Having worked all day as so many of us do year in and year out, I was reminded of why....Taxes!! Just kidding. I am always glad as grim as it may sound for this time of year because it means that I am able to work and want to work. My father, who was helping me at his home right after the Katrina disaster, put it into perspective once more. I was using a chainsaw to cut up the trees that had fallen around their home. There was dad in his eighty's and with all the complications from Parkinsons to stroke and congestive heart failure picking up the logs and limbs and putting them in a brush pile to be burned. As we stopped to get a drink that mom had brought to us, my father said "I enjoy hard work, it makes me feel good and gives me a sense of purpose every day that God has granted to me." Dad worked one job all of his life. dedicated to it's purpose. To provide for his family, friends, even strangers and his God. He is gone now and I miss him ever so, and he would not come back for anything. What caught my simple thinking was just part of that phrase "Sense of purpose ...That God has granted". When God gave us this wonderful gift of the Holy Ghost, Our sense of purpose Should have changed. Who are we to try to change it back. Every service should be solely purposed to equip us for hard work in the kingdom of God, through Praise and worship, giving and Ministering to those in the sanctuary walls and even more inportantly those outside our walls. O. K., It's like going to the gym and just sitting around talking and not getting into the workout and expecting results of physical change and strenght. I look forward at every service, to exercise my right to give it all I have. Creating a sense of purpose that will equip me for the more excellent rewards and challenges on this earth...Seeing souls continually added to the church daily. It ain't money...we will have it and spend it and want more...same for cars and clothing and .... It's still about what God has divined in us to do when he granted us pardon. Let's all come together every service and give it all we have and Watch God grant our petitions. My God is still a rewarder of those that (still)dilligently seek him.

INVITE!!! INVITE!!! INVITE!!! Word of mouth is still the best avertising tool in the world. Do no expect people to read our minds....open yer mouths and invite. Basic and fundamental elements, be friendly, set an example of Godliness, be consistent, oh, and be friendly again....smile always. INVITE!!!! When your guest comes to church, Intorduce them to everyone from young to elderly. Pay close attention to how kind the elderly treats them...and learn to adapt to it. Everyone wants to feel acceptance even among strangers....

Today was a pretty slow day at work. The band UIL concert and sight reading contests kept most of the staff out of the store. So after work Carmen and I went to Waurika to Bills Catfish and snagged some large fried shrimp. It is always worth the drive and we are always stuffed. Learned a very unique thing about humming birds that I might share with you, If Sis Elms has a notion to let me share it with you. Anyway, we are finishing up on our income tax (yuck). Anyone willing to donate to the Cain Income Tax Relief fund?

Mischa is losing her winter coat by the handfuls. I told Carmen that I was going outside to pluck the dog. Mischa loves when I pull the globs of hair off of her. Our back yard looks like a cottonwood tree exploded in it. For those that don't know, Mischa is our almost 2year old absolute white Siberian Huskie.

Just a great picture for the Pentecostal GQ magazine....Easter 2004 Isn't God Great??!!!!!!

GOOD MORNING FOLKS. Just heading off to work and had a few minutes to blog. Had my doctor follow up for my knee yesterday. It was so cool. He showed me the pictures that he took while in my knee. You could see the knee cap and the acl and the minicus ( which is where the tear was). He showed me the tear and how he shaved it back and used a burning tool to smooth out the frayed edges on the minucus. He said the knee was in perfect working condition and in about 1 month I could go back to doing what ever. You won't even be able to tell where he made the incisions. Wish I could post the pictures for those who like that sort of thing. Anyway, for a guy like me who refuses to become inactive in the things I like to do, this was great news. Might have to lighten up abit on the squats, but thats ok. Not being able to work out in the mornings, makes me very tired during the day. Enjoy this beautiful spring day, learn one thing new and invite someone new to church. love ya'll

Well, since we have not been bloggin much, I thought I would post some of the pictures from a few things. Here are some from Jeremy's 24th birthday party at the Japaleno Tree.

We got the biggest kick out of Amy's renditions of a Gansta Rap Artist just filled with the Big H. G. , and trying to testify.

Then Jessica, Amy and Felicia started huffing the helium from the balloons.

Good thing I work in a music store, I pretty much know what Jeremy wants for his bithday. This year he wanted a set of Sabian Paragon Neil Peart Signature Series Cymbals. Wow 24 and growing. When I walk down the hall of our home and see all the pictures, it once again reminds me of the shortness of our lives and how fast time flies. Take a lot of pictures and tell your kids you love them everyday, no matter how old they are. With Jeremy, when I say "I love you Jeremy" , he always say's "You Too Daddy". With Kyle it's "mumble mumble too dad". This is what I as a dad Love to here from my boys.

Hey everyone, thought I would let ya'll see some of the pictures from my knee surgery. Just kidding. However here are some picutres of the recovery on lake St. Augustine in Broaddus Tx. where my sister and Brother in law pastor. (Diane and Mark Green). We fished for two days and the weather was just incredible. Many bass and crappie were caught and then released back into Mark and Diane's pond at their house.

Even Carmen caught her share. Mark is a professional fishing guide so fishing with him is always a blast.

The highlight of the day was the Male Bald Eagle that kept flying over us at sunset. Man he was huge. At least an 7 ftwing span. Just riding the air currents (and the air was perfectly still as you can see by the water. Yet this Eagle just found the wind currents and glided all over the place without flapping it's wings....

Coming soon...Paintballing at the Cains, Kyle preaching the house down, more pictures from church in a day