Again

Tomorrow morning Jake and I head out to Montgomery, AL. Next stop, Huntingdon College. Home of the Hawks!! He's reporting to football training camp Wed. and I am both excited and as I was with Zach, finding this time bittersweet. I love our times now, I just wish there was a way, just once in awhile, where I could turn back the clock and watch over that little guy with the big curls again.
Jake has turned out to be a fine young man. I couldn't be more proud. Graduating with both merit awards dealing with character and integrity...and now another state. I love you my son and will pray for you daily. I will steal away when possible to come see you. I love this picture of us. Zach, you, and I have footballed together for man years now. I will play a different role now, but I will always be here as long as the Lord keeps me here. You make me proud to be your dad and I love you. Go Hawks!! Go Jake!! Go God!! May we (my family now and yet to be)bring You glory forever and ever.

All have sinned? Wages are death?

This sums it up. No lesson here that I need to tell. It's self explanatory. So why are so many people going to recieve death as their wage? Because we didn't say a word. What would you say? What should you say? When are you going to say it?

I remember when...

I wouldn't pick you up. Honestly, I was too scared. I didn't know if you were stable enough for me to touch. I remember when going to visit some parents who seemed overwhelmed left me bringing you home feeling the same way. I remember when i prayed on the way home that you would make it home. I remember walking into the house and Zach holding you right away. I remember watching wondering why it wasn't that easy for me. I remember liking your biological family. I remember some of our friends coming right over to see you. Some held you immediately and others wept at how small you were. I remember day 2. I remember getting the courage to hold you. You wouldn't look at me. You watched your nails as though you had just had them done. I remember you wouldn't make eye contact with me. I remember feeling more comfortable holding you as the days went on. I remember some who, by there expression, wondered what in the world were we thinking adding you to our family. I remember that not long after I got comfortable holding you, your G-tube got caught in my pants seem and I pulled your mickey out! I remember thinking I had hurt you for good. Then I remember your mom. I remember her fixing it with a new g-tube mickey like a NASCAR pit crew. I remember thinking that was the last time I'd hold you. I remember taking that back and holding you that night. I remember the first time you got pneumonia. I remember being at the local hospital and realizing that this wasn't going to be a place for you. I remember you and mommy going in the ambulance to All-children's in St. Pete. I remember going home and packing for her a night bag and heading there too. I remember not really knowing how to get there. I remember during that week, as mom stayed with you, I learned the route bringing her more clothes and seeing you. I remember going home. I love home. I remember about a month later you got pneumonia again. I remember us going back over. I remember not dealing well without your mom and worried more and more about you. I remember realizing that we were possibly going to spend a good bit of time at All-Children's. I remember going home. I love home. I remember 6 months of no pneumonia. I remember thinking we were over this stage of your life. I was wrong. I remember your O2 levels going so low that I had to call 911. I remember begging God for you. I remember them getting you out to All-Children's again quickly. From there, you had emergency surgery on your tonsils and adnoids. I remember seeing you on a ventilator after surgery. I knew it was going to happen, but I wasn't prepared. Again, I begged God for you. I love you. I remember realizing at this point how much I love you. I would trade places with you for you. I remember your mom fighting for you, praying, crying, watching numbers for hours, loving you. I remember you coming home...after 3 1/2 weeks. I remember you hiding your eyes from all of us except mom. With good reason. You had been thru a lot and I would never blame you. I remember after a couple of days finally holding you and you tolerating me. I remember you smiled. You still hid but you smiled. I remember rocking you side to side and making music noises. I remember you smiling and even lauqhing. Then, you truly cuddled with me. I had begged God to let me do that again. I remember coming to the realization that you may not be ok, but God still loved me and cared and loved you. I remember finally letting go of the worry. I know I will still worry, but I know God loves you and has your life in His hands. That's why He gave you to us. Look at you now! I love you. I love you so much I can't even contain it. Is this just a glimpse of the love God has for me? I pray we get to dance when you turn 16. I so want to spin you around and watch you smile:)

The Great Banquet

Sometimes pictures aren't enough. Sometimes the same story causes me to weep when i read the scriptures. Tonight it just took visiting some blogs that are from a group of ladies who's children have been diagnosed with rare genetic diseases that will inevitably be fatal. I read 3 different sites and was slayed by what I read. One lady described her family in her profile. "I like to write, read, crochet, IM A HUGE RPG gamer :) play xbox 360, I was born Sept 4, 1968 (do the math) Married to Dan since September 6, 1997 with 3 children. Son Matthew born April 17, 1989 (father Daniel Elton Lee, previous marriage), Daughter Jordan born April 30, 1998, Daughter Olivia born July 29, 2004 died in my arms at 4 1/2 months on December 20, 2004 and saved me. Im a Christian."

The other ladies have children with similar diseases and writing about how they are coping and dealing with things. I am going to start following because I was encouraged beyond words. Amazing.

Went to see Larry in the hospital, and i wanted to take your letters to encourage him. As I drove this song came out. It's not finished, but if you come to church in the next month it will be:) Here goes.

Fit for a King

Widows and orphans and all in between
Come to the banquet and eat with the King
You've been invited and that seat is yours
Where his body was broken and His love still pours
and Oh Oh Oh I will sing
Of the Great God of Glory
Eternal King
Oh Oh Oh I've nothing to bring
In light of everything
to come to a banquet that's fit for the King

next verse--
Poor and Needy that wealth has forgot
Here is your ring and your robe take your spot
Princes and Nobles not many here
but there's hope for all so be of good cheer
and Oh Oh Oh I will sing
of the Great God of Glory
Eternal King
Oh Oh Oh I've nothing to bring
In light of everything
to come to a banquet that's fit for the King

Here's the deal. We have been invited to a banquet and party that we should never have been invited to. I may never be invited to the Mayor or Governor or President's house for dinner. But I have been invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb of God. I have been invited to a banquet that will be hosted by the King of the Universe. And so have you:) And so have all the beautiful children both healthy and sick. Our God and King loves us. I can't wait for dinner.

They let her on the field!!

I still can't believe that Michaella got to go to the LSU Bowl game this year and they allowed her to go on the sidelines. Here's what happened. We were making our way to our seats and somebody was already in them. It turned out they were a whole section closer. Well, we chose to let them stay and we took their seats in the nosebleed section. A security guard that was helping us resolve the issue came back at half time and told us that he was moved by our kindness and he got it worked out for one of us to go on the sidelines!
(This has been a modern day parable. A story to make a point. A mind picture to teach a lesson.)

Philippians 2:3 "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself."

God Bless,
keith

FREAKSHOW

Nothing shocks anymore. We have been talking about that, but it amazes me how often I am not shocked by something totally weirded out. I don't think weirded is a word, but you get my point. This world is racing faster and faster to a culturally numb society. We are more tolerant of more oddities today than any day in history. The point of freak for me is this. The world sees nothing as freakish, unless it sees something not focused on self-fulfillment. For example, (again this isn't a complaint) the crime and things gone wrong that are reported in our evening news programs are almost in normal mode when killings, robbery, or the like takes place. They report it, but it's just another day of the same things. However, watch what happens when someone does something extraordinarily unselfish and see how it is covered. It is not only news-worthy, but it is usually the feature.

Jesus said, (paraphrased), your in the world, but not of it. Your not of it because I'm not of it. We are the same team! You live in me...my death and resurrection. In other words, we shouldn't look right here. People don't take a double take when they see guys as girls (vice-versa), tatted faces, pierced parts everywhere..., but they should take a second look when they see you. Well, not you, but your actions. Aliens and strangers. That's what we are.

So how about it? Let's make the feature story and give him the glory:) cya

When purpose fades...

I wonder how many things we do on a regular basis and we don't really know why? I love this watch. It is actually my favorite watch that I have ever had. Dawn got it for me for football and it is so met that purpose. It has a large face with great stop watch capabilities...and it looks good. To me at least. I love the way it feels. I know when its on and when it isn't.
For now, there's really only one problem. It doesn't work. This picture is actually a 'time' when I was wearing the watch out of habit, but it isn't working. The battery is dead or something. The bottom line is there are no numbers or letters showing up on the face of the watch. So, you ask, why am I wearing it?

Habit maybe. If I'm honest, it isn't that. I like the way it looks and feels to the point that I am wearing it even if it doesn't serve a purpose. Maybe it will remind me to get it fixed:)

I wonder how many things in our lives we do for the feel of things or habit or because it looks good to us or others? But there's really no purpose for it. In Isaiah 55, the chapter known as the Invitation to the thirsty, we read an invitation to those who don't have a relationship with God thru Jesus. God is calling out to the lost and broken saying "come to me, those of you who have lost your way. Forsake your wicked ways. For I am merciful and will give you rest." (paraphrased and summarized) Then verse 11 says "So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the PURPOSE for which I sent it.

I believe God has a purpose for everything. There is nothing done by sheer accident of for no reason. So why do we do what we do? God may I meditate deeply on what I do, why I do it, and may I prayerfully have a Kingdom purpose for everything in my life. His Glory forever.
Keith