing had finally got to her but then here she comes to talk to me with her pillow in hand from the bedroom upstairs. She said "Daddy can I want Uncle Paul to have my pillow." I nearly burst into tears at that. I said "Yes ma'am go give it to him." She walked across and told him that she wanted him to have it and he didn't know what to say. He managed a thank you and very puzzled look at us. We nodded and he took it. He tried to give it back to us later but we told him that would only undo what we were so proud of her for. She went to bed and asked for her pillow but I reminded her that she had given it to Paul and she said "oh". I let her pick a pillow from the room to sleep on and that was the end of it. She showed all of us what giving was really about. We prayed about it and thanked the Lord for ministering to us through Helen. I am very thankful to the Lord for such a wonderful daughter.

12/25/04

We had a great Christmas. I got a XM radio, a DVD recorder, Helen got a Hippy
Hop and a Cinderella Scooter and a babydoll, and a Cinderella Carriage, and new kitchen. Faith got a diamond necklace, a nice big oak jewerly amoire, a new Ventahood (hey she wanted one), and a fur coat.
Also got the new U2 album. Its great!
Thank you Lord for all the blessings today. Thank you for Family and fellowship. Thank you for the greatest gift of all. Forgiveness. Salvation.

12/24/04

Its Christmas. I love playing Santa. I cant wait for Faith and Helen to see what they got! I am being sneaky! Its fun. Its is defantly better to give than recieve.

12/21/04

We are suppose to love that does not mean tolerance for wickedness. To love someone is to bring them out of darkness into the light, out of hatred into love, out of sin into righteousness. We are not capable of any of this being completely flawed. Fortunately however 'What is impossible with man is possible with God.' So with 'God with us' Emmanuel we can be used for his purposes. The Christians I know are encouraging and sacrificing and humble. I am honored to consider them part of my fellowship. But I must be careful not to judge ouselves righteous just as we all should be careful not to judge ourselves judgemental. We are sinners, and without Christ nothing. 'It is time for us to become less and for him to become more.'

12/20/04

Helen got a book at Chick-fa-le of Alice in Wonderland. So I have been reading it to her. Last night was the chapter on the Chesseir Cat (you spell it I am busy and you know what I mean). So the cat is giving directions and says it doesnt matter which way she goes because both the Mad Hatter and the March Hare are mad. (why do both those names start with M H and are both exactly 9 letters long?) Anyway Alice says I dont think I would like either because its not good to go around with mad people. To which the cat replies "That cant be helped. We're all mad here." Helen stops me and askes very concerned "Daddy are you mad?"
I said "No dear, she means crazy."
"Oh." dramatic pause. I was just about to go back to reading when she added very matter of factly, "Daddy your crazy, alright!"

-She's 3! I mean, come on!

12/17/04

Today was interesting. Very frustrating morning but then a turn toward prayer late in the day was very productive. Got my budget set and my plan for the new year completed. Talked to Faith about everything and she agreed. We'll see. I pray the Lord will bless it. We met Al and Danna for supper and gave them their gifts. I should write Danna a letter telling her how much she means to us. I dont know if I could put it into words properly but maybe the Lord will help. Al loved his knife and cried when he read the blade. It was perfect. I am glad. I love Al so much. Well we are staying at my parents tonight so off to bed I go. night night.

12/16/04

Well we got the Christmas letter out last night. I'll post a copy of it tomorrow. It was a summary of the whole year. I enjoy looking back now to see what the Lord has done in my small life. It seems so big in the moment, everything seems so important. Looking back was never fun before. Then it was just a series of failures and undone todo lists. Its funny how little progress I made at anything back then. It was so discouraging. The Lord is encouraging. Constantly.

12/15/04

Well we went out last night and saw a movie together. That was really fun. Jill and Charles and Jennifer and Robert came too. It was really alot of fun! We saw Oceans 12 and the movie was alright. Helen didnt get to sleep until like 10 and slept this morning till 11! I guess she was tired. I could have slept a while longer anyway. Today we must do a Christmas letter and sign all the cards. Fun! I love all the christmas chores.

12/13/04

The weekend was good but hetic. Just like all of last week. I pray this week is more normal. I dont think Faith is enjoying the Christmas season either. I pray she can relax and enjoy. The Frig broke Saturday night so we had to deal with that but the Lord had provided a free freezer just that previous Thursday night! WOW! Is he kind and great or what? I pray I can glorify his name. I pray I can be the kind of Child he loves. Anyway the man is supposed to come out today to fix the frig. I hope it doesnt stress Faith out anymore than she already is. Well I better get to work.

12/11/04

I took Skeeter to visit Mema after her surgery the other day. I was Wed. the day after. Things were very crazy that day and I usually try to give Skeeter a little heads up as to what to expect when we go someplace new like that and a little of what is expected of her too. I did not get this chance.
Faith had spent the night with her and so she had not either. Helen walked in and looked around and said hello and stuff to everyone who was there. Then while I was talking to my mother I heard out of the corner of my ear "Mema, may I pray for you?" SHE'S THREE! She took mema's hand and said a simple prayer "Thank you for helping mema's knee, and thank you for Jesus. amen."
I was beeming with pride but assumed Faith had told her it would be a good idea. I talked to Faith about it a little later and she thought it was my idea. We got quiet and started tearing up. (which I am doing again by the way) That was a big scarey place with scarey people all around but she was obiedent to the Holy Spirit. She was the first one to take Mema's hand and pray for her after the surgery. OK I am full fledged crying again! Me a grown man! -Anyway thank you Lord for Skeeter and the lessons you teach us. "Be as children"

12/07/04

Another day in the paranoid class. He lives in theory but doesnt consider the real world. Mema goes in for her knee surgery today. I hope and pray everything will go great for her. I know she is going to be in pain this week and that bothers me. But I really hope this makes her more mobile for the next few years. She loves to go but the pain of walking has really been holding her back. Faith and Mom are with her so that is good. I'll go up after I get out of here.

12/6/04

Today is not shaping up to be very productive. We seem to have an attention nazi leading the class. He has turned off all email access and web access. We are etrapped! He also told us to turn our cell phones off. No text messaging. This is propably good for me. I think everyone who knows anything seems to agree that Linux is the next big thing. If money is the question Linux/GNU is the answer.
Bill the teacher is actually pretty good but way over my head. I got tiredhead and its 10am on the first day of a 5 day class. I will never remember any of this. This guy talks over you head on purpose. Give us a practical answer.My brain hurts!

My quest for personal holiness is not going well either. I hunger for righteousness. I have found my hunger deminishes as I move further from it. The longer I go in the spirit the greater the hunger. C.S. Lewis was right the joy is in the desire. At least it feels that way from here.

12/05/04

Today the lesson was on Titles. Specifically the titles of Jesus. I went over all of our titles and we got into an interesting discussion about titles versus labels. We decided that titles are earned labels are placed. Audrey is fond of the labels. I think it helps people to put others in categories. Maybe it helps them to feel comfortable. Historically this tool has been used over and over again. Racism, Zienism and so on. God is very clear on this topic. Their are only two. Sheep and Goats. Those that accept and those that deny. Ulitmately labels mean very little because everything still boils down to right and wrong. Sin and obiedence. Black and White. God or anything else. Titles are much more informative becasue of their very nature of being earned. Father of Helen tells you much more about me than family man does. Believer in the Bible tells you much more than Fundamentalist or Fundie does. I am a Child of God. Thats all that matters.

12/3/04

home
Went to the Knuckles service tonight. It was wonderful. There was over 400 people there and the prayers and the worship was awsome. It was a wonderful thing to be a part of.

12/2/04

Well tonight is the prayer vigil for Star Knuckles. Kari and Faith talked yesterday and they are all very excited to see what God will do. I am too. There is a service at 7 at the Church of Christ and all the churches in town are going to be there including our new pastor at FBC. Its great to see how the community of God's children come together. I wish Tom could be there to see fundies at their best. The vigil is set to last for 48 hours and people have pledged to stay there all night. Not me I have to work tomorrow but we will take our turn late tomorrow afternoon. Be in prayer for Star if you read this please.