Jehovah-Jireh

God is my provider. A quote from today's devotional from Chuck Swindoll "God's direction includes God's provision." How very true this is. God never sets us up to fail. God does not send us and then abandon us. God is never surprised, confused or uncertain. If we remember this - if we truly believe what He says, then we need not worry about tomorrow.

The devotional continues...

"Sometimes we settle into a humdrum routine as monotonous as growing cotton year after year," says Vance Havner, in his book, It Is Toward Evening, himself a seasoned old saint of God at the time he wrote these words. "Then God sends the boll weevil; He jolts us out of our groove, and we must find new ways to live. Financial reverses, great bereavement, physical infirmity, loss of position---how many have been driven by trouble to be better husbandmen and to bring forth far finer fruit from their souls! The best thing that ever happened to some of us was the coming of our 'boll weevil.' ... We have to learn to trust God one day at a time"

blessings on your day.

Bruised Mind

Wow has it been a rough day. I have scurried from one emergency to the next since I walked in the door at work. My brain hurts from trying to keep multiple critical tasks all going at the same time. I don't mind emergencies - it goes with the job. It does make it tough, however, when then come simultaneously.

Comments Please?

The following is a quote from a commentary on CNN. I would like to know what you think.

The unspoken truth is that these businesses don't hire illegal aliens because they can't find American workers, they hire illegal aliens because they don't want American workers. And it has nothing to do with wages.

Illegal aliens mean no workers' comp claims, no age, race or sex discrimination lawsuits, no healthcare premiums, no unions, and no demands for raises, vacations or bigger offices. In fact, illegal immigrants are the perfect employees because they're not employees at all; they're corporate slaves.

Economist Dr. Thomas Sowell once said, "Blacks were not enslaved because they were black, but because they were available." Can't the exact same thing be said for illegal aliens? They're available and we're allowing them to be exploited in the name of cheap groceries.

The full article can be found HERE.

4 out of 8

That is the first thing NoDog said to me this morning. This refers, of course, to the number of days of school left. He hates to be woken up in the mornings. Ironically, on his days off he is often up at that time anyway. I guess we all prefer to wake up by ourselves, eh?

blessings on your day

Productive Night

Got a lot done tonight. SE saved me by cooking the dinner I had prepared (we had meatloaf & mashed potatoes). I took dinner to E at the hospital, picked up a few things at Wally-World, got NoDog's prescription refill, poured money into my gas tank, scheduled my car for a tune-up, did the filing, finished recovering the chairs, started scotch-guarding them, made lunch & coffee and STILL had time to post to the blog :)

Tomorrow NoDog has baseball practice. Hey guess what came in the mail - a Jury Duty notice! WOOT! (just kidding on the whole "woot" thing). AR got 100% on his research project for English, we are very proud of him.

Slow on the Keyboard

I have not been very diligent posting the last few weeks. It seems that work keeps interfering (go figure). My class has gone pretty well this week, only got "lost" twice so far (also managed to mess the lab yesterday).

The picture above is a panorama of the Carina Nebula (Hubble Telescope). God has made some amazing things in our skies. I have gotten way behind on my bible readings so I need to set aside some extra time tonight and try to catch up.

I desperately need a haircut! I haven't been this shaggy in quite a while. I also need to get the Camry in for a tune-up. On the plus side, my new allergy meds seem to be doing the job - much more stable.

blessings on your day

Home Again

Well the weekend is over. The burgers are eaten, the BBQ put away and the kids are back in school (mostly). This week I am in "training" from 8 until about 2. The training is done over the internet so I am still at my desk but logged into a virtual classroom and wearing a headset.

Our Tahoe trip was nice if not spectacular. We didn't get any beach time (obviously) but we did manage to take in some of the sights and do a nature walk between showers.

blessings on your day

God's Creation

The moutains surrounding the Tahoe basin got a fresh dusting of snow on Saturday. The cool weather kept the clouds low enough that the peaks were hidden.

4 Worlds

Stream, Meadow, Forest and Mountains

Forest King

Forest Window

More from Emerald Bay

Emerald Bay, Tahoe

Looking out over Emerald Bay in Lake Tahoe

Can't Wait

The weekend is coming and I can't wait. We are getting away for 3 days to Lake Tahoe. E signed up with one of these timeshare condo deals. If we sit in on the presentation, we get a room at a ridiculously low rate at the Marriott (Timberlodge). It is too bad that the weather is so cool but I am sure we will find ways to unwind anyway.

The Database is Winning

So I have been fighting with the database for 2 days now. I need to delete a truck load of data but it is all linked to other data. I have edited and re-run the program about 40 times now. SIGH.....

SE got a new job (another job) today working at Round Table. Now we have 2 kids flipping pizza. I told her to keep looking in case there is something better out there. Tomorrow she is interviewing at the AT&T store so maybe that one will work out as well.

E worked days today as the Oncology floor is slow (LC=Low Census). Today she as at the Infusion Center (last night she was on Medical/Surgical floor). At least they are willing to find someplace for her to work.

We are having breakfast for diner tonight courtesy of SE. Did I tell you? AR has been talking to the USMC recruiter. I have always encouraged all my kids to do a stint with the military.

blessings on your day

Lemonade

"When life gives you lemons, make lemonade" as the old saying goes. Things rarely turn out the way we envision them. We get side-tracked, the bus is late, the job market dries up or it rains for the first time on that day in July in recorded history. Regardless of what it is, it isn't what we planned.

I have, in the past, posted my thoughts on why "bad things happen to good people" so I won't repeat that here. I have a good friend who is going through a life change that he did not see coming nor would have asked for. As he walks through this time he works hard to see opportunities rather than trials. He works to keep positive and gentle rather than becoming hard, cold, bitter and angry.

I see him as an example to me - there are far too many things in my life that I have not been able to let go. Things I see as disaster rather than opportunity. For me, the struggle is intense as it goes against my very core beliefs. Small hurts I can let go of - even moderate hurts. The problem lies in the deepest hurts - the ones that wound the very depths of the heart.

Rough Day

Dealing with a number of difficult issues right now which makes it hard to "blog." Much of my reading of late has been in the life of David. There are many places where I can relate to what David went through. My prayer is that I can learn from his experiences and make better choices.

blessings on your day

Doctor #2

Went to see my new allergy doc for the 1st time today. Switched all my meds of course. Wanted to test me for allergies (yup I have some) but needs me to be off of all non-steroid meds for 5 days! In the middle of the peak allergy season? Nope, ain't happening. Will reset and try again in July.

E tried a new BBQ pulled pork from Sam's club. Wasn't too bad. At least as good as the other stuff. Tonight is spaghetti.

blessings on your day

The Real Tragedy

While the last post was tongue-in-cheek, this one is not. Fox news reported today that 2 teens are being tried as adults in the beating death of a 7 year old little girl who was in their care (the half-sister of one of the teens). Apparently they were re-enacting a scene from the video game, Mortal Kombat.

Study after study downplays the link between video game violence and aggression in teens. Yet violence in the media and on our game consoles is touching millions of children every day. In turn, according to that same media, these children are acting out that violence in increasing numbers. To be blunt, it isn't the job of congress to control this. The responsibility rests squarely on the shoulders of the parents. The shows we watch and the games we play impact our children whether we like it or not. Wishing it wasn't so will not change anything or save a single life.

Allowing little Jimmy to watch daddy graphically slaughter enemies on the TV screen for hours on end has an effect on little Jimmy's mind. We tell our children it is wrong to hit other kids yet we watch Extreme Smackdown in the family room while cheering for our favorite thug.

When are the parents of today going to learn that if it isn't ok for little Jimmy, it does not belong in the house or at least on the tube while Jimmy is awake?

A Tragedy

MORRIS, Ill. — Got milk? (Foxnews,com)

(quoted in part)

Police say a trailer loaded with 14 tons of Oreos has overturned, spilling the cookies still in their plastic sleeves into the median and roadway.

....... "The boxes came out of the trailer and boxes were ripped open," he said.

...... both lanes of traffic remain closed while authorities remove the cookies, which were "Double Stuf Oreos."

Well It's Here Again

Yup, it is Monday. The weekend was pretty good. It was very hot - too hot to do much in the yard so I focused on small, indoor chores. Had to replace the door knob for the outside garage door (again). Saturday E and I picked fabric for the dining room chairs and I got half of them recovered yesterday. I made chicken skewers Saturday night for dinner using rosemary branches from the herb garden and grilled potatoes & veggies in a foil bag. Turned out nice.

Church was good on Sunday. Ray Johnston continued his series on Philippians and focused on finding joy in our lives. Brian (with an 'i") spent the day up here Saturday as well.

blessings on your day

Don't Be Afraid

I love today's verse. It is so easy (for me at least) to get caught up in fear and doubt. I listen to the enemy whispering in my ear and believe the lies he tells me.

The picture to the right was taken (and copyrighted) by my brother at Yosemite's Horsetail Falls. Thanks Doug :) His website and blog are posted at left.

Zephaniah 3:16-17 On that day the announcement to Jerusalem will be, "Cheer up, Zion! Don't be afraid! For the LORD your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With His love, He will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs."

New Doctor

Saw a new doctor this morning, Dr. Elena Somma. She is very good at listening. Her hubby had the same oncologist that I did at Kaiser. She gave me 2 referrals and 2 prescriptions and heard everything I said. Already did my blood work (as it happened, I had not had my morning coffee yet).

We have the carnival at school tonight for NoDogs so I guess we will be grabbing dinner someplace on the way home. Someone told E that the Sonic is open so we might try that.

Double Date

1st Time Sushi

An Englishman in California

Slowing Down

I fell like I haven't posted much this last week. This is in part due to my cold but also in part due to emotional exhaustion. I need some time alone with my wife to recharge. It seems we are always moving at high velocity on opposing vectors. When we DO connect it is only for an instant and usually to deal with a crisis.

Don't misunderstand, it is not really anyone's fault - it is just the way are lives are at the moment. It means we will have to work harder and get more aggressive at carving out time together.

Oh, I did manage to get E's mother's day flowers (Johnny Jump-Ups) planted ad tied into the irrigation system.

Last Night with Giles

Tonight after dinner, RF and Giles will be heading down to Clovis. We had a wonderful time getting to know Andy. He is an amazing young man and I hope to see more of him in the future. I have no doubt that God will use him mightily in whatever ministry he is lead to.

Tonight we are going out (the 4 of us) for sushi. Giles has never had sushi :) They plan to visit Yosemite and San Francisco next week so at least he will see and experience more than just Roseville & Clovis.

Listen To The Wind Blow

The verse of the day:

Ecclesiastes 11:5 Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind or the mystery of a tiny baby growing in its mother's womb, so you cannot understand the activity of God, who does all things.

As I read this on my screen this morning, I immediately thought of the 2 disasters that struck recently. A cyclone hit Myanmar last week and over 100,000 people perished. The earthquake in China on Monday could claim as may as 50,000 lives. None of these people had any warning and few indeed had any chance of escape.

We don't know what tomorrow will bring - a drunk driver, heart-attack/stroke or even just tripping and hitting your head. Few of us expect to die within the next 24 hours yet there is a good chance that of all the readers out there, someone will experience a tragedy in their circle of acquaintances within the next week.

What will you do if it is your friend - or worse yet, YOU? Are you ready to leave this world behind?

Luke 12:16-20 Then He [Jesus] told them a story: "A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. He said to himself, 'What should I do? I don't have room for all my crops.' Then he said, 'I know! I'll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I'll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. And I'll sit back and say to myself, "My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!"' "But God said to him, 'You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?'

Blessings on your day

Verse Of The Day

Psalm 139:13-14 For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.

w00t!

Ashley can come to my birthday party in Monterey :)

A Little Better

I am feeling a little better today. The bad part of colds and me is that my respiratory system is so weak that they really hit me hard. 9 times out of 10 I end up with a cough that last 2 weeks.

Giles was already up this morning and competing for time in the bathroom. About the the time he adjusts to the time zone change, it will be time to get back on the plane.

I got paged before I even go out my car this morning. One of our production systems was seriously unhappy (users could not log into it). Not the best way to start the day. RF and Giles are having breakfast with an old friend (well old friend to RF anyway) this morning.

Swindoll is doing a good series on Philippians right now for those of you that are up at 7:30 :)

blessings on your day

Because You Just Never Know

So we discovered that one of the neighbors always carries a clean change of underwear in his car because you just never know. You can wear your clothes for several days but you gotta have clean undies.

Tonight was Stouffer's Lasagna due to a baseball game (we won 3-2). I was punked by my neighbor Sue-Ann. She has curry chicken in the crock pot for dinner. Her little girl has nicnamed me Mr. Carp in honor of the Dr. Seuss story (Otto the fish becomes Mr. Carp apparently). I got that nic when I jumped into the pool Sunday to rescue her. She lost one of her floaties and panicked. Fortunately I have developed the habit of removing my cellphone from my pocket as soon as I arrive at the pool. Wet denim is very heavy.

I am still struggling with a bad cold - actually a mild cold on top of very severe allergies. This has a tendency to make my work day a bit more challenging.

Giles has been kicking around with us here in NorCal before he heads south with RF. Today we introduced him to 90 degrees at 6 p.m. He was quite appalled.

For those who care, I caught a stone today.

blessings on your day

Here it comes

Get out the wine coolers and the otter pops! It is supposed to be in triple digits by mid-week. The pools in the neighborhood are all warmed up and ready for swimming. The kidlets hit the water yesterday for a while before dinner (E had a banana split for dinner ;).

Hopefully our Englishman won't melt.

Good Morning NorCal

It was overcast and windy this morning. The little boy and I are really suffering from respiratory issues right now. Not sure if it is bad allergies or a cold.

Mother's Day was nice. Saturday the moms went for pedicures/manicures and then we had a BBQ at my parents. Doug cooked the steaks which were very tender.

Sunday we went to Il Fornaio's (sp?) for brunch. The food was nice although I was expecting more of a buffet style rather than a menu. We relaxed the rest of the day and hung out with the neighbors.

RF and her boyfriend Andy arrived about 9:30 last night. He seems like a really nice guy and I hope we can spend enough time together to get to know one another at least a little bit. Over half of his luggage was stuff RF left behind in the UK (still lots of stuff back there waiting). SE went down to Clovis to attend a prom with an old friend and spend the day with her mom.

blessings on your day

Off Into the Sunset

Heading out in a bit. Been a rough week at work - too many things broke. Spent the entire day recovering a critical system. If all goes well the 2 hour upgrade will be done in 8 (niiiiiiiice).

blessings on your weekend

Real Faith (pt 3)

Sometimes I choose the picture to match what I type. Other times I choose what to type based on the picture : ) The trick for the reader is to figure out which is the case today.

Faith is believing no matter how you feel about it. I "believe in" my marriage even when things are not the best and I truly don't "feel like it." I believe in my marriage because of past experiences (things have always worked out), future promises (we promised never to give up) and my choice. My faith in God works the same way. I believe in Jesus and accept Him as Lord and Savior because of my past experiences with God; because of God's promises (He has kept every one) and my choice to follow Him.

Like the picture says, faith is a journey. My faith today is not the same as it was 10 years ago and (hopefully) will be much different from what it will be 10 years in the future. Some days I advance in my faith and relationship with God, other days I retreat. Regardless of the nature of "today," I choose God. In the same way; no matter how I feel, I choose my wife and my marriage.

blessings on your day

Old Man

For those that might be confused by the preceding post, I am not an Old Lady (although I have been accused of ACTING like one on occasion). In fact, with my next birthday, I am entering in to the next-to-last decade that I am NOT an old man ;) (sorry dad)

Old Lady

When I'm an old lady, I'll live with each kid,
And bring so much happiness...just as they did.
I want to pay back all the joy they've provided.
Returning each deed! Oh, they'll be so excited!

(When I'm an old lady and live with my kids)

I'll write on the wall with reds, whites and blues,
And I'll bounce on the furniture...wearing my shoes.
I'll drink from the carton and then leave it out.
I'll stuff all the toilets and oh, how they'll shout!

(When I'm an old lady and live with my kids)

When they're on the phone and just out of reach,
I'll get into things like sugar and bleach.
Oh, they'll snap their fingers and then shake their head,

(When I'm an old lady and live with my kids)


When they cook dinner and call me to eat,
I'll not eat my green beans or salad or meat,
I'll gag on my okra, spill milk on the table,
And when they get angry...I'll run...if I'm able!

(When I'm an old lady and live with my kids)

I'll sit close to the TV, through the channels I'll click,
I'll cross both eyes just to see if they stick.
I'll take off my socks and throw one away,
And play in the mud 'til the end of the day!

(When I'm an old lady and live with my kids)

And later in bed, I'll lay back and sigh,
I'll thank God in prayer and then close my eyes.
My kids will look down with a smile slowly creeping,
And say with a groan, 'She's so sweet when she's sleeping!'

God Bless All Mums and Grandmas everywhere!

Which Path?

That is what it always comes down to, doesn't it? We always end up with a choice - which path should I take. When we get irritated and yes, even ticked off, we have to make a choice. How should we respond?

When presented with a questionable business opportunity we have to make a choice. We find a wallet on the street containing several hundred dollars - what choice will we make?

Jesus faced this dilemma when He prayed in the garden that night He was betrayed. He asked His Father to take the cup of suffering away. God said "no" and Jesus had a choice to make. He could not go to the cross under compulsion - it had to be His choice. Making the "hard choices" is what it means to be a Christian (or even an adult).

What choices are YOU making today - what path will you take?
______________________________________________________________
James 5:16 Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

Rock and Roll

So still battling the kidney stone. Slept better last night but it kicked in again this morning. It is running about a "2" most of the time with spikes up to the 5-8 range. Still, I guess it beats spending the night in the E/R hooked up to I.V.'s.

SE made chicken cordon bleu last night for dinner. She has her Psych final today. E has her second day of training then it is back to the evening shift at Sutter. NoDogs has a game tonight (it isn't on my calendar so not sure who we are playing).

My daily reading hit Ruth this morning :) Love that book. Swindoll is teaching out of Esther (did you know that "God" isn't mentioned in the book of Esther?).

blessings on your day

Cherries

We got a lot done in the yard this weekend. We had removed the green apple ground cover on the north side early in the spring. Saturday we planted a few flowers and filled in with bark. I put a fuschia in on the south side and a ultra-dwarf Stella cherry next to the veggie garden.

I enjoy working with plants - it is very relaxing. AJ and Ash came up Saturday for their step-bro's wedding but went back right away after it was over.

AR's looked sharp for his prom (see below). E has class today and tomorrow, an advanced life support class similar to what they teach paramedics. Mom & Dad booked their flight back to MN for Birdie's memorial service next month.

I spent much of the weekend battling kidney stones. The only good thing so far has been the fact that I have avoided the E/R this time. Prayers would be appreciated.

blessings on your morning

The Jeep