I have mentioned before how God works events in your life for His will. As I mentioned in Sunday’s post, I was scheduled to sing a “special music” song during service. That song was Casting Crown’s “Praise You In This Storm” and is about the faithfulness God shows to His people, standing by them at all times, and the need for His people to praise him no matter what.

Whitey Alvarez, a senior member of our church, passed away Saturday morning. The congregation was told about it Sunday evening during the service.

I beleive that God wanted me to work on learning that song so I could provide some level of comfort to Whitey’s family. I worked on that song for over a month, and finally felt I had it at Saturday’s praise team practice. Sally, his wife, has always told me that she really enjoys the songs I offer for the service. I am humbled to be able to help in whatever way I could.

God also works in other ways, along other paths. I needed to learn what someone was really like, not letting my blind devotion to my branch of service cloud my judgement. So, the guy I used to work with, who shares a background in the USMC, decided this morning that he didn’t really need me after all. I have learned what he is really like. I have also seen that God moved me in this direction, leaving a stable position at my former employer to follow this dream of working from the house so I could, in fact, learn not to lean solely on tenous “feelings” that things will be good. I have also learned that my career path is paying better than what my former employer is paying, and that may lead to better financial rewards in the future. We’ll see – I don’t know what God has in mind this time, but I praise him anyway.

I will praise you in this storm, and I will lift my hands
You are who You are, no matter where I am
And every tear I’ve cried You hold in Your hand
You never left my side, and though my heart is torn
I will praise you in this storm. – Casting Crowns

Good grief, I just realized I hadn’t posted anything on Thursday or Friday, after I promised I would try to make a daily entry.

Well, now you know why I don’t make daily entries. Some days, I have more real life going on than I have time to chat.

Sorry ’bout that.

Gotta go – church is in 6 hours, and I sing the special music today. Think I ought to pick something out? Just kidding – I’ve been working on “Praise You In This Storm” by Casting Crowns. If you’re in the area, drop by and listen. 23rd Ave. and Campbell, in Phoenix. For more precise directions, e-mail me at carycartter AT gmail DOT com.

Have a great week! I dare you! I double dare you!

First, gentle reader, go here and sign up on Grassfire, a grass-roots organization that allows you to indicate your level of interest in which areas, and you will receive updates and opportunities to fax your representatives.

I’ve made the dump run, and I’m almost finished with the plastering in the bathroom. Next, I need to run to a home improvement store (my favorite rhymes with doughs) and get some makin’s for a couple of sandwich board signs. I am on the board for my HOA, and we use the signs to announce things like meetings, community yard sales, etc. Two of the four I originally made were stolen while we were in a meeting, so I need to replace those; plus this weekend is a yard sale and I need to put the signs out for that.

I think I’ll do the baseboard tomorrow, and finish up the bathroom as much as possible then.

God bless and keep you all.

The boss (my new boss, that lets me work at home) had a series of events yesterday that was a bit much, even for his stalwart Italian demeanor. So, he’s putting out fires and told me to take some vacation days.

Hmm. What to do with myself?

Let’s see – finish the baseboard, make a dump run, clean out the train room/office, call about landscape gravel, call about getting a wall extension built, dig holes for new trees, finish the bathroom remodel – nope, nothing to do here. I think I’ll go play PS2 for a while…

God bless you all, and be sure to thank President Bush for making it tougher to get any kind of wage increase!

I probably should have mentioned that I usually don’t touch the computer on the weekends. If you posted a comment over the weekend, since I have moderation turned on, it didn’t get posted until this morning. I’ll see what I can do about that little bit of nagging inconvenience.

Did you have a good Mother’s Day weekend? I think my weekend was too short, as is usually the case. I called my mother, and left a message, but I didn’t hear back from her. Mom’s not really fond of my wife (called her the devil, actually) and communication has been … strained … since the wedding. Mom’s loss. TMBWitW is really very loving, and was looking forward to having a mother figure in her life again. Mom’s remark kind of put the kibosh on that.

Anyway – we spent the weekend with adopted family, which is really cool, since you know you get along with and really really like the family you pick. we also attended two birthday parties, which blew the diet out the window (like I’m going to refuse cake AND ice cream? get a grip!) but I am being good again as of this morning.

By the way – go to this site and register, then start bombarding your ignorant representatives about their lack of knowledge on the whole “let’s give away our country” program that Bush is trying to sell. Don’t believe the smoke and mirrors he will probably use this evening to push the “enforcement” side of the program; the amnesty is still there with all it’s ugly ramifications.

God bless you all and keep you safe.