Remembering the Past and Searching for the Future.

Have you ever done a duck dive before?

It is quite the experience to say the least.  It is a technique surfers use to get underneath the wave.  Easier to paddle out.  Literally, little to no pull and without, you would never make it out.  And the reason I love this picture is because of it's beauty.  The beauty in a wave.  How vast and huge something like this is. 

If you ever get a chance, check out the waves at Mavericks or Teahupo'o in Tahiti.  It is actually pronounced cho-poo.  Unbelievable waves, and beautiful to say the least.  

The Bible is a great book...the best book. 

It seems that every day, as I run my fingers through the pages and read the words, something speaks straight to my heart. Something in there speaks directly to the situations that I find my self in. And no matter how many times I read the same passage or chapter, I find something new in it and that is the beauty of it. God speaks to us constantly, in so many different ways, but most times we never listen. We tune out and pay attention to the static that no one can seem to make out.

Mark 5, starting in verse 24, "And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed." Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?" "You see the people crowding against you," his disciples answered, "and yet you can ask, 'Who touched me?' " But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.

You know what I find fascinating here? It is that her faith indeed was so great, that she longed for Him. She found a way to reach Him. Despite the crows and the hectic surrounding, she made her way to Him, just so she could touch His cloak. She didn't care how she would touch him, but she would. Her seeking Him never stopped.

And for many of us, including myself, it seems a bit out of the norm to seek anything. Think about it...when was the last time that you strived for something? When was the last time that you actually longed for something and went searching for it? And I am willing to bet that you can't remember the last time you did. Everything we need is a few touches away on our smart phones, or at the end of a phone call. We have it pretty easy and know that when we want something, we can easily get it.

And this leads to my next question...how many of us are earnestly seeking Christ? How many of us have an urgency to constantly pursue Him? For me, I lack at times. The excuses pile up and I find it easier to go my own way.

Proverbs 16:25 says, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but it's end is the way to death."

If there is one thing that I have learned over the years, through trials and faith, it is that God's way will never fail and no matter how hard you try, you will always end up back on his path. It's up to you to pick the road less traveled.

So seek Him. Search for Him. Look high and low. Constantly pursue Him. For God knows the path that you are suppose to take. We only think we know. Choose God and you will be choosing success.

At this point, I would like to take a quick moment and recognize this event.

I am sure we can all remember what we were doing at this exact moment. I know for me, I was sitting in my moms room, watching this from a small, not yet flat screen TV. And though I could not quite comprehend what was going on, or what it all meant, I knew that it hurt. People crying, and running on the screen. News broadcasters running franticly through the streets. This will be a day that will forever be remembered and for those in school today, these towers are only pictures. But for us, we remember the tragic incident and the families that were effected by this horrific incident. My condolences go out to all of those who had to face this face-to-face and the ones who endlessly searched, found and fought over seas so that we could remain the free country that we are.

I saw a country that day stand together. I saw a country that day respond and fight for one another. And although we do many things wrong as a country, I am truly proud to be apart of the family called the USA. We don't realize it at times, but we are truly blessed to be able to be apart of a place like this. A place with freedom. A place with health and values. A place of a greater purpose. A place of love. And no matter what comes up against us, I know we will stand together, like we did on September 11th, 2001. 

Tonight I got to take this wonderful woman on a date night.

And I love nights like these! When I can just sit and take in the perfection God has placed in my life.  It is weird to think about it, but one year ago today, I asked her to marry me.  And just five months ago, we started an amazing journey that would last forever.  And just a list of the reasons why I asked her to marry me a year ago...

• She does dishes.
• She forces me to drive her when ever possible.
• Her skin is softer then a unicorn's rear end and always warm.  Like a tortilla.  It's like she is a tortilla.  A homemade, buttered tortilla.  A tortilla with cinnamon and butter.  A rolled up tortilla to fit in my pocket.  Yes, I wish I could roll her up and put her in my pocket.
• She decorates our house, and wants a million candles everywhere.
• She wears work out clothes 5 days out of the week.  
• She loves to sleep when I get up in the morning. 
• She cuddles me when I want to.
• She wears these cool, colorful, spanish sandals almost everyday and looks great in a Marvel Comics t-shirt.
• I wonder sometimes if she is a princess from another land.
• I also wonder if it is possible to time travel so I can be with her 24/7 no matter where I am.
• She is carrying my baby.  Yes, my baby.  

I am going to be a dad.  A super cool, hip dad.  I will be copied and thrown up on.  I will have to wipe poop and pee from my arms and pick cheerios up off the floor constantly.  Make slingshots and wipe butts.  It is going to be great. 

By the way, we find out the sex on September 22nd and girl or boy, we are thrilled to find out what we can start preparing for.  Better yet, how we can prepare to raise a Godly child, focused on Christ and His calling. 

Stoked beyond belief.

We made a friend today.  In an old shaker town.  It felt a little spooky...like an old haunted town with weird things that happened there.  It felt abandoned but yet interesting all at the same time.

A donkey.  Mercedes patted his ear and rubbed behind it.  He seemed to like it.  And right after that, he scratched his but on the fence for a good 5 minutes.  Must of been his sign of thanks for her service.  He was making this weird face with his teeth to.  Like showing all his teeth as if it felt good or something.

And then she found this tree.

We get to live amongst these beautiful, huge trees and see them change colors.  I can't wait to experience seasons unlike the two seasons you barely get in Phoenix.  

It excites me to write. And I love sharing the life that God has given me.  I hope you all enjoy.

Until Next Time

-JTD-