Two Beautiful Girls

I spend most of my day sweating and getting dirty and incurring new cuts, bruises and aches.

And then...

...I come home.

I come home to two incredibly wonderful girls who are 4 and 9 years old. They come bounding out of the house when they hear my car pull up. Each one runs up for a hug, their blond hair flying. They both eagerly jockey for my attention and their day spills out of their excited lips until I get all mixed up trying to figure out which one held the class dog, which one voted in their school elections and which one made a new friend today.

We quickly consume a yummy dinner and then each one wants to play outside, do a science experiment or swing on the swing hanging on our pine tree.

I'm telling you, the world may be falling apart around me in many ways, but THIS is the way to end the day.

Love,
Daddy

A Beautiful Day

So it's been a day after our interview on NBC and I am beginning to realize that I just aired out some incredibly intimate details about my family on TV: And I cried; and I had tousled hair by the end of the interview; and my wife was in a hospital gown being placed in a large tube all the while talking about her breast cancer.

It's almost like one of those bad dreams where you end up in your underwear in front of your schoolmates.

And then people called me saying they cried as they watched the show. Or they sobbed...or were inspired...or were encouraged...or learned about God in a new way.

Suddenly, I'm not in a bad dream anymore. I begin to see some purpose in what is happening. The bad dream turns into a beautiful day.

This morning I found this Scripture:

Luk 21:12 NKJV - You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name's sake. But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony.

So I humbly thank God for His never leaving me nor forsaking me. And I thank Him for the people He has touched.

Jack

Mysterious Ways

I am humbled. We watched ourselves on NBC this afternoon and within minutes, people began to contact us to offer help. Some folks promised needed funds, others offered prayers and encouragement and still others wise advice.

Believe me, it is all so appreciated. In fact, the most valuable thing we have seen thus far is simply the outpouring of support being given to us.

So apparently God can use whatever methods He wants to help us; and frankly, that's fine by me. So what if God works in mysterious ways? I say, let Him.

Why? Because:

Isa 55:8 NKJV - "For My thoughts [are] not your thoughts, Nor [are] your ways My ways," says the LORD. "For [as] the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts."

Thank you Lord for the love you are showing us through your children.

And thank you to all of you who have responded to our needs. May God bless you a hundred fold.

Jack & Debbie

The Cat

So last Friday Debbie and I sat in front of the NBC cameraman and an Emmy-award winning news reporter/producer. They were consummate professionals as we spilled our guts about the last year-and-a-half. They made us feel comfortable and safe and they managed to respect our privacy.

And then they made us cry.

Fabulous. I'm going on NBC news and I'm crying.

Just when I think I've got a grip on our situation, a particularly poignant detail surfaces and I lose it.

In this case the reporter asked how the children were taking the possibility of losing the house. I described our 9-year old's thoughts and then explained how the 4-year old really didn't know. But she knows enought to grab the cat around the belly and say, "Daddy! Please don't give away the kitty! Please not the kitty! I love the kitty!"

As I described this during the interview, my heart just broke. How do I assure her I don't intend to ever give away our wonderful friend the cat when I know that if we have to move, we will probably have to do just that.

My voice could barely get the words out and my eyes filled with tears in front of the camera.

I can live anywhere, but when I think about what a move would mean to my children and my wife, I can't stand it.

Please remember us, Lord. You've given me this family and I am unable to provide for them.

Your loving and hopeful son,
Jack

Out of Control

Nuts.

I thought we had a solution to our foreclosure process. It seemed good, it seemed it was from God and it seemed doable. But no...it's not going to happen. Then I had a recommendation from senior management from a major company and it produced nothing. In short order.

Nuts.

I have zero control over losing my house right now. And when I sit down and think about the packing and the moving and the "oh-my-we-may-only have-weeks-to-do-this-when-the-notice-comes" fear, I just sit down frozen. How do I talk to my children? How do I comfort my wife? How do I tell my friends?

Lord, I don't know how to do this. I've never lost anything this big before. I lost my Dad to cancer, but I knew your plan for him was better than his staying here. And I miss my Dad so much. So I guess you must have a better plan for my family than I can imagine.

Some people think that because I have a smile on, that I don't hurt from all this. It's not true at all. I find my happiness in many moments each day that make me smile such as a sunny day at the beach with my girls or a yummy chili dinner or a day's work.

It is true that I have a peace that surpasses all understanding. But that does not mean I am not scared, confused and hurting. I just trust God that He is still at work (Rom 8:28 NKJV - And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to [His] purpose).

So Lord, I am on my face. Please hear my prayer:

[Mat 26:39 NKJV] - "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You [will]."


And Your response is:

Phl 4:6 NKJV - Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.


In trust,
Son Jack

Two are Better Than One

Last week I was working on a very large pergola (arbor) for a friend in Los Angeles. The project is beautiful but I vastly underestimated the amount of materials and labor needed for completion.

So, despite the very close proximity of the LA Fires, despite the smoke in the air causing burning in the lungs and tearing eyes, despite the 106 F heat and despite the tremendous shoulder et al pain Debbie has from her former treatments, Debbie was beside me painting the wood and hauling pieces of lumber back and forth. I was so grateful.

And tomorrow we head back for one more day together t0 try and finish. I won't be able to finish it myself, but if she helps, we stand a chance. We need to finish it because it is a 120 mile trek back and forth between our two houses and we mustn't take any more time.

The Bible says it well about being married:

Ecc 4:9 NKJV - Two [are] better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him [who is] alone when he falls, For [he has] no one to help him up.

Thank you, Debbie for lifting me up when I fell on this project!

Jack