[the lid]

“I ♥ my Grandmother.”

Sat, 07 Jan 2012 19:50:21 -0500

“I ♥ my Grandmother.”

“Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and...

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 09:06:10 -0500

“Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”
2 Peter 3:18

“Grow in grace”—not in one grace only, but in all grace. Grow in that root-grace, faith. Believe the promises more firmly than you have done. Let faith increase in fulness, constancy, simplicity. Grow also in love. Ask that your love may become extended, more intense, more practical, influencing every thought, word, and deed. Grow likewise in humility. Seek to lie very low, and know more of your own nothingness. As you grow downward in humility, seek also to grow upward—having nearer approaches to God in prayer and more intimate fellowship with Jesus. May God the Holy Spirit enable you to “grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour.” -Charles Spurgeon

"In Jesus, we have hope when tested and help when tempted."

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 08:17:16 -0500

“In Jesus, we have hope when tested and help when tempted.”

Resolutions for 2012

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 17:48:59 -0500

1. Don’t buy meat on E-Bay.
2. Maintain personal lifetime “arson-to-shoplifting” ratio.
3. Goal: pancreatic health.
4. Proper grooming. At least monthly.
5. I’ll be running for President. It’ll be a very low-budget, under-the-radar campaign with lots of mudslinging.

Jackson Browne: “These Days” and “Running on...

Mon, 02 Jan 2012 21:52:29 -0500

Jackson Browne: “These Days” and “Running on Empty”

Football at Four Years Old

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 22:27:16 -0500

Mommy: What did they throw the flag for?
Daddy: He threw it after crossing the line of scrimmage.
Noah: What's a "line of spinach?"

It’s been a long road.

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 19:04:42 -0500

It’s been a long road.

Video

Mon, 26 Dec 2011 01:43:14 -0500

The kids acted out the nativity story before bed tonight. The...

Sat, 24 Dec 2011 22:24:54 -0500

The kids acted out the nativity story before bed tonight.

The Contractor was recruited to play the part of “Shepherd.” He performed admirably given the short notice to prepare for the role.

Also, there was debate as to which “Wise Man” was giving which gift.

Scene concluded with the group singing “Happy Birthday” to Jesus.

Christmas break, school, out. Teachers are almost crazy. Kids,...

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 15:59:44 -0500

Christmas break, school, out.
Teachers are almost crazy.
Kids, definitely.

“A flower cannot blossom without sunshine, and man cannot...

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 09:46:11 -0500

“A flower cannot blossom without sunshine, and man cannot live without love.” -Muller

Not Pancakes. PntbtrCinBanOatmlChocChip Pancakes. (Taken with...

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 09:39:28 -0500

Not Pancakes. PntbtrCinBanOatmlChocChip Pancakes. (Taken with instagram)

A Little LifeGroup Fun

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 09:47:31 -0500

[Link: A Little LifeGroup Fun]

Family Milkshake Date (Taken with instagram)

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 20:27:38 -0500

Family Milkshake Date (Taken with instagram)

Cousins, Fall 2011

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 22:46:00 -0500

Cousins, Fall 2011

Well... It's Official.

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 14:15:04 -0500

Thoughts on Football

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 06:00:05 -0500

Here are a few quick thoughts on football:

I’m amazed at what Tim Tebow is doing with the Denver Broncos the past few weeks. Amazed.
I haven’t followed the Atlanta Falcons as closely as I thought I would this season. (Still think they make it to the playoffs this year as a wildcard team.)
I’d like to see UGA win the SEC for two reasons: The early season Mark Richt haters and the uproar when LSU wins the BCS without winning their conference.
Aaron Rodgers has not only led the Green Bay Packers to (at-this-point) an undefeated season, but also led my fantasy football team to a 10-2 record, leading our league and looking forward to the playoffs.
I’m excited for Georgia Southern to be hosting the 2nd round playoff game against Old Dominion this weekend. Go Eagles! (Btw, 1pm Saturday on ESPN3.)

The Paths of Your Feet

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 16:21:06 -0500

We were meeting with our LifeGroup, our small Bible study group, this week. This Fall, I’ve honestly looked forward to getting together with this group of people. We encourage each other, they push me, and I feel like we all come away from our times together ready to live a little better.

We’ve been working through a study series called Destinations (one, two, three, four), looking at some principles out of Proverbs and discussing how we can make wiser choices. The bottom line idea is this: Our choices have consequences and our decisions have a destination.

One of the important verses we looked at was this:

“Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.” -Proverbs 4:25-27

I remember backpacking in high school. A group of us were in North Georgia hiking part of the Appalachian Trail. Our group had spread out along the trail just a bit and I was walking alone, enjoying the scenery and watching for the white blazes that mark the trail. I was happy just to be hiking in the mountains.

The trail came into a little clearing; kind of a grassy meadow area that headed downhill. As I walked along, the grassy meadow became very rocky and the downhill became very steep. Then came the end of the clearing. I looked around, checking the tree line for any hint of the trail. And then it hit me: I’d missed the path.

I turned around and made the trip back uphill -the fairly steep uphill- for the quarter of a mile or so I had walked out of the way. And, sure enough, right there where I had first entered the field, the trail had made a sharp left turn and led back into the woods.

In our conversation Tuesday night, I shared this story as a reminder. There are times to enjoy the scenery and times to watch our steps, making sure our footing is sure; moving through life, moment-to-moment, daily decisions, etc.

But we also have to check the map. We have to keep an eye out for the path.

I was watching my steps, but wasn’t watching the path. I was looking where I was going, but wasn’t checking the map. Had I checked the map I had in my pocket, I would have seen the turn in the trail and would have saved myself the extra steps in the wrong direction.

The good news is that in life, much like my hiking misadventure, when you realize you’ve headed down the wrong path, you can turn around and get on the right track. And, much like the hiking, it can be a difficult uphill struggle, it can be frustrating, and there’s lost time you can’t makeup. But that’s no reason to keep heading in the wrong direction.

Our challenge, and the one I wanted to pass-on here, is to take some time, a few minutes or a few hours or a day away, to consider your path. Consider the direction of your life. Have one of those “write your own eulogy” experiences and think about consequences of your choices and the destination of your decisions.

First, ask “Where do I want to end up?” Then make decisions and choices that lead in that direction.

“Give careful thought to the paths for your feet…”

He Bear. She Bear. And bedtime.

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 21:29:27 -0500

He Bear. She Bear. And bedtime.

First fish. (Thanksgiving 2011, with Uncle Wayne)

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 20:48:20 -0500

First fish. (Thanksgiving 2011, with Uncle Wayne)