Learning to Trust

My sons, Ryan and Ben decided to climb to the falls at Estes park, last weekend. Ryan is visiting from Texas, where he still lives, and we wanted to show him a part of God's great creation in Estes Park.

While the boys were climbing and acting like teenagers, another family with two small boys came to the falls area. They were from Lincoln, NE and they take a trip every year to a different part of the Rockies. They said there was not much in Lincoln to explore and they enjoyed hiking and showing their sons the outdoors.

Anyway, when they first came up the trail, it was just the two young sons, ages 8 and 4, their parents were about 50 feet behind(go figure). I saw Bob then come running to the edge and telling his boys to go no closer to the edge. It was then that I heard the mother scream, "don't go another foot!"

As one can imagine, the mother was terrified that her children might fall and break something. It had not occurred to her that someone else was around yet. I was leaning back on a rock after just taking this photo, of my own sons, daring nature to hurt them.

I just chuckled and then excused myself as the mom stared at me in disbelief.

I informed the young mother that the two young ones just wanted to be like my sons, on the other side of the falls. She was not immediately impressed with their courage.

After speaking for some time we became friends. I shared with them Psalm 37:3 , "Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture."

They are young parents and needed to hear that boys will be daring and test the limits of patience as time goes by, the trust will be increased.

As the afternoon progressed we walked back to our cars and shared many fun stories and encouraged them to continue the family outings. Someday we will meet our friends from Nebraska again and have a great time hearing of the adventures their sons got them into.

Selling the Homestead, Thanks Dave

If you've ever sold a home you'll be able to relate to today's blog.

We received our first offer on the home Karen and I believed to be our retirement home. The home we spent months fretting over every last detail in its construction just four short years ago.

Today it hit me that all the time and energy we had invested in the material things of this world have now come to mean almost nothing as someone else is going to enjoy the fruit of our labor.

It reminded me of King Solomon's wisdom, "What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun" Ecclesiastes 1:9

I can only hope that this process is not one that will tax my very little patience. I trust that God will not let me be fooled by the folly of unwise people during this vital transaction. I know that there are persons who are looking to cash in at this tumultuous time of our economic crisis.

Many of my friends are facing tough financial times. But each of them have been through Dave Ramsey's course, at our former church in Texas. Last year was an amazing preparation time for this year's economic crisis. God had prepared several of our churches members to face the hard times ahead but teaches us to "Live like no one else now, so we can LIVE like no else later."

Thank you Dave for showing me, "I am doing better than I deserve"

Cruise (part 2)

Whoa, the Earth is still moving even though I am on dry land.

What a week!

The Carnival Cruise ship Ecstasy is a wonderful vessel for sailing. We sailed out of the Port of Houston (since Galveston's Carnival port was destroyed by IKE) on Monday afternoon. The port is not 100% finished but the fabulous employees of Carnival have done a a great job of improvising until construction is complete.

The Houston Bayport was scheduled to be opened in Late October and they began using the facility the day after IKE pummeled Galveston. When we boarded the ship at 4:00pm we were already two hours behind schedule and the crew was even further behind because the US Coast Guard has chosen that day to perform the annual ship readiness exam.

When we finally pushed off we were excited because we were experiencing the first of many wonderful meals aboard ship. Our head waiter was named Aslam, he was from India and only sees his wife and kids for 2 months after a six month tour of duty on the Ecstasy. I will tell more of his story as the week progresses.

The photo of the ship is from when we were in port at Progresso, Mexico.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the Gulf of Mexico and thank my lucky stars to have been with such great friends and my beautiful bride (wait till I post her photo).

Cruise of a Lifetime (part 1)

Well, Here I sit in a motel room in muggy Houston. The second stage in a week long adventure planned by my beautiful bride, Karen.

Let me tell you how great she is, she is more wonderful to me today than anytime in the last twenty-two years. I love her with all my heart, mind and soul.

You see, she has wanted to go on a cruise for as long as I can remember. All we had to do was get the money and she would take care of all the details, and that she did.

This morning we awoke at a friend's house (a story for another time), and left for the Denver International Airport. Our youngest son, Ben, drove us there and then went back to Loveland for the week. He will come get us from the airport on Saturday after this wonderful excursion.

We are awaiting our lifelong friends Mark and Noelle, who are driving from Dallas to Houston as I type this out. They, along with other friends; Don & Cindy, and Odie & Kathy are all on the same Carnival Cruise as us.

We weigh anchor tomorrow, Monday, Oct 13th @ 3:30 PM CST. We will sail into the Gulf of Mexico, where will will dock at Yucatan on Tuesday, then Cozumel on Thursday, returning to Houston's Bayport on Saturday.

Did I tell you how much I love my wife. She is the "apple of my eye", and I hope to never loose her affection.

Stay tuned as I post pictures from each day of the trip. But remember this men...

Fathers can give their sons an inheritance of houses and wealth,but only the Lord can give an understanding wife. Proverbs 19:14

Hard Work is Good for You

Wow, yesterday reminded me how much I enjoy sweating every once in a while.

Mary Comm is the Director of a ministry to people who have suffered through a traumatic time in their lives, IN OUR MIDST, A SAFE PLACE ABORTION RECOVERY CENTER. She was moving her offices, to a much needed larger space. but her husband Joel was scheduled to leave town the very day she needed to move. I guess that's one of the many reasons God moved me into their lives almost six weeks ago.

I planned on my son and myself moving the entire facility through the night last night, but once again God had plans I did not know of. Mary had been praying for other men to be available to assist me and when I arrived at the old offices, two men showed up to help. They were a pastor and a deacon from Joel and Mary's church. WOW! Other people who are willing to work hard and sweat for brothers and sisters in the ministry. These two men, James and Tim have nothing vested in the business other than helping to spread the love of God.

Well gentlemen, mission accomplished. Your sweat and hard work ministered to me last night. All you received was a hearty hand of thanks, yet you gave a huge blessing to a sometimes weary soul. You see, I was bummed about no one else offering to help, the boss, and you listened to God the father and reassured me of just that.

“It is the LORD your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him.”- Deuteronomy 13:4

Thank you God that you have plans we know not of. Thank you for godly men here on Earth that are willing to break their backs in service to you. May your kingdom here on Earth be filled with willing men and women who are not afraid to sweat.

Life is Fast, Are you Ready?

Wow, what a trip this last 60 days has been. Anyone else notice?

In the last 60 days the world around us has changed so much:

* The US economic depression.
* The selection of Sarah Palin as the Republican VP nominee
* I moved from Texas to Colorado
* The New York Stock Exchange has fallen nearly 3000 points
* Hurricane IKE destroyed much of Galveston and Houston

You know the thing that really gets me going in the morning is the fact that no matter how much the WORLD changes or How fast it goes, GOD will never change. He will never forget me or leave me.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17 -19

God is incredibly good to me. My wife and sons are well cared for. My love for him grows deeper everyday.

Are you in the word as much as you want to, need to, to understand what is happening on this planet was foretold thousands of years ago?

I know that as each day goes into history I am amazed at the truth already foretold in the Old Testament. I now work for a man who was born into Jewish heritage and converted to Christianity. Joel and I get to discuss things that are occurring in the world and have direct reference to things in Daniel and Isaiah.

Wow, our God is great and worthy to be praised.