Tornado Effects?

Yesterday morning our county had a tornado touchdown close to where we live in Ferguson. It happened in the morning just before I was heading off to school to teach.

The storm rolled in, and as it did my daughter and I heard a loud thud. I didn't think too much of it, especially after checking on the sleeping kids to make sure none of our boys rolled out of bed or something.

After checking to see if school was canceled or delayed several times (refresh, refresh!), I walked into our master bathroom, only to see the above image...

There was a tree limb in my bathroom.

Uhhhh...

"Liz!?"

I called my wife to come check this out. It's not everyday a tree branch is sticking out of your bathroom ceiling.

Somehow a branch (about 3 inches in diameter, maybe less) had hit our roof with enough force to drive through the roof and the ceiling.

Practically straight down too.

After trying to borrow a ladder from my neighbor, explaining what happened and pointing to the branch sticking out of my roof, I got on the roof, pulled out the branch, tacked down some tarp while my wife got a bucket (rain was coming through the hole into our bathroom), and I was off to school just a few minutes late for first period.

It made for quite a morning.

We are so thankful as it could have been much worse. Our family was safe.

We later found out that the tree branch came from a Sycamore, and there seemed to be none around us. In our yard or our neighbors.

So where did it come from?

Not sure. A spear from heaven? Why a sycamore? How did it drive into our roof like that? God, are you trying to tell us something??

Maybe.

Either way, we're so thankful. As I said, we were all safe and it could've been a lot worse.

Safe, and puzzled.

It's Official

We have been enjoying our first official snow (ice) day from school!

Yea!!

Coffee Adventure

An epic adventure every time I enjoy my coffee…

[Yea, geek. I know]

Seemingly Right

The Scripture we used in our family devotions tonight...

Made for good conversations :)

There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death. http://bible.us/Prov14.12.NLT

Change

I'm sensing a need for change.

As I have grown over the last year, I am realizing a need to re-prioritize. We have seen a lot of changes in our lives (my wife, I and our kids), both inside of us, and outside. The changes, and I believe by God's grace - ongoing changes, are causing me to reevaluate and adjust my blogging habits.

I've posted about 500 times since last September (2011), being for the very most part faithful to jot daily as I originally committed to myself to do. Now, I feel the need to let that go, focusing on some other things, and post as I am inspired, as things happen in our family, and, you know, whenever I am feeling like it!

Though I may post less, I am hoping the posts will be more meaningful and from my heart. That is when I enjoy blogging the most. And, I anticipate the random and fun jots too.

So, on to the next phase of life (and blogging)!

Hiking the Big South Fork

One of my favorite things to do with my kids is go hiking. So, with a beautiful day forecasted tomorrow, I am planning our next adventure!

On a random note, I am mulling a change to the blog... will let you know soon...

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

The kids were having fun visiting with baby sister inside mommy's tummy tonight. They were pushing on Liz's pregnant belly, and Baby was pushing back :)

How beautiful!

You knitted me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalm 139

Culture Shift

No, it's not the price that I'm talking about.

Our local gas station signs reveal a change in times for our area, the legalization of alcohol sales.

Duggar-Bates Marathon

I've been feeling the urge to do a Duggar Marathon. I've watched several of their episodes over the years, but the are many I have never seen. And, if you mention the Duggars, it goes without saying that the Bates and their family mini-series is included.

I love watching their shows because of their wholesome nature. When we watch their shows it adds to our family - they encourage us to be better parents, children, siblings, Christians, and a better family.

So we'll see if it turns into a Marathon or not. Either way, we are better from watching a couple of their shows tonight. :)

One Taste

In many ways, this is my story in a nutshell. I tasted, and never want to go back...

Happy Birthday Baby

You are looking at the doggie bag from Liz's birthday dinner tonight! We went into Lexington to eat and give my wife a chance to shop a little. What a fun night it was!

So, to my beautiful wife, Happy Birthday Baby!! I love you!

Night Out - PC vs Southwestern

I should've taken a picture just for fun, but fun we did have :)

Liz and I and the kids attended our first basketball game here in Somerset, watching local rivals PC and Southwestern play at PC's court. Being a Pulaski County teacher and coach, of course we rooted for the home team, who won the game handily.

Beyond the win, we had fun eating popcorn, nachos, suckers, and enjoying some good competetive, and even heated basketball. It was a fun night for the family to get out on the town!

Go PC! (And time to go to bed!)

Farmer Boy

A friend of mine recently shared with me how he had been reading Farmer Boy by Laura Ingels Wilder to his son. He said the book took place in New York, which caught my interest.

I asked Liz about the book knowing she had read many good books in her growing up years, and we happened to have the book.

I'm glad we did!

We too have enjoyed reading it as a family at night, and I personally enjoy the hearing about "the way things were" years ago. There are great values and great history discovered in reading the book.

Check it out!

Diligence

Whoever is slothful will not roast his game, but the diligent man will get precious wealth. http://bible.us/Prov12.27.ESV

One thing the Holy Spirit seems to be speaking to me about lately, is diligence...

Soul Mates

I love to connect with my wife. I love our deep, heart to heart conversations. I love being able to spill the deep things of our heart with one another.

And I love that we had one of those conversations tonight.

He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord. -Bible

Thawing Out

After spending winter break in western New York with over a foot of snow, I sure am enjoying being back home in Kentucky winters.

70. In January? That ain't to bad for this feller from the frozen north!

Special Moments

They grow up too quick.

So even though Judah technically was not supposed to be getting out of bed, I'll let it slide for special moments like this ;)

Mansions

One specific goal I have this year is to read 12 books - one per month. Mansions of the Heart is proving to be a wonderful way to start the new year. It seems to be a book that is drawing me to a place in God that I have never been...

...and it's got me pretty excited to go there.

Date Flick

What do LOTR geeks do for their anniversary? They go watch the recently released movie The Hobbit, of course!

I forgot to share this last month, but here is my beautiful wife as we are about to enter a theater in Rochester, NY for the first time in years. In fact, the last we did this together was probably back when the last of the LOTR Trilogy came out - Return of the King!

Great partner, great movie, and a yummy bag of popcorn... doesn't get much better than that :)

A Quick Look in the Mirror

How are you doing with this one today?

Be happy [in your faith] and rejoice and be glad-hearted continually (always); Be unceasing in prayer [praying perseveringly]; Thank [God] in everything [no matter what the circumstances may be, be thankful and give thanks], for this is the will of God for you [who are] in Christ Jesus [the Revealer and Mediator of that will]. http://bible.us/1Thess5.16.AMP

Any questions??

Looking Back to Look Ahead

Liz and I were talking a few days ago about the year that was. We began discussing the various events that had occurred in our lives... paying off a chunk of debt in less than half the time we set out to do, getting laid off, starting a business, a new (old) job, visits from distant family, training a puppy then giving him away, broken appliances only to see God provide bountifully, and the list went on.

Though some things might be seen as negative or not good situations, we were able to look back and see God's hand in all of it. I'm thankful not necessarily for the difficult times in and of themselves, but for what God did in us through them. Or, even better, that He was with us through it all.

We looked back and ultimately were able to say with all our hearts, 2012 was a good year. We are so blessed; God showed His hand in our lives through His voice, our friends, His provision, love, and more.

As we pondered the year ahead, the typical New Year's resolutions weren't our first thought. Something seems different this year - it seems we are on a continual resolution with the Lord.

What I mean to say is that God is changing us, and speaking to us on an ongoing basis. Resolutions mean change, and this year it seemed we have been on a journey of change and growing throughout the year. We just want to keep going. Keep changing as we walk with Him. God knows I need change.

Not that He hasn't changed us or walked with us before, it's just... something is different this year. I can't quite put a finger on it, but maybe God has brought us (all by His doing) to a place of surrender that we have never been in before.

Or maybe not. Not sure.

Either way, I want to walk closer to Him this year than ever before.

And, there are a couple of resolutions that came to mind... one of them being to read more! I really would like to read more, but usually I read a book long enough and intense enough that I get the gist, pull out what I can, then lose interest. So my goal? 12 books this year. One per month, which is incredibly ambitious for me.

God is so kind and good to us. I am so thankful to be on this journey with Him. I am nothing without Him.

I know it's cliche, but, I don't know what this year will look like, I don't really know what the future holds... but I know who holds the future.

And in His hands is the only place I want to be.