Empty for Us.

The cross on which He died was now only unoccupied wood. The cave in which He was buried was now only an empty cavern. He arose and is in Heaven waiting for us.....His family. Hallelujah, Christ arose!!

Thanks

People love getting gifts and praise for a job well done or for a special occasion. Well, sometimes when you surprise your wife with those expensive red roses that you know she will just LOVE she simply gives you a hug and then promptly puts the roses in water so they "won't dry out". You may stand there befuddled thinking that "this is the only thanks I get....those roses were expensive." What people forget many times is a "thank you" is really a sign of true adoration and that what you did meant a lot for a person but the acknowledgment by those two simple words can warm your heart to the point of popping. In the society in which we live, "thank you" is either not said enough or spoken without any true sentiment.
In Psalms 105, David was praising God the best way he knew how.......to say thank you for all that He had done for Him. God actually accepts "thank you" as an act of worship because for all He has done for us, a "thank you" is the least we can do, especially at this time of year at Easter. After all, He did send His Son to die for us so we could live with Him in eternity. Oh, by the way, we should be thankful in ALL circumstances.
So, the next time you thank someone for something, say it sincerely and from the heart. The recipient will recognize this and probably thank you back. God should ALWAYS be one of those recipients. Thanks.

Enjoying My Boy

Hello all. Today was quite an ordinary day for me and my new son, Kenzy! Momma was quite busy so for her the day was anything but ordinary and boring. Traveling, shopping, B'day party attendance and getting tired made up her day.

We adopted our new Scottish Terrier on the 6th of Feb. and he has been such a blessing. Our hearts were deeply saddened when we lost our beloved Magge Mae to cancer last May. As any dog or animal lover will tell you it really does turn your world upside down and inside out. We desperately wanted and needed another Scottie not to take Maggie's place but rather to start afresh with a new little puppy to love and adore. God answered our numerous prayers when Kenzy was born on December 16th of 2009.

Kenzy is sweet, slightly mischievous but a great companion even at this young age. He filled my day with delight as "us men" watched two hockey games, napped and played. His love is unconditionally given and that is refreshing seeing how things are going now a days.

Wouldn't it be nice if people were more like dogs?

Keeping Promises

Those of you who know me well know that I am a collector of WWII die cast planes. Well, I ordered a mahogany submarine ( one type which the film U-571 was based ). It is simply called a type VII U-boat. Anyway, when it came today I was simply amazed at the craftsmanship of this boat. It is my first and only boat I'll obtain. Many a collector will tell you that but it is speculation. As I sit and look at this managery of metal collected over the years I smile. For some people who collect whatever they collect, their collection is their life and their obsession. But obtaining and owning 'things" and this life we are given is not all there is, folks. In my case, being ill, I know that one day I'll be cured of this disease that has taken away my mobility and my freedom. The paradox is that there IS no cure for Wegener's disease, empirically speaking. No, the disease hasn't affected my brain....some would argue :-).
I was reading in Revelations, Chapter 21 about the promise that we are given that will be fulfilled after death. Our suffering will end, there will be no more tears, pain or death and we will be in the company of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.......forever. It is God's promise and He never breaks promises. What a glorious day that will be! U-boats and "things" will be gone burned up, rusted or rotting but we won't care anyway.
But, there is a catch. (Of course, right?) Unless you are a believer in Christ before you pass away you will not have the pleasure of meeting your Savior who conquered the grave. Remember I told you that God ALWAYS keeps his promises? One promise he made to mankind in general is... "if you believe on my Son, THEN you will spend eternity with Him." No second chances....no latitude for good behavior and helping mankind. All that awaits you is eternal torment. I have read many times by various authors that the torment I refer to is the fact that you had your chance on earth to avoid all this suffering and you chose not to believe. You made the wrong decision.....but it is too late. Too late. Now you are separated from God forever and the regret you feel for what you DIDN'T do on earth is a part of hell that is probably the worst. BUT, I'll probably meet the thief on the cross who died in a state of forgiveness as he was promised by a dying Christ that "even this day, ye shall be with Me in paradise."
Bottom line, my friends. Things and possessions here on earth are nice and God allows us to have them because He wants us to be happy and have some harmless pleasure. The way I see it, the true enjoyment of U-boats, metal planes, et.al...is that there are even better things to come in eternity. That's God's promise.....and He ALWAYS keeps his promises. You can bet your life on it.

The Cab Driver and His only Passenger

This is a beautiful story!The Cab RideI arrived at the address and honked the horn. After waiting a fewminutesI walked to the door and knocked.. 'Just a minute', answered a frail,elderly voice. I could hear something being dragged across the floor.After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her 90's stoodbefore me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veilpinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940's movie.By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The apartment looked as if noone had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered withsheets.There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on thecounters. In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos andglassware.'Would you carry my bag out to the car?' she said. I took the suitcaseto the cab, then returned to assist the woman.She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb.She kept thanking me for my kindness. 'It's nothing', I told her.. 'Ijust try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother treated'.'Oh, you're such a good boy', she said. When we got in the cab, she gaveme an address and then asked, 'Could you drive through downtown?''It's not the shortest way,' I answered quickly..'Oh, I don't mind,' she said. 'I'm in no hurry. I'm on my way to ahospice'.I looked in the rear-view mirror. Her eyes were glistening. 'I don'thave any family left,' she continued in a soft voice.. 'The doctor saysI don't have very long.' I quietly reached over and shut off the meter.'What route would you like me to take?' I asked.For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me thebuilding where she had once worked as an elevator operator.We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had livedwhen they were newlyweds She had me pull up in front of a furniturewarehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as agirl.Sometimes she'd ask me to slow in front of a particular building orcorner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said,'I'm tired. Let's go now'.We drove in silence to the address she had given me. It was a lowbuilding, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that passedunder a portico.Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. They weresolicitous and intent, watching her every move. They must have beenexpecting her.I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. The womanwas already seated in a wheelchair.'How much do I owe you?' she asked, reaching into her purse.'Nothing,' I said'You have to make a living,' she answered.'There are other passengers,' I responded.Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She held onto metightly.'You gave an old woman a little moment of joy,' she said.'Thank you.'I squeezed her hand, and then walked into the dim morning light.. Behindme, a door shut. It was the sound of the closing of a life..I didn't pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly lostin thought. For the rest of that day, I could hardly talk. What if thatwoman had gotten an angry driver, or one who was impatient to end hisshift?What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then drivenaway?On a quick review, I don't think that I have done anything moreimportant in my life.We're conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments.But great moments often catch us unaware-beautifully wrapped in whatothers may consider a small one.PEOPLE MAY NOT REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT YOU DID, OR WHAT YOU SAID ~BUT~THEYWILL ALWAYS REMEMBER HOW YOU MADE THEM FEEL.You won't get any big surprise in 10 days if you send this to tenpeople. But, you might help make the world a little kinder and morecompassionate by sending.it on and reminding us that often it is the random acts of kindness thatmost benefit all of us.

I Can't Wait!!

"And I saw a new heaven and new earth for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
And I, John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them and He shall be their God.
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and their shall be no more death, neither sorrow,nor crying; neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away.
And He that sat upon the throne said Behold, I make all things new. And He said unto me, Write for these words are true and faithful".
Revelation 21: 1-5
Man, this is exciting stuff and a promise straight from God who NEVER breaks a promise. I'll be there....will you?

Our New Baby

This is a picture of our beloved Maggie Mae who left us on May 1, 2009. She is and will be sorely missed and she is irreplaceable. During a period of mourning which is ongoing we have decided to get another Scottie puppy. She will be born sometime in November and her name Will be Kenzy McKenna. We both just realized that we cannot live without a Scottie and started looking for reputable breeders. Our new Scottie will come from Brigadoon Kennels in Danielsville, Georgia. They show Scotties as well as sell them for puppies and they have had some champions (3). We know who the mother and father are and who the grandmother and grandfather are. They have all been genetically tested for some typical Scottie diseases and NONE of their pups have had any genetically induced illness. Von Wildebrand's disease is a disease Scotties can have but they usually don't live more than a day or two. All the bloodlines are free of genetic
defect ( as per the University of Georgia Veterinary dept. ).
We will go visit Kenzy when she is born in November and bring her home in early February. We can hardly wait. It will be extra special for me because I'll get to be home with her all day!!

O.K. you guys......bye for now, Joe and Paula