We moved around quite while I was growing up. I was in 4 different elementary schools in 3 states by the time I was half way through the 5th grade. Half way through the 5th grade we moved to east central Pennsylvania and that is where we stayed until after I graduated when my family moved back to West Virginia. This was a special place. I embraced Christ as Savior during this time so I will always cherish my time there.
It was during this time that I was introduced to the voice of Phillies announcer Harry Kalas. It was great living there because our cable system carried channels that followed the Phillies, Mets, Yankees, and of course thanks to Ted Turner the Braves. I have been an Orioles fan since I was little but I love sports and loved baseball growing up. So I could watch any of these four teams but as I can't stand any New York teams I gravitated toward the Phillies and Braves more (mainly due to Mike Schmidt and Harry Kalas with the Phillies and Dale Murphy with the Braves).
I loved to listen to Kalas. His voice resonated through the television. It would do this as you listened to a Phillies game or if listening to a NFL films program. It would grab you and keep you there. I will never forget his legendary calls of home runs especially Mike Schmidt's 500th home run. I will also remember his call of Terry Mulholland's no hitter he trew as a member of the Phillies in 1990. I was never the biggest Phillies fan but loved Mike Schmidt and cried when he hit that ball for his 500th home run as I listened to Kalas make the call and then his comments followed Schmidt around the bases.
I will miss Hearing his voice as he died today before getting to call the Phillies game at the Nationals. Sounds funny to post something like this but his voice was one I grew up with.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Easter
Friday:
Jesus suffered, bled, and died.
Saturday:
Dead in the grave.
Sunday:
HE AROSE!
Consider Our Final Victory:
"Now I say this, bethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; not does the perishable inherit the impersihable. Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead in Christ will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, 'Death is swallowed up in victory. O Death, where is your victory? O Death, where is you sting?' The sting of death of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved bethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abouding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 15:50-58)
Prayer:
Thank You Lord for what we celebrate this day! Thank You for your sacrifice on our behalf as a result of our sin! May we be humbled by the work of your death, burial, and resurrection as we think of and embrace it today! We eagerly await your return and may we live steadfast, immovable, and abound in our service to You! We celebrate You this day the DAY YOU AROSE! We live in awe of You not only this day but each and every day!
Jesus suffered, bled, and died.
Saturday:
Dead in the grave.
Sunday:
HE AROSE!
Consider Our Final Victory:
"Now I say this, bethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; not does the perishable inherit the impersihable. Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead in Christ will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, 'Death is swallowed up in victory. O Death, where is your victory? O Death, where is you sting?' The sting of death of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved bethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abouding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 15:50-58)
Prayer:
Thank You Lord for what we celebrate this day! Thank You for your sacrifice on our behalf as a result of our sin! May we be humbled by the work of your death, burial, and resurrection as we think of and embrace it today! We eagerly await your return and may we live steadfast, immovable, and abound in our service to You! We celebrate You this day the DAY YOU AROSE! We live in awe of You not only this day but each and every day!
10th Anniversary
Friday was our 10th Anniversary! I have to admit these 10 years have been more than I ever imagined they could or would be. I do not remember what life was like before Jill and don't want to remember. I only look ahead to the rest of our lives together. Serving the Lord before her and with her before the kids and others is an honor and privilege! A friend saw my post about her and our anniversary on facebook and said it's great to see that I'm still crazy for her after all these years and I replied in this way - I'm truly, madly, deeply, crazy in love with her!
Our friends who went with us to the concert watched the kids for us so we could go on a date - so rockin! We went to a brazilian steakhouse and the food was great but just being with Jill was the best! It was great to just sit and talk. (That usually doesn't get to happen as much as we'd like with 3 kids 5 and under, it gets chaotic! It's a good chaos though!)
Lord I'm in awe of how You have given me Jill! Thank you for placing her in my life! You continue to blow me away through the glimpses of You I see and experience in her! WOW!
Our friends who went with us to the concert watched the kids for us so we could go on a date - so rockin! We went to a brazilian steakhouse and the food was great but just being with Jill was the best! It was great to just sit and talk. (That usually doesn't get to happen as much as we'd like with 3 kids 5 and under, it gets chaotic! It's a good chaos though!)
Lord I'm in awe of how You have given me Jill! Thank you for placing her in my life! You continue to blow me away through the glimpses of You I see and experience in her! WOW!
Chris Tomlin Concert
In the midst of a difficult week with the death of my Pop Pop God gave a wonderful night at the Chris Tomlin Concert in Winston-Salem on Thursday night. We had made plans weeks ago with some wonderful friends from our small group the Joyce's. We also made plans to have a sitter for Caleb (we weren't sure if he'd make it through). The girls were sooo excited and from the moment they heard of the concert they had the countdown on!
It was an awesome time of worship! I have to admit to see the girls dancing, singing, and at times watching those around them worship was amazing. Chloe stood by me and she would look out at those in the audience with their hands raised in worship and would look at me and Jill doing the same and them catch herself at times doing the same and that was precious. When "God of this City" started it blew me away. It starts quietly and slow and then build but the girls where singning out right from the beginning and it sent chills down my spine! I looked at Chloe and she meant every word and was singing out to Jesus! I found myslef not able to sing as I welled up in praise and tears to the One who she was singing about! My prayer is that this will be the cry of her heart as she and Caitlyn and Caleb will all one day embrace the same Jesus we sang to as Savior!
Here are some pics of our night:
This is before Tomlin started playing, me with the girls and the Joyce's in the background (Chris, Stephnie, and beautiful Madeline)
Best pic we got of the stage (just believe me it's Chris Tomlin)
Worshipping with daddy's girl!
I praise you Lord for our wonderful night!
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Big Week
Four big things are happening this week. Here they are in order of importance:
1) Our 10th Anniversary is Friday! (HOW AWESOME IS THAT! 10 YEARS WITH THE MOST AMAZING WOMAN I'VE EVER MET!)
2) We are going with the girls (we have a sitter for the little man, we don't think he'd make it through the drive and concert) and some great friends (and their beautiful little daughter) to a Chris Tomlin concert on Thursday (The girls are sooo pumped! We can't wait to see them at the concert! They love Tomlin - God of this City is their favorite song!)
3) I'm prayerfully filling out the Pastoral Internship Application to be a part of the progam at our church starting next fall (praying that I'm accepted and that God will use it as a time of challenge and refining)
4) It's Easter Break for me and Caitlyn from school - my breaks never seem to be times of refreshing though, case in point Pop Pop's death.
#1 is definitely the biggest of the 4! I'll be posting more about this later! Be in prayer for these! Please know that I'm truly indebted to all of you who are and do pray for me and the family!
1) Our 10th Anniversary is Friday! (HOW AWESOME IS THAT! 10 YEARS WITH THE MOST AMAZING WOMAN I'VE EVER MET!)
2) We are going with the girls (we have a sitter for the little man, we don't think he'd make it through the drive and concert) and some great friends (and their beautiful little daughter) to a Chris Tomlin concert on Thursday (The girls are sooo pumped! We can't wait to see them at the concert! They love Tomlin - God of this City is their favorite song!)
3) I'm prayerfully filling out the Pastoral Internship Application to be a part of the progam at our church starting next fall (praying that I'm accepted and that God will use it as a time of challenge and refining)
4) It's Easter Break for me and Caitlyn from school - my breaks never seem to be times of refreshing though, case in point Pop Pop's death.
#1 is definitely the biggest of the 4! I'll be posting more about this later! Be in prayer for these! Please know that I'm truly indebted to all of you who are and do pray for me and the family!
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
A Long Couple of Weeks
I greatly appreciate your prayers over these past weeks. My Pop Pop (granddad on my Mom's side) passed away last Thursday. We spent the past two weekends in Pocahontas County West Virginia where he was from and where my Mom is related to half the county.
Our first weekend in West Virginia was spent running back and forth to the small hospital (the only hospital within 40 to 50 miles) where Pop Pop was a patient. He had not seen the kids before and was wanting to see them badly. We have lived close to 10 hours away from our family in seeking to be obedient to God's call on our lives to ministry since the kids were born and we would spend our vacations with our parents. Our decision was not based on anything malicious toward my Pop Pop but on our wanting our parents to have a direct influence in the kids lives. Pocahontas County lies in the Mountains and is a hard three to four hour drive away from either of our parents. I invited him to come to see us but he was unable due to age difficulties. Over the past year especially God had restored our relationship and I'm so thankful for that. It has been amazing to hear him say I love you numerous times in our numerous conversations on the phone over this past year.
When we arrived that Saturday at the hospital we were not sure of what his condition would be. When we entered the room he was alert. He looked and saw the kids and lit up! I will never forget seeing the life in his eyes as he looked at them! He then extended his hands to the girls and they each grabbed one and they exchanged caresses. It was as if he had been waiting to see them. The girls are usually shy at first contact but it was as if they knew this was a special moment as well. The same I love you that I had heard over the past year is what they heard as well. I will cherish that visit of the many that weekend for the rest of my life!
After that special visit his health deteriorated quickly. Later that day his morphine was increased and that continued throughout that weekend and through the week. We received a call from my Mom on Thursday evening saying that he was gone. We then made plans for this past weekend to go back.
We arrived back on Saturday. On Sunday morning we went to his home church. It was a wonderful church. We then spent the day with family. My Mom has two brothers and we got to see each. The kids loved seeing everybody especially their Aunt Mary Beth and cousin Elizabeth.
The funeral was Monday morning. Jill was amazing. She watched our three and one of my sister's two chilldren in a back room during the viewing, which immediately proceeded the funeral and the funeral service itself. This allowed both me and my sister to be with our family. The service itself was a one in which the gospel was presented and Christ honored. My Mom got up and spoke and did an amazing job. Tears were shed but for me there was comfort found in the gospel that was presented during the service and had been embraced by my Pop. The funeral home was packed and chairs had to be added which was amazing in that it was a Monday morning viewing and service - a great testimony to a life lived.
During the viewing I watched my parents interact with family and others. The weird little "quirks" that drove me crazy as a teenager about Mom and Dad I noticed as they interacted. Those same "quirks" did not dirve me crazy at all in watching them that morning. They are things that I have grown to respect and love now. I leaned over to my sister during the service and said "even with their 'quirks' they are awesome" and she readily agreed. Reflection is never a bad thing especially as I consider how blessed I am. Blessed to have that last special moment with Pop Pop, to the time with my family this past weekend, and most importantly in being able to reflect on the gospel that Pop Pop had embraced.
Thanks for lifting us up before the throne during these past weeks...
Our first weekend in West Virginia was spent running back and forth to the small hospital (the only hospital within 40 to 50 miles) where Pop Pop was a patient. He had not seen the kids before and was wanting to see them badly. We have lived close to 10 hours away from our family in seeking to be obedient to God's call on our lives to ministry since the kids were born and we would spend our vacations with our parents. Our decision was not based on anything malicious toward my Pop Pop but on our wanting our parents to have a direct influence in the kids lives. Pocahontas County lies in the Mountains and is a hard three to four hour drive away from either of our parents. I invited him to come to see us but he was unable due to age difficulties. Over the past year especially God had restored our relationship and I'm so thankful for that. It has been amazing to hear him say I love you numerous times in our numerous conversations on the phone over this past year.
When we arrived that Saturday at the hospital we were not sure of what his condition would be. When we entered the room he was alert. He looked and saw the kids and lit up! I will never forget seeing the life in his eyes as he looked at them! He then extended his hands to the girls and they each grabbed one and they exchanged caresses. It was as if he had been waiting to see them. The girls are usually shy at first contact but it was as if they knew this was a special moment as well. The same I love you that I had heard over the past year is what they heard as well. I will cherish that visit of the many that weekend for the rest of my life!
After that special visit his health deteriorated quickly. Later that day his morphine was increased and that continued throughout that weekend and through the week. We received a call from my Mom on Thursday evening saying that he was gone. We then made plans for this past weekend to go back.
We arrived back on Saturday. On Sunday morning we went to his home church. It was a wonderful church. We then spent the day with family. My Mom has two brothers and we got to see each. The kids loved seeing everybody especially their Aunt Mary Beth and cousin Elizabeth.
The funeral was Monday morning. Jill was amazing. She watched our three and one of my sister's two chilldren in a back room during the viewing, which immediately proceeded the funeral and the funeral service itself. This allowed both me and my sister to be with our family. The service itself was a one in which the gospel was presented and Christ honored. My Mom got up and spoke and did an amazing job. Tears were shed but for me there was comfort found in the gospel that was presented during the service and had been embraced by my Pop. The funeral home was packed and chairs had to be added which was amazing in that it was a Monday morning viewing and service - a great testimony to a life lived.
During the viewing I watched my parents interact with family and others. The weird little "quirks" that drove me crazy as a teenager about Mom and Dad I noticed as they interacted. Those same "quirks" did not dirve me crazy at all in watching them that morning. They are things that I have grown to respect and love now. I leaned over to my sister during the service and said "even with their 'quirks' they are awesome" and she readily agreed. Reflection is never a bad thing especially as I consider how blessed I am. Blessed to have that last special moment with Pop Pop, to the time with my family this past weekend, and most importantly in being able to reflect on the gospel that Pop Pop had embraced.
Thanks for lifting us up before the throne during these past weeks...
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