Ford verses Chevy!

We purchased a new church utility vehicle last week. The one on the left is our new Chevrolet 2500. It is replacing our 2000 model Ford F-250 with over 250,000 miles! There's been an ongoing dispute between me and my board of directors about Ford verses Chevy for fifteen years! (I'm a Ford guy, they're all Chevy guys. lol) I guess we get to see now which is the better product! This Chevy has some large shoes to fill! 

The guy next to me is Rhett Wyatt our Properties Manager and quite possibly the best human being I know! 

Winter Park

Last week Donna and I enjoyed a wonderful vacation with friends in Winter Park, CO. Our trip began with a visit to our Crossroads Connection in Highland's Ranch where I preached the Sunday morning service and got to catch up with our church family there. Shawn and Amy Reine are doing a wonderful job pastoring the connection and it was so fun to meet new people and catch up with old friends.

After service, we headed north to Winter Park to get settled into what turned out to be the nicest condo we have ever rented in over twelve years of trips to Colorado! We shared the home this year with our dear friends Scott & Kara Holmes and Paul & Cindy Burke (who have skied with us the past three seasons) and new ski buddies Gary and Sandy Bentley. What a great week we shared with these friends! 

Monday dumped 4-6" of fresh powder on us and created ideal conditions Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday when the sun came out and temperatures soared up to 28 degrees! However, a snowstorm blew in Friday, eventually dumping another foot of snow on the Rockies. We were blessed to be able to get out and get back to Louisiana! 

On Wednesday we enjoyed a new mountain experience - Snowmobiling along the Continental Divide! Snowmobiling is a blast! Donna declared it her new favorite sport! The views were absolutely stunning! We will definitely include snowmobiling in future trips! 

On Thursday night we all headed out to do a little snow tubing. This activity turned out to be one of the highlights of the week. Several of the Burkes friends who were also vacationing in Winter Park last week joined us and helped us form a 25+man chain, sliding down the mountain at break-neck speeds! What fun.

One of the things we enjoy each year is Chef Scott & Kara's amazing breakfasts they get up and make each morning! Pancakes, French Toast, eggs & bacon, home-made biscuits - You name it! Each couple also takes turns cooking dinner one night. This not only allows us to save money, it also gives us more time to relax and enjoy the company of some of our favorite people in the whole world! 

Twenty-one!

My little boy is all grown up! Chase turned twenty-one today! I'm so proud of the incredible young man he has become. He and one of his best friends are getting ready to do a backpacking tour across the British Isles soon. It would have never even occurred to me to do something like that at his age, but he is an adventurous spirit! Here's a shot of him considering a manly mustache at twenty-one! What do you think?

God's Promises for Our Kids

1. Salvation

Acts 16:31, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved - you and your household.” 

2. Faithfulness to God

Proverbs 22:6,Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from  it. 

3. Peace

Isaiah 54:13, All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children.

4. Submission to parents

Proverbs 29:17, Correct your son, and he will give you rest; Yes, he will give delight to your soul. 

5. Health

Psalms 91:10, There shall no evil befall you, neither shall any plague come near your dwelling. 

6. Blessing

Proverbs 20:7, The righteous man walk in his integrity; His children are blessed after him.

7. Wisdom

2 Timothy 3:15, …from infancy (they) have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make (them) wise…

8. Doing great things

Psalm 112:1-3, His descendants will be mighty on earth…

9. Safety

Isaiah 49:25, I will give safety to your children…

10. Prosperity

Psalms 115:14, May the LORD give you increase more and more, You and your children.