The Husband. Loves - Learns.

If it were easy it wouldn't be worth it. It's hard to explain in words or detail just how special and rewarding it is to be married. Giving your life to someone and living to serve them over yourself is a huge honor and a tough job. Of course, this is if you live, and are married, following God's word. I don't come close to loving and treating my wife the way God wants me to. Needless to say, I am learning and growing along the way. It will be two years tomorrow since I married my best friend, a woman who I am blessed to have been led to. I feel there was definitely a divine plan for my wife and I coming together. Our lives crossed probably more times than we realize before we finally started dating. Once we dated, I was certain she was the one for me. It was this feeling of "where have you been all my life?!", and that's an understatement.

Over the past two years, we have grown closer together and stronger as a couple. There have been many areas of my own life and thinking that have been brought to the surface by God so that I could deal with them. It hasn't always been sunshine and rainbows, but I would be lost right now if I couldn't come home to my love. She means so much to me, and makes me feel free! I am truly, madly, deeply (excuse the 90's song reference) in love with my wife, and want to live each day for her and my family and God. I am blessed beyond my comprehension by getting to be her husband!

I'm learning, how to live for Christ, how to love my wife the way God wants me to. I'm loving every minute of it! I love you, Rachelle, forever. Here's to many more years to come!

The Dad. Cooks!

I have always loved cooking. One of the biggest joys I find in cooking is making something that everyone likes. It's such a great feeling to create a dinner that your family enjoys eating and is actually good food. Cooking gives me a chance to give rather than get. It's important to be selfless, and give to my family when I can.

This was a difficult area for me, and I struggled with it for some time. I wasn't used to doing or giving, and doing so with the right motive. Now the variable here is the motive. I was a big fan of giving and doing, but I wanted something in return - some sort of praise or favor. God is helping me develop as a joyful giver and a blessing. I want to bless my family, first and foremost. As the man and provider of my home, it's easy to get lost in the world and start thinking of me - all that I do and what do I get in return. This isn't what God wants. God wants me to bless my family and praise His name. This isn't natural but since I'm born again God is helping me with this issue as I seek His wisdom. I tell you, it feels great though. To give and provide, and then want to bless my family as much as I can, and lesson the urge to expect something in return. If I allow God to use me as a blessing, He will bless me and my family so much more!

**Tonight's dish, by the way, was Tia's favorite - verde chicken tacos!

3 chicken breasts covered in Weber Kick'n Chicken seasoning and taco seasoning - grill it!

Several tomatillos, poblano and jalapeño peppers - grill 'em! Then blend them with some kosher salt, lime juice, pepper and white wine vinegar.

Cut up the chicken, put some in a soft taco shell, cover it with the salsa verde - onions - cheese. Make it your own, and enjoy it!

Bicycle ride.

I don't remember the first time I rode a bike. I don't remember - or even know - if my parents had one of those little baby seats that attach to the back of a bike. My best friend let me borrow his, since his boys are too big or too small for it. I took my son Joel on a ride today, just the two of us. It felt so great to be riding along with my little man right there behind me. He could stand to keep his helmet on this time. This was the second outing in his baby bike seat. The first time in it, the whole family went. This time, just us.

While we were riding along, I felt this connection, even though I couldn't see him all the time or hold him, I felt as one. He is my son and I love him. There is no doubt of my love for my son. I am so blessed to be a father and enjoy his company, even though he is only two weeks shy of one year old. Imagine my love for my son, this unconditional, far reaching, surpassing, connected love. I do my best for this little guy, and hope that I give him all the love that I can. I imagine then, the extent of the love God has for me. God is flawless, eternal, unconditional, everlasting, eternal and unchanging. His love is the ultimate display of affection, so great that I cannot even comprehend it. It is His word that helps me to understand His love for me.

A week ago, my wife and I were at a Gospel Truth Conference. This was our first trip away since we've had Joel. We both missed him dearly. While worshipping, I closed my eyes and imagined lifting Joel up in my arms and holding him against my shoulder. He loves this, and will rest his head against my shoulder - so precious! Then, God showed me that His love is like mine for my son, only greater and unchanging. I thought how could God love ME so much? I'm flawed, I make mistakes, and I'm certain I disappoint. God still loves me! Gaining more affirmation and revelation of God's love for me has been huge. Many situations with my family and especially with being a father to a son, have brought me into better understanding of God's love.

I realize more each day, that He loves me and desires nothing more than to comfort me in His arms. Thank you Father, praise God!

The Dude. Rocks!

I want to showcase - illustrate - that life as a Christian is amazing. More importantly, I want to be an example of how a Christian man can live a life that glorifies God and is cool, awesome and manly.

I am no sissy! I don't back down and will fight to the bone if I have to. I have that nature and aggression, and it seems that being a Christian man means having to forgo those urges to be a man. To stand up and fight, to be angry, to be a little rough around the edges. Well, a Christian man doesn't have to be a pansy to be an example of Christ, it's quite the opposite.

Jesus was a manly guy, he hung around with a rough crowd of low life's, thugs, sinners. He was bold and spoke with authority and stood his ground when confronted. He did so with a Godly sort of aggression. This is the masculine spirit of God that a Christian man can be. I was turned on to the real identity of a Christian man from the book "Wild at Heart" by John Eldridge. I won't give a book report here, but it is worth reading.

All in all, I used to enjoy rocking out to some rough music, metal, rap, vulgar and aggressive - I loved it! What about now? I want to live as an image of Jesus, and not fill my mind with junk. Well, I can still rock out and I suppose aggressively praise my God. Listening to music is great, but just imagine the long term effects of "enjoying" music that encourages sin. I still enjoy country and a little rock, but praise and worship have gained a strong foundation on my playlist.

Now, I want to shout praise to God!

Enjoy these moments.

It would be easy to work 70 hours a week and be completely absorbed in business or my job. What's difficult, is getting to a place where you can shut yourself off to that noise and focus on what truly matters. I've always been wanting to spend more time in the Word but fought it with the "not enough time" excuse. Face it, it's simply an excuse and not reality.

I started waking up 30 minutes sooner so my daughter has time to get ready for school and so I can drop her off on my way to work. Initially, this was a drag. Poor me - I have to wake up early. But how long will she be a kid, and I can take her to school? I spent my extra time this morning reading a teaching on self-centered mind. Dedicating my new free time to God and to renewing my mind - priceless.


I suppose the point is, enjoy these blessings and moments and praise God for them. I want to allow my self time to get to know God better, and definitely give Him thanks for all He has provided.

Grief - More than what I thought.

Grief is a powerful word, but one that I feel is mostly misinterpreted or not truly understood.

grief (grēf)
n.
1.a. Deep mental anguish, as that arising from bereavement, or an instance of this.

The grief that we (I) face is the result of self-centered behavior and thinking. My mind is the culprit and cause of my own grief by a direct connection to self-centered thoughts. I never knew that the way I thought, or accepted negative thoughts about others and myself was causing such distress in my life - actual grief. Mind you that this is, and will always be, a work in progress.

Romans 12:2
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Proving what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God, shows me that God wants my mind renewed, and it is His will for me to be free from grief! What a truth! I am so happy to know this, and hope that this can help make a difference in your life. Being a Husband, Dad, Dude & Christian means living beyond myself, and living for God and my family. To do this job, do it well and enjoy it takes the focus off of the self, and places the focus on that higher authority. God's perfect will for me is to be happy and to serve Him and my family. I must be transformed by the renewing of my mind in order to accomplish this. I am not perfect, but my Lord, my God, my Savior is, and in me He made a new creation!

Praise God!

Welcome...

It's difficult, not sometimes, but every day, to wake up and live this day for Christ. It is not easy to die to yourself and not live carnal minded, but I tell you the rewards of focusing on God and accepting the righteousness that Jesus died for us to attain, is priceless. Being truly humbled by love is a key to seeking a renewal of my mind, and I want to share my journey. This is my life as Husband, Dad, Dude AND Christian!



I am a selfish brat by nature, sinful and only concerned for myself. I have fought long and hard when the solution, and the victory was already won for me, I just hadn't accepted it. Jesus died and paid the price for sin, my sin, and I am dead to it forevermore by accepting Jesus as my savior. What an honor! What a show of love, that I didn't understand, that my God would die so that I may live. It's more than just going to heaven when I die, it's living an eternal life with the Lord, even now on earth. To receive these gifts, I have much to overcome. I have pride, I have greed, lust, envy, strife, the list goes on. However, there is a root that breeds life to this rotten tree still present in my life - my self-centered mind! The source of my struggles, is my own selfishness, and concern for my own feelings, and worrying solely for myself. The antidote to this poisonous faction of my life? The Word! God's word, and truths, that a renewing of my mind is necessary to benefit from my salvation in Jesus Christ. Here I go, dying to myself so that I may live in Christ. Come along with me!