New Series Graphic

My wife continually amazes me with her talents and abilities. This week we start our annual stewardship series (more on that later), called "Every Good Gift". Enjoy the graphic goodness...

Later kids...

This post is part of the Creative Chaos @ Ragamuffinsoul.com

Here we go again

Once again, my night was filled with things that I want to forget. At least the ambien did it's job and I slept. I still don't know if not waking up through a nightmare is a good thing or not. I don't feel as tired this morning (now that my heart has stopped racing and the sweat is going away after sitting in front of my fan), but when you don't wake up, you have to have the entire nightmare.

I would covet your prayers during this weird time in my sleeping (or not sleeping) cycle. I wears on a man.

I guess I will go ahead and get up. Might as well work the stage and get it ready for Sunday.

Later...

My Family

I love my family. The reasons are happening all over this morning. Here are just a few...

Reason #1
Andrew just left for a guitar lesson. Not too unusual, except this week, he is preparing to play tomorrow in Worship @ 9:30. This is huge for him, and I am really proud of him. He has turned into quite the guitar player, and Wendell is giving him his shot. Drew has played in our Celebrate Recovery service a couple of times, but this is his debut in the early service. I hope I can get back in time to hear him. I am preaching at our Greenwood campus tomorrow.

Reason #2
Joey just made me breakfast. He is a good cook. He made eggs and Boca sausage. I had 2 pieces of toast with apple butter, and the whole thing was just 8 points. I didn't even have to ask for it, he just made it and said "come and get it".

Reason #3
Jenny is out in the back yard, right now, digging in the dirt. Last weekend, she broke her shovel, and I thought, her heart with it. She spent an entire week without digging. You see, that is how my wife relaxes. By working herself silly in her flowers. We have them everywhere, and we always have something in bloom. She works really hard and it shows.

Reason #4
Aaron is sitting at the piano, playing one of the many pieces that he has learned in the last year or so. It is really great to have music in the house. It seems to make everything brighter.

Have a good weekend all...

5:15

night·mare –noun

1.	a terrifying dream in which the dreamer experiences feelings of helplessness, extreme anxiety, sorrow, etc.

At least I got 5 more minutes today. Something is going to have to give. I am waking up even through Ambien, which is new. I read where if can make the room cooler, that might help get your brain to slow down... that didn't work.

I wonder if the nightmares can be counted as a workout since they get my heartrate up so much, and I am sweating.

Might as well go work on Sunday's sermon.

Later kids...

5:10am

OK, so it is 5:10 in the morning and my heart rate is just getting back to normal. I bolted out of bed about 20 minutes ago after having had another set of nightmares. I am not sure what is bringing them about, but I really wish they would stop. They are a combination of things from my life in the Army, and way whacked out stuff about responsibilities and such being left in disarray, and doing CPR and trauma care on people I know.

I have been having them almost every night for about 2 weeks now.

On Saturday night I didn't take an Ambien and was up every hour with one of these, and then wouldn't get back to sleep fully before another one would come and rip me out of bed. Last night, while I stayed asleep, I still had them, and finally woke up out of the last one.

I would covet your prayers on this situation. I am at a loss as to what to do, short of check into a psychiatric facility (he says jokingly?)

Thanks for listening...

Under the Radar

This is the Sunday morning MAC tech team in it's current form. These are "my guys": Mike (Bucky), Jason (The Ninja), Chad (Chad Norris), Aaron (the Runt), Duncan (D Mill), and Andrew (aka Andrew). People see the fruit of their work every Sunday. People don't see, and don't often think about, the enormous effort they put out. They are often unnoticed because most people never stop to think about the investment required to do what they do every Sunday.

You may not know the names, but I will guarantee that you have been blessed by the service.

You might be one who serves without applause or public notice. You have flown under the radar without thanks.

But God has not missed one single moment. He sees the roll you guys have played in His story. God smiles and is blessed by you. When you live out His story in your life through your service to His people, you are truly living out "His will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven".

Stay faithful. You matter...

I am proud to serve with you...