WRITING MY (OUR) STORY

Wanda and I have a wonderful story of love and grace. We both experienced happiness and love in our first marriages, and now God has brought us together to complete our life's journeys. I have long felt that I should write my story and our story in book form, but parts of my story were still to painful for me to bear. Wanda has encouraged me to begin with writing our story first and then go back to the story of our first mates, and specifically Kristy and me.

I had thought I would write before now, and I tried several times. It was too painful. I couldn't do it. I really don't know how I wrote all those blogs on Kristy's blog telling her story and how story day by day as it unfolded. Somehow I did, but I don't know how.

Now I am feeling compelled to move ahead in writing our story. I have begun and will post some of it on this blog. I feel Wanda and I both have unique stories of love and second love that could encourage and inspire others. We have been told this over and over.

So, look for new posts soon that will share our stories of loss, pain, shock, grief, and new joy, hope, love, life, fulfillment, future, and destiny.

It isn't an easy story, but it is a blessed story. It is a story of God's recovery and blessing. It is our story.

DUMB STUFF

Have you every done anything dumb? I mean really dumb?

I saw a portion of a TV program recently that offered reports on dumb things kids are doing today that are extreme and extremely dangerous. They showed young people attempting to jumb over moving cars, or jump off of high bridges, or racing motorcycles on just one wheel, or fighting and taking extreme punches. All of it was dumb.

Why? What is the point?

Are young people so bored today that they don't have anything better to do?

I will admit when I was a boy we had BB gun fights. One time I slid off my top bunk in my bedroom on my head to see of I could do it. Now that was really dumb.

The dumbest thing in the world to me is to play chicken with eternity. Why would anyone risk their soul to an eternity in hell? I don't fathom. Yet, Jesus has provided the way of escape. He has paid our debt of sin. He offers salvation freely to those who will believe and follow Him.

Any other way seems dumb to me. It seems even dumber than dumb stuff kids do today.

A SCARY MOMENT

Scary moments are not good. Church was over yesterday, and I was greeting folks as they left out the front door. A worried mother exclaimed, "My son is gone!"

She was new so I didn't know her or her son. He was four.

"He was with his grandmother, and now he is gone," she said.

"When did you last see him," I asked.

"Just a moment ago, and now he is gone," she responded.

We quickly had people looking everywhere. Our sanctuary is large and we have classrooms that surround it. There are lots of places a little one could be. We frantically looked. He wasn't to be found. We looked with even more concern. The police were called.

We have security that watch inside and outside our facilities, but this little one had gotten away from his family and couldn't be found.

More concern.

Some prayed.

Others looked again.

The mom ran back out to the car where she had already checked for him, and............

there he was. Hiding....

He had gotten some candy from a family member's purse and wanted to eat it before he was caught. He ran out to the car and hid.

Oh my! Were we relieved. The boy was frightened. The mom was thankful, shaken, and upset.

But then I thought about what the Lord taught about being lost.

A lost coin.

A lost sheep.

A lost son.

A lost soul.

I will search with greater passion so that none will be lost.

DID SHE DO IT?

Most of America has been on edge this week with the conclusion of the Casey Anthony trial in Orlando, FL, and the not guilty verdict. Did she do it? The jurors didn't feel there was proof enough to convict so she goes free. Was justice served? Why wasn't she found guilty?

Reportedly the jurors did not think she was innocent, but they did not have enough evidence to convict. In that sense, justice was served. But little Caylee is still dead, and the killer has not been brought to justice.

To some, it seems that Casey Anthony just got off, but did she? Will she get by her with horrible lies and wickedness?

No, she hasn't gotten by anything. There is a higher court of opinion that will rule in this matter. And that court does not have a problem with hidden evidence or lies. This court has an all seeing and all knowing Judge. There will no need to swear to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth in this court. This court has all the evidence and facts. No one can refute what this court knows.

It is the last and Great Judgement before God. Every deed and act will be judged. No one will get by with murder or crime there.

Oh, there is one exception. It is the grace exception.

Grace and mercy will be given to those who accept the payment for their crimes paid by Christ on The Cross. Just think of it. Just think of it. No matter what crimes or sins anyone has ever committed, they will be found NOT GUILTY if they have accepted the Grace of Calvary.

Praise God!

My sins are gone!

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

Learning is a lifetime challenge. The moment a person quits learning or loses the desire to learn, they are dead. Leaders must be learners. Knowledge is power. Wisdom is the power to aptly or rightly apply knowledge. God is the source of both.

Young and old must be fact gathers. Facts help keep the wheels of life rolling the right way. They make the road of life smoother and easier to tolerate.

I cannot tell you the number of times I have wanted to kick myself after I learned an easier, more productive way of doing a task.

God has given us brains. He wrapped a skull around those brains, and I believe God expects us to use those brains. Go figure.

I read an article in the news this week about a motorcyclist who was riding his bike in New York State as part of a protest against a state law requiring motorcyclist to wear helmets. He didn't like the law and was riding in protest without a helmet. Here is the problem. He wrecked his bike and fell on his head and the blow killed him.

Go figure?

His poor application of knowledge in a very unwise way cost his life.

Sad!

Yet, in even more eternally impacting life choices, people make decisions that determine their eternal destiny. Their unwillingness to receive the knowledge of God into their lives leads to a life-time and eternity of sorrow and loss.

The knowledge of the Lord is the beginning of all wisdom.

Knowledge is power.

The knowledge of the Lord makes one eternally wise.

SIX LITTLE BIRDIES

Recently we had six of our seven grandchildren here in our home for several days. Now that will keep a Nana busy! Yes, she was!

They are loads of fun, and busy, busy, busy.

I took all six of them to the Hands On Museum, and of course we took them to the beach. No, there were no trips to the zoo, zoo, zoo this time. Maybe another day.

Wanda decided that she wanted to buy bird houses and let the grands all paint one. I saw paint everywhere, but she prevailed anyhow. They loved it. Each one's little personality came across in their paintings. There was a little paint on the floor and one wall, but nothing was hurt. And, they all had a ball.

Now we have six little bird houses in our back yard, and there will be one more bird house to be painted a little this summer.

When we look out the back window, there all the little birdies' houses. I don't know if they'll ever house birdies, but they will remind us of them and a painting adventure with Nana.

Isn't Wanda special. I love her.

Six little birdies: Alex, Nic, Cole, Paige, Claudia, and Lorenzo. One little birdie hasn't flown in yet, but he will. Alex Clark will make it seven. Then there will be seven little bird houses for seven little birdies. Now they are special!

Cole and Paige are back up for a short visit with their mom and dad. They are the first to see the little bird houses in the back yard.

LIVE FOR TODAY

I went to a funeral of a minister friend this past week. He died unexpectedly from a massive heart attack. Needless to say his family was stunned. His children are grown, but they are all in shock.

No one knew it was coming. The day of his death there wasn't a clue. It just happened, and all their worlds changed. It will never be the same ever again for any of them.

I understand in part. Wanda and I deal with the loss of both of our first spouses. Jim died similarly has my minister friend, without warning. Kristy died after 9 months of illness. We got to say our good-byes, but it came with a price.

What is the point?

Live for today. Live with no regrets. Live to bless.

You do not know what the day will bring.