My Blessings.

For some odd reason the holidays have a tendency to make me stop and look back on things…both good and bad….kind of a a spiritual inventory if you will. This has been an amazing year for me personally. GOD has answered pretty much all my prayers..church home, friends, family, health etc. GOD has blessed my life abundantly.

The Things I am thankful for this Christmas season.

GOD – All mighty, forgiving, kind, ever present and hard at work in MY life. Thank you.

My Wife – who puts up with my mood swings and all my other annoying “quirks.” And still showers me with love and peace……or a kick in the butt when I need it. She is the absolute best.

My kids -  Elena and her hugs. Devin and  his goofy humor. Zanna and Tony for Cheeseburger Tuesdays, and the text messages to their  outta date old man. What a gift they are.

My family – Mom and Dad for always being there. Holly and Leanne for their love and support and humor and thoughtfulness and……and….I couldn’t ask for better sisters because I have the best already!! My brother David may this year bring us closer.

My friends – Notice that has an “S” on it….wow, I would have lost that bet a year ago if someone would have said I would have friendS.  Tom and Sharon, Brad and Sally, Gary and Amy, Mark and Carol, Dave and Jill, Rick and Meghan, William and Barb, Big Rick and his family…..the list goes on and on. The  Valley Hope Crew…..you guys make me smile every Sunday and a part of me is always sad when someone “gets out” because I miss seeing them every week but I rejoice in the time that we did spend together no matter how brief !!!!

RiverPoint Church – Need I say more? Thank you for all you do each and every Sunday and Beyond!!!!

All of you have touched and blessed my life, my heart and my soul. I take you with me everywhere I go…..and for that I am Grateful.

 

MEWEE CHWISMUS!!!

 

ACK!!!

It’s that time again. I have no plan here, just here.

It has been a rough week. Deadlines in every part of my life are drawing near this week and I am behind on them all. No excuses, no good ones anyway…..I am just behind.

Work has been a real bite in the butt this week. Monday, now known as “Black Monday”, brought news that the guy that hired me, the guy that was a friend, and a mentor, the guy that was holding a place in his group for me…..was “let go due to managerial differences.” Times are changing. The proverbial bottom has dropped out of the market and it sounds like 2008 will bring more change to my workplace. I trust that GOD will provide my family and I with the best option, be that the keeping of my job or having to find a new one, either way it’s in GOD’s hands….still.

I canceled cheeseburger Tuesdays this week, and missed the premier of “London Ink”. I know that GOD only gives us what we can handle but HE is pushing me to my limits this week.

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who give me  strength.

 

My Parents

My parents are amazing. They met in an Ohio grade school and have been together ever since. My Dad told his parents that he was “going to marry that little red headed girl” back in the sixth grade…..and he did. August 21th 1953.

My parents are amazing. They were in a car crash before the wedding. I remember Dad telling the story one time awhile back, about driving thru a snow storm and hitting a snow plow. The plow driver….or a passing driver…I can’t remember, loaded up Mom and took her to the hospital leaving Dad because they thought he wouldn’t make it. Another driver came along and took him to the hospital. They both made it…obviously.

My parents are amazing. My Dad has been a florist since day 1. My Mom didn’t work while I was in school, that I could remember, but I know she did before me and now works for the 1ST U.M. Church. They always were able to provide for our family.

My parents are amazing. On March 16th, 2005 my Mom suffered a pretty severe brain aneurysm. 2005….it seems like yesterday…….the first prognosis was grim. But with the absolute grace of GOD by morning she had turned a corner and was on her way back….the doctors even used the term MIRACULOUSLY and said that Mom is a miracle child. Prayers were answered on those days spent in the hospital. I saw GODS work first hand and I have been blessed to continue to see HIS work in our lives daily! GOD is amazing.

My parents are amazing. They celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary this year. I don’t know of anyone else in my life that has accomplished that. I hope to be that lucky.

My parents are amazing. Trust me when I say that our family had it’s ups and downs (hence the rabbit ears….ha-ha). But over all I think we did pretty darn good. Most of us still talk on a regular basis. My brother and I are worlds apart, but I still love him. My two sisters (more on them next time) and I still talk or e-mail once a week. And my folks are still here with all of us, still going strong, and amazing me with their ever growing, love and grace. My parents have taught me tons but the one thing that stands out most is Never Let Go……hopes….. dreams…… or Love.

Never Let Go.

With Love and Respect,    t.

 

The Week In Review

What a week. I am exhausted and beat but it was an amazing week!!

Our LIFEGroup is an amazing bunch of people who, even though we are from all different backgrounds and age groups we are all at about the same points in our walk with Christ, beginning Christ Followers, thirsty for knowledge and understanding in the Word. ( I hope to have pictures in the weeks to come of our group) This group is like a family to me. We meet for fellowship and laughter, we share in each others struggles, we are a support group for whatever need people happen to have….it’s a blessing that I get to share in life with our group!

Today William, Kathy and Gary from our group, along with about 19 others (22 total) from RiverPoint got Baptized this afternoon. Wow what an honor it was to be there with them at this moment in their lives ! After that was over we came home and then Pastor Brad called and said, ” Hey we have 4 more people from Valley Hope that missed out and want Baptized today can you help? RIGHT ON! Wow, thank you Brad! Being able to be a part of this “Life changing event” today, with both groups, was a truly moving experience and I am thankful that I was allowed to be a part of that experience. It touched my heart and I will never forget it! Thanks you, thank you, thank you.

Tony and Dana and Zanna were in service today. It really means a lot to have all three of you there, thanks guys you rock! My kids are great! Tuesday night at our house has become CHEESEBURGER TUESDAYS. Zanna and Tony come over and we eat big ol’ greasy cheeseburgers and watch NCIS and LA Ink. It’s cool because we all get to spend time together as a family!! ALL OF US — and it is so cool. Thanks Hope and kidos for being a part of this new family tradition.

Wow, the start of a new week right around the corner. I still feel so beat but I can’t wait to see what GOD has in store for this week. Thank you GOD for all you have done and continue to do in my life.

 

Hope

I know I have said it here already but I am honestly blessed to have Hope in my life. She takes such good care of the kids and I. She always lets us know that we are loved and that is such an amazing thing. There are times when I don’t do such a good job at letting HER know how much she is loved and needed, but I keep trying. Hope is moving closer to becoming a full time stay at home mom….January 1st…….and I can’t wait for her to get there!! She deserves that and sooo much more!! So thanks honey for all you do….you ROCK!!

t.

 

Is getting a tattoo a sin?

Here is a subject that continues to surface in my life from time to time. Considering the fact that I chose to get tattooed I was totally unprepared for the “Biblical arguments” against tattooing that the person on the street seem to sneak up and smack me with. Each time it happens it blindsides me into a stupor wondering if I actually have sinned against GOD or not and I wind up speechless, stuttering and unable to defend myself as I have never really researched the subject – until now.

I am amazed at the huge gray area this subject seems to dwell in. I have come across equal arguments that say tattooing is absolutely a sin and those that say it is NOT a sin. Which leads me here. I found this blog from a church in Phoenix Az. and I think this puts the issue to bed once and for all….at least for me. After 20+ years of dealing with this I can now rest assured in my heart that I am still on good terms with GOD.

No matter who says what.

I have been told that in the Book of Leviticus it says that getting a tattoo is a sin. Is that true today? Indeed in Leviticus 19:28 it says, ““Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the LORD.” (NIV). This would seem to indicate that tattoos are a bad thing. Many people who teach that don’t teach verse 27 as applicable, it says, “Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard.” To find out what is really going on we need to look at the context of Verse 28 within the chapter.

Chapter 19 in Leviticus starts off with God saying “The LORD said to Moses, “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.” God is going to give various rules for being different than the pagan world around them. Holy means “set apart” and God wants His people to be different than the world. Many of the rules in chapter 19 contain instructions to not do the things the pagans do, for instance not cutting themselves to show sorrow (this was thought by pagans to get the attention of their gods) and not tattooing themselves (this showed their allegiance to a certain god and was thought to be a magic symbol which would bring their gods favor).

So the question is how do we apply this verse today? The thing to ask yourself is, are you getting a tattoo to identify with the pagan culture around us? If you are than it probably isn’t a good idea. If you are just getting one because you think they look cool or you’ve always wanted to be an art gallery then it is probably okay.

One more thing to consider is; are you able to witness as effectively to others if you have a visible tattoo? This is something that needs to be worked out between you and God.

So to sum up having or getting a tattoo isn’t a sin unless it draws you or others away from God. Many times we want all Christians to look and act exactly the same, but that isn’t the way God operates. God uses all different kinds of people to reach all the different people in the world. I know people with tattoos all over their arms that are able to minister to people that would never listen to me. I hope this helps.

Taken from the Vineyard Church of North Phoenix Web Log.

And so there it is in black ink. From my heart a big thank you to my family and my church family for your unconditional love, support, and nurturing of this Tattooed Heavy Metal Loving Jesus Freak. YOU ROCK!!!!

RIGHT ON.

t.

 

La mia moglie bella

You know the saying, hard to see the forest thru the trees? Well for me that “forest” is my wife. I come on and write about church and friends and deservedly so. BUT, in the hustle and bustle that is our life the steady, overlooked, constant in my life has always been my wife, Hope.
We have been together now for…..6+ years.

We met at a really low point in my life, when things for me where chaos to say the least.

I was homeless. But she took a chance on me anyway. (Can you even imagine???)

She told me on our 3^rd date, I am the one for you….here’s why. HA-HA.

At the time I was both intimidated and impressed.

Hope continues to be such a wondrous blessing in my life.

I often try to imagine where I might have wound up had it not been for her love, patience and understanding. I know for sure that this is not the path I neither was on nor even knew existed before my wife. True, GOD provided the path, but it is my wife that keeps me pointed in the right direction.
My wife continues to be my best friend. She is funny, strong, determined, generous, funny, kind, caring, compassionate…did I mention funny? Well, you get the picture.
Thanks Babe for all you have done and continue to do. You amaze me !!

I Love you,

t.

 

LA MIA FAMIGLIA DELLA CHIESA

What a day. Today wasn’t the day I expected it to be. Today went from good to bad to worse to absolutely amazing. Today I went from experiencing community at church to experiencing FAMILY at church. MY Church Family. You guys stood by me and even more…stood up for me today and it makes my heart fill with absolute, GOD given , JOY.

I know this is without a doubt where GOD has placed me. And I am humbled to be a part of RiverPoint Church, and to be BLESSED with the church FAMILY that I have. I Love You Guys.

t .

 

Halloween

Well tonight is Halloween…we took Elena uptown thru all the shops for snacks and goodies. Stopped by to see Grandpa at his shop. Halstead is such a great town!! As I watched all the kids and adults wander main street I thought to myself how nice it is too live in a small community. Where families mingle and speak to each other as they pass. You run into friendly smiles, hugs and handshakes here and there and that only happens in a small town. Elmo, Brad and the Hieberts all crossed our path tonight (Sharon I hope you get to feeling better.) it was, as always, great to see them all.

I spent some time in Venice Beach. At the time I wanted to blend in, fade out, and to go unnoticed. I had all my tattoos and hair down to about my waist at the time and I was used to being stared at but there and then it was nice to just be passed by. No body looking into all the dark corners of my life and picked me apart.

My how things change. Priorities change, people change, and you grow. This town is great for my family and I. I couldn’t imagine raising my family any place other than here.

My family, my town and my friends. GOD has blessed me abundantly.

Music this week, Mother Love Bone and Moby.