NEW COLORS

I appreciate the continued interest in my blog. It is still a work in progress with changes yet to come. Readers have followed the creation of this new blog even thought the style and substance has changed and broadened from my previous more romantic writings on Kristy's blog. I appreciate the continued interest, prayers, and kindness you have shown me. God bless each of you.

Plea is an appeal to the higher good drawn from occurrences and interests in my life. For months I wrote personally what was happening with me and my family. It was very transparent and often touched the raw nerves of my life. Literally thousands around the world read and many of you emailed or commented how it had helped you. Plea is a broader view beyond my life happenings and uses several different approaches. I hope it doesn't ever sound like a preacher though I am sure it does more than I know or will admit.

A number of people asked about the names of the new colors in my house. Now, if I can add just a little more "color" in my life. Actually that is not too far off in the future. My life is going to brighten more as God adds Wanda to my life. God has given us a very special love created in heaven.

Here are the new color names from BEHR Paints at Home Depot.

The Red in the dining room is called Sly Fox.

The Gold throughout the living room, family room, and kitchen is Warm Muffin.

These colors have warmed my home and brightened my life. Kristy told me to redecorate and paint my home. She knew it would make for the new day to come. She had such unselfish love.

ECONOMIC INSANITY

Like so many others, I am very concerned about the direction of our Nation and our future. I could write about the state of our morality, spirituality, politics, and on and on. There are so many deep and urgent concerns.

Here is my concern and question for today. 

How do our Nation's politicians think that they can tax and spend our way out of the present economic crisis? High taxes and foolish give-a-ways will deepen an already troubled economy. Why should our government use legalized theft to reward greed and mismanagement? How do they think that the can take, and take, and take, to give to unproductive society and enable continued squandering of money?

It is impossible to borrow your way out of debt. I can't do it. You can't do it. Our Nation can't do it.

Promoting a spirit of socialism won't work either. Have you ever gone to communist countries and noted how they have nothing and there is no creative spirit or individual entrepreneurship? I have traveled twice to Cuba and have seen how communism and socialism does not work.

Here is one plea for a return to sanity in our Nation.

Dear God, 

Please have mercy on our Nation. Please help our Congressional leaders to turn to you and trust again as a Nation under God. Please stop socialism, extreme taxation, foolish government spending. 

Send a revival of personal responsibility and determination as our forefathers had. Spare us from ungodly, foolish laws that will harm our families, unborn babies, and future generations.

Please stop socialism in our country.

Have mercy on America.

Amen.

FROM ME TO ME

I don't have many or any expensive extras in my life. I have worked hard all of my life for my family and have followed the Lord to do His work and will. That has made for unusual times of sacrifice, and also times when there were blessings beyond comprehension. I have chosen to live frugally and don't regret it. 

I am blessed in so many ways. To know God is the highest blessing. I have beautiful daughters and grandchildren and wonderful parents and siblings. I have been blessed with friends from all over the world, and I have been given the privilege to serve God in the highest calling of all--preaching His Holy Word. I have good health and a beautiful place to live and a wonderful congregation to pastor. God has blessed me with a new love and a beautiful lady. God has been so good to me.

But when I took off my wedding band several months back, I felt like my hands were naked. I still have a ring mark on my finger from wearing my wedding band for 37 years. So I went shopping and found something to cover my my naked hand even if for now it is the right hand. I got a really good deal on a nice ring. 

This ring is from me to me. Sometimes this kind of gift is good.

DIFFERENT VOICES

I have had several comments noting the difference in my blog and Kristy's blog. I wrote for her on her blog for almost a year and followed some of her same style and manner, but I knew that in time that change would come. 

Life is different and the writing is different. I cannot stay on the same page of the past and Kristy made it clear that I shouldn't. She pushed me and pointed me into the new direction my life would take and that includes the writing of her blog and now the new blog that I have.

My voice in writing is different. I can write in the whimsy romantic way that she did but not in the exact manner. Kristy had her voice and it was cute and light and bubbly and oozing love and funny as a hoot and filled with all kind of unique detail and style and.......I could go on for a while.

My voice is manly with direct sentences and without flair or eloquence but pointed in truth and life and desire for the better and also laced with elements of manly romance. Go back and read some of what I have written for months and you will see a similar style found in Kristy's writings. New things are happening in my life that Kristy predicted. It is an amazing journey of new life and new love. I could write more about my new love but that is for another time at a later date.

But now it is time for change and new plans God has ordained. Kristy knew it. My girls were prepared by Kristy for it. God has shown me and I am moving with a new voice and a new love for a new day. It is happening sooner than I could have ever believed, but my Jennifer told me early on that it would happen quickly and that it would be good. Jennifer was right.

Isn't that what God has for all of us. He is ever moving us forward to His plans and purposes so far higher than we know and can comprehend.

I have a new voice. It is different, but it is a voice God has given me.

NO CUSSING WEEK

I don't cuss, but I did say my Sunday School lesson backwards one time. I used to golf, but I didn't have enough religion. I didn't cuss, but where I spit the grass died! Ha!

Do you cuss?

Don't answer that, but I was watching a CNN news program that mentioned  a kid in Los Angeles who is calling for a no cussing week for middle school students. That sounds like a novel idea for society in motivating people to talk with a better standard of communication. I guess that is a commentary on society and the continued breakdown of our moral fiber.

I can remember a time when TV did not offer foul language and movies didn't include four letter words. Now it seems almost impossible to find any movies that a family can view together.

Why shouldn't we choose a higher level of speech and use our brains a little more in communication. Nothing is cheaper than hearing foul language coming from the mouths of kids. 

Cussing doesn't advance anything is society and it makes for a lower life. Here is for hoping that that the young guy calling for a no cussing week makes a big dent in foul mouths.

MORE REDECORATING PICTURES

Here are more of the redecorating pictures of my house. Wanda and Tara worked hard last weekend to add the little touches that made everything come together. I really like the way it all looks. 

Before Kristy passed she talked very frank with me and my girls about painting and redecorating the house. She wanted my life to go forward and the one who God would bring into my life to feel free to make this her new home. That is amazingly unselfish love. 

My life is changing and it is moving forward to all the goodness that God has planned. It is both exciting and challenging, but I am ready and now is the time for it all to happen. God has been so good to me. He is very faithful.

CONTEMPLATING

I am contemplating what's next on the house redecorating agenda. Here is a picture that my Mom took this past weekend when they came up for a brief visit. Wanda and her daughter-in-law, Tara,  chose the colors and made the decorating changes. I really like it. 

My camera had a problem and wouldn't let me download pictures that I have taken. I hope to put some other pictures up tomorrow that show the painting and decorating project up to this point. 

There are a number of other improvements that I want to make and in the next few weeks I will be working on them. Inch by inch anything is a cinch.