Unless you live on the moon, you've seen and or heard about the destruction taking place in California last week and over the weekend. The Tea, Freeway Complex and Sayre fires have and are still currently burning. Sara called us Thursday evening and said there was a big fire and the campus was threatened. Further, all the students had been evacuated to the gym, an in-place safe shelter. Well, Thursday night was not a very restful one to say the least. Along with 4 other girls packed into her car, Sara was allowed to leave the campus on Friday. She dropped off one in Santa Barbara to be picked up by her parents, 2 in Redlands at family members' homes and brought Karina, a native of the U.K., home to our house. The girls were allowed to leave with whatever they were wearing and had grabbed from their dorm rooms when they were forced to flee to the gym the night before. The school lost some buildings and the faculty has suffered some major property losses.
Saturday was Karina's 22nd birthday. Being far from her parents home in San Ramon, there was not much celebration in store for her. Enter the Ziegler clan... It is fun being a part of her "family" for the short term while she's awaiting permission to return back the to school. We had ravioli for dinner the requisite chocolate cake for dessert and even sang happy birthday for her. We then watched the movie of her choice, "The Sound of Music." I'm not usually sentimental but, I do get a little sentimental when I watch this movie. It's not just the music, although most of it is very upbeat and fun, it's the idea that God has a plan for everybody. It's not always apparent but, it can be discovered. Fraulein Maria discovered her calling was not to be a Nun but to be a wife to Captain von Trapp and a step-mother to his children. Intermingled into the story is the beginning of one of the darkest periods in the history of mankind.
A thought from Oswald Chambers' book "My Utmost for His Highest."
Our circumstances are the means God uses to exhibit just how wonderfully perfect and extraordinarily pure His Son is. Discovering a new way of manifesting the Son of God should make our heart beat with renewed excitement. It is one thing to choose adversity, and quite another to enter into adversity through the orchestrating of our circumstances by God’s sovereignty. And if God puts you into adversity, He is adequately sufficient to "supply all your need" ( Philippians 4:19 ). To read all of this devotional click here.
Until next time,
ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR me Hearties!!!!!
OLD GUYS RULE!!!!
Monday, November 17, 2008
Monday, November 10, 2008
Lack of Sleep Does What? I Forget...
Good morning gentle readers. It's been 2 weeks since my last post. Don't let the title of this post fool you, I will ramble on about... ah yes, sleep patterns. During the week after my last posting, I began to develop sinus problems. At first I thought I was suffering from allergies. It seems like everyone around me is suffering from the plugged up sensations of fall in the greater San Bernardino/ Riverscum area. Well, the plugged up feeling lead to a severe bout of night time snoring which is not to be confused with day time snoring. You know one is while you sleep at home in your bed, the other is while you sleep while slumped over your desk with hands on the keyboard or mouse or, while in another particularly "exciting" training session on sexual.... harassment or recognizing drug abuse on the job etc...
Wow, it took me a minute to remember that. You know they say the memory is the second thing to go... I wish I could remember what the first thing was. Anyhow, back on the trail, I'm talking about the type of stuff that's about as exciting as watching paint dry or grass grow. So, that excuse is valid as far as I'm concerned. Now, where was I going with this... Oh yeah, I developed a case of night time snoring that could have awaken the dead. I kept myself awake for 2 nights in a row. The second night I moved into the spare bedroom so Tammy could sleep. The next few nights I started taking various over-the-counter drugs to counter act the plugged up can't breathe snorting drooling sweating sensations I was having. Oh, and the sore throat came too so I thought maybe I was coming down with something. I went to the drugstore bought some lozenges and some breathe right strips. I ran the vaporizer, took nyquil, which really doesn't work anymore thanks to all the stupid ignorant selfish jerks that use methamphetamines to get a short-sighted and deadly thrill. I have to sign for the good stuff, just like I'm buying ammunition for my rifles and pistols. Now where was I.... these rabbit trails are getting monotonous aren't they? Bottom line here is, I still think it's allergies. I am using nasal spray, a vaporizer and the breathe right strips, they hold your nose holes open, to sleep. Finally after 2 weeks of fitful at best sleep, I can say I slept pretty well the last 2 nights. There is the other thought though. I don't go back to work until Wednesday... Stress does weird things to a person's psyche and body.
Now for the family update: Tammy is studying very hard to take her series 7 test for work. I think once she gets the test under her belt, she'll probably get her 8 and maybe even the series 9 too. Then she'll probably flush UBS for a better job. YOU GO GIRL!!!! I'm as proud of Tammy as anybody can be. She's also making preparations for a Christmas trip to NYC with her sis.
Melissa and Peter put in an offer for a house and it was accepted! They will be buying their first house. Way to go Melissa and Peter!!!!
Alicia and Mike adopted a male dog named Fritz to keep the effervescent Isabel company. They think he's a collie shepherd mix. I hope they'll send some pictures. They even gave poor old Fritz and Isabel a bath yesterday.
Sara is studying very hard and pining some for her sweetheart Matt who is still in the U.K. She sounded pretty good yesterday when I talked to her. One thing she and I share is a strange affinity to really bad goofy Sci-fi movies. The worse they are the better we like it. The worst and the funniest, what a combo. "Plan 9 From Outer Space" aficionados unite! Character flaw you say? I don't think so... B-)
Here are some photos for your enjoyment:
I took these last week in the backyard. I hope you like them.
Here's a thought for this week from Spurgeon:
“So walk ye in him.”
- Col_2:6
If we have received Christ himself in our inmost hearts, our new life will manifest its intimate acquaintance with him by a walk of faith in him. Walking implies action. Our religion is not to be confined to our closet; we must carry out into practical effect that which we believe. If a man walks in Christ, then he so acts as Christ would act; for Christ being in him, his hope, his love, his joy, his life, he is the reflex of the image of Jesus; and men say of that man, “He is like his Master; he lives like Jesus Christ.” Walking signifies progress. “So walk ye in him”; proceed from grace to grace, run forward until you reach the uttermost degree of knowledge that a man can attain concerning our Beloved. Walking implies continuance. There must be a perpetual abiding in Christ. How many Christians think that in the morning and evening they ought to come into the company of Jesus, and may then give their hearts to the world all the day: but this is poor living; we should always be with him, treading in his steps and doing his will. Walking also implies habit. When we speak of a man’s walk and conversation, we mean his habits, the constant tenor of his life. Now, if we sometimes enjoy Christ, and then forget him; sometimes call him ours, and anon lose our hold, that is not a habit; we do not walk in him. We must keep to him, cling to him, never let him go, but live and have our being in him. “As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him”; persevere in the same way in which ye have begun, and, as at the first Christ Jesus was the trust of your faith, the source of your life, the principle of your action, and the joy of your spirit, so let him be the same till life’s end; the same when you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, and enter into the joy and the rest which remain for the people of God. O Holy Spirit, enable us to obey this heavenly precept.
-----------------------
Humbly until next time,
ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR me Hearties!!!!
OLD GUYS RULE!!!
Wow, it took me a minute to remember that. You know they say the memory is the second thing to go... I wish I could remember what the first thing was. Anyhow, back on the trail, I'm talking about the type of stuff that's about as exciting as watching paint dry or grass grow. So, that excuse is valid as far as I'm concerned. Now, where was I going with this... Oh yeah, I developed a case of night time snoring that could have awaken the dead. I kept myself awake for 2 nights in a row. The second night I moved into the spare bedroom so Tammy could sleep. The next few nights I started taking various over-the-counter drugs to counter act the plugged up can't breathe snorting drooling sweating sensations I was having. Oh, and the sore throat came too so I thought maybe I was coming down with something. I went to the drugstore bought some lozenges and some breathe right strips. I ran the vaporizer, took nyquil, which really doesn't work anymore thanks to all the stupid ignorant selfish jerks that use methamphetamines to get a short-sighted and deadly thrill. I have to sign for the good stuff, just like I'm buying ammunition for my rifles and pistols. Now where was I.... these rabbit trails are getting monotonous aren't they? Bottom line here is, I still think it's allergies. I am using nasal spray, a vaporizer and the breathe right strips, they hold your nose holes open, to sleep. Finally after 2 weeks of fitful at best sleep, I can say I slept pretty well the last 2 nights. There is the other thought though. I don't go back to work until Wednesday... Stress does weird things to a person's psyche and body.
Now for the family update: Tammy is studying very hard to take her series 7 test for work. I think once she gets the test under her belt, she'll probably get her 8 and maybe even the series 9 too. Then she'll probably flush UBS for a better job. YOU GO GIRL!!!! I'm as proud of Tammy as anybody can be. She's also making preparations for a Christmas trip to NYC with her sis.
Melissa and Peter put in an offer for a house and it was accepted! They will be buying their first house. Way to go Melissa and Peter!!!!
Alicia and Mike adopted a male dog named Fritz to keep the effervescent Isabel company. They think he's a collie shepherd mix. I hope they'll send some pictures. They even gave poor old Fritz and Isabel a bath yesterday.
Sara is studying very hard and pining some for her sweetheart Matt who is still in the U.K. She sounded pretty good yesterday when I talked to her. One thing she and I share is a strange affinity to really bad goofy Sci-fi movies. The worse they are the better we like it. The worst and the funniest, what a combo. "Plan 9 From Outer Space" aficionados unite! Character flaw you say? I don't think so... B-)
Here are some photos for your enjoyment:
I took these last week in the backyard. I hope you like them.
Here's a thought for this week from Spurgeon:
“So walk ye in him.”
- Col_2:6
If we have received Christ himself in our inmost hearts, our new life will manifest its intimate acquaintance with him by a walk of faith in him. Walking implies action. Our religion is not to be confined to our closet; we must carry out into practical effect that which we believe. If a man walks in Christ, then he so acts as Christ would act; for Christ being in him, his hope, his love, his joy, his life, he is the reflex of the image of Jesus; and men say of that man, “He is like his Master; he lives like Jesus Christ.” Walking signifies progress. “So walk ye in him”; proceed from grace to grace, run forward until you reach the uttermost degree of knowledge that a man can attain concerning our Beloved. Walking implies continuance. There must be a perpetual abiding in Christ. How many Christians think that in the morning and evening they ought to come into the company of Jesus, and may then give their hearts to the world all the day: but this is poor living; we should always be with him, treading in his steps and doing his will. Walking also implies habit. When we speak of a man’s walk and conversation, we mean his habits, the constant tenor of his life. Now, if we sometimes enjoy Christ, and then forget him; sometimes call him ours, and anon lose our hold, that is not a habit; we do not walk in him. We must keep to him, cling to him, never let him go, but live and have our being in him. “As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him”; persevere in the same way in which ye have begun, and, as at the first Christ Jesus was the trust of your faith, the source of your life, the principle of your action, and the joy of your spirit, so let him be the same till life’s end; the same when you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, and enter into the joy and the rest which remain for the people of God. O Holy Spirit, enable us to obey this heavenly precept.
-----------------------
Humbly until next time,
ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR me Hearties!!!!
OLD GUYS RULE!!!
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