50 it is!

Happy Birthday, honey!

Sea Otters, Sunrises and Soccer

Spent the weekend in Los Angeles. Left in the wee hours of the morning Saturday which blessed us with an amazing sunrise, saw several otters frolicking in the surf, and watched a lot of soccer. Three losses for the girls....not bad, though. These teams are the elite in the nation. We played the nation's number 1 team to a 1-0 loss, played the number one team in Southern Cal to a 1-0 loss as well. All in prep for State Cup which starts in two weeks...I'm about soccered out! I'm wanting more time by the ocean (I was envious of the otters - well, not totally considering where they are on the food chain and what eats them!), I'm wanting some more sunrises (but I see those most days). Trying to stay in soccer viewing shape (you would be amazed at how fatiguing it is.)

What Does Church Breathe?

OK you Grace Church 'ites'. I'm calling you by name in this post. I have a question for you? Do you think our church breathes hope into a hopeless world? Question #2 - if you look closely at yourself - what does your behavior indicate? I know....weird thoughts today.

A Little More Wedding...

The official wedding pics aren't available, but the photographer put several on his blog. They are great! This man and wife team of photography have a great eye.....for fun go to the link and look at a few pics on their blog. The post is entitled Jenna and Ryan (January 11 post) www.johnnystaffordphotography.blogspot.com

No, she doesn't look like my 10 year old in this one.....

A dip for the kiss....awesome!

Balloons...

"Several years ago, I conducted a wedding ceremony on a Saturday afternoon in June. The bride wore a white summer dress, the groom a white linen shirt. They insisted onthe simplest ceremony possible. It was held in a park in a grove of trees. Their family and friends stood in a circle, with the three of us in the middle. I began with a welcome, they exchanged vows and rings, I pronounced them husband and wife, they kissed, everybody clapped.

...They were then each handed a cluster of helium balloons on strings. The balloons, I told everybody, were symbols...As a picture of starting over, together, they wanted their first act as a married couple to be letting the balloons go.

They walked out of the grove of trees into an adjoining field. Just the two of them, holding hands, standing knee-high grass, exchanging words that only they could hear. Then they raised the balloons above their heads and let them go. We all stood there, watching those balloons float away until they drifted from sight." Rob Bell, Sex God.

I'm thinking of holding a balloon party....any takers?

It's True

True confessions of what my desk looks like when I am writing bible study homework and preparing to lecture. I need more book space.....4 commentaries, three bible dictionaries, three resource books and three versions of His Word. It is just easier to leave it all out.

"I Choose Us"

The wedding day came and went....a few pics to remember it by. The banner on this post came from the words at the end of my niece's and husband's vows to each other...

They clean up well...

Do we get to dance yet?

I'm dreaming tonight.....someday my prince will come, too.

Cousins they are. They could be sisters!

Sis and the bride...

Creamy roses.....

Yes, it was this pretty!

The happy couple...

"So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate." Matthew 19:6