What's up?

We start another summer very busy as usual. Beatriz just finished 7 years of piano with a very special teacher with her Senior Recital yesterday. She did a great job. It was bittersweet. The total ending of her high school years and moving on to the college years and all the changes of young adulthood.

Our eldest daughter is in the last month of her second pregnancy. She is ready now but this baby will come when it's ready to come... The baby's room is ready, the bag is packed for the hospital, contingency plans for the 3 year old are in place... Ready.

Amanda is continuing her pharmacy tech. courses at the JC. She is taking two summer courses and continues to work part time at Party City. She is the one they call in for extra hours when big balloon orders come in. She is very consistent filling the balloons so they all look the same size.

Real Estate is so slow it seems to be going backwards. Chuck has taken a part time job that sends him all over the country for periods of time. He has been in Washington state, Oklahoma and Florida. He will probably be in Tennessee next. It is strange when he is gone because we go from him working from home and being here all the time to not at all.

Joshua likes to come to Mimi's house and ride in Mimi's car. He is here today enjoying train videos on Mimi's computer and watching Cars. His daddy, Jake, needed to work today because he wanted to attend Bea's recital yesterday. His mommy, Julie, is working a photo shoot for muttropolis all day today. Yes, that's right, she is taking pictures of dogs. This will be her last job until the baby is a few months old.

Like I said...busy, busy, busy...

I suppose my role in all of this is sort of like glue, or putty...

Happy Father's Day Dad!

Happy Father's Day Dad!
I love you very much. Thanks for being such a great Dad.

He has a legacy...

his children and grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Kathleen, Deborah, Van, Chris, Laura (children)
Chuck, David, Millie, Gail, Larry ( spouses)
Angela, Julie, Jake, Anthony, Cody, Shawna, Nicole, Amanda, Beatriz, Jennifer, Jonathan, Serena, Samantha, Savanna, Justin (grandchildren & spouses)
David, Joshua, Madison, Ayden, Ava, Lana (great grandchildren)

He is a patriarch.

He Loves with his whole heart.

Dad loves wholeheartedly.
When you are loved by my dad you are really loved.
Dad, you showed us how to love others.
I have always felt loved and am so happy to know you are loved.
Thanks Dad.

He is a role model.

Dad is a fantastic role model.
He is a great dad and my brother is a great dad.
My dad taught us mostly by example and hands on.
He helped me become a good mom and my brother a great dad.

My brother has 3 girls. He is there for them when they need him.
He coaches their softball and soccer teams.
He supports them in ballet.

My dad and brother both travel/traveled the country as part of their jobs.
Yet both juggle their responsibilities of work and home very well.
It's not easy but it can be done.

Thanks for being such a role model Dad!

He is always there when you need him.

My Dad!
He has always been there for us.
Concerts, back to school nights, PTA, baseball, Powderpuff Football, Pop WarnerFootball, vacations, birthdays, weddings, grandchildren.
Everything!

My Dad!
Always there to lend a hand.
Fixing things, assembling toys, wiping away tears, putting on bandaids...
Better yet...he teaches us how to do these things in the future.

Who could this be?

Who could this 1 year old possibly be?
Is the smile familiar?

Here he is a little older. Now a toddler.
Any guesses yet?
Take a look at the cheeks.
Check out the ears.

Now you recognize him!
He hasn't changed at all from this picture until now!

I love hearing stories from my dad. He was a Boy Scout. He was a musician. He was the man of the house. He lost his dad when he was only eight. He lost some vision in his eye in a "foolish" childhood adventure. He suffered loss at a young age.

My dad lives his life. He is not afraid to try new things.
My dad is my hero!
My dad was a little boy once just like we all were little children once.
Thanks for sharing stories of your childhood Dad!

such a comfort

Isn't is a comfort to realize that God knows.

He knows what is best for me.

He knows ahead of time that I am going to mess it up.

He has already forgiven me.

I don't have to run around with guilt from things I have already repented.

When I feel guilt, I need to take time to examine myself. Is this residual guilt from a past sin that has been confessed? Am I continuing to sin in this way? Do I need help to stop or change direction away from this sin? Why do I continue to sin in this old way? If I have purposed to change in my heart have I asked God for help? If not...did I really want to change? If so...did I stumble and need picking up?
If this is not old stuff is it something new? Is God growing me? Has he gently tried to show me the error of my sin and I didn't listen? What do I do now?

I am a child of God. I do not need to live in guilt. I have been set free.

I cannot ignore my sin. I need to keep on going. I need help to pick me up sometimes and other times I need to just get up and move on.

I am not a feather floating around on the winds of the world. I am firmly rooted in the Word of God. I need not wallow in guilt nor beat myself up. We have all sinned. We all fall down.

Repentance is a change of direction. The further along that change of road the less often we fall down or stumble.

There are consequences of my sins here on earth. Apologize if I have wronged another. Give restitution if I have taken away something that was not mine to have. Move on and let it go. I am not perfect but in Christ I am made complete.

"Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended, but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead." Phil. 3:13