It's Not All About Us

Kari wrote:Can you believe this...it's 6:45 a.m., Kurt and I are wideawake...where are the girls?? In bed still, sound asleep.....what is upwith that????????????It was 7:30 when I finally went up and opened their room and we started to make noise to wake them. It was still a bit till we got them up. Now tonight we went to a friends house and we didn't get home and in bed till midnight. So I'm sure they'll be up bright and early, while Kari and I want to sleep...

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White Christmas?

The last three Christmas' have been brown and grey. This year we've had a lot of snow fall and it's been beautiful. I've been really excited about a white Christmas, but the last couple of days have warmed up and it's melting. I'm hoping it can hold on one more day. Read more at www.weather.com/outlook... ...

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Remembering Our Soldiers

As we head into the final hours of the Christmas season, let us remember our troops overseas. Send a prayer their way and listen to this poem that ran on our local radio station. It's really powerful. Listen to it before reading it. click the link below.Read more at ktisblog.skylightradio.... ...

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O come, all ye (well funded) faithful

WOW! I thought that I've seen a lot in my time in the church but this takes the cake. This church in St. Paul is auctioning off their best pews for their Christmas Eve Service as a fundraiser. Are you kidding me? What was some body thinking?!? "Hey! I know! Let's charge people admission during the most likely time seekers may come around to find out more about the 'free' gift of God."Great idea guys! You sure hit a home run there! (extreme sarcasim...

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Good News From India

One of my former professors and co-laborer in Christ has just returned form yet another trip to India. God has really been using Him the last few years and once again he has returned with good news. Here's the email report he sent me.Dear Friend, We are rejoicing with the following great report! We arrived back home on schedule. Our ride to the airport in India will never be forgotten. About half of it was on a "dancing" road. That means that there are...

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"You will be my witnesses..."

My friend Chip had a great post today. He says that often evangelism becomes nothing more than "selling" the gospel to unbelievers. I have to agree with him and I've sat in those same classes, and I have seen the same results.Witnessing has nothing to do with selling and everything with living. Jesus didn't just talk to people. He walked with them, helped them, healed them, loved them, and most importantly He lived everything He taught before He ever spoke.We...

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Jesus Save Us ........ From Ourselves

Ok, I thought I've seen it all. Watch thisI couldn't believe it when I first saw it, but I checked the website and you can buys these for $40! There is no limit to the stupid things people can come up with.If you want to check out the site go here.later...

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De-Serving

A dear friend of mine sends out a weekly devotional and this weeks really hit home for me and I wanted to share it with you. Enjoy!You De-serve ItShane BurtonNovember 14, 2005Matthew 10:34-39“Don’t think I’ve come to make life cozy. I’ve come to cut—make a sharpknife-cut between son and father, daughter and mother, bride andmother-in-law—cut through these cozy domestic arrangements and free youfor God. Well-meaning family members can be your worst enemies....

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Used

I have to say that the most satisfying experiences I have ever had is when God chooses, by His grace, to use me to do or say something that touches someone's life. I have recently been blessed with such an experience.A couple of weeks ago, on Sunday morning, Jay and I were praying for people at the alter, when I came to this women who had been suffering vertigo for a long time. As I layed hands on her God spoke to my heart and I could feel His presence there....

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Kimmi and I did an art project together tonight. It's sand art. Kim did pretty good.click on the picture to enla...

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Ok. I've been busy trying to get our computer up and running after it died last week. In my discust with Microsoft I did a bit of a Mac Makeover on my system. What can I say... one can hope.click on the picture to enla...

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Help Give A Heart

I recieved this e-mail and wanted to help pass it along. This isn't for your reading pleasure. i'm posting so that you might give. Thank you. A fellow dad needs our help. His name is Leo Akins, and seven years ago he lost his oldest son, Leo Jr. to a rare heart disease. “There were lots of nights I would hold his little body upright against me just so he could breathe,” Leo says. After a long battle, their precious little son (age 7) died in his...

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OK This Is Funny!

I don't know if this is real, but it is really funny.Enjoy!http://www.chumfm.com/MorningShow/bits/march24....

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Proud Moment

The girls are doing really good with their schooling, but the school year didn't start out like that. Becca was giving Kari a hard time with wanting to do her work. Finally after talking with Becca she told me that the reason was that "it" was boring. So Kari and I talked and looked at our options and tried a new aproach. First we didn't stick to the "official" lesson plan. Then we gave her more advanced work and used more hands on and verbal exercises and...

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Balance

I came acrossed this article and I wanted to share it with you.My Job, My Calling: Can They Be The Same?Dan Miller48Days.comIs work just something we have to do to get to the weekend, or can it be a true expression of what God has called us to do? Does God only call a few people, and are those people always on staff in churches or on the mission field? Do the rest of us just work to support the few who are called? The Bible gives dignity to any work. There...

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Cheap Dads

Top Ten Books for a Penny Pinching Dad Dumpster Diving for Fun and Profit How to Make a Quick $20k on eBay or Living with Only One Kidney Recycled Toilet Paper and the Lost Art of Hand Washing Human Billboards – the Income Opportunity of the 21st Century Food Expiration Dates Are for Wimps! “You Gonna Finish That?” – How to Dine at the Finest Restaurants for Free Rent A Kid: Hot New In-Home Business Idea Aged Grilled Cheese: Great Recipes for...

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Paying For Gas

As we all feel the pain of filling our gas tanks, I thought we could all use a laugh. Sometimes the only thing you can do is laugh and move on. But it could be worse. We could be waiding in chest high, contaminated water. We could be homeless. We could have nothing to eat, drink or wear. Our families...

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Frustrated

I have had such a Monday. Work was busy and I didn't get nearly what I wanted done, done. And I got nothing that I wanted to accomplish done tonight because I was dealing with neighbor issues. Parenting is basically one first step after another, and it never seems to end. The first few steps are scary, but enjoyable; first bath, first trip out, first birthday, first step, first word... you get the picture. But at some point it really turns scary; first tooth,...

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Checking In

Hey, I know it's been awhile since I posted, but it's been a busy couple of weeks. Pastor Jay is on sabatical for the month and I'm doing all the Sundays. I really like the opportunity to do it. It is way different having to prepare a sermon every week instead of having weeks to prep. Not to mention I have a 40 hour a week job still and Kari's been working at the store alot at night and so my prep time has also been baby sitting time. Well, I need to go to...

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Whatever

I just finished listening to a great sermon.Series: WhateverTitle: WhateverThe world seems to be crowded with “whatever” attitudes. But “whatever” is much more than just an indifferent response or a sarcastic remark. In this message, we discover that God truly does care about Whatever we do.Listen to it now. Just click on Watch N...

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Christian?

I read an interesting article this week in Harper's Magazine. It's by Bill McKibben, and I have to say that I don't completely agree with him and I think that some of his theology is a bit off, but he raises an intriguing question. He starts off by giving a lot of statistics and examples. And then he writes:And therein is the paradox. America is simultaneously the most professedly Christian of the developed nations and the least Christian in its behavior....

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A Dream Realized

Since I was a teen my heart was to see the Church resemble what we see happening in the book of Acts. To see the community of believers loving, caring and building up each other. Having been in the church for so long now, I have to be honest, I've begun doubting I'll see it in my time. However, this past few weeks I have realized that I'm seeing it happen in our community right now. We've had multiple churches working together in unity, we've seen people's...

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Finally!

The girls are in the air! I'm leaving to get them in and 20 minutes. I can't wait to see them! Can you tell?later...

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Miracle Grow

What is that make it seem like your kids grow a year, everyday their away from you? Kari sent some pictures of the girls at a carnival they went to and they look so BIG. I was doing OK, but now that I saw the pictures, I really miss them. I'm glad that they are having so much fun, but I'm even gladder that they're going to be home in a few more days.later...

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How long have they been gone? My girls look so old in these pics Kari sent. OK, they need to stop that!click on the picture to enla...

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Kim on a kiddy rollercoater.click on the picture to enla...

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Becca on the bumber cars. click on the picture to enla...

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Alone

It's been a long day. It started with getting up at 3am. Kari and the girls went to see Kari's family today and we had to be at the airport by 5am. And if waking us up waaay before God ever intended a mortal to awake wasn't enough, they delayed the flight Kari was on. Then they cancelled the fight, then rescheduled, then moved her and the girls to an entirely different airline. Five hours later they left for Michigan. I was worried about the girls flying,...

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Got Growth?

Heb 5:12 "You have been Christians a long time now, and you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things a beginner must learn about the Scriptures. You are like babies who drink only milk and cannot eat solid food."As a member of church leadership, I am ever increasingly becoming more frustrated with the Church, in America, these days. We have so much freedom, so many resources at our disposal and yet we are seeing...

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Priceless

Entrance & Parking to County Fair.........$5Two Carnival Rides..........$6.75Snacks for Four............Second MortgageSpending Time Just Being Dad.............PRICEL...

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Carpe Diem!

Sometimes when you're in the midst of life and all it brings at you, you find yourself switching to survival mode. Your perspective becomes very small and then something or someone comes along and helps widen your eyes to the big picture once again and what is really important comes into focus. This happened for me from one of the most unlikely places; George CarlinThe paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings, but shorter tempers ? wider...

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OK, Here We Go...

It's been awhile since I've had a chance to write. I've actually had a lot of stuff to write about but the time is always escaping me or Kari beats me to it. So sit back and sip some coffee, I'm going to try to catch up and fill you in. This could be either very interesting or very boring, only the next few lines will tell.The GirlsEveryday is a new adventure and can somehow be both a joy and a frustration. Becca is growing up so fast. Everyday seems like...

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I just got a new PALM PDA since I broke my other one. It took more than year to save enough to get a new one. It's cool. In fact, I'm writing this blog on it right now. Cool eh?later...

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Thought I'd Pass This Along

Loving God Through His Word by John Fischer On Tuesday, March 1, 2005, 3,000 Orthodox and Hasidic Jews completed a 7½-year cycle of reading the ancient texts of the Talmud (which includes what Christians are familiar with as the Old Testament), and celebrated the feat with a service in the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. The practice is called Daf Yomi and it involves a rigorous program of reading, studying and discussing the ancient Jewish manuscript...

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Weigh In

I'm still on track. I lost another 3lb this week, so that puts me at 24lb's down. It's pretty exciting. I'm still having some trouble with my workouts because of the time issue, but it will work out eventually. Today I preached at church and it went well God did some really neet stuff and our home fellowship group this evening was good too. After group we had a "tail gate" party for the superbowl and watched it on the big screen. It was fun even though I don't...

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Can I eat that?

Well, I've been changing my diet for a month now and things are going good. I've lost 21 lb, I'm starting to have more energy, my clothes are loose fitting and I can walk up our stairs without getting winded. It's been long enough now that we're seeing fitness and eating in a different light and dare I say...liking it? One interesting thing that's changing is not so much what we'll eat, but what we'll try. Tonight we had our first 100% turkey burgers and...

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OK my mom got on me about not posting pics of Becca's B-day. Here's Becca with her "100 feet tall" present. Kari will post more on her blog.click on the picture to enla...

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The Biggest Loser.....Hopefully

Ok, as most of you know I've been sick since Thanksgiving. Well I went to the doctor in December and got some rather startling news. No, I don't have some rare desease, although I don't think these bozo's could diagnose it even if I did. Actually it was my weight that was so startling. I haven't had my weight taken in at least a year. I was 309 lb. That is the highest I've ever been or ever will be, because I decided that I needed to make some major changes....

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A Face Lift

Well, I thought the site needed a little face lift. What do ya think? Things have been busy as usual. I'm still sick and is beginning to move back into my chest. The girls have been sick this week too. Kim had a 103.9 degree temp on Wednesday and we were close to taking her to the ER. She was acting really wierd, but the fever broke and she started playing. Becca is the one withthe fever now. I'm trying to get her to bed now. Well, I'm tired and need...

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Every now and then you get a really good picture of your kids. Here's one of ours :)click on the picture to enla...

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The Cat & Mouse. I found Mal under the computer desk tonight napping with a friend.click on the picture to enla...

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