bearly saved

This was quite a picture after our video a couple of Sundays ago of Cougar vs. Bear. This guys works for the wildlife Div. in FL. He had to remove this bear so he shot it with a tranqualizer dart. The problem with the whole scenario was that, after being shot, the bear ran until he got to a coastal canal and then went swimming. The bear started to slow and then was unable to move his limbs and began to sink. This quick thinking ranger dove in the canal and attempted to save the bear.

After being pummeled under the water a few times, the bear lost all control of its limbs and the man was able to wrap his arms around the bear and swim it to safety.

I wonder how close we come sometimes from going completely under. We are losing complete control of everything around us, but we are too afraid, too scared, or too prideful to allow God to swoop his arms under us and save us.

It's strange how far we have to sink before we are willing to let go. It's almost like we have to see how much pain we can take before we cry out.

Thank you Jesus, for being a God who will wrap around us even at the last minute and save us when we finally give up.

We're in it together:)

We may be a little rough around the edges and we don't look exactly alike, but we are in this together. We all at intersections are people who are tainted...messed up, but want to follow Jesus because we know He is our Salvation and our hope. We are truly in this together.

It is so hard to figure things out sometimes and through circumstances we can begin to think that God is actually putting the most difficult people and situations in our path. We sometimes don't even fathom that it may be US that is difficult. We may be the problem. I can guarantee this. We are at least part of it.

As we move forward God, may you make us one. May we become the evidence of Jesus' prayer in John 17. We are a little rough, but we are in this together and I love you all. To the future:)
Keith

A Father's Love

So very close now is graduation. A time to celebrate the accomplishment of completion. Completion of a requirement to education and becoming a integral part of society.
But I remember playing catch. I remember wrestling in the family room until we couldn't wrestle anymore. And now, graduation. Movin' on.
I have loved every part of being a dad. Even the tough moments both far and near because I know that even the tough times make us all grow. Zach has been such a pleasure to raise and I am not ready to stop. I don't want this time to be over, but it is at a new point. He is still my son and I am still his dad, but things will be different. On this side of that, I don't like it. I want to talk football after games like before. I want to go thru all the phases just one more time.

We were fashioned after the image of God. I think he must relish in us as I do my children. I hope as a believer, I have been a pleasure to raise. I hope that God can look down on me with the pride of a father who puffs up and says, "yeah, that's my son:)"

Zach: I love you. I am proud to be your father and I wish you the best. I am excited for the direction you take and am thankful for God watching over you. Always know how much mom and I love you. Forever, Dad

The strength of ONE...

I had the pleasure of meeting with someone today who I respect greatly. He is a man to both admire him for his greatness and also for his humbleness. We were talking his expertise...football. Coach George Hill has coached for several college programs like Bowling Green, Dennison, Cornell, Ohio State (he was the defensive coordinator during the Woody Hayes era!!) He also coached for the Miami Dolphins, the Baltimore Colts, and The Philadelphia Eagles.
All of that alone is pretty special, but then to get to know him and see his humble attitude makes him someone to model after.

We met today to discuss some defense stuff. These discussions are always fun, but at some point of a conversation with Coach Hill there is a good chance that Jesus will come up and character...those type of things.

Today was no different. He was reminded of the head coach at Bowling Green when he was there. The coach was stating what would be the most important thing for the Bowling Green football team. It would be morale. If there was anyone, no matter how good he was, who was negative or had a bad attitude, he was simply not welcome to play for Bowling Green. Character and morale came first. Good football would follow.

As followers of Jesus, character and morale should also come first. It's not the talents and gifts that are going to change the world and make them want Jesus. It's Jesus in us that is going to do that. Jesus gives us character and when we are focused on him we can't help but stay positive no matter what the circumstances.

It is so true that "one bad apple can spoil the bunch". Wow. I have the power to truly spoil the testimony of several just by my attitude. God help me. May my life be just another apple...not a bad one.

Which Way?

What is the best direction from here? I don't have a clue. Can you imagine if this was someone without a a boat who had to decide where to turn? I couldn't begin to tell you what lies beneath the surface of the water. I don't know how deep it is. And the worst part...it looks like I'm alone.

Seems like the conversations that I keep getting into have something to do with 'what's the plan?' or 'Which way do I go?' or 'What does God want me to do?'.
Well, I have asked that question many times. You know what amazes me? I don't think I have gotten the CLARITY that I would have liked to have had. I guess the only 2 decisions that I knew beyond any doubt was that I needed to follow Jesus and I needed Ms. Dawn to be my wife. Past that, I have done a lot of comfortable guessing. Not guessing like...hoping that the next card thrown will get me close to 21 without going over. But the kind of guessing that goes like this. I sense something. I can't tell you the details. I only know that I sense God wanting me. I sense Him driving me toward something. I sense it without knowing the details myself. Sometimes, it's bigger than me. Bigger than what I can do. Basically, it's something possibly that could be so big, that without God, I WILL FAIL.

It doesn't start that big. And I couldn't tell you how big it even is. I only know that God wants me somewhere doing something that displays His glory and His love for us. That's it. What if I decide that until I know what the plan is, I am not moving. I do that. Sometimes I wait because I don't have enough information. I wait because it isn't planned out and God knows I don't need anyone else thinking that I fly by the seat of my pants.

What right do I have to expect the Creator of all things to go over the plan with me as though He needed my approval before I am willing to say 'I'm in!'.
Something on your horizon is big. God wants you to sense it. He is waiting. He is waiting for you to trust. Trust Him by taking the first step...