Detroit Zoo

I know that I am slacking in my posting lately. It has been a busy week or so. Anyways, here are a few pictures from the zoo from a couple of weeks ago.



Here are Jayna & Taylor at the end of the day, sitting in the butterfly house!!

I got this great close up of this baby monkey who was really cute walking around, but sticking pretty close to his mommy!!

Here Jayna & I are, trying to plan out our attack to best utilize our time to see everything that we want based on the time we had!! It was a great day!

The Detroit Zoo has the nation's largest polar bear exhibit and we had lots of fun in the tunnel under the water watching this bear play with his ball!!

Just for my cousin James, a beautiful bald eagle!! (James - this is what most people think of when you say 'bald eagle' - Aaron)

Lion's Game Pictures

I have been having some trouble this week with posting pictures. Sorry to tease you like that, but here they are!!

Detroit Lions: 1-0

Jen, Jayna & I had the opportunity to see the Detroit Lions play when they didn't have a losing record. For those of you who don't follow football, that is a rare thing. This past Friday night was the Lions first preseason game of the season. We had a great time as it was our first trip to Ford Field. It wasn't as great as the Wolverines in the Big House, yet still a great time with the family and the Lions won and are now 1-0. We ended up staying the night down in Detroit and met Mom, Justin, Brenda & Taylor for a day at the Detroit Zoo on Saturday. I will post more about that later, but here a a couple of pictures from the game and hotel.

Flag Pole

We finally got up the flag pole at the church that was purchased with the memorial money. People were so generous and we were able to purchase a very nice pole that will stand 30' tall for a lot of years to come. Pops was very patriotic and he instilled that in us. I have included some pictures from the process along with some thank yous. So many people helped make this happen.

Dan and Preston Bovee helped get the hole dug and the tube leveled and centered in the hole.

Here is the hole after the concrete was poured. Thanks to Tim & Jim Roman for the concrete work.

Justin, Sep, Pastor Dave & I (and girls) spent longer than we expected putting the pole together inside the fellowship hall on a Friday night. Then we recruited some help to carry the pole outside to get ready to stand it up.

There is nothing like standing a 30' flag pole by hand with nothing but a 12' ladder and a 6' ladder in the back of a Super Duty, but it worked. I am glad that Pastor Dave has continued to lift weights. His strength was very helpful. Also, thanks so much to Pastor Shannon and Scott & Jeannie Tipton who helped stand this thing up.

Coleman Wesleyan Church donated the flag that will fly out front for years to come. Also, big thanks to Kendall Electric for donating a light that shines on the flag every night. Be sure to stop by and see this sometime when you are in town.

Old Glory!

Wisdom From Pops

Since Pop's home going a few months ago, we have revisited a lot of things that he had told us, wrote us, and taught us. They are (as you can imagine) invaluable to us now. One of the things that I personally have found very meaningful is a file full of 'Mission Possible' letters. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this - Pops used to send out a message to guys on every Saturday morning for about 4 years. These were messages that taught us that our mission is possible and encourage us how to succeed at it. Because of his wisdom and the Spirit's leading, many men are better husbands, fathers, leaders in the church, etc. I don't have the wisdom or the years that Pops had when he did this, but I am going to begin to share some of my thoughts (and most likely remind us of some of Pops') by starting my own 'Mission Possible' ministry. If you would like to begin to receive them please email me @ missionpossible1@sbcglobal.net

To begin this I would like to share with all of you a favorite that Mom shared with me a couple of weeks ago at Jayna's birthday party. Pops wrote this about 5 years ago and sent it out on Saturday, August 4, 2001:

MISSION POSSIBLE!

I can do everything through Him who gives me strength. Phillipians 4:13

As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on Him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is My Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased." (Matthew 3:16-17)

Even though our three children are all adults and out on their own, they still make me proud of them. Whenever I see them making good, Godly decisions in life, I beam with happiness. When I see them prayerfully devoted to the Lord, I just smile and relax inside. And when I see that their faith has produced deeds that give them the desire to help others, I just want to say, "That's my son", or "That's my daughter".

Two weeks ago today, we met Jayna Elizabeth, our granddaughter. My wife and I are finding it a little different from having our own children, but every bit as wonderful! We've been sending pictures to friends and relatives that may not have seen her yet. I made little calling cards with Jayna's picture on it, to share with others. It has been a blast! My hope for little Jayna is the same as it was for my own children; that she live her life for Jesus.

As I watch our son Aaron holding her from across the room, I see a father who is beaming with love for his bundle of joy. I tease Aaron & Jen about how their nursery is so high-tech that it looks like 'Mission Control' in Houston. Compared to ours 29 years ago, it is pretty impressive. But all our kids would agree that there is something more important to their baby than many of today's modern nursery conveniences. Parents: The first thing that you give your child is your name, so make them proud! Love them "unconditionally". Pray for them. Pray with them. Forgive them. Provide for them. Share Jesus with them. And last but not least, live such Godly lives before them that they will be proud of you! And that they will want to know Jesus too! So much so, that their lives will be pleasing to our Father God.

Is that what you are doing with your own life? I hope so. God loves you! There is nothing in this world that can ever change that. But is He pleased with you? Have you taken on His name? Christian? And are you making Him proud? It's possible to live a life here today that will cause our children to want to say "That's my Dad!" And because of Jesus, it is possible to live a life here today that will cause our heavenly Father to say, "That's my son!"

Gentlemen: Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to look into the mirror of your life. No secrets! No false perceptions! No excuses! Every one of you can say that God loves you! He does! I hope you can also hear Him say that He is pleased with you. Ask yourself if you are living a life that your wife and children should be proud of....you've given them your name. Then ask yourself if you're living a life that the Lord is pleased with....He's given you His name. Make Him proud!