So, I am planning a trip some weekend to IHOP - house of prayer - not pancakes.... Sometime in the next month or two....  Trying to get friends to come right now. It's a friday to sunday thing in MO - Kansas City. It'll be good for me since I really am just trying to get my focus on God and be diligent in my reading of the bible and just really live a life of praise...... God is amazing..... I have been struggling with things, but His love remains the same.......  : )  

Listening to this song - its totally haunting - You won't relent by Misty Edwards.... I love it already. She really has a heart for God. Hopefully I get to meet her out in IHOP  : )  

If you can pray for my friend Eric, that'd be amazing. He lost his leg in a motorcycle accident but praise God - he's doing well and even has a sense of humor about it all  : )  Thanks to God's peace that surpasses all understanding - even that of doctors, nurses, and psychologists  : )

She sits
unaware of where she may be
content with life though knowing her dreams

she speaks
knowing the words she says
may have the ability to free

knowing a change is possible
even for the worst thieves, murderers,
or even kings

she knows
that to listen may sometimes be all a  person needs to succeed
to be the person they know they can be

she sees
hearts in need of healing
and  tends to even these

and no matter how they see her
she’s  beautiful
a child of the King

This weekend was a nice one. I got to hang out with friends that are moving away and my uncle and brother. My brother and I went fishing on my uncle's boat. We didn't catch much, but nevertheless it was a good time. I always do have this looming question in my mind though. My uncle is not a believer and really bringing it up is followed by other comments by him...... He is your stereotypical ex army ranger. He has the war wounds, heart wounds and stories. He is your typical guy that really just doesn't care what other people thing, which I semi admire about him but some of the things he brings up I really just wish he wouldn't. Not that I am the perfect person, because God knows I have my own problems. I don't always watch my tongue or really always practice what I preach. I haven't even been to church in about a month - not because I am avoiding it really. It's just complacency I guess.... I have fallen into some things that I need to work on in my life but I am at least trying to work on that. I am trying to find a better church family and small groups where I can get that accountability that I need.

I tried to be the lone Christian for too long and really got burned by it. The lone Christian is always bound to get burned a little. We were not meant to live that way. God puts people around us for a reason. To strengthen us and build us up so we can do the same for the other person.

Another thing about the weekend was that my brother, God love him.... He and I really differ on opinions about imigration. I say that really since we are Christians, we are ALL aliens here and all people are out brothers and sisters IN CHRIST. Even people that are Christians in Afghanistan and Somalia, Italy, Iraq, or anywhere else, they are our brothers and sisters. So why do we care if they come to our country. It's not ours anyways.... The flag to us should mean nothing...... It's a symbol for those that live under the banner of the USA. Our banner is the cross.

Don't just agree to disagree with people that really do not have it right. That is how we got here in the first place - why we have so many problems. Healthcare, world hunger, etc.. - you name it...... You gotta take a stand somewhere..... we should be taking a stand for the least of these...... and that does not just mean Christians.......

Well, that is my rant and a little about me for the night. Thanks all. Sleep well.
~Dave