NOT GOOD

I am so not good at fasting. I can eat lunch and not eat again until lunch the next day when I am busy and don't think about it. But when I know I am fasting my belly starts rumbling the minute my feet hit the floor in the morning. Then all I do is dream about food all day and can't focus on anything, let alone God.

So with the OnePrayer fast starting today I have been dreading the fast. But I have come to the conclusion that fasting doesn't have to be from food. Please fill me in if that conclusion is flawed or if anything that would usually occupy your time can be fasted from.

So I have decided to fast from reading blogs for the day. That eats up time that I can spend in prayer. So I wrote this last night and will check back in 24 hours from now. But please comment so I will have something to read when I log back in.

For those of you fasting in all sorts of different ways good luck.

What do you fast from, is it always food related?

What is your hardest fast?

Are you able to really use that time to connect with God?

GRADUATION DAY

Going to a graduation always makes me think of my own, both in high school and college. They were lightyears apart in every way.

Roll mental camera...

I graduated from a small high school with a class of 59 students in 1990. I graduated from Oklahoma State in 1995 (yes I was on the 5 year plan) with a class big enough to fill the bottom of Gallaghr-Iba Arena.

High school consisted of small classes with no more than 10 or 15 students in them. College I was lucky to have less than 200 in a class.

Teachers were there to help if you needed in high school. In college you are pretty much on your own because those office hours the professors kept were strangly hard to schedule.

But really today is just a get to know you day. Now that you know a little about me it is your turn if you are brave enough to tell us when you graduated. If not then just answer the others.

What year did you garduate high school or college or both?

How many students did you graduate with?

How different were high school and college for you?

FRIDAY UNSCRIPTED

I hope you guys like "The Far Side" comics as much as I do. I thought I would bring back some of my favorites for all to enjoy. If you are too young to remember these I am truly sorry and you should go pick up one of the books. Have a great weekend

SUM IT ALL UP

Today we are headed out to Frisco Texas to see my nephew graduate from high school. But before I go I wanted to share a picture Shelly took out at Lifestock that just summed up what an incredible evening that was. To see hundreds of people all get baptized at the same time while listening to awesome worship was very powerful.

I hope you get the same feeling from this picture that we did.

MMMMM TASTY

Don’t you hate it when what you thought was a cute little fluffy sheep turns out the be the wolf.

Roll metal camera…

Before our group met Monday night at Freedom Farm the guys walk us around the farm. A few weeks ago they had gotten rid of their dogs because they were afraid they would eat the chickens they had just acquired. So I was surprised to see a new puppy in with the chickens.

The puppy was living in the fence where the chicken and now 2 young turkeys were kept. They said they wanted the puppy to grow up around the birds so it wouldn’t eat them when it got older.

We went inside and came back out an hour or so later to find only one turkey. There was still a wing and some feathers left of the other one but not a whole turkey. The rest of that turkey was now causing the new puppy’s belly to bloat. Man that puppy sure looked happy and pleasantly full. May have been his last meal at the farm so I hope he enjoyed it.

I have had lots of cute little "puppies" in my life that have turned wolf on me the minute I turned my back. Finances have been that wolf for Shelly and I lately. We have been budgeting ourselves so tightly so we can give to the church and to many other causes we feel strongly about. But the budget has been so tight it has kept Shelly and I from spending anything on us. So we need a date, or a weekend, to spend some time together and just be husband and wife. Sometimes the budget will just have to make room for some spiritual, husband to wife, healing.

What is your wolf in sheep’s clothing?

Give us some ideas of a cheap but enjoyable get away that is drivable from OKC?

Hey Natalie since you are down one dog do you want to adopt the cute puppy from the farm?

THE BIG DIPPER

Stomach up in your throat, legs a bit wobbly, heart pounding out of your chest, why we love roller coasters I will never know.

Roll mental camera…

If you grew up around Oklahoma and are in your mid 30s or older you probably remember Springlake Amusement Park and the ultimate of rides for that time THE BIG DIPPER.

I remember gripping my dad’s hand as we climbed into the seats for the first time. Looking at him and asking him if we were going to be OK. I was scared to death but dad was there to comfort me.

Same thing was true on Sunday with my son, but this time the ride was to a whole new level. The old wood ride wouldn’t have even gotten my son’s blood flowing let alone got him scared. No, we had to ride on THE ERUPTION. This beast of a ride is nothing more than huge wires and poles that launches the big metal cage you are strapped into about 300 feet in the air a couple of time.

The ride was different but the look and the questions were the same. I was just glad I was there to calm him down and be his strength. I think I need that to help remind me who my strength is in now.

Do you know where your strength is?

Did you have a favorite ride that scared you as a kid?

LIFE STOCK

Spent all Sunday at Lifestock and got to watch more people get baptized than I have ever seen before. It was amazing but I am worn out. I will catch up tomorrow