Living the Life

I have captured an image of Otis the Quat basking in the late morning sunlight on this beautiful morning. He is resting after running a few laps around the house and then diligently watching the birds frolic outside.

I Have Asked God For A Truck

'04 Chevy S-10 with 115,000 miles and new tires and brakes. 6 cylinder, four-wheel drive; owner says it runs good, and the exterior is pretty clean.

I have asked God for that truck.

I know His power has no limits; I know He owns the cattle on a thousand hills.

Praise be the Lord!

Name That Picture

yes, i'm sure I read that somewhere

...we were o-kay...

I like me; my customers like me; my wife likes me...

Show Dick some respect!

Rusty, do not eat the family truckster

We are Groot

'Someday' is a very dangerous word - it's codeword for 'never'

Scared, Major?

And he smells like strawberries!

♪ I've got eyes that can see right through le--ee--ad

You know how to get to Carnegie Hall don't ya? Practice.

I'm not a damn spy.

Monsieur le Maire!

Jupiter 2 at the Sci-Fi Air Show

Wonderful Wednesday

De Colores!

De Colores
De Colores the fields love to dress in all during the springtime
De Colores
De Colores the birds have their clothing that comes every season
De Colores
De Colores the rainbow is vested across the blue sky
De Colores and so must all love be
of many bright colors
to make my heart cry
De Colores and so must all love be
of many bright colors
to make my heart cry

 

Sings the rooster
Sings the rooster with his kiri kiri kiri kiri kiri
And the cluck hen with her cara cara cara cara cara
And the baby chicks
And the baby chicks with their pio pio pio pio pi
De Colores and so must all love be
of many bright colors
to make my heart cry
De Colores and so must all love be
of many bright colors
to make my heart cry.

... Monday ...

Emotions running all over, coffee may help, tired, scared, wounded, worried, joyful, angry, loving, loathing, contrition, praise His Name!, hating evil, confused, sad, remorseful, strength from above, rise up, Golden Rule, glory to God, He is King of kings!, needing forgiveness, envious, hesitant to forgive, yearning for intimacy, anticipation, food cannot continue to replace the Comforter, good deeds?, good movies, good bourbon, good Tiger wins, ugly Tiger wins, un-husbanded garden, un-husbanded wife, vehicle troubles, late bills, Monday Monday, all about that bass no trouble, nice people on the phone, that daily damnable slam downstairs, peace?, forgiveness!, love...




Love





Love!





Love conquers all!!





LOVE NEVER FAILS!!!





This day, I choose to love; praise God!


 

Sacred Saturday

The smells of this time of year in south-east lower Michigan are distinct; I am again reminded of renewed life, growth, and hope.

The hummers end their long journey north and visit our feeder with peeps of joy and satisfaction.

The perennials begin pushing out of the ground, the bees surround the small dappled willow leaves, the buds are large on the plum tree – and small on the lilac.

And even in this time of brightening colors and sounds, I am sad and worried…

When families are being torn apart, I know God weeps with us.

When the rent is three weeks past due and the car needs huge parts and repairs, I know God will guide us and lead us through this. He will provide!

When we owe so much to so many people and there does not seem to be a way ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! … … … I know we are not alone, I know the situation is not hopeless.

In the midst of troubles, God is our ever-present Help.  

Thank You, Father, for being our Sustainer, our Provider, our First and Last. I praise Your Name on this beautiful morning.

Forgive my distress. Forgive my lack of faith – Father, increase my faith!

I pray for those who have it far worse than us this morning…and let me never forget Christ’s sufferings and death.

Thank God It IS Friday!!

Tech?-No,-Idiot

Sometimes I think I'm technologically savvy, and sometimes I'm like what am I doing here??

 Instagram I still can't figure out, doing OK with Twitter, and I love my 'new' phone, which lets me say my text messages. I don't have to touch the keyboard at all, until 'Muchas gracias to you senora' becomes 'Which is Crysis 2 using your O' :-)

I spilled half of my water bottle into my keyboard this morning. I immediately turned it upside down to let as much drain out as possible. The water also managed to saturate the wireless receiver AND the desk phone. I dried off as much as I could and hoped for the best.
No issues whatsoever. Praise God!!

I don't own a tablet and I'm really not sure what RSS feeds are. 

Tuesday before 15 April

Did our taxes by myself for the first time in many, many years.

Some years, I just didn't do them at all, some years we paid a nice man in Howell to do them.

I am thankful that all we need are a signature and a stamp, and a postmark date no later than tomorrow - all without spending the hundreds that the nice man charges.

I am thankful that the 6-1 Tigers play tonight and I have a barbecue dinner date with my sweetie.

I am thankful that my boss is not grumpy to-day (and even more thankful that I have chosen not to be, also!)

I am thankful the loans in our pipeline are moving along ...

I am thankful my fantasy sluggers are swinging well, in spite of my pitchers not pitching so well.

I am thankful for the bright sunshine to-day, the warm daytime temps, and the cool sleeping temps!

I am thankful for nice people I get to communicate with each day.

I am thankful for the relatively low interest rates available to people buying and refinancing a home.

I am thankful for the help God provides us pilgrims through different people along the way.

I am thankful for my wife's sense of humor.

I am thankful for WFMK, 'To-day's Lite Rock', which really plays Til Tuesday and Rick Springfield, along with popular contemporary stuff (without the rap crap), and doesn't really play what I consider 'rock' at all.

I am thankful for the love that God has for our children.

Monday, Monday

I was sick all weekend and not at all too happy about it. The sun is out to-day and I am thankful, though; the high temps should be in the sixties all week.

Praying for guidance and restoration and reconciliation and for God's provision...

What I Learned To-day, and How My Resolution Has Been Strengthened By It

Even though you pray for someone every day, things can still happen to them that you would not wish upon anyone.


Dear God,

My heart has been shredded by this news. Although it happens often, when it happens to dearly beloved, it hurts so much.

Father, into Your care I commit all involved. Love, lead, guide, and nurture this family back to wholeness in You. Be glorified through these circumstances.

Blessed be God forever!! 

Easter Friday

Christ is risen!!

He is risen indeed!!

Courtesy of GLAD. I used to have this cassette tape.

Courtesy of ACAPELLA. I used to have this cassette tape, also.

Easter Monday

Lent Day 40

Knower of all things, 
Creator of all that is good,
Redeemer of mankind,

Thank You for this special time of year, 

when we remember Your Son's suffering and death;

the death He died

that we might live.

All praise to You, eternal God!

Lent Day 39

Go to dark Gethsemane,
Ye that feel the Tempter's power;
Your Redeemer's conflict see,
Watch with Him one bitter hour;
Turn not from His griefs away,
Learn of Jesus Christ to pray.

Follow to the judgment-hall,
View the Lord of life arraigned;
Oh, the wormwood and the gall!
Oh, the pangs His soul sustained!
Shun not suffering, shame, or loss;
Learn of Him to bear the cross.

Calvary's mournful mountain climb;
There, adoring at His feet,
Mark that miracle of time,
God's own sacrifice complete.
"It is finished!" bear Him cry;
Learn of Jesus Christ to die.

Early hasten to the tomb
Where they laid His breathless clay;
All is solitude and gloom,--
Who hath taken Him away?
Christ is risen! He meets our eyes.
Savior, teach us so to rise.


Go to Dark Gethsemane
By: James Montgomery


The Lutheran Hymnal
Hymn #159
Text: Lam. 3:19
Author: James Montgomery, 1820, 1825
Composer: Richard Redhead, 1853
Tune: "Gethsemane"

Lent Day 39

Breaking the coals
Makes the fire burn bright
Doesn't seem right
Doesn't seem right

Plowing the row
Makes it outshine the field
Doesn't seem real
Doesn't seem real

But of all the things
That don't make sense to me
There is yet a greater mystery
The river of Peace
That flowed on the wood
The beautiful blood
The beautiful blood

Meek is the lion
and brave is the lamb
Don't understand
Don't understand

The death of the One
To bring life to the rest
Who would have guessed?
Who would have guessed?

But everything's clear
Next to the mystery
Of almighty God nailed to a tree
To carry a debt
That I never could
The beautiful blood
The beautiful blood

Yes, everything's plain
Next to the mystery
Of almighty God nailed to a tree
Taking His place
Where I should have stood
The beautiful blood
The beautiful blood

Lent Day 39

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.
 

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.
 

See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
 

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.

Lent Day 39

On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suff’ring and shame;
And I love that old cross where the Dearest and Best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.

Refrain:
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it someday for a crown.

Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.

In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.

To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He’ll call me someday to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I’ll share.


And an a cappella version, with special thanks to the Calvary Mennonite Church youth group from Paris, Tennessee:  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzRxoXvTBV4

Blessed be God forever!

Lent Day 38

Lord,

Forgive me for leaving so often, during these forty days. Forgive me for being a fair-weather follower. 
Thank You for the song this morning Joy Is Like The Rain, as the first spring storm works its way across our fair state.