It's Kennedy's turn

Tribute to my 2nd Child... The thinker, whose name means "helmeted one" and full of grace. They are growing up way too fast! I love you Kennedy!

Aroma of Christ

Think about your sense of smell, the things you can detect with it. How certain favors and scents can invoke certain responses in our minds. I was taking the garbage out to the dump and today I struck a little more by the foul stench that came from there. The first thing I thought of was what does my sin smell like to God. Probably not much different than that trash dump. We were created to be the fragrance of life and the aroma of Christ to a lost, dying and stinking world: 2 Corinthians 2:14-15

14But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. 15For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.

How awesome is that, that God the Father and creator of the Universe would consider us to be the aroma of His Son. What does that mean???

When Helen gets out of the shower she smells like the scented soap she uses and the lotions that she applies afterward. Those scents are pleasing to me ( very pleasing), but that is beside the point. She smells good and I like to be near her when she smells good. Conversely, I have no desire to stand next to a garbage dump for any extended period time.

Basically it means that to God we smell like Jesus. What a sweet smell that must be to our Heavenly Father.

So let us consider how we can become the fragrance and aroma of life to this world and in so doing we will draw all men unto Christ because we smell like Him.


MUSA Out!

video tribute to the BIG DOG!

I figured since everyone else is using video in their blogs, that I should give it a shot. And since football season is right around the corner I felt it only appropriate to share a few of Caleb's football photos with you. I will be following with tributes to the girls as well. Since he is the oldest he got to go first. If you can't tell, I am a proud papa!

Moved to the bottom of the page...

Finished!!!

Has I drove into work this morning I was listening to a song called "At the Cross". It was arranged by Reuben Morgan. The part that impacted me was the bridge in which it simply states:

"You tore the veil, you made a way when you said that it is done!"

Think about it, all that was needed was done when He stretched out His hands and died on that tree. At that moment the veil was torn from top to bottom. From every thing I know about that veil, it was a thick piece of material, not likely to be torn by accident or by the hand of man.

What did this give us? It gave us access to the Holy of Holies. It paid all our debts in full. No other sacrifice was necessary. My debts and yours were cancelled when He said it was finished. I thought about how many times I have reminded God of my many shortcomings and failures. I was thinking about them again this morning until this song came on my Ipod. He simply said to me Johnny, I have taken care of it. It is finished. Let it go. I cried out to the Lord in thanks and praise for what He had done for me. I declared back to Him what He declare to me.

It is finished, it is over and done with. No more sacrifices are necessary. In a nutshell, I was reminded that I was free because of the finished work of Christ. God is GOOD!


MUSA Out!!!

Happy Anniversary Hoddie!

13 years of marriage excellence!!!

Yes I said excellence... Not necessarily perfection but excellence. In that time we have had 3 wonderful kids, 3 dogs, 3 apartments, 2 houses and 7 cars. We have lived debt free and paycheck to paycheck. I have had 6 jobs, some good and some not so much!!! We have attended 2 churches and had 1 real family vacation. We have purchased 3 couches, 1 washing machine, 3 mattresses and 2 computers. That is a snapshot of our married life by the numbers.

The highs and the lows, the imperfections, the disagreements, the plenty and the lack, the grace and patience are all rolled up into these 13 years of marriage excellence. I would do it all over again in a heart beat with you.

Happy Anniversary Helen!

Remember these words from our wedding day!

But Ruth replied, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me."

I LOVE YOU

Praise and Worship!!!

What are some of your favorite Praise and Worship songs/artists?

Right Now My favorite is Israel Houghton- basically anything by him.

Failure

What is your reaction to it??? How do you respond??? I am a failure, once again. One more time I have allowed the little foxes to tear up my vineyards. No excuses, no exceptions just the facts. So what will I do now. Will shame and seclusion be my best friends or will I allow redemption and forgiveness to come along side me and lift me up? God is still good and I know He wants the latter. I have heard it said and have said many times myself that failure is a result of giving up the fight. So in hind sight I guess that I have only failed if I give up. This just the feelings of the moment.

MUSA Out!!!

Hanging on and looking to right the ship!