Beautiful Date

On Friday, the 12th of December, I took Emory to her first dance. That's right, her first date was with her daddy. If it is up to me, she won't have a different date until she is 30, she told me that was okay with her (I wish I had a recording device). We had a blast. Of course, it started with getting ready for the ball. Emory had been anticipating this night for a couple of days now, so when she got to put on her white dress that she wore as a flower girl last summer in a friend's wedding, she even stopped watching a TV show to do so. After getting dressed, mommy came home and acted as the beauty salon. I had to bite my tongue a couple of times, because we were running a little behind in my planned schedule, but I feel I was pretty patient. I am sure this will only get worse, the older she gets (Emory, I mean). After mommy snapped a few photos (as you can see above) Emory and daddy were off to the 5th Annual Father/Daughter Winter Dance.

The dance itself has raised over $10,000 for the needy over the past four years and only promised to get bigger. We arrived at the ball, checked in our coats, and proceeded to wait in a very long line to have a picture taken (I will post this when I get a copy). Then we sat at a table and met a nice young lady and her daddy (who proceeded to hand me a business card so he could appraise my house for me). After waiting in another very long line for a child-size portion of frozen lasagna, we dined over a nutcracker centerpiece and a plate of homemade cupcakes staring us in the face. For dessert, we made an ice cream sunday. Needless to say, daddy had to worry the whole time that he would get in trouble when he got home for allowing Emory to eat chocolate sauce with a white dress on, I accepted the risk with nervous reservation, I might have even said a small prayer (no...I am not afraid of my wife...I wear the pants in my family.....when she lets me). After eating every bite of ice cream and drinking, as Emory puts it, "the soup", we hit the dance floor and cut a rug. Emory twisted and jumped and did things I had never seen her do before. Daddy pulled off moves he hadn't even thought up yet; I was going to enter the daddy dance contest, but Emory wouldn't let me. As we slow danced, I told her that if any other boy ever asked her to dance, what would she say? Her answer: "You're going to have to ask my daddy." Of course, the whole evening was wonderful and I couldn't have had a better time. I only hope she continues to think of me as the only man in her life. I am a blessed man with a beautiful little girl and a beautiful wife from whom she got her looks....oh, yeah....and a son that is just as much of a hottie as I am.

Emory.....you swept your daddy off his feet last night, I love you.

I'm Back!

Well, it has been close to a year since I last posted on this blog. I feel terrible about it, but I am back. Since I last posted, I have read a couple of books that have spoken to me and helped me in my quest to be more Christ-like. One of them was The Shack. If you haven't read it, make the time. I read it on our trip to North Carolina and Colorado this summer, both of which were road trips. I actually had to make Angie drive more than normal because I couldn't put it down. It was amazing in every way, giving me everything from answers to God's mysterious ways to a personification of the Holy Trinity to a deeper love for my children. Again, all I can say is make the time.

Today at church, Pastor Tim preached on Raising G rated kids in a XXX world. While there was a lot of substance to his sermon, it was his convicting words on parenting styles that gave me a recharge in my desire to make sure my kids turn out alright; I wish all parents felt that way. As a teacher, I am able to see on a daily basis what poor parenting or not parenting does to a child. It is good to be reminded that it is my "God-given responsibility" to raise my kids to love the Lord and to be positive contributors to society. I vow to continue this daunting task, even when Emory becomes a teenager and Miles becomes bigger than me.

Thank you God for those two wonderful blessings in my life.

Give it up!

I don't understand why I can't give it up to Him. I know He will lead me through tough times, but, for some reason, I think I can do it myself. About two weeks ago, I had some issues come up in my band program at school. Without getting into details, the situation is one I hope I never have to endure again in my career. Unfortunately, I am still enduring this one. It just won't go away, not that I expected it to, I just wish there was an end in sight. Yes, I know, "this too shall pass", but I want it to pass right now.

I will learn my lesson from this one. I need to let the Lord take care of me in times like this rather than ignore Him and suffer the heartache.

Lord, continue to let me make decisions that educate kids and teach them how to be better people. Lord, when I do this, please allow the parents of these kids to appreciate my efforts rather than disagree with them. Forgive me for ignoring you during this time when I should have been turning to you for answers. Forgive me for not talking to you enough, help me change this, it's in my heart to do it. Amen.

Something Always Brings You Back

Sorry it's been a while. I have horribly been procrastinating making posts on my blog. In fact, the last post on here Angie posted accidentally on my blog. It has seemed so easy lately to stray from the path I committed to last fall. You all know how it goes, the worldly stuff just eats at you until you succumb to it's pressures, which, in many ways, I have. I guess part of me was waiting for some reassurance from God that I was on the right path, or that he was proud of me. I know that He does and I know that He is. I don't know what it is I expected, in fact, He probably sent me plenty of clues and signs, I have just allowed the world to make me blind to them.

Lord, forgive my selfish and sinful ways, let me find my way back to you. Let this be the day I take a step further into my commitment to you.

By the way, here is what really got me tonight. I thank one of my student's mom for sharing it with me. This lady has a way of sending me emails at the right time. I am pretty sure God intended for her to lookout for me. Thanks, Karen.

One Six Right

Clif's best friend growing up, Brian Terwilliger, spent several years of his life laboring over a fabulous film, One Six Right. Visit the website, if you have not already. The film is remarkable and educated me as well as inspired me. He is our age, and his work is that of someone who has been in the business for decades. The work he did on this film was done alone. Because this was his first major work, he did not have a staff working for him. His passion for flight and aviation are enough to bring a tear to you eye.

Power of the Cross

During the recent Lenten season, I woke up early for work each day (well, almost each day) and spent time with God and studying His Word before leaving the house. While the light of day was still an hour away, and only God, Bailey, and Jack keeping me company (well, actually, Bailey and Jack ditched me once they realized I was not going to spend time with them, what a bunch of lazy mutts), I learned a lot about the life of Christ I never knew. I must admit there were moments of doubt, but I kept my faith and continued my journey.

Things began to take on a whole new meaning. Everything from my drive to work, to worship at and away from church, to time spent with my family. During this time I realized how much power the Cross has, how letting it into my life has directly changed my whole being.

Then came the Tenebrae service (Good Friday) at Deerbrook (our church). What a powerful service it was. Remembering the entire process Jesus went through to save us. Looking at pictures of the cross; looking at the large wooden cross on stage, draped with some red fabric; amazed at the cross Kirt built, hung from the ceiling; feeling the cross around my neck; they all rendered me speechless. Could I have done that? Could I have sacrificed so much?

Over the last few weeks, Angie and I have been connected to three deaths. It started with a dear friend of my mom's, Kathy. Cancer attacked her, basically out of nowhere, and took her in under two weeks. She was one of the nicest, most sincere friends of my mom's that I had the pleasure of knowing. Then, one of my great friends, Carlos, lost his father. Although I did not know him, I felt like I did through Carlos' many stories and updates. Finally, a man named Josh, originally from Nevada, MO was tragically killed in a car accident. Josh was a freshman tuba player in the Nevada High School Band when Angie was a senior. He idolized Angie and aspired to be just like her. When he was killed, he was on his way home to eat dinner with his wife and three-year old daughter. These things always seem to happen in threes. Only by the power of the cross can we be comforted that these three warriors for God are dancing on the golden streets of Heaven.

I will try to continue my journey through the Bible in the coming weeks. So far, I feel more blessed each day and I attribute it to the time I have spent understanding His overall plan. Usually when I pray, I thank God for not making the path through life clear; if it was, we might take advantage of that and give up on some of the battles He expects us to fight. It feels good to work for it.

How could you not believe?

When I first began this blog, one of my intents was to casually impress the good things that were happening in my life to some of my non-believing friends and to show them that these things were not happening out of circumstance, but because I have been blessed by God. Not that I want to be preachy and turn them away, but continuing to be a positive influence in their lives and sharing good news with them would hopefully someday let them see what they are missing.
Right now, as we speak, I am spending the week in Blaine, Washington. My mom moved here last summer, where she and her husband bought a great house with the Puget Sound in their back yard. Also visiting are my grandparents and my sister with her daughter, Riley. We arrived at the airport around 4PM on Sunday, proceeded to get a rental car, picked up Sarah and Riley, and headed to a mall for dinner and activity while we awaited the arrival of my mom and grandparents. It was in this mall that I witnessed, first hand, another one of God's miracles. Here is where the non-believers come in. You see, when Riley was born, she had spina bifida, not a very exciting way to enter this world to say the least. The doctor's said she would never walk, let alone do many other things that the rest of us take for granted, and don't realize is simply a blessing from God, again, not circumstance. Anyway, as I watched little Riley, now creeping up on two years old, I was blown away at God's will as she ran around and played with my kids, yes, I said ran around. Now spending the last two days with her, it is evident that God has answered our prayers and blessed our family in a major way for yet a fourth time. With the exception of a little scar on the lower portion of her back, Riley acts and looks completely normal and there is no doubt that she will continually be blessed with God's mercy, she is a gift. This cannot be circumstance.

"Every good and perfect gift is from above."