**Mustard Seed Distributed**

After this weekend, I have a great appreciation for the folks that trekked across America (or any other continent wherever) before things like roads and vehicles were produced and utilized. To give the superstar a Christmas break that is so well deserved, mg and I took our kids up to his dad's cabin this weekend. We have done this a couple of times, and it has always been great. The cabin actually sits in the middle of nowhere, literally. You have to park your vehicle, and go down a hill, over a very large creek, then up a hill, then about a half mile into the woods to get to it. No electricity. Woodstove for heat. Usually this is not that much work, as mg has a Kawasaki Mule. You park at the end of the road, load your things into the mule, then drive back to the cabin. But when we got there, the road was blocked about a mile before the place you usually park with snow. No problem, we'll take the mule. No. We'll get the mule stuck. Then try to pull it out with ...

  The greatest Christmas present I ever (or evar) received came 2000 years ago, before any of my predecessors were even born. Thank you God for being the Creator of the Universe, and humbling yourself to human form in order to come here to earth and provide us a route to Salvation. What a prize you have given us. Thanks to shoeless mike for helping me to realize the great joy I get to experience by living free during this Christmas season. Thanks to all who provided hope in many ways, shapes, and forms to people that I have come to love in the D. Thanks to my wife for loving me so and for my God giving me the gift of breath and the gift of free grace through his Son, which is the reason we even have Christmas. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night. God bless us everyone. Thank you Jesus, for loving me still, and for loving me even when I don't deserve it. Thank you to all my incredible friends and family that have supported the kkft over the last year and a half ...

Jesus was very great friends with Martha and Mary, and their brother Lazarus. So close, that Jesus indeed loved them. Perhaps one of the shortest verses in the bible hit me this morning as I ponder my journey with Christ in me. John 11:35- "Jesus wept." This is what happened when Jesus went to Bethany, as he already knew Lazarus was dead, and that he would go there to raise him from the dead in order to glorify God the father. No one else knew that, but Jesus did. So they go there, and Jesus meets with Mary and Martha, and Jesus sees Martha 'weeping', and the other Jews that had come along are 'also weeping'. What happens? 'He was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.' So they take him to see where Lazarus was laid four days ago upon his death and then: "JESUS WEPT." At times, I am overwhelmed with the love of God in this life. Ask cdubs, at times I can weep at the drop of a pin if the right thing tugs at my heart. I think this is...

Christmas is near. If you sit quiet and still, you can hear it. It starts way off in the distance, and you think to yourself-what is that noise? Then you realize it is the quiet hum of Christmas Carols, and as Christmas nears, it gets louder, and more well defined. It brings joy to your heart as you gain insight into Christmas past, revel in the Christmas present, and look forward to the Christmases of the future. Yesterday, I experienced all three of these. I use this analogy because I had the fortune of spending an evening with my nephew-jojo-on Thursday night. It was his birthday present to spend an evening out with 'Uncle T$'. It always sounds nice when you tell them it is their gift, but really for the last several years, those evenings with my nephews have been gifts to me. Pickle Head and Spanky have raised beautiful young men and ladies in their quest to 'teach them in the ways of the Lord'. What an honor it is for me to be able to spend time with any a...

I don't recall who, but I think it was sick mother, sick pete, my adida and I having a conversation at the park in the D last month. Sick mother mentioned the 100 bibles they had. We talked about doing something special for Christmas for the inordinate amount of men (most homeless) that come to our monthly gatherings for food and friendship. In one way or another, we came up with the 'bags of hope' idea. Include a bible, pants, long sleeve shirt, sweatshirt, shoes, gloves, hat, whatever. Call it a bag of hope. Even last week, I thought, this just isn't going to come together. This being the last week of school, I was jammed with my schedule, and couldn't do any organizing, etc. But the kkft did get to do some shopping together and put 10 bags together. I got a post on my facebook yesterday from shoeless mike that with our 10 bags, we are up over 100. I doubted we would get fifty. Heck, I doubted we would get to 30! But I did learn something. To lean on ...

Today I received an email from the Chair of my Dissertation Committee. Doesn't seem like that is monumental in any way, shape, or form, but it is. The email basically said you are at a point that is very good for the most part, and we will go to the committee. That means a meeting in early January to basically get feedback and move on in submitting my proposal to Human Subjects. That is a rubber stamp situation, and after that happens, I will be able to complete my doctoral study in the spring. That is HUGE. I started in the fall of 2003 down this road, and God has given me courage and strength to move to where I am now. It sucks many days sitting in front of a computer screen, or an article, or a dissertation, or a book alone and sometimes for many hours in a row. But the light is now at the end of the tunnel, and I am starting to see it and can't wait to get out into the beautiful fervent valley of doctorhood where my studies are completed for a long time. There is a...

Superstar coordinated everything for our dinner Friday, and mattsy t and tracy t took the girls for a big sleepover party at their house with Colin, you can see and read more here . So the star and I went shopping. We didn't need to buy anything for our family (although we may have bought a couple things :)), but we did get to go out and buy a bunch of stuff for a family that is much in need in Detroit. The funds came from some men that I am doing life with, and their generous hearts and pocketbooks. I have never enjoyed Christmas shopping so much in my life. Even buying things for my own kids I don't think was that much fun. It was really cool getting things for people that you know can't get things. Really cool. And I got to do it with the superstar at my side. Very cool. Then we got to go to one of our favorite restaurants in LO-thanks gerdies-to eat some of our favorite things. Fish tacos rule. Then this morning, I was the superstar that got to be the Grinch...

Here are the pics....

Last night marked the kkft's second year of celebrating Christmas time with friends in Communitas . It is an honor to be part of this group of crazies that are willing to sacrifice their lives, their comfortable lifestyles, and their careers in order to follow Jesus. That is the ultimate group of people that I want to be a part of. The thought that I have is the fact that it is not just communitas that is doing that, it is the group of indians that have created CEM , it is the men and women that spend their lives providing hope for Detroiters at CDC , it is people in China or other countries that hold church in their homes, even if it is illegal. These people are the same crazies that live the life they are called to live. What an honor to be in such an incredible group of people. Just some short fat white guy from the sticks that God feels is worth more than anything to send His son to die for, and use me to glorify Himself among the nations. That is a phrase that keeps com...

Why does it feel like there are no leaders in the world? Why does it seem that no one else will step up and lead no matter what the context? Is this the result of our self-serving capitalistic consumer driven society? If so, I want my world back. I want a world where a GROUP of people will come together and serve each other and those that are not in the group, and take on leadership roles within and outside of said group. Why is it always the same people leading? As a person with leadership skills and abilities, I get tired of seemingly always having to take the reigns. Perhaps I am just in a foul mood (which doesn't even make sense if you realize that I don't have school today because the sewer backed up into our school's basement). I know that I need to utilize those leadership skills and abilities to glorify God, because He is the one that gave me said skills and abilities. It is just a challenge to watch others that have the same skills and abilities sit idle a...

Today was the day the kkft celebrated and put up the tree. Listening to christmas music, unpacking decorations, etc., putting the nativity scene out, you know the drill. We all do it every year. Since last year, and engaging in the nyc team, we have gone with the 'scaled down' version of decorations. Miniature built in lights on the fake tree, put this and that on the table, red and green light bulbs instead of icicle lights surrounding the entire k ranch. All in all it is WAY less than what we used to, and that is just fine with me. The tree still looks fantastic, and we had a great time doing it all.....I love decorating for the navidad. Feliz one to you and yours. Enjoy the minimalist decorating season.....

Friday night out with the superstar. What more can a man ask for? Nothing. Had a great night at the staff Christmas shindig last night. A real live DJ mixing vinyl, that is what I call a DJ. Not everyone else at the party thought the same as I did, but he was mixin sick jams. Then it was on to the Milner Hotel downtown where we stayed for the evening. Oh, but wait, there's more-we took a taxi over to the Motor City Casino . Our long time friends of more than 12 years were celebrating Berman's 46th Bday. Man is he old. He and Gailee had a suite, so we went hung out, got to see the barn ettes, went gaming, suiting, dancing, watching the band play, and finally got a cab at 3am. Good times. Plus on the last dollar of Berman's end of our bets, he hit and that meant T$ got a share in the winnings. So if you include the gift from the staff, we are up $35 for the entire evening, including hotal, food, drinks, games, and accommodations. Not too shabby. The greatest part...

So here is a link to the photos of the trip. I know, what's up with so many of myself? I hate taking pictures. I think sleep deprivation psychosis had a lot to do with it. Sure did have a grand time. PHOTOS HERE.

Well, this whole blogging thing started in my head over one year ago, but my first live post was December 3rd, 2007. The last year has been overwhelming at times, but the comfort of my Creator that He so often promises us in the bible continues to fill my heart in those times when I am overwhelmed. The last year has taken me many different places physically, spiritually, mentally, and emotionally that I probably have not explored fully in the past. I continue to feel honored that God chose me to be on this journey, and that His grace and peace are sufficient for me to live my life. Last week marked my 39th birthday-not a milestone by any means in our society. But personally for me, it was a milestone. Why, you ask? Because I am a 'new creation' that lives a different life than I did two years ago. I am not perfect, by any means. I sin each day, and I ask God to forgive me. Because he sent His one and only Son to die, I know in my heart that I am forgiven. But because ...

So for November, me and my boyz read proverbs each day (and two books on the 30th). That book is filled with delicious bits of knowledge through and through, but here are a couple of key things that I learned: 1) keep your mouth shut and you won't be a fool 2) money doesn't mean much 3) justice is something God cares about 4) God loves us more than we know It was a great way to wrap up Proverbs at my brother's house enjoying the blessings (not to be said like Christmas Vacation in this sentence) that have been heaped on me and my family.