Changing of the Season

Today, at 5:18 PM, Summer is officially over and Autumn takes it's place. Around here it's been hard to distingush between the two as of late. The evenings have been crisp and cool and the days have been warm and even humid. Change is in the air. I am ready to go to an orchard and get some fresh apples, cider, and walk around a pumpkin patch. I have seen people already put out pumpkins and scarecrows as decorations. For us, we like to have a fire in the pit out back most weekend nights. The kids like inviting their friends over to roast hot dogs and marshmallows for smores.

Fall is my second favorite season. When Mike and I were planning our wedding, he agreed that a winter wedding would be fine. When October came around that year, I told him that we may have already been married if he hadn't agreed to December. He was a little upset because had he known that, he would have pushed for an Autumn wedding. But that was almost 19 years ago!

Change in our lives is good. I married a guy who isn't really into changing his routine too much. He likes to make a plan and stick with it. What fun is that? Routines are good and I love to have the kids on a good schedule. But to deviate from that now and again makes life interesting. If we don't change, then how are we to grow? Just like the leaves change on the trees, the weather subtly begins to cool, and the light fades quicker from day to night, we need to change. Change our thinking, our habits, and turn toward things more eternal and not present. God wants us to fix our eyes on the prize of heaven, not the here and now. The world will give you your prize right now if you want. God makes us wait. God wants us to come to make choices about him for ourselves. He wants us to know that even though He will never change, we can change. No matter what your lifestyle is, how much sin and sadness is there, you can change. You can make that choice to change your season from worldy to eternal.

Daniel 2: 19b-23 "Then Daniel praised the God of heaven 20 and said:
"Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever;
wisdom and power are his.

21 He changes times and seasons;
he sets up kings and deposes them.
He gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to the discerning.

22 He reveals deep and hidden things;
he knows what lies in darkness,
and light dwells with him.

23 I thank and praise you, O God of my fathers:
You have given me wisdom and power,
you have made known to me what we asked of you,
you have made known to us the dream of the king."

Happy Birthday

Today is my husband's birthday. He is 47 years old. He doesn't seem like it, does he? He seems younger to most people, but not the kids. They think he is ancient. Isn't that what most kids think of their parents?

Today he had to go to work. He said it was tempting to call off, but that really isn't his style. He has a sense of duty to those he works with. He is dependable and always comes up with good ideas. He is very sensitive and he is very caring and loving. I am very lucky to be married to him.

Tonight there will be ice cream with our kids and their friends. The kids and I thought we were taking him out to supper after football practice, but he decided he wants to do that before the football scrimmage tomorrow evening. So it will be Mike, Timm, Allie, and our two adopted kids-friends. He suggested it, not us. Allie made a comment about this evening being "family-time" and Mike said "Oh, I thought we would just do that Friday night. But if you really want to do something, I have been craving ice cream. I figured we would just go down to the UDF and get some after practice." One of our adopted kids-friends was there and he told her she was included too. Then Allie got excited that maybe Austin could go too. So we will see. I think Mike suggested that because he really wants his kids to be happy and he knew Allie's day wasn't too good yesterday (that's for another day).

So add kindness, caring, and thoughtfulness to the list of characteristics that make up Mike. He has been such a blessing in my life and in the lives of my family. I thank God for him every day.

Galatians 5:22 - 23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

He is still working on some of these, but others he has down pat!

Happy Birthday, Mike!

God the Father - June 19, 2009

This coming Sunday is Father’s Day. I have a lot to be thankful for. I have a husband who is a good father to his children. He supports them, loves them and wants to be with them. I have a father who is a great dad to me and Mike. Even though he’s been ill and feels like his body has been run through the ringer, he still has tried to always be someone I can count on. He loves me, cares for me and does what he can for me. I love both of these men.

I have another Father too. Though I can not physically see him, I know he’s there. I can sense he’s there. He adopted me as his own. He wrote me a love letter and he gave the ultimate sacrifice for me and for you. I don’t know many Father’s who would do that. Take some time this weekend and thank your dad for all he’s done for you. It’s was a hard job raising us to be Christian men and women, but somebody had to do it.

Galatians 3: 26 – 27 says “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.”

It is through our faith and obedience that we are sons (and daughters) of God. What a reason to celebrate!