San Francisco

We have seen some of the most beautiful sights ever in San Francisco. Fishermen's Wharf and the Bay are all and more than you will read about. You have to experience it to understand what I am talking about. Downtown SF is incredible, the Golden Gate and Oakland Bridges, The Full House House, Cable Cars, and the scenery is just incredible.

The most disappointing thing to me was the condition of Candlestick Park, home of my Niners. You can tell the city hasn't done much to the stadium since they announced they were moving about 50 miles south. It wasn't very fitting for a 5-time Super Bowl Champion.

We got to see where the new stadium is being built next to the Great American Park in Santa Clara. I was really surprised again at the location and the size of the new stadium. At least their new parking garage looks super nice.

The Big Basin State Park was awesome to behold. It was a truly unbelievable experience. God created some beautiful masterpieces along the way and I'm glad we got to enjoy them.
Looking forward to our rendezvous with the mouse.

Sitting with family

There's nothing like flying in the air with a bad knee hurting and a grandson taking a nap on the other. Watching the planes take off, fixing the iPad, and having a grand old-time. Then having your 13 year old granddaughter,sitting on the other side off you, jamming on Garageband with the headphones in and not hearing a word you are saying. Also she's getting you hooked on Chicago based Cheese popcorn.

Guess what? Wouldn't trade it for the world!!!!!!!!

Dealing with Lemons

I just found out on the eve of a long deserved vacation that I will have to have surgery on my right knee when I get back home. I've already had 6 on my left knee, so now my good knee has a meniscus tear, which must be repaired alone with a severe bone bruise in that area that the doctor is not quite sure what to do about until the surgery. Man, I was perfectly healthy until a fall I had going to Camp Meeting in 2003 and since then I have had 11 surgeries as a result of that one injury. This new injury came from just walking and wearing Shape-Up shoes that I thought were going to help me, but instead have caused the need for this surgery.

We don't have the best health insurance in the world and I took a financial hit when I came to the church I am pastoring now. My wife and I both have had huge medical bills in the past few years and now I face another one with this surgery. Sometimes it just seems like the lemons keep on growing and you can get them to stop. I understand that feeling more than any of you know.

However, in the Scriptures we find people who turned defeat into victory, trial into triumph, and became victors instead of being victims. Too many people today, inside and outside of the church have the very mistaken idea that Christianity is the easy way of life. The Book of James clearly informs Christians that trials will come and that the Christian way is not easy. James does not speak as one isolated from trial, but from the own experience of trials. These trials eventually led to his death for the cause of Christ.

Yet James gives us some instructions on how to deal with it when life hands you a lemon.
-In Verse 2 James wrote "when" trials come, not "if" trials come. He is telling us that we should expect trials. That may not be what we want to hear, but it is what James wrote. Previously John had written, "In the world you have tribulation." (John 16:33) and Luke wrote "We must through much tribulation enter the kingdom of God." (Acts 14:22)

This is not a shock to us, but for those who thought the Christian life would be easy it may be a shock. Some trials come to us just because we are humans. Other may come because we are Christians. (I Peter 4:12) When James wrote this letter Christians were hated and subjected to much persecution. It was a real challenge for them to live for Christ. These trials may be doubled as external, outside adversities and inward temptations. Sometimes outward trials become occasions of temptations to sin. An example might be a person who uses the excuse of a difficulty like an accident, a serious illness, death of a loved one, or an economic crisis to blame God and doubt God's love.

In verse two I think the context primarily indicates outward trials. James wrote of encountering and falling into difficulties. The indication here is that it is not our fault that we have them and that we are to be joyful in our trial, not because of them. This is a financial term, to evaluate, goals, priorities, what matters most.

To have joy in the midst of trials involves our attitude. I encourage you to have an attitude of joy because trials will come.

-Joy is not just superficial, not surface happiness. Deep down joy involves the assurance of faith and experiencing the truth of scripture. In Verse 3 James wrote, "Knowing that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness." Faith is tested. Women and men of faith are persons whose faith has been tested by trials. Trials are a means by which our faith is tested and proved. Certainly Abraham's test with Isaac is a classic example of this. Abraham passed the test.

Know that God allows us to be tested to bring out our best, to prove that we are in fact born again sons and daughters of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Trials actually work for us as Christians, not against us. (Romans 8:28) Certainly this does not mean that we always completely understand the trials, but have God's assurance.

This testing process is described by James with the Greek word "dokinion". It refers to sterling silver coins, money that was of a pure genuine, unalloyed metal. Testing may be used to burn out the dross of human character and to leave us cleansed and purified.

James wrote that the testing of our faith results in endurance, in steadfastness, and unswerving constancy. He is not talking about a passive patience, but the fruit of trial, perseverance in the face of difficulty, and the staying power of life. This is for when things are tough, not a denial of the reality of problems. 

-In Verse 4 James is writing of relinquishing our will to God. We should realize that it is not all up to us, but as those who have committed our lives to Jesus Christ we should surrender that which is our to decide.

For our trials to work for us, to bring out our best God needs our consent, our will must be surrendered to Him. In the Lord's Prayer we pray, "Thy will be done…" Do we mean that or are these empty words? We may say or sing, "Love is surrender to His will" or "I surrender all." Are these expressions of our true devotion to the Lord? For God to use our trials to use our character to grow, to mature, for steadfastness to have its full effect is a process of spiritual growth.

I do not believe that it is God's will that we just accept Jesus Christ as our Savior. That is exceedingly important, but God also desires for us to continue to grow and mature spiritually through our lives. I also know that life will hand you and me some lemons. Trials will come, more to some than others. The question is how will you handle these trials. Will you allow them to defeat you? I hope not. Instead make lemonade. Turn your trials into triumphs by having an attitude of joy, faith, and submitting your will to God.

Funny T-Shirts

1. "Real Men Don't Waste Their Hormones Growing Hair." (seen on bald man)
   
   
2. "Upon the Advice of My Attorney, My Shirt Bears No Message at This Time."
   
   
3. "That's It! I'm Calling Grandma!" - (seen on an 8 year old)
   
   
4. "Wrinkled Was Not One of the Things I Wanted to Be When I Grew Up."
   
   
5. "My Husband and I Married for Better or Worse - He Couldn't Do Better and I Couldn't Do Worse."
   
   
6. "I Have a Degree in Liberal Arts - Do You Want Fries With That?"
   
   
7. "Party - My Crib - Two A.M." (On a baby-size shirt)
   
   
8. "The trouble with life is there's no background music."
   
   
9. "Two rights do not make a wrong. They make an airplane."
   
10. "MOP AND GLOW - Floor wax used by Three Mile Island cleanup team."
    
    
11. "Filthy, Stinking, Rich ....Well, Two Out of Three Ain't Bad."

Godly Fathers

Many men desire to be good fathers, but the criterion that really counts is whether or not they are godly fathers. Here are four Biblical principles that, by God’s grace, will lay a sound foundation in helping fathers become godly fathers.

-First, godly fathers are first godly men.
It doesn’t work for fathers to bail out and say to their children, "Do as I say, not as I do" (Matthew 23:3). Children must be able to see an example of Christ in their fathers. Paul says to his spiritual children in 1 Corinthians 11:1, "Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ." Until men by faith follow in the example of Christ themselves, they cannot be godly examples for their own children. Those who imitate Christ in thoughts, attitudes, and actions are those who have the right and Biblical ability to properly train and disciple their own children.

-Second, godly fathers love their children unconditionally.
Unconditionally is a significant word. It implies that love is not merited or earned and that the father’s treatment of his children is not dictated by what they can offer him in return. Some fathers want to see their children work their way into their favor or accomplish something which will make the father appear more successful. In other words, their focus is on themselves and upon what they can gain rather than upon unconditional love for their children. I think of the father of the prodigal son who stood waiting and watching for his son to return to him (Luke 15:20). When he finally did return, the father didn’t judge the son or force him to earn back his favor, love, and approval. He simply embraced him and threw a celebratory party for his son (Luke 15:21-24). He could do this because his love for his son wasn’t based upon what his son could do for him but simply and strictly upon the fact that he was his son. He never disowned his son for leaving in a pattern of rebellion, but he waited, hoped, and longed for his lost son’s return. Godly fathers don’t make their children earn their approval, and they don’t use their children’s behavior as a condition for their love. That doesn’t mean that they don’t discipline, but it does mean that they never disown. Such is the nature of unconditional love.

-Third, godly fathers train their children how to love and honor God.
The willingness and ability to train in righteousness is the call of every godly father. Proverbs 22:6 says, "Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it." Ephesians 6:4 echoes the Proverbs passage, saying, "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." It is not good enough just to make children go to church, say their prayers, and learn Bible verses. Those things ought to be part of the training process; however, we don’t come to know Jesus or grow in Him by having external practices forced upon us. The issue as a father is teaching a child to love the Lord as they model their own love for Him. Kids aren’t stupid. In fact, they are a lot smarter than most parents give them credit for. They can tell when religious rituals are empty or hypocritical, and even though the child might come to know the Bible inside and out, he or she will likely develop a hatred or bitterness towards Christianity if the only Christianity the child knows is vain and ugly. Training in righteousness requires learning the Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16-17), but how that Scripture is applied must correlate with true righteousness. Otherwise, the child will be left spending years trying to reconcile the Bible with his own experience. But let us not forget the role of discipline in the training process. Even our heavenly father disciplines those sons whom He loves (Hebrews 12:6), and the fact that a father is willing to discipline his children demonstrates love. Young children need to know their boundaries as it makes them feel secure. As kids grow older, they must see that they don’t run the home and that Biblical principles will be followed in the home. Discipline reinforces these realities through imposing consequences. But it must be evident to the children when they are being disciplined that the father’s love for them has not changed. Discipline is never aligned with wrath because it is kindness that leads to repentance (Romans 2:4). Discipline is simply another expression of love (Deuteronomy 8:1-6, Hebrews 12:6).

-Fourth, a godly father seeks to give his children good gifts such that his children are blessed through him.
Of course, love and discipline and the training of the Lord in righteousness are blessings of eternal value, but godly fathers go beyond just spiritual gifts to seeking to give good gifts of all kinds. Our heavenly Father is the ultimate example of this. James 1:7 says, "Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow." Our Father is the giver of every good and perfect gift because He knows when, how, and what to give us. He knows what we desire and ask for because He knows and cares for what we really want and need (Psalm 37:4, Philippians 4:19). He is the Father of lights that don’t vary or shift because He is pure, consistent, and devoted to His children. He can constantly be believed and relied upon to offer His children that which is kindest, wisest, and best. He is not a deified Santa Claus that spoils children and is subject to their every whim. Spoiling is not the purpose of giving good and perfect gifts. Rather, the purpose of such provisions and blessings is the security that God cares about us perfectly and intimately. Knowing that He knows what we need and that He cares about what we want and hope for is so important in our relationship with Him. In the same way, earthly fathers should seek to be in tune with what their children hope for, desire, and need such that they can wisely meet and address those needs and wants. A father’s wisdom is a blessing and security to his children as they can trust what he does.

Camp Meeting Days

My greatest memory of SC camp meeting was in the old open air tabernacle 42 years ago. My dad preached in the afternoon service on Youth Day that week and did a super job. We owned a cabin back then on the grounds and dad would usually take us to Maggie Valley to
Ghost Town either on Monday or Tuesday after camp meeting. Those were great days and sometimes I really
do miss them especially since Dad's been with the Lord.

I spent most of my summers on the camp ground with 3 weeks of youth camp, camp meeting, and our state Bible school. I never thought I'd have my own house there one day.

I really wasn't sure if I was going to be able to go that much this year because
of my knee, but I'm glad I've been able to go in spite of the problem. It's more than just a tradition-it's a blessing that I have greatly enjoyed.

We don't have the afternoon services anymore, but thankfully we have air conditioning, an enclosed tabernacle, and much more comfortable chairs. A
whole lot has changed in 42 years, but the Spirit of the Lord hasn't change. Camp meeting still has a purpose in SC.

Camp meeting days-thank God for Wade Horton, T. L. Lowry, Floyd Timmerman, and dozens of others who made it so special.

Guess what-it still is!

The Joy of Being A Dad

1. You finally know how your dad feels about you.
Regardless of the circumstances of your childhood, the moment you go from being “a guy” to being a father you “get it.” That is the feeling of what it is to love something more than life itself. I recall how my view of my father transformed in an instant. For I knew, no matter what he ever did or said, he too had felt “this” for me, my brother and sister. It’s not an optional feeling.

2. You know what it means to love something more than yourself.
Let’s face it, for all guys call sacrifice and profess to “give it up for,” not until we have a child do we really truly get what it is to hold something or someone else more important than self. And I believe this is a vital, transformational experience in life.

3. Whatever your age, kids make you young again.
If you’re a father you get this—if you’re not there yet, trust me on this. It’s so true. Your kids energy doesn’t wait on you. You get moving whether you want to or not. And they keep you playing more and seeing the world through the eyes of innocence that we’ve all worn once.

4. Being a dad makes you a better man.
I think we all like having the opportunity to be a mentor—to help someone learn and grow. It’s inherent in our DNA. And being a father is the ultimate mentoring opportunity—you get to truly shape a life(s). When it becomes obvious that it’s not just what you want them to pick up that they learn, you start thinking about choices you’d not given a second thought to before. Things like where you go, how you get there, who you hang around, etc. It all matters but what matters most is the man you are.

5. It’s a license to be silly and play
Once out of college it seems like the world gets pretty darn serious real quick. Having children brings play back into your life. Whether it’s wrestling around, dancing, making faces, telling jokes or playing tag—you’ve got a license to be your silliest. It’s hard not to go to a playground and play—just as I imagine it’s hard to go to a playground and play if you don’t have kids. It can look bad–so if you must at least stay off the monkey bars if you’re over 30.

6. It awakens you to your global responsibility.
Being a father makes you instantly more accountable and responsible to the world around us. Even if you’re one who’s been outspoken about your concern for the environment, politics or social issues of the day—with children suddenly you become more aware of everything that will impact the next generation and the next.

7. Someone is truly intrigued by your life wisdom stories.
Face it, guys like to tell stories from our formative years. As a father you finally have someone who is truly interested in all those stories that have bored others to tears for years. Enjoy the sharing and be a careful edit so as not to plant any unnecessary seeds—which I can tell you my dad did! They may take many years to materialize but trust me, really “good” stories can percolate for a long time.

8. You actually want someone to best you—to show you up!
While we all pull for friends and people we like, a child of your own is different story. It’s not just hoping they do well you truly want them to exceed any and every best you’ve ever enjoyed. It’s free from even the slightest jealousy of competitiveness and this is a refreshing, empowering feeling.

9. Being a father softens your heart and opens you to life.
No matter how focused you’ve been on getting ahead on your career and success—or how hardened your resolve from your own life circumstances, being a father will melt your heart. I won’t even try to explain it beyond that. At this point you either get it or you don’t. It’s that simple.

Father's Day In Heaven

Hi Dad:

I just wanted to write you a note to thank you for all the things you did done for me over the years. I hope you don’t mind if I just hit the highlights. Hopefully the Lord will let you see this little note in heaven sometime this week before Father's Day.

-Thanks Dad for having the good sense to marry Mom all those years ago. You couldn’t have chosen a better wife or mother for all of us. She misses you deeply as do all of us.

-Thanks Dad for not letting me be an only child. Even though my brothers were a pain sometimes growing up (LOL) I sure do appreciate them today and I'm glad they're my brothers. 

Thanks Dad for taking me to church and showing me what it meant to be a Christian. Both made me a better person then and hopefully today.

Thanks Dad for giving me the love of music, especially the guitar, and sacrificing so I could learn to play the instruments I do today.

Thanks Dad for always encouraging me and supporting my choices even when I made the wrong ones.

Thanks Dad for always being there to talk to when I had problems and pain. You helped me through a lot more than you know over the years. That's what I've missed these past 24 years you have been in heaven.

Thanks for being such a great dad to all your sons and such a loving grandfather to Shane and Jarod. I just wish you could have had time to spend with Tiffany, Caleb, Cameron, and Kendall. I especially wish you could see Hannah, Gracie, and Hayden. You would really have enjoyed being with them.

Thanks so much Dad for being there through laughter and tears, triumph and tragedy, love and loss, happiness and heartbreak.

I am so happy that you were my Dad. You taught me how to always be there for my own son. You showed me how to be a good man. You helped me to find my way through life and to love, joy, and God.

Happy Father’s Day Dad in heaven. I love you and look forward to seeing you again.

Your loving son,

Al

Fathers Then And Now

Fathers of 1912 didn't have it nearly as good as fathers of today; but they did have a few advantages:

• In 1912, fathers prayed their children would learn English.
  Today, fathers pray their children will speak English.
  
• In 1912, a father's horsepower meant his horses.
  Today, it's the size of his minivan.
  
• In 1912, if a father put a roof over his family's head, he was a success.
  Today, it takes a roof, deck, pool, and 4-car garage. And that's just the vacation home.
  
• In 1912, a father waited for the doctor to tell him when the baby arrived.
  Today, a father must wear a smock, know how to breathe, and make sure film is in the video camera.
  
• In 1912, fathers passed on clothing to their sons.
  Today, kids wouldn't touch Dad's clothes if they were sliding naked down an icicle.
  
• In 1912, fathers could count on children to join the family business.
  Today, fathers pray their kids will soon come home from college long enough to teach them how to work the computer and set the VCR.
  
• In 1912, fathers pined for old country Romania, Italy, or Russia.
  Today, fathers pine for old country Hank Williams.
  
• In 1912, a father smoked a pipe.
  If he tries that today, he gets sent outside after a lecture on lip cancer.
  
• In 1912, fathers shook their children gently and whispered, "Wake up, it's time for school."
  Today, kids shake their fathers violently at 4 a.m., shouting: "Wake up, it's time for hockey practice."
  
• In 1912, a father came home from work to find his wife and children at the supper table.
  Today, a father comes home to a note: "Jimmy's at baseball, Cindy's at gymnastics, I'm at adult-Ed, Pizza in fridge."
  
• In 1912, fathers and sons would have heart-to-heart conversations while fishing in a stream.
  Today, fathers pluck the headphones off their sons' ears and shout, "WHEN YOU HAVE A MINUTE.."
  
• In 1912, a father gave a pencil box for Christmas, and the kid was all smiles.
  Today, a father spends $800 at Toys 'R' Us, and the kid screams: "I wanted PS3!"
  
• In 1912, if a father had breakfast in bed, it was eggs and bacon and ham and potatoes.
  Today, it's Special K, soy milk, dry toast and a lecture on cholesterol.
  
• In 1912, a Father's Day gift would be a hand tool.
  Today, he'll get a digital organizer.
  
• In 1912, fathers said, "A man's home is his castle."
  Today, they say, "Welcome to the money pit."
  
• In 1912, "a good day at the market" meant Father brought home feed for the horses.
  Today, "a good day at the market" means Dad got in early on an IPO.
  
• In 1912, a happy meal was when Father shared funny stories around the table.
  Today, a happy meal is what Dad buys at McDonald's.
  
• In 1912, a father was involved if he spanked the kid now and then.
  Today, a father's involved only if he coaches Little League and organizes Boy Scouts and car pools.
  
• In 1912, when fathers entered the room, children often rose to attention.
  Today, kids glance up and grunt, "Dad, you're invading my space."
  
• In 1912, fathers threatened their daughters suiters with shotguns if the girl came home late.
  Today, fathers break the ice by saying, "So...how long have you had that earring?"
  
• In 1912, fathers pined for the old school, which meant a one-room, red-brick building.
  Today, fathers pine for the old school, which means Dr J and Mickey Mantle.
  
• In 1912, fathers were never truly appreciated.
  In 2012, fathers are never truly appreciated.

The Price of Children

The government recently calculated the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 and came up with $160,140.00 for a middle income family. Talk about price shock! That doesn't even touch college tuition.

But $160,140.00 isn't so bad if you break it down. It translates into:

* $8,896.66 a year,
* $741.38 a month,
* $171.08 a week.
* A mere $24.24 a day!
* Just over a dollar an hour.

Still, you might think the best financial advice is, 'don't have children if you want to be 'rich'. Actually, it is just the opposite.

What do you get for your $160,140.00?

* Naming rights . First, middle, and last!
* Glimpses of God every day.
* Giggles under the covers every night.
* More love than your heart can hold.
* Butterfly kisses and Velcro hugs.
* Endless wonder over rocks, ants, clouds, and warm cookies.
* A hand to hold usually covered with jelly or chocolate.
* A partner for blowing bubbles and flying kites.
* Someone to laugh yourself silly with, no matter what the boss said or how your stocks performed that day.

For $160,140.00, you never have to grow up. You get to:

* finger-paint,
* carve pumpkins,
* play hide-and-seek,
* catch lightning bugs,
* never stop believing in Santa Claus.

You have an excuse to:

* keep reading the Adventures of Piglet and Pooh,
* watch Saturday morning cartoons,
* go to Disney movies, and
* wish on stars.

You get to frame rainbows, hearts, and flowers under refrigerator magnets and collect spray painted noodle wreaths for Christmas, hand prints set in clay for Mother's Day, and cards with backward letters for Father's Day.

For a mere $24.24 a day, there is no greater bang for your buck. You get to be a hero just for:

* retrieving a Frisbee off the garage roof,
* taking the training wheels off a bike,
* removing a splinter,
* filling a wading pool,
* coaxing a wad of gum out of bangs, and
* coaching a baseball team that never wins, but always gets treated to ice cream regardless.

You get a front row seat in history to witness the:

* First step,
* First word,
* First bra,
* First date,
* First time behind the wheel.

You get to be immortal. You get another branch added to your family tree, and if you're lucky, a long list of limbs in your obituary called children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. You get an education in psychology, nursing, criminal justice, communications, and human sexuality that no college can match.

In the eyes of a child, you rank right up there under God. You have all the power to heal a boo-boo, scare away the monsters under the bed, patch a broken heart, police a slumber party, ground them forever, and love them without limits, so one day they will, like you, love without counting the cost. That is quite a deal for the price!!!!!!!

Love & enjoy your children & grandchildren & great-grandchildren...

It's the best investment you'll ever make!

I Wish I Were

I wish I were:

-Big enough honestly to admit all my shortcomings;

-Brilliant enough to accept praise without it making me arrogant;

-Tall enough to tower above deceit;

-Strong enough to welcome criticism;

-Compassionate enough to understand human frailties;

-Wise enough to recognize my mistakes;

-Humble enough to appreciate greatness;

Staunch enough to stand by my friends;

-Human enough to be thoughtful of my neighbor;

-Righteous enough to be devoted to the love of God.

I am really not all that strong. I don't always act with courage. I am certainly not as brilliant as others, as charming or as wise. But today I can be me. And when I lie down tonight, I'll sleep easy knowing it will have been enough.

Grandparents and Grandchildren

• Grandmas are moms with lots of frosting.
  ~ Author Unknown
  
  
• What a bargain grandchildren are! I give them my loose change, and they give me a million dollars' worth of pleasure.
  ~ Gene Perret
  
  
• Grandmothers are just 'antique' little girls.
  ~ Author Unknown
  
  
• Perfect love sometimes does not come until the first grandchild.
  ~ Welsh Proverb
  
  
• A grandmother is a babysitter who watches the kids instead of the television.
  ~ Author Unknown
  
  
• Never have children, only grandchildren.
  ~ Gore Vidal
  
  
• Becoming a grandmother is wonderful. One moment you're just a mother. The next you are all-wise and prehistoric.
  ~ Pam Brown
  
  
• Grandchildren don't stay young forever, which is good because Grandfathers have only so many horsy rides in them.
  ~ Gene Perret
  
  
• When grandpa enters the door, discipline flies out the window.
  ~ Ogden Nash
  
  
• Grandma always made you feel she had been waiting to see just you all day and now the day was complete.
  ~ Marcy DeMaree
  
  
• Grandmas never run out of hugs or cookies.
  ~ Author unknown
  
  
• Grandmas hold our tiny hands for just a little while, but our hearts forever.
  ~ Author Unknown
  
  
• If I had known how wonderful it would be to have grandchildren, I'd have had them first.
  ~ Lois Wyse
  
  
• My grandkids believe I'm the oldest thing in the world. And after two or three hours with them, I believe it, too.
  ~ Gene Perret
  
  
• If becoming a grandmother was only a matter of choice, I should advise every one of you straight away to become one. There is no fun for old people like it!
  ~ Hannah Whithall Smith
  
  
• It's such a grand thing to be a mother of a mother - that's why the world calls her grandmother.
  ~ Author Unknown
  
  
• Grandchildren are God's way of compensating us for growing old.
  ~ Mary H. Waldrip
  
  
• You do not really understand something unless you can explain it to your grandmother.
  ~ Proverb
  
  
• An hour with your grandchildren can make you feel young again. Anything longer than that, and you start to age quickly.
  ~ Gene Perret
  
  
• The best baby-sitters, of course, are the baby's grandparents. You feel completely comfortable entrusting your baby to them for long periods, which is why most grandparents flee to Florida.
  ~ Dave Barry
  
  
• I wish I had the energy that my grandchildren have - if only for self-defense.
  ~ Gene Perret
  
  
• Grandmother-grandchild relationships are simple. Grandmas are short on criticism and long on love.
  ~ Author Unknown
  
  
• Nobody can do for little children what grandparents do Grandparents sort of sprinkle stardust over the lives of little children.
  ~ Alex Haley
  
  
• Grandmother - a wonderful mother with lots of practice.
  ~ Author Unknown
  
  
• A grandparent is old on the outside but young on the inside.
  ~ Author Unknown
  
  
• One of the most powerful handclasps is that of a new grandbaby around the finger of a grandfather.
  ~ Joy Hargrove
  
  
• It's amazing how grandparents seem so young once you become one.
  ~ Author Unknown
  
  
• If your baby is 'beautiful and perfect, never cries or fusses, sleeps on schedule and burps on demand, an angel all the time,' you're the grandma.
  ~ Teresa Bloomingdale
  
  
• Grandparents are similar to a piece of string - handy to have around. and easily wrapped around the fingers of their grandchildren.
  ~ Author Unknown
  
  
• Grandchildren don't make a man feel old; it's the knowledge that he's married to a grandmother.
  ~ G. Norman Collie

Thoughts to Ponder

1. Some people are kind, polite, and sweet spirited until you try to get into their pews.
   
2. Many folks want to serve God, but only as  advisers.
   
3. It is easier to preach ten sermons than it is to live one.
   
4. The good Lord didn't create anything without a purpose, but mosquitoes come close.
   
5. When you get to your wit's end, you'll find God lives there.
   
6. People are funny. They want the front of the bus, the middle the road, and the back of the church.
   
7. Opportunity may knock once, but temptation bangs on your door for years.
   
8. Quit griping about your church; if it was  perfect, you couldn't belong.
   
9. The phrase that is guaranteed to wake up an audience: "And in conclusion."
   
10. If the church wants a better pastor, it only  needs to pray for the one it has.
    
11. Not only are the sins of the fathers visited upon the children, but nowadays the sins of the children are visited upon the fathers.
    
12. God Himself does not propose to judge a man till he is dead. So why should you?
    
13. To make a long story short, don't tell it.
    
14. If your left hand doesn't know what your right one is doing, you should consider running for a job in Washington.
    
15. Some minds are like concrete, thoroughly mixed up and permanently set.
    
16. Peace starts with a smile.
    
17. I don't know why some people change churches-what difference does it make which one you stay home from?
    
18. A lot of church members who are singing  "Standing on the Promises" are just sitting on the premises.
    
19. We were called to be witnesses, not lawyers.
    
20. Outside of traffic, there is nothing that holds this country back as much as a committee.

I Feel Blessed Today

Do you remember the old song, "Count your blessings, name them one by one..." Well, I just got up this morning and begin to name my blessings. It changed my day around and it might do the same for you if you take time to do it.

-I bless the Lord for my relationship with Him. Without Him I could do nothing.

-I bless my parents, Alton Sr. (deceased) and Mary Stone, for all they taught me and loved me through from a child up even to this day.

-I bless my wife, Becky, for all she has been to me through 40 years of marriage, and still loves me today (Thank you Jesus)!

-I bless my son, Shane, who has been the joy of my life for 33 years and continues to be as he grows older.

-I bless my daughter-in-law, Candace, for loving my son, giving me my beautiful grands, and being a part of my family.

-I bless my Hannah, who as my oldest grand, still steals my heart with every word she speaks and my breath everytime I see her beautiful face.

-I bless my Gracie, who as my middle grand, reminds me how beautiful Becky was growing up every time I see her, and is a beauty who always captures her Popee's heart.

-I bless my Hayden, who as my only grandson, will carry on the family name and shows me unconditional love as only a grandchild can.

-I bless my brothers and their companions, my nieces and nephews, and all my family for just being there when I need them and even when I don't.

-I bless my church for allowing me to serve them as their pastor and shepherd.

I am a blessed man today.

How about you? Have you counted your blessings lately?

What Are Your Priorities?

While at the park one day, a woman sat down next to a man on a bench near a playground. "That's my son over there," she said, pointing to a little boy in a red sweater who was gliding down the slide.

"He's a fine looking boy," the man said. "That's my son on the swing in the blue sweater." Then, looking at his watch, he called to his son. "What do you say we go, Todd?"

Todd pleaded, "Just five more minutes, Dad. Please? Just five more minutes." The man nodded and Todd continued to swing to his heart's content.

Minutes passed and the father stood and called again to his son. "Time to go now?" Again Todd pleaded, "Five more minutes, Dad. Just five more minutes."

The man smiled and said, "okay."

"My, you certainly are a patient father," the woman responded.

The man smiled and then said, "My older son Tommy was killed by a drunk driver last year while he was riding his bike near here. I never spent much time with Tommy and now I'd give anything for just five more minutes with him. I've vowed not to make the same mistake with Todd. He thinks he has five more minutes to swing. The truth is, I get 'five more minutes' to watch him play."

Life is all about making priorities -- what are your priorities?

Hated Potatoes

A kindergarten teacher decided to let her class play a game. The teacher told each child in the class to bring along a plastic bag containing a few potatoes. Each potato will be given a name of a person that the child hates, so the number of potatoes that a child will put in his/her plastic bag will depend on the number of people he/she hates.

So when the day came, every child brought some potatoes with the name of the people he/she hated. Some had 2 potatoes; some 3, while some had up to 5 potatoes.

The teacher then told the children to carry with them the potatoes in the plastic bag wherever they go (even to the toilet) for 1 week. Day after day passed by, and the children started to complain due to the unpleasant smell let out by the rotten potatoes they were carrying.

Those children having 5 potatoes really began to feel the weight of the heavier bags. After 1 week, the children were relieved to hear that the teacher had finally ended the game. The teacher asked: "How did you feel while carrying the potatoes with you for 1 week?" The children let out their frustrations and started complaining of the trouble that they had to go through having to carry the heavy and smelly potatoes wherever they go.

Then the teacher told them the hidden meaning behind the game. The teacher said: "This is exactly the situation when you carry your hatred for somebody inside your heart. The stench of hatred will contaminate your heart and you will end up carrying an unnecessary burden with you wherever you go.

If you cannot tolerate the smell of rotten potatoes for just 1 week, can you imagine what a burden it would be to have the stench of hatred in your heart for your lifetime???"

Moral of the story:

Get rid of any hatred you might have for others in your heart, so that you won't have to carry around an unnecessary burden during your lifetime. Forgiving others is the best attitude to take! Love others, even if you don't like them...

Have you ever heard your grandchild say...

-She was in the bathroom, putting on her makeup, under the watchful eyes of her young granddaughter as she'd done many times before. After she applied her lipstick and started to leave, the little one said, "But Gramma, you forgot to kiss the toilet paper good-bye!"

-My young grandson called the other day to wish me Happy Birthday. He asked me how old I was, and I told him, "62." He was quiet for a moment, and then he asked, "Did you start at 1?"

-After putting her grandchildren to bed, a grandmother changed into old slacks and a droopy blouse and proceeded to wash her hair. As she heard the children getting more and more rambunctious, her patience grew thin. Finally, she threw a towel around her head and stormed into their room, putting them back to bed with stern warnings. As she left the room, she heard the three-year-old say with a trembling voice, "Who was THAT?"

-A grandmother was telling her little granddaughter what her own childhood was like: "We used to skate outside on a pond. I had a swing made from a tire; it hung from a tree in our front yard. We rode our pony. We picked wild raspberries in the woods." The little girl was wide-eyed, taking this all in. At last she said, "I sure wish I'd gotten to know you sooner!"

-My grandson was visiting one day when he asked, "Grandma, do you know how you and God are alike?" I mentally polished my halo while I asked, "No, how are we alike?" "You're both old," he replied.

-A little girl was diligently pounding away on her grandfather's word processor. She told him she was writing a story. "What's it about?" he asked. "I don't know," she replied. "I can't read."

-I didn't know if my granddaughter had learned her colors yet , so I decided to test her. I would point out something and ask what color it was. She would tell me and was always correct. It was fun for me, so I continued. At last she headed for the door, saying sagely, "Grandma, I think you should try to figure out some of these yourself!"

-When my grandson asked me how old I was, I teasingly replied, "I'm not sure." "Look in your underwear, Grandpa," he advised. "mine says I'm four to six."

A second grader came home from school and said to her grandmother, "Grandma, guess what? We learned how to make babies today." The grandmother, more than a little surprised, tried to keep her cool. "That's interesting," she said, "how do you make babies?" "It's simple," replied the girl. "You just change 'y' to 'i' and add 'es'."


-Children's Logic: "Give me a sentence about a public servant ," said a teacher. One of the small boys wrote: "The fireman came down the ladder pregnant." The teacher took the lad aside to correct him. "Don't you know what pregnant means?" she asked. "Sure," said the young boy confidently. "It means carrying a child."

-When my grandson Billy and I entered our vacation cabin, we kept the lights off until we were inside to keep from attracting pesky insects. Still, a few fireflies followed us in. Noticing them before I did, Billy whispered, "It's no use, Grandpa. The mosquitoes are coming after us with flashlights."

Advice For Graduates From A Graduate

I found these words written by a young person getting ready to graduate. I just thought I would pass them along.

As a person who is graduating high school very soon, I have advice for students in
high school or students who are soon going to be high school students. Many of
these are based on regrets that I have made or regrets that people I know have made.
I don't consider myself to be an authority figure or a professional of any kind and
I do not mean to be condescending or professorial. Many of these may be obvious to
you, but these are a list of things I wish I was told before I during my early years
of high school, and I am sure others can benefit from reading this

(1) Do Not Be Too Quick To Judge
Do not value first impressions highly. Don't dismiss a person or idea too early
just because you immediately get a bad impression from it. You will miss many
opportunities because of that. Just because something seems bad at first
impression, does not mean it is bad. Try to give everything a fair chance.

(2) Do Not Let Your Friends Slip Away
If your friendship with someone is slowly weakening, take iniative immediately to
try to repair it instead of allowing your situation to exacerbate. Identify a
possible reason why the friendship is weakening. If you think is your fault, try
and make ammends immediately.

(3) Do Not Ever Hold Grudges
Holding a grudge is like holding a trade embargo. It is intended to hurt the other
party, but it hurts you equally. Spending your high school years focusing on the
tension between you and another person is not pleasant. Be quick to forgive.

(4) Do Not Seek Revenge
Unless revenge entails little effort, will be effective, and puts you at no risk
for consquences, do not seek it. Just let it go and move on. If it's tension
between a person from your school, you will never see them again in a few years.

(5) Do Not Get Into Drama
If the problem doesn't involve you, don't get involved. As tempting as it seems to
get in a conflict, mediate, take sides, and try to resolve it, it just isn't worth
it. It may give you enemies, it is a huge waste of time, and it produces no
benefits for you.

(6) Pick The Right Classes
Once you pick a class, you are stuck with it for the whole year. Don't pick a class
that you won't want to take for the whole year for a stupid reason. There are so
many classes and only a limited amount of them you can take, so think carefully.
High school is an opportunity to learn about so many things, so just pick courses
that you always wanted to learn.

(7) Have Respect For Authority
No matter how much you may dislike them at the time, just remember that teachers and
parents care about you and are only doing their job. Listen to their advice and
heed it. Don't argue with them and just obey them.

(8) Get Your Driver's License Right Away
Keep that on a high priority. Pass the written test as soon as you can. Get as
much practice as you can and pass the driving test as soon as you can. Don't push
this off until later. Get this out of the way as soon as possible.

(9) Don't Be A Victim Of Fads
Wearing the latest fashion, getting the newest electronics, getting a popular
haircut, and spending much time trying to follow the latest trends is all a waste.
Fads don't matter in a few months and they are not in your interest - only in the
interest of giant corporations who market to the masses.

(10) Don't Try To Please Everybody
There is no way you can please everybody or get everybody to agree with you. Don't
spend any effort trying to please others who will never like you. It is a huge
waste of time.

(11) Do Not Draw Negative Attention
Don't say anything offensive and do not be a pessimist. Don't have bad hygeine or
act immaturely. It takes a lot of time to repair a bad image and it is better to
have no attention at all than to get negative attention.

(12) Join Several Clubs / Activities
It is a great way to meet friends, take up new interests, augment your college
application. What's not to like? If you don't, you may be missing on several
opportunities.

(13) Do Well In Academics
That's the one thing that you don't want to screw up. Develop good academic habits
for college, absorb the information being taught to you, and walk out of high school
with a good GPA. If not, you are making waste of the most important function of
high school.

(14) Create A Set Of Goals
Ask yourself what you would like to accomplish after high school and make a
plan on how you would like to reach them. There is a lot of room for improvement
and there is no reason not to improve.

(15) Learn To Say The Word "No"
Saying "Yes" to everything is an awful vice. It can easily allow you to be
encumbered by selfless tasks which are at no benefit to you. And if you say "Yes"
to one thing, as a natural consequence, you have to say "No" to something else. So
just learn to say the word "No", a lot.

(16) Make The Right Friends
Friends who use others, friends who engage in criminal activity, friends who
immature, and friends who you can never have a serious relationship with are a waste
of an investment. Make the right friends rather than being influenced by the wrong
friends.

(17) Remember That You Are Young
You are immature: physically, mentally, and emotionally. You are comparatively dumb.
There is a lot of room for improvement and growth, so don't deny yourself that
improvement and growth because you think you are superior to your elders.

(18) Your Views Will Change
The views you have now, even if you hold them 100% firmly, will most likely change
as you get older and begin to mature. Your political views, your opinions, your
beliefs, your interpretation of your past, everything. So keep that in mind that
what you think now might not be true at all.

(19) Learn To Take Responsibility
Doing whatever you want regardless of the consequences because your
parents or teachers are there to fix it. It's an awful habit. Learn to be
accountable for yourself and learn self-discipline.

(20) Stay In Healthy Shape
Get a sufficient amount of sleep, eat healthy, take vitamins, exercise, and avoid
reckless behavior. You only get one life, so be well in it.

(21) Educate Yourself Outside Of School
If school is your only source of knowledge, you will be ignorant and will probably
never even open a book after you graduate school. Learn as much as you can outside
of school: about finances, politics, marketable skills, useful skills, etc.

(22) See Things In Other People's Perspective
The decisions people make, may seem odd to you, but try to step in their shoes and
try to imagine why they would do the things that they do. Were they a victim of of
something, do they have good intentions, do they have something to gain out of what
they are doing, are they thinking illogically, or are you thinking illogically?

(23) Plan For After High School
You shouldn't have a specific plan on what you want to do early in high school, but
as the years pass by, make sure you have a plan. Whether it is college, a
vocational school, or the military, just make sure you have a plan for something,
and make sure you are working to acheive that goal.

(24) Be Thankful Of Everything You Have
There are many people in the world who are poor, starving, uneducated, and on the
verge of death, and there are millions of people in history who have suffered from
war, famine, and slavery. So be thankful for everything you have.

(25) It's All About The Habits
Bad habits are hard to break and remain with you for a long time. Don't fall into a
trap which can hurt you your whole life. Simultaneously, develop good habits which
you would like to carry with you your whole life.

(26) Understand The Value Of A Dollar
The labor of a high school student is worth minimum wage (about 7.50 per hour and
possibly part time). The labor of someone who has graduated college is a salary of
around $30,000-90,000+, so understand how the money you have during high school
means almost nothing and that the money you will be making your whole life matters.

27) You Have A Lot Of Time
You have very very very high amount of free time on your hands to use however you
wish. You can waste it in front of a television screen or you can use it
productively. The choice is up to you.

(28) Realize High School Isn't The Real World
High school is not the real world. The real world isn't a closed environment. It
is a free society where people accept responsibility for their actions. What is
rewarded in high school (popularity, athleticness, rote memorization, obedience) is
different from what is rewarded in the real world. If high school isn't working out
for you, you may find yourself better in handling the real world.

(29) How Will This Impact Me In Five Years?
Ask that question with every big decision you make.

(30) Understand The Difference Of Scale
High school is four years long. The rest of your life is statistically sixty years
long. So ask yourself what is more important: to be more concerned with those four
years or to be more concerned about the future.

A lot of these are general, and people who read this will still probably make some
of these mistakes, but the important thing is to try not to make mistakes and learn
as much as you can from them if you do.