Wolves Game

Clay's coach told them Friday @ practice that he had a surprise for them on Saturday.

His surprise was a really cool run-through sign.

The boys love it!

X-Country

NLR Charging Wildcats had their first X-Country meet on Tuesday. There were 750 students entered from schools around the state...there were runners everywhere. It was fun to watch all the students run & cheer them on.

Coach Brown talking to the runners before the Sr. Girls ran.

The Sr. Boys rocking & singing before their run. It was fun to watch them. They were an original group for sure...no other runners were having such fun!

The Sr. Boys crowd surfing Jeremy...the smallest runner on the team...too much fun!

Chandler almost at the finish line!

Chandler's time for his first meet.
He did great!
I know I couldn't do a 5K or 3.2 miles in 20.53 minutes!
Way to run Chandler!

Hornet's Nest

This hornet's nest was found at the campground. It's absolutely huge & was located near the ball field. All we could say was...wow!

Young Adult Get Away

We recently helped at the Young Adult Get Away Retreat. It was a fun, relaxing time. Had some great fellowship & personal ministry with those who came. It was also wonderful to see some old friends who came. Below is a picture of some of the people who came. It's great to see what God is doing in people's lives & how He's bringing them to a deeper relationship with Him. It's awesome to be involved in their journey.

9/11/01

I'm sure anyone who is old enough to remember can exactly recall where they were on September 11, 2001. I was sitting in my living room & for some reason I had the news on. I sat stunned on my couch that such crazy evil could be happening in our country. I am sure I stared in dumbfounded unbelief that this was actually real. I remember immediately trying to reach Tom. I think he was working with a surgeon that day who's wife was actually in Manhattan at that time. The boys were 5 & almost 2 & were supposed to go to Mother's Day Out that Tuesday. I remember knowing that there was absolutely no way in the world I would take them to drop them off in the midst of such national chaos when no one knew if, when, or where the next horrific tragedy would occur.

There was such an overwhelming feeling that our security, peace, & lives had been ripped from us and in fact as I look back at all that has occurred, I can see that they really had. The few days following the attack are a blur, but I do remember just sitting in front of the television for days watching & watching & watching something that I will never forget. I was absolutely sick of watching but for some reason could not stop. I remember feeling such pain & sadness for those who were actually involved and such anger at the wickedness of the world. As much as the attacks affected us who were hundreds of miles away I'm sure do not compare in the least to those who were "directly" affected. I can't begin to imagine their pain & sufferings.

I know that our response as a country to these senseless acts resulted in a war on terror that will in all reality never end. We will continue to fight as we will continue to remember what was done to our country on that fateful day. Most Americans feel that this was a personal attack on them even though they were miles away from the actual site and in all actuality it was. The terrorists attacked our freedoms, our brothers, our homeland & that will never be forgotten. We might have sat stunned over the initial act but today we sit ready.

Our lives are forever changed, one trip via the airport is proof of that. Our security individually and as a whole has been compromised. Our country is different, & we are different. But in the end, we will stand as Americans....We the People....and In God we Trust....and we will never forget!

Clay's 2nd Game

Clay with the running backs talking to the coach during the game.

Clay taking a rest on the bench during half-time! Clay had a blast at the game. He's ready for the next game!

Have We Trampled on Jesus?

You know how we read scriptures many times over & sometimes it really speaks to us? Well, I found this scripture a few weeks ago that really spoke to me. I believe it will also speak to you.

Hebrews 10: 26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,

Hebrews 10:29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?

Wow…what powerful words….have we insulted the Spirit of grace by our willingness to partake in things that are not holy? Have we trampled the Son of God underfoot by the words we speak? The things that we do? What we participate in or allow? Do we excuse things that deep down we know are not God-like and don’t bring about His glory in our lives? When we do, are we honestly realizing that at some point there no longer remains a sacrifice for those sins, & that we’ve trampled Jesus & insulted what He did on the cross? Will we be thought worthy? Or will like verse 27 says that there will be “a certain fearful expectation of judgment & fiery indignation”?

Upon reading that living Word, I prayed God do not allow me to be guilty of that. Let your Holy Spirit convict me & bring me to a life of holiness before You every day. A life that doesn’t insult what You did for me on the cross. One that doesn’t excuse that time-altering event as a common thing to be trampled underfoot like dirt or mud or trash. Lord help me to live a life of holiness that He requires to see Him (Hebrews 12:14).

So I ask you today…..are you pursuing a life of holiness? A life that doesn’t insult Jesus or trample the Spirit of grace? We must do that for ourselves. No one can do it for us. His Spirit will help us but we must make that conscious decision to either be for him or against him.

As Christians no matter if we're new ones or if we've been around a while, our growth in holiness is a daily process. That's why Paul said, "I die daily." (I Cor 15:31). None of us have completely arrived. We all have places in our lives we can work on to be more like Christ. As a Christian we must guard against allowing sinful opportunities in our lives. We must use the benefits of our relationship with Christ, put on the armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18) & watch because our enemy seeks to devour & destroy us (1 Peter 5:8-9). Because we have been crucified in & with Christ (Galatians 2:20) & we have been raise up with him (Col 3:1-3) we have a promise that we can live a holy, sanctified life by depending on Jesus. Jesus' grace allows us to live a holy, sanctified life. How can we lose if we are for Him…..but how much can we lose including our lives if we are not?

Father, may your Holy Spirit speak & convict us of the areas in our lives where we are not being all that we can be in You. Help us to live a holy life before you. One that doesn't insult you & one that constantly informs & reforms until it is fully developed within and without, fully alive like Christ.