HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Wow!! Where did the year go? It's an old cliche', but it seems like each year goes by faster than the last! All in all, 2008 was a good year. Some highlights were...

1. Helped provide music for another Emmaus Walk.
2. Survived a summer of chasing Brian around with his baseball playing.
3. Fell even deeper in love with Lori.
4. Watched my kids grow and mature.
5. Fished at Lake Texoma with dad, my brothers and our sons.
6. Went to Estes Park with Lori (just the two of us!!).
7. Ran 900 miles
8. Didn't gain any weight (whew!!)
9. Hit the big 50!!

My goal for this year is to be more trusting in God's leading in my life. It is so easy to "talk the talk", but so hard to "walk the walk". I'm going to try and start each day with this simple prayer...

"Lord, you are in charge of everything that is going to happen to me today, good and bad, positive and negative. Help me to be thankful for everything that is going to happen. I know that you are in control".

My favorite bible verse is a familiar one. Jeremiah 29:11 says "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

That is my mantra for 2009. God's promise to give me hope and a future. I don't know what the future holds, but I will hold to God's promise that Hs is with me every step of the way.

De Colores

Merry Christmas

From our family to yours: We wish you a most blessed and wonderful Christmas. May the wonder of Christ's birth last not only for Christmas Day, but throughout the coming year.

Luke 2: 11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Kevin & Lori

There's SNOW Place Like Home!!

The weather forecasters last night were predicting a light snow over night, maybe putting down 1 to 3 inches. Imagine our surprise when we woke up this morning to nearly 5 inches on the ground!! It was so pretty. The wind didn't really blow, so it laid nice and flat. The deer came out, and scrounged around looking for some breakfast.The creek that runs down below our house was so clear and was accented by the snow cover.Of course I had to grumble a little about having to clean off nearly 5 inches of snow from our driveway!! Oh well, you've got to take the good with the bad.

Gets you in the Christmas mood, doesn't it....

De Colores

Tis The Season

Lori and I went Christmas shopping yesterday in the big city of Wichita. What a zoo!! The streets were slick and messy, and the crowds were big, even for a week day!! Every where you looked and went, the store owners and sdales people did their best to entice you to buy their stuff. On our way out of Walmart, a greeter told us "Happy Holidays". Lori and I looked at him and responded "Merry Christmas". I think we took him off guard.

At the end of the day, I was burned out. It made me want to go home and put on a CD of Christmas music from some of my favorite contemporary Christian artists. Kind of a "reprogramming" effort!!

As you're out and about, remember "Jesus is the reason for the season"!!!

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

De Colores

Good Start

The MHS Warrior basketball team is undefeated so far this season!! OK, so they've only played one game...

Their season began last night with a hard fought 3 point victory over cross county rival Peabody. It was not a pretty game, as both sides turned the ball over numerous times. The final score was 46-43. However, a win is a win, and gives the team some confidence as they begin their season. Hopefully the first game jitters are over, and they will start to play some better basketball.

Brian, a junior, is a reserve who comes in when our big men get tired or in foul trouble. He isn't very tall for a post player (6' 1"), but the coach says he's very physical and plays like someone who is taller. He didn't score any points, but gathered in a couple of rebounds and had a steal.

Again, they'll need to play much better than this in order to compete in our tough MCAA league. But for now, undefeated sounds pretty good. GO WARRIORS!!

De Colores

First Snowfall

On November 29, we had our first real snow fall of the season. It wasn't a big deal, just enough to whiten the grass a little. It sure was pretty though. The flakes were big, and there was no wind. If the old timers are correct, that means we'll have 29 more snow events this winter!! Get the shovels ready!! Lori and I sure enjoyed having our girls home over this same weekend. We celebrated Thanksgiving together Saturday at noon. Even though it wasn't on Thanksgiving day, we are thankful to be together as a family any day that we can. Lori and the girls enjoyed preparing the meal together. We kicked off the MHS basketball season last night with a "Winter Jam". It was a lot of fun. I got to announce each player as they came out on the court in our new gym. The boys and girls each had a little scrimmage. Brian's the one in white fouling the big guy in blue!!

Next week, the season starts in earnest, as we are hosting a 16 team tournament. Here we go again!!

De Colores

Facebook

I can't believe I actually did it!! I have joined the millions of crazies who have a Facebook page. I've been warned by more than one person that it is addictive. Oh great, something else in my life to distract me from doing the important things....

I started out yesterday by asking about a half dozen people to be my friends, and as of this morning, I had over 30 others ask to be added as their friend!! If nothing else, it can inflate your ego if you're worried that you have no friends in life...

If you're a fellow Facebook crazy, look me up and put something on my "wall"!!

De Colores

Thanksgiving Top 10

Top 10 things I'm thankful for...

• My relationship with God & Jesus
• My wife
• My children
• My health
• My friends
• My home
• My job
• Running
• Sunrises and sunsets
• Instant pancake mix

Praise the Lord! Give thanks to the LORD for He is good; His love endures forever. (Psalm 106:1)

Happy thanksgiving everyone!!

De Colores

The Buck Stops Here

Lori and I were looking out our West patio door a couple of mornings ago, and this big buck appeared out of the bluestem meadow. What a beautiful specimen!! Part of me wanted to run and get the gun and shoot him (highly illegal in town of course!!), and part of me hoped that no one would ever get the opportunity to shoot this magnificent animal. The last picture is particulary cool, as he was virtually covered by the 6' tall bluestem, and he almost looks ghost-like through the grass.


There have been several does in the area all summer, so I'm sure he was on a mission that morning. We haven't seen him since. I hope he makes at least one more appearance so I can have one more opportunity to appreciate one of God's majestic creatures.


De Colores

The Shack

For those of you who know me very well, you know that I am not a book reader!! My attention span is very short. I like to read newspapers, comic strips, and once in a while a magazine article. But to ask me to read a book is out of the question!!

That is, until Lori read a book entitled "The Shack". She wanted someone to talk to about what she had read. So I reluctantly picked up the book one evening and started reading it. Needless to say, it was very engrossing. I had trouble putting it down!!

I won't get into trying to explain the context and content of the book, as it would make this post way too long. The book makes you think. It makes you think of the way you view God and the Trinity. It makes you think of the things that are hidden in the dark corners of your heart. It makes you think about how good God is.

There are plenty of reviews online, and I would encourage you to read some of them. There are people who experienced life changing moments when they read it, and others say the book is "bad theology". A couple even go so far as to call it "heresy"!! For me, it was a good read with lots of things in it to think about and ponder over the coming days and weeks.

Has anyone out there read it? If so, what were your thoughts?

De Colores

Purpose

Ever have one of those days where you wonder "what am I on this earth for? What's it all about?" Sometimes life just gets confusing. Too many decisions, too little time. Too many problems, too much pressure. Not enough recognition, not enough positive reinforcement. It becomes easy to doubt ourselves, and even sometimes we find ourselves doubting our own faith...at least I do!!

A couple of days ago, I was reading through some of the cards Lori has sent me over the years. It is fun to go back once in a while and re-read them, and be reminded of the love and care that she puts into picking out that "special one" just for me.

One of the cards had a quote that really jumped out and spoke to me. It goes like this..."Just think, you're here not by chance, but by God's own choosing. His hand formed you and made you the person you are. He compares you to no one else - you are one of a kind. You lack nothing that His grace can't give you. He has allowed you to be here at this time in history to fulfill His special purpose for this generation" (Roy Lessin).

Wow, pretty powerful, huh!! God made me with a plan and a purpose for my life. I just have to trust Him that as I live each day, I am doing so with the knowledge that he is leading me each step of the day.

Second Peter 3, verses 3 - 11 says "3His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
5For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.
10Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, 11and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

I don't know what tomorrow will bring, I only know that my God was the same yesterday, is the same today, and will be the same tomorrow. If I am faithful and put my trust in Him, I don't have to stress out about what is in store for me. I am taken care of! To coin an old phrase (with a twist), don't worry, be faithful!! God is faithful to us, and will lead us through this journey in life, and if we are faithful in return, we will receive a "rich welcome" from God in eternity. What a promise!!

De Colores

Master Craftsman

Tomorrow, we are laying to rest my uncle Jim Fruechting. Jim passed away this week from complications of Parkinson's disease. It is a hideous disease that in his case caused his brain to sort of short circuit, and not properly communicate with his respiratory system. Consequently, he would go into respiratory distress, and would have bouts of struggling just to get another breath.

Although uncle Jim never was formally recognized, he in my mind was a master craftsman. He loved to take old dilapidated furniture, strip it all down to the natural wood, and then sand, stain, seal and reassemble the piece into something that was as good as or better than the original. His patience was nothing short of amazing to see. Each piece was painstakingly doted over to make sure it was done just right. I remember once seeing a pile of wood on his garage floor, and I thought he had just put a pile of trash there to get rid of. He said no, it wasn't a pile of trash; it was an old spindle chair that he had purchased at an auction. I thought he was nuts! There was no way that pile of wood could be a chair! He called me a few months later and asked me if I remembered that pile of wood. He invited me to come over and look at it now. He had turned it into a beautiful spindle chair much like the one in the picture above. What I saw as a pile of junk, he saw as a beautiful piece of furniture that just needed some tender loving care.

I had the good fortune of having him refurbish an old cedar chest of my mom's that I am passing on to one of my daughters. It is absolutely beautiful. Whenever I see that cedar chest, I will always think of uncle Jim and his love for restoring things that others have given up on.

As uncle Jim was able to see potential in a pile of broken, unassembled wood, God sees the potential in our lives, broken as we are. Others may give up on us, but God never does. He lovingly and patiently works on "stripping" away our sinful nature, "sanding" away our rough edges, putting our broken lives back together into a vessel worthy of service to Him. Thankfully our God is not like me who sometimes cannot see the potential in brokenness, but rather sees the good and potential we have in service for Him.

Uncle Jim, thank you for the valuable lesson you have taught me about patience and seeing the potential in everyone. I know you are now resting comfortably in the arms of the true Master Craftsman.

De Colores

Over The Hill

OK, after having several days to process it and see if I was still going to be able to function, I'll publicly admit it......I turned 50 on the 19th!!! It is of consolation that since the big event I have found that (1) I am still waking up each morning (2) my wife still loves me, (3) my kids aren't embarrassed about me any more than before, (4) I still enjoy running, (5) nothing suddenly fell apart and (6) despite a little (??) gray on my head and wiskers, I am still as good looking as ever!!

Here is a top 20 list of advantages to being 50....
1. Kidnappers are not very interested in you.
2. In a hostage situation you are likely to be released first.
3. No one expects you to run....anywhere.
4. People call at 9 PM and ask, "Did I wake you?"
5. People no longer view you as a hypochondriac.
6. There is nothing left to learn the hard way.
7. Things you buy now won't wear out.
8. You can eat dinner at 4:00 P.M.
9. You can live without sex but not without glasses.
10. You enjoy hearing about other peoples operations.
11. You get into heated arguments about pension plans.
12. You have a party and the neighbors don't even realize it.
13. You no longer think of speed limits as a challenge.
14. You quit trying to hold your stomach in, no matter who walks into the room.
15. You sing along with elevator music.
16. Your eyes won't get much worse.
17. Your investment in health insurance is finally beginning to pay off.
18. Your joints are more accurate meteorologists than the national weather service.
19. Your secrets are safe with your friends because they can't remember them either.
20. Your supply of brain cells is finally down to a manageable size.

Life keeps keepin' on, and so will I!!

De Colores

Mum's The Word

The abundance of rain this summer and early fall has made for some spectacular mums!! All summer, Lori was pruning the blossoms off of the plants, and I kept looking at her and asking why in the world would you cut off the blossoms? How is this plant going to have any flowers? She said that the plants needed the trimming so that they will grow strong and healthy, and would produce the flowers "when it was time". If left unpruned, the plants get straggly, they bloom early, and don't last very long.

How much we are like that!! We think we need everything now. When we run into hardships and trials, we feel like "Why am I being pruned? Life shouldn't be hard like this!" God, our master gardener knows just what we need. As we are being pruned by Him, we are being prepared to "bloom" at the right time.

Praise be to God for His wonderful and awesome power and love!!

I'm off to the metropolis of Garden City on Thursday afternoon to help with another Walk To Emmaus. Good friend Rod Just and I are the music team for the Men's Walk. What a great time!! It is 72 hours of being immersed in God's love and grace. We'll eat too much, get way too little sleep, sing and play our guitars until our fingers fall off, and sit back and watch God once again move in the lives of the men who will be attending. God is good, all the time!!

De Colores

Warrior Update

The Warrior nation was celebrating after Friday night's thrilling 6-0 victory over rival and state ranked Hoisington. It was a hard fought contest with 3 goal line stands, long drives and one critical successful fake punt that set up the winning score. It was one of those games where you knew that the team who made the fewest mistkes would win the game, and that's exactly what happened. Even though the score was low, the Warriors played probably their best game of the season. Brian contributed with his blocking on the line. He is #76 in the picture. He also was in on several key tackles in the game. He came home with lots of bruises and contusions, but wore them proudly.

With the victory, their record is 4-1, and tied for second place in the league. They are positioned very well going into their last game before district play. The one thing they need to be careful of is to be sure and not have a "let down" after such an emotional win. They play Ellinwood this Friday, who only has a 2-3 record, but with the tough MCAA league, and team can win on any given night.

GO WARRIORS!!

De Colores

Taste Of Autumn

Mother Nature gave us a little taste of fall this morning. I thought it felt a little cool in the house, and when I went out on our back deck to look at the thermometer, I was surprised to see it hovering right at or a little below 40 degrees!! I looked down into the valley and saw some fog/mist coming up off the little pond. What a beautiful start to the day!! We are getting some reminders that the seasons are once again changing.

Isaiah 44: 21-23 says "Remember these things, O Jacob, for you are my servant, O Israel. I have made you, you are my servant; O Israel, I will not forget you. I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.
Sing for joy, O heavens, for the LORD has done this; shout aloud, O earth beneath. Burst into song, you mountains, you forests and all your trees, for the LORD has redeemed Jacob."

Isn't it great to know that we have a God who is faithful to us. Though the seasons change, God never does. He is our constant. Let us sing and rejoice!!

De Colores

MHS Football Update

The MHS Warrior football squad is 3-1 going into this week's game. Brian is having a good season so far, starting on the offensive line at right guard (#76), and kicking the extra points. He, along with the rest of the Warriors is improving with each game. This past week, our running game tallied over 250 yards, most of which went over Brian's right side of the line. They are gaining more and more confidence with each play from scrimmage. Brian is learning that even if his opponent across the line is bigger than him, he can control him with technique, strength and speed. It is fun watching him mature in his position.

Next week will be a real test, as we travel to Hoisington. They are always a fast, physical team. This year should be no exception. If we can get a victory there, we will be looking good in the league standings.

GO WARRIORS!!

De Colores

Up Close And Personal

I've been playing with the macro setting on my camera, and found that I can get very close to objects and take a picture of them with striking clarity. The closer you get to nature, the more you come to realize just how intricate God's creation can be. The splendor and wonder of God's majesty comes into clear focus when you get "up close and personal".

How about you? What would people see in you if they put on their "macro" setting and could look closely into your heart and soul? What would they find? Would they find the fruits of the spirit (love, joy, peace, patience kindness, gentleness, etc.)? Or would they find anger, resentment, hurt, apprehension, or hate? What is in your soul usually personifies itself in your actions.

David wrote in Psalm 139:23 "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts."

Dare to ask God to search your heart. Clean out the stuff that is ugly, and let His beauty show in and through you.

De Colores

Art In The Park

Tomorrow (Saturday), our sleepy little town of Marion and our quiet little park will be inundated with thousands of people all looking for that "perfect something" at our annual Art In The Park. We are expecting around 200 vendors and 20,000+ people coming to look at their wares.

Just down the road in Hillsboro, it gets even crazier. The last I heard, they had 360 vendors signed up to come, and they are expecting up to 40,000 visitors/shoppers. Amazing for a town of less than 3,000 people!!

I think a nice quiet round of golf is in order.....

De Colores

New Gym & Pool

The long anticipated opening of the new gymnasium and indoor swimming pool has finally arrived!! What an awesome facility!! The gym is huge, with a total seating capacity of approx. 2,000. When the seats are folded back, there is room for 2 full basketball courts. The volleyball people love it too, as a curtain can come down from the center, and 2 full volleyball courts can be utilized at the same time. It loads from the top, which means you come in at the top level, and then go down to your seats. This will really help in keeping people off the court. The center court logo is billed as the largest of any gym in the state.There is a running track around the top of the gym allows people to come and exercise indoors.

The indoor swimming pool is almost too good to be true!! It has a "zero entrance" area for the elderly and handicapped, has 6 lanes for competition swimming, and a 12 foot deep end for diving.

There are large overhead doors on the south and west sides that can open on warm or hot days to give the "feel" of being outside.

There is even a slide inside that winds you outside the building, then back in!!

The pool and walking track are open from 6:00 AM til 8:00 PM Mon-Fri, and from 1:00 PM til 6:00 PM on the weekends. What a great asset to the community!! The school district and it's patrons should be very proud of themselves for working together to make this dream a reality. It will not only fill a great need in the community, but also be a great drawing card for our community. We can host swimming events, large volleyball and basketball tournaments, as well as providing a year round place for people to swim. We are hoping the folks from our surrounding communities come and use the pool too!!

Come to the gym, run a few miles around the track, then go and cool off by taking a dip in the indoor, climate controlled pool. How cool is that!!

De Colores