Thankful for God's protection

Tonight I am thankful for God's protection on my brother, Nathanael.

Rosanna and I were running some errands this afternoon when we got a call from Andy telling us that there had been an accident involving Nate's eye and to come home right away to take him to the hospital.

Upon arriving home we learned that while playing together with their Airsoft guns this afternoon Andy accidentally shot Nate in the eye. They are usually extremely careful to ensure that they are wearing proper eye protection, and I am sure they will be even more careful after today.

Lesson Learned:
Don't mess with Andy!

The doctor says it is just a broken blood vessel and that it should heal in about two weeks. I am so thankful that it appears there will be no permanent damage to his vision. Praise the Lord!

God is good.

Trip to GA: Day 1 - Travel and Shopping

On Wednesday, April 4th, I flew from Maine to Georgia. I am always left in awe after viewing the vastness of God's creation from the air. Our God is an awesome God and He reigns and rules over all!

"Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.

² 

Before the mountains were brought forth,

Or ever You had formed the earth and the world,

Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God."

-Psalm 90:1-2

View from the window of my plane.

Ruth & James picked me up at the Atlanta airport (which is HUGE by the way) and took me to the neighborhood where James grew up. We enjoyed a nice walk in the warm weather and I had the chance to get to know James a little better. Ruth had told me a lot about him, but this was the first time we had met.  

James & Ruth

Enjoying time with my life-long friend and sister, Ruth.

Then we had supper together and discussed their plans for moving to Samoa next month. 

Doc Chey's Noodle House where I had supper with Ruth & James my first night

A parking space reserved for Dogs? Hmmm... :)

After supper we went to Trader Joe's to pick up supplies to make Shish Kabobs (200 of them) for the reception on Saturday. I really enjoyed the friendly atmosphere there! :)

A sign at Trader Joe's

Ruth & James choosing veggies

This sweet lady was our cashier and allowed me to take her picture.

When the cashier found out I was visiting from Canada,
she gave me this bag as a souvenir. :)  

She also gave Ruth a beautiful bouquet of flowers;
then rang a bell and announced the wedding to the whole store. :) 

James preparing to pay the bill. 

Now, that wasn't so bad! :)

Shopping done. Check. :) 

James & Ruth

Home from Atlanta

I have just arrived home from a wonderful trip to the Atlanta area to attend and help with the wedding of my life-long good friend, and sister, Ruth. I really enjoyed my time down there, and I plan to post lots of pictures in the next few days...but first things first; I need to get some sleep! :)

Joy vs. Happiness

These past two months have been challenging for our family. As you know, my cousin Andrew was killed suddenly in  a car accident the evening of January 20th. Andrew was the son of my Dad's brother and my Mom's sister so our entire family was affected by this. The day before he died we received the news that my Dad's sister, Debbie, had stage four cancer. She passed away from complications after a surgery on February 28th. Dad and Mom were able to fly down to Atlanta for her funeral.

Last Monday we received word that a dear family friend, Pastor Von Allen, had been given only a few days to live. He passed away the next day. Pastor Allen was my Dad's pastor as a teenager, he married Mom & Dad, preformed the funeral of three of my baby siblings, and preached at my eldest brother's graduation. We will miss him greatly. 


In the midst of these trials, the Lord has given us a peace and joy that the world cannot know. I read this thought today and decided to share it.

 “The difference between shallow happiness and a deep, sustaining joy is sorrow. Happiness lives where sorrow is not. When sorrow arrives, happiness dies. It can't stand pain. Joy, on the other hand, rises from sorrow and therefore can withstand all grief. Joy, by the grace of God, is the transfiguration of suffering into endurance, and of endurance into character, and of character into hope--and the hope that has become our joy does not (as happiness must for those who depend up on it) disappoint us.” ― Walter Wangerin Jr.

Friday Funny: The Blond and the Jigsaw Puzzle

One morning this blonde calls her friend and says "Please come over and help me. I have this killer jigsaw puzzle, and I can't figure out how to start it." 

Her friend asks "What is it a puzzle of?" The blonde says "From the picture on the box, it's a tiger." 

The blonde's friend figures that he's pretty good at puzzles, so he heads over to her place. She lets him in the door and shows him to where she has the puzzle spread all over the table. He studies the pieces for a moment, then studies the box.

He then turns to her and says, "First, no matter what I do, I'm not going to be able to show you how to assemble these to look like the picture of that tiger."

"Second, I'd advise you to relax, have a cup of coffee, and put all these Frosted Flakes back in the box."


HAPPY FRIDAY....

Can you guess what I have today?

Trust His Heart

So, maybe you've noticed that I haven't posted here in a few weeks. Some of you already know why, but if you have been wondering where I've been...

Early in the morning on Saturday, January 21, we received a phone call to tell us that two of my cousins, Andrew (20) & Aaron (16) had been in a car wreck. Aaron survived with only a few bruises and an injured foot. Andrew was killed. Their best friend, Jason (15), also died.

Grampy, Andrew, Grammy, Me & Aaron
March 2010

To make a long story short, we left for Texas the next day to be with family and attend the funeral. We arrived home very early last Thursday morning (Feb 2). 

I plan to write some posts over the next week or two about Andrew, his funeral, our trip, and some of the many ways God has shown his faithfulness to our entire family during this difficult time...but for today, I just wanted to share the lines of a song that I have been thinking about today.

♫ "God is too wise to be mistaken,

God is too good to be unkind, 

So when you don't understand, 

When you don't see His plan,

When you can't trace His hand;

Trust His Heart" ♫

Please keep our family in your prayers.