None of us are perfect. We all have struggles. Some folk's struggles are more obvious to the eye, while many of us are able to hide our habitual struggles from those around us pretty well. I've been thinking on this subject and studying a bit and a friend on Facebook recently broached the subject. He said "Many of us seem to pull ourselves out of destructive routines only to be sucked back into them again later. We are seriously like sheep. Oh look, there's a hole, oops I fell in. *slowly crawls out of whole* - Oh look, there's a hole, oops I fell in again. *slowly crawls out of whole again* - Oh look, there's a hole.......etc."

this was my reply to him - "I'm right there with you... I've been studying this a lot lately due to my own struggles and a couple scriptures have helped me.

Romans 7:14-25 (part of it - please go read the whole thing) - Paul Struggling With Sin - "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do... I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do? this I keep on doing."

If Paul faced this what makes me think it won't happen to me? I'm going to make it through unscathed?! Paul is considered by many as the father of the early church. He wrote like half of the new testament and listen to what he's saying. Satan at work and our own humaness means we will fall.

then here's a word from John...
1 John 1:5-10 (part of it) - Walking in the light - "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin."

Praise God!

Keep pulling yourself out of the hole. Eventually through the Holy Spirit you'll see the hole and say "Oh look, there's a hole. I think I'll walk around." Keep walking towards the light and you'll be just fine. You may fall into a few holes along the way, but there will always be the strong hand of your Lord and Savior to pull you out.

What are your thoughts?

P.S. I uploaded more family reunion pictures. If you want to see more of my family you are welcome to check them out here or here.

This is most of my family that got together for a reunion last weekend in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. My immediate family starts about five folks from the left after two of my nephews, my sister and niece. I'm standing behind Sue with my eyes closed and the boys are in front of her. Then my mom is a little more to the right in the white shirt up front. My brother, his wife and other son are just to her right.

My Uncle Jack's son Alan and his wife Jonna (two in from the right with their son and daughter) did a great job of organizing the weekend. They even supplied meals all weekend except Sunday's lunch for $25 per adult.

Uncle Jack paid for this magnificent cabin for the family before he passed away in June. Mom's remaining brothers and sister were all there along with a lot of other cousins. My cousin Lyndon came from Oregon and Kerry came from the U.P. Some of my mom's cousins came from Texas.

The cabin slept 34, but I think we had more in there with futons, cots and couches. The lower floor had 2 hot tubs / jacuzzis on the deck and a pool table, air hockey and foosball in the game area. The resort also had a pool at the foot of the mountain which we used about every day. A few folks stayed at a hotel in town.

It was great to catch up with everyone. Sunday morning we decided to have worship at the cabin rather than try to get everyone ready and go out to a local church. It was a great service with great singing. Alan shared a memorial DVD of Uncle Jack which included the song I wrote and recorded for him. Uncle Auburn had a devotional thought and Jonna even brought enough communion for everyone.

a little taste of heaven :-)

I know it's been a while. I have done a couple blogs on my Shoutlife page. My Uncle Jack (pictured here) went on hospice the second week of June. I was able to drive down with my Uncle Dave to spend a few days with him. The last thing I said to him Saturday morning was "I hope to see you on the other side" and he whispered "you will". He passed away June 18. My mom called me early that morning to let me know and I wasn't up yet. Sue and Steven had gone to MCYC and I was sleeping in. When I got up a while later a bit of a song was playing in my head. Within about 30 minutes the lyrics to my first full song were on paper. I called my mom and shared the "rough draft" with her and she loved it. Later I called my cousin Alan and shared it with him. He called me back Tuesday and asked if I could get it recorded in time for the memorial they were planning for Saturday morning in Oklahoma. Well it's a bit of a long story, but my friend Steve Spiceland came through and Thursday and Friday we got a "one shot" no editing or mixing recording done with Steve on guitar, drum machine and keyboards and me singing four part harmony. It's called "You Will" and you can hear it here. Here are the words...

You Will
By Steve Baggett in honor of Uncle Jack Way
Arranged by Steve Baggett and Steve Spiceland

(Chorus)
You will see me on the other side
You will in His love abide
You will always in Him confide
You will, by God you will

Life should be spent in love and service to the Lord
And to the ones He made
Accept His grace and mercy, gifts we can't afford
Live in The Light that just don't fade

Chorus

Take the blessings He gives, spread them to everyone
They're not meant to be held on to
Bring the lost His love, show them The Way home
So they can praise The Lord with you

Chorus

Even as he faded The Light was bright within
His eyes told the story, "I wanna go home with Him"

If I made a list of men I admire most
Uncle Jack is hard to beat
Smile of an angel, spirit of The Holy Ghost
A warm embrace that's oh so sweet

Chorus x 4

You will, by God you will x 3


© 2007 That Way music

Samuel turned eight yesterday. Birthday's are a big deal to an eight year old, but Sam's are HUGE to our family. My wife Sue reminded me of a conversation we had with Dr. Walters back in 1999. It was sometime in May that we met with him. Samuel had been listed for a heart transplant and if one became available in time Dr. Walters would be his surgeon. He said something like "This isn't a cure (having a heart transplant). This is only a temporary fix. It could last eight weeks, eight months, eight years." Well if you saw Sam today (and you did - he's in my picture) you would never know he had been so critically ill. God is good, all the time.

I will take this opportunity to promote organ donor awareness. You can't take your organs with you and you could save someone's life. Be sure your family knows your desires. Sign up on your state's organ donor registry. If you want more details about our first months with Samuel, please go to the web-site set up by our donor family - Claine's Corner. The Loomis' are a wonderful, faithful Christian family who gave us a gift we can never repay at the worst moment in their family's life. God is good, all the time.

I just saw something on Mike Cope’s blog that I loved so I thought I'd share...

Brothers and sisters at church who disagree with you have stories behind their feelings — some of which are hidden so deep they don’t even know them (just as you have such stories).

It reminds me that I need to forward grace to others (whether or not I feel they "deserve" it) as Christ did to me even though I didn't deserve it.

This weekend I had the privilege of being a part of an awesome praise and harmony recording session. We took a group of eight from Trenton church of Christ (Denise Morton (left) and Nikki Sarkody (right) pictured here, Eric King under them, then me below him - thanks Jem) to participate with around 200 other folks in the chapel at Madison church of Christ in Nashville. The series is produced by Keith Lancaster who founded The Acappella Company. We were recorded by Gary Miller who is the best at what he does. I was able to be a part of the first recording in this series that came out a couple years ago and it was even better with a group from my own church - just a little taste of heaven. Last time I joined up with a group from Dayton, Ohio. You can read more at Keith Lancaster's blog http://www.keithlancaster.com/blog . You can buy the first project and hear clips here http://www.theacappellacompany.com/awgoacwo.html

I must also put a shout (pun intended) out for a new Christian alternative to MySpace. It's called shoutlife. You can visit breadbox's site here http://www.shoutlife.com/breadbox

We've already gotten a local oportunity from our page that was just created Tuesday.

Well it is extrememly busy at work today so I should stop and get some work done ;-)

December 25th this year (yes Christmas Day) my mom's "Uncle" Joe Way (he was actually my grandpa Ben Way's cousin) also graduated from this life.

I don't claim to be able to judge where people are once they leave this life, but Joe and Sue's grandma Faye were pillars of faith in their families and if they aren't in heaven I don't know who will be. I thank God for their spiritual influence in my life.

Since Joe passed at Christmas time I was able to drive down to Tennessee with my mom and brother Norm and spend the holiday week with most of my mom's family including my Uncle Jack Way who is currently in remission from multiple myeloma. Others included my Uncles Von and wife Clara Jean, Auburn and wife Sandy and Dave and wife Linda (who live in my neighborhood) and my aunt Alma Chaffin and husband Neal. My cousins who were there included Kim and wife Sandra (Von's son who put us up in their home), Alan (Jack's son) and Teneal Jenkins (Alma's daughter who now runs the pharmacy in Gainesboro, TN).

Joe and his wife of 70 (yes I said 70) years Aline were long time members of the church I grew up in - the Sunset church of Christ in Taylor, Michigan. Joe served as an elder most of the time I can remember until he moved "back home" to Tennessee about ten years ago. Because of that they were more like grandparents to me since mine passed away when I was pretty young. They had such an obvious love affair. Aline is heart broken to lose her partner and best friend. She is still very sharp and can recall every moment they ever spent apart. She also knows the bible as good as anyone I've ever known. One of her grandkids used to sing in breadbox with me. His name is Dave Combs and he now lives in the Winston-Salem / Greensboro area of North Carolina with his wife Connie and their three kids. He gave her a Bible trivia game as a gift some time ago and later asked what she thought of it. She said something like "Oh it's pretty good, but they got a couple answers wrong"!

Dave and his sister Gina Cavanaugh and brother Matt (who helped Jim and me start breadbox) were all very close to me growing up. Since they lived in the area they were some of my closest cousins even though our grandpas were actually first cousins. Matt and his wife Missy now live in Springhill, Tennessee and Gina lives in Goodlettsville, Tennessee. It was good seeing all of them and spending time with their families.

December 28th marked the first anniversary of Sue's grandma Faye's graduation from this life (shown here with her great-grandkids on her birthday in 2004). We miss grandma very much.

There is a prevailing thought that most folks don't get along too well with their in-laws. I must have nearly the best in-laws a guy could ask for. Bob and Rita are always there when we need them, but never butt in to our business unless we ask them to. Bob retired from Ford where he was an electrician and is very handy when it comes to do-it-yourself fixes that I am horribly dificient at. They are both retired and live close and often watch our kids for us. Here is a picture of Rita with her grandkids also from her birthday in 2004.