So Much To Say, Just Not Now

The past few months have been a blur as many unforeseen changes have or are coming about for the family here shortly. It's funny to think that at the beginning of the year, I thought 2010 might actually not be a a crazy year. Oh how I was wrong! As I stare down the second half of the year, I can see the world changing, thank God for peace throughout the craziness. More to come... as it unfolds.

Christians, Don't Read This.

I had to believe that a little piece of America died tonight. Many people will stop reading this blog, thinking that I am referring to the passing of the HR 1099 Health Care bill. I'm not. What I am referring to are the passionate leaders of the church that I see downplaying the hottest issue in America right now. I am watching countless 'tweets' and facebook posts float across my screen, as religious leaders ask 'if God really cares about healthcare?', and 'will we care about this in heaven someday?'. Are we that out of tune with our own nation and the people we are trying to reach with the love of Christ?

Proponent and Opponents to the bill agree that you will be effected. They can't necessarily agree on how you will be effected, but all can agree that this is a defining moment in America. If everyone's effected, then it's important to understand both sides of the issue and form an intelligent stance on the issue. You may not blast it from the pulpit, but understand that people are hurting on both sides of the aisle.

When will Christians in America spend a few minutes directing some of their passion for the nation they live in? How do you passionately 'burn' for a nation who has suffered a national disaster that was out of their control, yet shrug your shoulders as the nation that you live in willfully adopts a measure that has the potential to 'rock' America (Although this is obviously yet to be seen)? Cheery churchgoers, have spent the past several decades looking the other way while abortion has become legalized, The Ten Commandments have been removed from Federal buildings, and the words 'one nation under God' were almost removed from the pledge of allegiance. Someday, America may not welcome my Christian beliefs at all. What does that have to do with health care? We don't know, and that's the problem.

If the wording would allow your 16 year old daughter to have a federally funded abortion without your consent, would you care then? If it enabled cancer treatment for a loved one, who formerly couldn't be treated because of 'a pre-existing condition', would that matter to you? These questions are running through everyone's minds. If it doesn't effect you now, please don't think that it will never become tangible in your lifetime.

In closing, I don't plan on visiting Africa for missions, but I will support you if that is your calling. I won't be in Haiti helping refugees, but I know many talented people who will be, and I offer my prayers and financial support. As for me, and countless millions in America, the politico is where our passions lie, and when we are on our battlefield trying to do what we believe is right, please don't try to disparage us.

The 10 Things I Learned

It was a sad day this week, when we learned Nikki's Grandpa Cook had died. He had been in great health, but had an aneurysm that appeared to have dissected and caused a heart attack on Tuesday afternoon. It was quite a shock to us all. I had a profound respect for Grandpa, and it became very apparent to me that he had a great impact on my life . So in memory of Grandpa, here are a few things that I learned from him:

10. Smile for the camera. If 9 out of 10 pictures show you with a smile, there's a good chance that you'll be remembered as "a happy person." We found a lot of smiling pictures.

9. Eat ice cream... not the non-fat kind. Life is too short not to enjoy the finer things.

8. Never retire. Sometimes your job title can change (For instance, from home builder to domestic landscaper), but that doesn't mean you stop working.

7. Tell great stories. When you can live-in-the-moment and vividly remember the smell, touch, sound, and sights, you can capture the attention of even the worst ADHD child.

6. A game of cards and a bowl of chocolate raisins is the best way to spend a rainy day.

5. Tolerate people, not necessarily their opinions. This could also be known as "call a spade a spade."

4. Be generous with your time and talents. It might even inspire people to blog about you.

3. Be smart with your money. This involves living within your means and investing wisely.

2. Family is your most important investment. Your family is the asset that will carry your principles and values for decades to come.

1. Leave a legacy. For many years to come, we'll reminisce the memory of a man, who invested his life in making my world a better place to be. Will that be said of me someday?

A Long TIme Coming

Mom & Dad In front of 'It's A Small World'








Drewbie & I after fireworks. He's a big fan


Drew wasn't afraid of the characters at all. In fact he had a strange infatuation with grabbing their noses.






Me & My Boy

Whirlwind

I couldn't believe that my last post was in August. September and October are crazy months and it seems like only yesterday that we were traveling to Disneyland for a long Labor day weekend. So now that the dust has cleared, I thought I'd post a couple cute pics of my boy.

And the Results Are...

The fact that I'm typing this is a miracle. For those who have been praying, even if you weren't sure for what, I appreciate it.
So, here's the scoop. Last weekend when I left church, I had a headache, and I thought a little rest would help. I took a two hour nap, and when I woke up I felt like I had "overexercised," but based on my lack of current workout time, I knew that wasn't the case. Monday and Tuesday, I still had that over-worked feeling in both my arms and legs, and by Wednesday, I thought the problem could be my back, because my back was feeling 'out of place.' So I took a trip to the chiropractor. By the end of Wednesday, I was developing loss of feeling in my hands, and Thursday and Friday it got progressively worse. Through the advice of the west valley's finest physical therapist, I contacted my doctor and made an appointment for Friday. Upon exam, they sent me to get a CT scan, X Ray, and blood work, and they wanted the results immediately (the term is 'stat' for fans of Grey's Anatomy or Scrubs). By Friday afternoon, I was unable to grip a pen or undo the clasp on my necklace. On Saturday, the symptoms were still present, and I had not received any word about the test results. I was made aware of an auto-immune disorder called, guillan-barre, which attacks the nervous system, and holds similar characteristics to what I was experiencing. The problem is that many guillan-barre sufferers end up on a ventilator for a few weeks during recovery, because it culminates by attaching your respiratory system. Although, I am technically still not in the clear of having this, it is seeming to be a less-likely result.
Then comes the amazing part. After hundreds of prayers, rest, and an abundance of reminders that I really don't have any control over the situation-- I have begun to heal. It started yesterday at midday, when the pain in my arms subsided and the use of my fingers started to come back. The over-exercised feeling went away by mid-afternoon, and I actually had some energy by the evening. As a bonus, there was an NCIS marathon on USA network, so I caught up on episodes that I missed, but I digress. Although I am crazy tired, I still feel that I am progressing toward complete healing.

It was ironic that backstage at church last week, I remember making the comment about how crippling a physical pain can be to our spiritual life, ie.,. it's tough to 'consider it pure joy' when you're staring down the inability to use your hands. When I thought about this, I was reminded of the first chapter of Job, when God asks Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job?" Definitely a scary thought, when you insert your name where Job's is! Especially when you think about what Job endured over the next 40+ chapters! No thanks.
Currently I am left with a knot in my back and a crick in my neck, and a few more doctors appointments. Yet, my CT scan and X Rays came back normal and most of my blood work shows the same. They show that my inflammation is a little elevated, but not enough to be concerned. So I don't know where this problem came from; I'm not sure why it escalated so quickly; but I do know that prayer, and the One who answers prayers are working just fine. Nikki, Drew, and I appreciate your prayer during this time, and we are confident that we would have not had the same resolution, if it had not been for people praying for us. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Obamopoly: Do Not Pass Go

The object of the game is to destroy American capitalism by having the government take over everything!
Tokens include a bus, a teleprompter, a sprig of arugula and a waffle iron.

*Wanna play? No??? Too bad, you're already playing... And quite frankly, in this game, nobody wins!*

I thought this e-mail was hysterical! Be sure to read the squares on the game board.