"I could hear him clapping!"

Tonight our church, Travis Avenue Baptist in Fort Worth, agreed to pursue a building campaign...A Lasting Legacy.

There will be several phases. Phase one will involve building a 30,000 SF 2 story building attached to the west side of the sanctuary which will house a new kitchen facility, dining hall to seat 300 with ability to expand to 500, music suite, senior adult classes and remodeling of the lower sanctuary to house more young adult classes. Phase two will be the construction of a 37,000 SF 3 story addition on the east side of the Welcome Center which will house Student and Adult education, a chapel with seating for 300 and a cafe, bookstore, library area, as well as, the administrative offices. Phase 3 will be construction of a 21,000 SF 2 story recreation building. All of these will be connected with the ability to walk from building to building without stairs.

It is beautiful.

There is an area at Berry and Hemphill where the signage will be because we are buying the Texaco property. Buildings A, B, C and the youth building will be torn down to make way for this God given vision.

As we came home from the meeting, I said, "Mom, I think Dad is so happy with all this. He always wanted a beautiful chapel and I remember him wanting so badly to buy the Texaco property. I'm sure this makes him happy."

Mom said, "I could hear him clapping!"

I think she could, too!

A Glimpse of God

Remember the Bible story about the lady who swept her house looking for a coin. I often wonder what she wanted to do with that coin...buy a meal? help someone else? give it to the Lord?

Recently I realized it doesn't matter why it was so important to her...what matters is that God helped her find it. And when it was found, she went praising and laughing and thanking the One who had led her to the place it was hidden. Her smile couldn't fade...it grew deep within her and spilled out into the air.

Praising, laughing, thanking...and smiling...results of being led by God.

While on a mini-trip to the Hill country, my nephew lost his precious wedding ring. A few of us had been playing pool volleyball and as we got out of the pool, he realized the ring was no longer on his finger. Even though it is a very monetarily valuable ring, that wasn't the reason for the despair. It's monetary value was minute compared to its emotional value.

Lauren, his wife, finally found a flashlight in the home where we were staying and she began to search...in the water, in the grass, under bushes...quietly searching. As hope dwindled and despair set in we prayed for a miracle. A tiny ring on the scope of a vast landscape...impossible...

The next morning the search was on again. When I came down, Becky was already looking. As I walked outside I began to think of the woman who scoured her home looking for the coin. Becky said, "I think that it would have gone this way..." pointing to the side of the pool she was on.

I have always been a bit stubborn and continued to search where I was. I stood in the flower bed and scanned the horizon...there was a small shine in the gravel about 30 feet from the pool's edge.

I thought, "That's probably glass in the gravel...a broken bottle, something shiny. It isn't worth the climb...and anyway, it's so far from the pool. Could it have gone that far? But since I don't see any other broken bits shining near it, I'll go see."

As I climbed the tiny hill I barraged myself with more negativity..."This is a long way from the pool. It's shiny rocks. Why didn't you set a mental bookmark so you could find it from up here? You're such a doufus." I was hurriedly convincing myself that this was an effort in futility and all the time praying, "Lord, it would be so nice to find it. I don't want Hayden and Lauren to think of this time as 'the trip I lost my ring!' for the next 30 years. I know it's only a shiny rock but help me see where you are shining!" I needed to find the source of the small glint I had seen if for no other reason than to allay my curiosity.

I turned and looked at my feet...there was the ring.

The source of the shine!

I put it on my finger and went running (running is a relative term) into the house with a smile that was much brighter than the sunlight.

There was joy, laughter, praising the Lord, smiling...

The Source of the Light had led me to the source of the light...

He is in it all.

Thanking God for my miracle I ponder these things in my heart...like Mary.

He loves me enough to help me find a little ring in the vast hugeness of a backyard covered in grass, gravel, mulch, trees, bushes...with nooks and crannies.

He put it out in the open and caused it to shine.

He set me on the ground looking up at the perfect moment for the ring to catch the sunlight.

He led me up the hill.

He directed my steps.

He focused my eyes.

He cared...He cares...He loves me a lot.

Why can't I see that everyday?

Hi, Dad

The father I love has gone Home. He went slowly like someone who just didn't want to leave. He left on November 27, 2007...and 2 years have passed...

And in those 2 years there have been births...Emily, Caroline, Reese...can you see them, Daddy? 3 more little girls since you left.

And the heritage continues...and the love continues...

And the foundation that was laid stays strong.

JM isn't drinking...he has been sober since April...good, huh?

Grant is a junior...can you believe he is a junior already?

Time...

Mom misses you every day. We all do, but she misses you the most.

What is Heaven like? More than you could ever imagine?

I miss you, Dad!

See you soon...

no, I'm not getting a bus together for a trip...but this time thing is so quick...

You wouldn't like it here any more...the country is a mess...we worry about it a lot.

It will be better to be there!

Love you, Dad!

A Thought About God

We think of God as a miser of happiness; keeping back from us all that would make us happy. We think that by running away from Him we will be happy, wild and free. Instead of happiness we find misery. Instead of freedom we find sin's bondage. When we rebel against God and decide we do not want Him in our lives, He will give us over to what we think we want. He releases us to the spiritual laws of His universe and those laws determine that the path away from God will always be downhill.

The Gift

There was a certain Professor of Religion named Dr Christianson, a studious man who taught at a small college in the western United States.

Dr. Christianson taught the required survey course in Christianity at this particular institution. Every student was required to take this course his or her freshman year, regardless of his or her major.

Although Dr Christianson tried hard to communicate the essence of the gospel in his class, he found that most of his students looked upon the course as nothing but required drudgery. Despite his best efforts, most students refused to take Christianity seriously.

This year, Dr. Christianson had a special student named Steve. Steve was only a freshman, but was studying with the intent of going onto seminary for the ministry. Steve was popular, he was well liked, and he was an imposing physical specimen. He was now the starting center on the school football team, and was the best student in the professor's class. One day, Dr. Christianson asked Steve to stay after class so he could talk with him.

"How many push-ups can you do?"

Steve said, "I do about 200 every night."

"200? That's pretty good, Steve," Dr. Christianson said. "Do you think you could do 300?"

Steve replied, "I don't know... I've never done 300 at a time."

"Do you think you could?" again asked Dr. Christianson.

"Well, I can try," said Steve.

"Can you do 300 in sets of 10? I have a class project in mind and I need you to do about 300 push-ups in sets of ten for this to work. Can you do it? I need you to tell me you can do it," said the professor.

Steve said, "Well... I think I can...yeah, I can do it"

Dr. Christianson said, "Good! I need you to do this on Friday. Let me explain what I have in mind."

Friday came and Steve got to class early and sat in the front of the room. When class started, the professor pulled out a big box of donuts.

No, these weren't the normal kinds of donuts, they were the extra fancy BIG kind, with cream centers and frosting swirls. Everyone was pretty excited it was Friday, the last class of the day, and they were going to get an early start on the weekend with a party in Dr. Christianson's class.
Dr. Christianson went to the first girl in the first row and asked, "Cynthia, do you want to have one of these donuts?"

Cynthia said, "Yes."

Dr. Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Cynthia can have a donut?"

"Sure." Steve jumped down from his desk to do a quick ten. Then Steve again sat in his desk. Dr. Christianson put a donut on Cynthia's desk.

Dr. Christianson then went to Joe, the next person, and asked, "Joe, do you want a donut?"
Joe said, "Yes." Dr. Christianson asked, "Steve would you do ten push-ups so Joe can have a donut?"

Steve did ten push-ups, Joe got a donut. And so it went, down the first aisle, Steve did ten pushups for every person before they got their donut.

Walking down the second aisle, Dr. Christianson came to Scott. Scott was on the basketball team, and in as good condition as Steve. He was very popular and never lacking for female companionship.

When the professor asked, "Scott do you want a donut?"

Scott's reply was, "Well, can I do my own pushups?"

Dr. Christianson said, "No, Steve has to do them."

Then Scott said, "Well, I don't want one then."

Dr. Christianson shrugged and then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you do ten pushups so Scott can have a donut he doesn't want?" With perfect obedience Steve started to do ten pushups.

Scott said, "HEY! I said I didn't want one!" Dr. Christianson said, "Look, this is my classroom, my class, my desks, and these are my donuts. Just leave it on the desk if you don't want it." And he put a donut on Scott's desk.

Now by this time, Steve had begun to slow down a little. He just stayed on the floor between sets because it took too much effort to be getting up and down. You could start to see a little perspiration coming out around his brow.

Dr. Christianson started down the third row. Now the students were beginning to get a little angry. Dr. Christianson asked Jenny, "Jenny, do you want a donut?"
Sternly, Jenny said, "No."

Then Dr. Christianson asked Steve, "Steve, would you do ten more push-ups so Jenny can have a donut that she doesn't want?" Steve did ten....Jenny got a donut.

By now, a growing sense of uneasiness filled the room. The students were beginning to say "No" and there were all these uneaten donuts on the desks.

Steve also had to really put forth a lot of extra effort to get these pushups done for each donut. There began to be a small pool of sweat on the floor beneath his face, his arms and brow were beginning to get red because of the physical effort involved.

Dr. Christianson asked Robert, who was the most vocal unbeliever in the class, to watch Steve do each push up to make sure he did the full ten pushups in a set because he couldn't bear to watch all of Steve's work for all of those uneaten donuts. He sent Robert over to where Steve was so Robert could count the set and watch Steve closely.

Dr. Christianson started down the fourth row. During his class, however, some students from other classes had wandered in and sat down on the steps along the radiators that ran down the sides of the room. When the professor realized this, he did a quick count and saw that now there were 34 students in the room. He started to worry if Steve would be able to make it.

Dr. Christianson went on to the next person and the next and the next.

Near the end of that row, Steve was really having a rough time. He was taking a lot more time to complete each set.

Steve asked Dr Christianson, "Do I have to make my nose touch on each one?"

Dr. Christianson thought for a moment, "Well, they're your pushups You are in charge now. You can do them any way that you want." And Dr.Christianson went on.

A few moments later, Jason, a recent transfer student, came to the room and was about to come in when all the students yelled in one voice, "NO! Don't come in! Stay out!"
Jason didn't know what was going on. Steve picked up his head and said, "No, let him come."
Professor Christianson said, "You realize that if Jason comes in you will have to do ten pushups for him?"

Steve said, "Yes, let him come in. Give him a donut"

Dr. Christianson said, "Okay, Steve, I'll let you get Jason's out of the way right now. Jason, do you want a donut?"

Jason, new to the room, hardly knew what was going on. "Yes," he said, "give me a donut."

"Steve, will you do ten push-ups so that Jason can have a donut?" Steve did ten pushups very slowly and with great effort. Jason, bewildered, was handed a donut and sat down.

Dr. Christianson finished the fourth row, and then started on those visitors seated by the heaters. Steve's arms were now shaking with each push-up in a struggle to lift himself against the force of gravity. By this time sweat was profusely dropping off of his face, there was no sound except his heavy breathing; there was not a dry eye in the room.

The very last two students in the room were two young women, both cheerleaders, and very popular. Dr. Christianson went to Linda, the second to last, and asked, "Linda, do you want a doughnut?"

Linda said, very sadly, "No, thank you."

Professor Christianson quietly asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Linda can have a donut she doesn't want?" Grunting from the effort, Steve did ten very slow pushups for Linda.

Then Dr Christianson turned to the last girl, Susan. "Susan, do you want a donut?"

Susan, with tears flowing down her face, began to cry. "Dr. Christianson, why can't I help him?"

Dr. Christianson, with tears of his own, said, "No, Steve has to do it alone, I have given him this task and he is in charge of seeing that everyone has an opportunity for a donut whether they want it or not. When I decided to have a party this last day of class, I looked my grade book.
Steve here is the only student with a perfect grade. Everyone else has failed a test, skipped class, or offered me inferior work. Steve told me that in football practice, when a player messes up he must do push-ups. I told Steve that none of you could come to my party unless he paid the price by doing your push ups. He and I made a deal for your sakes."

"Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Susan can have a donut?" As Steve very slowly finished his last pushup, with the understanding that he had accomplished all that was required of him, having done 350 pushups, his arms buckled beneath him and he fell to the floor.

Dr. Christianson turned to the room and said. "And so it was, that our Savior, Jesus Christ, on the cross, plead to the Father, 'into thy hands I commend my spirit.' With the understanding that He had done everything that was required of Him, He yielded up His life. And like some of those in this room, many of us leave the gift on the desk, uneaten."

Two students helped Steve up off the floor and to a seat, physically exhausted, but wearing a thin smile.

"Well done, good and faithful servant," said the professor, adding "Not all sermons are preached in words."

Turning to his class, the professor said, "My wish is that you might understand and fully comprehend all the riches of grace and mercy that have been given to you through the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He spared not His only Begotten Son, but gave Him up for us all, for the whole Church, now and forever. Whether or not we choose to accept His gift to us, the price has been paid."

"Wouldn't you be foolish and ungrateful to leave it lying on the desk?"

Tomorrow

Tomorrow I will have surgery. I am not real worried about it but every now and then I think, what if. Life is full of what ifs. What if I had only... What if he had... What if we didn't... What ifs can eat up a rather happy existence and taint it with sadness. A lot of what ifs are full of regret.

But tomorrow should the ultimate what if occur, I want you to know I no longer have any regrets. I no longer have any sadness...I am full of inexpressible joy. I will see the Savior face to face and all the what ifs and if onlys will melt into I'm so thankful that... You see, the Savior has washed away all the what ifs and made me whole.

I am no longer overweight...so the operation was a success.

I am dancing like no one is watching and singing at the top of my lungs for the King of King and Lord of Lords.

And He is smiling. He is smiling because He has loved me since the beginning of time.

All I had to do was accept the Gift He gave me...His precious life in exchange for mine. I did that many years ago and He prepared a place for me. I don't think my mansion will be too large ... of the many if onlys, my biggest one is: if only I had told more people about Him. If only I had made sure they knew who He was so they could share in the joy of knowing Him...not only after death but before...especially before. If only they could have placed their burdens in His hands. That is my biggest if only.

I pray that if you are reading this, you will make sure you know Him. All you have to do is accept Him...He is who He says He is...and He will do all that He promised.

I know...He has done all that He said He would do for me and more!

I'll be waiting...be sure you are there!

Find Your Wings

It's only for a moment
that you were mine to hold
The plans that Heaven has for you
will all too soon unfold.
So many different prayers I'll pray
for all that you might do
But most of all I'll want to know
you're walking in the Truth,
And if I've never told you
I want you to know that
as I watch you grow
I pray that God would fill your heart with dreams
and that faith gives you the courage
to dare to do great things;
I'm here for you whatever this life brings

so let my love give you roots
and help you find your wings.
May passion be the wind that leads
you through your days
and may convictions keep you strong
guide you on your way.
May there be many moments
that make your life so sweet.
Oh, but more than memories,
I pray that God would fill your heart with dreams
and that faith gives you the courage
to dare to do great things.
I'm here for you whatever this life brings
so let my love give you roots
and help you find your wings.
It's not living if you don't reach for the sky.
I'll have tears as you take off
But I'll cheer you as you fly.
I pray that God would fill your heart with dreams
and that faith gives you the courage
to dare to do great things.
I'm here for you whatever this life brings
so let my love give you roots
and help you find your wings.

My sweet sons, I pray that God will fill you both

with dreams and that

you will have the courage to take hold of them

and go for the ride!

He's not drinking and hope is in the air!