Category: Uncategorized

Take 2 & Call Me in the A.M.

So I had to go to the doctor today.  I have had a good bit of ear and throat pain over the past 4-5 days…maybe longer.  I have been trying to get better but it just hasn’t happened.  So I went ahead and called in sick (since I felt like a steamy pile of junk).
I finally got to the doctor with my 2 year old accomplice and entered the waiting room, signed in and then the fun began.
‘Thias decides that he didn’t want to go with daddy after all, but it was too late.  He squealed for a moment and after some bribery of promises of trading sweet treats for good behavior, he was content.  After all, we brought a Hot Wheels with us.  After about 45 minutes in the waiting room, I was finally called to the back.
We went to the weigh-in station.  Then to the exam room One.  We were there about 10 minutes, then off to exam room Five.  Where we wait…
Thirty minutes later (yes, that means we had already been there for about an hour and 25 minutes) the doc? comes in.  No white coat?  No badges?  Just a clipboard and a pen.  She peers in my ears and down my throat.
“Yep!  Pretty red down there in your throat” she says.
“Uhm…yes, ma’am.  My throat has been hurting for a while” I exclaim.
“Hmmm… I guess that would explain it.  Well, I’ll get you some x-rays and a blood count” she replies.
X-Ray?!?!?  What for?  I didn’t sneeze so hard that I broke my face.  My nose wasn’t broken…it was just stuffy and sick.  Geez!!!
The x-ray confirms what I already know.  What I already told the nurse.
 
YOU HAVE A REALLY BAD SINUS INFECTION…

Uhm, relief?  So she says, “Alright, well we’ll get you a steroid shot, antibiotic shot, and some antibiotic pills.”

And then the question.  “So will those shots be in my arm?” (I ask since my son was still in the room with me and I was hoping to NOT scar him for life.)
She smiles gingerly and says, “Oh, no.  They’ll have to be in your backside.”

So within a few minutes, the nurse comes in and pokes the needles in my hind quarters.  ‘Thias just watched in amazement.  I just smiled and talked him through it.  I think he was afraid that he was going to have to get the shots too.  I assured him that he was not in danger.

So… not that I am home and the shots are starting to kick in, my backside hurts and I’m quite dizzy.  I just look forward to feeling better soon.

As ‘Thias and I left, he said, “Daddy…cookie.”  I indulged him.  He did pretty well for just over two hours in the doc’s office…well, thanks to YouTube.

Until next time…

MTP

Around the House

Things are changing around my house.  We are kind of expanding to get ready for baby #4 who is due in the first part of October.  We are in the works of launching a small business of our own (ah, the paperwork).  Of course, the kids are growing like stink weeds.  “Bon” (the eldest) will be 5 in October.  “Moe” just turned two and is all boy.  “Hosie” just turned one a couple of weeks ago.  So there are a lot of little things happening and coming about each day. 

One thing that always makes me laugh is how each child grows to be his or her own little person.  They really start to come into their personality between the ages of 1 & 2 years old.  Well, for two of ours, that is exactly where we are.

We’ll start with Bon.

She is a big helper.  She loves to help around the house and do big girl things.  She helps Lovely cook and do laundry (she puts clothes in the washer – and pulls them out of the dryer).  She makes her little bed and will tidy up her room really well.  One of the biggest things that she does lately is that she clears the dining room table of all plates and cups, scrapes the plates and puts the dishes in the sink (or the dishwasher).  Again, big girl tasks.  She likes to help the others with their chores and really likes to be given responsibilities.  I catch her singing to herself.  She has a great little voice and I look forward to seeing that blossom.   I see a leader in her… 

Then there is “Moe.”

As mentioned before, “Moe” is straight-up boy.  There is NO denying that.  He is either full force or asleep.  But even with all of the “boy-ness” his personality is still shining through.  He is so strong (even at 2 years old) that he can pick up and move pretty much any furniture in the house.  He knows he is strong, but he is really gentle (most of the time) with his sisters.  If they get hurt he will come over and give them kisses or pat them on their back to comfort them.  When he is in the mood, he will just give all of his toys away to help someone feel loved.  He has recently started doing some of his own chores.  Some of those include:  Throwing away the dirty diapers (He says, “I froway”), picking up the toys in the living room, taking his little man clothes to the laundry room, and helping MTP cut the grass (he holds the mower and pushes with me).  He is exactly as I have prayed as he was in the womb… Strong as a warrior, but with a compassionate heart.

Next to last is “Hosie.”

Hosie is pretty much the star of the show.  She has the most rhythm and talks pretty much nonstop.  She has a very kind heart and is warm and friendly.  The funny thing is that she has discernment like I have never seen.  She will sit and read people when she first meets them.  There are some she will go to and some (in the same room) that she will not.  She is a lot more sensitive than I am.  Usually within about 5 minutes I will be able to discern the truth about a person.  She just barely sees them for about one minute and that is enough.

And finally, Baby…

Well, baby is just growing right now, but I pray that this child will be an amazing follower of Jesus.  Honoring God’s Word and reaching people for God’s Kingdom.  I will have a more clear direction when I know the gender of the baby within the next month or so, but I really believe that God’s promises and blessings will be wrapped up in this baby.  By the way, in case you haven’t heard, if the baby is a girl, her name will be LydiaRuth (secret middle name) Catoe.  If baby is a boy, then the name will be Nekoda Solomon Catoe.

Until next time…

mtp

 

Posted from the iPhone

The Top 10 List

Here is the Top 10 List of responses from a husband who is just finding out that his lovely bride is pregnant for the fourth time:

 

(FYI: This is in no way my response to finding out about our baby #4…this is just for fun.  More like some of the world’s responses…)

 

 

10.  Oh, alright… *dramatic pause* What’s for dinner?

 

09.  Are you kidding me?

 

08.  Yes, sweetie.  These are tears…tears of *clears throat* joy.

 

07.  Where is Ashton Kutcher cause I KNOW I’m getting’ punk’d!

 

06.  Well… How about that? 

 

05.  The baby won’t be born around the Super Bowl, right?  Gah!!!!!

 

04.  I guess my dream of having my own basketball team is one step closer…

 

03.  I hope that little bugger gets here before its time to file for taxes!  Weeee haw!!!!

 

02.  So what you’re saying is I need to get second job?

 

01.  The more the merrier!  Pass around the cigars!

 

 

mtp

 

Sent from my iPhone

God is my Co-Pilot

I think I have seen this on a ton of bumper stickers, hats, t-shirts and bible covers.  Every time I see it I just gag and want to pretty much smack the person in the back of the head.  I can safely (and thankfully) say that God is NOT your co-pilot. 

 

Maybe people get it from verses like:

 

“The LORD is my helper; I will not be afraid.  What can man do to me?”  Hebrews 13:6

“If God is for us, then who can be against us?” Romans 8:31

 

If that was the case, then wouldn’t that make the work of Jesus on cross irrelevant?  I mean, if YOU were ultimately in control and God just had a back-up controller in the case of an emergency…that would negate the majority of the teachings of the Bible.  GOD is omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent.  All-Knowing! Everywhere! And All-Powerful!  This may come off as crass or irreverent, but who the Hell are you to think you have control of anything.  God alone knows the time and day that Jesus will come back.  God alone knows the number of hair on your head.  God alone knows when your last day alive will be.  He doesn’t need you.  He created you for HIS purpose…to worship Him. 

 

So, God is your co-pilot?  You arrogant pile of dirt!  God created all things.  He created you and then you say something so stupid that it would make Him less?  I don’t know if that is bold or just plain ignorant.  I’m glad that God extends mercy and grace.  He should be your EVERYTHING!  You should be praying to Him every day and reading His Word.  Living in accordance with His precepts and striving for godly righteous living…not self-righteousness.  GOD was the one who knitted you together in your mother’s womb, gave you breath, and has kept your heart beating and your lungs filled with air. 

 

So the next you think “God is my co-pilot” remember, God doesn’t even need you.  He is a jealous God who created you, whom He loves enough to send His Son to die for you, to be praised and worshiped. 

 

So join in the all of the rest of creation that is crying out and groaning for God’s grace and mercy.

 

Until next time…

 

mtp

 

Posted via iPhone

Wrestling w/ scripture

Earlier I posted on Tumblr that I was wrestling with some scripture today.  I was looking at 1 John 5, in particular, verses 13 and following. I was reading and it really raised some “red flags” for me when I read about “sins that lead to death” and “sins that do not lead to death.”  It is pretty upfront about the fact that there are sins that just do not lead to death.
Now I don’t know if it is because I grew up in a Pentacostal type church back ground or just bad teaching (even through a few years ago), but I was always told that sin is sin is sin.  EVERYTHING deserves death!!!!!!!!  If you stub your toe and you curse (not using God’s name in vain, just something like “Hell!”), if you died right then, you would burn in Hell.  Or, as I use so often, if you are a 3 year old and you pick up a MoonPie and walk out of the store (yes, you just stole a MoonPie) then you will rot in the flames of fire.  Of course these are lesser sins when compared to murder or rape or the like.  But the standard was set up in a sort of Hell, Fire & Brimstone kind of way.  It was more like I lived life to escape the sulfuric singe, the firey inferno of Hades.  I don’t think that is the kind of fear that Proverbs talks about…
Now, in no way does this go against Romans 6:23 that “the payment of sin is death.”  Even in the Old Testament, the sacrificial laws were in place and for each type of sin required something to die.  It may have been a couple of doves or something as big as a lamb or bigger, but payment was still required.  I guess the leadership that I sat under focused more on righteous living and then the sins that led to death. 
By no means am I saying that sin is okay.  Even the apostle John in 1 John writes in chapter 5 that “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.”  We should live for God not out of obligation but out of the freedom from the bondage of sin..taking comfort that the work of Christ and the love of God has caused those who believe in Him to be set free from the chains of sin.  When I read that today, it really helped me see a little that it is SO important to seek the Truth of the bible for yourself.  So many passages in the Bible are misconstrude or overused to the point of “well, my bible just opened there by itself, almost like God wanted to tell me something from there.” 
So I wonder how many were taught something that now you find is not very biblical?

What are YOUR thoughts?

mtp

Pint-sized Conversation

So Bonnie and I were talking some last night during our Bible time.  I was reading over 1 Corinthians 13 and explaining how living out love is being obedient to what Jesus commands us to do.  We took some time going through each one and I gave her pats on the back for the things she did well and opened the floor to discuss the things she was struggling with.  We had a great little conversation that I could tell was sinking in.

And then it happened…  I asked, “Bon, is there anything you would like to ask about Jesus or the bible?  Anything at all…?”

She asked, “Pop-Pop, how did Jesus stop being dead in the tomb?” 

After I calmed my racing pulse from the excitement of explaining more about the gospel to my eldest, I began walking her through the story.  I told her, “Well, there are some things we just cannot understand.  Jesus is one of them…  The bible says he was God AND man.  So when Jesus died on the cross, the yucky, sinful part of Him died away.  The sins of all of the people who already died, who are living now, and people who haven’t been born yet… Jesus died for all of them.” 

Bon:  “Well, was Jesus stinky when He came out of that tomb?”
Me:  “No, sweetie.  Because He beat up death… He is alive.” 
Bon:  “That’s right.  He lives inside my heart, doesn’t He Daddy?”
Me:  “For those who believe in Jesus, ask Him to wash away their sins, and obey His words, yes… He lives in their hearts.”
Bon:  “And those people are God’s Children…right?”
Me:  “Yes, we are sons and daughters of God.”
Bon:  “Like that song… ‘How Great, How Great that we believe by faith, that we can be called the Children of God’.”
Me:  “Exactly right, Bon.  And good singing.
Bon:  “Yeah!!!!  I’m so glad Jesus lives in my heart!”
Me:  “Me too, Bon.  Me, too.”

I guess kids do listen after all. 

mtp

What about Wednesday…

So today is a little odd in that today is Wednesday.  But it strangely feels like Tuesday since Monday was a holiday.  On top of that, my wonderful and gracious employer has decided to let the management team wear blue jeans everyday.  This usually happen on Fridays.  So in my mind, it is Tuesday and I am walking around a little paranoid since I am wearing blue jeans.  I see an upper-level manager and cringe and hope I don’t get a write up.  It is just due to habit. 
So today feels like Tuesday and Friday, but it is surely Wednesday.  But there is no practice tonight, further making it feel un-Wednesday. 
I’m sure all of this will pass in a couple of days, but until then, I guess I am just walking on senseless pins and needles. 

mtp

Long Time, No See

Well, things have been a bit busy.  I got a little side tracked with all of the life stuff that has been going on and I just haven’t blogged. 

SO!?!

I will be starting back to the blog again.  Maybe not so constant at first, but I am hoping that I will be back to blogging a pretty good bit soon.

Here is a run-down of what has been going on since my last post in December 2010…

 

·         We found out that we were pregnant again and have a baby due in October of 2011… (Yes, that makes 4 babies.)

·         I began leading worship on an interim basis (Woo Hoo!) for Beacon UMC in Kimberly, AL

·         Lovely completed and received her certification as a Childbirth Educator (2 years in the making…SO proud)

·         My son, “Moe” turned 2 years old

·         My interim position ended at the Beacon UMC (sadness abounds)

·         We celebrated our risen Savior, Jesus Christ

·         A tornado came on April 27 and wrecked a lot of the state of Alabama (We were spared.)

·         I visited Kentucky for the first time on a business trip for work (I LOVED it… wouldn’t mind living there someday)

·         My youngest, “Hosie” turned 1 year old

·         Lovely’s grandpa passed away

·         I started back pursuing my Master’s degree @ Liberty Universty

 

There is more to it than that… and more things to come.  God, in His infinite wisdom, is doing a mighty thing.  I am looking forward to being a huge part of that.

 

I’ll add more pictures later, but for now…

 

mtp

 

Ahh…who am I kidding?  Here are some recent pics of the kiddos.

 

Hosanna                                              Matthias                                                              Bonnie

 

Hosanna Walking.JPGMatthias biking it.JPGBonnie Posing.JPG

 

 

Who Reads This Thing Anyway

So I walked into work today and a coworker of mine said, “Geez! It’s not like you’re busy at all! You should REALLY post something on your blog…I mean, it’s been since December of 2010.”  Of course, it was spoken with sarcasm because said person knows that I do stay busy.  But I was reminded of the blog that I once loved so deeply.  Then FB and Twitter came along and boiled my rants or thoughts or whatever into approximately 140 characters.
So I am hoping to get back to my old self. Just a more improved old self. 

So to answer the question…  Who out there DOES read this blog?

mtp

Christmas is Upon Us

It is that time of year again.  With the lighted trees in our living rooms and the presents under the tree.  Partaking of egg nog and passing around the 400 year old fruit cake.  Yep.  It is Christmas time.

This time of year always causes me to reflect on the events and happenings from the first of the year until this point.  Also, I think about the past and thank God for His goodness and grace.  So as I reflect on the previous year and years past.  Here are some thoughts that have passed through this ponderous mind.

#1.  God really did love us to send His Son as a baby.

Sure, Jesus is a warrior whose sword is bloody and his white robe is dipped in blood.  Who has a tattoo down his thigh that says, “King of King and Lord of Lords” (or so I have been told).  Yes, that same Jesus turned over the tables of the money changers in the temple.  The same One who was beaten and bruised and ultimately killed for our sins and then beat the hell out of death.  All of the strong warrior, mighty in battle references are still implied here. But where did God start Jesus off?  Yep, a baby.  Innocent.  Helpless.  Weak.  

#2.  God gives and He takes away…and He knows what He is doing.

 Now, this may come off as offensive, but that is truly not my concern.  God has given Lovely and I five children.  We are grateful for the three that we still have with us.  The two that God “took away” or kept for His own (Tobias Mikal & Jonah-Miriam) are still very much missed.  As I was hanging our stockings the other night, I could not help but to let the tears fall.  I still miss our kids.  As of right now, Tobias would be nearly 4 years old and Jonah-Miriam would be nearly three years old.  I do not care how much time passes, I will still love them and miss them.  And no, it is not because they were sick.  It was not to keep us from pain because we are still grieving.  Their deaths did not happen because something would have been wrong with them that we could not handle.  God, for His glory, ushered them into His presence.  After our miscarriages, we were able to help minister to about 7 other couples that went through the same thing…within about six months.  Bigger picture?  It seems that God allowed us to face this situation, hurt, pain, grief, and all to build character and to help the other couples.

#3.  Finding the Peace in the Storm.

Lovely & I have been through more junk this year (or just over) that we really care to deal with.  While the bible promises that we will not be given more than we can handle, this year is REALLY pushing that limit.  We moved.  I got laid off (in 2009).  We found out about a bunch of deception.  God provided a new job.  I received a promotion at the new job.  God added a new blessing to the MTP crew.  We moved again.  Another promotion.  Plus much much more.  

I cannot honestly say that I have had the most optimistic outlook on all of these situations.  I have not have the most God-honoring attitude.  But now that the year is drawing to a close, I am now looking back and seeing God in every circumstance.  Just little ribbons of God’s grace or protection, goodness and mercy.  

#4.  Thank God for newness

God has a funny way about guiding you through life and giving you little glimpses of what is next….sometimes.  Often it feels like a carrot being held in front of a donkey to keep it going.  Other times it feels like being strapped to an engine that is hitting mach three with no signs of slowing.  No matter what way is being experienced at the time, God’s sovereignty is the hope.  If it is a new season of life, then God is the author and finisher of our faith.  All in all, God is to be praised.  

So as we approach this holiday season, take a moment.  Think about God’s goodness.  Think about God’s approach to what your life has been like this past year.  Find the grace, truth, and protection in those times.  Maybe you just need to find Jesus.  And that is okay.  We all need Jesus.  Just Jesus…and the reason that he came in weakness.  The way Jesus came into this world was just the opposite of the way He went out.  He that came to life in weakness defeated death.  The One who came in innocence bore our sins and made a way for us to speak directly to God by shattering the sacrificial system of the Jewish culture.  And as Jesus was helpless as a baby, as our Savior, he willingly walked to His scourging and death…in order to give us life.

As Christmas is upon us, lets stop.  Reflect.  And thank Jesus for what he did for us.  If you need help remembering what he did.  Watch the movie from Mel Gibson’s ‘Passion of the Christ’.