A new chapter to our Family

This past week has been a delightful but yet strange kind of week. After spending this past Friday night with my wife preparing for my oldest of my daughters first baby shower, I was very excited. Proud and full of joy as to becoming a first time Grandpa.

The setting was made and the goodies prepared;
when visions of grandeur danced through my everywhere.
The cupcakes were made and the sandwiches wrapped;
waiting for this special days first little mishap.
So I myself laid down to enjoy a quiet day.
When all of sudden not much to my dismay.
the sound of cakes flying came across my cell phone;
in only a way that my wife could have shown.
The idea of the mess wasn't enough
the phone kept on ringing with forgotten stuff.

The duckies were swimming and the tables were set;
the party was starting and that's a sure bet.
My daughter arrived with her belly stuck out,
the guest were awaiting with a surprising shout.

The Achesons' hosted in their loving abode;
and everyone loved it from what I've been told.

My daughter and us are so grateful to you;
for it's God's love that you show that shines so true.
The guest are all leaving and that makes us sad;
but we'll never forget the time that we had.

Now everyone's gone and it's time to relax;
for the mother an me it's off to the sack.
Another day's over, another day's gone,
but the love that was given was all just for one.
The little one's coming, not knowing his name,
he lies there sleeping while mom does the same.
We await his arrival for the time is so near.
Our little one's coming there isn't a fear.

My daughters' the first that I had in my life,
now her little one will be shared with me and my wife.
Spoiled and rotten right down to the bone,
for Grandma and Grandpa it's the love we have shown.


Well this is for sure the silliest little poem I have ever doodled with in my 47 years of life, but it was fun and I needed to add a blog. Best wishes to my loving daughter and son-in-law with the soon be arrival of there first baby son.

Love Dad.

Looking for Open Doors

You might be asking yourself, "How can he still have a good attitude after all of this?" But the truth is that I do stumble and fall on occasion. The big thing is that I get back up and keep on trucking. How can I even begin to look down on myself and or my situation when the Love in my family runs strong, the health is great and no stomach is empty. My children or myself and wife are not going with out we are highly blessed in knowing that God is supplying our every need. No, I do not have a full time job and no, I do not make an excessive amount of money, but my Father continues to provide for us. Our bills are met to the most part and all of our needs are met. My family and myself had learned awhile back that it is not going without when it is a want. The needs of my family are few and the wants are even fewer. We have learned to live within our means and consider it a blessing that God has entrusted
us with what He has. Nothing that I have is mine any way, it all belongs to the Father.

I would be a liar if I said that I do not get discouraged sometimes. The difference is that it is not for me but for the ones in whom my heart aches to help. You see, If people could only understand the passion and love I have for helping those children in need, they would surely hire me without question. My sole desire is not to make million or to become extremely successful, I am just wanting to be able to start the planting of seed to ensure the harvest of those that do not know Christ as I do. Is it wrong to want to make a difference in a young persons life, to have them lean on a shoulder or receive a touch of love. You see I don't want to change the world, I just want to be able to touch the lives of a few in need. In essence, to give back to others that which Christ has given me in this life.

Continue top pray for me, for I know it is the prayers that keep me going, looking for that one open door. I continue to remember that it is not in my time but in God's.

Still Holding My Head Up!

This week I was able to put 3 applications in to companies that I would really enjoy working for. All three companies dealt with troubled kids of some type. Foster, teens, troubled, abandoned, etc. they all have some kind of trouble. My passion has always been to work with the youth of today, making a difference and changing a life. No, I don't aim to be the Mother Teresa of today, I am just wanting to be able to touch the hearts and souls of those whom have nobody. I pray about someday being able to work in a field that could and will be so satisfying and rewarding. Working in the school system I have seen many kids fall through the cracks and slip away. I have always had my hand out to them when ever in need or in trouble. This is what seemed to have got me in trouble initially with my job at the High School. I just wanted to make a difference and people, at least administration, did not seem to get this. The Hierarchy as a whole had seemed to forgotten why they had chosen the teaching profession in the first place. I believe initially we all get into it for the kids and as time rolls by most of use, or should I say them, seem to forget and become complacent in what they do. My heart is still with the youth of our country and I really feel if given the right chance with God as my strength and guide, I can make a difference and I can live out my dream. No Col ledge education or training can teach you to love and care for another individual unconditionally, this comes from inside and above. My Father has always stood by me in all I do and he has never forsaken me. He has always carried me through the low times in my life and had been there in the peaks. Even if I had forgotten on times that He is always beside me and most of the time carrying me. This is what I want to be to these kids, someone who wants to make a difference, not expecting anything in return for the blessings are far greater in the end than anything I will ever experience here. Off to sleep now dreaming of only a chance.

A Lost Nation

Tell me if this sounds like our Nation of today;

Luke 15:11-31 The Parable of the Lost Son
11 Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them.

13 "Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

17 "When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.' 20 So he got up and went to his father.
"But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

21 "The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'

22 "But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.

25 "Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 'Your brother has come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.'

28 "The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!'

31 " 'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.

Now does this sound like our nation today? Have we not used up the blessings that our Father has given us and sought out to gain by means of self pleasure, deception, lies, imoralities, at the cost of others even if it hurts them. We as a nation have turned our backs on God. We have taken him out of our public schools, off of our public lawns in the form of Nativities, we have taken him out of our daily lives. I for one am shamed for what our nation has turn too. Yes, I am as guilty as the next person, I have foresaken God as you have. I have made lite of his glory and grace, set him on the back burners and at times even forgotten he was there.

I thank him for not being of my mind set, for he has always been there during the times that I have left him out. Seems like most of the time he is carrying me and I do not even realize it. I know he has taken ver good care of me in the past and will do so to come. I just need to continue to remember what the Word says in

Luke 12:32-34
32 "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

I believe it is time for our Nation to come back to the teachings and following of our Lord and Savoir. Is this a test, a challange or just a glitch; I would suggest we adjust our selfs to comply to God's Word before we get so far down that there is no return. It is time we stand up and proclaim what is right and who we are, as followers of Christ we will not crawl under a rock and hide, wimper and whine, but we will stand boldly and acknowledge our faults and short comings. Be blessed and give God the glory for which he deserves. Be happy with what he has given you and the situation you are in for it is in the hands of God and we should praise hime for this.

My own situation with lack of work and short of income has been a blessing to watch God supply. I have full trust that he will not let me sink that he is just preparing me and my family for something much greater. I thank my God above the health of my family and loved ones, the roof over my head and the food in my stomach, for it is without him, none of this would be posible.

So next time you think you have it so bad and want to blame someone, look in a mirror, it hits a little closer to home that way. Try spending a little more time on your knees in touch with the one whom has the Master Plan.

May all of your lives be blessed and full of glory.

Mike

Just another Day in Darkness

After slumbering in bed till noon today I finally found the energy to get up and get started. Knowing that there was no job to go to and no interviews today I was playing lazy. It really does get to you after awhile knowing that you must rely on an income that is derived from a meaningless part-time job that barely pays. Well for the most part we are making ends meat and paying the bills, but it would be nice to have a little extra on the side every now and then. Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining, just venting a little. I am very happy with where I am in life, my wife, family and friends. My financial situation is alright, as previously stated, God had prepared my wife and myself for this by means of Crown Ministries. I keep checking the emails and still no response, I had recently put in for a job with JSO in Duval county for the 911 operator, praying that this pans out. Keep me and mine in your prayers and I will do the same.

I must continue to remember that when I am in my darkest times and the valleys of my life that this is whem my Lord has not forsaken me, but is carrying me.

Keeping my eyes on the Lord

Well we have got a new President in office and the unemployment is still on the rise. Jobs seem to be fewer and farther apart. Having to fill all your aps out on line really stinks. I have had a couple of meaningless offers, mostly those that do not amount to anything. My faith is still strong and yes, God is getting us through this. Sometimes are harder than others, like when my 18 year old daughter gets a job at the local mall and I am still looking. I know there is something out there and I am trying to be patient about waiting for it. God has got the place and position for me, I just don't know what it is yet. I keep on looking and I guess I am just over looking it.

When it comes, I know that it will be a blessing to myself and my family it will be a job that I can glorify my savior in. I do not want to except just any job, I want it to be the one that he wants me to be in. The one that can edify and glorify my Lord and Savior.

If you are keeping up with this blog, please continue to pray for me and my family for I am praying for others whom might be in the same spot. Don't give up hope, God is on our side.

Garage Sales to make ends meat

Well, after going through the week with no real signs of success yet, I have decided to have my monthly Garage Sale. This should help out a little, pay maybe a bill or two. I thank God above and my Church Family for walking with me on this one. I have benifited vastly through the teachings, lessons and love of each and every one of them. When I got married back in 04 my loving wife to be at that time and I had decided to take a course called Crown Ministries. Boy if I only would have known what God had been preparing us for. This course is to line your finacial bearing to that of God's Word. To sum it up, "if you don't have the money to pay for it now, you really don't need it." We had learn that our monies are infact not ours but Gods and he gives it to use to use in a biblical manner. That doesn't mean splurg buying, more niceties than nessaries. We were able to pay off all of our debt with minor exceptions (i.e. House, insurance, lights, regular living exspences). So when I lost my job last year we were not in a financial ruin we were able to sustain the loss. Does it hurt, Well of course it does, we are just able to continue living with in the same means that we always have. This is all because of the biblical teachings recieved earlier. We have learn to live with in the means to be comfortable and blessed with what God has honored us with and not outside the means by living by mans

rule. Thank you Pinwood and God above for the lessons you have taught both myself and my wife and for the love you have shown to my entire family.

Pure frustration

It has now been about 3 months, and I am still looking for the job that will take me through the next 10-15 years till I retire. Have not found anything as of yet. I feel like I am some kind of failure at times seeing as how I can not find a job to help sustain my family. I took a test for the 2009 census a couple of weeks ago and scored what I thought was fairly well, then my new 18 year old daughter took the same test last week and aced it, wow do I feel dumb. I guess at my age we look at things a little different. With the econemy the way it is, I really do not know if day light is up ahead. I keep sinking deeper and deeper into myself withdrawling from others finding myself even more alone. The thought of not having a real full time job eats at me every day. Waking up with no where to go, lack of responsibility, plainly no drive any more. I have got skills and am willing to work most any job, just can not hook one. In utmost desperation I am going to start flipping burgers again at a fast food resturant. With God and the love of my family I know I will get through this but it is not easy and I can feel for those that are going through the same trials that I am. "Don't give up", I keep telling myself, "God has got a plan for me I just don't know what it is yet."