OUR DAY AT THE FALLS

Today was a good day! The weather was so wonderful and the mood was a step above PERFECT! We decided to head on up to Noccalula Falls and enjoy a good ole' fashioned cook-out. Nothing better than friends coming together..........getting to know each other. Denise, Carolina and I were joined by our friends Jeff and Leslie Moore....their son Clayton......along with Christine and A.J.
Clayton and Carolina had a wonderful time. Here's a snapshot from our hike into Noccalula Falls.

Here we see Denise, Leslie and Christine enjoying the beautiful scenery. Just 15 minutes away from the Falls.......just a short hike away......this is probably one of my favorite places to 'get away' to. We really enjoy the Falls.....just can't get enough of it.

Today was about getting to know one another. The way we live our lives.....it's hard to really get to know someone new. A good example is church. For us.....we get up.....get ready.....drive to church....attend the service and head off to eat or home. In the span of 2 or 3 hours we are apart of something wonderful.... we become 'the Body of Christ'.......a gathering with a purpose.....but you know what we don't do so well? We miss out on community.....getting to know one another. There's always so much going on during the church service.....especially before and after......it just don't happen. Today was indeed a wonderful day. We enjoyed the Falls....enjoyed the food......but we especially enjoyed sharing our lives with one another. There's nothing like finding community and communion with 'like minded' friends. That's what this day was all about!

SUPPORT OUR TROOPS!

Remember OUR troops. They are OUR responsibility. Not just the responsibility of the government...........or of the individual soldiers family. They have taken on the responsibility to fight, not only for us, but for the cause of freedom as a whole. I can't imagine what their lives are now like. In an environment where they are constantly 'on the front lines'............ there is no rest.......(so it seems to me). The outcome of this war doesn't just affect us.....but will affect generations to come. OUR job is to support the men and women who do what we cannot (whether we choose to or not) do ourselves. This is not about 'politics' and 'being politically correct'.......it's much greater than that. How do we want to live our lives? As cowards who backed down from terror and fear? Or do we want to be remembered as a nation who stood for what was right and fought for it, even at the loss of it's own Sons and Daughters? These Men and Women deserve respect and honor for the choice that they have made and for the job that they do. I don't apologize for being patriotic. What we have in this country is worth fighting for. I'm not talking politics here......we are a free country......we are a wealthy country.....compared to other nations in the world. My belief is that WE (as a nation) were given a purpose and a destiny to walk in. WE were given strength and power for a reason. WE were put into a position of authority........a realm of influence......for just a time as this. I don't see this as a way to make America greater........but the world better as a whole.

This particular Marine is Robert Brooks. Although this photo is silly.......what Robert represents is not. I applaud Robert for choosing to join the Marines. I'm very proud of him and the other Men and Women who are fighting (and who have fought) in the Middle East (and wars past). So....SUPPORT OUR TROOPS AND REMEMBER WHY THEY FIGHT!

PICS OF MY TWO LOVES.....

This is my beautiful wife of (almost) 1 year. Last fall we took a trip to the Smokey Mountains. This particular stream is in Cherokee North Carolina. A wonderful place.

Same stream in North Carolina.....with the addition of my favorite little girl....CAROLINA!!!! We all had a wonderful time in Cherokee. Can't wait to go back!

GARDENING TIPS

I tend to plan things out in my life based on when I believe the pieces of the puzzle will fall in place. But what happens when stuff happens sooner than expected? Am I ready? I'm starting to see the wisdom in being prepared. I don't mean in a 'fear-based stockin up for the BIG ONE' kind of way. I mean in being diligent with what I've been given to do. A proverb in the Bible tells us to observe the way of the ant. Ants are pretty focused creatures. They have a job and they do it. They don't get out of line or go against the grain. As simple as they are......they fulfill their purpose for the 'good of the whole'. That's not a prominent trait in our society today........or really in my life. I went to a retreat several weeks ago........ I heard a man say something profound: 'Focus on what God has given you to do...and nothing else'. Simple! I know my life is a lot more complicated than an ants.......but the principle is the same. Keep it simple. I think it's easier to be diligent when I don't have 50 things pulling me in 50 different directions. I've been in a process of simplifying my life. By that I mean....clearing out debts.... organizing my business affairs....... keeping up with my 'To-Do' lists...... and so on. I know that might sound a bit boring....but it frees me up to do thing that I want to do. Plus...it feels good to know that I've accomplished something. Ok...to my point. Time doesn't stop for anyone. Being a follower of Jesus, I believe that He gives us time to prepare for what He wants to change (or bring into) our lives. When things do change......I want them to change for the better. I want to be ready or at least in a place to handle the change. I don't want to keep traveling around the desert for 40 years...if you know what I mean. Back to the retreat that I went to a few weeks ago. I saw that in life we're given a garden (hypothetically speaking) and we're to tend to the garden. My garden may only be half the size of yours.....but it's still mine and I'm responsible for it. If I'm faithful and diligent to take care of of the garden and not let it go.....then guess what happens? My garden will increase and be abundant. If I don't take care of it.........a big chaotic mess. I look at this as apart of growing up. I still have a ways to go.......but I'm going......kicking and screaming sometimes.....but I'm going. It's not all bad.....at least life is exciting now. I never know what to expect. And who knew......I would take up gardening! -JGR

Just a reminder......

You know what's amazing? Ok........permit me for a moment.........I believe in God. I believe in all the miracles of Jesus. I believe in creation. I believe the Word of God. But you know what? I'm still amazed and blown away by God. It's easy to lose touch with God in this world. It's not the worlds fault........not anyones fault but my own. That's the nature of the world we live in. We are surrounded by cares and concerns.......worries and wants. But there's a moment...... when God touches our lives. It may be for just a second or it may last a while. It doesn't have to be a Damascus Road experience for God to change your life......or simply put....to change me. Yesterday.....I had an experience. For a couple of weeks now I have been praying....asking God for a certain amount of money. Well.....yesterday it came. I wasn't expecting it. I wasn't even thinking of my 'need'. (Face it....we're all needy people when it comes to God). You know.....I hate to even mention God and money in the same sentence......but that's just a reality of life. Back to the story. It wasn't so much that I had the money......it was that God had orchestrated the whole scenario. He had thought of me. At that moment....when the money was put into my hand......I knew He was thinking of me. I knew at that moment His eyes were on me. His thoughts were of me. He had heard my prayers and more. More? I felt a connection. I believe that if you're a believer.....you are always connected with God. The bible even says that His thoughts of you are more numerous than the grains of sand on the shore. That's alot. Too much for me to imagine. But at that moment.......I felt His thought. I felt His gaze. I knew He loved me. It was a reminder.......pure and simple.....a reminder. -JGR