Muchas gracias

40. People who pay attention to my blog
41. Trips to Billings with Brenda and Alex
42. Good hospital visits
43. Vance's auction skills
44. A fresh box of Chai tea
45. Gluten-free brownies
46. Brenda's pizza making skills
47. Being far away from Pittsburgh after the last two games
48. Bring Your Antlers to Church Sunday
49. That Nathan kept his foul smelling, rotting deer skull in a plastic bag
50. So many reasons to celebrate
51. Friends to share Thanksgiving Dinner with
52. Family that will miss us at Thanksgiving Dinner
53. Reserved hotel room
54. New shoes ("Hey, I got my new shoes on and suddenly everything is right!")
55. Ice scraper that really works
56. Advent is coming!
57. Christmas lights on the porch
58. Christmas lists
59. Church family that will share with and encourage one another
60. Community Thanksgiving service

Mom Update

Just an update for everyone and a big thank you for praying. 

 

Mom is out of the hospital and temporarily in a Nursing Home while arrangements are being made for some type of home health care.  She needs someone to be sure she is getting regular meals and her meds each day.    The Dr. told her that there was no need for radiation or chemo therapy on her hip. I guess it was not as bad as the original diagnosis seemed.  I can't say for sure, but I am inclined to thank God for making that so. Thank you for your prayers and as God leads you would you please continue to pray for all the details of home care to come together.  Also, pray for my sister Cindy and brother Russie who are handling everything on site.  It is an extra load on them and they need God's wisdom and strength.

 

It is so good to have family in Christ!

A Fragile Heritage

I will continue my thanksgiving list in a little bit, but I have been moved during my scripture reading the last few days and had to take a moment to put it down.  I am reading in Chronicles (2 Chronicles 32-33 today) and was struck by how scripture records the kings of Judah. Just going back a few chapters you have Uzziah in ch. 26; "He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord." Until pride settles in and he messes up bad and the Lord gives him leprosy the rest of his life. Then after 52 years as king he dies and Jotham his son takes over and "he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Uzziah had done."  It does mention that unlike him Jotham didn't do the pride thing. So for 16 years he reigned and then his son Ahaz became king. And right from the start it says, "unlike his father...he did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord." And not just a little, he worshipped other gods and even sacrificed his children in the fire to Baal. And I thought WHOA! how did that happen?  You have over 60 years of mostly positive examples of following God Ahaz, and when you take over you go off the deep end! Didn't you learn anything from your father? But it continues, because after Ahaz ruled for 16 years he dies and his son Hezekiah takes over as king, and thankfully, "he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord." He cleaned up his father's mess and there are four chapters covering the 29 years he followed God. There was one brief mention of pride messing him up, but he repented and God forgave him. So I thought, OK we are back on track.  There were 60 years of following God, a 16 year blip of massive failure, but 29 more years of the blessings that come from following God.  When Manasseh died his son Amon takes over and for the two years of his reign it says, "he did evil in the eyes of the Lord."

Seeing this pattern is frightening as a father.  Obviously making right decisions to follow God doesn't just rub off on your kids. I know God has given us all a free will so we can choose for ourselves whether to follow Him or not, and that is a good thing. But how difficult is it to set your kids up to make good decisions in their lives? Especially when I have messed up myself throughout my life?  Is a Godly heritage that fragile?  It drives me to my knees to pray that I will hand off the Faith well to my son.  I praise God that my daughters seem to have it - but I still pray for them realizing that Ahaz and Amon (the "A" names are simply a coincidence, right?) were in their early 20's when they started down the wrong path.  I guess that is the answer, do all you can to live a Godly life as an example and then PRAY LIKE CRAZY, trusting God to make the difference.

Alex just started his day at school.  I gotta go pray now.

First WY Buck!

I am very thankful for the privilege to hunt with such good friends and that God allowed me to take one of His beautiful creatures.  We found him lying down which only goes to prove that sometimes its better to be lucky than good!  Looking back I had a great hunting season - even the dragging him out part!

Still Thankful...

21. cloudless blue skies
22. tires with air in them
23. Brenda coming home
24. hugs and kisses
25. friends to hunt deer with
26. friends who help you process your deer
27. a full freezer
28. dogs that love bones
29. haircuts
30. hot tea in a cold office
31. gluten-free cookies
32. being able to help people in need
33. my God who "upholds all those who fall and lifts us all who are bowed down"
34.who God is and what He does from Psalm 145 (I could have just started listing, but I would be accused of padding my thankful list!)
35. noisemakers in worship service
36. friends who pray for me (& my Mom)
37. a God who answers prayers
38. my Mom's faith
39. my brothers and sisters
40. airlines at Christmas

Late Start

OK - I am getting a late start but I figure its better late than never... so here goes!

I am thankful - VERY thankful for...
1.  A wife who is thankful to be mine
2.  Daughters who love me and achieved all three goals!
3.  A son who is growing into a responsible young adult who loves the Lord and loves me too!
4.  Blogs that allow me to see pictures and read about their lives
5.  A God who loves me more than all of them combined (that is a LOT!)
6.  Indian Summer (read not cold while I hunt)
7.  A beautiful place to be hunting
8.  Good friends who don't make fun of me while I am hunting
9.  A freezer that is full enough that it doesn't matter if I shoot a deer or not (no pressure!)
10. Gluten free cookies
11. Gluten free chocolate cake
12. A cup of hot tea to go with them
13. Candy left from Halloween
14. No trick-or-treaters so there was plenty of # 12
15. Colored pencils to help organize my sermon
16. Psalm 145:8-9 The Lord is gracious...
17. And compassionate...
18. Slow to anger...
19. And rich in love...
20. The Lord is good to ALL; He has compassion on all He has made.