Catching Up

Catching Up

It's been quit a while since I did a blog.....I must confess the longer I delayed the harder it was to do it.  Since my last update...catching up.... Melody and I are proud grandparents of two, a grandson and granddaugther.  Orland...born to Marc and Krystn in Spain, and Caitlyn.... born to Micah and Bria in Olympia. It's great to see how sons be such great fathers..protective and caring.  It makes me very proud of them.

 

More to come with great, fabulous pictures of me and my grandchildren.

Again trying to catch up with life.  It just goes faster and faster every year.

Asking and Receiving

Coming back from Chicago after attending a one day conference on trying to getting a better understanding of what God is directing and doing at this time and season, I asked the stewardess if they had any chocolate to go with my coffee.  She smile and said in my dreams.  I thought some chocolate would go great with my coffee.  I knew they weren’t offering it on the flight but I tied just in case. I didn’t want to buy one of their box lunches because I wasn’t that hungry.  After she walk by one of the people I was sitting next to offered me some wonderful chocolate.   They said they heard me ask and they wanted to share it with me.  I felt a little embarrassed but not enough to turn them down.  It was great.  Biting in that smooth chocolate with hot coffee doesn’t getting any better.  Thank you Pastor Scott for offering that treat.  I am now indebted to you for life.  Oh, the stewardess did come back and gave me a small chocolate treat also.  I was doubling blessed.  All because I asked, in a joking way. 

God says "We have not because we ask not”.  Maybe I need to ask more….just a thought.

 

 

 

Research At Disneyland

After sitting in a conference for hours I felt it was important to investigate the theme park for future trips with potential grandchildren.....I wanted to make sure that Space Mountain was still worthy of riding...my research  confirms it.  I also took in several other rides and my research concluded they would be great for future grandchildren. 

The food stands were also researched and the findings were also good for little ones to share with me.

Well back to the conference tomorrow.  Some one had to do this research in the afternoon so I volunteered.   

A sense of fulfillment

It's been two days since we celebrated Christmas. 

Getting ready to officiate a wedding at our Des Moines campus, on New Years Eve.  It's for one of the families who have been a part of Brooklake for years.  When I got the call from the daughter about her plans to get married I was honored to be asked to perform the ceremony for them.  This is one of the many joys I have in hanging out for several years at Brooklake.  I get to dedicate, marry and some times bury individuals I have seen grow up before my eyes. 

I am a rich man.

Life on a Hog

This morning the sun was bright and I decided to ride my Harley to the office. I love getting on the bike and going for a ride no matter how short or long.  The other day I went for a day ride to Yakima with another pastor friend of mine,  it was wonderful.  The ride today was short to say the least.  One thing about riding a bike , you have to stay focused or you get into trouble right away, either by your own mistakes or most of all the mistakes of other drivers who don't see you.  I don't know if its a guy thing or not but there is something about opening up the throttle on the bike and feeling the power and surge.  It must be a guy thing.   

Last night I had a trustee meeting, it was our fiscal year end meeting with a lot of financial reports for the past two months and the year end report.  Half way through the meeting I began to feel like I was in the fog again mentally.  I don't like that feeling.  But as I sat there I knew I was grieving the loss of my granddaughter and still feeling the pain I saw my son in.   I knew I could make it through the meeting because  we weren't making any major decision, only approving and review reports for the church family. A few times I wanted to just cry, I didn't but I could of.  I left the meeting, went home and was just exhausted from the events of the day.  Let me slip into the teacher role now.  If I feel this much pain for my granddaughter and my son, how much pain Did God our father feel when he sent His son to earth to die for the mistakes of mankind?  Our death experience was not planned, I can't imagine deciding to have one of my children die for others, for their mistakes and blunders.  Yes, I know He knew that Jesus would be resurrected but the pain and agony of the cross and beatings are beyond me.  How great is His love!  Even though God didn't plan the death of my granddaughter, He knew it was going to happen.  He knew as a family, we could either get really mad at Him and blame Him for this happening or we could see that He was there with us crying and feeling our pain, able to walk with us through this time in our lives.  It really is a choice. 

I think as one walks through the various tops and bottoms of life it's important to ride a Harley , it keeps you focused.

Reflections

This last weekend I began a new series titled, “When you’re in a Tight Spot.”  During the second service I became emotionally a couple of times.  I know some of you were wondering what was going on in my life.   I want to take a few moments to share with you what our family has been going through.   That week our granddaughter, Madelyn Nicole Axton, was born but because of internal complications she only lived a few minutes. The diagnosis over the last 30 days was that the baby was going to die either inside the womb or after she was born, based on all the tests that were done.  This last Thursday was her birth and passing away.  Melody and I were grateful that her parents, our son and his wife, were able to hold her while she was alive.  Today as I write this, we have just come back from the graveside where her parents put her to rest.   To say the least we are grieving the loss of this little baby and the pain our son and daughter-in-law are going through.   

When I taught last weekend from Romans 8:28 “We know that in everything God works for the good of those who love Him….”  I stated that the “everything” that happens to you is not good, but God is able to take all that’s thrown at us, whether we caused it, or someone else or just because we live in a fallen world, God is able to take the bad and use it to work out the goodness of His plan.  It is in the midst of sorrow and broken dreams that we as followers of Jesus,  must always know that there is a God who is there who loves us and has a plan whether we know what it is or not.  Life is not fair.  Jesus said in this world you will have tribulation.  At our front door we have a plaque that quotes a verse from Joshua 24:15 (NIV)   “….But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." Our hope and trust is in God.  We have chosen to serve God through the good time and bad times. I know several of you have gone through similar, if not worse, situations in your life. We have been encouraged by you and your faith through your tough times.

During these last 30 days I have kept the trustees and staff informed of our path we have been walking in and have been so grateful for all the wonderful thoughts and pray given on our behalf. We are confident that Little Madelyn Nicole Axton is in the arms of Jesus. David said in 2 Samuel 12:22-23 (NIV)   He answered, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, 'Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let the child live.' [23] But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me."