Archive for June, 2012

Thankful – How About You?

Wednesday, June 27th, 2012

Today on Facebook, pastor and author Pete Wilson (Facebook, Blog, Twitter), wrote…

Spent some time this morning flipping through current news stories. I could almost feel the darkness closing in.

Aren’t you getting tired of the cloud of negativity which seems to be hovering over our culture today? I know the economy could be stronger. Your job probably isn’t perfect. Your marriage may need some work. Your stress level is too high. Your church has possibly seen better days.

But let’s be honest. We still have a lot to be thankful for.

Colossians 3:15 reminds us “Let the peace that Christ gives control your thinking, because you were all called together in one body to have peace. Always be thankful.” (NCV)

So today I’m…   thankful for …

Isn’t it so true?

I was up in the middle of the night with a bad head cold, or sinus problem, or something, and I got flipping through the Internet reading the news and stories and it was SO depressing (the fact that I was up between 3:00 and 4:30am for the third night in a row was depressing enough, the but the stories made it even more so)…

  • the shopping mall collapse in Elliot Lake
  • the wildfires in Colorado Springs
  • the torrential rains and flooding in Florida
  • the situation in Syria and Egypt and the Middle East in general
  • the European economies
  • etc, etc, etc

And when I started reading the comments attached some of the stores you could just feel the negativity in virtually every comment.

But seeing Pete’s comments this morning reminded me that I *DO* have *SO MUCH* to be thankful for, each and every day!!!

  • Today is my wife’s birthday.  Yep she’s turning 29 again!!  I am *SO* thankful for her, and the way she is such a caring mother of our kids, and so caring for others in the community as well.  I’m also very thankful that she puts up with me too!!
  • I’m thankful for our kids.  Each of them unique, but each of them such a blessing from God.
  • I’m thankful for parents and parents-in-law that were/are so loving and supportive of me, of my wife and I, and of our kids.
  • I’m thankful for our church families – both old and new!  The support they have given us over the many years has truly been a blessing, and I don’t know what we would have done without them in some of the troubled times in the past.
  • I’m thankful for a good job – one that allows me to be flexible when I’m sick, or in need of something personal.
  • I’m thankful for this city and country we live in.  Sure it’s not perfect, but when I look around, there’s scarcely another place on the planet I’d rather live.
  • I’m thankful for my faith in a God who loves me, and guides my every move.  I wish I’d listen to Him more, but I’m thankful that He’s forgiving and, like my wife, puts up with me no matter what.

So today, what, or who, are YOU thankful for?

TTFN

Posted in Church, General, Personal | No Comments »

Birthday Parties and Great Kids

Monday, June 25th, 2012

Saturday was CRAZY at our house.  Our youngest, celebrated her 16th Birthday (even though it’s not until this coming Friday) with about 18 or her friends from school and church.  They celebrated with a water balloon fight (over 500 balloons!), a hose fight (only one hose), and eventually a coconut cream pie in the face for the Birthday Girl.  With all the hooting and hollering that was going on you’d have thought there were 50 kids out there!!!

But when the “fight” was over (no one was a ‘victor’ in this war!), without even us saying anything, they all started to go around and pickup the million little pieces of green and yellow balloons that littered the driveway, the road, and the lawn.  The neighbours (and us as parents) stood in amazement as the war-zone was retransformed into our quiet little neighbourhood once more.

Then it was off to the water park to get even wetter with more hooting and hollering (which we could hear from nearly 2 blocks away).

When they returned, we cooked burgers and sausages and they all camped out on blankets in the backyard.  And when the meal was over and they headed back inside for cake and presents, every cup, fork, plate and blanket was cleaned up and neatly piled either IN the dishwasher or on the counter.

I can’t say enough good things about these kids.  They are all crazy.  They are all “normal” teens in every way.  But they all were so great at helping out, cleaning up, and saying “thank you” that it would put most adults to shame.

I’m proud of all my kids.  They’ve all got great friends.  They’re all hard workers.  They’re all responsible adults now.  I love them all!!!

God bless you kids!!  All of you!!  Have a great summer!!!  You deserve it!!!

TTFN

Posted in Entertainment, General, Personal | No Comments »

Kapow Shrimp V1.0

Monday, June 18th, 2012

So for Father’s Day my one son and his girlfriend decided they were going to make “Kapow Shrimp” for me.  Now when you usually try to replicate restaurant recipes they never turn out the way the restaurant makes them (I’m still trying to make the Lin Garden Green Beans!!), however, they managed to find a recipe online from someone who works (or worked) at Montana’s, where they’ve had the Kapow Shrimp Burger on numerous occasions.

So, needless to say they made it up and served just the shrimp with some linguine pasta.  It was great!!! so we decided that we’d “save” the recipe and work on variations over time to come up with our own “Lahn Version” of the Kapow Sauce (I’m sure you could use it on chicken or other meats as well).

Kapow Shrimp

  • 1/4 cup garlic caesar dressing
  • 1 cup of Thai chili sauce
  • 1 tsp of lime juice
  • 1 tsp of cilantro
  • shrimp

Fry up shrimp and after they cool enough to touch, dip in the kapow sauce.

For variations we’re thinking of:

  • extra spices / hot sauce
  • use it on chicken
  • use the sauce as part of a wrap or tortilla.

We’ll see what additional recipes we can come up with.

Thanks for checking out this recipe!  If you really like it, why not do me a favour and consider sponsoring a child through Compassion Canada or Compassion International.  Thanks.

TTFN

Posted in General, Recipes | 17 Comments »

Overlooking an Offense (via @PWilson)

Monday, June 11th, 2012

I just ran across this posting from Pete Wilson’s Facebook page (Pete is the pastor at Crosspoint Church in Nashville, and the author of several books, and a blog).  I love following his insight and wisdom and today’s “gem” is a great one for us ALL to remember… including ME!!!

We live in a culture where we’ve all been well trained on how to be offended. Every day we seem to be the victim of something.
We are quick to judge.
Quick to condemn.
Quick to throw the penalty flag.
Quick to call the foul. …
Quick to be offended.
Slow to ask. Is this something I should just “overlook”?
Proverbs 19:11 says, “A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.”
It’s your glory!!
Now “overlooking” an offense is not the same as pretending it didn’t happen. It’s a conscious decision, a form of forgiveness. It’s a choice to say I’m not going to focus on, talk about, or let that offense grow up inside me into hurt and bitterness.
In a culture that has mostly lost the art of how to “overlook” an offense I pray you’ll let God do this work in you today. God takes great delight in helping us do things we simply can’t do on our own.
Praying for you guys!!!!

What a great way to start the week!!

TTFN!!

Posted in Church, General, Personal | No Comments »