Sarah loves to take pictures. So I decided to put some of her photographs in this virtual gallery so that you can see what Kelly and I see as a gift (and a means of early retirement! hahaha). Enjoy! Below each picture are titles that Sarah has given each of these works of art.
Bridge Over Troubled Waters
What Color is your Flip Flop?
Maternal Influence
No Parker!!!
Number 4Over the past month or so we have ventured out into the vast expanse and wilderness know as Indianapolis to see what we could find for fun and adventure. Two of our stops: The Canal at White River State Park in downtown and Cool Creek Park and Trails in Westfield.
My sister, Marcie, and niece, Scout, came out for a little girls night out on the town here in Indy. They ate some food, shopped a bit, and talked a ton. It was really cool having them out. My nephew, Alex, and I held down the fort, played with the kids and successfully wrestled my wild (albeit sweet) little buggers into bed. Good times were had by all.
What would a girls night out be without a little reading from the Berenstein Bears!
The terrific trio!
Guess who got goosed?!
Work it...very nice...give me more...strike a pose...there's nothing to it...vogue!
Come closer, Scout...too close - a little too close!
It's the fast growing blog game sensation in America. It's taking the country by storm. Look for the book, DVD, CD-ROM, and music video at a Barnes and Noble and cable access stations (and of course Costco!) near you.
Just wanted to honor my friends that have helped during these past few months to keep me afloat and moving forward. I am more like Jesus because of their influence on me and my family. This is just a "snap shot" of the many that have loved us deeply during this stretch of life.
Here are a few pictures from Sarah's big #4! It was a great day...thanks to all the friends and family that came and made is such a special day for our biggest girl!
Muddy waters. That's about how it feels these days. Lack of personal vision. Inability to sense God's vocational directive or hear His voice. Inner struggle of how to work in conjunction with the hand of God and the movement of the Holy Spirit. All of that and then some adds up to some confusion and not much clarity. Ugh. It's tiring having to trust this damn much, but, just maybe, that's part of covert plan for my life. So I keep going. Punching that clock. Taking those breaks. Searching those web sites. Reading those job descriptions. Feeling huge discouragement. All in an effort to communicate to Kelly, the kids, and the world around me that I will follow (good U2 song, btw!).
I have to laugh because if you ask me at certain times (like right now) if I enjoy my faith journey, I'd have to say, "Heck no! This faith thing is for the birds!" It's hard, messy and unpredictable - I guess that's why we call it faith. It can be really tough to wade through. But - and that's a big but - I continue to remind myself of the truth that God is not about my comfort, but my character and that is driven by His great love for me. It's so that I can continue to experience how awesome He is and to continue to unearth who He's making me to be. It's truth. It's real. I read it in Scripture. I see it in the lives of people dead and gone and also those alive and kickin'. And that my fellow trekkers is good - very good. God is at work...He is always faithful...I will still worship.
So there you have it...faith, uncertainty, mud, follow - muddy waters. That's where I'm at and it's where I'm swimming. And thank you, Jesus, for those wading in the water with me: family, my prayer triad, friends across the country and oh that amazing bride of mine - Kelly. She is amazing. God only knows where I'd be without her. Babe, you have been, are, and always will be the best! And what can I say Whodie and the Wildman - Sarah and Parker? From spontaneous ballet sessions to spotting HUGE bia bags (I'll give you three guesses as to what that is), God reminds me to stay on my toes, keep laughing, and be about the Father's business of loving and serving people no matter what.
Grace and peace.
I wrote a few post back about the amazing accomplishment of my uncle gathering all the "john hancocks" of the living Heisman trophy winners. Here is the final chapter in the story as told by a news station in Dallas, TX: http://cbs11tv.com/video?cid=56. It is so stinkin' cool. My uncle is getting more run than the Donald and for even better reasons!
I'd like to welcome the newest member of the Rings Clan here in Indy...Sally Cat!
We are excited to have her. She is super playful, very snuggly and too stinkin' cute! We are having a ton of fun and look forward to the day when she can pull her weight aroung the house by eradicating our ground squirrel and mole population!
As you can see Sarah loves to hold and "mother" her. Every time Sally walks away from her food, Sarah has to pick her up and bring her back to dish. Parker loves the "kitty!", but finds it most intriguing to simply lie down next to Sally and stare at her while she chills out on the floor...funny little boy, he is.
Welcome, Sally Cat!
Ah, the last day of May. Weird. Time flies when you are in limbo - spiritually, emotionally, and vocationally. It seems like just yesterday that I was getting myself and a team of almost 75 people ready to go to east Africa and urban Indianapolis (that was a year ago). It also feels like it was just the beginning of September with a sense of anticipation of what I was going to discover about myself and my calling as I resigned from Grace. Now it's the end of May and I'm just trying to figure out what tomorrow's closing time is going to be like at Costco. Life comes at you fast and from unseen directions. Weird.
April was a tough month...lots of showers. So what has that brought me in May...flowers? Things that make you go hhhmmmmmm. I'm not really sure. I'm still strugglin'. I'm still scared. I'm still searchin'. But I'm also still hopeful. Still thankful. And still grace-full that God is still working on this battered and bruised tool willing to be formed. I can only chuckle at times that He doesn't throw in the trash heap. Weird.
So here comes June with all its glory and heat. I'll keep you posted as the journey continues (doesn't it always?). I wonder what pithy slogans will come out of this time...May hhhmmmmmms bring June _______. We'll have to wait and see. Thanks for being there and taking part. Your thoughts, prayers and conversations are huge! In the next couple of days or weeks I'll post something on some musing on this book I'm reading about desire and how I'm working through that.
My hands are held up high (and I'm totally pitting out. Kelly can we turn on the air?).
My new documentary: The Granny Files
Presentation is everything.
Papau and his Sarah Beara
Finally everyone is gone. Now it's time for some serious old school gaming on PS One.
The Birthday boy is in control: of wagon and sister!Gotta love those party peeps!
Four chicks and the dude: Lilly (Jasmine in womb), Mandi, Drew, and Cara
Margo, Drew, and Randy...Now that's a good lookin' family!
Aarrgghh...I'm Jeff (the favorite pirate cousin!)
Ella and her mommy, Lori...so sweet!
I have no idea who these guys are...they just showed b/c they saw the ballons. Wierd.Here are some pics from Parker's big day!
My first wagon! Woohoo!
Mmmmm...cupcakes.
My big sister gave me Little Einstein pictures to put up by my bed!
Mmmmm...more cupcakes.
My M&M Birthday cake made by Ms. Tara. She totally rocks!Here are a few pics of the fam taken over the last couple of weeks...
It's Mommy, Look at Me, and You're Squeezin'!
Is my girl growing up or what?
Now she wants a freakin' pony...what was I thinkin'?!
A daddy and his dude. So cool.
It takes a real man to pull off this look. I'd like to see you try it!
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