A wild week is upon us. Tomorrow, I fly off to Los Angeles (Marina del Rey) for a 3 day work project. The highs are supposed to be in the low-80’s. I haven’t been looking forward to the trip but the weather will make it more bearable.

Tuesday is the start of school. It’s going to be a wild week. My baby girl starts junior high athletics and has to be ready to be running at 7a.m. Things will be a bit hectic. We might have to start our own prayer walk!

My son and I are caught up in the Rangers pennant chase. They’ve been playing good ball but Oakland doesn’t seem to be falling apart but there is always hope. We’re going to the Ranger picnic Saturday and get to meet some players and tour the ballpark facility. It will be fun…and hot.

I hope you all do well while I’m soaking up the California coast. Be good!

The rain over the weekend was nice. I’m really wishing we could get more of it and soon. I’m looking forward to fall and, hopefully, cooler weather and football.

School is just around the corner. I’ll have to get started a little earlier and adhere to a better schedule than I have this summer. I better sleep in a few days this week.

I leave for LA next Monday and can’t decide how many bottles of liquids to take on board with me just to see if they are paying attention.

The Rangers need pitching help. The fans need to quit booing the opposing players so much, especially a guy like Vladamir Guerrero. He appears to be a good guy but knocks the ball all over and out of the park when playing the Rangers. I hope the Rangers resign Carlos Lee.

One of my Store Managers is home today with an upset stomach. I recommened the Sonic coney but think he ran to the bathroom after I mentioned it.

Last weekend, I participated in one of the best things I’ve ever done. Our Youth Minister set up a 24 hour Prayer Walk to pray for children going back to school. We signed up for 30 minute sessions and went to a room in our church building where 10 stations were set up. Each station had a specific thought to pray for, a scripture or piece of information to consider and a list of names of our youth to pray for specifically. When I got there, I didn’t know if I could pray for 30 minutes, not knowing how it would work at the time. Once I got there and started, it was hard to finish in 30 minutes. I went once with my wife and enjoyed it so much that I signed up for the midnight shift. I took my son with me and he thought it was great. We took turns reading scriptures and praying at each station. What a blessing to share that time with him. He liked it so well that we ended up signing up again for the 7:30am shift to close out the 24 hours. Each time, I ran over a little and found myself tearing up thinking about the love being shown for these kids. So many of our church participated, both young and old, because of love.

I was blessed to spend the time in prayer and I trust our kids will be blessed because so many joined in to pray for them.

Time rushes by. Twelve years ago and held a small baby in my hands and was amazed at what God creates. Twelve years ago I had a baby curl her small fingers around mine and she’s had me in her grip ever since. Twelve years have gone by and that baby who could almost fit in one hand is nearly as tall as her mother, has braces with school colors and brings sunshine into my life each day. Twelve years has taught me a lot about life but a great deal about God. Through the blessing of my children, I feel I have come to know God better and how he feels towards me.

My daughter is a blessing in so many ways. She brings joy in how she handles herself with smaller children and she brings humor with her ways on the telephone. She is in the stage of going from child to young adult with all the humor and pain that comes with it. She is still a child and yet she is quickly becoming a mature, beautiful young lady.

Today, I thank God for sending me an angel. She is a gift, a blessing and a joy.

I’ve tried to write today but the mind is imploding at the end of the week. Between a TWC hearing, a workers comp audit, a response to an IRS notice and the normal day-to-day beatings, my brain is mush.

I was by the square today where a bunch of people are filming scenes for a TV show called Prison Break. I’m not familiar with it but couldn’t help but wonder if the person who chose the location realized it would be 100+ degrees in Decatur today.

I’m at a bit of a loss for words today. The mind is slowing rapidly. All I need is for someone to stand in front of me repeating “you’re getting very sleepy, very sleepy” and I’ll be out in a second.

Have a great weekend.

My little girl came through her surgery great. It was her first experience with this type of thing so the IV needle caused some big eyes but she made it through great.

Thank you for your prayers and concern for her and our family. We are all truly blessed.

I ask for your prayers for my daughter this morning. She’s having oral surgery and is a bit nervous. Please pray that she remains calm and that she will endure whatever pain there might be and that all goes well and as expected. Next week, she gets braces on the day before her birthday. After that, she might not open her mouth for a month.

Tonight, two children of a missionary family from Brazil are going to meet with us before church. It will be fun to see them and hear more about their future plans. I can’t imagine uprooting during my final high school years and moving to a foreign country which is what they did. Now, they have graduated and are back to begin plans for some mission work of their own before entering college. I thank God for hearts that desire to take His message around the globe and in our own backyards.

I keep trying to think of something funny to put on here but it’s elusive. Maybe writing in the morning is detrimental to humor of any kind for me. While I struggle to make you laugh, I hope you find something today that brings a smile, if not a loud laugh, to your face.

I heard a story about a grandmother who goes to Wal-Mart to buy birthday presents for the grandkids. One loves his PlayStation2 so she decides to buy him a game or two. She heads back to the electronics area and asks the clerk, “Where are the Playboy Station 2 games?”
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We’re baseballing again. We will be in the lovely metropolis of Henrietta tonight and tomorrow frying and watching games. I love the game but think the Astros are on to something with that covered, air-conditioned field.
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I was forced to go to Brazil. Well, not forced, but my wife strongly encouraged me to make the trip knowing I would be back in November. She knew it was important for me to see what was going on before going back. I appreciate her for pushing me that direction and find myself still sharing stories with what I experienced every chance I get. It seems like it has come up at least once every day this week.
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I learned a life lesson the other night. I heard a story about someone using bleach on their child’s arm to remove the sting after a wasp (or something) had gotten him. Apparently you are supposed to dilute the bleach but it didn’t happen in this instance. The burning skin made the wasp sting no big thing though.

I keep hearing that in my office lately. Gone for 2 weeks to Brazil, here a week, gone for 8 days to Colorado, here a week and then out for two days to start this week. I normally like to stay in my rut but lately it seems a suitcase has been my companion and I haven’t been home much. I’m ready to settle back into my routine for awhile.

I liked seeing Denny Hamlin win Sunday. FedEx delivered! (yuk-yuk)

We’re back to baseball this weekend. Somehow, I’m thinking a weekend in Henrietta in late July isn’t going to be the most pleasant tournament I’ve ever been to. A friend tells me eating a foot long coney from Sonic will cure any ailments – I wonder if it will help with the heat too?

We are married folk without kids for a few days. We took them to East Texas for a few days with the grandparents and pick them up in a couple of days (at which point we will have to start retraining). I love this time because it’s more peaceful, it’s quieter and I can have a conversation with my wife without someone needing something or getting directions to do something for the 2nd, 5th, 8th time. We went out to eat and had a nice, peaceful meal and will do so again. We’re looking forward to a peaceful night at home one night. It’s nice to get a brief break, a chance to relax. All the while, we both miss them terribly. I got to speak with both my children today and it was wonderful to hear their voices and in a few days I’ll be back in the routine of noise, needs and directions and I will know all is normal.

Our children have been such a blessing to us. They are different but both have such wonderful characteristics and both bring immense joy to us. One of the things I love is to see them serve others. My daughter is so wonderful with younger children. I love to watch her play with them, teach them and negotiate with them. I think she has a solid babysitting career ahead of her because she demonstrates her care for them. My son is so comfortable with older people. He will speak, listen and, at times, perform and bring smiles to their faces.

I could go on and on as most any parent could but I’ll refrain and leave it with a thought of thankfulness for the blessings God has given me. I’m convinced he sent angels to earth.