Tested and Tried

"But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold." - Job 23:10

Here's to you Victoria!

I knew that Victoria was a sweet and brilliant child, but a soldier? She said she was going into the navy, I was not expecting to hear that, but I could see she was a pretty determined person when she wanted to be.

After 2 months of basic training and lots of letters to mommy (and few to daddy too) she was given her PFA. Five of the boys she tested with failed, but Victoria passed and will graduate from boot camp. I must say, I am very impressed Victoria, and you have inspired me to get my self to my physical peek (I don't want you coming home a kicking my butt or anything).

You have come a long way from the girl who was upset because her dad made her get up at 6:00 and jog. You are a good Christian woman, an very smart girl, and now a kick-butt boot camp graduate! You were tested and tried, but you came out as gold, like we all knew you were. God bless you, and I solute you.

How Ungreatful Am I?

This is a post from over a year ago, but I was reminded of it and though I would share it with you.

OK, I know I'm supposed to blog about the youth group and Kimberly is supposed to blog about the "D's," but I get to be a proud daddy every once in a while right? Plus, Dominick is in our youth group!... he just happens to also be my son.

This is what we passed by on our way to our Friday Night Bible adventure. It is beautiful, no? But my son saw more than I did. "Look at the awesome sky God made, Daddy!!" he said.

My son, the son who has such a busy mind and such busy hands that he never knows what I said, or what has just happened showed me what I was missing. I was missing the glory of God's creativity. Days don't just end, they each have a beautiful, amazing, and unique finale. Don't just drive by it, don't just miss it altogether, and don't forget who caused it to be.

I must stop and praise God for the beautiful work of art I was able to see, and for my son, who's heart and soul are 1,000 times more beautiful. Thank you Lord, for my little jasper.

(Mommy said it looked just as busy as you)

Didn't See it Coming

Anyone remember the first time they saw a geode cut open? Here is this regular looking rock right? But inside it is so beautiful and complex.

I was so overjoyed by Ronnie's baptism on Monday. I was also very excited about announcing this to the congregation. I was so excited and busy that I did not see anything coming.

Up comes one of the mothers of our youth, Barbara, and she says that her son, Lucas wants to talk to me. Now Lucas is a wonderfully well behaved and respectful young man (I can say this even after baby-sitting him, which is a real test of a child's behavior), he has been a little upset about moving from Hot Springs to the little nowhere town of Mena (can't blame him, what child would not miss the big city); so I was guessing that this was what he wanted to talk to me about. BUT it was so much more beautiful and complex than that.

Barbara explained to me that Lucas wanted to be baptized but that other preachers had told him he was too young. So here is the inner conflict of a preacher; I am excited and want to baptize him, but... I don't want to do it just 'cause I'm excited and him not be ready. So, trying not to get my hopes up, I call him into my office. I asked him to tell me why he wanted to be baptized, what made him think he needed to be baptized, and what else was involved in conversion. He gave me well thought out answers (not scripted) and we covered what sin was and other things I wanted to see his understanding of. Simply put, he was ready.

So this child that I thought was just your happy-go-lucky kid turns out to be an incredibly mature young man, and I am proud to say that he is now a Christian. Here's to you Lucas, you are my awesome and amazing little geode. God bless you! Heaven and earth rejoice because of you!

Another Brick in the Wall

As the rocker that I am, I could not resist this chance for a Pink Floyd reference. As you now know, this blog is about the young Christians who make up our church, and the spiritual house of God (1 Peter 2:5). A precious stone was added to that spiritual house today. Ronnie, a young man who just happens to be one of my favorites in the youth group, was baptized this about 8 1/2 hours ago. We are very proud to be able to call him a brother, and to know that he is in the fold of God and the body of Christ.

Before I ever met Ronnie and his girl-friend, Deanna, some one said to me, "I don't know if they are what you would call goths, but they sure do seem to wear a lot of black." Having been a child of such a description myself, I knew the 3 of us would get along even before I met them. I am proud to say that we are great friends (unless they are just letting me think so for my own sake).

What has always impressed me the most about these two is there grasp of Christianity. These kinds don't just "come to church," they have been involved with everything I have planned. These guys will do anything that I ask them to do, and are always looking for a way to help others. I know that they always pay attention in class (even when I think otherwise), because they can always answer the questions, even when it has been months since we covered the material. They love God, and they put up with me, and that says a lot. I could go on forever about how much these two mean to me but it's nearly 1 AM and I can't handle that hour of the night anymore. So, here's to you two. My Lively little stones, Onyx and black spinal.

Is that lame that I just made you gems? I thought you would approve of my choice in stones though. Oh well, I just did.