ONE OF THOSE DAYS

Monday at work I took some time to fabricate this little shelf unit.  I put some quick drying finish on it so I could install it that day

how cute

A while ago I built a large display rack for our concrete color samples.  The tiles are 10" x 10" and are kind of heavy.  When we let a client take one home to see if it would work for them, we are left with that color missing until they returned it.  We decided to make smaller samples for clients and needed the smaller rack to hold the 5" x 5" tiles.  Here you can see how nice this system looks.

looks almost professional

After work our good friend Shelly stopped by to check me for cooties.  Luckily she didn't find any and she gave me a hair cut too.

I haven't had cooties since the fifth grade

Tuesday night I had to tend bar.  I hadn't caught up on my sleep since working that private party on Saturday night, so I was hoping for an early evening but that isn't what happened.  Tuesday night at the bar is generaly just me and 10 others at the most, and usually I'm all alone by 10 and closed by 10:30.  But this night the place was packed.  A birthday party took up most of the space, but because there was music and laughter happening, any others that stopped in decided to stay and have fun.  On the good side I made some nice tips and got a Christmas bonus from the boss.  On the not so good side I didn't get home til after 1 and had to be in early the next morning.

the fun havers

Wednesday at work (after several cups of coffee) we got the bar for Famous Daves processed.  This will be installed a couple days after Christmas.

inlay looks good

Wednesday night I had to work another private party.  I used to be a property manager for this well-to-do couple and have remained good friends with them. (they payed for my mission trip to Africa)   As you come down the long private drive you see this 15' tall dragon in the woods.  There is a switch in the driveway that makes the dragon breath fire and yell at you.

lucky I had my dragon repellant spray

Here is the bar.  I have worked in a lot of bars that couldn't hold a candle to this place.

cocktail?

As the party drew to a close I was thanked and sent on my way, but I stopped and took a quick pic of the  beautiful lights on the mansion.

I love this place

Thursday at work (after many cups of coffee)  we had an install to do.  See if you remember this pic..

can you picture the bar?  Me neither.

I was asked several weeks ago to make a bar that would go here, in this soon to be man cave.  Below you can see the bar as it begins to bring this place to life.  I will post photos of the completed project later.

starting to come together

sweet

Thursday night we did our Christmas because Canyon was heading out of town Friday.  We put on our favorite Christmas music, lit a fire in the fire place and opened our loot.

Calvin opens his own presents

Canyon hoping those boxes are all full of $$$

Grandpa opens... wait, that's me.  Man I'm old!

Robyn enjoying the moment

I got some cool stuff, like this major award, from Italy..

it's fra-gil-e

That was actually a tree ornament from my favorite, Christmas Story.  (trick photography)  But my favorite gift was this cross from Robyn..

she must read my blog

We both took Friday off and I used that morning to finally catch up on my sleep.  We lounged around most of the day and then got ready for Point of Grace's annual Christmas Eve-Eve service.  At POG they like to have service on Christmas eve-eve so families can travel or be home with loved ones to celebrate Christmas, including the pastors and staff.  Here's a pic of the service.

the music was fantastic

The service was really good, but the best part was the video from the student ministries.  Here is a link, you gotta check it out..

point of grace youth ministries christmas rap

I thought it was awesome.  If this link dosen't work (because I'm computer illiterate), it is on you tube.  Just copy and paste that link in the you tube browser.

After service Robyn and I went up to visit my sister, she was tending bar.  We stopped and got some egg nog for the bar.

sharing a little Christmas "cheers"

Saturday it was go time.  Robyn thought it would be a good idea to finish the master bathroom remodel I started a couple months ago.  I put a little dry wall mud on the walls and she started painting.  I tried to shut the water off to the stool but the valve started leaking.  It is one of those cheap 1/4 turn valves.  I can't believe a good builder would take a short cut on cheap water valves.  So I put a plastic cup under the leak and ran to Menards for a good valve.

Picaso at work

Here is a before and during pic of the bathroom

needs help

paint fixes everything

As I drove to Menards I was bothered a little by the other drivers out there.  I've told you in the past that I suffer from some mild road rage.  I often say that I'm exactly where God wants me to be when I'm trying to calm myself down because of all the bad drivers, but c'mon, the speed limit is 55.  You could do 60 and still be alright.  But for some reason everyone is doing 40.  40!  I held my tounge on the way to Menards because surely those slow pokes would not be going back the other way, but on the way home everyone was still going 40.  People please, there are huge signs that say 55 for a reason.  

I got home feeling a little edgy.  The combonation of the bad valve and the slow drivers was nerve racking.  I decided to leave the valve for tomorrow and let Robyn paint the bathroom while I hung the new ceiling fan in the master bedroom.  The bedroom is being painted along with the master bath.  Upon opening the packaging I immediatly found missing parts.  I was frustrated to say the least.  Robyn, bless her heart, tried to help me out by quietly telling me to repack it and take back for an exchange.

I asked where the reciept was and she told me we didn't have it.  I didn't want to go through what I thought I would have to go through so I decided to make my own parts.  I got the first step completed and discovered I put it up backwards.  I took it down, redid it and moved on to the next step.  I needed a down rod because I was hanging it from a vaulted ceiling and lo and behold, the down rod was not right.  I think at this point I verbaly asked God why.

I was able to fanagle the down rod to work and, after trips up and down the ladder to numerous to mention, eventually I got the fan hung.  But when I tried the switch nothing happened.

Heavy sigh,

After a moments thought I realized that I needed to pull the chain, then all went smoothly.

the fan from hell

Once that was accomplished, we decided we should probably call it a night and went downstairs to watch a movie. (and have a much needed glass of wine)

We scrolled through the guide and stopped on It's a Wonderful Life.  Robyn had never seen the whole movie and since it was Christmas Eve the movie seemed appropriate.  As the movie went along we saw George Bailey constantly help others and slowly sink into a hole.  When George couldn't take it anymore he wrapped his car around a tree.  When he got out of the car the door wouldn't close.  He tried to shut it three times before he got so frustrated that he angrily kicked it shut.  At that exact moment Robyn and I looked at each other and said he's having a day just like me.  It's funny that we thought the same thing at the same time.

Funny probably isn't the right word there, but the fact remained that I had a frustrating day.  In the end of the movie, George realizes how blessed he really is, even when everything seems to be piled on his shoulders.  That is true for me also.  I have my struggles, but God never said I wouldn't have trials and tribulations here on this earth.  He did say, however, that He would help me through them.  

When all Georges friends, and all the people whose lives he has touched come to him in his time of desperation it is really just a depiction of Christ showing through him and reflecting back in his friends.

Robyn said it best, when everyone was tossing whatever they could afford into the kitty to help George out.  She said, "See what's coming?"  

 But it's not the money, it's the love.

Peace

Dan

Wednesday after work I stopped up at church and helped assemble some old window sashes that somebody donated to the church.  They are going to use them for a set design.  The windows were old and the paint was chipped, but they are like Cinderella before the ball, I can't wait to see the set.  It only took about an hour but we made a pretty good mess.  I snapped a quick photo while everybody else did all the clean up.  (I'm sneaky that way)

I'm behind the camera, not cleaning

I told you a while ago about the concrete compass table we poured, well we finally found some time to stain it.  We used an acetone stain that dries in seconds so once it was done we sent it to the finish booth.

Shhh!  He's concentrating

We may mass produce these, the staining was the toughest part.

Wow!  That's cool

The client for the man cave job stopped in and decided that he didn't want any glass inlays so we were able to get that poured too.

After work we started the process of making cookies (again) because our friend who loaned us the cookie press we used didn't make it to the cookie walk and we promised her some cookies.  It would be a lonely job by yourself, but it was like the inside of the Keebler tree in the kitchen.  Lots of hands make for an easy job.  And a little rum and eggnog helps too.

A couple of elves hard at work

Monday morning we glued down the stainless steel inlay for Famous Daves.  It has to be glued down in reverse so it's a little difficult but I got it done.  It's glued then weighted down to dry for a day.

An intricate inlay

Tuesday we poured Famous Daves.  We had a problem that we have never come across before.  The glass fibers in the concrete mix decided to form themselves into little balls.  A couple of the guys got designated as ball pickers.  Their job was to locate and pick out as many balls as possible.

Where's the spagetti?

We were able to salvage enough to get the bar poured.

setting up

That night Canyon wanted to go put in an application (and get a present for himself) at the Nike store.  He would love it there because he could get a great discount on all his shoes.  He currently has enough shoes for a small army.  Man, he loves shoes.  One of his friends has a job at a big eletronics store and he says he can get us a discount on a dishwasher.  I think that may be a Christmas gift for Robyn because I don't like doing dishes... so really it may be a present for me.

The smell of new shoes makes Canyon smile

At work we got the man cave bar processed and sealed.  We will most likely install it next week.  Here is a pic of the fiber optic lights in the upper bar.

let there be light

Friday I took one of the trucks out to the main shop for an oil change.  We have a couple of full time mechanics to service all the company equipment.  Speck USA does a ton of work on roads, parking lots and driveways.  They have a fleet of sweepers, dumptrucks and everything else you can imagine.  The concrete countertops is only a very small part of the business.  

Anyway, while I was out there I went up to a garage on the edge of the property and checked out some wood working tools to see if there was anything I could use back at our shop. (I had permission)

I found an almost new band saw.  We were just going to buy a new one for form fabricating so this was a good one to get.  When the oil change was complete I had the mechanic help me load it up.  It was just like Christmas.

My new toy

Saturday we met over at our small group leaders house to...  you'll never guess..  give up?   We had a cookie making party.  Seriously.  It had been planned for a couple of months and I will say that I'm beginning to feel a little like Julia Childs.  I may know more about making cookies that Famous Amos.  As a matter of fact, if I can talk Robyn into helping me I might put out my own brand of cookies to compete with Oreo and Chips Ahoy.  I can call them Dan's Dunkers...  

OK, the name may need little tweeking but I think I might be onto something here.

Where are all the men?

Ah ha!  Holding down the chairs again.

Saturday night I was asked to bartend a private party.  It is someone I have done several side jobs for and   the only house that Robyn still cleans for.  I have tended their party for the last couple of years.  I took a quick pic of my bar set up before the guests arrived.

ready for action

Sunday at church the message struck home with me.  They talked about serving God with all we have.  Our hands, feet, eyes, ears and heart.  I like to think that I do, but many times I find myself serving me, because if what I'm doing isn't serving God it can only be serving me.  I think the hardest thing to do as a Christ follower is to get back on the horse when we fall off.  I fall way too often.  When I do it is very difficult to think that God would want to look at me, let alone help me up.  But that is His greatest desire.  As a man I can never be worthy of God, but when I accept Christ as my saviour, God dosen't see me when He looks my way.  He see's Jesus.  Because Jesus is living in me.  So when I stumble I only need to look back to God and he will gladly take Jesus' hand and lift me up again.

It's hard to imagine that God could want to use me for His purpose.  I look in the mirror and wonder what he see's in me.  I guess I am also like Cinderella before the ball.  To Him I am a beautiful masterpiece, and He says so in His word.  We all are.

The windows look beautiful

After church I ran over to my sister's house to put some transitions on her new floor.  It seems to take me a long time to finish a job over there.  This is the same floor I put in months ago.  God has really gifted her with patience.  I still need to fabricate a threshold for the entry door and I will try to get it done before next year is over.  I promise.

looks nice

I am going to draw this post to a close, but before I do I want to give you a challange.

Try to find someone in need this week and lend a helping hand.  It is the Christmas season after all.   God places people in your path, you just need to see them as an oppertunity to serve rather than as a speed bump in your road.  When you do help someone in need pay close attention to how it affects you.  If it feels good, and it will, imagine feeling that way all the time.  Now imagine helping others in order to please God.  Imagine how it makes Him feel.

Peace

Dan

THE WORDS OF OTHERS

I had just closed and locked up the bar Tuesday night, around 10:30, and was finishing up my closing duties when I heard a knock on the back door.  Through the small window I saw an old friend, who I hadn't seen in a while.
 After letting him in I found out that he was in desperate need of someone to talk to.  It was an unusual situation because I've never seen him out this late this far from the place he stays.
As we talked it became obvious to me that he was very depressed.  Truthfully, knowing his situation, I wasn't suprised.  Through tears he told me that if he died tomorrow it wouldn't matter.  I immediately said it would matter to me.  And Robyn, and my sister.  I also mentioned several mutual aquaintences who loved him.  But above all, I told him, God cares.
 I told him I didn't want to be preachy but God loved him.  He asked me to continue.  He said he was just so tired of trying.  I said he could find rest in Jesus.  He told me he was lonely and unloved.  I said he could find peace and love in Christ.  He said he was a good catholic.   I asked if he had a bible.  He said he didn't.  I told him I would get him one and I asked him to open it and read it.
 I begged him to pray, with all his heart, truely pray for God to tear the vails away from his eyes and show him the answers to his questions, and I promised him that if he did that he would find the truth he seeked.  He had a lot of questions for me and I answered the best I could. He was filled with misinformation and argued a little with me but after a little more than an hour he went home with a daily devotional I had given him and a promise of answers.
After church today I told my pastor a bit of this story and he offered me a bible to give to my friend.
My friend, who grew up in church all his life didn't know the truth of Jesus.  Until about a dozen years ago, neither did I.
I recently met a man (thru e-mail) who tells the truth very eloquintly through his blog.  His name is Perry Crisp and he is a pastor at a church in Texas.  With his permission, here is a repost of one of his wonderful blogs...


check out his awesome blog at..              thismorningwithgod.blogspot.com

Knowin' vs. Guessin'

A quick check of current bass fishing lures at a major retailer lists 937 types. With each type, there are size and color variations on the average of 22 per type. Multiply those together and you need a tackle box that can hold 20,614 items.

What's a fisherman to do? Unless he is on speaking terms with a largemouth bass (and I know a few people who ARE), he is forced to guess. There are, however, different levels of guessing.

Take Homer and his wife, Etta, for example. Being the romantic husband that he is, Homer decided to take Etta fishing on Valentine's Day. Actually, he had planned on taking her to the Dairy Queen but it wasn't his fault the bass began their pre-spawn activity on Valentine's Day!

So the two lovebirds hopped into the john boat and headed to the north end of the lake. Being the generous and loving husband that he is, Homer rigged Etta's pink and purple female-type fishing pole with a Texas-rigged, super killin', hog smashin' craw-worm. He told her to chunk it on out there, let it hit bottom, and then slowly crank it in, giving the rod an occasional pop. Even though Etta never said, "Huh?" - Homer knew the look. Being the patient husband that he is, he chunked it out there for her and demonstrated his prior instructions.

After a long ten minutes of fishing and catching nothing, Etta went to fiddling around in Homer's tackle boxes.

"What are you doing, sugar muffin?" asked Homer.

"I'm looking for something else to fish with. Something with a little bling to it," answered Etta. She looked up at him with her one good eye and grinned that gorgeous, albeit toothless, grin that always melted his heart. He returned the grin with a nod and a half smile, then turned where she couldn't see him smirk.

Homer thought to himself, "Bling? Did she say bling? It's a tackle box, not a jewelry box. She ain't gonna catch nothin. And when I catch me a hawg on this here craw-worm, she'll be sorry she didn't listen to the master!"
Homer prided himself on knowing exactly what the fish were biting. He even bragged to his buddies that God blessed him with a fish's brain and he "knowed what they were thinkin'."
Etta pulled a ten-inch worm out of the bottom of Homer's tackle box and held it up. "Can I try this one?" she asked.

Homer had no idea how such a worm ever made it's way into his tackle box. That worm was a sight! It looked like a mardi gras parade puked all over it. It had every bright-colored, glittery speck you could imagine imbedded into it's black and motor-oil colored body.

Homer spit. Then he spoke. "Apparently, that old worm has set too long on the bottom of my tackle box," he said. "And all the glitters and sparkles from other baits melted into it. That's the ugliest thing I ever saw! The fish ain't gonna hit that thing. In fact, it'll probably scare 'em all away...honey pie."
She batted her eye, squared her jaw, and tried to stand up in the boat so she could put her hands on her hips (a posture Homer knew all too well). "But, but, but, if my four-leaf clover darlin' wants to fish with that," Homer corrected himself. "Then, by golly, she's gonna fish with it."
Etta sat back down and grinned like a giddy school girl. Homer took the bling mardi gras puke worm from her hand and put it on her hook. It went against every fiber of his being and he hoped no one could see him. Etta cast the worm about two feet, making an awful splash as that big worm hit the water right next to the boat.

While Homer was shaking his head and whispering his good-byes to all the bass in a two-mile radius, Etta's pole went to bending and Etta went to screaming, "I got one!"
"No way!" Homer shouted before he could stop himself.

"Yes, way!" Etta yelled back. "Stop standin' there gawkin'. Get the net!"
"You sure it ain't a stump or a gar or a trot line?" Homer asked and instantly regretted asking it. Before that sentence got to "trot line," Homer knew the answer. A bass so big it would be a wallhanger in Jimmy Houston's house (pause for a moment of silence at the mention of his name) jumped straight up out of the water, did a hula dance in mid-air with five inches of puke worm hanging out of her mouth, and headed straight back down.

"Hang on, Etta! I'm gettin' the net. Give her some slack or she'll break your line," Homer shouted.

Etta leered at him and said, "I got this! You just get the net."
Homer did the husband hunker that all men are familiar with. The one that says, "Yes ma'am" without the words.

The fish was longer than the mouth of the net, but they managed to get her into the boat. After a dozen high fives, a thousand hoops and hollers, and a couple of pictures with the polaroid, Etta turned to the crowd that had gathered at the bank and held her lunker hawg big momma bass up like Jay Yelas at the Bassmasters (another pause). She could hear the folks whistling and shouting.

When she turned back around, Homer, being the humble husband that he is, was digging in the bottom of his tackle box for a ten-inch black and motor-oil worm with some bling on it.

The lesson of Homer and Etta is three-fold: 1) Take your dog - NEVER your wife - fishing on Valentine's Day. 2) If you DO take her fishing and she catches a bigger fish than you, DON'T go to the Dairy Queen right after that. 3) No matter how good a guesser you are when it comes to fishing -- everyone occasionally guesses wrong, and anyone can occasionally guess right.

Fishing is guesswork. But you can improve your chances of guessing right by learning patterns, studying the seasonal behavior of fish, discovering what is and is not working from other experienced fishermen (and knowing whether they are lying to you or not), and by following the three P's: practice, practice, practice.

However, even a first-time fisherman can crawl into a boat or stand on a bank and be in the right place at the right time with the right bait. The guesswork factor in fishing is what makes it fun.

Unless you're fishing for answers to life's questions.

Life was never meant to be a guessing game. The Creator of life did not create haphazardly. He created with purpose, design, and compassion. He not only planned YOU, He has a plan FOR you. You don't have to guess. You just have to search.

Where do you begin searching? The first place to search for God's plan for your life is in the Bible. It is God's instruction manual for man. In it, you will find truth. Truth is the guide of life that we all need. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but by Me" (John 14:6).

The truth of the Bible also tells us that "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16). That's not a guess. That's a guarantee from the Manufacturer.

A second place to search is in prayer. Prayer is simply opening your heart to God and talking to Him. You can tell Him how you feel. You can ask Him to show you what He wants you to know. You can ask Him anything. He longs to hear from you. A third place to search is in a healthy church. Being around other followers of Christ gives you people just like you to talk to, lean on, and learn from.

This life and the one following is too important to leave it all up to chance. God wants you to know. He hasn't put 20,614 options in front of you. Just one. His Son. I pray you will accept Jesus as, not only the Savior of the world who died for the sins of the world, but as YOUR personal Savior who loves you and died for you.

Googling Really Large Tackle Boxes,
Perry Crisp

The truth is, you are loved

Peace

Dan

SEASONS

A few weeks ago my sister gave me a cross/fish to hang on the mirror in my truck.  It's pretty cool.  When you look at it one way it's a cross, another way and it's a fish.

the fish

I may want to go find a cross/fish in necklace form.  I don't wear jewelry very often (except for my wedding ring) but this would look neat hanging on a chain around my neck.  And it would be a great conversation starter.

Monday at work we had a full compliment of workers so we poured that huge fiber optic bar for Paton Iowa.  By that afternoon we were able to demold and flip a couple of the pieces onto carts for processing.

poured and capped

the hardest part is done

Demolded, cleaned up and ready to go

Monday night we wanted to put up the Christmas tree.  However, since arriving home I had been feeling a little under the weather.  After digging out all the decoration boxes from storage I only had enough energy to help get the tree together then we called it quits.

a deCAToration

Tuesday morning I was feeling miserable...

somebody give that guy a vapor-rub

But I went into work anyway(because I'm a company guy..and I need the money).  We began processing the big bar tops.

this project is taking shape

I also added some lights to the showroom so prospective clients could better see in there.

I can see clearly now

I had to tend bar Tuesday night and luckily it was not real busy.  I don't know if I could have worked very hard.  I have never been so glad when closing time came.

Wednesday we got the cap for the man cave job finished and we also completed running the fiber optics.  This job is on hold until the client comes in and decides on some inlays.

...waiting...

After work I got a call from Robyn.  She told me the new Jethro's BBQ resturant was open in Waukee.  She wanted to go get some dinner.  I was still feeling listless but agreed to go out to dinner.

These two are WAY to happy about BBQ

The parking lot was packed, the place was all lit up like the fourth of July.  As we approached the door, excitedly discussing what bar-b-que dish we would each have, I noticed a young lady trying to get out but the door seemed to be locked.  She tried the other door and it opened.  As she came out I said something about being locked out.  Then a scene from National Lampoons Vacation happened.  She said, "Oh, we're not open yet.  We open tomorrow."   Really?  Wally World isn't open?  I looked through the glass.  I'm not sure how I didn't notice it before but there were no people in there.  All the chairs and tables were missing.  A step ladder was the only thing I saw setting in the middle of the place.  Of course we hadn't driven across the country, going through horrible experiences to get here, but still, why was it all lit up, drawing us in like moths to a fire?  With no rubber moose to punch in the nose, we just turned back to the car.  Because we are Griswalds, things like this happen to us and we have learned to laugh when it does.  McDonalds it was.

When we got home Robyn and I decided to drown our sorrows in one of my other favorite things about the winter season.  The first being fires in the fire place, the second being rum and eggnog.

this will ease the pain

We also decided to finish trimming the Christmas tree.  Our tree is kind of like a Charlie brown tree, but our ornaments are so special they make the tree beautiful.  We have some Canyon made when he was in kindergarten.  We have several we have picked up on family vacations.  There are many we recieved as gifts and a few that were left to us by a friend who passed.  We try to get a new one every year.  It is quite an ecclectic collection.

Robyn hangs the last ornament

Linus would be proud

Thursday we had to clean out the pit.  When you work on as many projects as we do this can be a quartly event.

digging for gold

Then it was back to processing the big bar.

looking good

Thursday night I was feeling better, and it's a good thing because Robyn and I were baking cookies for the Cookie Walk at Point of grace.  The church gets all the people it can to donate cookies, then sells them at an annual event by the pound.  You walk through all the cookies and fill a box with what ever you want and pay at the end.  All the proceeds go to Africa, Haiti and the food pantry.

you can tell who's doing most (all) of the work

We made a dozen dozen cookies, and we only ate a few along the way.  Unfortunately, Robyn had been to the doctor that morning for a procedure (I am told it is lady stuff) and she wasn't feeling too good so we packed up the cookies and went to bed.

Friday morning My boss and I went to Famous Daves to measure out the bar.  This will be the second one in Des Moines to get concrete bar tops.  Then We returned to the shop and I began the forming.

these pieces will be managable

When I got home Robyn asked if I would run the cookies up to the church because she was still not feeling good.  I noticed that she was eating the last piece of my mom's bananna bread that we brought back from Sioux City.  She must have seen me salivating because she offered it to me.  I greedily snatched it up and chomped down on it.  I almost broke a tooth.  There was something rock hard in there.  I spat it out and cleaned it up.  See if you can figure it out...

a bananna bone?

After a quick jaw massage I loaded up the cookies and took them to the church.  There were a bunch of cookies already there.

looks like Willy Wonka was here

Saturday morning I found Robyn on the couch.  She said she had a headache so she took some headache pills, but she took the wrong ones and now she was feeling dizzy.  She stayed that way all day.  Canyon asked if she would ever be normal again.  I said you mean will she be a dizzy blonde forever?  Canyon and I laughed, dizzy did not find it so humorous.

planted for the day

Our dishwasher is on the fritz so I decided to tackle the mountain of dishes left over from the betty crocker episode and dinner the night before.   My way of cleaning dosen't usually meet Robyn's standards but she was happy to have me do it.

not my wheel house

I had to drain the water and refill a couple of times but I finally accomplished the task at hand.  Then I went to pick up a friend I hadn't seen in a while.  My friend Steve has been struggling through some very tough times but so far he is holding his own.  He helped me grab a secret present from my niece's house and take it to my shop where it will stay until Christmas.  I have intentionally blurred out any thing that could give this away, just in case the intended reciepiant reads this blog.

mystery gift

Then Steve and I talked about what has been going on in our lives.  His struggles have been going on ever since I met him almost 5 years ago.  We have prayed together many times and I was even with him when he said a prayer of salvation.  I always try to get him the newest daily devotional (although this time he wasn't that excited about it).  I know that God sets the time for the plans He makes but it hurts me to see him struggle.  I hope that one day I can see Steve come out on top and be a better man for it.

These struggles Steve walks through are just seasons in his life.  We all have them.  Just like the seasons here on Earth, winter, spring, summer and fall.  They always change.  If we think things are tough (and they can be) it is just like the coldest winter.  Eventually, spring will come.  And just as bare and ugly the tree is in winter, when spring comes the branches bud to life.  Spring too is a season in our lives.  Our relationship may be in turmoil but one day, with care and prayer, the relationship could be in full bloom, like a rosebush in summer.  And when the fall season rolls around, that's when the tree bears it's fruit.  Just like us when we are belivers in Christ.  Jesus said...

  JOHN 15:5-12
5"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. 
9"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 

We all struggle, some more than others, but if you truely believe in Jesus as your savior than let Him walk through your struggle with you and you will see the season change.  Maybe not when you want but remember, God sets the time for the plans He makes, and he has great plans for you.

the cross 

Peace

Dan