Night and Day

*A little rough, but pretty much explains how I was feeling this morning.*

Night and Day

Night and day I am witness to the hopeless;


I see the unwed living together;

I hear the obese mother yelling a hateful “shut up” to her crying innocent toddler;

I notice the frequent visits of youthful and not-so-youthful promiscuity in numerous homes.

This is not a house; these are not homes.

My heart cries out for them as often as I witness it – night and day.

No one can be happy while consumed by such lies.

All is sought in the name of progress, yet all that is gained is turmoil and vain desire.

New direction is needed; guidance must be give; hope must be planted and restored.

How is it to be done when they have become desensitized due to belief of seeking out self-gratification?

Yet you tell us of your presence through night and day.

By these you tell us, “I am here; I am with you.”

All is speculation, ideas of human conception, which lay claim to an existence that is ill and vain.

In you we need faith; but nothing calls for more.

Only you could make something out of nothing.

Beyond night and day there is only nothingness.

Finally Got to Run Again

After taking about six weeks off from running, I finally got out today for the first time. It was short and too fast.

The doc said that it was IT Band syndrome. So for the past three weeks or so I've been stretching that particular IT Band for about 10 minutes, twice a day.

I didn't have any pain, so hopefully I'm good to get serious again. The Army 10-Miler is less than a month away, though. So that's not good. Also, I'm gonna have to postpone running the Baltimore Marathon until next year.

I haven't weighed myself, but I know I've put on a few pounds. Got a glimpse in the mirror today and noticed a gut, which I cannot stand to have. I wondered for a moment if I should keep it given that without my beard I am back to the babyface and thought perhaps that having a gut gave the appearance of a few added years. But then that moment was over and I was rational again.

Sacrificed For

I read an article today that was bittersweet. You can read it here.

Basically, a reporter and his interpreter were taken custody and were being held prisoners. British commandos conducted a raid early in the morning to free the reporter, but the interpreter died. What actually got me was that one of the commandos died as well. This means that this commando gave his life to rescue another man's life. I couldn't help but think about putting myself in that reporter's shoes and imagine the emotions I would have over being rescued because of a man dying. What would I say to that guy's family? How would I live my life differently because of this event? Would I then have to live my life for this man's sake?

Isn't this exactly why Jesus did for us? So that we can be saved and have a relationship with God he gave his life for us even when we didn't deserve it. Though we don't have to live our lives for him that is just what he wants for us to do. To die to ourselves, to our wants and desires and passions, and instead make his wants, desires, and passions our own. When this life is over, what are we to say to the Father if we hadn't lived our lives for Jesus' glory? There certainly is no excuse.

10 Years Ago

Today marks 10 years since our first date!

Happy anniversary, babe!

August Update

I refuse to apologize for not posting for an entire month. Most of you know how busy we are and we certainly wish that we could tone it down a bit. However, that really is not the case. Instead, let me catch you up.

Chrissy is pregnant - 15 weeks along, due around V-day.
Kids start school on 1 September - Sierra = Kindergarten; Gabe = PreK 4.
My classes started yesterday - taking 5 this semester.
I am ministering every other Saturday morning to residents at a local assisted living home.
I am persuading a local homeless shelter to allow me to conduct a worship service after Sunday dinners.
I am involved with Officer Christian Fellowship at the Naval Academy doing Bible studies on Tuesday nights.
I'm considering a p/t job so I can make some income and feel like a man again - ideally one where I can study while on shift.

That's probably the majority of it all.

I'm working on launching a family website/blog, but am stuck on a name for it. I'd appreciate any suggestions you might have. I'll post the new site address on here when it's up and ready.

Also, let me know if you didn't receive our monthly update email so I can add you to the list and send out August's to you.