Happy husband and father

Warm winter days!!

2012-02-03T16:40:00.002-05:00

It has been beautiful in North Georgia for "winter"!! Above 60 degrees during the day! I'm actually wearing a short sleeve polo shirt today! (if you read this in Cleveland Janet, sorry for rubbing it in!!)
Grif's basketball season is over and it won't be long until we are full swing into baseball and softball! I hope to enjoy a month or so down time first!
I have a trip coming up for Newly Elected Officials training and we are looking for a weekend when we can sneak over to Birmingham to see our great niece!!
My January cardiologist visit went extremely well!! He was very happy with my blood numbers and my heart looked "beautiful" during the echo-stress test! He was pleased and so were we!
Bailey and Grif both have some improvement to do in school! I wonder if the mid-year doldrums have set in? Either way, I've got put a boot to butts to get the doldrums out!!
I'm looking to see if there is a political race that I can get neck deep in this summer!! A couple of good possibilities, but we will see.....
I'm looking forward to a great weekend chilling with the family!
C

Start of 2012

2012-01-06T11:11:00.004-05:00

Well, we started out the year with my swearing in to the Euharlee City Council!

Donna, Mimi, Bailey, Griffin, My Mom, and My Dad all came out for the event.

It was really uneventful, but it was very cool! I continue to be humbled and excited for this opportunity!

Steve Worthington and I being sworn in together by City Attorney, Boyd Pettit.

School is back in. Both kids received their report cards. Grif with all A's and Bailey with only one B that she assures me she will bring up to an A!!

Bailey has got me hooked on a book series called The Hunger Games. It is incredible and hard to put down! Which isn't too good when I have plenty to be doing!! Ha.

We have been out of town for New Year's and will be glad to be back in church this Sunday! I get to lead the children's music upstairs!

Happy New Year everyone!!

CHRISTmas 2011

2011-12-27T08:44:00.003-05:00

Anything hotter than a woman firing a pistol??

Well, what a Christmas!! We had a blast, ate too much, and opened too many presents! It was absolutely perfect! We are blessed!
Grif, Donna and I went out to the firing range for a couple of hours yesterday and shot my new pistol! Very smooth shooting gun! I. Love. It.!!! Donna did incredible with that gift!
Grif got a new bike and a BB pistol that he has almost already worn out! LOL. Bailey got so many clothes and just dance 3! (That I will NEVER play!!)
It was a most memorable Christmas!
God is good!
C

Merry Christmas!!

2011-12-23T09:21:00.002-05:00

It has truly been a busy season!! It always is. We have been going here to there. Exacerbated by my 86 year old neighbor being in the hospital for a while and now being moved to a nursing home. I don't know if he will be my neighbor again! Sad, sad situation.
Griffin and Bailey both had a B in classes for the first half of school that they have brought up, so hopefully straight A's for both by the end of the school year! Grif is playing basketball and having a blast. It is his first year in "rec" ball instead of Trinity so the competition is a lot higher.
Janet and Henry are on their way from Cleveland for CHRISTmas and I can't wait to see Hank and meet the new baby (Guyton).
January 3 will be the day I am sworn in to the Euharlee City Council. I am very excited. The very first night I will be voting on a 1.4 million dollar budget! Welcome to politics, right?
I already know what Donna is getting me for CHRISTmas and my 40th birthday (combo gift!!) and I am as excited as I have ever been about a gift!
That pretty much sums it up for now.....
Work outs are still going well, etc....
Merry CHRISTmas to all!!
C

Don't you LOVE December?

2011-12-05T10:11:00.002-05:00

Way too many things going on to touch on them all!!
Donna and I left Thursday night after the Cville Christmas parade for a long weekend to celebrate our 18th wedding anniversary! We had an amazing time in Birmingham Christmas shopping and just being together away from the normal daily routine! We got to ride down Friday morning to Tuscaloosa, to watch her high school play for and WIN the State Championship in 4a Alabama football at Bryant-Denny stadium. Pretty cool!
We spent the rest of the weekend shopping and well, that's all I can talk about.....
I am the luckiest guy in all the world! Donna is an incredible wife, mother, teacher, friend..... and I loved getting to spend that time celebrating with her!!
C

Overwhelmed

2011-11-16T11:09:00.002-05:00

I won!! God is good! The people of Euharlee gave me the most votes in the election and I am amazed! I can't wait to get started. There is a lot to do!

We had a great day of waving and sign holding at the precinct. A lot of folks stopped and talked to us. Lorraine sat with me for most of the day and then Donna came up there after work. I got to talk to Councilman Eubanks and Councilman Worthington a lot over the course of the day as well! It was just a blast! Of course, if you know me, you already know how much I love campaigning! It was a great campaign and a great way to culminate it!

At 7 pm, we all removed our signs, and went up to the front door of city hall with 15 or so people who wanted to know the results! When the city manager taped the slips of paper from the voting machines to the front door, a few people went up there, but I stayed back. I heard someone congratulate Councilman Worthington and then I heard someone mention my name!!! I was excited. Donna and I walked up there and she tallied the three totals from the three voting machines and I had gotten the most votes! Overwhelmed is an understatement! We left and went over to Elizabeth Street to see the vote certified and look at the absentee results, and when all was said and done, I had 206 votes of the 338 people that voted! Right at 61%!! Donna and I were pumped and went out to dinner to celebrate!! It was an amazing night that I doubt I will ever forget!!

C

What a blast!!

2011-11-07T08:56:00.004-05:00

The campaigning is over and now all that is left to do is set up the poll tonight with signs and stand out in front of the polls on Tuesday! Voting day is almost here and I am excited. After last year, I have no confidence in how everything will turn out, but I am hopeful! I am thankful for all the people that have supported me! It is truly humbling!
There is something so cool about knocking on doors to introduce yourself and discuss issues relevant to your community with people. The things you find, while knocking on doors could be made into a book! Some people don't want to be bothered, which is understandable! But, when you knock on a door and the person that answers it has a genuine love for the community and wants to ask you questions and give feedback, it becomes well worth the effort! I know a lot of people running for office, don't do that anymore and rely on signs and ads, but I think that type of conversations and involvement is sorely needed in our communities today!
Anyway, thank you to my neighbors in Euharlee that have allowed me in your homes to talk about our city! I will do my best if elected, and that, is my one and only campaign promise!
More frequent posts after the busyness of a campaign is over!
C

Fall happenings

2011-09-08T09:31:00.002-04:00

Hurricane Irene brought much needed rain to Georgia and with it ushered in some lower fall-like temperatures! I love it! I love all the seasons, which is one of the reasons I love living in GA! We get a full dose of all 4 seasons! My favorite seems to be the change though! The week or two between the seasons that you get the hint of whats to come, while still enjoying the last little bit of the former! That is where we find ourselves in GA right now. Crispness in the AM like fall, with warm afternoons like summer! It makes me happy! God knew what he was doing, didn't he?
School is in full swing and the kids are doing good, not great yet, but it is coming! Bailey's softball schedule is winding down, and while she hasn't gotten all the playing time she would like, or any mound time, she is getting to see what it takes to play at a varsity high school level! I hope that inspires her to work hard during travel ball season! Grif's start at football hasn't been a bang either. He is afraid of the contact right now! I think he will get over that and I think he will start to love football, but the jury is still out??!?!? Both kids have a class that they are struggling with as of now, but like I said, that will change!
Donna's classes seem to be going well, and B12 shots will hopefully help with energy levels. I would love to tell you that we are all up in a romantic season in our lives, but I would be lying. The daily grind tends to get in the way of that along with nightly trips to some ball field, we rarely even eat at the same time. I am hoping that to some degree, the daily grind, will hold some romance! Maybe, the daily struggles fought through together add a lot to a marriage!
**Big Announcement**
I am running for Euharlee City Council!!
I qualified last week, and am looking forward to meeting people that I have yet to meet and working on the city council. I have always loved politics, and would love an opportunity to be part of lasting solutions for our rapidly growing city! I ought to be fun! I covet your prayers and support!
C

Jacob Hawkins is the bomb!

2011-08-11T12:02:00.002-04:00

I forgot to add this with my other post today, so you get 2 postings from me today!! A couple of weeks ago a young man that you may know, Jacob Hawkins, brought his new boss through Cartersville for a few hours to speak to the rotary club. He took Newt Gingrich to the Booth Western Art Museum in Cville and the Speaker was very impressed with our little town! So much so, that according to Jacob, they are going to try to plan another visit to see the Tellus Museum.

While they were through here, Jacob introduced me and I got a picture made with Mr Gingrich and got my book signed! It was a very cool day for me, and even more so for Jacob!

Congrats to Jacob! He is a very smart young man that I am proud to know!

And good luck Mr. Speaker at your debate tonight! Knock em dead!

In the fall routine

2011-08-11T09:42:00.002-04:00

Temperatures are still summer-like, but we are into our fall routine now. School has been back in for a week! Bailey is learning how to study and finding that high school honors classes are going to be tough for an athlete! She made the JV softball team and their first games are next week.
Grif's "senior" year of elementary school has started well. I haven't had to referee a single disagreement between he and his math teacher, yet. Donna says he is doing well calling her Mrs. Guyton and such.
My workouts are back to normal now! Thank goodness! I gained too much weight over the summer, and am ready to get back down below 200! We'll see how long that takes. Work has been good for back to school and now I am hoping we stay steady for the rest of the fall!
Back to the grind....
C

"Summer" is almost over

2011-07-27T09:19:00.006-04:00

There are MANY more HOT days left in Georgia before the gentle temps of football and hunting season roll in! But, for families that have teachers, summer is almost over. Donna and the kids start back to school next week! Obviously, we will steal a few moments in the sun to swim or tennis or something!
Last year we had an opportunity to sneak away with some friends for a trip at the real end of summer and I might just have to make that happen again!

Grif and I took my dad to a Rome Braves game for Father's Day and of course Grif got another ball!!

Donna and I walking on the beach hand in hand and below is in front of Boss Oyster!

This is everyone on vacation in our house at Sunset Beach on St George Island.

Fun times!

I'm in the middle of trying to get a part time position at Budweiser. I'm trying to decide whether or not to run for Euharlee City Council. I'm helping put together a marriage conference at church. (I put this list up, so if your prayer list isn't long enough you can choose one of those to pray for!)

Summer relaxation?

2011-06-30T09:32:00.004-04:00

Yeah right! Summertime when I was a kid was sooooo relaxing. You literally wake up eat and leave the house to play until someone called you for dinner. Then you would go back out and play until the street lights came on. Go in, go to bed a wake up the next day to do it over again! I also got to work in the garden with my granddaddy in the mornings before he left for his 2nd shift job with G.E. (of course, the occasional playing hookie from the garden to wet a hook somewhere was mandatory!!) But, as an adult, summer is definitely NOT that relaxing!
After working all day, I find myself at a ball field, or church, or yard work calling, or or or or ..... There is something always calling my name. Not to mention with work VERY slow at the office, I find myself probably more stressed than I have ever been. Scary times in our economy today! Anyway, I am looking forward to a vacation with my family more than I can ever remember! Looking forward to a long 4th of July weekend. Looking forward to family time, with no ball field, or yard work, or office work, or even church work, just time with my family surveying the vastness and beauty that God created for us, that I rarely take enough time to breathe in!
Also, coming soon....I will be doing a book review on "Billy Graham in Quotes". A book by Franklin Graham, that I got for free from booksneeze.com. If you join booksneeze, they send you books in return for your review. Kind of interesting, so I am giving it a try.

Good reports and rest

2011-06-01T11:45:00.002-04:00

The heart cath went well and the blockage I have is not from new plaque but rather from the stints the doctor put in 2 and a half years ago that are pinching a "small and insignificant" vessel. (Didn't know any of my blood supply lines were insignificant) Cardiologist recommended not doing anything as it has been there this whole time and has not (and should not) cause any problems, so that is the route we went. He said not to stop anything I have been doing and to forget about it. So, it is forgotten.
The rest afterward for a few days was most welcome! The whole weekend was beautiful. Pretty weather on Memorial Day weekend should be a law! It was gorgeous, so we got a little pool time, ball time, cookout time, outdoor neighborhood party time, etc. I would say almost perfect (except for Donna every two minutes telling me to be careful with my arm! Ha! I guess that is her job!)
Bailey's softball team came in 2nd in their Tourney on Saturday! I was so proud of all the girls!!
I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend!
Thank you for praying for me and this surgery! God answered!
C

Nervous, but not scared!

2011-05-24T10:15:00.002-04:00

It's funny the things we remember from our childhood years. I was around 12 or 13 when my sister (who was 6 or 7....I don't know maybe 8 (she was young)) woke up on a school day with a stomach ache. Mom took me on to school and then took Janet to the doctor. A whirlwind few hours later they are at the hospital because my sister's appendix was very close to rupturing. Anyway, just before they wheel her back for surgery, my sister (who has always been mature) looked up at my mom and said, "mom, I'm nervous, but I'm not scared." ....from the mouth of babes, huh?
Well, that statement from a young 6ish year old pretty much describes where I am at, I guess. Certain surgeries are common place now. Simple stuff. BUT, come with inherit risks and dangers none-the-less. I'm pretty nervous, but I'm not scared. God is in control, therefore, I don't have to be. I've gone back and looked at a list of goals I made for myself after the heart attack 1/9/09, and there is still some meat left on that bone. So, I will renew my efforts to get all of those fulfilled after this heart surgery, and make it happen.
I recall one of the cardiologists I saw after the H.A. saying, you have a much higher chance to have a second heart attack than someone else has of having their first heart attack, and the MAIN reason is that people will eventually forget the pain and go back to the things they did before that caused the problems. Well, after looking at my goals, I can safely say (although sadly) that I would have to put myself in that category. I reckon I'm a slow learner. I will have to add some accountability measures with a friend or two along with my goals.
Anyway, pray for me tomorrow. Donna's facebook will probably tell you everything you need to know and then some. LOL.
Also, pray for Lisa Lovett who is in surgery to repair two ruptured vertabrae today.
She took Tuesday's surgery, I'm taking Wednesday's surgery, any of our friends want to volunteer for a Thursday surgery to keep the streak going? anyone? Bueller?
C

Cardiologists can kiss my

2011-05-18T13:21:00.002-04:00

Great things going on for the home team!!
Bailey: test scores were GREAT, her softball is going GREAT, getting better at pitching every week, getting ready to go to high school (threw up in my mouth a little), chorus went AMAZING, etc....
Griffin: test scores were GREAT, baseball is going GREAT, getting ready to be a fifth grader!!, did very well at Science Olypiad, etc...
Donna: Her test scores were great and higher than she expected!!, end of the year is just days away, and tanning is just around the corner, etc...
All of these great things going on in the house and we should be dancing around and partying!! But, someone has to throw a damper on the fire, and I guess I drew the short straw!
During a routine follow-up stress test, the cardiologist found another blockage. Good news: We didn't find out through the intense pain and pressure of a heart attack this time!
Bad news: Next Wednesday the 25th they will be doing another heart cath on me. Should be routine and fairly quick. That is what I am praying for anyway!
I hope you will pray for me as well!
Donna and the kids are scared. I am frustrated and pissed. For 2 and 1/2 years I have been working out hard, eating better, etc. to make sure that this NEVER happened again, and I barely got passed the 2nd anniversary before we get to do it all over.
It is in God's hands now (where, of course it rested all along) and we trust that he has a plan for me and this situation.
C

About time

2011-04-20T12:35:00.002-04:00

Donna reminded me last night that I haven't posted in a while! Well, I guess I haven't had time. We've been busy and when we have had a minute of not busy, I've been busy thinking and planning.
Typical Week right now:
Sunday: Church, chilling and contemplating
Monday: Work, then straight to Bailey's pitching lessons, home for dinner and bed
Tuesday: Work, then to Bailey's practice, home for dinner and bed
Wednesday: Work, church and choir practice, bed
Thursday: Work, then me to Baileys practice, Donna to Grif's practice then meet back at home for dinner and bed
Friday: Work then Grif's game then bed.
Saturday: Bailey tourney or Craig Tourney and Grif's game.
Somewhere in there we have to make time to cut grass, get nails did (Donna) etc.......
Busy lives, I guess.
Work is going a little better. We are moving on May 2nd, but not to downtown Atlanta!! Thank God!
Having fun during all the busy though!
Donna said last night,"I'm glad you are doing what you are supposed to be doing...coaching".
Me: "But I like playing"
Her: "But now your old!"
I don't think she meant it like that, but still!!!!!
Anyway, we are having a blast helping coach and watching our children play ball! Thinking on things, planning futures (as good as we can), etc
Busy!!
C

Parenting Stinks

2011-03-18T11:56:00.002-04:00

Sometimes parenting just stinks! A lot of reasons could fall under that category including but not limited to discipline. But, what I am currently writing about is when both kids have events going on at the same time! Last night was one of those times!

Grif had his first baseball practice that I desperately wanted to be at! Bailey had a chorus concert with a SOLO that I desperately wanted to be at as well. I guess it is a blessing to have kids that are good at so many things, with good grades to boot, but it makes for some trade-offs occasionally! Donna and I really had a no brainer though. With Bailey having a solo, there was no way either one of us would have been happy watching it on video, so Mimi drew the short straw and took Grif to practice, so Donna nor I would miss Bailey's solo. (If you don't have a Mimi, I highly recommend getting one!)

Bailey did a phenomenal job, and if you are over to the house and remind me of it, you can watch the video like Mimi had to! Grif had a great first practice as well, so all is right with the Guyton house!

It is going to be a beautiful weekend and I am going to eat AT LEAST one meal outdoors!

Enjoy!

C

Glad to be at work to rest!

2011-03-14T09:24:00.003-04:00

I'm sitting in my office to type this blog up with some very sore muscles reminding me of just how fun the weekend was! We had a blast! Some family time all together and some time doing separate things because of the calendar, but we all had some great times this weekend!
First of all, Friday night, when I got home from work, I was tired already! I didn't really feel like going out to dinner, but I didn't think I had the energy to cook anything either (and no one else in the house was rushing into the kitchen to get things going!!) Finally I rallied up the energy to cook, by remembering Andrea's latest blog about making home made biscuits. (I've always made biscuits using Bisquick, and they do fine.) I knew we were out of Bisquick, so I let my type A personality kick in and wasn't going to let my friend outdo me! We had breakfast. Eggs, bacon and home made (from scratch, the real deal) biscuits. They were great! I do have a little work to do on them, but I was impressed with myself!
Saturday morning we had to separate. Grif had science Olympiad, Bailey had softball practice and I had a softball tourney. My first game was at 8 am in Woodstock, so I had to leave the house around 6:30. When the day was finally over, Grif had a silver and a bronze medal from his two events, their team got overall first place in the region and qualified for State. Bailey got the beginnings of a sun burn and had a good practice, and they all met down in Woodstock to watch my team win first place in the tourney! Good day for the Guyton's.
We got home at 11:30. After a shower and moving the clock ahead a hour, it was already 1 am, church was going to be tough!
It was tough crawling out of bed already seriously sore, but I was happy by the time we hit the first note of worship! The music set was amazing and then Jonathan preached yesterday in Pastor's absence. He was great, but extremely challenging! As was bible study, as it always is. Shep asks questions that make you think! But better than that, provides you with scriptures, that force you to change, or at least be knowledgeable when you are outside of God's plan. Tough stuff.
Sunday afternoon we all worked in the yard. (Except Bailey who had another softball practice to finish off her sun burn!) I cleaned the gutters. Pruned some bushes. Got to pullout the chain saw and cut the top out of a dogwood tree we are trying to save. Then pruned some of my neighbors bushes. I cut my yard and my neighbor's yard as well, and got finished just in time to take a quick shower and head to Frank's house for the choir's GAP party. We had a good time getting know folks and eating too much.
I woke up this morning A LOT more sore than yesterday, and went to work out anyway. I ran for as long as I could and then rode the bike for another 15 minutes hard, trying to work the soreness out, but for right now at least, to no avail! I am hurting and glad to get back to work to rest a little!!
C

We are moving to Savannah!

2011-03-02T13:41:00.005-05:00

I am moving my family to Savannah Georgia. (Just as soon as I can scrape up the 4 or 5 million dollars necessary to buy the Mercer House)

Above: Lunch at the Boar's Head overlooking the river on a GORGEOUS spring day!

Below: Same restaurant, but Griffin was in a picture taking mood!

We had a blast in Savannah for Bailey's All-State Chorus concert. We left Thursday after I got off from work and got down there around 10:30pm. We tucked in the hotel for the night. We woke up Friday morning ready to go, but the weather was a little nasty. But, according to the weatherman it was going to blow over by noonish, so we headed out anyway. We (Donna, Grif, Mimi and I) drove passed where Amy lived. We drove out to Bonaventure Cemetery (gorgeous!!). Then we headed back to see if we could sneak in The Lady and Sons for lunch, but no such luck! We headed to River Street, and ate at a restaurant called Dockside. Great place, great food, and great company! Then we walked! Square after square, oh, after going into River street Sweets to watch them make taffy and buying some pralines, street after street.
The Mercer House does tours now, which it didn't when Donna and I were there last, but we didn't have the time to do it! The homes were just as beautiful as I remembered, and the weatherman was correct. The sun came out and there wasn't a cloud in the sky the rest of Friday or all day Saturday! We walked about 3 miles or so, unless you ask Lorraine who thinks we walked 10 miles!
Friday night we drove to some friends place in Statesboro. We had a Low Country Boil and a wonderful time! Grif was in hog heaven with acres to play on and a golf cart to drive too! Saturday we got up and went walking some more! Had lunch at the Boar's Head overlooking the River. Then we headed to Bailey's performance! Watching 250 kids that can sing is incredible! They did a great job and it was obvious that they were having a good time! We left immediately after the concert and headed back to Cville. We made good time, getting home at 9:30 Saturday night!
Sunday was another great day! Worship was amazing and I was lucky enough to get to lead out on I Will Rise! A great song that I love! Pastor continued his streak of messages that have been stinging a little, but he is doing a great job! Sunday School was horrible! More stinging!
Anyway, another great weekend for our family!

Caption for this picture?:

"If her hand gets any closer, we are going to be arrested in Savannah!"

The kids are signed up for spring sports. My tournament team is playing every weekend. I think the yard will end up being 2 feet tall sometime very soon! We have so much going on. The calendar is full! Praying that we are able to slow it down enough to enjoy all the gorgeous things around us and the ages our kids are at!

War Tide! Great day to be a Alabama and Auburn fan!

2011-02-17T09:40:00.002-05:00

On Jan 27th a caller identifying himself as "Al from Dadeville", called the Paul Finebaum radio show and told Mr Finebaum that over a month ago (the weekend after the iron bowl) he drove to Auburn and applied a chemical called Spike 80DF to the soil around the trees at Toomer's Corner. The trees are going to die. Period.
http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/story/14698410/auburn-oak-trees-poisoned-at-toomers-corner

Now, I would love to tell you that I was shocked the moment that my lovely wife told me about the story last night. But...not so much. I could care less. "What if someone did that to The Hedges at UGA?", she asked, hoping I would then give the right response. Maybe I just had a rough day yesterday? I don't know. But, she is about to get the "right" response she was looking for. (She ain't gonna like it though...) I didn't get thoroughly disgusted until I heard the backwoods, inbred, country hick's voice that has "confessed" (really bragged) that he did this.
The audio can be heard here: http://www.finebaum.com/goout.asp?u=/Sectional.asp?id=38693

So, here is my response, as if you all cared:
The Iron Bowl is hereby, indefinitely, permanently, forever, CANCELLED. Yep, you heard me right. Of course, if we announce that, the collective gasp from the State of Alabama alone would require planting millions of extra trees to replace the oxygen. Anyway, it is cancelled. Why? I'm glad you asked.
YOU CAN'T HANDLE IT!
You aren't man enough. You aren't women enough. You are immature brats when it comes to that one day of the year. But, as anyone who lives/ or has lived in Alabama (or married into one of the two cults) knows, the other 364 days a year, you have to talk about that game or the next one, depending if your team won or lost. There is a great big world out there that has a lot more than football!! But, "Al from Dadeville" showed that the great state of Alabama, (one with such great land, great weather,great natural resources, to draw great companies and industry) deserves every inbred, toothless, redneck joke ever told.
One Disclaimer before I return to my opinion: The woman I married from Alabama is a smart, intelligent, college graduate with a great deal of common sense. Her family, is like my own. They are great and hardworking people. BUT, they cheer for Auburn, and anyone playing Alabama. Period. It doesn't matter if Alabama is the only SEC team with a chance to play for and win the National Championship. They despise them! In 2009, I watched my normally sane wife cheer for Florida in the SEC Championship game and then cheer for Texas in the National Championship game! Ugh.
Back to the regularly scheduled rant: What is wrong with the Iron Bowl? Nothing. The two schools have very proud traditions that make them both formidable opponents, but their respective fan bases are loony (cuckoo) (nuts) (off the deep end). I digress...
So, I get it. You are a fan of the Tide or the War Eagle and you are thinking, I would not condone, nor ever commit such an act of stupidity as this jack wagon "Al from Dadeville"! Right? That's what you are thinking huh?
Well, here is how you can tell that argument is stupid and you are NOT capable of continuing this rivalry with any civility. When this fellow "Al" finishes his 40 year prison sentence (if the judge is a fan of Auburn) or gets a "stern" warning (if the judge is a Bama fan), his business (I assume some type of landscape, because of the nature of Spike 80DF) will triple, because every Alabama fan within a 50 mile radius of his business will switch to him. The pat on the back, the wink. Not vocally condoning, but with their wallets collectively saying "attaboy".
The great state of Alabama's pride and resources ruined (again) by a redneck fellow named "Al" and all the folks that will privately support him. Good job Tide fans. Stand up and give a big ol "Roll Tide", while the rest of the civilized world continues to look at you wondering "how do we allow those folks 9 electoral votes?"
The Iron Bowl is cancelled, because as any good southern mom would say, "If you and little "Al" can't play nice together, then he will have to go home".
So finally, just to tick both of you off, I would like to say on behalf of the rest of the country:
Roll Eagle.
C

Valentine's Day Weekend

2011-02-15T10:16:00.003-05:00

Weekends around my house have been something great lately! Literally breaks from day to day grind stuff and lots of family fun, followed generally by great worship experiences on Sundays! This weekend was no exception!

Grif and I spent ALL day together on Saturday! We needed some testosterone time! Waffle House breakfast, a trip to the dump, Woodland Middle to see Bailey sing the National Anthem before the Middle School Championship games, a trip to Cartersville Sports Plex batting cages, and a little time visiting with Oma. Good conversations with a 10 year old boy!

Saturday night was the annual Service League dance at the new civic center! (If you have not been to an event yet at the new Cartersville Civic Center; you need to look for a reason to go!! It is amazing!) The dance, as always, beneifits the Boys' and Girls' Clubs of Bartow. Great event, great cause, great food, great music, and Donna and I even won a new (much needed) coffee maker in the silent auction!! We had a blast! Even though Donna was still fighting a sinus infection, it was a great night! Of course, any date night with her is a great night, but even better still when she looks something like this:

Wow! She is smokin HOT!

I digress....

Sunday at church was just incredible! The worship set was great but Pastor Randall was on fire! Preaching from his heart, from the Bible, and straight to me! Good stuff!

Monday, of course was Valentine's Day. It was also 20 years ago to the day that Donna and I first spoke to each other! Very cool stuff! (Technically, she hit on me; but that is another story!) We are getting each other a trip to Savannah at the end of this month to watch Bailey sing in All-State. I am very excited! I did however, try to cook a special dinner for all my valentines! It did not turn out my best, as I let the bbq chicken get a little crusty on the outside! But the menu was: bbq chicken, scallopped potatos, field peas, cornbread (pretty good for my first time), and brownies for dessert!! Good, but like I said not my best effort!

Oh, side note: I had to drop Bailey off at Bobby Mansfield's house on Sunday afternoon because Jon was taking the girls to pitching lessons, and Miss Bobby done had the old school Sunday spread out! Turkey, dressing, corn, green beans, rolls, and strawberry or cherry something for dessert! It made me long, for the days before my grandmother's stroke, when we used to do that as a family! Not every weekend, but at least once or so a month! I miss that! I know it is a lot of work, but I think I am going to have to try to start that tradition at my house! I miss it too much to at the very least not give it a chance! So, if you get a Sunday Supper invite, you'll know what to expect!! LOL

More snow...

2011-02-10T09:37:00.002-05:00

The snow had started falling just before I went to bed last night. There is not much prettier in God's creation than falling snow! The havoc the snow creates on roads and businesses is not much fun, but this particular time it was perfect. About an inch or so, but none sticking to the roads! Just gorgeous!
Yesterday was an interesting day for me! I had to go out selling at work. Now keep in mind that I am in management for a reason!! The X's and O's of day to day operation is a specialty of mine! However, the knocking on a strange door that has never seen me is not! But, the economy has pushed my company to the point of needing new customers, and that falls directly on my shoulders and the owner's shoulders. We are both doing something out of our comfort zone, but I guess pushing your own preconceived boundaries is a good thing!
Anyway, I had GREAT responses yesterday and even picked up one new client! Very good start, but still not my favorite thing to do! It is very akin to sharing the Gospel with someone! The same insecurities, fears and such surrond both!
Last night at church, supper was great! Fellowship was great! Cubbies worship was incredible!! (Cubbies are singing in big church this week, so they got to sing the songs for me that they have been learning on Sundays!) Then the choir's mid-week worship was incredible! The songs we are starting with in February have been amazing! Still missing some people due to illnesses and what not, but it was a great time of worship that I hope will last me until Sunday!
C

Weekend in review

2011-02-08T10:14:00.002-05:00

We had too much fun this weekend!! Friday night we went to the Lovett's house for my birthday dinner (a little belated!). We had a great time talking and eating and such. Bailey had a lock-in at school for chorus, so we got her to that. Saturday, we had Grif's last ballgame of the year. They won by 2 and ended the season with only one loss!! He got better all year and has seemingly fallen in love with the one sport I know the least amount about!! LOL.
Saturday night Grif had a jump rope performance at halftime of the Woodland basketball game! He did great and Woodland killed South forsyth! They played a great game. We went to eat at El Nopal and headed home for the evening!
Sunday was an incredible time of worship! I was scheduled to be in children's church with the 3/4th grade boys during second service, so I only got to sing during the first worship service! It was a great set and the choir sang Our God Saves for the special music! It sounded incredible and the congregation was singing out during the congregational worship! It was a blast!
Sunday night there was some kind of sporting event on t.v. Jon Hodorff (biggest Packer fan I know) and Sydney have been pumped about this game for the last 2 weeks. So we went over there to watch with them and to have tacos. Great food, and great fun! The game was one of the best Super Bowls I have ever seen. Great battle between two very good and evenly matched teams! Well worth the time spent watching it!
Oh, also on Thursday I made (for the first time) from scratch brownies!! I got an incredible recipe off the internet! I will NEVER use a box brownie mix again!!

Ingredients
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x9 inch baking pan.
In a medium bowl, mix together the oil, sugar, and vanilla. Beat in eggs. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt; gradually stir into the egg mixture until well blended. Stir in walnuts, if desired. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the brownie begins to pull away from edges of pan. Let cool on a wire rack before cutting into squares.

VERY SIMPLE, BUT VERY GOOD!!!!
C

Growth...

2011-01-26T09:51:00.002-05:00

Normally, the day after a big political event, such as the State of the Union Address, I would write a political blog with my reactions and thoughts, but not today!! I did not watch the address. I instead supported the local chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes by going to annual banquet last night. I did hear a little of the speech while running at the gym this morning, and plan to read the transcripts later in the day, so you might still get my opinion of the speech soon anyway! I did, however, LOVE one comment by a Republican: "I agree with 80% of what the President says, but unfortunately I disagree with 80% of what he does"! WOW! Calling the President two-faced, or claiming he talks out of both sides of his mouth is either dumb or courageous, I don't know which? But, he may have a point if you believe in the old addage that actions speak louder than words! We'll see after I read it all!

Anyway, last night was a great time! Jeff Francoeur was the keynote speaker and did a great job! He spoke to the ups and downs of his baseball career and the place he is in with God. It was a good message of "growing" up in you Christianity and giving everything to God. (Especially the parts of your life you think YOU have under control) Boy, could I learn from that!! "God, I have this part under control, will you handle that part over there?" LOL - How juvenile we must sound at times to our Saviour! Anyway, if you know me, you know I love the pomp and circumstance of events like that! I love everything about it! I like getting to meet new people. I like getting to see old friends! I love a meal served by caterers! I LOVE having my gorgeous wife on my arm to take it all in with me! It was a blast!

A theme is kind of developing already in 2011, it seems. Growth.

Our pastor is challenging us to pray. To really have lives of prayer to God. That definitely leads to Growth in our walk.

I have told a few folks that Growth in our numbers in the choir is a goal I would like us to achieve.

My daughter's Growth has led to filling out paperwork for High School already.

The message we had at church Sunday from a guest preacher was about being committed Christians. (Growth).

If this is going to be the theme God has for me (or us) it could be a painful year! Growth is tough and often painful, but typically fulfilling in the end, right?

Changes and such

2011-01-20T09:53:00.002-05:00

My "little" girl is in 8th grade. I can't express just how proud I am of Bailey. She keeps excellent grades, has excellent friends, excels in any sport she wants, and is respectful at home (most of the time, ha)! This has been a great week and a horrible week for us as parents. We are filling out paper work for the honors program at the High School?!?!? You have got to be kidding? My baby is not old enough to go to High School!! ugh! Anyway, the paperwork is a job in and of itself, but through all of the stuff Bailey has had to write about herself, I've gotten to see my daughter through her own eyes. Of course, she is a 14 year old girl, and doesn't view herself as confidently as I think she should, BUT she has done some amazing things during those 14 years and seems to be proud of herself! That's a pretty good feeling for a father!!
Tuesday night we had the Helton's out for dinner. Caroline has been in the hospital and is still not 100%, so we wanted to make at least one night for them a little easier, with no cooking or cleaning and such! Anyway, we had a blast hanging out with them and talking past bedtimes! Note to self (and anybody else): things we need to do more of: hanging with friends!
Note only does the food always fill you up and nourish you, but the fellowship is always fun and makes for great memories!!
Last night in midweek worship, Frank announced that I am the new choir "president". Jaybird has been in that position for a while, and was ready (probably past ready) to lay it down. I don't know what all extra that will involve, but I would say if I can do anything to help the choir grow that I will have done a good job! There are sooooo many talented singers in our congregation that do not sing in the choir! We have enough talented singers in the church to easily double our numbers in the choir..... So, with that said.... COME JOIN US!! And, if you are already in the choir, INVITE someone to COME JOIN US!!
C

1st round blunders

2011-01-17T12:59:00.002-05:00

It seems Atlanta sports teams build teams to make it to the playoffs, but not to win in the playoffs. There is a different intensity that should go along with playoffs! But, unfortunately, the Hawks, the Braves, the Falcons, don't seem to have coaching staffs or players that are capable of getting up to those intense levels. Very disappointing end to the Falcons season on Sunday!

However, the rest of the weekend was wonderful! I met Donna for dinner at Moore's Market on Friday night, and we had some great food and wonderful fun! Then we went to my grand parents house to visit with them for a while, enjoying the wonderful fire they had in the fireplace!! It was a great time!

Saturday, I hung out with my neighbor for 5 hours or so, running errands and such! He is 85 and needs to get out of his house for stimulation! We got our hair cut, ate lunch, and went to watch Grif's basketball game. We got home and went to eat with the Hodorff's and Lovett's and back to our house to watch the afore mentioned atrosity that was the Falcon's playoff loss!! I went to bed disgusted!

Sunday, was awesome though! A phenomenal music set at church followed by a great message! Bible study was great, but challenging as always! Donna and I took a Sunday afternoon nap together!! Then we all hung out until time to go to bed! They made me watch the recording of Miss America, so in turn, I made them watch one of my episodes of the Walton's!! Good Trade!

Anyway, it's Monday and I am back at it! Work is a little busy, which we need after the wasted week last week!! Workouts this week are going to hurt a little, since I only worked out twice last week!

An interesting start to 2011?!?

2011-01-12T10:09:00.007-05:00

This is what we woke up to on Monday January 10th. Before all the footprints of play ruined it!

Griffin and I doing a little ridin and slidin!!

Bailey and Bailey getting ready to head down the hill. (Large Hill!!)

Top of the hill neighborhood snowball fight!!

Well, when God gives you a blanket of snow that you "can't" make it to work in, you just have to turn into a kid again! Donna's 3 kids went out playing for most of the day on Monday! We had a blast that the above pictures just can't show! All of North Georgia got snow. Our area got 6 inches or so, followed by a tenth of an inch of ice. Further south of us (Cobb County) got less snow, but more ice and their roads still look horrible!

Saturday, Bailey had All-State auditions and Donna was there helping compile scores. Bailey made a 100% by the way, a score not achieved by many!! That's my baby girl! That left me to do the preparing for the weather predictions. I went to the dump (normal Saturday thing) gassed up the 4 wheel drive truck, grocery store (I'd have rather given blood!!) etc. We got everything handled and then Grif had a basketball game. He scored A LOT. We couldn't keep up with the counting so we don't know exactly how many! He played great defense too! That's my boy!

Sunday was a wonderful day of worship at church! Music set was wonderful!!!! Then the pastor's message was on prayer!! His words had conviction, because I think he was convicted to preach on this particular topic at this particular time to this particular congregation! I can't wait to see where it takes us!! It was a powerful message!

Sunday evening we went to the Hodorff's and had homemade vegetable soup and watched Green Bay narrowly pull out a playoff win to earn the right to come to Ga and get their butt kicked, oops, I mean play Atlanta this weekend!! Go Falcons.

By the time we got home, got a little hot chocolate made, and buckled down for the night, the much predicted snow began. It was gorgeous. Heavy downpours of snow with big flakes. Lightening and thunder as well, Which is a rare occurance they call "Thundersnow" (Sounds like a wrestler on tv, huh?). Anyway, I took some medicine as I had begun to feel bad, and prayed I would feel like playing in the morning!! Then we woke on Monday to 6 inches of snow!! A GREAT amount! Not totally paralyzing, but plenty to play hookie from work and play in!!

Some type of football game was going on Monday night, I can't remember what!!

Oh yeah, I remember, the university on the plains in Alabama, the cult I married into, Auburn was playing for the National Championship.

Amazing game! Long game! Stressful game (according to Donna)! Auburn U came out with the win on a field goal with NO time left on the clock. Wonderful championship game!

War Eagle

Tuesday I heeded the D.O.T. s warnings not to get out again unless absolutely necessary and stayed home from work again. We had another great day of games and such. I ventured out to work this morning, but as of now (10:35) haven't seen a customer!! LOL - I doubt I will be here all day. My parking lot is so iced over, I'm afraid my customers couldn't make it in here without falling anyway!!

Last thing: Two years ago right now, I was laying in a hospital bed at Redmond Regional in Rome, GA. The night before, I had a major heart attack at the age of 37 that radically changed my life. I'm lucky to still be here after the heart attack doctors call "the widow-maker", because generally you first feel it on your way to the floor, and it's generally the last thing you feel. By far the scariest night of my life up to this point. I am thankful to God that he still had things for me to do here!! Mentally was probably tougher on me than physically. Physically, I can just eat better, and workout, and my cardiologist is happy (and so is my heart!)! But mentally, the understanding that tomorrow is not guaranteed to anyone, even a 37 year old, is a tough pill to swallow! Of course, it is also a liberating thought too! I have gotten to know my wonderful wife more over these last two years. It is not as though I didn't know her before, but I like to pay more attention to the small things now that I probably didn't notice before. She is a gift from God that I treasure daily now!

Here's to no more abulances and maybe a little more boring life?!?

Next item up for bid..... A new car!! (In my best "Price is Right" voice)

2011-01-05T11:15:00.003-05:00

This is my new car that follows my beloved Charlene. I say follows and not replaces, because you can't replace a legend!!
2010 Toyota Corolla, Power everything, keyless entry, cd, ipod, automatic (ugh!) blah, blah, blah!
It is exciting to get a new car after 16 years. She seems like a good one, but the jury is still out.
No, she doesn't have a name yet!! You have to drive a car for a while before she tells you her name! Duh!!
Anyway, now you have met the new addition to the Guyton household!
C

Happy New Year!

2011-01-04T09:27:00.002-05:00

What an awesome first 4 days of the new year! The newness of things seems to be a breath of fresh air to me! This morning, I felt convicted while working out. I know that sounds funny, but God can use whatever he wants!
Anyway, it is (and I guess always has been) to "gymrats" an ongoing joke or pool as to how long the "resolution newbies" will last. Now keep in mind, the "cardio loft" at the L.A. Fitness I go to has over 60 machines. During the month of August there may be 5 to 7 of them getting used at my time of the morning. But during the "newness" of January, yesterday and today there was probably 30 to 35 being used at my time. Anyway. I'm cranking out on the eliptical, going hard and listening to my new ipod (thanks Santa (my Santa is HOT!!)) and people watching and thinking that person won't be here after a week, that person won't last a month...blah blah blah you get the point. When I look up at the television in time for them to show some of the quarterbacks that have had good bowl games, and the qb from TCU was the one on the screen and I remembered that in his interview he quoted 1 Peter 5:6 - Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.
I thought to myself, that I shouldn't be judging these "newbies". ( Judging is a sin I seem to have a great deal of problem with!!) I should actually be cheering for them. I should be hoping they succeed in their goals. We all should. On a daily basis, we should encourage each other. We should humble ourselves, under God's hand. I think that would involve encouraging, and lifting up each other. I felt stupid judging them, knowing that in one week would be the 2 year anniversery of what made me a "newbie" in the gym at that time!!
C

Christmas season is over!

2011-01-03T12:47:00.002-05:00

We had a great Christmas and great New Year! We left for Jackson on Tuesday night and had a smooth trip! Woke up Wednesday on my 39th birthday!! (Next year is the big 4-0) Had a great time eating, watching football, opening up presents and just hanging with Donna's family! Nothing beats vacation or holidays for rest and relaxation!
Only bad part was one of Bailey's classmates was accidentally shot and killed while we were down there. A young man by the name of Rob Taylor. He sat in front of Bailey in her Science class. She was very upset as you can imagine. We've been praying for his family and the boy's whose house he was at. Very sad situation!
We had another smooth trip home yesterday and back to the grind today!!
The gym is always funny during January! Packed house today and will probably be worse tomorrow when all the kids go back to school!!
Pray for the kids at Woodland Middle tomorrow. I imagine it will be a tough day for all the kids there!
Happy New Year!
C

Christmas weekend

2010-12-27T09:56:00.003-05:00

We had a great Christmas weekend with the family! Complete with the first "measurable" snow in on Christmas in North Georgia since 1882!! How about that?

It was a gorgeous time! We had a blast.

Friday morning we woke and headed to my parents to have breakfast with the my parents and grandparents. Waffles and bacon. The grandparents left, and we opened presents with my parents! We skyped with Janet, Henry and Hank since they weren't able to leave Cleveland for Christmas. We had a good time opening presents, and my parents gave Donna and I a laptop! A great gift for us. Donna has been wanting one for a while now and it was very thoughtful of my parents to do that for us! Friday evening was a great time of worship with our church family, celebrating the ONLY reason for CHRISTmas. Complete with songs, a great message, and candlelit singing of Silent Night. It was a beautiful evening.

We grabbed a bite to eat and headed home, so I could make a German Chocolate Cake for Chrismas day lunch. It turned out beautiful!! We then tucked down for the night.

We woke on Christmas morning to see that Santa had come to the house!! He over did it, but it was a wonderful time together! The kids both got i-pod touches. (I think when I was ten, I got a new football and a 12" color T.V.)

Anyway, we went to my maternal grandparents for breakfast next to a warm fireplace. The snow began around 9:30 or 10. We got done there and headed for home around 11. Got the dishes and cake for lunch and headed over to my parents for lunch with my paternal side of the family. Lunch was great!! We opened presents together and had a good time catching up, but we cut it a little short since the snow decided not to stop! By the time we left there; there was maybe 2" of snow on the ground and the roads were "slushy" but plenty managable. We got the message that church was cancelled for Sunday and decided to tuck down at home for the rest of the weekend and not get out of pajamas until Monday morning. (Except for a quick trip into town on Sunday afternoon!) We got all our Christmas decorations down on Sunday and are ready for a trip to Jackson later in the week to celebrate Christmas with Donna's family!

After we purchase a replacement for Charlene tonight!! WooHoo... new car!

This is Christmas!!

2010-12-22T10:36:00.002-05:00

I guess we all have a little inner child in us, but I get so excited around Christmas! Mostly because I know better than ever that we celebrate our Savior's birth!! I love the songs we sing together! I love the worship we do together! I love our families getting together! I love the prayers we offer of thanksgiving for a gift so underserved! I love it all!!
BUT.... also, the excitement of our children. The wonder of waking up Christmas morning to see what Santa brought. Opening the gifts to each other to see things we normally wouldn't buy for ourselves. I just love this time of year! The cold on your face. Curling up by a fire (even if it is gas logs!) Hot chocolate. The smell of the Christmas tree. MMMMMMMMM Just great times for all the senses!
Schedule:
Friday Morning: Breakfast with my parents and grandparents, followed by opening gifts with my parents and sister's family (this year that will be via skype, since they couldn't come down from Cleveland).
Christmas eve service at church ended by silent night by candle light!!
Saturday morning: Wake up to see what Santa brought followed by breakfast at Granddaddy Austins with all my aunts uncles and cousins.
Lunch with my dads side of the family and opening presents!
Sunday worship at church followed by NOTHING!!! I like the way Sunday sounds already!! Don't you?
Have a wonderful CHRISTmas everyone!
C

Anniversary

2010-12-06T09:39:00.001-05:00

What an amazing weekend!!
Donna and I slipped away Friday night for our 17th anniversary!! I can't believe we have been married that long! It seems like yesterday that she hit on me in Calculus II class! Time has flown by! Donna is hotter today than she was when I met her and she still makes my heart jump when I look at her! I'm in love with her! She is my best friend and an incredible woman, mother, and wife!!
We had a great time talking and laughing together! We went to dinner and did some Christmas shopping and, well that's all I can discuss in a public blog! Ha.
We got back to C'ville for Grif's first basketball game of the season! He did great and scored 2 baskets. He is out of shape though and needs to do some running!! Saturday afternoon the SEC championship started and we watched the first quarter at home before heading to El Nopal in Adairsville to meet our Sunday School class for our class Christmas party. We had a good time with each other and watched Auburn win the SEC championship! Then we headed over to Hometown Karyoke to sing a little. We didn't get to stay long enough, but we had a blast with our bible study class. Only 3 of us got to sing, before everyone had to head back to church to pick up kids!! I hope we get to do that again.
Sunday was a great time of worship at church! I love Christmas carols and Christmas songs! It is going to be a great celebrating the season of Christmas with our church family! Sunday afternoon, Grif and went to pick out the perfect Christmas tree. We got home and started decorating it, followed by a little hot chocolate for everyone when we were through!
There are wwwwaaaaaaaayyyyy too many items on the calendar during this time of year, but in all of our celebrations, parties, get-togethers, and such, as long as we remember The Reason for the season, I will be happy to be busy!!
Also, the end of last month was my 2 year blogging anniversary. Hard to believe, but definately cheaper than therapy! Ha.
C

Amazing worship on a Wednesday!!

2010-11-18T09:02:00.002-05:00

I had an amazing day yesterday!
Work was extremely busy, so the day flew by!! Woohoo.
Donna and I were invited to a prayer group early at church, to pray for a miracle for a couple of friends of ours! It was an amazing time of worship! We were able to stand beside those we love and pray for something that has no earthly shot at happening! I can't wait to see what God does!
Craig

Telling the truth!!

2010-11-02T09:28:00.000-04:00

This will be a very short post!!
I would rather be working a poll today than at work!!
C

Molding

2010-10-28T10:13:00.007-04:00

Long time no post!

It has been a wonderful fall so far!!

Bailey's softball is now over and Grif's basketball season is about to crank up! This past weekend was BUSY, but the weekend before that was just restful and wonderful!

Two weekends ago, Jon H. got a blow up movie screen for his back yard and it was a PERFECT fall Saturday in the south!! We sat out back and watched football, ate, and enjoyed each other from Noon until 10 pm!! All day outside!! Wonderful! Grif drove a four wheeler by himself for the first time and had a blast! We had so much fun we decided to watch the Sunday night game by a bonfire with the movie screen showing the Colts and the Redskins!! absolutely perfect!

Then this past weekend was the exact opposite!!
Friday night Bailey's softball banquest.
Saturday was my 20th class reunion.

And Sunday was church with Team Impact!! This is a great group of guys and Shawn really made Grif feel like a MVP!! We went out to eat with the Hodorff's and Shawn and Chip from Team Impact on Thursday night and Shawn fielded 100 questions from Grif!! He was great and Grif thinks the world of Shawn!! So Shawn invited Grif to the church early on Sunday night to eat with the guys before the service and to "help" set up the stage!! Grif just knew he was big time!!

Grif helping set up under the watchful eye of Shawn!!

Grif eating with Shawn and Cesar before setting up the stage!

Dancing with the HOTTEST woman ever!!

Great times!! I love fall!! Just great events seem to happen this time of year!!

Anyway, now to the molding!! If you have a chance to say a prayer for me today, I would appreciate it!! My wonderful son has become "curious" about the opposite sex and has chosen to view some inappropriate things on the internet!! The internet is a wonderful tool, but there is also some evil stuff out there! Anyway, I get to do the not so fun part of parenting when I get home from work! I want to do this correctly, so that he doesn't have "issues" with sex (which is a BEAUTIFUL thing!!!!!!!) later in life, but I also want to do sternly enough that I teach him A LOT about respect for women and the appropriateness of curiousity!! Praying that God gives me the perfect balance for this discussion!! Need WISDOM! I love being a parent, but this part stinks!! I wonder if that's the way God feels about disciplining us!! It's got to be done, but I'd rather being playing ball with him in the front yard!! LOL

...with heart abandoned...

2010-10-04T09:09:00.002-04:00

The vocal team class last night went well past the hour we expected!! But that was OK!! It turned into something different than we planned. It ended up being 2 and half hours of prayer. Praying for each other, our church, our community, laying hands on each other and lifting each other up. It was DEFINATELY something we have been missing and needing as a group. It was tough to be in that room for me though. Although I needed it, I've been running from or fighting God on prayer for a while. I don't know what I feel about praying and that is a painful spot to be in.
I want so badly to believe and pray for big things. But when I have, nothing seems to change. And if God isn't moved by my faith to pray for "big" things, then why would He be moved by my prayer for "small" things, or anything. It has been a tough 6 or 8 months in that regard. Our life is pretty smooth right now, except for this battle inside me. We (my family) are running pretty smoothly, but prayer is something God has called me to do more of. I've been doing less. It hurts to step out on something and VIEW no results. BUT, I'm tired of wrestling.
So... I stand, with arms high and heart abandoned, in awe, of the one who gave it all.
And I pray.
C

Random great day for the Guyton's

2010-09-22T12:31:00.003-04:00

How about just a random Tuesday becoming a phenomenal day! I love it! First off, my gorgeous bride came down to have lunch with me!! We went to Willie Ray's on the Marietta Square. I would have loved to have eaten outside, but it was HOT!! (Like 95 in the middle of September!! ugh!) Anyway, we had a great lunch together and it gave me a great mid-day break from the normal work grind! Made my day!!
Then I get the exciting news that Griffin made the jump rope team at Mission Road Elementary!! A VERY high honor and I didn't know if it would happen for him, BUT it did! He really wanted it bad, because Bailey had been on the jump rope team when she was there (and whether he would ever admit it or not, he looks up to her something fierce!!).
Last, and YES very least, my daughter is dating! Not big to me since she ain't goin NOWHERE with any BOY yet!! But, it is a desparately big deal to an eighth grader and she is on cloud nine. The boy "asked her out", "to go with", "boyfriend and girlfriend" - whatever you call it, directly and not in a letter or anything, so I give him props for putting himself "out there" like that, but the only good thing I will say about the young fella is he's got GREAT taste in girls! Like I said, it wasn't a big deal to me, but it means a lot to Bailey, so I put it in the "great day" category!

C

Reflecting

2010-09-09T10:34:00.002-04:00

While I am at it, let's hit some of the highlights!!: (Look at this!! Two posts in one day!!)
Spring break was spent at Mt Vogel State Park with the Hodorffs and Lovetts!! Amazing Time!
Softball season was great, (and short since my team wasn't doing well which turned into a blessing)
Watching Grif play baseball!
Watching Bailey play tournament softball!
Ran a campaign for State Representative. Met a lot of great people through that, and am going to be more active in the Bartow GOP and Euharlee City Government because of that experience!
Spent time with Donna knocking on doors for the campaign! I probably enjoyed spending that time with her more than she did!! LOL
Went to the beach with my family!
Numerous "get togethers" with friends!!
Went to the beach with the Heltons and Gordys!!
And now watching Bailey play softball for Woodland Middle!!
It was a GREAT summer!!
Good Times
Craig

Ready for Fall?

2010-09-09T10:09:00.002-04:00

After spending some time reflecting on just how great this summer was, I am ready for fall! The thing I love most about my home state is MOST of the time we get all 4 seasons! Some places skip fall or spring, and go straight to cold or hot, but for most years we in Georgia get some of the best days of the year in fall and spring! The weather is generally cool in the mornings while still warm (or hot) in the afternoons! AND THE EVENINGS ARE GENERALLY PERFECT!! Perfect to sit outside and just take in the surrounding and the sights of children playing in the yards to squeeze the last breaths of summer out!
Football seasons start, baseball gets to penant races and then playoffs!! Just good stuff! I love fall!
Donna seems to have turned a great corner and is starting to feel better from her surgery, which is an answered prayer! The surgery was a great success, which is an answered prayer! We are praying that the surgery will result in feeling a lot better in everyday life, without pain and discomfort!! (Just another reason I want to thank God for making me a MAN!! Woohoo!!)
Quick rundown:
Church - going great!
Bible Study - going great, but very challenging topic!!
Work-going great right now!! Very busy, but still praying for more! (God is probably fielding a lot of those prayers right now!)
Donna-Doing better, and I am downright giddy over her!! (I don't know if that is normal after 16 years of marriage, but I LIKE IT!!)
Bailey - doing great at softball!! Made an incredible catch in center field during yesterday's win!! Straight A's!! and is just a generally great kid!! Except maybe to her brother that drives her crazy!!
Grif- doing great!! Straight A's! FUNNY and just a great kid!! Except maybe to his sister that drives him crazy!!
(did you see a theme in those last two updates?? LOL)

C

Great Trip!

2010-08-25T10:01:00.003-04:00

Donna and I got to slide away for a very long weekend in Fort Walton with some great friends! TOOOO much fun! We left late Friday afternoon and drove straight through and got there just after midnight! Full beach days for Saturday, Sunday and Monday with just a few late afternoon thunder showers! The water, weather, food, and company were all amazing! Very "interlectural" conversations! Three great restaraunts! The weekend could not have been any better!
Back to the daily grind today! Business has been good around the office, which is an answered prayer! Still nervous about the very near future, but still praying for great things and for God to show up big!
Rested and relaxed and ready to go!
C

Back to normal!!

2010-08-18T11:01:00.003-04:00

Well, the last of the campaign signs came down last night. Everything is wrapped up in a neat little bow and done. Well, of course except the emotion of it all, which will take longer I am sure! I hope God will use this experience to open some more doors!!

Donna and I are sliding away with some friends for an extended weekend of fun, sun, and sand!! I can't wait and we need it!! We haven't taken a trip just us in a while!! No kids, just adult time! Excited does not cover it!! LOL.

All of our Wednesday night church events start back tonight, including choir! I can't wait!

Donna is having a little surgery and we just got the date! Sept 2nd. Keep her in your prayers! She is relieved to have an answer to pain she has been having for YEARS! I don't like the idea of the surgery, (just scared, I guess) but it will be wonderful to have a pain-free wife!!

Bailey is getting ready to start the softball season, and we can't wait!!

Anyway, no more running around in the evenings dealing with signs or knocking on doors of strangers!! Everything seems back to normal!!

C

Humbling

2010-08-12T12:45:00.002-04:00

I don't recall asking God to make me more humble, but.....
Picking up signs we have put out during the campaign is not very much fun! Downright humbling. Painful. Thought provoking. I will be doing this a few more days I imagine, but last night it was good for me to help clear my head. I was beating myself up a little; thinking "if this" or "if I had done that" etc. A LOT OF LEARNING STILL TO COME, I am quite sure!!
Anyway, I rode around getting signs in Euharlee and Taylorsville, and tonight I'll be heading someplace else to do that!!
Work is actually great right now, and I am happy to be busy!
Looking forward to a couple of days off later in the month!!
C

Really

2010-08-11T16:20:00.002-04:00

Absolutely no post in forever that had any teeth to it. So I really do not know where to begin to update!

Last night went MUCH quicker than the primary. I guess smaller number of candidates, combined with smaller turn-out gives way to much quicker results! We lost. 131 votes separted us. Shep did great through-out the whole campaign! To be a first time candidate, he did amazing! I doubt anyone wants to see his name on a ballot against them!!

It was also my first time doing this. I know that I will be my own worst critic, but there are many things I did wrong, that I am (and will be for weeks to come) sorting through and marking down as lessons learned.

My emotions are as raw as they could be. Tough day to have to be "faking it" at work! I feel that I've let Shep down. There are going to be plenty of lessons to "glean" from this, and the ones I learn will make me better at that job. It was fun, tough, exciting, and exhausting.

I have been through all the emotions as you can imagine today. I have been angry mostly, but in the long run, the things that have made me angry, will probably be the things that taught me the most! For that I am thankful.

For the experience, I am thankful.

For the wonderful volunteers, I am thankful.

I am sure over the next few weeks I will add stories "from the trail", but for now, this is all I can give you!!

C

I wish!!!

2010-07-19T16:30:00.001-04:00

I wish I had the time to sit and update my blog for you as to what is going on, how cool it is, how great the vacation was, etc, but.... I don't!! I am loving life right now and the fast pace that is campaign season!!
Soon, I promise!!
C

What a week!!

2010-06-30T09:14:00.002-04:00

What an incredible week!! It is/has/and will continue to be BUSY!!! A lot going on!
Bailey and Grif got back from a week of youth camp!! They had a blast!! Donna and I had a great time as well, but were missing our babies badly!! I'm glad to have them home!!
The campaign is going amazingly well, and I am so proud to be working for Shep's campaign!! He is a man of integrity that will represent us well under the Gold Dome. I am proud to be working for him, but more proud to cast my vote for him!!
Shep could not have done a better job in the debate!! He rocked it!!
Our big fund raiser is tonight, then door to door tomorrow and then 4th of July events on Saturday!!
I am looking forward to vacation on the 11th of July!!!!!!!
C

Lots of Stuff

2010-06-23T09:01:00.002-04:00

I'm sorry it has been so long since I've updated, but... been a little busy!
Work is going well, campaign is going great, workouts still great, on medication, off cigarettes!! etc.
We shipped the kids off to church camp for the week and are having a blast so far. (They are having a blast too!!) We had a dinner cruise with the Hodorff's on Monday night!! Chinese, the lake, a beautiful sunset!! A perfect night with my baby!
Last night we went door to door campaigning with some great friends. It was a blast!! A little on the warm and humid side, but still a wonderful reception for the best candidate!! Good stuff!!
C

Science Olympiad, Family, and Campaigning!!

2010-05-17T09:37:00.002-04:00

We had a great weekend at the Guyton House!! Bailey and Mimi left early on Friday to go to Auburn for Katie's graduation. War Eagle (wow - throwup doesn't taste all that bad. (Go Dawgs!)) Anyway Grif, Donna and I went to Jefferson's Friday night to eat!! I hadn't been yet and it was very good!! I will be going again! We went to my grand parents for a visit after that! It has just been wayyyyy too long since I have been to see them!! I get to busy and consumed with my own life to visit a lot and that isn't good, so a correction does have to be made!
Saturday we spent all day at Kennesaw State University for Griffin's Science Olympiad State Championship!! It was a great day! Watching all those "scientists" competing was cool! The only actual event the parents got to watch was the rocket launch! The kids had to build a rocket out of a 2 liter coke bottle including a parachute, and they would shoot it into the air and the parachute would deploy, then the time stopped when it hit the ground! It was extremely cool! I wish that had been one of Grif's events!
Saturday night we cooked out with the Lovett's!! Jerk chicken, hashbrown casserole, salad, and then I made homemade vanilla ice cream!! First time for me to do that for my kids! My parents and grand parents have done it, but I have not!! It was a blast!
Sunday we had welcome desk upstairs, so we missed the graduation service at church! Bailey had an incredible pitching lesson!! She is getting very good and I can't wait to see her start a game instead of just relieve! When we got home, Bailey, Grif and I went to put up signs in some yards. I can't wait until we get literature in, so we can start going door to door and really campaigning!! That's where the fun is!
Shep asked me last Thursday to be his campaign manager!! It is an absolute dream job for me. C.M. is something I've always thought I would be good at! I sure pray I don't let him down!
C

baseball, softball, and more softball

2010-05-12T09:19:00.002-04:00

Our regular Sunday night discussion:
Me: Hey baby, what do we have this week?
Donna: Grif has a game on Monday at 7:30, you have softball with the church at 6:30.
Tuesday Bailey has a game at 6:00
wednesday we have church.
Thursday Grif and Bailey both have a game at 7:30.
Friday Bailey has travel ball practice.
Saturday
Me: Nevermind!!
Thank God for calendars or day planners or i-phones or however she keeps up with it!! Air traffic controller!! LOL. We are all having a blast though and I don't think I would trade this time in for anything!! (I do get excited though when there is a rain out and we get to ALL stay in for an evening!)
Both kids are doing great! Grif got a hit last night and made two good plays at shortstop earning him the game ball!! (That is a big deal!! Just saying, in case you've never been a 9 year old boy!) We, of course, took an autographed ball that dad has out of its case and put this game ball in the case. (It was just Mark DeRosa's autograph, not like it was Ozzie Smith or anything!!) Bailey is playing great softball and she is an athlete!! She can play anywhere and her coaches like that!! She is doing well at her pitching lessons as well!! I can't wait to see her start her first game!
My tournament team is doing extremely well, but my church team not so much! But, we are having a blast!!
I love spring!!
C

Thank you!

2010-05-06T09:34:00.002-04:00

Thank you to those who have been praying for us that I know about and to the ones I don't! I am in the midst of a great week! And have been in a constant state of thanking God!
As I sit here drinking my coffee, looking out the window at a beautiful day, and updating my blog, I can't help but reflect on the way April started. It was a rough month! Seemed like everything fell down or broke down at once.
So here is an update:
The store is still struggling, but we had a good April! (answered prayer)
Charlene is now back on the road!! Woohoo! No damage to the valves and only $250 (answered prayer)
I am getting the crown this month, but I had the money set aside from income tax refund and since I didn't have to buy a new car, that money is available! (Now I just have to fret over the dental work itself, not the money!!)
Termites are gone and paid for with the rest of the income tax refund! (I gave the gvnmt a LARGE interest free loan)
We do have problems with our field lines and are going to be having some outdoor plumbing work done, but that money has been provided by God as well!! (answered prayer)
Both children are doing very well in baseball/softball!! School is almost over for them and Donna. I am excited about Mother's Day this Sunday!! It's going to be a blast and the worship set at church is going to be incredible!!
I am blessed and highly favored.
C

Crunch at home!

2010-04-20T09:25:00.002-04:00

Wed. April 7th: Owner of my store, tells me if things continue down currant path, we won't be open much longer!
Thurs. April 8th: Charlene dies (car - timing belt).
Tues. April 13th: Dentist lets me know I need a crown!! ugh!
Wed April 14th: Some termites show up at the house!
God is still in control. Bad week financially. But, we praise him in the good times and we praise in the times of trial too! (I'll just keep reminding myself that!!)
C

Spring Break

2010-04-13T09:10:00.008-04:00

Me and my gorgeous wife in front of the waterfall at Vogel with the sun gleaming through behind us, hitting the water!! (She is HOT!!)

Due to money crunch and the economy hitting my business, I couldn't take off the whole week with Donna, Bailey and Grif, but I did take Friday and we slipped out of town with the Hodorffs and the Lovetts for a much needed few days away at Mt Vogel State Park! Less than 2 hours away from here, but I've never been. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful!! Amazing scenery, easy, but pretty drive. It was great. Friday when we got there it was still very windy, so that made it a little cold, but nothing a great fire wouldn't wipe away in a hurry!! There is just something hypnotic about watching, smelling, hearing, and feeling a fire isn't there?

We were able to picnic, hike, fish (in streams and on a lake), play putt-putt (Grif's personal fav!!), EAT, play four square, card games, and just spend time with each other.

It was a great time to get away from "real life" and just take in the beauty of God's creation!! Donna has almost talked me into selling the house and buying a motor home to live in for our retirement (a few years from now!!) It was an amazing weekend in a beautiful valley in the foothills of the Appalachian Mtns!!

The kids "exploring one of the many streams at Vogel!!

All the kids in front of the big waterfall!! Beautiful spot!!

Bailey and Griffin, civil for long enough to take this photo!! (Miracle!!)

Great Easter Weekend!!

2010-04-05T10:53:00.002-04:00

We had a great weekend! The kids had practice on Saturday and I had another tourney (I am looking so forward to my team taking a weekend off!!) We came in 3rd with another good showing!
The weather for the whole weekend could not have been ordered up any better!!
Sunday was perfect. Church was incredible!! We went to mom and dad's for lunch with my sister and bro-in-law for Easter. (They are down from Cleveland for the week).
A Sunday afternoon nap followed by some time in the yard with my son, capped off a wonderful weekend!!
C

What's impossible with God?

2010-04-02T09:45:00.002-04:00

The cable was out yesterday when I got home. A coincidental inconvenience most people would say. Maybe... But, we were about to eat dinner and put the movie "facing the Giants" in the dvd. I picked it up a couple of weeks ago when I was getting a book, because I had been thinking about the movie for a while and wanting to see it again.
Anyway, if you've seen the movie, not great acting but an incredible message. At a few points in the movie, I found I was wiping a tear off my cheek. But at the end.... They had just won the State Championship and Coach Grant Taylor walks in the locker room where the boys are celebrating. He gets the quieted down, and he looks at the kid that just made the longest field goal of his life. "David, don't you ever let anyone tell you that you are no good, or second rate.... I just watched God do a miracle through you"!! So then coach Taylor asks David, "What is impossible with God?". David replies, "nothing coach".
That question and answer were mondane enough. I would answer the same sitting here today. If you ask me, "Craig, what's impossible with God?" Nothing would be my reply. Standard "Sunday School" answer. No problem. And I was fine at that point in the movie. But Coach Grant's next question to David was the one that got me.

"Are you sure?" coach Taylor asked. His tone told me he want young David to grasp the full weight of his first question!! "Yes sir coach". The coach went on through the locker room asking both questions to everyone. You see in their school God had been doing miracles. Changing hearts, changing minds, changing attitudes. They KNEW nothing was impossible.

I can't explain why I don't. I've got no explanation. You see, when the coach looked at David and said are you SURE, I didn't feel sure. I don't act SURE. I don't pray SURE. I don't confess SURE. I don't profess SURE. And I definately don't witness SURE.

If I really believe nothing is impossible with GOD, why don't I LIVE it? Why am I afraid to tell someone I know and love that God has put them on my heart to pray for them? Or why am I afraid to tell someone God can't use you if you aren't willing? Why am I afraid to put my hands on someone and claim there broken body for God? Why can I get more worked up over explaining why unversal healthcare is going to be the demise of this country when my own unbelief could be the demise of my own family or a friend that I am suppose to be witnessing to?

God, help my unbelief. I serve The only God there ever was, is, or will be, but I act as if that service doesn't have sacrifice. I want to be willing to look like a fool. I want to be willing to take the first step. Show me what you are trying to say.

C

Weekend Bliss

2010-03-29T10:38:00.002-04:00

What an incredible weekend!! I will be smiling until next weekend because of all the excitement! (I hope)
My tournament team won the tourney on Saturday!! I had a good defensive day and decent offensive (not what I am used to, but it is early in the season). Bailey and Grif both had good practices and ended the day watching daddy at 10:30 pm winning the tourney in a blustery wind!!
Sunday started with an awesome church service! An awesome bible study discussion, and a field trip to the 2nd worship service to watch one of our classmates get baptized and her family join the church!! (how cool!)
Side Note** I got to meet Nell Womack, Joseph's wife, and Tess's sister-in-law. I originally got to her blog one day when I was extremely bored at work and she and some of her friends via their blogs have some incredible recipes!! I mention that so that if you need some quick fix meals with big flavors, it could serve you well to do some snooping around Nell's and blog friend list to do some seriously good eating!!
Back to the regular scheduled program....
Bailey's pitching lesson went great!! She was serious, and working hard!! We had moved her lesson up one hour for the night of worship at the church.
I got back to the church at 3 for vocal team mic check and to make sure we knew all the X's and O's of the game plan. Choir rolled in at 4:30 and we ate a little bit before sound check! Then we ate a little bit after sound check!! The vocal team circled up for a prayer after our sound check that was an incredible time! Moments like that really solidify us as a team, in my opinion. It was sweeeeeet!
Anyway the night of worship/live recording went amazing!! A couple of problems made us have to redo a couple of songs but I think the choir could've gone on worshipping all night!!
I was exhausted but energized. Drained, but ready to offer more!!
It was a truly awesome weekend!! Very special service that I will never forget!! I can't wait to hear the cd!!
C

Contently searching

2010-03-25T09:05:00.002-04:00

I know, oxymoron. How can you be content and searching at the same time? I don't know, but that's the way I feel this morning, so that is the title!
We are coming up on a Live CD recording at the church this Sunday. Of course we are also working on Easter music. Ball practices. Tournaments. Getting ready for the CRCT. Busy at work (Thank God). Going and coming and going and coming...... You get it. A LOT of stuff going on! It is great! It is one of the joys of having children; there is always something to do!! Donna and I are looking forward to Sunday and the live recording. I pray it will be a great time of worship!! I hope it will be a great "lead-up" to Easter; but an amazing experience in and of itself. I have not ever done anything like this with a church. I did it every year for music camp, but in a church setting, not so much! I think it will be cool and I hope the finished product is a blessing to many people!
Forgotten God is a book that we are going over in bible study class. I am in the process of reading it as "homework". I will be writing more on it later, but suffice it to say, it is and is going to be challenging!
That's all for now! Sorry for the quick update, but I am lucky enough to be busy at work!
C

Great weekends are good for the soul!!

2010-03-15T09:49:00.002-04:00

I had another incredible weekend. Friday night we went out with some friends to Red Skye in Marietta. It is a piano bar. I had never been to a dueling piano show, even as much as I love music! The two guys were incredible! It was 3 straight hours of great entertainment! They knew and played one of my requests, one of my all time favorite songs, Scenes from an Italian Restaurant, by Billy Joel. They played the whole version!! (Like 7 minutes long!!)
Saturday was a nice relaxing day! We didn't do anything worthwhile. Just hung out at the house, took a nap, watched a TON of college basketball!! Then I had already decided to cook dinner and what I wanted to cook!! So I went at it:
Fried Chicken!!!
Mashed taters (Donna made these! Best I ever ate!)
Pineapple cheese casserole
And, with apologies to Moore's Gourmet Market:
Sweet Potato Biscuits!! MMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
Great Day!!
Sunday morning got to my house an hour earlier than normal (I know it did for everyone, but this blog is about me!! LOL)
I was on vocal team, so I dragged myself in early and went to singing. I got there in a bad mood!! You could say that I woke up on the wrong side of the bed, but if I told you the truth, I was in a bad mood for very selfish reasons. I wasn't in the mood to lead out in worship. But, thanks be to God, I couldn't stay that way. Somewhere during the first song of the first service, while we were singing Hallelujah, God is Here, He got my attention and changed my thought process. Period. My attitude changed, I'm sure my demeanor changed, the sound I was hearing changed and by the time we got to the second song, I was singing TO God, not about Him.
Pastor preached a tough sermon. Not all that tough to hear, but a tough sermon inasmuchas (LOL) there is a lot of controversy on the scriptures he preached on. And I can ALWAYS respect anyone who says, "I don't understand all of these verses", before he starts. Fact is, there is NO way to understand ALL the Bible. But I can promise this: there is no way to understand ANY of it if you aren't in it. Period.
Bible study was challenging. I think I'm going to ask Shep if he will speak on tort reform for a few weeks in Bible Study!! Then I could tune out without God continually poking me in the chest! LOL
We are beginning a study on the book Forgotten God. It is going to be interesting to say the least!!
Have a great week!
C

I had the best weekend!!

2010-03-08T09:41:00.003-05:00

How often can you really say that? We had an incredible weekend!!
Friday night we went to the Hodorff's for pizza and a game night!! It was an absolute blast!
Saturday morning, Donna and I helped with the Awana Grand Prix at Church! Lisa Lovett did an amazing job, putting that event together! We were done by 12:30 and then decided to go have lunch before going home!
We went to Moore's Gourmet Market, which I have never been to, and sat on the patio to in the mid -50 degree day in the sun and ate lunch! It was chilly enough to have to keep your jacket on, but it was wonderful to eat outside and enjoy some warmth after this winter we have had! Not to mention, having my wife's undivided attention and she having mine is ALWAYS a pleasure!! Very romantic lunch!
We went by the grocery store, so I could get a couple of items I needed for a romantic dinner!! Donna and I got in a good nap. Then, I watched Grif shoot his B.B. gun in the backyard while I was grilling dinner. Bailey was unfortunately reading a book for a book report!
Carribean Jerk Chicken
French Onion Rice
Wilted Spinach w/ crumbled bacon
Homemade Apple Pie a la mode for dessert!!
After the kids went to bed we watched a couple of funny movies. Hangover (Funny parts but overall slow I thought - and raunchy!!) and Couples retreat (Funny parts but overall slow I thought too!) Been a while since I have seen a GREAT movie!
Anyway, Sunday brought a wonderful day of worship! I was on vocals and had to be at church at 7:45 (still yawning,LOL) Then we had 7 songs in the lineup!! 7! is a lot!! times 2 services, but it was an incredible worship set!! I led out on our newest congregational worship song called "I Will Rise". An absolutely incredible song! I felt good about the 1st service, but I went flat a couple of notes in the 2nd service!! Not to bad, just not the way you want to lead out on a new song especially!
Anyway, Bailey's pitching lessons went great, but you could tell she missed a weeks lesson. She was rusty, and had work extra hard! The weather was still great when we got home, so Grif and I went outside to throw the baseball (yes the season in right around the corner already!!) Then he wanted to shoot his bb gun, which he did for a few minutes until he came inside and broke one of the major rules (DO NOT COCK THE GUN IN THE HOUSE PERIOD!!) Gun put up, number 1 son not happy with himself!! LOL.
Prayer time at church was incredible! It just always is!
Got home to the smell of mimi frying catfish, hushpuppies, and home fries, mmmmm come on!! Surely my cardiologist wouldn't approve, but I got after it this morning in the gym to makeup for it!!
Anyway, A phenomenal weekend with the family and the sun!! God made a beautiful weather weekend and we took FULL advantage!
C

Another thing WE don't do enough of.....

2010-02-24T13:29:00.002-05:00

We Christians don't do enough of sharing when God comes up big for us!!
Monday night, one of the things I was praying for was more business. I know a lot of people who are praying the same thing right now. My company averages about $25,000 per month in sales. I tell you that to say this, between yesterday and today, I have gotten orders totaling over $3600.00!! That is 15% of what we normally do in a month, in a day and a half!! We NEEDED that for February that has been TERRIBLE!!
Thank you God!! I want to praise you in public just as much if not more than in private!! You alone are God and You are AWESOME!

C

Submitting, praying, reading, learning

2010-02-23T12:36:00.002-05:00

I have a confession.
Before last night, I had NEVER spent over 5 minutes in a place by myself on my knees before my God. How bout that? I am of the opinion that those type of confessions are why our "witness" to the world falls on deaf ears. I read something a guy, who is either an atheist or an agnostic, wrote that said MOST "Christians" are painfully ignorant when it comes to the Bible. He went on to quote a survey that just over 90% haven't read the Bible cover to cover. (I am one of the 90%, but am in the process of doing so,fyi). BUT, If we don't pray, and don't read the Bible HOW ARE WE REALLY DIFFERENT? In their eyes? I know the Christian correct answer is we are different because Jesus lives in us. But in their eyes? They know a lot of "good" folks, how are we different? Anyway....
I have been attending a prayer service on Sunday nights for 5 or 6 months. Over the course of that, my prayers have changed. (so have I). But I am praying like I have never before. I LOVE IT. Prayer is tough. Prayer is challenging. Prayer is freeing. Prayer is a lot of things. But ABOVE ALL: Prayer is scriptural and Prayer is RELATIONSHIP!! I want it. I NEED it.
So ALL day yesterday I am yearning. Never had that happen before. But I have been praying for that desire!! Yearning to read the Bible, and pray. I had a great day!! Because I knew I was going to make time.
So, last night I had to take some time to pay bills. (FUN!! woohoo) And after, I locked my bedroom door, I got my Bible on my bed, I got all my bills and financial stuff out on the bed, and I got a business plan out (more on that another time). I got on my knees to pray. 30 minutes later I was done. It was an incredible time. I prayed for a lot of different things. I prayed over our finances (literally), over the business plan, But most of all I just prayed with a spirit of Thanksgiving for saving me, and for the changes He has been and continues to bring in my heart!! Then for the next 30 minutes I was singing songs in praise. A bedroom worship service!! Tears flowed, joy, excitement, healing. It was awesome!! (Andrea's blog is a great place to get the music for that if you want to have an alone worship service, FYI).
In the title you'll notice I wrote submitting, but now that I'm writing, I feel that God doesn't want me to share that right now, so...
I guess I'm done.
C

A quick update

2010-02-16T16:27:00.003-05:00

Things have been going good. I have had a few things in my mind for the past couple of weeks, and as of today, feel a weight lifted off my shoulder because I have made two decisions!! WooHoo.
After much thought and prayer, I am putting in my letter of intent to run for Euharlee City Council. A friend called a couple of weeks ago to ask me to consider doing this. If you know me well, you know that I LOVE politics. While this might have seemed like a "no-brainer"; it was very much a "brainer" (if that makes any sense). The reason I finally decided to do this is that in these tough economic times, I believe that the kind of elected officials we need, are those who love God, love their families, love their communities and are fiscally conservative. I believe those qualities are found inside me and therefore I believe I can do a good job for the City of Euharlee.
Councilman David Stout quit mid-term and I am applying to be appointed to fill his remaining two years in office. I don't know any of the other Councilmen which may be a disadvantage, but I don't come in with any preconcieved notions or agendas either! I covet your prayers and I should know within a couple of weeks.
The other decision is that I am not quitting my job. At least. not yet!! LOL - I am going to start my own desert bakery out of my house, on the side for now. That one was a little more of a "no-brainer", but it was still tough, because I have a vision. Anyway, more on that another time!!
Workouts are still going great. My new cardiologist is happy with all the "progress". On a side note: 18 years and 2 days ago, when I met Donna (she hit on me (that is another story)) I weighed 195 pounds. Today, I weigh the same!! Kind of cool side effect of this keeping my heart healthy thing!!
C

Thank you to Drew Startup!!

2010-02-09T14:09:00.003-05:00

Sunday before church the choir was all behind the stage where we meet. Frank asked Drew to pray for us. One of the things he prayed was that each one of us would get an opportunity to talk to someone about Jesus this week. I think most of the choir members were in agreement with his prayer. I was. Even though the prospect of a witnessing conversation strikes fear in me (and most I would say).
Fast forward 24 hours to Monday around lunch, I had a customer that I have known for years come in to get copies and mail a package. She is a book editor. She was making a comment about the book she was editing for a lady that is here local. My customer said, "she is one of those crazy evangelicals....oh, I hope you are not". She looked at me to see if she had offended me, and it struck me that she has known me for 7 or 8 years and has no idea if I am a Christian or not! (Painful!) Anyway, I told her yes maam I am. When she started apologizing profusely, I told her that she had not and could not offend me because I was comfortable with everything I believe! She proceeded to explain that the lady writing the book speaks in tongues and heals and .... She asked if I believed in "all that"?!! Too funny!
Thank you to Drew for the prayer! And thank you GOD for the opportunity, BUT...couldn't it have been a easier question??
The gifts of the Spirit are things that we have discussed recently in Bible Study with our study of Acts. I won't bore you with the whole conversation, but I will share with you two highlights. I was as honest as I could possibly be with my opinions and why this topic in particular is so "touchy" within the Baptist faith and I was very honest in with the information I gave her. I also tried VERY hard to distiguish between the things I KNOW as FACT and the things I hold as opinions! Second, she is Jewish. I knew that and every time I mentioned the name Jesus, she physically became uncomfortable. It was obvious. Anyway, she said that she believed Jesus was a great prophet. I told her my opinion on that subject as well.
Either Jesus IS the Messiah, born to be the perfect Sacrifice and save the world, OR he is a bold face LIAR. There can't be any in between, because He said that He IS THE WAY to God, so either He is, or he lies. She was taken aback with this statement and will be thinking about it for a while I think.
She left saying that she needs to ask for some of these "gifts of the Spirit". I explained that she would probably want to ask Jesus into her heart BEFORE she asked for the gifts of the Spirit. She grinned at me and left.
Who knows?... Very interesting conversation, so once again thanks to Drew for praying that! and to God for answering!
C

Wonderful Reminder!

2010-01-26T10:11:00.002-05:00

It's funny to me how sometimes I find myself wallowing in something. Whether it be health, or money, or the struggles of smoking, blah, blah, blah... It's always SELF-pity. or SELF-doubt. But ALWAYS involves te word SELF. (add the ish on the end and you get it)
Anyway, lately (for a few months anyway) I have been focused on "I'm not worthy" of the ultimate sacrifice that was paid for me. In my prayer life, such as it is, every time I have prayed I've been thanking God for THE gift that I am unworthy of!
On the way to work this morning, I was listening to IBN and Dr Michael Youssef was preaching on this very topic. The main point to his message, which I am sure I was directed to listen to this morning, was to quit focusing on you unworthiness of THE gift but the GRACE which God showed in giving THE gift of Jesus! The message was on point to what I had been needing to hear! Because, as it turns out, according to Dr. Youssef, NO ONE is worthy, but God's Grace is sufficient!
Amen
C

Wonderful Weekend!

2010-01-25T11:11:00.002-05:00

We had a great weekend!!
We went to the Woodland High Basketball games on Friday night.Both games were amazing! The girls and boys both lost, but both games came down to the wire and each only lost by 2 or 3 points! Incredible games. I wish more teenagers would go out to all the sporting events and support their teams. More events attended leaves less time for getting in trouble!
Saturday was full! Grif had a cup stacking event on Saturday (ALL DAY)!!! He did well and won a bronze medal in his relay event. Then he had a basketball game. They lost, but he played well (maybe he was watching the high schoolers play a little more than I thought he was!) Saturday night was the Men's ministry sportsmans banquet. This was a great event. Lots of visitors, wonderful food, lots of door prizes (that I didn't win!!) My neighbor went with me and seemed to have a good time as well.
Sunday was a wonderful day of worship with Dr Paige Patterson speaking. He spoke a message that just fit with where our church is right now! Bible study was challenging as always! Shep spoke on prayer. Last week he had spoken on the need for all Christians to be studying the bible. Both of these VITAL activitities can't just be performed on Sunday mornings, but we need to be actively seeking God through the week, in reading and studying the bible and praying on our own. Wonderful stuff!!
We had a good turnout for the choir preview Sunday night. Dinner was good!! And the cake I had made, while ugly, was good!! I learned how to make fudge icing like my Mema used to make!! This batch taught me how, and I can't wait to make the next cake!! Already looking forward to it!
C

A year ago

2010-01-11T13:11:00.003-05:00

A year ago today was just like any other Sunday. We went to church. Worshipped, Bible Study, Lunch, home for a nap. I went to Basketball Practice for our church team. Played/practiced for two hours!! Two hours, full court, sweating, running, you get the picture!
Anyway, when I got home, things changed. A few hours later I was in surgery clearing a 100% blockage, to relieve the major heart attack I was experiencing. It was taken care of so quickly that today I have VERY little permanent damage!!
God carried me through it. There is no doubt in my mind. New lease on life. I work out daily now. I eat better. I play better. You name it, I try to do it better. The same me, just different!
Many people over this last year in my family, my church family, work, friends etc. have helped and encouraged me in this life change. From constantly asking about smoking, or telling me I look good with the weight loss, to praying for me (and my family!), just numerous ways. I can't express how good it feels to have such great friends!
Donna has put up with a lot. In sickness and in health, for better or for worse. She ovbiously meant those vows and has been steadfast beside me! She is an amazing woman and I am lucky to be able to call her my wife and my best friend!
I still have a long way to go to reach certain goals that I have set for myself, but I feel like I am making great progress.
C

Christmas and The New Year

2010-01-05T09:11:00.002-05:00

The Guyton Family had a great Christmas!! It was spread out as always with finishing opening the last gifts of the season with Donna's family on Saturday the 2nd of January. I absolutely love having a large family. Not for the presents, but for the amount of "get-togethers". Eating, laughing, talking, watching football and all the rest that comes with families at the holidays!! It is just wonderful. I received A LOT of cooking stuff that I had asked for and have already put some of it to use!! I can't wait to try it all out!
I'm glad to be working out again and just generally back into the regular routine of life. I'm ready for the choir to crank up tomorrow night at church again. The break is always nice, but I always find myself ready to get going again!!
Everyone stayed awake down in Jackson on New Year's Eve until midnight. (Well, Grif didn't make it, but....) I got to ring in another year kissing my baby and telling her happy new year. It don't get no better than that!!
C

Merry Christmas

2009-12-24T22:01:00.002-05:00

Well...
The children are asleep!! Mrs Claus is wrapping away. I sit here overwhelmed with joy. Overwhelmed with blessings. Just overwhelmed. 2009 has an amazing year. A wakeup call, if you will. I guess it wouldn't be good to go through life asleep anyway, huh?
We started this morning with a traditional breakfast at my parents for my grandparents. Dad and Mom did great, as always. We came home and I started the cooking!! Painted cookies. German Chocolate Cake. Pineapple cheese casserole. All for lunch tomorrow. But after we see what Santa brought, we go eat breakfast with my Maternal Grandparents.
I am excited for the kids. I am excited for Donna and I too. I just love CHRISTmas.
For unto us a child is born. For unto us a son is given. His name is Jesus.

Merry CHRISTmas to all!! And to all a goodnight.
C

Families

2009-12-17T10:02:00.002-05:00

I had an opportunity to talk to a lady yesterday who came in the store to get her CHRISTmas card labels printed. As we spoke, I learned that this will be her first CHRISTmas without her husband of 57 years (they were high school sweethearts). I literally had tears flowing listening to her talk of their life together and how sweet a man he was. She lavished praise to his name as if he was the greatest husband and father that had ever walked the face of the Earth. I so enjoyed speaking with her! She will never know how that conversation she had with me meant to me.
I learned this morning that John Lane and Danny Guyton (no relation)both passed away. I learned Tuesday night that Grover Knight had passed away.
All of these individual events just have me thinking this morning about families. I have written on this blog about the family that I grew up in and how it has affected the husband, father, and man that I have become! I am blessed!
But, there have also been a lot of other families that have affected me over the years as well.
The Lanes, Guytons, Knights, Boss, Lowerys, Hobsons, Grahams, Hatchers, Doyles, Vickerys, Billues, just to name a few. These families affected me mostly because of their faith. They didn't mind sharing their faith, and in some cases training me in mine. And in most of these families (mentioned and unmentioned) they had/have a husband and father that was a spiritual leader in their churches (and homes). All of these families were in my early and impressionable childhood years.
They loved/love God, their families, and friends.
They helped make me into the husband and father that I am today. I am so blessed that these familes (and many more) were in my "village".
I strive to be a better husband and father today because of them and the men in my own family!
C

Busy Time of Year

2009-12-11T10:18:00.002-05:00

I love this time of year!! Always something to do.
Donna and I had a wonderful anniversery weekend!! We skipped the Christmas parade and slipped away early!! We stayed at the new Hilton in Cville Thursday night. We shopped all day Friday! We stayed at the Hilton in Kennesaw on Friday night and finished our shopping on Saturday morning!! It was amazing to get away with such a stunningly gorgeous woman!! I had a blast!
Griffin's first basketball game didn't go great Saturday, but he had fun!! Sunday worship was amazing as was prayer time Sunday night!! I love starting off my week with our Sunday night prayer "meeting".
I am so blessed. I have an incredible family and am so looking forward to spending a lot of time together over Christmas with all our family and friends!! It's the most wonderful time of the year!!
C

16 Years Ago

2009-12-03T11:04:00.003-05:00

Sixteen years ago tomorrow the most stunningly beautiful, sweetest woman said "I do" to me!! Woohoo!! No, I can't tell you why she did it, but she must take vows pretty seriously, because Donna Guyton is still with me!! I can't tell you just how lucky I am!!
16 years later, she still makes my heart beat fast. She still is the most gorgeous woman in the world. She is still so sweet. She still melts me. She makes me want to be a better man!! I love her more today than I did 16 years ago!!
So, I am going to take her away for a few days!! (It would probably be a better gift to let her get away from me for a few days..... but TOO BAD!!) I can't wait!!
I love you baby!!
C

Thanksgiving

2009-11-30T11:26:00.003-05:00

I had a wonderful Thanksgiving week!! Donna's family came into town Monday. We visited, played games, ate, watched football......

We love it when all her family gets together! It is always a great time.

Bailey was gone with the Hodorff's to Washington D.C. for the entire week. That was very diffucult to be without one of our children for the holiday week, but it was a great experience for her and she made memories that will last a lifetime!

On Friday night, Sarah (John's wife), Griffin, and I made some painted cookies (a la Agan's Bakery cookies). As you can see in the above phote, they came out great!! And tasted pretty good too!

Saturday was a total football day. I lazied around the house and did nothing but watch football!!

Sunday was a great time of worship!! And a bible study lesson that I think we will be talking about and working on for a while!! Bailey got home around 4!! We missed her so much, but are so thankful that the Hodorff's included her and gave her an opportunity to see some historic places!! Prayer time Sunday night was amazing!! I can't understand why more people aren't interested in coming!! My prayer time continued in my car until I got home!! That was even more powerful!! (More on that another time). And the day wrapped with a family game of Clue. Col. Mustard in the patio with the trophy!! I won! WooHoo......

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving filled with the laughter of family and friends!!

Thankful

2009-11-25T10:22:00.002-05:00

I am thankful for parents that raised me in a Christian home.
I am thankful for an amazing, brilliant, gorgeous wife.
I am thankful for a beautiful, smart, respectful daughter.
I am thankful for a smart, handsome, (mostly) respectful, rambunctious son.
I am thankful for a good job, nice home, and other material things that God has blessed us with.
I am thankful to be alive and alive in Christ.
I am thankful for my God, whose Grace always is sufficient, in spite of my stupidity.
I am thankful He sent his son to die an unimaginable death, for me.
I am thankful for these things and many more, not just today, but everyday.
Happy Thanksgiving all!!
C

Take the shackles off my feet so I can dance!!

2009-11-16T12:09:00.002-05:00

What an incredible weekend!!
We started the weekend off with a spend the night birthday party for Bailey!! 13. I am the father of a teenage girl!! R U Kidding me!!!!K^#^%^@^ 10 or 11 girls spent the night and Bailey had a blast!! She got exactly what she wanted....a cell phone. $#!$%#$%#$%% Anyway!!
Saturday was a great day of anticipation!! I woke up with nothing to do until 4:30, so the morning and afternoon were spent relaxing!! (I did make a pound cake to share at the concert, but that's not work!!) I got to the church at 4:30 and we got sound check done. The anticipation just continued to build in me (I'm sure I wasn't the only one!!). JP, Jay and I went over to Zaxby's to eat, and I will NEVER again order their insane sauce!! It was HOT!!
Travis came upstairs to pray with the choir before the concert and just encouraged us to worry more about our worship and less about the notes!! I think that is the way it is ALWAYS suppose to be!! I can't explain the "concert" to you!! I can't help but think that God was pleased!! I was reminded that night of that old hymn; There's a sweet, sweet spirit in this place. And I know, that it's the presence of the Lord!!
We rock it out for a couple of hours. It was incredible!!
I went home exhausted!! Tired,throat hurting a little, and my voice shot! I didn't have any idea how I was going to be able to lead worship on Sunday morning! But, His mercies are new every morning, and He proved that on Sunday!! I woke up refreshed, and my voice had a little "kick" to it!! It was a great reminder!! Thank you Father!
Sunday School was amazing!! (as always) The book of Acts will challenge who you are as a Christian and where you are corporately as a church!!
Bailey's pitching lessons went GREAT!! She is getting so much better! A Sunday afternoon nap was very welcomed!! And I ended the weekend with prayer time at church!! Amazing how that can set you week off in the right direction!
A phenomenal weekend!! Donna and I spent all weekend together and doing fun things we enjoy!! Our church family is great!! And, our worship time together is more strengthening than I can describe!!

Eyes

2009-10-22T09:32:00.002-04:00

I can't describe to you just how random and scattered my mind is right now. I feel I am incapable of a cohesive thought right now. Not much makes sense. It is strange!! I feel lost. I would love to pray about it (and have tried), but my mind bounces from one thing to the next to the next and so on!! I don't know that I have finished a prayer in 2 weeks!! Pitiful.
I wish I could see myself through God's Eyes. Not the sinful, weak, scattered part that I can't seem to get through, but the covered by the blood, unblemished, son that He sees.
For that matter, I wish I could see myself through my Donna's eyes!! If I could be half the man she sees ....
C

Sickness

2009-10-16T09:59:00.002-04:00

Ugh!! What a week!! Grif spiked a 103 fever on Tuesday night. The doctors on Wednesday did the test for the swine flu and it was positive. He has been quarantined to his room ever since. He finally is feeling a little better today. Donna has been battling a sinus infection for a couple of weeks, and finally is feeling better after going to the doctor yesterday and getting on antibiotics. Bailey, mimi, and myself are just hoping and praying we don't get either!!
Chicken N' Dumplins and a pound cake will be made tomorrow to take to the Gills, but I probably won't hold the baby, too much risk that I am carrying something!! Anyone who knows me, knows that is going to kill me, but it is best for Kate. :(
I am still working through some post heart attack depression. Things have been bad for a while now. I havn't felt like talking or blogging about it, and still don't, but I probably need to. Donna is the most patient woman in the world. I don't know how or why!! She is just incredible.
Have a great weekend!
C

Perfectly Beautiful Fall Day

2009-09-29T09:20:00.002-04:00

A sky so blue, that it almost hurts to look at. Not a cloud in the sky. 71 degree high with virtually zero humidity. What a day!
We had a great weekend with the ball team. Winter Haven Florida was HOT!! 95 degrees to play ball in hurts!! But we made a good showing with a 3 and 2 record and 13th place finish. We didn't play to our potential and that always stinks, but, what are you gonna do? We had a blast and made great memories together.
I havn't blogged in a while. I havn't had much to say. I'll try to correct that soon.
C

Interesting days

2009-07-23T10:17:00.002-04:00

The more you know, the more you realize that you don't know.

Have you ever heard that saying? When I was a teenager I thought my parents were dumb. I thought they had no clue of the "real world". The older I have become all of the sudden, they are pretty smart people!! Funny huh? Because the more I begin to know, the more I realize that I have no clue!!

That fact is hitting home with me currently in my walk with God. It feels really strange.
I'm praying more than I ever have; and I know I don't do it enough.
I'm in the bible more than I have ever been; and I know I'm not in it enough.
I'm serving more than I ever have; and I know I'm not serving enough.
The closer I get, the more I know that is available to me that I am not reaching. Not because God isn't offering; on the contrary, it's because I'm insufficient. Tough to feel that, but fact it is.

*************

I had a great workout today and my 6 month check up is coming up next week.
C

I would like to tell you......

2009-07-20T12:32:00.002-04:00

that I pray daily
that I am in my bible daily
that I put my family before myself
that I have everything together
that I am a phenomenal husband
There are many other things I would like to tell you, but they would all be lies as well.
God is still working to perfect me! I pray he will finally have me perfected at the day of Christ. Until then, I pray I grow daily. Instead of the 1 forward, 2 backward approach I have done in the past!!

We had another great weekend!! I thank God for my wife and children that make everyday soooo enjoyable!!
C

SLEEP

2009-07-17T09:55:00.002-04:00

It has been an extremely tiring week!! We havn't slept well all week for a variety of reasons, but last night was NICE. I feel rested and relaxed finally.
Bailey has been at Splash Bartow all week, and I am ready for her to come home!! I am also ready to hear her experiences. I hope she had a blast.
I need to get a picture of the garden up here so you can see it. Growing like crazy. We picked two cucumbers yesterday, which is the first of anything we have gotten, but everything is in full bloom! Looking forward to picking more stuff.
Big softball tourney tomorrow. It is the ISA State Championship. It is in Rome, so we don't have to drive far!!
Have a great weekend everyone!!
C

Weekend Events

2009-07-13T09:22:00.003-04:00

Friday after work I went to get my hair cut then hurried home, just in time to leave for Rome. We met my nephew John in Rome to eat dinner then he was staying with us for the weekend. We ate a Sumo Japanese!! We came home and played dominos for a couple of hours while we caught up on everything with he and Sarah!! She was at the Merchandise Mart for the weekend with her mom. We missed seeing her!!
Saturday was a softball tourney at Dellinger!! We don't get to play there enough. We didn't do great. A very bad showing compared to how we have been playing. We got home and Lorraine started making chicken n' dumplins!! The rest of us played a little four square.
Sunday School was good. Continuing on the ten commandments. We had some more good discussions. Church was wonderful. Worship set was good and Doug, filling in for Pastor, did a good job!!! We had lunch at grandaddy Austin's house for his 81st birthday!! Chicken casserole, chessy hashbrown casserole, green beans, mmmmm!!!
We went out with Shep and Andrea to Mellow Mushroom (it was good this time!!) and had a great time. I had a great time talking with them. They add a lot of perspective! I was able to hash out some of the stuff rolling around in my mind. They were too. Hopefully I will be able to blog some of my thoughts on the things we talked about soon.
A GREAT WEEKEND!!
C

P.S. A little belated, but good luck to everyone who auditioned for praise team yesterday!!

Six

2009-07-10T09:21:00.003-04:00

It has been six months tomorrow since the world changed around my house. The post heart attack "plan" is still going well and I guess it will until God calls me home.
So the short version:
Children are good and enjoying summer!
Donna's good and enjoying summer!
The garden is growing good!! Going to be eating some good vegetables shortly.
Work is going good.
So really my life has never been better.
My house is joyful, and fun.

With all that said, it makes little sense to me as to why I am wrestling with God over stuff, when everything is going soooo perfectly, but personally that is where I remain. Been there for a few weeks now. And so far, I've got lots of questions, but very few answers.
C

Cleveland, Ohio

2009-07-06T14:21:00.002-04:00

We had a wonderful time in Cleveland visiting my sister Janet, my brother in law Henry, and my nephew Hank. Mom, Dad, Donna, Grif, Bailey, and I flew out early Wed. We got there by 9 am or so. We took a driving tour between the airport and their house of Cleveland and some of the suburbs. We went to lunch at a deli that was incredible!!
I don't remember much after that. I slept the rest of Wed away. Either from getting up at 3:30 to make the flight or the dramamine or something, but I crashed!!
We went to the West Side Market, which is a HUGE farmer's market. Any fruit, vegetable, meat, cheese, spice, or herb you wanted was there. I could have spent hours and serious cash in that place!! Janet, Henry, Donna and I left the kids with mom and dad and went to Lolita's, which is Iron Chef Michael Symon's restaurant. It was an amazing culinary experience!!
Friday we went to the shores of Lake Erie, and now I can say that I have been to a Great Lake. We went out to dinner at Trutorios which is an Italian place in Little Italy. WOW. Saturday we did normal 4th of July stuff. We grilled out. We sat outside in 75 degree 0 humidity weather. We played HOURS of corn hole.
Sunday morning we went out for brunch at a place called Grumpies. Wonderful again!! We chilled out, watched Wimbleton (OMG what a match) and went to the airport to come home. Bad weather made the turbulence a little too much for my liking, but we made it home and drove to the house around 11 or midnight.
The food scene in Cleveland is amazing!! If you ever go, take your stomach and your wallet. I think I saw 4 "chain" restaurants while I was there!!
Absolutely GREAT trip. My nephew is pretty cute and wonderful too!!
C

Family weekend!!

2009-06-29T09:47:00.002-04:00

I had an amazing weekend with my family!!
Friday, I got home from work and we all packed a picnic and our tennis raquets!! We went to the Euharlee covered bridge and threw out our blacket by the river. We ate our dinner and talked and laughed!! It was wonderful. Romantic too (even with the kids there). You know those shared looks that I am talking about!! Anyway.... we walked over the bridge and had fun scaring Bailey!! (She didn't like the space between the boards!! LOL) We then went over to Osborne Park and hit the tennis ball for an hour or so, before going back home drench in sweat!!
Saturday I had an early softball game in Aragon. It was a fun benefit tourney for the volunteer fire department of Aragon. A huge family day with bbq plates, craft booths, bouncy things for the kids, pony rides, softball tourney, and around 10pm a fire works show that was VERY impressive (as big, but not quite as long as the ones in Cartersville on the 4th!!) We came in 3rd in the tourney and arrived home at 4AM!!! Ouch. Which leads straight into Sunday morning....
After 3 hours of sleep, I had to be at church early because it was my day to sing. It hurt getting up, and I was not at the best I could be vocally, but wow did it turn out to be a very special worship service!! I prayed alot for God to help me get to an attitude of worship and not to be tired. God did just that!! I wasn't tired, and the music and preaching were on point!! It was a wonderful time!! When I got home I HIT THE WALL!! LOL.
I took a Sunday afternoon nap. A good one!!
Sunday evening, I cooked dinner. Pasta primavera with squash, zuccini, carrots, and garlic with fresh grated parmasean. Baked chicken and broccoli.
Then we sent the children off to bed and watched Gran Torino. Very good movie (I hated the ending.)
A good time had by all!!
Great weekend!!
C

Bragging......

2009-06-25T16:09:00.002-04:00

Alright. I am VERY capable of bragging!! I've done it plenty in my life!! Too much.

Today, however, I want to brag on God.
And in the process "tell" on me. I screwed up this morning!!
I heard him talk!! I've been asking him to speak to me. To speak to others through me (even though I am unworthy)!!
This morning he answered my prayer!!
He spoke to me as clearly as possible!!
He told me to email a friend to tell that friend I was going to pray for him.
Wow. Just that plain. Cool right?
Right up until the point where in my mind I thought, "that can't be right!!" I blew it off. Boy did I mess that up!! You know how I know?
Because 30 minutes later!! (yep 30!!!!!!) this friend email ME. (He has never emailed me before!! (Just to show you that it wasn't a normal occurance!!))
Anyway, what do you suppose his email asked?
Yep, you got it!!
I blew it!!
I apoligized, confessed, and asked God to forgive me!!
Then immediately thanked him for the opportunity!! (Even though I blew it)
I pray that He sees fit to "try" me again!!

C

Searching....

2009-06-24T09:47:00.002-04:00

Isn't searching fun?

Think about it.

When you were young, odds are, that at some point you made or "found" a treasure map and went searching for it.

Hide and go seek is all about searching.

Life is like that too. Everyone is searching for something. Some are searching for a spouse, or the right career, etc....

Most, if not all, at some point will search for the meaning of life. Even an aetheist at some point wonders what the purpose of man's existance.

For the christian, the purpose is to praise God and search or seek a closer relationship with God. You can't do that just by going to church every Sunday. You can't do that just by listening to your pastor or bible study teacher. You really have to formulate opinions on you own. You have to read the Bible regularly and ask God for discernment.

I have a NEW belief. Very new!!

I believe that MOST Christians, believe what they believe, not after careful reading of the scripture, but because a pastor, or bible study teacher told them.

Just because the Southern Baptist Convention or the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship or the Catholic Church, has a particular doctorine, doesn't mean that you should believe that doctorine without discerning what God says about it.

Here is my point; If you lock a brand new Christian in a room for a month with the bible, he will NEVER come out of that room thinking the gifts of the spirit have passed away from man. NEVER. It just isn't in there. Our lack of belief in the gifts of the spirit come from our lack of experiencing said gifts and from abuse of those gifts by persons who have in history wanted to glorify themselves more than glorifying God.

Still searching....
C

Just a question or two for you to ponder.

2009-06-23T10:18:00.002-04:00

Do you believe in the inerrancy of the Bible?

Are you pro choice?

What is your greatest sin? Toughest one you deal with? Excessive drinking, gossip, pornography....?

Of those three questions. Which one did you answer with the most emotion? Which one produced the greatest desire to discuss or debate? If the answer is not the 3rd one isn't something wrong? If I am more passionate or emotional over a doctorine or a policy than I am over my faults and sins, is that not the height of arrogance? Is that not the type of hypocrisy that Jesus dealt with in the Pharaisees?? Do I even want to be different?
Do you want to be well? John 5:6 - Jesus asked that to a man who had been crippled for YEARS!! YEARS. What type of question is that? Of course he wanted to be healed!! right? Well, do I? Do you? We all deal with something. Do you want it gone?

******
I am a sinner. I am saved by grace. I sin daily. Most days, in the past, that fact didn't even bother me. Wow, is today different.

C

As morning dawns, and evening fades.....

2009-06-22T10:43:00.002-04:00

Another phenomenal weekend!!
Friday night playing 4 square with Grif, Bailey, Donna, Jon, and Sydney!! Hot sour cream pound cake straight out of the oven (come on now!!). Saturday was an ALL day softball tourney because my team did great again!! First game was at 9am, and the last game ended at 11:30 pm!! 2nd place!! woohoo.
Father's day was incredible!! Bible study finishing our discussion on the 4th commandment!! Wow, good discussion. Worship was wonderful, with an ALL MALE choir of about 50 or 60 men!! What a great expression of worship, and I hope ALL those men come back in August when choir starts back!! Bailey and Grif gave me wonderful presents!! New garden hose, rolling cart to store the hose, desparately needed new socks!!, a shirt, and 2 books that were suggested to us by Shep and Andrea. Wonderful!! Being Bailey and Grif's dad is more special than I can put into words. God has blessed me with those two wonderful kids and an incredible wife, even though I am undeserving!!

S&A recommended these books because of some questions I was asking and seeking answers to. Both are by Jack Deere. And the one I am reading first is Surprised by the power of the Spirit. I couldn't help but start reading it last night, and finally HAD to put it down at midnite!! LOL. (getting up at 6 for the gym this morn wasn't easy!!) I wasn't but in the first chapter before I told Donna, "God meant for me to read this book". First of all S&A knew with the questions that I was asking, this book dealt with THE possible answers. 2nd (and S&A had no idea, but God did!!) the book got personal in a hurry through a church across the street from my office that my largest customer attends. (might seem small to you, but God tapped me on the forehead, and seemed to say, pay attention when reading this!!)
I have never read a book while using a highlighter, but 3 pages in I wanted to be marking it up. Stopping and praying. Talking. Listening. I really think this is going to be and interactive read!! We'll see.
One of the questions I was asking was "Why have I never witnessed something miraculous like we are asking for Caroline?" The bible is full of accounts (not stories) of miracles. Where are they today? When is the last time you saw someone:
1. see for the first time? or
2. walk for the first time? or
3. anything of this nature?
In chapter 1, Jack Deere, a professor at Dallas Theological Seminary and pastor, had those answers for me in 1985. God didn't talk to us that way anymore. God didn't give gifts of the spirit since the last apostle died. This first chapter hit me pretty hard, in that, Jack Deere was using the same language I was. Asking the same questions.
I'll finish with this; For the first time in my life, God has an open mind and an open heart in me to speak. I don't know what answers, if any, I will have when I finish reading this book.
I can tell you this: in the past, talking about "gifts of the spirit" would have sent me walking in the other direction. I would have been half willing at best to listen to anything about the subject. If God wants to speak to me on this subject, I'm open.
C

SENATOR Barbara Boxer claims she is NOT a lady.

2009-06-18T13:05:00.002-04:00

I know. Strange title.
If you don't like politics, stop reading now.
A general with the Army Corps of Engineers is testifying in front of a Senate committee headed by Mrs. Boxer, when he has the audacity to refer to her as ma'am in answering a question. Mrs. Boxer immediately cut him off and asked him to refer to her as Senator Boxer, to which he replied yes ma'am.
I find it humorous since here in the south there is no greater sign of respect that you can show a lady than to call her ma'am. I have OFTEN been told "don't call me ma'am, I am younger than you"!! To which I ALWAYS respond the same way, "ma'am is a sign of respect, NOT AGE".
Anyway, I was taught that you use the word ma'am to show respect to a LADY.
Therefore, the only conclusion I can come up with is the SENATOR Boxer does NOT think herself a lady?

C

Ready or not - Summer is here!!

2009-06-17T12:05:00.002-04:00

We have planted a garden this year at our house. A little late, but it is in the ground already with good rain and 90+ degree days coming!! WooHoo. Friday is suppose to be AT LEAST 96!! That'll be sticky in Georgia.
11 rows:
Watermelon and cantaloupe
3 rows of okra
2 rows of silver queen corn
2 rows of purple hull peas
butter beans
2 rows with cucumbers, squash, zuccini and bell peppers.
Hopefully it will all produce and we will be eating good!!

I am still exhausted from the weekend!!

C

Worthy is the Lamb who was slain.

2009-06-15T11:19:00.002-04:00

There was no flash of lightning or roll thunder followed by Caroline Helton getting out of her wheelchair. There was no army marching in the trees followed by her saying "Mommy, Daddy I love you." There was no marching around the wall seven times followed by Caroline walking. The point being, that to my naked and earthly eyes Caroline Helton is still awaiting a healing. That hurts. It hurts for our friends. It hurts for our church.
Pain is a feeling. It goes away.
Faith, however, is an action. It lasts eternally.
We are human, so there is some level of wallowing, or depression, anger, etc.
But, there is also a sense of pride. Granted, it may be hidden under some tears. But, pride nonetheless, because God spoke and I acted.
God spoke, and the Helton's acted.
God spoke, and the Strain's acted.
God spoke, and our church acted.
Not felt. Actually acted.
Acted.
Definition: To put into motion. Move upon.

Donna and I left the Helton's Friday night after a wonderful visit with them. It was almost midnite, and Caroline was not healed (that I could tell). But I was different. I wasn't the same person that I was, before last week. I think I realized that for a lot of my life, and all of my Christian life, I have been a negative, "that can't happen anymore", pharisee. This event, made me realize that God has called me to be "the church". Not to go to church. BE HIS CHURCH. I don't think you can be a pharisee and be the church at the same time. I really do think it is one or the other!!
So, hold a mirror up to yourself, and choose.
Don't just say I believe, show it.

Sunday school and church yesterday were something very special. Bible study we discussed the 4th commandment. Shep taught a great lesson on it, even though he would have probably preferred to be picnicing or something at his parents farm with his family close by!! Andrea had two solos during church!! (Turns out there is no verse or passage in the bible that allows us believers to only praise him when we are happy!!) It was INCREDIBLE!! That's all. Simply incredible!

Are you a pharisee or are you THE church?
C

Cautiously Optimistic? Pessimistic? Believe?

2009-06-09T09:11:00.002-04:00

Sometimes you have to choose.
Somethimes you cannot sit in the stadium and cheer for both sides. Sometimes you can't ride the fence without falling with one leg on each side. (sorry for the visual men).
The bible says you are either hot or you are cold, because luke warm isn't an option (paraphrasing).
So, last Friday I learned that June 12th is a day like that for me. Showtime. Faith in action or no faith? I really shouldn't even write apost that makes it about me!! But it the situation put a mirror in front of my face and at first I didn't like what I saw to the point of tears.
When Jay Lowder was here he spoke about an addition to alcohol he had. Bad addiction. Attempted suicide. You get the picture. He spoke about God getting ahold of him and him being saved. He spoke eloquently about being called to the ministry. He then told the story of the reactions to that call:
The "church" folk knew who he used to be and sneered that God couldn't or wouldn't use him to reach a lost world.
The "bar" folk he used to run with saw a changed man that could reach the anyone because he had been where they were!! They were truly excited for his new mission, his new life!!

I don't want to be a pharisee. I don't want to be a pew holder. I don't want to talk about the miracles God used to do!!

Is God smaller than he was when he raised Lazarus from the dead?
Or is the Lazarus thing just a story?

Is God smaller than he was when the four men dropped the man through the ceiling to be healed?
Or was that just a story?

When Andrea & Shep had a little girl years ago. Andrea and Caroline almost died during the birth. Caroline came out of it severely handicapped. Caroline can't walk. Caroline can't talk. Caroline can't eat. Caroline can't, can't, can't.
Now allow me to tell you what Caroline can do!! Caroline can light a room up. Caroline has an infectious smile. Caroline CAN communicate with you. I have seen Caroline on stage with her class when all the children were singing a song and dancing, performing for their parents, Caroline is singing and dancing, but she doesn't know that her parents are in the room. I promise you that I have seen Caroline worshipping at the feet of God.
Shep and Andrea have believed from the start that Caroline would be healed. They have received encouragement through MANY ways.
I have always SAID that I stand with them. That I believe that God CAN heal her. Through many different ways they feel that God has told them it will happen this Friday. June 12th.
Interesting huh?
There in lies the title to the post:
Am I pessimistic?
Am I cautiously optimistic?
Do I believe?
There is where the mirror got held up for me. You see, Wednesday until Sunday we are going to Jackson (Donna's hometown) to see family, go to a reunion, and pick in the garden.
But, that makes NO sense.
If I BELIEVE that God can heal her, why would I be anywhere else on Friday but near Caroline Helton? That wouldn't make sense. The only reason I would go to Jackson, is if I did NOT believe that God could heal Caroline.
Well, Craig, it's not that God can't heal her, maybe they just got the date wrong, or they WANT it to happen so bad they are hearing things that aren't there. NO. Period.
That is not what it comes down to today for me. See, I have been struggling. Since Friday.
Whether Andrea and Shep got the date right is not relevant to the discussion God is having in my life.
Whether or not June 12th is a day that changes the world or not is not relevant!!
What is relavant is this:
Do I believe that God USED to perform miracles?
Do I believe that God is still big enough to perform miracles?
Do I believe in God?
Since the answer to all 3 of those questions is YES, the reason why it is not relevant as to whether June 12th is going to change the world, is that June 12th is going to change ME and my family.
WE ARE GOING TO BE IN CARTERSVILLE GEORGIA ON FRIDAY IN ANTICIPATION THAT GOD IS GOING TO ROCK MY WORLD.
We are cancelling our trip and I am taking Friday off from work; why you ask?
Because....
What if?.

C

Weekend plans

2009-06-05T12:54:00.004-04:00

This weekend is going to have work, and fun!!
Not work, work. The home type work!!
Tonight we have the end of the year fathers versus the sons baseball game!! Always fun!!
Tomorrow, we are going to plant a garden!! Cut grass!! Tune up the corolla!! Wash the corolla!! And make something special for dinner!!
Sunday, we have a family reunion in Ellijay!! Fun, Fun!!
I hope everyone has a great weekend!!
C

Multiple Stuff

2009-06-02T09:53:00.002-04:00

My softball team won the spring nationals!! This is one of the biggest tourneys of the year. Teams from GA, AL,TN,SC,NC,MS,FL are represented. 1st place receives $2000 and a paid berth to the ISA World Series in Polk Co Florida at the end of Sept. 2nd place receives $500 and an unpaid berth to the world series. We won it!! We had the toughest bracket and it didn't matter. We played well as a team, and had fun.
I've decided I don't have enough going on in my life, so I have started a garden and compiling my family tree. Both are time consuming, but theraputic in their own way!!
Work is slowing for the summer, but this summer we don't NEED it to slow down!!
Everything else is pretty good.
C

Memorial Day Weekend

2009-05-26T09:50:00.002-04:00

What a weekend this has been!!
Friday Morning, I took off from work to see Bailey's awards day at Euharlee Middle!! She received an award for all A's honor roll ALL year!! Not many people on that list!! Then she received the citizenship award for her group of 120 or so students!! I'm not trying to say I was proud, but...
Then Mimi took the children to Alabama. I helped Donna move her classroom (she is getting a new one for next year!!) Then we went to the Rome Braves game Friday night!! Front row right at the visitors on deck circle. We got a foul ball and a GAME USED cracked bat!! WooHoo!!
Saturday we slept in like we used to early in our marriage when we were playing darts and singing karioke every weekend!! Did some things around town, visited my grandparents and my parents..... Watched Lonesome Dove (thanks Shep) and then watched Taken!!
Sunday we were at church, where we started the Ten Commandments in Sunday School. Honored our Military in church and the Pastor did more of the series understanding relationships. It was a phenomenal day. We went home and watched a couple more movies and just chilled out!
Monday we did NOTHING most of the day until we grilled out with some friends in the neighborhood. We cooked out, played wiffle ball like when we were kids, and just had a blast!! Then Donna watched one of those reality dance shows or something until 9 and then decided she wanted an ice cream, so at 9:30 PM we were at Bruster's getting an ice cream. MMMMMM., But I paid for it this morning. Tuesday morning work out HURT!! But I did it. Treadmill can't laugh at me!! LOL
I hope everyone had as great of a weekend as we did!!
C

Only when I support it....?

2009-05-21T11:57:00.002-04:00

President Obama on the 36th anniversery of Roe v Wade says "this decision stands for a broader principle: that government should not intrude on our most private family matters."

But this week a Brown County judge ordersDaniel Hauser to recieve chemo treatments for his cancer against his and his mother's wishes, but I havn't heard My President say that the judge should stay out of that most private family matter?

In March a judge ordered that 3 homeschooled kids had to go to public school because their mother's lessons had religious teachings, but My President didn't tell that judge to stay out of that most private family matter?

I am under the current belief that things are private family matters for liberal, such as my President, ONLY if they agree, otherwise the government HAS to "intrude".
Non-intruders, unless we don't agree.
Tollerant of all opinions, unless your opinion is different.
Accepting of all religions and aetheists, unless you try to pray in public.

Frightening times!!
C

Random - Nothing too interesting

2009-05-21T11:00:00.002-04:00

1 - Turns out I can make a German Chocolate Cake.
2 - Saturday 5-9 thru Saturday 5-16 I played 14 softball games. Turns out that was too many!! I had to take a few days off from working out to recoup!!
3 - Lorraine is taking the kids to Jackson with her for a week. DO NOT stop by the house. PERIOD!! (Till the water runs cold!!) LOL
4 - God is good!!
5 - I hope everyone has a great Memorial Day weekend!! Thank you to all Military members, past, active, and future!! You are the reason we are FREE!!
C

Local Happenings

2009-05-07T10:16:00.002-04:00

What is going on in the 'ville?
Well, we have been praying for Julia Ray since Monday when she received a skull fracture when the entertainment system at her house fell on her. She has been a Egleston since she was life flighted there. Things are looking good, but we are waiting for the results of the CT Scan this morning to show less blood than yesterday in the brain. Jac and Jody need to bring that baby home!!
Carrie Panter Trotter's graduation party is Saturday evening, and I can't wait to see my whole family. (Havn't seen everyone since Christmas!!)
My dad's birthday is also this weekend!! And I am going to attempt a German Chocolate Cake for the event!! Mema Flossie used to do this, but can't now and dad did his own last year, but I don't think that is right having to bake your own cake for your birthday, so I'll let you know!!
I am going to cook sumpin goooood on Sunday because my wife is the best mother in the world to our children!! I might even make (err. I mean let) the children help me in the kitchen!! LOL.
This past Sunday was 16 weeks since the heart attack. 16 weeks since my last cigarette. Down a few pounds from exercise and eating better!! Good stuff.
C

Junk

2009-04-30T10:54:00.004-04:00

I have had such trouble writing on here the last few days!! I am as happy as I can ever remember being. I am as close to God as I can ever remember being. I am as healthy as I was in high school. Blah, blah, blah.....
Then yesterday, I come in contact with an atheist. Bam. Brick wall!! Not taking away my happiness, or making me question, but actually putting a burden on me. I can't describe it any better, sorry. Tough situation.
Anyway, Obama's first 100 days, and my government is growing while faith is shrinking. (I don't blame Obama for that!!) I blame us. Christians. If it is hard for people to tell a Christian from the world, what is the attraction? As a matter of fact, it makes Jesus even more of a "turn off" if we are hypocritical!! NO ONE likes a hypocrit.
Softball tonight for the church. 1st tournament this weekend since the heart attack. Hopefully, dinner with friends this weekend. Family time!! Maybe even a date with my wife thrown in there!!

It don't get much better than this!!

2009-04-27T09:42:00.003-04:00

You remember that beer commercial line, "it don't get much better than this"? Well, that was my weekend!! Life is incredibly good right now, and I thank God for it.
Friday night we had the spring fling at Grif's school and then Grif had a late baseball game. They did great, and won, and Grif hit an inside the park homerun!!
Saturday, Grif had an early game that they won again!! Grif hit a solid double over the shortstops head!!
I went by to visit with my grandfather and grandmother for a few minutes after the game. I soooo miss spending time with Granddaddy Austin!! One of my hero's in life. I had a great visit, but had to get to the house to work in the yard!! We worked in my yard and Mr Tom's yard for the rest of the afternoon. Bailey asked if she could help, so I put her on the riding mower and gave her the first of many "driving" lessons!! She did wonderful, except for that moment when I was looking at her realizing just how grown up she is getting!!
Saturday night I helped Wendy with a wedding reception at the church. The place was beautiful and we served a meal fit for a king and queen!! A wonderful evening of service and I hope the bride and groom have a wonderful life memory from it!!
Sunday was phenomenal, incredible, inspiring, whatever other awesome adjective you can come up with!!
Shep was out of town, with a very serious business matter, so Andrea taught our Bible Study!! Oh my goodness!!! She was incredible, and spoke with such authority on the subject of your calling!! Using our study in Nehamiah, she spoke of some tough decisions she and Shep are going through in regards to Caroline. Hearing more of their hearts was touching, but the lesson in and of itself was tough. Not "coming down" off you mission, goal, calling, is NOT an easy task. Listening to someone talk to you, while you are hearing a message from God isn't as easy as you would think either. More on that another day!!
Worship time was incredible!! I told Donna later in the day that I could worship standing between Drew Startup and Andrea Helton if we were singing the A,B,C's!! Their voices are so incredible and I love hearing those harmonies blending together!! WOW!! Then Pastor Randall rocked the sermon!! He spoke to men yesterday and didn't mind "getting after it" a little!! It was a tough message to hear, but a great message to recieve!! I want to be more like the husband he was describing!! I hope Donna can bear with me until I get there!!
We left church and went to Fudrucker's with the Englands and Gochees and then onto the Rome Braves game!! Carey had gotten a suite and it was a blast!! The Braves got beat pretty bad but what an incredible day to be at the ballpark with friends!! Grif got the dipping dots (the holy grail to that 8 year old!!) and Bailey played with the little kids like an amazing big sister type!! She is going to make a great baby sitter and eventually a great mother!!
We got home and played outside for a LONG time!! We threw the softball and baseball around. Took some infield. Then played a boys against girls basketball game!!
An amazing weekend of family time and worship time!!
Thank you God for an incredible family and an incredible church family!!
C

Miss California

2009-04-22T09:49:00.002-04:00

Miss California was asked a question about legalizing gay marriage, and gave an honest response that she was taught that marriage was between a man and a woman. She lost the pageant and is now being dragged through the mud. Too funny considering gay supporting liberals are supposedly tollerant?!??! Sure, tollerant until you hold a different opinion from them, then you get called a "dumb bitch" like Miss California!!
Of course if you go to a "tea party" to protest (a fundemental right of Americans) too high of taxes and too high of government spending then, according to Jeanine Garrafelo (sp) you are a racist plain and simple, because you don't want a black man in the white house.
So much for tollerant!!
C