Happy Birthday to The Aunt

This is a silly picture I took summer '07. We were all trying on Vinny's army issued glasses.

Love you Stace!

Lost in the Woods

I have only been lost in the woods once that I can remember. Vinny and I were young and playing in the snow in the woods behind our house in the winter. We kept walking while it was snowing and then realized we couldn't see our tracks to find our way home. We were so young I don't remember exactly what we were thinking or saying except that we kept searching for an opening in the woods and hoping to see our house. Then something happened that both of us remembered crystal clearly into adulthood. We saw an opening in the woods. We saw a field and a house that was exactly like our house. We thought we made it home and then realized the house was exactly the same except the door was moved slightly. It wasn't disappointing at all. It was very, very comforting to both of us. Soon after that we found our way home. For years after that we tried to find that house in the woods and never could. We thought it might have been a vision from God to comfort us.

My intention wasn't really to share that story but to share how much grief is like being lost in the woods alone. When you're truly lost in the woods alone, you don't know when you're getting out. You may think you're almost there and then after walking for several seconds, minutes or hours realize that you're not. You can feel like you're making progress and suddenly see the same rock outcropping you saw hours ago. Thoughts and memories of people can comfort you just like people can comfort you when you're in grief. But you realize that you are alone and on this journey you have to walk alone. When the sun is shining you can navigate and make some progress but when the storm and darkness cover you there can be intense emotion, pain and physical exhaustion that make you want to give up and not go any further. Then the morning comes and the Light that shines down on you gives you hope and strength to journey on. You stop on a hillside and feast on the fruits of the forest and pretend that you are not lost in the woods but you will stay in this place for the rest of time until you face the darkness, the pain alone. What I mean by alone is no other person can walk this path with you, but God. God holds your hand and gently guides you - sometimes carries you. I am convinced without God you cannot make it through the journey of grief. He is the great Comforter. He is the great Healer. He prays for us when all we can do is groan. Most of all, He knows what it is to walk alone. He came to this earth alone, walked up Golgotha alone, shed His blood alone, paid for my sins and your sins alone, died alone and rose again alone. Thank God we have a Saviour that knows something about journeying alone.

Abortion Survivor Gianna Jessen

Gianna Jessen survived a saline abortion 31 years ago. "I didn't have any burns anywhere on my body -- it was amazing." The saline, however, did leave Jessen with a mild case of cerebral palsy, a slight limp, and a life-long commitment to oppose abortion.

Jessen is featured in a television ad presently running in Ohio and New Mexico, criticizing Barack Obama's four votes against the Born Alive Infant Protection Act (BAIPA).

I asked her why she teamed with Jill Stanek's organization, Born Alive Truth, to make the ad. "It's very important for the American people to know how [Obama] feels about the most vulnerable among us," she told me. (Stanek is the Chicago nurse who began lobbying to secure legal protections for babies born alive during abortions.)

Jessen has been active in the anti-abortion movement for 16 years and testified before Congress in 2002 about the BAIPA. At those hearings she met Stanek, who approached her several months ago about doing the ad. "I was thrilled to do it. It's as if I have been preparing many years for this moment."

Obama responded to Jessen's commercial with an ad of his own, dismissing it as "truly vile" and a "despicable lie." He wasn't the only one: Jonathan Martin, a reporter for Politico, called Jessen "a self-proclaimed abortion survivor." When Stanek produced the evidence of Jessen's claims, Politico removed Martin's slam.

Jessen lives in Nashville where she came with her adopted family 16 years ago. After she survived the abortion, she was given back to her biological mother but was shortly placed with a foster family. At the age of three, Jessen was adopted by her foster mother's daughter.

I asked about her mother's reaction to the failed abortion. "I don't know how she felt at the time. But she came out of nowhere two years ago to meet me at an event. She was a broken woman and quite angry. I told her I had forgiven her for what she did, even though she didn't want any forgiveness."

She isn't concerned about the way Obama describes her ad. "I don't really care what he says. I know he voted four times against proper medical care for babies born alive. That's the kind of man he is." So how have people reacted to the commercial? "Some of [Obama's] supporters will be less than kind, but generally the reaction has been very positive."

Jessen spends her time as a speaker, writer, and real estate investor. She took up distance running several years ago because she "wanted to feel God help me in that situation, to have him carry me over the finish line," though she's given up marathons.

No doubt Jessen, whose visibility is growing daily, will need a similar attitude as she is buffeted by the political winds of a presidential campaign. Since her ad started airing in Ohio, polls there have indicated a shift in McCain's direction. No wonder the Obama campaign responded so quickly.

Day Trip

Dave and I had our first day off together in about 2 to 3 months. It came with a price - lots of working as hard and quickly as possible yesterday and hopefully not too many mountains of laundry tomorrow morning.

Even though we didn't get much rest yesterday and there were remnants of a hurricane today, we decided to brave the roads today just to have a chance to leave town together. We decided to stop in Augusta (only 45 minutes into our 2.5 hour trip to Bethel) for a coffee and regroup because of the torrential downpours. I kind of wanted to turn around but Dave really wanted to see the leaves (was wondering how this would happen in the midst of fog and clouds). After our brief detour, I was feeling better about driving in a tropical storm. As we got closer to Bethel the weather cleared enough to enjoy the beautiful scenery. The town of Bethel is very charming. We bought a map and realized how close we were to North Conway, NH. I hadn't been there for over 20 years. Our view of the mountains on the way was not what it could have been on a clear day, but we thoroughly enjoyed it anyway. We got out and walked around when we made it to N. Conway village. The picture above is stolen from their website. We found the coolest General Store - Zeb's. I am not a major shopper but could have spent hours in there. It was a total blast. We plan to go back sometime soon.

A Living Prayer

Tonight I'm listening to the Sunday morning service over the internet of the church we used to attend in Baltimore. Ariel, a friend of mine, sang a song that describes so much of how I've been feeling.

A Living Prayer

In this world I walk alone with
no place to call my home
But there's One who holds my hand
The rugged road through barren lands
The way is dark, the road is steep
But He's become my eyes to see
The strength to climb, my griefs to bear
This Savior lives inside me there

In Your love I find release
A haven from my unbelief
Take my life and let me be
A living prayer my God to thee

In these trials of life I find
Another Voice inside my mind
He comforts me and bids me live
Inside the love the Father gives

In your love I find release
A haven from my unbelief
Take my life and let me be
A living prayer my God to thee
take my life and let me be
A living prayer my God to thee

Beautiful Second Day of Fall

After jogging around Beauchamp Point (our neighborhood walking area - and tourist attraction), I took Maggie down for a stroll. It's just a beautiful place to walk, jog, read a book - I thank God for it each time I'm jogging.

Our Sleeping Beauty ~ Comfort Queen

Great Quotes

"Before they call, I will answer!" Isa 65:24"

"It is doubtful that God can use anyone greatly that He has not hurt deeply."
~ Oswald Chambers.


"In acceptance lieth peace."
~ Amy Carmichael


Dust of earth, but Thy dust Lord,
Blade of grass in Thy hand a sword.
Nothing, nothing unless it be
Purged and quickened, O Lord, by Thee.
~ Amy Carmichael

If you are strangers to prayer you are strangers to power."-Billy Sunday

"Grace grows best in winter." Samuel Rutherford

"Real pain can alone cure us of imaginary ills." Jonathan Edwards

A Mighty Fortress is Our God - Martin Luther

A mighty fortress is our God,
a bulwark never failing;
our helper he amid the flood
of mortal ills prevaling.
For still our ancient foe
doth seek to work us woe;
his craft and power are great,
and armed with cruel hate,
on earth is not his equal.

2. Did we in our own strength confide,
our striving would be losing,
were not the right man on our side,
the man of God's own choosing.
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is he;
Lord Sabbaoth, his name,
from age to age the same,
and he must win the battle.

3. And though this world, with devils filled,
should threaten to undo us,
we will not fear, for God hath willed
his truth to triumph through us.
The Prince of Darkness grim,
we tremble not for him;
his rage we can endure,
for lo, his doom is sure;
one little word shall fell him.

4. That word above all earthly powers,
no thanks to them, abideth;
the Spirit and the gifts are ours,
thru him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go,
this mortal life also;
the body they may kill;
God's truth abideth still;
his kingdom is forever.

Wow!

I just finished my first 2 jogging miles in what seems like a century. I was on such a good roll until the events of the summer. It felt so good and so bad at the same time. My knees have to adjust to the pavement again. And I have to make sure my toenails are perfectly clipped because I forgot how annoying any little edge can be.

My sugar intake was also going well until this summer. I haven't been doing TOO bad lately. Not eating tons of cakes, cookies and ice cream - I just can't seem to get away from sugar in certain types of sauces or yogurts. I've got to get some berries or something to mix with plain yogurt.

Not that this is important to anyone else - just a milestone for me after a long and at the same time standing still and at the same time moving fast summer.

It's Real

I love hymns and gospel songs. The lyrics can minister so much to your spirit and soul. I played this song over and over just after Vinny died. The last verse made me think of him getting to heaven, but it wouldn't be by faith he touched him - it was for real real.

It's Real
Words and Music by H.L. Cook

Oh, how well do I remember how I doubted day by day,
For I did not know for certain that my sins were washed away;
When the Spirit tried to tell me, I would not the truth receive,
I endeavored to be happy and to make myself believe.

Chorus
But it's real, it's real, O I know it's real;
Praise God, the doubts are settled,
For I know, I know it's real.

When the truth came close and searching all my joy would disappear,
For I did not have the witness of the Spirit bright and clear;
If at times the coming judgment would appear before my mind,
O it made me so uneasy, for God's smile I could not find.


Chorus
But it's real, it's real, O I know it's real;
Praise God, the doubts are settled,
For I know, I know it's real.

But at last I tired of living such a life of fear and doubt,
For I wanted God to give me something I would know about;
So the truth would make me happy, and the light would clearly shine,
And the Spirit gave assurance that I'm His and He is mine.


Chorus
But it's real, it's real, O I know it's real;
Praise God, the doubts are settled,
For I know, I know it's real.

So I prayed to God in earnest, and not caring what folks said;
I was hungry for salvation; my poor soul it must be fed;
When at last by faith I touched Him, and, like sparks from smitten steel,
Just so quick salvation (Jesus reached him) reached me; O bless God, I know it's real!


Chorus
But it's real, it's real, O I know it's real;
Praise God, the doubts are settled,
For I know, I know it's real.

Psalm 10

This reminds me of the current election - don't be sucked in by the empty promises to the poor by those who don't even fear God

Psalm 10
1 [a]Why, O LORD, do you stand far off?
Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?

2 In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak,
who are caught in the schemes he devises.

3 He boasts of the cravings of his heart;
he blesses the greedy and reviles the LORD.

4 In his pride the wicked does not seek him;
in all his thoughts there is no room for God.

5 His ways are always prosperous;
he is haughty and your laws are far from him;
he sneers at all his enemies.

6 He says to himself, "Nothing will shake me;
I'll always be happy and never have trouble."

7 His mouth is full of curses and lies and threats;
trouble and evil are under his tongue.

8 He lies in wait near the villages;
from ambush he murders the innocent,
watching in secret for his victims.

9 He lies in wait like a lion in cover;
he lies in wait to catch the helpless;
he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net.

10 His victims are crushed, they collapse;
they fall under his strength.

11 He says to himself, "God has forgotten;
he covers his face and never sees."

12 Arise, LORD! Lift up your hand, O God.
Do not forget the helpless.

13 Why does the wicked man revile God?
Why does he say to himself,
"He won't call me to account"?

14 But you, O God, do see trouble and grief;
you consider it to take it in hand.
The victim commits himself to you;
you are the helper of the fatherless.

15 Break the arm of the wicked and evil man;
call him to account for his wickedness
that would not be found out.

16 The LORD is King for ever and ever;
the nations will perish from his land.

17 You hear, O LORD, the desire of the afflicted;
you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,

18 defending the fatherless and the oppressed,
in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more.

Missionfield Maine

We've had a busy week/weekend. Things are slowing down at the cleaners but just in time for a our busy week with the church. Wednesday night we went out and invited the neighberhood to our building dedication on Friday night and then we worked on the church building. Friday we worked on the building and then I cleaned my house to prepare for guests and made food for the potluck. We had the dedication on Friday night and it was a wonderful time. The building isn't complete but complete enough to have the dedication and start having church services there. We had a great crowd from MA & MD that showed up. It was a lot of fun that continued Saturday morning with a breakfast, message and then out inviting the neighbors to church. I was wildly cleaning my house Saturday morning for a showing so I got there late, but Dave got to go and had a great time. Here are some pictures.

You Matter

That was the title of the message at church today and it was a good message! I love all of the passages that were used but this one in particular:

13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.

14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

The world would be such a different place if each man, woman and child knew that they mattered to God and they DO!

Impacting one person's life in this way is worth the entire world.

Thank You God that I matter to you and all of the wonderful blessings you give me on a daily basis.

Stealing from Pastor Matti's Blog Again

No Limit

I imagined a conversation with the Lord.
Struggling believer, “Lord, how many times may I fail?”
Loving Savior, “There is no limit to it.”
Condemned believer, “But I’m afraid to believe that.”
Faithful Savior, “ There is no fear in love.”

We can stop speaking to people.
We can put them on probation.
We can put more rules and regulations into their lives
and we can stop them from coming to the church,
but we cannot stop God from giving grace to them.
His grace was not in the first place a reaction to something
that man did or didn’t do.
God was gracious far before the fall of man.
If that is not true, then God is diminished to a reactionary
man like boss, difficult to avoid and hard to please.

Don’t let sin discourage you.
Christ Jesus came to the world to save sinners,
from the greatest to the smallest. I Tim. 1:15
Don’t let your or other people’s failure stop you from
ministering this wonderful message of salvation.
It is everybody’s only hope.

The Mountain Mover

"Don't focus on the mountain, focus on the Mountain Mover." That's from the book I'm reading - Grieving the Loss of a Loved One. I do two things when I'm not focused on the Mountain Mover. I either focus on the mountain or pretend the mountain isn't there. I go back and forth. It's kind of like when I was young and my bedroom was really messy. I would pretend the mountain of mess wasn't there until it was so big I couldn't avoid it. Then I would be so overwhelmed I wouldn't know where to start. I have been wanting to record the last time I spent with Vinny but most of the time the mountain of grief is too big for me to dwell on for more than a moment so I pretend the mountain isn't there. Then there are times like today when I took a side trip home and drove by the blueberry fields my grandfather used to own. Oh how I wanted to rewind time and be on those fields with Vinny again (even though we probably would have been fighting at that age). The mountain is unavoidable at times like those. We all face mountains and praise God for the mountains because with out them there would be no need to focus on the Mountain Mover. I focus on the Mountain Mover by going to Church and hearing the Word of God, reading the Bible and reading faith based books. God uses these things to show me His hand in my life.


Here are a few poems my pastor from Baltimore used to quote... He also went home to be with the Lord just a month before Vinny.

The Bible by William Leggett (verses I & II)

This Book I'd rather own,
Then all the golden gems
That e'er in a monarch's coffer shone-
Than all their diadems.

Nay, were the seas one chrysolite,
The earth a golden ball,
And diamonds all the stars of night,
This Book were worth them all.



“Others”
By C.D. Meigs

Lord help me live from day to day
In such a self-forgetful way
That even when I kneel to pray
My prayer shall be for – Others.

Help me in all the work I do
To ever be sincere and true
And know that all I do for you
Must needs be done for – Others.

Let “Self” be crucified and slain
And buried deep; and all in vain
May efforts be to rise again
Unless to live for – Others.

And when my work on earth is done
And my new work in heaven’s begun
May I forget the crown I’ve won
While thinking still of – Others.

Others, Lord, yes others
Let this my motto be
Help me to live for others
That I may live like Thee.

Hebrews 1:1-3

1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:

Thank You

Today has been a day of reflection on a very tragic day seven years ago. It serves as a reminder of all the men, women and children who lost their lives that horrible day, all the first responders who helped and many who lost their lives, and the men and women who have served our country here and abroad to protect us from this on going fight against terror. It also serves as a reminder for all of those precious people who lost a mother, father, sister, brother, daughter, son, aunt, uncle, grandparent, cousin or friend that day or since that day in the fight for freedom. Thank you to those who have served, are serving, have had a family member serve or have a family member serving. Your sacrifice does not go unnoticed or unappreciated.

Perfect Late Summer Nights and an Overactive Imagination

I love walking through our sleepy little coastal village on late summer nights. I almost want to call them autumn evenings. Most of the tourist and summer people have left and our little town returns to the perfect picturesque seaside town that is all our own. I haven't been walking much lately. I was on a good roll of running just before my brother died. It takes a lot for me to to remain in those good habits during the summer because of the fast pace of our business, but this summer brought way more than I could handle. My dog has adjusted so much to our short walks that we've been taking lately, that when I tried to take her on our normal two mile walk she wasn't into it.

I was enjoying our just before dusk evening stroll over the bridge and looking down to the rocks that had been uncovered by the low tide. Maggie seemed to be enjoying it as well. We passed through the very small downtown, by the opera house and up towards the golf course. As we were about to turn down the road that cuts through the middle of the golf course, Maggie started jumping on me and trying to reverse direction. I pulled her along thinking why is she such a nut. Then, of course, my imagination started to work. Maybe she is saving me from some danger ahead. I crossed the road to turn down the street. When I looked down the deserted road, I saw a man standing half way down by himself in what had become the almost dark evening. He was definitely going to kill me and Maggie was trying to tell me. So we turned around and headed back in the same direction. We managed to enjoy the rest of our walk even after our near death experience.

Two Months

I'm not on a blog roll but there are always things I think to write and never do. I couldn't let this day pass without writing something about the best big brother in the world who went home to be with the Lord two months ago today. There isn't an hour that passes or probably even 10 minutes whether sleeping or awake that he isn't on my mind. There probably wasn't an hour that passed before his death that he wasn't on my mind. He is the only person that I have had the type of connection that we had. I am not a parent but I can imagine that this is probably how they feel about their child. Love tends to be conditional between every human being because we are imperfect. It's easy to have conditional love in a marriage because we tend to have such high expectations on each other that we can get disappointed. My relationship with my brother wasn't perfect but I don't think there is anything that could have ever been told to me or done that would keep me from knowing he is one of the greatest people who ever walked this earth. He had weaknesses and faults but never have I met a more gifted man. He is one of the most brilliant, creative, deep feeling, compassionate, loving, strong, tender hearted, God-fearing people I have ever known. And he is my brother. I love him.

Grandparent's Day

I have been thinking about doing a post on my grandparents for a while. It's hard to put into words how special they are to me. I am a little over tired and not in the mood to do it right now but felt it was appropriate on Grandparent's Day.

My Grandmother - She is a unique and eccentric woman. She marches to the beat of her own artistic drum but holds fast to traditional values. She loves deeply and is the epitome of cool. She never was the babysitting grandmother or someone we would go spend the day with to make cookies or bake cakes. In fact, she made it clear to her own children she had raised her kids and wasn't going to take part in doing the same with theirs. She's not much of a little kid person. She was the grandmother who would pick you up on her motorcycle, have long afternoon chats, balance her way across logs to find a really cool beach, steal firewood to build big campfires, sleep in a leaking tent so she wouldn't disturb your sleep, swim anywhere, ride in the back of a pickup truck for over 100 miles in "North Country" until her skin turned black from dust, went to a red neck street dance in Moosehead because it was her granddaughter's 15th birthday (mine), sang "Achy Breaky Heart" to me all summer because of the crush I had one year, can make best friends in a parking lot anywhere in the country, loves an adventure, makes her children her biggest priority, is her grandchildren's number one cheerleader, is the first to arrive if there is an emergency, has had her heart broken so her compassion runs deep, loves the Lord with all of heart, and is a prayer warrior. Just a few things about a woman who has the gift of hospitality and edification. She is one of my best friends.

My Grandfather - He is a little kid person and the closest thing to a father Vinny and I had. He wasn't with us everyday but when we saw him he gave us the hugs and love I am sure we craved. A testament to this is the only picture found up in my brother's room was one of my grandfather holding him when he was two or three. He has loved us with an undying and unconditional love and is truly a gift from God to us. He is a man of values, is steadfast in his convictions, has sacrificed for his family, he is very tough and very tender hearted, he takes his family on as his own personal responsibility from his oldest child to youngest great grandchild and they remain his priority whether 0 or 52. He is involved, present whenever you need him, always there to give his wisdom, never could there ever be a prouder grandfather, he is broken hearted when his grandchildren endure pain, he will weep when you weep, rejoice when you rejoice, he believes in hard work and men that keep their commitments. He can get angry and you stay out of his way but he always says "If I die I want you to know that I love you with all my heart". He is not perfect but a man after God's own heart. He is my grandfather.

This Isn't Funny Anymore

I think I'm trying to break my own record. Today I woke up at 4 am with no chances of going back to sleep. I stayed in bed for a little over an hour and then decided to start getting ready for work. I hope there aren't any major problems today because I'm already over tired and it's not 6 am yet. Speaking of problems - the other day I was trying to think of my biggest pet peeves at the cleaners. Here they are not necessarily in order:

1. someone sees me at the counter and waits to ask for change for a large bill until I walk to the back and get into doing something.

2. People who leave their trash on top of the machine in stead of putting it in the trash can 2 feet from them.

3. Tanners that lotion themselves up by spraying every possible surface in the tanning room and press themselves up against every surface in the STAND up tanning booth.

4. Very demanding middle age women who act like they have never done laundry a day in their lives and you know they have been doing it for at least 30 years.

5. People who clean out their laundry baskets by dumping everything on the floor.

6. People who manage to flood the place by washing a tarp or something like that and then shaking it out on the floor (hello??). Then they stand there doing nothing as you frantically try to clean this major hazard up with 20 other customers swarming around you.

7. People who happily bring in a wash dry fold and let you discover there are big chunks of vomit they didn't even bother to shake off or a dried on cat poop.

8. People who use 3 laundry carts to store their detergent, purse and other things when we only have 8 total.

9. People who bring in a rug that hasn't been cleaned in 40 years and throw it up on the counter leaving big hunks of dirt and dog hair for the next customer to check in their cashmere sweaters.

10. People who bring in wash dry folds with big balls of human hair distributed through out their dirty clothes

Top things I love about the cleaners:

1. Bella, Ruby, Alex and all the other children who like to come in with their parents and hang out.

2. The regulars you look forward to seeing every week and wonder where they are if they don't show up

3. The community support for a small business

4. The things people tell you

5. Meeting people from all over the world

6. Doing business with other small businesses who understand the struggle

7. Summer coming after a long slow winter

8. Winter coming after a very busy summer

9. The weird stuff you see

10. The student workers we hire from Central/ Eastern Europe

I really should be at work

I don't want to be at work though. I have been up since around 5 with so many thoughts swarming my head. I don't have time to write them all down. I did manage to get the donation cans done for Noah's fundraiser tonight. He's a young boy in our church that has been diagnosed with a rare bone disease. It's something like stone man's disease but fortunately his has only been found in some of his bones and not all. Unfortunately it has been found in his face and his beautiful little face is showing signs of it already.

These are my verses today:

Isaiah 40:28 - 31

28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.

29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:

31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

I prefer the the New King James Version of all of these verses I post but sometimes am too lazy to type so I copy and paste the King James Version.

Okay - so I Publicly Admit it

Many who know me know me to be very passionate about politics. I have to say my enthusiasm about this presidential election was less than satisfactory. In my mind I was only choosing the lesser of two evils (sorry to all you 'Bama fanatics - well, I'm not apologing for my views - more for yours :) ). Then - it happened - my prayers were answered. Out of no where came Sarah Palin - your average hockey mom. A woman I can relate to. Wow! I haven't been more excited about a race since I can remember. She is dynamic and quite possibly will be the first female president of this great country.

To Vinny - Although you probably don't care anymore - I'm not drinking the 'Bama kool aid. Your views, passion and personal political legacy will not die as long as I am alive. I only wish you were here to share the up's and down's of this election.

More Wedding Pictures

The Most Beautiful Wedding Ever...

Just Married


Rye and her bridesmaids


Except for mine of course - well maybe a tie because this wedding was AMAZING!

Jesus is the Living Word of God

The Word is Jesus Christ

1 John 5:7
For there are three that bear witness in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit: and these three are one.


John 1:1-5
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

The same was in the beginning with God.

All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.


Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God [is] quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and [is] a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

A Heartbeat Away

I like the Democrats slam on Palin - "A heartbeat away from being our next president". It's not a slam at all to me. I like her best out of everyone. I love her authenticity and almost everything about her. I think that the average American can relate to her.

We are all a heartbeat away from so many things. Most of the time I live a heartbeat away from crying. Little things remind me of my brother. As time moves on it becomes more of a paradox. It seems as though the peace is growing deeper but the realty of the finality is as well. That's why I live a heartbeat away from crying and also very aware that all of us live a heartbeat away from meeting God face to face. The book Grieving the Loss of a Loved One has been very helpful in processing my emotions.

It's also a reminder that many unborn babies are a heartbeat away from death - very sad to me - thankfully they go to heaven. And, hopefully, a reminder that many abandoned children are longing to be a heartbeat away from finding a forever family.