..Susie's birthday..

so i decided to be creative and try something new

i saw an idea of creating a "book lamp"

i went to a thrift store and searched for a lamp and some books.

my idea was to get some books that the author or title would line up with our names. i found two books right away with susanna and grace but could not find either of my names. the search was on, i almost got to the point where i was simply going to change my idea then i found the books.

i then headed home to play around with the ideas.

i got the drill out and a 1" bit to see if this plan would work.

after a few different ways of thinking how to put these books on the lamp i had to splice the cord and add them all on at once.

this was a fun project and am excited to see what others think.

 

i was really excited about the bulb because i love the vintage Edison bulb.

now all I want to do is a cool wire shade complete it.

 

..man time..

first we started out on a journey to get a pork butt.

Chris and i headed on our bikes to Findlay market where we would stop by a local meat counter and purchase a 6 lb butt, bread, and spices.

it was a beautiful saturday with the sun shining and the cool fresh air

when we returned home the fun was about to start..

i rubbed a paprika,sugar,brown sugar,garlic, and other spices on it from Findlay Market

one was called OTR rub and the other I mixed with was butt rub

i set up two different piles of coal and started the coal to let it warm up and placed a dutch oven with apple juice in it under where the butt was going to be on the grill.

while the butt cooks the apple juice will continue to keep the butt moist by evaporating into the meat

i then placed it on the grill and closed the lid for and regulated the smoke and t emperature for the next 8 hours

in the mean time i cut zucchini and baked potatoes

i loaded the potatoes up with garlic,butter,cheese, and pepper then baked them for about 45 min

I got a loaf of french bread ready to bake when everything was finishing up

.i believe it was a success.

..man time..

..blog..

so for a long time now i have not written in this blog. my many thoughts have been many other places but on this page. but i must do it again. i miss it and want to look back at this page and see the things i do and the places i go.


this is going to be an exciting year and lots of many things happening so...


i

am

back

.. i will remember to post.. i will remember to post..


today has been exciting.
started the day off with a bike ride to Findlay Market
my journey began with the excitement of
one getting a new bike
two the day has been beautiful
three i wanted to smoke some pork today
and four i wanted to enjoy a day off

my weeks tend to be long but entertaining

Findlay market today was a great adventure. our mission was to get a pork shoulder and smoke that bad boy all day. along with the pork we grilled zucchini, loaded baked potatoes and some delicious garlic bread.

the day ended with a nice cup of coffee and some banana pudding along with a great childhood favorite
..robocop..

it is always interesting to see a movie now that you haven't seen in 10+ years..lots of things. i forgot about

tomorrow will be exciting because we are going to Susie's favorite restaurant for brunch

..nectar..

..where i am now..

of course i would love to be on the computer posting everyday but it is nearly impossible for me. 


this warm weather has once again taken me outside to beautify my yard and bbq several times a week :)


i have enjoyed the sun more frequently lately allowing me to do some projects outside the house that have been a priority for a while. pictures to come soon...


so i think i could boil my life down into this right now. not much job stress but plenty of work. 


if i am not working at either of my jobs i am working at home on some project. it seems like though my schedule has been jammed full and very few days off work. this week has been a little nicer with some time to breath in between work. i have got to enjoy landscaping around the front of the house some. work on my garage. paint some chairs in the back and especially enjoy barbecuing several times a week.


at night i have actually had some time to sit back with susie and enjoy a few shows and a couple good movies. i really enjoyed a suspense.thriller.drama.romance the other night called "the next three days" with russell crowe and liam neesen 


all in all i think that god has been giving me lots of energy to work and lots of energy to think. 


i am feeling good about life but am continually missing youth. there is a bittersweet feeling i get each week with where we are right now. 


i am at the point now where i am over the stress of the previous church and now feel like i am healing and learning more about who i am and really listening for God and where he wants to use us. 


lets put it this way. i am praying every minute that God uses me to His fullest and not what will only please me but Him to the fullest!


with that i am putting plenty of fillers back out there to see what is next and allowing God to work through me in whatever situation but looking for where He may be calling us next to go. 


at this point i have not felt like he has a set place for us and that is frustrating times because it is almost like i am in a holding tank trying to get comfortable but there is not enough room and i feel out of place. so it is frustrating because i want to settle down but i think God is preparing a way for us as we speak. 


it is comforting to know that susie is open to pretty much wherever God can use us most.


so ...where i am now... is at a point of rest. re cooperation. searching. listening. obeying. loving. nurturing. forgiving. and open


i know that i can trust God to lead us to a place of comfort. peace. fruitful. eventful. worship. content.

here is a verse that i love and helps me continue to remember God is in control and takes care of me every day and every way. 

..greener grass syndrome..

i have enjoyed the different seasons of life that God has given me. i know that he has a plan for susie and i and i am excited to continue to follow His plan. 


over memorial day weekend we went to charlotte to spend time with friends and family. it was so much fun relaxing, grilling out, and go on motorcycle rides. 


we also went to elevation church in charlotte. this church is the 4th fastest church growing in america. it is unreal within 5 years it has 4 campuses with packed houses. i really enjoyed the series they were finishing up. it was called "mr. and mrs. betterhalf." 


during this sermon series focused on how to win a woman. how to keep a man. 


the big idea that i grabbed from the message which was very moving was 


"if the grass is greener over there, then try watering your own lawn!"


this grabbed me and has stuck with me since. 


i have been thinking about this all week through many things. mostly my life not my marriage. 
at this point in my life i have not questioned or struggled with green grass syndrome in my marriage and i hope i never do!


i have thought about this where we are now in our life. 


how can i water my grass 


...to have a beneficial future for my family 


...effective and God-centered ministry 


...faithful to my wife


...loving to my family




here are some verses i feel that comfort me and continually lift me up and remind me to lift myself up for another day of 


..marriage


..work


..ministry


..friendship


..and one day being a father 


Galatians 6:9 let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.


somedays it is tough to get up and give it your best but with God's reminder in the back of your mind we can do all things and at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we keep watering our own grass


i love the verse  ecclesiastes 4:12 where i am reminded

 though one may be overpowered, 

   two can defend themselves. 

A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

this can mean your spouse or even best friend that will continually lift you up and work as a team through the thick and thin

i know that where we are at right now is not exactly where we want to be as far as jobs and house but we put our faith in God he will continually bless us. 

many times i look at other peoples grass literally and figuratively and think that i wish i had their life, but i am reminded God establishes our steps. (proverbs 16:9)

i may continually want certain things for our lives but i believe the Lord does not give us too much at once. 

our grass may not be as green as we want it to be but i do know for sure

 

..we are blessed 

so my prayer tonight is that my wife and i will faithfully follow the Lord's steps that he has laid for us. 

i do not want to catch the greener grass syndrome and wish my life away. 

i shall continue to water my own grass because i do not want to be looking like this cow 

..susie's graduation..

YAY!! the day has come. we are both finished with college and stress free at this point. 


saturday.may 15. 2011. susie graduated college from Cincinnati Christian University with a degree in History. everyone that attends CCU gets a biblical studies degree but susies was practically history. she took every history class that CCU offered and more. it was exciting for me to hear about all that she learned through the many courses. 


one year ago i graduated from there with a degree in Urban and Intercultural Studies. 


i really feel that we have both been blessed to attend such an excellent school. now CCU is not a top notch school for academics or anything but i feel that we were taught so much more. it is a school with a great community and especially an excellent community of believers. i built many relationships with students and professors that i know will be lifelong relationships. 


CCU has brought me and susie to be the people we are today. it taught us many things about being leaders in the church to being strong followers of the Gospel. 


susie and i continually put Christ at the center of our lives and that is the biggest thing we have learned that has brought us to where we are now. 


school is over, whats next?


at this point i am happy to say that we are continually praying for God's direction in a ministry that will be beneficial to us and His Kingdom. 


i pray that in this season of life that God will continue to teach us to follow His ways and build us up to be leaders in the church that are strong and will persevere through thick and thin. i pray that he teaches us how we can be faithful to Him and in love and truth and our actions pleasing to Him and share his love with those around us. 


..God has big plans, let's work together to follow them..

..work..

ive been very busy lately and not on the computer much. with the nicer weather that has been moving through the area occasionally i get a day to go outside and work. i spent many hours building a retaining rock wall in the back yard and cutting brush along with putting up lattice on our back fence to beautify our back yard. it has been a slow process but it is going to be well worth it! 


i love working out in the garden and landscaping our yard. it has been rough though with the record rains that we have had. in the month of april cincinnati set a new record for the amount of rainfall we had.. from 13.52" set in 1937 to almost 14 inches this year. may has continued to allow the rain to keep moving through the area. i have mowed the grass once this year and will be mowing again on thursday because the lack of dry days we have had. i have not had the chance to do anything in the vegetable garden yet.. everything is still indoors. my grass seed that i planted outside had to be replanted 3 times due to the wash out from the heavy rains. 


it has been nice working inside though and getting some things done in the house. 


other than the work at my house i have been putting in a lot of hours in at work as well so we may have some time to travel this summer. 


i love the flowers blooming in the spring time. soon i shall have some new pictures up of all the things i have been working on but here some some fun pics in the mean time. 

on a rainy day..

sip from a mug..read a book..

look..listen..watch the rain..

remember..


the time we spend weathering the inclement.. makes the sunny weather more anticipated. 

did i mention i am ready for sunny days to ride my motorcycle for long distances..


i continue to praise God day in and day out for this season of life He has given me.

..i am truly blessed..