Family

Well, it’s now the end of February. I’ve basically been at the office until at least 6pm everyday since January first. Except the days I was traveling. Crazy busy time. I thought things were supposed to slow down.

Well, I keep telling myself I’m running a marathon. And to pace myself. Until I hit the wall (which I don’t think i’m near), we’ll keep going. Amy and the kids are being really patient and understanding. They are the best.

Heading to the NRB at the end of the week. Should be fun to catch up w some old friends and do some techie work. My friends Dan Castor and Ken Porter will be there, plus many others.

I worked on a new audio console in a Mobile TV Group truck last Friday night. Euphonix. nice truck; engineer’s name was Sean. Good guy; kinda intense, but the truck was in great shape. Survived the night w/ only a couple of mistakes; which is good in live TV. Which is also why I love live TV. You can make a couple of mistakes and still be called back. But only if they are minor mistakes.

ok, i’m done venting. until next time.

To all who have emailed and responded to me in the homegoing of my mom, thank you…. You’re words and letters have meant much to me and my family.

It’s hard to sum up my mom’s life; I wish you all could have known her. We tried to share a little of her personality at the funeral service, but it’s hard to cram 72 years into 1 hour.

I’d like to say a special thanks to the Rev. Maurice Henson, associate pastor at First Baptist Church, Indian Trail, for bringing such a powerful and meaningful message at my mom’s funeral. Because my parents were very new to the church, I was worried about some pastor delivering some eulogetic masterpiece about my mom without even knowing her. What I saw in Maurice was raw conviction, led by the Holy Spirit, to impart words to all of us about God’s love, His presence in our lives during suffering (“The LORD is….”), and to allow Christ into our sufferings (“be still…..”). Thank you, Maurice, for allowing God to use you to minister to me, and my whole family.

Thank you Danny Myers for ministering to my family all day on that fateful Monday of Mom’s passing.

Mark Christian, I love you like a brother. I’m amazed I know someone so talented and caring and deep. Thanks for suffering and rejoicing with us this weekend, and for being part of the family…

Finally, my mom was a forgiving person. Makes me think alot about the Don Henley song about forgiveness; that is the heart of the matter. My mom was alot happier cause she learned how to let go and forgive. That is a lesson we all need to remember. I’m remembering it even now….

Today, my mom passed away.

There, plain, and simple. I have more emotions inside than I care to articulate on the written (or electronic page). But, I also have a strange peace, as I look on my mom’s life, and see that this was all for God’s greater good.

Her cancer had come back, and was all over her body (left breast, upper abdomen, rib cage, lower back). That caused a blood clot in her lung, which sent her into cardiac arrest early this morning. She was non responsive from the time the EMT’s took her to the hospital. She died at around 4:30pm today.

I’m a little numb, and still have a bunch of people to call and arrangements to make, to help my dad. Here’s what I have felt today:

Peace….this didn’t happen w/o my Good God knowing it ahead of time.

Comfort…..God’s mercy was extended to my mom, as she was taken to heaven before she had to endure such crappy suffering w/ aggressive cancer.

Security…..Ps 73:25 and 26 tell us that many times our heart and flesh might fail (like my mom’s did), but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever. I know that she found that out at 4:30pm, as she went to be w/ Jesus by His side.

my emotions will rise and fall. I might not be as strong as some of you might think me to be. But the fact of the matter is:

God is good
I’m His Kid
My mom was His child
I will see her again someday.

We don’t sorrow as those who have no hope. I have hope; Jesus and His death and resurrection give me hope. Death is not what God intended; sin has screwed up the world. But God has come to earth to make it right. Thanks be to Him who gives us the victory.

more later. I love you all, and appreciate your prayers for me, my dad, and my sister.

A late inning comeback by the MARA National team was foiled by a clutch catch in center field, as the MARA American league All Stars beat the MARA National league All Stars 14-13 in the top of the 6th. There were 5 or 6 home runs in the game, and our boys played great! I guess the hardest thing was playing against families that you know and love; families that we have played with for almost 4 years.

Our rec league is so big that they field two all star teams for Little League playoffs. Most of the time, the parents for each MARA team cheer for each other, no matter where the game is. That is, unless we are against each other. It became very hard not to “verbally” cheer for the kids I know and love on the Nationals….

We now advance one more round in the losers bracket, playing Weddington, who lost last night for the first time. Go MARA!

Yesterday was our oldest daughter’s birthday. We had 10 girls come over for homemade meatballs and spaghetti, an outdoor movie (yes, I set up a projector and screen outside in 45 degree weather), and a sleepover. I crashed hard at about midnight, feeling pretty whipped. And then I woke up at 2:45am, and decided to see if the house had burned down or not. There was a movie playing, and I shut it off.

Hard to believe that she was so small such a short time ago. Why does time compress the older you get? I feel like my years from 6th grade to high school graduation were so long, and college graduation seems like yesterday. Why is this? I just don’t know.

Since we all had off from school and work, we decided to take a family day trip to Grandfather Mountain, which is in the Blue Ridge Mountains outside of Boone, NC. Grandfather Mt. is privately owned by Mr. Hugh Morton, and is a great regional attraction. You can hike up several trails (which we did), and there is a swinging bridge that spans two huge rock formations. We only scratched the surface of the hiking; Joel and I plan on going back for higher destinations.

It was alot of fun, and the weather was great. Please check out the pictures on my flickr account. Happy Easter to everyone, and remember…

CHRIST IS RISEN!

Well, another week of challenges ahead, but looking forward to it. Spent the weekend in Garden City, SC w/ my family, at the invitation of our neighbors. Quite fun, and somewhat relaxing. Got to play my guitar on the beach on Sunday AM, and have a little worship time on the beach. Cori was somewhat embarrased, but soon started singing. It was fun.

Got home and took a long walk w/ our dog. It was good, after sitting in the car for so long.

Off to read “Living Grace” by Wayne Barber, given to me by my good friend, Gary Aldridge. Take care everyone.