I hope you enjoy this as much as I did. Turn up your speakers because you are about to hear an eloquent "word" set to beautiful music!
Friday, October 23, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
A quick word
I am amazed out how much time has gone by without blogging. I can't even imagine out much our lives will change once we actually have children living in our home. Back in the recesses of my mind, I think a part of me says "if you think you're busy now....just wait!"
We took vacation at the beginning of the month. I wanted to get "out of town" since all hadn't been going well with the adoption process. We went down to my parents home in Tulsa and had a great time. It was a low key, a very relaxing time; and very much needed.
Of course there was the whole "drama" ordeal with my truck. I had the brakes worked on in the morning before we left in the afternoon. $550.00 later (gulp) we were on the road with plenty of stopping power! So we're tooling down I-44 in Tulsa and exit at Harvard Ave just about 1.5 miles from the parents home. Well, coming up to the intersection and traffic light, I push the clutch in to down shift and the clutch felt like "mush" and I couldn't easily pull the stick shift out of gear. I let out the clutch and stomped on it again - same thing. At this point, I had to "man-handle" the stick shift and yank it out of gear, all the while trying to come to a stop at the intersection. The light turns green, I try to put it in gear to go and it will NOT go into gear. At this point I'm thinking "OH, don't EVEN ....." I ended up shutting the engine off and it slipped into gear. I started the truck again and limped it around the corner into a Jiffy Lube parking lot. I had to call my Dad and tell him "I think my clutch just went out." So, he gets in the car to come and fetch Tamala & I and all of our gear. I left the "old grey mule" sitting right there in the parking lot. I had it towed to an Aamco station less than a mile up the road. This was Tuesday. Finally, Thursday afternoon they call me to tell me it's ready. $1255.00 later.....I'm rolling again. Yes sir indeedy......over $1800 in repairs all within a few days.
Thank God for Dave Ramsey and his financial teaching. Fortunately we had our emergency fund in place and with some other "moving money around" we met the challenge head on and paid the bill!
We made it down to my brother's home and spent a couple of days down there. There was a "house full of us" but hey, when you're with family it doesn't matter. We had a great time and loved every minute of it.
I've got to sign off because there are some more things that I need to get to.
Adoption -
Although our adoption worker is working with us a little better since our last visit on October 5th; the process hasn't seemed to speed up any. I and about to the point of sitting down and writing letters to heads of agencies and even State officials. I don't really want to complain to them - just tell them - this has been our experience. Who knows, I've even thought of calling the local television station. The thought HAS crossed my mind more than once!
Gotta run!
Be blessed!
We took vacation at the beginning of the month. I wanted to get "out of town" since all hadn't been going well with the adoption process. We went down to my parents home in Tulsa and had a great time. It was a low key, a very relaxing time; and very much needed.
Of course there was the whole "drama" ordeal with my truck. I had the brakes worked on in the morning before we left in the afternoon. $550.00 later (gulp) we were on the road with plenty of stopping power! So we're tooling down I-44 in Tulsa and exit at Harvard Ave just about 1.5 miles from the parents home. Well, coming up to the intersection and traffic light, I push the clutch in to down shift and the clutch felt like "mush" and I couldn't easily pull the stick shift out of gear. I let out the clutch and stomped on it again - same thing. At this point, I had to "man-handle" the stick shift and yank it out of gear, all the while trying to come to a stop at the intersection. The light turns green, I try to put it in gear to go and it will NOT go into gear. At this point I'm thinking "OH, don't EVEN ....." I ended up shutting the engine off and it slipped into gear. I started the truck again and limped it around the corner into a Jiffy Lube parking lot. I had to call my Dad and tell him "I think my clutch just went out." So, he gets in the car to come and fetch Tamala & I and all of our gear. I left the "old grey mule" sitting right there in the parking lot. I had it towed to an Aamco station less than a mile up the road. This was Tuesday. Finally, Thursday afternoon they call me to tell me it's ready. $1255.00 later.....I'm rolling again. Yes sir indeedy......over $1800 in repairs all within a few days.
Thank God for Dave Ramsey and his financial teaching. Fortunately we had our emergency fund in place and with some other "moving money around" we met the challenge head on and paid the bill!
We made it down to my brother's home and spent a couple of days down there. There was a "house full of us" but hey, when you're with family it doesn't matter. We had a great time and loved every minute of it.
I've got to sign off because there are some more things that I need to get to.
Adoption -
Although our adoption worker is working with us a little better since our last visit on October 5th; the process hasn't seemed to speed up any. I and about to the point of sitting down and writing letters to heads of agencies and even State officials. I don't really want to complain to them - just tell them - this has been our experience. Who knows, I've even thought of calling the local television station. The thought HAS crossed my mind more than once!
Gotta run!
Be blessed!
Monday, October 5, 2009
Six weeks later - normal again
Finally,after six weeks of being "out-of-sorts", we are back to a state of normalcy. What is so unbelievable is that early last week, we received an email from the contractor that ABANDONED the job six weeks ago. His email said that he wanted to come back and complete the job and undo the damage in which he had left our home. I looked at the email and I was INCREDULOUS! I showed the email to Tamala and said "him he didn't even offer an apology!" I ended up just deleting the email.
So, anyway, we wanted to share a few of what was, and what IS now....
this is how the Entry Hall was left:
this is now:
this WAS the kitchen catastrophe:
the kitchen NOW:
Whew! What a relief!
So, anyway, we wanted to share a few of what was, and what IS now....
this is how the Entry Hall was left:
this is now:
this WAS the kitchen catastrophe:
the kitchen NOW:
Whew! What a relief!
Friday, September 11, 2009
"I'm sorry but we don't believe you're the parents for our children"
Here's a shock - we weren't chosen again! They might as well play a recording for us at this point since they say the same thing over and over again. The other family that was in the Best Interest Staffing for these two boys weren't chosen either. So these boys will stay in the system longer and longer. According to the State's own statistics, the older these kids get the smaller and smaller their chances of being adopted become. What a shame!
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Health care plan -
Let me get this straight.
The President's health care plan will be written by a committee whose head says he doesn't understand it, passed by a Congress that hasn't read it and whose members will be exempt from it,
signed by a president who smokes,
funded by a treasury chief who did not pay his taxes,
overseen by a surgeon general who is obese,
and financed by a country that is nearly broke.
Scared, who me, what could possibly go wrong?!
I couldn't resist posting the above email received from a friend.
The President's health care plan will be written by a committee whose head says he doesn't understand it, passed by a Congress that hasn't read it and whose members will be exempt from it,
signed by a president who smokes,
funded by a treasury chief who did not pay his taxes,
overseen by a surgeon general who is obese,
and financed by a country that is nearly broke.
Scared, who me, what could possibly go wrong?!
I couldn't resist posting the above email received from a friend.
Monday, September 7, 2009
This is my Father's house
Yesterday, Sunday September 6th, after many long months, we conducted our first worship service in our new church building! Let's just say there was a "thunderous" praise that arose yesterday many times during service coupled with a great deal of rejoicing! Everyone wore a smile and there were many tears of joy throughout the servcie. Personally, the level of "anticipation" I had prior to the start of service was "off the hook!" I nearly trembled with exicitement.
Words are realy inadequate at this moment for me to try and communicate the depth of gratitude I have for our new worship facility. You see, Tamala and I have been without a permanent physical church structure for four very long years. When you don't have a building it is exceedingly difficult, not impossible, to conduct some of the ministry outreaches when you do have a physical structure.
We had an email last Friday afternoon that there would be some people at the church building setting up chairs in the sanctuary. They had just arrived that day. So after work, Tamala and I stopped for a quick bite to eat and headed over to the building. There were dozens of people that showed up to help - all on last minute's notice. We agreed to show up again on Saturday morning because Tamala had been asked if she could help out doing some cleaning in the building in preparation for our first service. I had mentioned to our senior Pastor that I would like to bring my power washer and clean off the side walk entrance just outside our main entrance where the construction workers had dripped paint from when they re-painted the canopy overhead. I also asked him if he would mind if I worked on the rose bushes outside and some of the shrubs. I told him I wanted to "shape" them up just a little bit. He said, "Kevin, you can do whatever you want". I was surprised and humbled that my pastor put that much confidence in me and trusted me to that level. As I was trimming the shrubs, picking up trash and debris in the garden beds, dead-heading the rose bushes, I had such a sense of peace and contentment overcome me because I was doing this "as unto the Lord". This is my Father's house, and I wanted to do what little I could to help make it beautiful. For me, bending over to pick up the smallest pieces of trash, sweeping the sidewalks, etc. is my way of "serving" my Father and his children. I definitely didn't feel a sense of pride, or accomplishment (which is a driving force for my personality type) but what I felt was a sense of serenity - yeah, that's the right word, knowing that I can make a contribution in something much, much larger than myself, and that has such eternal significance. Let me explain: the Word of God says that my Father's house, will be a house of prayer. Not only will my brothers and sisters in Christ be coming but there will be those that come that don't have an intimate relationship with my heavenly Father. There will be those that come to my Father's house, that are hurting, those that are sick in their mind, body and spirit. My Father's house will be a place of restoration and healing!
It is for all of these people and for my Father, that I can do the little things that I can. It is a "labor of love". It is a way of expressing my love and gratitude to a heavenly Father that has done so much for me and brought me out of places of darkness. So, every time I hand someone a tithe envelope, or help someone find their seat in the sanctuary for worship, or pick up a piece of trash in the parking lot, or trim a rose bush, I might as well lift mine eyes unto the heavens, smile and say - "Father, it's me - I love you so much! Thank you for all you have done. Thank you for loving me as much as you do."
I would like to extend to each of you an invitation. Won't you please join us for worship experience at our new "house of prayer"? I would count it a privilege to escourt you to your seat. It will be an honor to say......"Welcome to my Father's house"!
Words are realy inadequate at this moment for me to try and communicate the depth of gratitude I have for our new worship facility. You see, Tamala and I have been without a permanent physical church structure for four very long years. When you don't have a building it is exceedingly difficult, not impossible, to conduct some of the ministry outreaches when you do have a physical structure.
We had an email last Friday afternoon that there would be some people at the church building setting up chairs in the sanctuary. They had just arrived that day. So after work, Tamala and I stopped for a quick bite to eat and headed over to the building. There were dozens of people that showed up to help - all on last minute's notice. We agreed to show up again on Saturday morning because Tamala had been asked if she could help out doing some cleaning in the building in preparation for our first service. I had mentioned to our senior Pastor that I would like to bring my power washer and clean off the side walk entrance just outside our main entrance where the construction workers had dripped paint from when they re-painted the canopy overhead. I also asked him if he would mind if I worked on the rose bushes outside and some of the shrubs. I told him I wanted to "shape" them up just a little bit. He said, "Kevin, you can do whatever you want". I was surprised and humbled that my pastor put that much confidence in me and trusted me to that level. As I was trimming the shrubs, picking up trash and debris in the garden beds, dead-heading the rose bushes, I had such a sense of peace and contentment overcome me because I was doing this "as unto the Lord". This is my Father's house, and I wanted to do what little I could to help make it beautiful. For me, bending over to pick up the smallest pieces of trash, sweeping the sidewalks, etc. is my way of "serving" my Father and his children. I definitely didn't feel a sense of pride, or accomplishment (which is a driving force for my personality type) but what I felt was a sense of serenity - yeah, that's the right word, knowing that I can make a contribution in something much, much larger than myself, and that has such eternal significance. Let me explain: the Word of God says that my Father's house, will be a house of prayer. Not only will my brothers and sisters in Christ be coming but there will be those that come that don't have an intimate relationship with my heavenly Father. There will be those that come to my Father's house, that are hurting, those that are sick in their mind, body and spirit. My Father's house will be a place of restoration and healing!
It is for all of these people and for my Father, that I can do the little things that I can. It is a "labor of love". It is a way of expressing my love and gratitude to a heavenly Father that has done so much for me and brought me out of places of darkness. So, every time I hand someone a tithe envelope, or help someone find their seat in the sanctuary for worship, or pick up a piece of trash in the parking lot, or trim a rose bush, I might as well lift mine eyes unto the heavens, smile and say - "Father, it's me - I love you so much! Thank you for all you have done. Thank you for loving me as much as you do."
I would like to extend to each of you an invitation. Won't you please join us for worship experience at our new "house of prayer"? I would count it a privilege to escourt you to your seat. It will be an honor to say......"Welcome to my Father's house"!
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Getting back to NORMAL
Well gang, it's been a week and a half since 'THE ORDEAL' and slowly but surely our house is coming back together. We're getting closer and closer to normal; whatever that is!
We've had a guy come out several times now - AFTER he gets off his day job which is a Supervisor of the maintenance staff at an apartment complex in Lawrence, KS. He has come over and installed the carpet in the two bedrooms, hallway and two sets of stairs. It's looking WAY better than it ever has!
I would imagine this weekend will entail Tamala and I doing some work on the entry hall and kitchen floors. Like peeling up the rest of the "peel & stick" tiles and then nailing down some plywood. We've found some really nice flooring we want to install. It looks really simple, thank God for simple! I don't have the necessary skills for hard installation; or probably the patience.
Let's make this one short and sweet - what do ya say?
We've had a guy come out several times now - AFTER he gets off his day job which is a Supervisor of the maintenance staff at an apartment complex in Lawrence, KS. He has come over and installed the carpet in the two bedrooms, hallway and two sets of stairs. It's looking WAY better than it ever has!
I would imagine this weekend will entail Tamala and I doing some work on the entry hall and kitchen floors. Like peeling up the rest of the "peel & stick" tiles and then nailing down some plywood. We've found some really nice flooring we want to install. It looks really simple, thank God for simple! I don't have the necessary skills for hard installation; or probably the patience.
Let's make this one short and sweet - what do ya say?
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