Famous Dave’s Field Trip… and more
I know the what more important is the "and more" so I'll start there. About 8:45 this morning I was told I needed to call my father at home. In my mind I immediately knew what I was going to be told. My Grandmother was just recently diagnosed with Lung Cancer and had been under some chemo which helped. About a month ago her doctors told that there wasn't much more they could do, and gave her about a year. My parent had seen them on Saturday; they enjoyed the time. So I called my father and my dad told me that she had passed away last night in her sleep. They think the cause of death was a heart attack, however since she was a sleep the hospice nurse said she probably didn't feel a thing. I went and found Renae and relay the news, and then talked with Pastor Davidson who was very comforting.
This afternoon, I had planned to take my yearbook class to Famous Dave's in celebration of finishing the yearbook. None of my five students had ever been so we were in for a treat. The food was GREAT! the student's loved it. I had the 2 meat combo with the beef brisket and a hot sausage link, with the sides of potato wedges and mashed potatoes, along with the cornbread and corn that always come with it. Here is some pics. Not going to do a restaurant review here, sorry.
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- Famous Dave’s Long Beach
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- Menu
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- Decor
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- Renae’s Brisket Sandwich
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- My Two Meat Combo
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- Tim’s brisket
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- Bryant and Tim’s Brisket
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- David’s Devil Spit Burger
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- Thalia’s ribs and chicken combo
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- Pokey’s Hot Wings
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- Enjoying the ribs…
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- David eyeing his burger.
-hold nothing back
-praise God because He's active
One Week Down, What a Week!
Well, Monday I started back up my final semester at Pacific Baptist College. While I was at work Monday evening I got a phone call from Renae, she had her wallet and laptop stolen from her while she was at work. I took off from work to go be with her, she was pretty distraught. The Police have not found anything yet. Early Wednesday morning I woke up with something unusual inside my mouth. It was a piece of my tooth, well I guess they belong in my mouth, but not broken. My filling from some 12 years ago fell out, (the dentist was surprised that it lasted that long.) Fortunately I did not have class on Wednesday so I spent the morning in the dentist office. Other than those things it was a really good week. All in all we can see God working in our lives and preparing us for our future ministry.
Happy New Year
I hope all of you have a happy new year. With 2008, may new experiences come that bring you closer to God.
smoke, sun, and shadows
Friday evening at work I was driving down route 66 to the car wash and I look up an was finally able to see the sun after five straight days of smoke. I'm glad to know the sun is still there even when I can't see it. But what made it all the more amazing was the beautiful sunset with the clouds. With all the smoke from the fires the sun was covered by haze, and when it set had a eerie reddish color. but Friday night was beautiful, I could still see some smoke around but where I was it was so clear.
John and Mary have been anxiously waiting for Melissa to be release from the hospital. She had to be placed in the ICU because she had some liquid in here lungs and then had a little bit of pneumonia, and hasn't been able to be released quite yet. well tonight there was another minor set back, they had been told Melissa could go home on Sunday, but know it doesn't look like she'll be released until Monday, that may not seem like a long time but babies belong with their mom's not in hospitals.
Now sometimes its hard to see reasons and details, and hard to understand why; but God has a purpose. Much like how that smoke had been blocking my view of the sun all week; sometimes trials and other desires get in the way of us being able to see Christ's hand working in the situation for his honor and glory. Lets remember though that the smoke doesn't stay and when it's gone it's going to be beautiful.
My friend Tim has a phrase that he got from a song "the shadow proves the sunshine." The shadows of life block out the light, if there was no light then there would be no shadows. But be encouraged when you look around and all you see in the darkness, because when you get through that tough time you will see the sunshine.
please pray for John and Mary, that God would comfort them and encourage them.
please pray that Melissa would continue to stay healthy.
untitled
Six days from today I go back to school for my final year of college. It's amazing that I've already finished three years. Right now I'm looking forward finishing but not really looking for all the baggage that come with school. Things happen and they seem like there are people out to make me quit and drop out. It's not really what they are trying to do but the pressure being put on sometimes seems unbearable. It's in times like this that I have to look to the One who is in control. He knows what going on, He will provide; My God will see me through.
TRASH
Nobody likes it! It Stinks! I’m sitting by a trash can right now, in it are leftovers from three weeks ago that I threw away, some empty bags that food once held, an egg carton, some papers, junk mail, etc. The mere fact that there is a place to put trash means that we do not just want it lying around that house. You do not put trash in the microwave, or in the bath tub, our on top of the dvd player in the living room. Trash is put into the trash can. Once the trash can in full, or starts to smell; you take it out to the big trash can outside, and typically once a week the trash truck comes and empties you big trash can and takes it to the dump.
I remember as a kid I never liked taking out the trash. Every thursday night after dinner I would take all the trash from the house and put them in the big trash bins and move them to the street. It was not hard I just did not like doing it.
We have a set system to handle the trash in our house. But we choose to fill our lives with trash! So what do I mean filling our lives with trash. Well we fill our lives with things that do not matter, with things that are useless. The have no spiritual value, monetary value sure, well maybe. We captivate ourselves in sin- jealousy, hatred, lust, profanity, addictions, anything, you name it. IT IS TRASH! but we live in it, and get this we like it. We like living in figurative mounds of leftover dinner. It stinks, its rotten, and we don’t care.
My advice is get it out. I am sure you are asking how do we do that? We its not like we have a system of putting our trash into a bin and take it to the street and there is goes. But is it that easy? I John says “If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Confession is kind of like taking out the trash. It is asking God to forgive us of our sins. Once we begin to realize what that trash in doing in our lives and how it is affecting others we have to make a decision to either take out the trash or live in it.
When we confess our sins God does forgive us. But sin does not magically go away. We will have time when sin enters our life, when we commit sin willingly. This puts the trash back into our lives. We have to remember to take the time in our days to confess our sins to take out the trash, to lay aside the weights that hold us back.
My prayer is that every Christian does not live in their trash. That we all can conquer the sin that is keeping us from having a relationship with God that is vibrant and growing.
Storms
Can you praise God in the storm? Yes! God brings storms for a reason. I don't know why he may have brought a storm into your life, but through the storm learn to praise God and to seek his perfect will.
God’s Plan
a little about me!
I grew up in a Christian family, went to church every Sunday since I was born. I really enjoyed church, it was a lot of fun and I learned many things. At an early age, probably around four, I made a profession of faith in Christianity. If that does not make sense now I hope I can clear it up later.
I attended a Christian School in San Francisco from Kindergarten until I graduated from High School. I really did not have much of a choice in where I went to school since both of my parents were teachers.
It was an easy environment to grow up in. Very sheltered very protected. For that I am thankful. However as a Junior, I found a way to leave the sheltered life when I was by myself and got involved in some sin. I did not think it effected me very much at the start. After all it was enjoyable! But soon I realized what it was doing to me, how it began to effect my mind. I was Addicted! I would try to stop time and time again; I could not. All this time nobody knew of my addiction. Doubts about Christianity plagued me during this time. Partly because I knew I was not supposed to be doing what I was doing. But I was feeling guilt hoping that I would not get caught, when as a Christian I should have felt a sincere desire to stop and do what was right. These doubts would sometimes even keep me awake at night, but even then nobody knew.
After I graduated from High School I started to attend a Bible College in Southern California. School had it ups and it downs. I found a girlfriend and fell in love! about a year into dating she was reading a book that she had purchased at a bookstore about a topic that was somewhat related to the addiction of mine. I felt so guilty as she expressed her views, I had to tell her. I thank God that the relationship we had was strong enough to withstand this blow. She immediately encouraged me to do what was right. It was not easy at all. I was still addicted.
2007 rolled around. It seemed like every chapel service I sat in at school was being preached right at me. Soon messages at church, where I volunteer in the tech ministry, seemed to be preached right a me, but not for the addiction that I had, at something totally different. For several weeks at the beginning of the year the thought of me not having received salvation bothered me greatly. What would people think? I had been lying to everyone for years now. I had been fake. Finally I was driving home from an evening church service, and was having an argument with God. I wanted him to be real in my life; I wanted to have the personal relationship with him. That night, February 11, 2007, I accepted salvation, I truly believed that it was Jesus who alone could save and there was nothing I could do but ask him to save me. He did! Joy has filled my life! I desire to do the right things and to daily spend time with God in a personal relationship through my prayer and Bible reading.This is my story. Maybe you have some questions. Read my "God's Plan" post. Feel free to post a response I would love to show you too how to receive Jesus gift of salvation.
Beauty in Nature
A quiet day in the woods
The sun trickles through the trees
The quiet air wanders by
My God is in control
Cold and wet and dark
Days of ease are gone
Uncertainty abides
My God is in control