Top 10 list

With apologies to David Letterman, here is my own stab at a "Top 10 List" (a little hobby of mine):

Top 10 things your pet may say to you if he/she could talk:

10. Hey! Light a match for crying out loud!
9. You going out looking like that?
8. Don't bark, don't chew, don't jump, don't get on the furniture, don't eat that, don't go in there...tell me again, why do you have me?
7. Hey slim! Maybe I should take you for a walk?
6. Could you please cut your toenails? You're starting to gross me out down here.
5. If I had elbows and thumbs, I'd use toilet paper. Until that happens, I'm using your carpet. Deal with it!
4. You left me alone for 8 hours. What did you think was going to happen?
3. I did you a favor by chewing up those ratty old shoes. They stunk to high heavens!
2. Fetch?! Do you realize how hot it is outside? I'll tell you what, you fetch. Come on! Fetch! That's what I thought...lazy.
And finally...
1. You let him up in the bed but you wont let me? Please!!

LW

The best laid plans...

I was checking my e-mail last night. Sounds exciting right? Well, its something that has to be done so I was checking as I do every night. One particular e-mail caught my attention. It was an e-mail by a company that I had recently applied to for a position. I got very excited. Who wouldn't? After all, I have been without work now for almost 7 months. My heart started racing and my palms got sweaty. I almost didn't want to open it. I took a deep breath and clicked on the e-mail. "Thank you for your interest in the position but we have decided to go with someone else." Rats! How come I knew that's what it was going to say? I was very, very disappointed. I didn't start crying but I came pretty close. I just knew that the end of my trial was coming. I found myself, once again, trying to encourage myself. "God has a plan. This just wasn't the one He wanted for you right now." My wife did her best to pick me up. She's great. It just wasn't a good time. I didn't want to hear the same old words that I hear all the time. I just wanted to sit in the quiet and stare into nothingness. I needed time to think. I just kept saying, "God has a plan. God has a plan. God has a plan." Then I started thinking about the Israelites. 40 years they wandered in the wilderness. I'm sure some of them kept saying, "God has a plan." Noah built his ark for almost 100 years. I'm pretty sure he said more than once, "God has a plan." When Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers he probably had to tell himself a couple of times, "God has a plan." Do you think anyone who was involved with the marching around the walls of Jericho ever said, "God has a plan"? Countless hundreds of thousands of saints down through the years have been in long, hard trials. Many of them, if not all of them, probably had to say, once in a while, "God has a plan." I don't want sympathy. If you know me, then you know that is the last thing in the world I want. Please don't sympathize. I'm fine. Just pray for me. I simply want to remind you that when the darkness is so dark that there seems to be no end in sight, "God has a plan." Galatians 6:9 "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." This trial may seem like it has no end, just remember, it does. When the devil keeps lying to you and saying that you will never see the light of day, just say "God has a plan." In the words of "Remedy Drive", "Hold on, daylight is coming to break the dawn." Go to the bottom of the page for this and other videos. They will all be an encouragement to you. Be still children, "God has a plan."

LW

Summer "blews"

I really hate to hear people complain about the rain. I know it messes up our plans. It keeps us inside we want to go outside. It spoils vacations, parades, baseball games, picnics and play dates. It never comes when we want it to but instead it rains when its the last thing in the world we want. When we see the storm clouds approaching we almost get a sense of irritation. Why is that? The storm comes and it rains and rains and rains. All we can do is watch from inside. "Stupid rain! I wanted to play basketball." "Oh man, its raining again! I was gonna take the kids to the park." "Great! I guess I'll be mowing the lawn Saturday." What an inconvenience the Lord has put upon us with this horrible thing called rain. I wish it would never rain again. So we sit and complain and try to figure out what we will do while its raining and try to figure out when we can do whatever it was that the rain made us put off. We hate the rain. Its doesn't make anything easy. We have to juggle our schedules, re-route everything that we had planned, make phone calls to people to try to re plan the events that were rained out. Oh how we hate the rain. What a dreary day. They say that people who suffer from depression are far more depressed when the sun isn't shining. We certainly understand that. After all, we don't suffer from depression and we feel very "blah" when its raining. We hate the rain. All it creates is problems. Everything gets wet and muddy. People drag mud and filth into the house when it rains. It ruins our hair. We have to run into the store and run back out of the store. It soaks our clothes. It soaks our shoes. We often have to change clothes, especially if we get caught in a heavy rain. We hate the rain. What good is it? You cant play outside. You cant eat outside. You cant enjoy the sunshine. You cant wash your car. You cant, you cant, you cant. WAH, WAH, WAH!!!! You see, I've come to realize something. When the rain is ruining our day and nothing good seems to come out of it, it is then that God is doing his most beautiful work. It is while the rain is coming down that the Lord is feeding his most beautiful flowers. Without the rain, the flowers die. Without the rain, the grass dies. Without the rain, everything dies. Without the rain, we too, would eventually die. God has a reason for every storm and every rain drop that falls in our lives. We would do well to remember that. If God doesn't let the rain fall, we will never see all of His beauty after the storms have passed. I love the rain. It may be an inconvenience while its happening but how much beauty and growth is experienced after the rain stops. The next time you feel like complaining about the rain, remember one thing, God is making something beautiful. Will you let Him?


LW

Nothing in particular

The danger of being on the "slightly goofy" side is that you're always looking for an opportunity to share a laugh. Combine that with a digital camera and you're sure to find new and exciting ways to impress your friends. Here are a couple of things that caught my attention the last few days.

1. My Michigan coffee mug: This one of a kind Michigan coffee mug is one of my most prized possessions. Being in these down economic times that we are, I am now willing to part with it if the price is right. Starting today, I will be taking bids for this item. Please contact me at the "contact me" button on the left of this blog if you would like to bid. I am starting the price at $500.00. :)


2. One of my twin girls: She was in the dining room playing at the time this picture was taken. I paused for a second and thought: "hmmm, there's no question whose kid she is." Can you say, "plumbah in the house!"


3. Mushroom monster: I was looking out the kitchen window when I saw what I thought to be a piece of trash. I even thought maybe it was a ball in the grass. I put on my shoes and went out to inspect. What I found was the biggest mushroom I have ever seen in my life. But it didn't look like a regular mushroom. It was round and funny looking. I snapped a picture because I couldn't believe it. I also took the picture because it looks exactly like my nephews big toe. Yeah, we make fun of it all the time. Wow!


Well, thanks for letting me share these things with you. I hope you all have a spectacular day. If I'm around, make sure I'm not taking pictures.

LW

My Dad

This is a little later than I wanted to do it. Extenuating circumstances made it impossible to post yesterday so I am doing it today. I wanted to talk a little about my father on Fathers Day. My father was a great, great man. I know, who doesn't think the same about their father right? For those who will read this and remember my father, they will surely agree. My father wasn't a rich man. He didn't own a lot of stock. As a matter of fact, when he retired, we moved to a trailer. Not that there is anything wrong with trailers, but you usually don't picture them as a model of retirement wealth. In his later years, he and my mother ended up living in an unassisted living community. Very modest to say the least. No, he didn't have a lot as far as the world is concerned. My father didn't care about worldly things. He wanted to make sure that his family was taken care of spiritually. That's all that really mattered to him. He stored up his treasure in Heaven. He worked his whole life to build a foundation that would stand up to the storms that life would bring. His Bible, his church, and his God were the most important things in his life. That being said, his wife and family were put at a very high place in his life too. He knew how to treat mom and us kids. My dad never hit us. He did spank us as often as he needed to, but it didn't warp us as so many in this generation think it does. We turned out okay. Dad was a veteran. He loved his country and was very proud of it. He saluted the flag every chance he got and many times he would talk about his service. How proud he was to have been able to serve his country. Dad loved his children very much. He was a wonderful father. His father was an alcoholic and his mother died when he was very young. This made him extremely determined to be a great father. He would not let his upbringing be an excuse for the way he would father his children. He loved my mother. He treated her well. He taught us that love and affection are very important in a family. Outward affection was okay. A man could show emotion and still be a man. Dad was fiscally responsible. He wasn't a cheap-skate. He only spent money on things that we needed and we still had vacations and toys. He just didn't get us everything we wanted. He said no a lot. It didn't hurt us. When we graduated high school he made us pay rent. That wasn't to be mean. He wanted to teach us responsibility. He gave me $200.00 for my first car. I paid him back $50.00 dollars a paycheck until it was paid off. I am glad he did. Because of his teaching, I am also fiscally responsible. I don't live my life in debt. He taught us how to pray. He taught us to live by the words of the Bible. He taught us how to live according to Gods word and to make wise decisions based on our biblical knowledge. He taught me how to be a man, a friend, a husband, and most importantly, a father. No, he didn't leave us a lot of money. He left us something far more valuable. He left us the legacy of a Godly father. For that I am thankful. I will never be able to repay what he taught me. I can only hope to live as he did. To be an example for my children that they can follow. I hope my children can say the same thing about me when I am gone. Thanks Dad. I miss you. I love you.



LW

Questions???

I was sitting on my porch swing today and enjoying the rain. I began to pose questions to the Lord. It went something like this:

Me: "Lord, what are you doing with me through this dark trial?"

Lord: no response

Me: "Lord, what are you showing people through me while I'm in this dark place?"

Lord: no response

Me: "Lord, what will your Kingdom look like when I come to the end of this long, dark journey?"

Lord: no response

It's not like I was really expecting a response, or even fishing for one, but I waited in between each question I posed, just in case He wanted to speak back. Finally, my last question came and I posed it with an answer of my own. It was as follows:

Me: "Lord, what will I look like at the end of this long, dark journey? I don't know exactly what I'll be but I'm beginning to see a glimpse of what I will look like and I like it."

The Lord is doing such a work in me. In all of us really. If we would just stop focusing on the negative. I know its not human nature to be in the foxhole in the middle of the battlefield and look around and say, "man, I will be so much better off when this is over." Its hard but that's exactly what we should be doing. My daughter asked me today, "why is it raining so much?" I said, "because in August we will be wishing it would rain again." She asked, "but why do we need the rain?" I said, "because without the rain, nothing grows." AMEN! That's good, even if I do say so myself. Without the rain in our lives, we cannot grow in Christ. All of these "battles" and hard times that come into our lives, only serve to make us better. I don't know when the end of this trial will come. I am finally beginning to catch a vision of the end. That doesn't mean I'll find a job next week or even next month. It may not even mean that we keep our home. We may end up losing everything and I have to work for minimum wage. I don't know. I only know that I told the Lord a long time ago that no matter what happens, I am not quitting or going back. Though he slay me, yet will I serve him. Whatever happens in the end, as long as I am what God makes me, everything will be okay. I'll leave it all up to him. I have to focus on what He is teaching me. I must be resilient to absorb every lesson He is wanting me to learn. Once this is accomplished, He can use me any way He sees fit in His Kingdom. Does that make sense? It does to me. Stay focused. Keep trusting IN Him and learning FROM Him and leaning ON Him. I don't know when it will happen but the end of my trial may be closer than I know. Yours may be too. It is of the utmost importance that He use us through our trials. Keep running the race.

LW

I'm trying!

"Trying is just a noisy way of failing." I wish I knew who said that. I would like to give them credit. The truth is, I remember the pastor using this quote in a message a few years ago and it really stuck with me. I used to say the same thing. I even gave people a free pass as long as they were "trying". "I'm trying", "I'm doing my best but I just cant", give me a break, at least I'm trying". Have you ever heard any of these? Have you ever been guilty of saying any of these? Come on, face it. If your kids used these excuses you would say "you're not trying hard enough", or you might say, "well try harder because I know you can do it". We've all been at work and either been involved in helping train someone or we've been in management and were responsible for everything running smoothly. During those times, did you ever accept the mediocrity of "I'm trying"? No way! We never have and probably never will. Its just not in our genetic make up. We know we can do better. We know others around us can do better. We're only held back by our own limitations. The truth of the matter is, we can do anything we set our minds to. Figuring out the computer, trouble shooting whats wrong with the car, passing the exam at school, quitting a habit, losing weight, being kinder to others and the list goes on and on. We are always able to do whatever is really important to us. We train ourselves to be better and do better. Anything less is simply unacceptable. We will tolerate no less from those around us. Why is it that when God expects more from us, the first thing to come out of our mouths is "I'm trying Lord!" Don't be too quick to say you've never done this. Think carefully before you proclaim your innocence. Look, I'll be the first, again, to admit that I have been there. There have been times when the Holy Spirit has nailed me more than once about something in my life. I decide that I'm going to do exactly what God has told me to do but then in month or two the Holy Spirit comes back. He gently chides us and says, "you know better". We, in our most timid and humble voice speak back, "yes Lord, pleas help me. I'm trying." As my father used to say, "bologna!" Do you honestly think the Lord in Heaven believes that? If we don't accept that in our lives, why do we think the Lord does? I know, I know, the Lord is understanding and very long suffering. He's willing that none should perish. I get all that. I've heard that all my life too. Does long suffering mean willing to let us live under our privilege because we are too lazy to do better? The definition of long suffering is "slow to wrath". That doesn't sound like God is willing to let us live mediocre lives. That only means that he wont punish us harshly when we do. He doesn't like it but His patience far out shines ours. We may not spank our child every time they lie or break something but it doesn't mean that we are overlooking it. We tell them that we expect better from them and then we move on. Gods the same way. We may not feel the punishment of God every time we "mis-behave" but He is there gently chiding us with His spirit saying "you know better. I expect better." Eventually our patience runs out with our children and we must punish them to teach them a lesson. God does the same thing. Its not that He doesn't love us, He just cant accept "trying". I would like to see every one of us who claims to be a child of God, stop "trying". It does no good and it doesn't get us anywhere. If we would put the same level of expectations on our spiritual man as we put on our physical man, we would see great joy in our spirit and growth in Christ that we've never been able to achieve before. We wake up sick in the morning but we get up and go to work because we need the money. We wake up sick on Sunday morning and we stay in bed because we just don't feel good. Someone at work uses Gods name in vain. We stiffen up and say, "please don't use that language around me." We sit in front of the television or go to the movies and relax in front of people using the same kind of language. We stand up for our family or our loved ones and defend them with honor. We shrink in timidity when someone verbally abuses our Lord. I don't know why I said all that. I just think that our "trying" is so much less than what we could and should be doing for the Lord. Stop "trying" and start "doing". You would never let your children get away with less, quit asking the Lord to. I love you all. I'm working on it too. I don't want to "try" any more. I'm going to "do". Have a great week.

LW

He covers me

THE SET UP:

I'm amazed at how much the Lord continues to teach me as I walk this wilderness journey that I am currently on. No matter where I'm at and no matter what I'm doing, He is constantly showing me new and wondrous things to keep me encouraged and to show me that He is still there on this arduous and treacherous trek. My wife and I are on a brief get away. This is something that doesn't happen much since the lay off, so when the opportunity came to go see her parents, we took full advantage. We decided, well, her and her dad, decided to go to the zoo. Not "the" zoo, but the petting zoo. A place where children can interact with animals such as goats, sheep and ducks. Included with the admission was a wagon ride. A tractor pulled a covered wagon on a trail that winded through a field of zebras, llamas, camels, ostrich, antelope and other assorted animals you usually only see on television. The driver slowly pulled up to a pair of bison. He got off of the tractor and explained to us that these particular buffalo were only 7 months old and weighed one thousand pounds. He told us they will eventually grow to be about three thousand pounds at adulthood. I weigh about twenty eight hundred so I feel pretty good about myself, comparatively speaking. We looked at the hill above the buffalo and saw the antelope. He told us that one of the mothers just gave birth to a baby about thirty minutes before. He said if we keep our eyes open, we will possibly see the mother and baby. Immediately, everyone on the wagon started looking for the spectacle.

THE LESSON:

As we topped the first hill we came around a bend in the trail. Sure enough, on the left hand side of the wagon was the little baby. The mother was on the ground while the baby wobbled and wiggled to try to get its balance. What a sweet little sight it was. Only thirty minutes old and already trying to find its legs in this world. It was really something to see. I just enjoyed the ride and the time with my family. I was really loving watching my children and their reaction to the animals. Any one who has children knows exactly what I'm talking about. We were moving along waiting for the next group of animals to catch our sight when the tractor started to slow down. It eventually came to a stop. I wondered why we were stopping. I didn't see anything but a rock in the grass. At least that's what I thought it was. The driver pointed to the rock and asked, "do you see that?" He told us that it was also a baby deer. The mother put the baby there to protect it from danger. Because the baby was too little to keep up with the herd, she placed it in the safest place possible to ensure that it would be hid from predators. She would come back every couple of hours to check on the baby and feed it. After a couple of weeks, the baby would be able to run as fast as the rest of the herd and it would be virtually on its own. Wow! That is awesome how God put that in the mother to take care of her baby like that. Here comes the sappy part. I began to realize that is exactly what our Heavenly Father does to us. Once we are born, that is saved, or born again in a new relationship with Christ, He hides us in a safe place to make sure nothing harms us. I'm not talking physically. He makes sure that nothing can harm us spiritually. As long as we stay where He puts us and do exactly what He says, no harm will come to us. Once we are "big enough" He lets us go and run with the herd and find our own way. As long as we do exactly what we have learned and stay within the safety that He has provided for us, we will not be harmed spiritually. It is only if we stray from that safety will we find danger. Only if we do what we know is right will we be saved from the "roaring lion seeking whom he may devour". Father thank you for the safety that you have provided. Thank you for your teachings that keep us on the straight and narrow way. Help us to never leave the safe place where you have put us to keep us from danger. Again, it only took two little animals to show me the providential care of a loving, Heavenly Father. Take care little ones.

LW

Catch me, I'm falling

After a long hard day of stringing together16 hours its so good to fall asleep in the arms of Jesus. After the body aches and the joints are stiff its so good to fall asleep in the arms of Jesus. The sun has been hot and the elements have won, but its so good to fall asleep in the arms of Jesus. The children have cried and we have played now its time to fall asleep in the arms of Jesus. The wife has been good and we have grown even closer, but now its time to fall asleep in the arms of Jesus. The world and all its follies have drained the life out of my spirit once more, but now its time to fall asleep in the arms of Jesus. My mind has been racing and doing more than its fair share today, but now its time to fall asleep in the arms of Jesus. Satan has battled and tried his best to no avail, its so good to fall asleep in the arms of Jesus. The worries and cares of this life have garnered my attention all day, but now its time to fall asleep in the arms of Jesus. What does tomorrow hold, and did I do all that I could have done today? These thoughts are all behind me now, its time to fall asleep in the arms of Jesus. Victories, defeats, wars and games, they're all a distant memory now because its time to fall asleep in the arms of Jesus. I turn my attention to others and their needs and I fall asleep in the arms of Jesus. I ask the Father above to meet all of his children's needs as I fall asleep in the arms of Jesus. I want Him to know how much He means to me and I fall asleep in the arms of Jesus. Watch over each of us and never let us lose sight of You and I fall asleep in the arms of Jesus. I never say all I want to say as I fall asleep in the arms of Jesus. I'm so thankful He knows my heart and hears the intent of it too as I fall asleep in the arms of Jesus. If I die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take as I fall asleep in the arms of Jesus. Oh the peace that passes all understanding as I fall asleep in the arms of Jesus. When the sun comes up and a new day dawns and all that awaits me is there, I will remember how I felt as I fell asleep in the arms of Jesus. When this day is over and 16 more hours have passed I will fall asleep in the arms of Jesus. The one who holds me in the morning, noon, and night will hold me again as I fall asleep in the arms of Jesus.

LW

If sock puppets could talk:

I doubt anyone out there has quite the imagination that I have. If you do, I am very sorry. I thought God only gave me that disability. I was thinking the other night about sock puppets. Who doesn't? Anyway, I thought, "I wonder what sock puppets would say if they could have a conversation with each other?" The following is what I came up with. I'm so stupid.

SP1: "Whats up sock?"
SP2: "Not a lot sock, whats up with you?"
SP1: "Oh, not much. Is it hot? I'm hot."
SP2: "Yeah, it is hot. I'm sweating like a pig."
SP1: "Hey, speaking of pigs, how are your five little piggies?"
SP2: "Well, one went to the market, one stayed home, one had roast beef, the other had none, and the other little piggy went wee-wee-wee all the way home."
SP1: "You don't say?"
SP2: "Whats new with your piggies?"
SP1: "Well, I don't know how they're doing but I overheard them talking about corn and toe cheese. I don't know what that means for me but its starting to stink around the piggies, you know what I'm sayin?"
SP2: "I do, I do. I hate to hear that. Anything else new since we talked last?"
SP1: "Um lets see. Actually yes. I noticed a hole in me the other day. I was like, man its getting drafty in here! I'm really hoping no one notices. You remember Socky?"
SP2: "Yeah"
SP1: "Haven't seen him since he got a hole. Disappeared just like that."
SP2: "No way!"
SP1: "Yep!"
SP2: "Now that you mention it, I'm getting a little thin on the nose. Dude needs to trim the nails. I don't wanna get a hole and then disappear like Socky."
SP1: "Oh man, I really hope he gets off his back side and cuts the nails then."
SP2: "I'm sure he will. Hey have you seen that new movie about that homeless guy in Washington?"
SP1: "No, whats it called?"
SP2: "Sock-less in Seattle."

Like I said, if you have the same problem as me, I feel very sorry for you. I'll pray that you find healing for this imagination and you pray for me as well. I hope you all have a great weekend.

LW

Life goes on

As you all know by now, I am still unemployed. Its a lot of fun. Not really but I didn't want to drag everyone down so I'm putting a positive spin on it. This has given me the opportunity to spend precious time with my girls that I likely would not have if I were working. Here are a few of photos of what we have been up to lately...


at the duck pond:


at the ice cream parlor:

in the back yard on a hot day:

and finally, putting the babies in their big beds. No more crib. We're big girls now!:
I'm not taking any of this for granted. I may never get this much time with them ever again so we're taking full advantage of it. The only bad thing is, now the summer heat is upon us. Their may be pictures on here soon of me stroking out. I hope not. I'll try to take it easy. Fun, fun, fun! The Lord blesses us even in the midst of the storm. This just backs up everything I've been trying to tell you. Hold on. The 31st day is coming but take time to enjoy the trip. The scenery is beautiful.

LW

Gods unchanging hand

Not a whole lot here today. I'm a little down and I would appreciate all of your prayers. I know that you come here for encouragement but I'm not afraid to admit when I just don't feel it. I just don't have it in me today. In the spirit of which this blog is constructed though, never fear. I do have something for you. Its just not my own personal thoughts. Its a song. I was in my car today and was listening to "Russ Taff - Under Their Influence". The song came on, "Gods Unchanging Hand". Its a hymn originally written by Jennie Wilson. Its a great song. If you don't know the tune, that's okay. Just read the words slowly, and prayerfully. I think it will speak to you. Hold to His hand. I am. Its all I can do right now.

Hold To God's Unchanging Hand

V1 Time is filled with swift transition Naught of earth unmoved can stand Build your hopes on things eternal Hold to God's unchanging hand Chorus Hold to God's unchanging hand Hold to God's unchanging hand Build your hopes on things eternal Hold to God's unchanging hand V2 Trust in Him who will not leave you What so ever years may bring If by earthly friends forsaken Still, more closely to Him cling V3 When your journey is completed When the valley you pass through Fair and bright the home in glory Your enraptured soul will view I hope this helps you. Don't worry about me. I'll be back with plenty of uplifting and encouraging thoughts. I just needed to let someone else do it today. Thanks for your support and prayers. In love, LW

At what cost?

If any of you are at all like my wife, you have been following the "Jon and Kate plus 8" fiasco. To tell you the truth, I have never been a big fan of the show. My wife has always found it a little fascinating to see how a couple raises 8 children. I always felt like it was very unrealistic. After all, how many other couples in the world have a full time camera crew, nannies, paid vacations, huge free birthday parties at wonderful places, and yet still do not have to work. It just didn't strike me as a "true read" on the parenting thing. We are raising 4 children under 5 and we don't get any of those advantages. Our birthday parties are usually held at home or at the church fellowship hall. We haven't been on vacation since May of 2001 (our honeymoon). We have no camera crew or nanny to help when its bedtime. Nope. Its all on us. That's okay. We chose this life. We chose to have the children. I'm not complaining one bit. I just think the t.v. show isn't realistic. All that being said though, my wife and I have come to 2 conclusions:

#1 We will not watch the show anymore. This will hurt me a lot because, as I have already stated, I am a huge fan (wink, wink). We cannot, with a good conscience, sit and watch as a family self-destructs right before our eyes. No matter the reason. Whether it is his indiscretions or hers matters little to us. Infidelity is no laughing matter and I don't think God is pleased that we be any part of it. Also, it is very hard to see 8 innocent little children have to be dragged through all of this. They had no choice. They were thrown onto the "big screen" from day 1. They did not choose this lifestyle. Now they have to be part of the "side show" which is their parents destroying everything that they have worked so hard to build. It is very sad. Whether the marriage ends in divorce or not. Whether the show stays on television or not. There has been major damage done to this relationship and a family ( families are something that Satan hates more than anything) is going to have to fight, and fight hard, to save it.

#2 As we were watching this unfold over the last couple of weeks and last night, we realized something very important. Its not like we didn't already know this but it became even more clear to us: at what cost do we put our eternal souls in peril in the name of success? Remember when the show first started? They were so happy. They were just like any couple. So excited. So naive. So full of hopes and dreams for their futures and the futures of their children. They already had twins and now she was getting ready to have 6 more. Oh my! But they didn't care. They were loving parents. They loved each other and they knew that they would be able to handle this no matter what. Then the money started flowing. Television cameras. Fame. Books. 50 to 75 thousand dollars an episode. They moved from a modest home in Pennsylvania to a 1.1 million dollar home. They had everything in the world they could have hoped for...except happiness. Now, in the middle of all of the fame and fortune that they so desperately wanted, the one thing that they did have, happiness, is the one thing that is eluding them. I wonder if they wish they could go back to the way it used to be? I wonder what they would give up now to be the happy family they were 4 or 5 years ago? I wonder if the price they paid for all of this was worth the cost?

Its very sad. I truly hope that they can put this back together and save this family. This scenario is played out all over the world thousands and thousands of times every day. I hope that we can see, no, I hope the world will see, that the devil is out seeking whom he may devour. He always paints a pretty picture. Once we get into the beautiful grassy field on the other side of the fence though, we find out that the grass really wasn't as green as we thought it was. The price the devil exacts from us is always higher than what we first bargained. Sad, sad, sad. I hope the world can learn from this. I hope that Jon and Kate can save their marriage. I hope they get saved then the marriage will be saved. Stay strong and stay prayed up. Until next time...

LW

Why birds...

...should wear diapers.