loss

When I was still single, I attended an awesome group at church. We didn't have a cool name like the "Uprising" group at our church does -- we were simply the "college and career" group. Same thing though: bible studies, serving the community together, fun get-togethers, missions.

In one of the year-long bible studies we had I made some great friends who really challenged me. After a year of meeting together you get to know each other pretty well -- and I got to know my best friend's little brother Max. (not real name, of course) Max has a long family legacy of Christ-followers, and yet he always had this "angst" in him. I like angst, it's so raw and honest. I always appreciated Max's open demeanor, and his struggles with God and the way He wants us to live. (you know, things like in Colossians 3)

Then, back in '93 Max openly walked away from a life with Christ...he had already joined the service, had some family struggles, real life stuff that we all can relate to. During the last several years God blessed Max (that's the way I see it) with a best friend in the service named Rob. Their families were close, they were close. And this week Rob died. Killed in Iraq. Roadside bomb. Very frustrating. Very sad.

So, now what about Max? Will he become even more bitter towards God? Will he turn to Jesus who still stands at the door and knocks...waiting for Max to open the door again. As of yet this story has no conclusion, yet I know how I would end it if it were in my power. Now you know the kinds of things that occupy my thoughts and prayers for my friends.

problem with mascots

I mentioned before that Dave has a problem with mascots! Just look at this photo! See what I mean?!
(Thanks Dennis!)

Dunked!

I was dunked by my own son! Today was field day at the kids' school and I volunteered to get into the dunk tank! You should have seen how big T.Michael's eyes got when I climbed up into the tank -- He didn't know I was going to do it. (Heck, I didn't even know I was going to do it!) What a kick!

Champions!

Yesterday T.Michael's baseball team won the championship game for Centennial Little League! Congratulations THUNDERBOLTS!

God's Inner Artistry

Dave's boss has assigned him a new book to read called, "Confessions Of A Pastor; Adventures in Dropping the Pose and Getting Real with God" by Craig Groeschel; Multnomah Publishers, Inc. 2006

Like all good wives, I like to sneak a peek into what is going into my Hubby's great mind -- it's like having secret access to a really great library! Right away I found a fun story about the author's encounter with Chuck E. Cheese (page 111). It caught my eye since, as some of you know, my man also has had the occasional conflict with mascots! (A great story if you haven't heard it yet) But the really good stuff I found on page 191 when Pastor Craig talks about failure:

"Are you struggling against failure right now? Does a recent failure linger painfully in your memory? You thought you were creating the next Mercedes, but you got a Pinto. What do you do now?

Look for what God's teaching you. What's happening to you is not as important as what God's doing in you. Maybe He's shaving off some pride, or teaching you to depend on Him, or building some undeveloped character trait. Look past the painful outward circumstances and embrace God's inner artistry. Whatever you do, don't give up. If you hang in there, you'll eventually succeed God's way and on God's timetable (see Galatians 6:9).

So you've been knocked down. Get up. Again. And again. Learn and move on. You'll face another fight tomorrow--and when you do, you'll be stronger and wiser than you were today."


Galatians 6:9

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

A New Chapter

This weekend marks the end of a great chapter in our Proehl-family year. A few of our changes include:

Our exchange student completes school tomorrow and heads back to Korea on Saturday. Our son is playing in the baseball championship finals, and baseball season ends this weekend. Also, in a couple weeks he will be a 2nd grader! Our daughter had a dance recital last night and will soon be a 5th grader! There is more, but those are the biggies.

It's like we are ending a chapter and starting a whole new book!