Weekend Warriors Part Two

Well here it is July 15th and the summer is officially half over. Since my last post it has been a roller coaster of emotions for Andi and I. We have continued to spend every weekend in San Antonio. Her mother continues to grow ill both mentally and physically and because of her illness she can no longer live by herself, and it has been difficult to find placement for her. This situation in our life has once again shown us that we have to fully rely on God for the strength to endure. We are learning so much about ourselves, and together, Andi and I are growing closer not only to one another, but also to Christ. He alone will see us through the night and we will weather the storm that is surely ahead of us. Sure our summer has had great memories of good times and those are the ones that we are clinging to, yet it has also been field with those memories that will not soon be forgotten. Our hope lies completely in Christ and we are sure that His mercies are new daily. Andi and I have realized that we should stop asking the "why" but the "how are you growing us" questions. This has been where I have found peace. He continues to sharpen us daily as we face the difficulties of our future.

Proverbs 27:17 - As Iron Sharpens Iron, So One Man Sharpens Another.

Oh that I would never be dull.

Weekend Warriors

In May I sat down with my staff and we discussed our summer schedules for the office. As we all discussed our summer plans, I casually made the comment that Andi and I were just going to be taking a couple of weekend trips this summer and a big vacation next summer. Little did I know just how wrong I was, it has been every weekend! We have been on only two planned weekend trips, the others (since May) have been unexpected trips to San Antonio to take care of Andi's mom. We have had great times and we have had rough times during our weekend excursions. I can't wait for the fall to get here so that we are in a normal pattern of life! Andi and I are definitely enjoying the summer, but we miss the time with our church family and a weekend to relax!

Continual Change

The older I get, the more I realize that change is an everyday part of life. Change, for the most part is good...some would even go so far as saying change is GREAT! Yet, there seems to be those who are resilient to dramatic change and they want everything to stay the same as it has been since the "Leave it to Beaver" days. Unfortunately we don't live in this sort of mythical world. No, our world is in a constant state of change. We are either growing or we are shriveling our minds and bodies. Growth is change, and growth (no matter how you look at it is good - often great) leads to a stronger understanding for the call that God has placed on your life. One of my favorite illustrations of this is found in Philemon. I am a big fan of redemption and this short letter from Paul is all about growth and redemption. Philemon had every legal right to punish Onesimus for running away, but through the Holy Spirit and Philemon incredible faith, Onesimus was forgiven and redeemed. Onesimus changed, he became a follower of Jesus Christ and his life was changed forever. As we continue to walk this path of life, we will be in a continual state of change. Some of us will change in ways that are not pleasing to the Lord, and others will grow closer to Him daily. Oh how I pray that I am sharpened everyday by the men in my life, to encourage me to change and to be the man God has called me to be.

Golf and Friends

On Monday night Andi and I went over to another couples house for dinner. It was so good! The food was amazing! Andi and I love being around this couple, they are a great example of how to love on people and we love getting to play with their daughters (2 and 1). After dinner we all set down for a nice game of no limit hold-em (no buy in mind you!), and let me tell you, the Gilillands were hot that night. Andi and I seemed to get all the cards. Unfortunately, we were not the big winners for the evening, nevertheless it was great food and fun with our friends.

Yesterday I played golf with one of my favorite buddies. It was nice and relaxing as we battled through Diamond Back, bad shots, and the ever increasing heat and humidity. There were great shots such as my 30 ft (+) putt for par, and Tim's stellar tee shot that saw the ball go straight up and back down, right in front of where he had tee'd it up. Great memories. One of my favorite aspect of the day was just having the time with Tim and sharing. I think he said it best in a recent e-mail: "As much as I will enjoy reading your blog, I much prefer our times together face to face in engaging conversation." How true that is. When was the last time you had engaging conversation with a loved one or a friend? Make some time to engage them in their interests and listen intently to know their heart and mind. Trust me it will bless you beyond your imagination!

Overcoming

Overcoming great odds or even small odds can sometimes cause a man to struggle with the question, "is it worth it?" My answer is, of course it is worth it. We are reminded in James 1: 12 "Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him." (ESV) Isn't it amazing to think of how much Christ loves us? His grace is so refreshing and it is this grace that gives us the hope for enduring the trials. Overcoming odds is a theme that we will all endure throughout our lives. Let us take captive our thoughts and remain steadfast under trial. I know that we will be more richly blessed when we have overcome the odds.

One Year Anniversary!

I can't believe that it has already been one year of marriage. A good friend of mine told me the other day, "the first year was my toughest". I would have to say that this has been a great first year! Andi and I started our year at Lake Tahoe and celebrated our year at Inks Lake. Tahoe was fine accommodations, and Inks was fine camping at its best (rain included, free of charge!). We had a blast a year ago and just as much fun camping. I will admit, the water at Inks was a good 40 degrees warmer than Tahoe! We didn't see any mountain lions or bears on this trip, just deer making their way through our campsite. No rock climbing in Yosemite, but we kayaked the lake, had a great time on a jet ski, and hiked thought the pink granite park. The simplicity of camping was relaxing and a breath of fresh air. We powered down our phones at 12:00 AM on Thursday and didn't power them back up until we got back to Abilene. I am so grateful for the stress free weekend we shared together. Often times we don't take time to be in God's presence the way I believe He intended it to be, in nature. I am so grateful for the love of my wife. My anniversary gift from her was a journal that she had been keeping for me from our days of dating. I had given her the exact same gift on our wedding night, a journal that I had been writ ting to my wife for four years. It was crazy that we were writing to each other at the same time and never even knew it. What a blessing Andi is in my life. It is my prayer that we will continue to grow together and be a blessing to others. I can't wait for the next 50 plus years!