Encouragements…

now my “dreams” are not the same thing as a life cause unless i were to make my dream and life cause compatable.  ever since last sunday when dw spoke at church about having a life cause, it has made me realize that what once was my life cause is no longer my life cause and i have no life cause no more.  i am praying for a new life cause.  Rev. 21: 5:  He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” do we deserve a new dream or should we pick up a piece and begin again?  what are your dreams?  what is your life cause?  do you think it is possible to have a dream and incorporate a life cause into it? 

be encouraged…

well today b/c it was mother’s day and all, ali and i got to do somehting different.  sunday’s are usually all about this…

don’t get me wrong, i am all about some cluster group meetings.  :)  but today; i got see my mother and eat at the cheesecake factory! 
 
so happy mother’s day to all you that have endured the pain of labor.  which reminds me, the most rewarding things in life involve labor.  mothers are special b/c they do it all.  i appreciate my mother very much and i appreciate my wife who is about to be the mother of our child.  Thank you Mama and Ali!

i’ve got this buddy of mine that has been married for like 35 years and about a month ago dropped a bomb on us that he and his wife were splitting up.  not the big “D” but she moved out to get some space.  this news messed me up b/c ali and i have looked up to these folks and their what seemed to be rock solid marriage.  for whatever the reasons are for something like this to happen, my friend has remained optimistic that things are going to work out.  so here is the encouraging thing…just about 5 min’s ago he stuck his head in my office with this grin that would make you think he just had his first lifetime kiss and say’s, “i got me a date tomorrow night!”.  of course my mind started to spinning to come up with an appropriate reply and like a doof i asked, “with ____ (his wife)?”.  wthey?  why couldn’t i have just replied, “great! so where are you and ____(his wife) going?”.  but noooooo, not me, i had to question it like there was a chance he might be treadding on thin ice or something.  oh well.  i am happy for my boy.  i am especially excited that he is so excited to be going out on a date with his wife of 35 yrs.  that! is encouraging! don’t you think?

be encouraged…

well i’ve said it once and i’ll say it again; i love this guy.  this is from an article on pgatour.com.  you guessed it…about my man Boo Weekley on the pga tour:

Weekley grew up in Milton, Fla., which has a population of about 8,000 people. He’s downsized now that he’s building a home in nearby Jay, which is about a tenth as big. The population will increase by one, though, in late June or early July when Weekley’s second child is born.

“I have to say, the good Lord starts everything, and then my family,” he said. “That to me is my whole world. If I ain’t got them with me or in my heart or around me where I can’t talk to them, I might as well quit doing what I’m doing.

“I’d much rather be home with them, whether I am taking care of them or just seeing them, sitting down and having a pecan pie with them or something, you know?”

The older members of the Weekley clan might have to settle for mint juleps in Louisville during the Ryder Cup, though. He wouldn’t expect to be one of the team leaders, but at the same time, he’s up to the challenge if the U.S. needs him.

“This dog can hunt,” Weekley said. “He ain’t afraid.”

like i said, he has got his priorities right that boo boo!  gotta luv him!

be encouraged…

1.  let her drive wherever you go.  especially if you are going to the OBGYN.  if you are like me, you are a type A take charge kind of guy.  let it go.  let her have it.  sit there and look straight forward and shut up.
 
2.  protect her space in public places.  when the weight challenged person comes into waffle house and sits on top of your wife in the waiting chairs say “excuse me, i have bad gas and my wife is pregnant; do you mind?” 

3.  when your wife say’s she has to pee when you are out in public…don’t hesitate, she means it! 

4.  when your wife say’s she has to pee out in public…go with her to the bathroom and if there is a line simply go to the front of it with your wife and say “excuse me mam?” and point to your pregnant wifes belly. 

5.  if you are traveling via plane, as soon as you get to the airport ask for a wheelchair.  your wife will decline at first but you must insist and she will be thankful when you get to the gate…not to mention that you get to go to the front of the line at security. 

6.  when she says “i am getting huge!”.  say “honey, you’re pregnant, and you are the prettiest one i have ever seen!”  (she will be and you know it) 

7.  if she wants mayfield cherry ice cream, twizzlers, mm’s, etc. and there is none in the house…go get it!  the time you spend listening to how bad she wants it, you could have already gone to the store picked it up and returned to the house. 

8.  when you go to the doctor (you must go if at all possible) here’s the drill…check in, she will go pee in a cup.  (she doesn’t need you)  wait.  she will get called to get weighed.  (she doesn’t need you).  wait.  she will get called to go in a room to see the doctor.  (she doesn’t need you but go in with her, sit there and don’t speak unless spoken too).  wait.  Once the doctor leaves and you are free to go.  (this is where she needs you) help her off the table and kiss her and tell her how much you love her.  pay the bill, set the next appointment and protect her space all the way to the car.

9.  the baby’s room…don’t suggest anything or offer your opinion…it doesn’t matter.  save your energy for the actual work of making it happen.  throw in your flair but don’t over do it or she will notice right away…and when she does notice say “i thought that is what you wanted?”

10.  when your wife wants you to feel the baby moving, do it!  what?  you might miss some of american idol?  weahea!  get tivo and pause it.

11.  all the house duties are now yours…she is having your baby.  (get a maid if you can afford it)

12.  KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT!!!DON’T OFFER OPINIONS!!!DON’T ASK HER TO DO ANYTHING!!!SMILE AND KNOD KNOWINGLY!!!

remember, this pregnancy thing is temporary.  you will get your wife back after this is all over, so i’m told.  and in the end you will have the prize!!!

be encouraged…

as i sit here blogging, i am watching the verizon heritage pga golf witnessing boo weekley make a run to win this tournament for the second year in a row.  this makes me very proud of him b/c some golf analysers wrote him off a year ago saying he was a one hit wonder, didn’t care about winning out there and would rather be fishing or hunting than playing golf.  fact is that if he fished and hunted all the time he wouldn’t be out there very long b/c in order to stay out there, you have to play well regurlarly.  well boo isn’t only playing well he played in the tour championship last year, made the presidents cup last year, and  finished T20 at the masters this year.  he would have finished T8 if not for finishing double double on 17 & 18. boo is playing exceptional golf and is out there for a long time to come. 

the great thing about boo is this…he is an everyday regulation guy!  he is secure with who he is and doesn’t care one ioda about what people think about him.  his goal is to care for his family, play a game for a living, and make enough money to retire and go hunting and fishing for the rest of his life.  i can relate to that! 

we should all be encouraged by boo.  he seems to have his priorities right that if we work hard, put God and family first, everything else is just gravy.

be encouraged…

so a guy prays and decides to be a gardner .  being that this is the first time he had ever gardened, he sought out the wisest counsel in the area and found a man that had been doing this for years.  he took the man’s advice and began his endeavor.  he prayed.  he goes out and finds the most fertile land he can find and buys it.  he prayed.  he starts by weeding out all the unwanted growth by shootin’ some RoundUp Pro.  he prayed.  after three weeks he turns the soil over by using his Toro Dingo he rented and shot the soil with RoundUp again.  he prayed.  after a month went by, he started cultivating the soil with the same Dingo and once he had it level spread his lime, waited three days and started planting seeds.  planting, planting, planting he did and when he had finally finished, he looked out and was satisfied at what he had done.  he prayed.  for the next three months, he spent more and more $$$ by watering, fertilizing, pruning, keeping the weeds out, marketing to the community, and preparing to sell his crop.  it had been six months.  the man was tired and discouraged because the crop was not germinating like he had hoped and began to second guess his decision to do this whole gardening thing.  at that moment he realized, “i’ve been so busy tending to the monotonous every day business of this whole thing, i haven’t prayed!”.  so, he prayed.  this time he prayed that God’s favor would be upon the seeds he had planted and that the fruit would be bountiful and that he would have a tremendous crop to harvest. 

God must have been in a merciful, giving mood b/c the garden began to produce.  the man was excited!  he got his joy back, got refocused and started tending to the harvest.  so much fruit was being reaped that the labor was really beginning to pay off!  and then…the unexpected happened.  someone he had contacted from across town about purchasing some of his crop had heard about this beautiful garden and inquired to one of the  gardner ’s neighbors about purchasing the fruits.  now the neighbor was, rumor had it, was some sort a computer wiz  and had started some kind a internet biddness or something and hadn’t come out of his house in almost a year.  this neighbor had been harbored up in his house so long that he had no idea that someone had moved in next door and was gardening much less that there was and outside.  so when this man from across town contacted the computer man about the fruits, he said sure, i’ll sell you whatever is over there b/c i’m all about making some $$$.  so he came over and started picking the fruits! 

“what the heck?  are you kidding?  how could this happen? is this some sort of joke?” does this guy not know all that i have done to grow this crop?”.  the gardener asked himself…wanting to march right out there and confront him.  but he didn’t.    so the gardener prayed.  the next day he went over to the neighbor’s house and knocked on the door.  when the computer geek opened up he introduced himself and inquired as to why he was picking his fruits.  the neighbor then told the gardner that he had no idea that anyone was over there gardening and marketing a crop.  so, the computer man then returned the fruits and apologized asking, “i guess i should get out more and see what the world’s doing, huh?”. 

the gardner went home, got on his hands and knees once again, and prayed thanking the good Lord for being so faithful and for guiding and directing his path in all his dealings.

be encouraged…