Life is transitions

It seems sometimes that life is one big transition. We transition from crawling to walking, from no school to kindergarten, from High School to College. After college you finally experience what some people call the "real world" as if to say the rest of your life was a fantasy like Frodo and Shire.
It's easy to live life looking forward to the next transition and miss out on so much that is happening right now. We need to be growing in Christ likeness and learn from each stage of our lives, b/c you may not live to see your next transition.
It has been neat to see God help us transition from one stage to another in our 4 years of marriage, and that God has taught us new life lessons through each one. He has now guided us back to Des Moines where we will help students transition through their teen years. I am looking forward to it.
While we are in the process of moving we have stayed half way for 10 days at my in-laws in Columbus. I spoke at their church for a week and then had a little bit of a vacation. We leave tomorrow to go to our new life in Des Moines.

Showering in God's Grace

Only in America do kids get excited when their is no water. A few weeks ago there was an announcement over the loud speaker at North East Intermediate school where I worked. The principal announced that students would be getting out at noon due to a water main break. As you can imagine all the students began to cheer. (I did too b/c that meant a short day for me)
I was thinking as a I got into my Oldsmobile that even in Scranton with all its decline and bankruptcy and unemployment there is still no shortage of clean water. Mandi and I have tap water, others have purified water, we also buy bottled water. Americans buy water softener b/c our water is too hard. (still confused as to what that means) It is not a big deal to kids that they have no water at school b/c they can go home and get it from several different places in their home.
I take a shower everyday (sometimes twice) using gallons of HOT water, and I don't even think about or offer thanks for it.
People around the world are drinking water that cows swim in. They are walking miles to go get it. And I complain b/c the water from the tap taste bad. ( I don't say that to guilt us for having clean water, but to help us be aware) What a blessing that I have so much clean water accessible to me. When I drink, wash my hands, or boil water for pasta I am experiencing God's grace. I used to think of my shower as part of my daily routine, and most of the time I still do, but some days I realize that I am taking a shower in God's Grace.

"All things New"

At the end of time the one seated on the throne will say "behold I am making everything new." That is an amazing concept. My body, heart, and all of creation will be made new.
I anticipate the day that all will be made new, yet I have found myself not trying anything new. So now I have become a blogger. I can't promise this blog will cause you to ponder about your existence, but hopefully it will cause you to stop and think for a moment, encourage you for an hour, or make you laugh for a second. I will do my best to just be me.
Welcome to myself and you!