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Thoughts....

Trying to figure some things out this morning, and as I have been praying and meditating, it has occurred to me that God really is changing my heart, character and mind.  I can feel the negativity and bitterness leave my soul, and a peace from the Lord replace it.  

Also, Tim challenged us last week to pray that this next Sunday (Pentecost Sunday) we would experience another Pentecost.  I have been earnestly praying for that this week, and I am stoked to see what Sunday brings

Being a single mom...

Micah woke up this morning and has been real fussy and just kinda annoying all day.  I don't know if that makes me a bad daddy to say that, but it is the truth.  We are both feeling the pains of no mommy, for 4 days now.  It has been a lot of fun, we had a great afternoon at the pool yesterday with the Brown family, and we are going to go play at the Library this morning.  

Today is going t be a low key day, as we are both tired and really just trying to survive until tomorrow night, when Katie gets back.  

This week has been an eye opener, I have always said that I appreciate single moms and want to help them out, but I have never done anything.  After a week of being one, I think that every church, civic center, or person who has some time, should come alongside the single mom community and help in anyway possible.  It is so hard to get stuff done, to find time to relax, think, or even do the dishes, is nearly an impossible task.  And I only have 1 child!

Single moms, you amaze me, and I respect you and want to applaud your selflessness and servitude for your children.  You are great heros!

It's been awhile

Totally haven't been blogging in a log time, I think I should start it up again.  

I will try and do a better job, and maybe the more I do it, the easier it will be for me to think outside the box and share what God is teaching me with other people.

IT CAME ONE DAY....

Well, after years of work, sweat and time invested into it, last Thursday I finally graduated from college.

It felt like it took forever, but in the same sense, I can't believe it is over.

This will for sure make me sound like an uber-nerd, but - I miss it already.  I loved school, and I am going to miss the stress, exams, papers and all that accompanied being in school.  The night we got back from the graduation ceremony, I began looking at Master's level course with New Orleans Seminary, but then I remembered, I don't have the money to pay for them and I promised my wonderful wife some time off.

Yesterday we celebrated with some dear friends as they began their life together, Brett and Alyse, congratulations.  On the way home, I remarked to Katie, how awesome it is to go to a wedding where it just makes sense that these people are getting married.  We had a lot of fun, and I am super excited to see where God leads you.

Today, instead of going to service, and having a busy day, we had a Pajama Day at the Tyler casa.  We have literally stayed in our pajamas all day, done nothing but hang out and watch TV, play outside, run around the house, and be a family.  It is the best day I have had in a long time.

Anyway, it's time to go watch the Cowboy's beat up on the Giants (hope, hope, hope...) and spend some time with my wife.

This Weekend

What can I say, any day that the Cowboys emerge victorious, is a great day.

But to have them emerge atop the BUCS makes for an even better day!

The important thing for people to remember in situations like these, where they get beat by a far superior team, is not how you play the game, but whether you win or lose.

I had a great weekend with my family, real low key and just some quality time with my wonderful son and beautiful wife. Saturday morning, we went and hung out at a craft fair at St. Andrews United Methodist Church in Brandon, it was pretty awesome, and Micah and I found some puddles to splash in, some hills to run up and down, and a chocolate cupcake to devour while Mom shopped. It was super fun.

Then, Micah began asking to go to Cracker Barrel for lunch, and since we thought it was awesome that he knew what Cracker Barrel was and that he could ask to go there we granted his request, and I tore up the vegetable platter, with some awesome Lima Beans! We also spoiled him a little more and bought him "a pincher" one of those toys that you squeeze the handle and it has a claw that grabs whatever you are near. He thinks it is awesome and pretends there are sharks around and pinches them.

We went home, took naps (or did homework) and then just hung out at home and played and went for a walk, and enjoyed the cool weather. An absolutely fabulous Saturday.

Sunday, we got up, played baseball outside for a little while before going to church, and then we had a planning meeting at our house, thank you Lora, Sara, Jen, Brittney, Micah and my lovely wife for helping direct and lead our students, you guys are awesome!

While the meeting was going on, the Cowboys were illustrating their superiority over the BUCS, and I turned the game on in time to see most of the 2nd half, and watch as we steamrolled over them, it was awesome!

Sunday night, our small group, which has been getting smaller, had a great discussion about 1 Peter 1, and really what it means to focus on God and not our circumstances. I am challenged and encouraged every week by our group, and even though we have been less, numerically, I feel like the quality of discussion in our group is getting better.

All in all, except for the Rays facing elimination, a great weekend.

Sometimes, life is muddy...

So, this morning I was reading in Jeremiah, how Jeremiah, a prophet sent by God to warn His people, is rejected and sent to spend some time in a pit, and the way my version of the Bible reads is: "And there was no water in the cistern, but only mud, and Jeremiah sank in the mud."

To me, this presented a feeling of hopelessness and despair, but we read in the next few verses that God raises up an Ethiopian eunuch, to rescue Jeremiah where he was surely going to starve to death. Jeremiah then goes back into the king's presence and repeats the same message he has said before, only this time the king trusts Jeremiah, and protects his life.

How many times in my life have I felt like I should be spared some horrible tragedy, or that uncomfortable things should not happen to me, because I belong to God? The truth is, sometimes I suffer because of my walk with Jesus, sometimes, the world is truly a foreign place, and my spirit knows that it does not belong here and the world will refuse to accept my message. I read stories like this one, and find courage, that if a man like Jeremiah had to spend some time in the mud, while following the heart and call of God, my time in the mud will hopefully be profitable too.

As long as I stay true to my message and Savior...