Reminiscing 2012

As I sit here on the last day of 2012, I reflect back on the past year and what God has done for me and my family.

January started off with my first ISOM class of the year. My "sophomore" year. Got to meet and hang out with a bunch of really awesome people.

Following that, my sister- in- law got married out in California. So my wife, daughter and myself along with all of her sisters flew out for the wedding. We were out there for  a week. What a beautiful bride. What a beautiful wedding. I was asked to participate in the ceremony. I was honored to do so. My new nickname for the family in Cali is Keven from Fortuna.

Early in Feburary I started a new job. The first time I had to get up and go to work in almost two years. It was doing assembly work on a assembly line. Work that I had never done before. Needless to say, it was a learning experience.

March I celebrated my 45th time around the sun. That's all I'll say about that.

In April, I began with a friend of mine to start coaching both of our daughters softball team. This would be the last year, as they would be to old for park district next year.

May thru July didn't really do much. Coaching softball, going to ISOM, meetings and church events.Nothing really exciting. Although I did have an interview to get my ministry credentials in July.

In August, my family and I took a family vacation out to see Mount Rushmore. We stopped in Sioux Falls to visit my wifes Grandma for a couple of days. We have some friends that live in Fargo, ND, We decided to take a ride up there to visit them on our way home. On the way to Fargo, we stopped in De Smet, SD to visit the Laura Ingalls Wilder museum and took a tour. My daughter is a huge Little House on the Prairie fan. Also in August, our daughter started her freshman year of high school.

October 11th, my wife and I celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary. Four years already, wow!

In November, I finally recieved my ministry credentials in the mail. I am a certified pastor now. Praise the Lord. God has been so good to me and my family.

Finally in December I took a trip with my mom, step-dad & nephew to South Carolina, to see my nephew graduate from college. We met my brother and his family down there. We were able to fly, while my brother had to drive. Praise the Lord my nephews graduation.

So now I am looking for an exciting 2013. I am excited to see what God has planned for me and my family! I hope that He has plans to use me in a mighty way! I am His, he can use me anyway He wants. My answer to Him is YES LORD!! God bless all of you!

Merry Christmas vs. Happy Holidays

Yes I know that it is the day after Christmas, but this still bothers me, just a little.

People keep on wanting to take God or Christ out of everything. They take Him out of the court room. They take Him out of the schools. They want to take Him off of our currency. The White House now refers to the Christmas trees as the holiday trees. Now they even want to take Christ out of Christmas. That's not right in my book. Actually none of it is right with me. We need Him more than ever, especially now in these times.

I went to a local resteraunt here in town to pick up a gift certificate for my nephew and his girlfriend for their Christmas present. I told the cashier how much I wanted on the card, she rang it up and then with a smile she said "Happy Holidays". I must tell you that this took place on Chirstmas Eve. I looked at her and smiled back and said "Merry Christmas". What I really wanted to say to her was, "what is today? That's right it's Christmas Eve. Not holiday eve. What is tomorrow? Ohhh, that's right, it's Christmas Day, not holiday day."

I can understand not wanting to offend anyone. Heaven forbid we offend the Muslims. Or the Aethiests, or the Jewish people, but the Christians, we are a different group.

I drove past a sign on one of our local churches that read. "Keep Christ in Christians all year round." Amen to that.