desktop

I spent hours today cleaning up my desktop and organizing our files on our computer. It feels good to be more organized. I still have plenty to do, though. I'm still wondering if I really might be OCD. Heh heh. If nothing else, I really like order. Maybe it's just because I love math and all things analytical. Logic and order. Just some thoughts.

mother dearest

Katherine Ann Van Liew, my mom, went in for surgery to have her gall bladder removed. The surgery was successful, from everything that I've heard. The Lord has allowed many things in her life to grow her and mature her, and a lot of it has been physical trials. The Lord is good, and He gives good gifts. These gifts, a lot of the time, come through trials (james 1.2-4). My mom must be in for a lot of learning and good gifts! Love you, mom.

one and five

We've now got the worst record in the NBA: 1 - 5. Go us, eh? The Mavericks played very well. The Suns were great, as well, but just couldn't keep the effort up and produce a second win. The Mavericks got their first win of the season with 119 - 112, but that still makes their record better than ours, now. I am more disappointed, but I still believe that we can have a great season. We'll see soon enough, won't we? Saturday against the Grizzlies will be the next test.

game six

We are the second worst team, record-wise, in the NBA right now. The worst team is the Dallas Mavericks. We get to put the two worst teams against each other tonight. So far, we're seeing a lot of turnovers both ways, but that is uncharacteristic of Nash & Co. We'll see who wins, and I'll let you know. GO SUNS!

no hope

I was talking with some other teachers during lunch today at DV. They talked about a lot of things, but then they came to the topic of one or their daughters. She's been depressed lately. She's been pushing her friends away and not opening up to her family. As I think about it, I can't help but remember times that I've been in depression. How selfish I was! Now, does that have to be true for this young girl? No. I do believe that our bodies can have deficiencies. But I also know what it means to be all about me. My depression might even have been some kind of imbalance in my brain. But does that excuse me? I don't think so. As I continue to learn and grow in my walk with the Lord on high, I continue to see how awful my sin is. I look back at those times of depression and I think about how I made others feel, how I manipulated the situation to be completely about me. I'm not going to make a judgment call on where that girl is, nor am I going to tell her mom what to do, but I just wonder...is this girl right where the Lord wants her in order to soften her to His love? It is time that someone loved that girl with the benevolent love of Christ and not our own selfish love. Christ desires her best: for her to love and follow hard after Him. How great is our God?! His perfect love destroys hopelessness. It give us freedom. It gives us forgiveness. I AM FREE!

arizona

As I continue to think about it, I know my initial reaction of wanting to leave AZ was a wrong one. I was frustrated. I keep coming back to the fact that Christ is supreme, He is sovereign (has total control), and I can find comfort in that truth. I will remain in AZ in order to be the light that I am meant to be. I am meant to reach my community, my world, with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am looking forward, with hope (expectant certainty), to what incredible things my incredible God is about to do.

the light shines brighter in the darkness

one and four

The Suns lose once again. This time, the Suns made it with the San Antonio Spurs all the way to one overtime. The Suns were leading by 6 just before half, then let that lead vanish as they ended the half down 50 - 49. Stat had a couple incredible jams, but the overall performance of the team was still lacking in the end. The Suns go to a dismal 1 - 4 record; second worst in the NBA.

woohoo...not.

to: grandpa

I don't know if you'll ever read this, Grandpa Ken, but here it goes. I love you. I ask the Lord to bring you new life. I ask for Him to change your heart to love Christ and follow Him with all of who you are. God loves you and desires an intimate relationship with you. Will you accept His free gift of forgiveness? Christ died for you. He rose from the dead to prove that He can save you. He wants to save you. I love you. Your hug meant a lot, even if you were hopped up on some drug to help numb the pain. My heart yearns so deeply for you to become a child of God and share in the incredible freedom from guilt, depression, and regret that I claim as my own because of Christ's blood, His gift for even me. I ask you: will you not listen? Will you not accept this great love?

Please.

once in a life time

As far back as I can remember, I have received only once from my grandfather, my mom's dad, Kenneth Bonsack, a hug. This one time didn't take place until I was 23 (which I am now) and he was living with his daughter, my aunt Cyndi. He's had a couple surgeries for heart related issues, he has a low flow of oxygen to the brain, he's been smoking for decides, and now is when he chose to give me a hug. Coincidence?

It was one of the greatest experiences of my life.

sad, sad day

As Arizona went to the polls today, they decided some very disappointing things: Janet Napolitano will have another 4 years, Terry Goddard will be the Attorney General, and it looks (at this point) that Prop 107 (marriage between one man and one woman only) will lose. I am saddened. I am upset that this state cannot see the tragedy of keeping Napolitano in office. It boths me even more that we might become the first state to shoot down a proposal to add to our states constitution that prohibits gay marriage. To tell you the truth, I had a thought to move from Arizona when I first heard these results. I am terribly downhearted. Goodnight.

God save AZ.

election day

Today is the day to vote. We get to vote for change, for progress, for truth. God's will be done. Amy and I filled out our early ballots, but we did them too late to mail in to be counted for the election. We are having to take them to our polling place in order to get them counted. Wasn't there a reason we got early ballots? I think there was.

ccc

I've now got a leadership application with a parental consent form for CCC. Diedrich Wasserbauer (CCC sponsor, English teacher, room 400) and I will then be able to go through the applications and decide who would be best to serve as leadership in this DVCCC. How great is our God?! *Lord, only You can change hearts. I ask for the hearts of the students, teachers, and administrators on Deer Valley's campus to be reached through You using even CCC to show off Your character to bring Yourself glory.*

freshman fifteen

I read an article lately that said the so-called "Freshman 15" is now down to the "Freshman 5." Thought that was interesting, but I've got that beat! When I was a freshman in college, I had a cyst in my mouth that required some pretty severe surgery. Because of the impact of the surgery, and lack of solid foods I was able to eat, I ended up losing 30 lbs. instead of gaining any.

Surgery on the mouth: the best diet ever!

pregnancy

Amy is pregnant with #2 and so went in for her second checkup this morning. I wasn't able to go in today; I had to teach. Amy got to hear our second child's heartbeat today. I wish I could have been there. The doc told Amy that she lost 5 lbs since the last weigh in. She was not excited about that. Amy needs to eat more and drink some shakes that we have. Amy's just not felt like eating. She'll need to get over that one. Amy is such a joy to me. I am extremely blessed to call her my wife.

long time friend

Sunday night at the house. Nothing pressing to do except grade paper; but that is something I really did not want to do today. I can grade tomorrow during my prep. Surprising thing happened: Robby M Charley (whose middle name really is M all by itself) called me out of the blue this evening. It's got to have been almost a year since we talked last. I love that guy. My one and only NoJava friend...I mean Navajo. He doesn't like coffee, but his second job is at Starbucks. Go fig. We didn't get very long to chat tonight, but we set a date in two weeks to meet again, play some games, and be able to talk more at length then. I really do care about the guy. He's been a good friend over the years, ever since we met in high school at Deer Valley (where I now teach). Hopefully he and I can get more into our spiritual lives when we meet again in two weeks. It's the relationship with God that's always the most important thing; it's got to be. Until then...