The Jimbo Fisher Story | FSU's Road to the BCS Championship

What's in your well? - Lottie Moon Christmas Offering

Playing for Payton

Riley 1999-2013

Our little furry friend died on Sunday.  It's amazing how much they become part of the family.  Even with all the trouble he got into, he had quite the little personality.  We will miss him.

I'll never forget coming home to find the garbage can flipped over and Riley sitting on the couch with a corn cob stuck between his paws eating it like a human.  It was funny until we realized that was his second piece.  The first one would eventually get stuck in his stomach and have to be surgically removed a week later.  From there on out, he was known as the goat.  Oh, and then there was the 100-year-old Bible that he ate the entire leather cover off of. 

Only in Russia

Tim Hawkins on Multitasking

Denver Official Guilty Dog Video www.facebook.com/guiltydog

Dreams to Nightmares

I've been dreaming about fishing lately.  Maybe it's a subconscious yearning to be in nature and to unplug from the busy hustle and bustle of the city.  Lately, however, this peaceful, relaxing hobby in my dreams quickly turns into a lot of work.

To set the scene, we're on a big lake and the fish are biting really well.  I'm using a bait caster (not the normal spinning reel) and every time that I try to cast my lure, my reel ends up with a massive bird's nest.  After I spend a lot of time cleaning it up, I try re-casting-- only to have the same thing happen over and over.  No matter when I stop the flow of the cast, it always ends up a giant mess.  I'm serious when I say I can't stop dreaming about this.   When I wake up, I'm more tired then when I went to sleep because I've worked all night trying to fix the mess, instead of relaxing and having a good time fishing….weird, I know.  Who's a dream interpreter out there?  Any thoughts?

"Though You Slay Me" (featuring John Piper)

Wow, every time I listen to this song I choke up.  Does this song speak to you?  Is there some way that I can be praying for you?



If you're interested in the story behind this song, you can watch it here:

http://youtu.be/z9g9WUKMQ2c

1 Kings 21:1-16

From time to time I share messages that we have listened to and encourage you to listen to them as well.   This message from Tony Merida on 1 Kings 21:1-16 is chalked full of blessings, truth, and challenges.  I KNOW that you will enjoy it.  Take 45 minutes to listen to it:

http://apps.sebts.edu/multimedia/?p=4467

Dinner tonight

We're having some dear peopLe over for dinner tonight.  Please pray for a great evening and the ability to speak clearly and concisely in Russian.  Dinner starts at 10:00am your time.

What happens after we die? on Larry King

How He Loves-David Crowder (w Matt Chandler John Piper)

Let's meet at Starbucks…they have free childcare there!

Because Stephanie is having a bunch of national ladies over for lunch today, I thought I would go to Starbucks to do some lesson prep for next week.  Under normal circumstances, I find Starbucks to be very distracting because of the music and all the people I end up observing, but today was even more difficult.  Apparently, Starbucks is the place where young parents come to catch up with friends and let all the other patrons take care of their kids.  Once they enter the front door, kids are given carte blanche to do whatever they want!  The parents are too busy visiting with their friends or playing on their iPads to realize that I'm having to tell their kids (in Russian) to stop eating the left-overs off of someone's old plate, to stop climbing over the back of chairs, and to stop clanking dishes on the table.  Finally, after they get tired of bothering me, they start running all over the place like we're in Chuck-e-Cheese, screaming, and well…making the decision to do some work at Starbucks a nightmare!  

Skyping with Charlie Brown's Teacher

I just spent over an hour on a Skype call with the director of the English company that I am working for.  On Wednesday she came to one of my classes to observe me, and today she gave me the feedback from her observation.

I don't know if it's because she is Russian and has a thick accent in English, or if it was the quality of the internet connection, but it was horrible to say the least.  There were a lot of  "a-huhs, and ok's" on my end.  I hope I didn't just agree to taking on more responsibility!

I seriously felt like I was talking to Charlie Brown's teacher for an hour (wah, wah, woh, wah)!

If you're a Seinfeld fan, you will get a kick out of this…Very Creative way to share the Sports News!

Now this guy is creative!  Give it some time, and I’m sure he’ll have quite the following if he keeps doing these themed segments:

How many do you recognize?

Are we still expected to follow that old rule about never ending a sentence with a preposition?

FYI, I came across this while doing some prep work for one of my classes.  

Are we still expected to follow that old rule about never ending a sentence with a preposition?
That's a "rule" (based on the etymology of "preposition" and a false analogy to Latin) that you just don't have to put up with. As long ago as 1926, Henry Fowler dismissed the rule about "preposition stranding" as "a cherished superstition" ignored by major writers from Shakespeare to Thackeray. In fact, he said, "the remarkable freedom enjoyed by English in putting its prepositions late and omitting its relatives is an important element in the flexibility of the language" (A Dictionary of Modern English Usage).

Expanding the traditional "School for the Arts"

I passed a school for the Arts the other day that listed all of the activities that they taught.  Among them were the normal: voice, various instruments, dance, and painting.  The one that stuck out to me was "Yo-Yo!"  Who the heck sends their kids to school to learn the Yo-Yo?!  I'm sorry, if my kids are wanting to learn the Yo-Yo, they're on their own for that mind-bending activity.  I'm not paying for it!  After all, they have an Uncle back home that is pretty good at walking the dog (Yo-Yo trick).  One Christmas he walked the dog right up the christmas tree trunk and broke some ornaments.

I Will Glory In My Redeemer

Favorites

Veta has learned the meaning of the word, "favorite."  Tonight I asked her what her favorite movie is, to which she replied Daniel Tiger.  It's a continuation of a character from the Mr. Rogers' show.  When I asked her what my favorite movie is, she replied with, "Project Runway."

Now look, just because I watch it with her mom does not make it my favorite show!  Man I can't wait for College Football to start!!!

Please begin praying that our next child is a BOY! I don't know if I can make it alone.  Makes me wonder how Stephanie's father has done it!

Jesus is Loving Barabbas

You can enlarge the picture by selecting the [   ] icon in the bottom right part of the youtube screen.

(Take this message for what it says, and not who delivered it.  I don't know anything about the preacher, I just know the message delivered should be challenging to all of us.)

"No Call, No Show"

When I first started working I kept hearing the managers use the term, "no call, no show."  I remember thinking to myself what the heck is that?  I came to learn that it described the slackers that I worked with that forgot they were supposed to be at work, or they were still hung over from the binger from the night before.  It's still kind of a foreign concept to me considering in my family if you're going to be more then 15 minutes late you call or send a txt message.

"Generally" speaking, (Steph said I couldn't stereotype everyone) this region of the world has a lot of "no call, no shows" too.  It's not normal for people to arrive at the agreed upon time, nor within the 15 minute un-written window of grace.  Shoot, it's normal to not show up at all.  The funny thing is the next time you see the person you may or may not get an excuse as to their absence.

I was waiting on someone the other day that was 30 minutes late.  Steph made the comment, "we'll I guess he's not coming."  To which I reminded her the last time we were supposed to meet he was almost an hour and a half late, so who knows!

Interesting to say the least, trying to make and keep a schedule.

Дыня-- Pronounced Denya

We've seen these fruit all over the city, but had no idea what they were.  Some of them can easily reach 16-18 inches long with the girth as big around as a basketball.  Recently, one of our Central Asian friends brought us one when she came to visit. It was game on from there on out.  If you like melons and cantaloupe, you would LOVE these.  Probably the best fruit that I have ever tasted anywhere in the world!

Richie Parker: Drive

Veta's 3rd Birthday Party.

        Veta turned three last week. The morning of her birthday she woke up to a banner and balloons              scattered around the house. In the evening, per her request, we went to McDonalds and then to the play center at the mall. 

 This past Saturday we had her birthday party. She requested a monkey themed party. All of her friends were able to come and join in on the fun. 

 Blowing out the candles

 Enjoying her cake

 Opening her presents

 Playing pin the banana in the monkey's hand

 Cute monkey piñata made by one of Veta's friends

 Daddy doing a monkey dance

 Veta playing find the bananas

 Taking a whack at the piñata 

We are so thankful the Lord blessed us with this sweet girl. It is hard to believe that she is already 3 years old. 

Plug your computer into some good speakers, turn it up a pretty good bit, close your eyes and ENJOY!

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear
The hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come;
'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far
and Grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me.
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

When we've been here ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we've first begun.

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

Praise the LORD!

Psalm 148, 149, 150

Pastor David Platt

http://www.tubechop.com/watch/1389918

Less than 4 weeks until kickoff!

It's going to be an interesting season.  A lot of changes to the team and coaching staff.  Looking forward to great things. Go Noles!

Cravings...

Can anyone hook a brother up with some brownie mix packages?  I've been craving some brownies lately!!!  The crazy thing is that I interrupted a search I was doing for exercise bikes because I started thinking about brownies!  What can I say?

If you want to contribute to my sweet tooth, email me or comment on this post and I will send you our address.  You will be forever revered as a great person!

Do you need a good cry?

Check out this great MSN video - For Better or Worse

I found Stephanie watching this with tears running down her face.  I started to give her a hard time (since even Undercover Boss Episodes can make her cry), but after I watched it I was softened too.  I can only hope that I would be this loving.  Pretty neat story!

I wish our water filter had something like an odometer on it so I could keep up with the replacements better!

…And this is why you want to change your filters on a regular basis over here!  I thought the water was starting to taste a little tangy :)  The other day when we flushed the toilets, the water swirling around was a dark orange color for a handful of the flushes!!! Nasty.  

Gospel Driven Endurance--2 Timothy 2:1-13

This was a great encouragement to me, I hope it will be for you as well:

http://apps.sebts.edu/multimedia/?p=3912

"Waiting in Wonder"

I read the following short devotional this morning and thought that it was very appropriate for things that we are planning and praying for now.  Maybe it can be a word of encouragement to you as well:

"Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." (1 Cor 2:9)

It was surprising, the difference between his two daughters.  Emily, the oldest, demanded details.  She wanted to know about every aspect of the trip ahead of time.  Where they were going, what they were doing-- as if she would decide whether or not the Grand Canyon was worth her while.

Sydney, however, just waited in trust.  Her dad had planned it.  That was enough.

While he was happy to see Emily grow up and take control of her life, he couldn't help but feel sad this vacation.  She was losing something: a life of loving trust.  The more Emily opened her eyes, the less she could actually see.  By focusing on the details of the trip, she lost sight of her relationship with her father.  She looked forward to the future because she knew what it held, not because it came from someone who loved her. 

How do you face uncertain future?

Loss enters your life and it takes.  It takes your job.  Your health.  Your wife.  But it also gives.  It gives you a painful uncertainty.  How do you go on?

Some demand details from God.  "Give me just a glimpse of your plan," they say.  With that they think they would be satisfied.  But Paul invites us instead to be children who wait in wonder.  "God's ways are beyond our understanding," he says. 

When Christ enters your life, he takes.  He takes your sin, dying under its punishment.  Yet he also gives.  He rose from the death to give you life-- eternal life-- and a divine future.

"Don't demand details from God," Paul says.  Trust.  Wait.  Like a child.  The ways of God are filled with love beyond your understanding.

In faith, we face the future not because we know what that future holds, but because we know the one who holds it.  And we trust that "he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6).

Heavenly Father, in times of uncertainty, help me to wait in wonder, trusting that Jesus holds my future in his wounded hands.  Amen.

(Schmitt, David R. Man of God: Strong to Serve. Fenton: CTA, 2013.)

I'm back...

I'm back!  After a month hiatus, I am going to attempt to be regular with blogging again.  If I told you that everything is under control here, my nose would begin to grow.  Stephanie and I are working very hard (and non-stop) to ensure that we are being faithful to our calling, learning the language, and raising our family.  Little Eva isn't so little when it comes to all the added responsibility.  I think we both had forgotten how much time and energy newborns require.  

We were blessed to have both sets of parents, as well as Stephanie's sister come to visit!  It is always a sweet time catching up, spending time together, and making memories.  I just hope that we didn't wear them out too much!  They were amazing in their pursuit to serve and love on us by helping us out with the girls!  We're conditioned to spend 12 hrs+ with an almost three year old, but i'm sure that it was wearisome for them :)

Having them here reminded us how much we love and appreciate family, and how hard it is to be so far away from them!  Have your reached out to your loved ones recently to remind them that you love them and are thinking about them?

Sword Drill Anyone? :)

When I was younger I was pretty good at memorizing scripture, and it's a good thing because I struggle memorizing anything now!  These are two verses that I've memorized in English that we are trying to memorize in Russian.  Do you know them?  I want to encourage you to memorize them with us if you don't know them.  And if you do it in Russian, i'll give you double the points :)

Acts 4:12

Ни в ком другом спасения нет, потому что не дано людям никакого другого имени под небом, которым надлежало бы нам спастись.

"Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved."

1 Peter 2:24

Масих Сам в Своём теле вознёс наши грехи на дерево, чтобымы умерли для греха и жили для праведности.  Его ранами вы были исцелены.

"He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed."

**I like the Russian translation of this one, it says, "The Messiah" bore our sins...

The Girls...

Eva E @ 1 Month

Here she is at a month old.  We can't believe how fast she has grown this month.  She's begun smiling and started her baby talking.  Overall, she is still a very good sleeper, but seems to be a bit of a night owl.  She doesn't like to go to sleep before 1am!  

My new favorite game...

My new favorite game to play with Veta is a reversed roles game.  She likes to be the mother and I am the little boy.  She wants me to go to sleep, so she makes me get in her bed, she covers me up, prays for me, kisses me and tells me to go to sleep.  If I wake up before it's time, she gets mad at me.

This is a blessing in disguise, especially at a time when we try to catch a catnap whenever we have a chance!  Five to ten minutes will always work for me!

Our family of four...

We were told that in some ways the second baby is easier because you're not so worried about every little thing, but harder in the fact that you have to divide your attention between two children.  Well, both statements seem to be proving true.  But I also think that living in a foreign country increases some of the stresses of getting adjusted to a second child.

For the most part, I think we are doing well.  Eva is a healthy, sweet little girl.  She sleeps well and eats even better.  She has grown so fast these last couple of weeks.  Veta has been a good big-sister, always trying to help, but continues to be a little too rough with her new little sister.  Please continue to pray for us as we continue to adjust.

Veta positioned Eva on her chest all by herself.  She was so proud and at the same time we were so concerned!  We can't take our eyes off of her for one minute. 

I Double Dog Dare You...

I double dog dare you to challenge me and Stephanie to a game of Charades!  After living outside of the U.S. for almost two years now, we're mastering the art of communicating with facial expressions, gestures and body language.  Now pair that with the fact that we have spent 9 months of pregnancy and delivery in places where we are still limited in the language, and we are unstoppable.  You would be surprised at how much you can communicate with your body during labor! :)

She's Here!

Eva Elizabeth arrived Tuesday, May 14 at 2:30pm.  She weighed 8 lbs, 1oz. and was 21" long.  Both girls are healthy and doing well.  Please continue to pray for Stephanie as she continues to recover, as well as the adjustments to being a family of four.

She's coming!

Latest Update: We saw the doctor today and she said that tomorrow morning (5/14) she will start the inducing process if Eva doesn't come tonight.  Please pray for peace and safety for Stephanie and Baby Eva.  

Still No Eva...

We were told by the doctor this week that Eva was growing very big and needed to come this week.  When Stephanie asked the doctor how we should go about encouraging labor, the doctor said we should tell Eva that it's ok to come out.  Well we've done that many times over, but still no Eva.

  

Milton Vincent's, A Gospel Primer.

I'm slowly reading through a book that a friend gave me called, A Gospel Primer. I thought this was rather poignant and can speak to the root of a lot of sin and issues that surface in a Christian's life:

Milton Vincent's A Gospel Primer.

        Though saved, I am daily beset by a sinful flesh that always craves those things that are contrary to the Spirit. These fleshly lusts are vicious enemies, constantly waging war against the good of my soul. Yet they promise me fullness, and their promises are so deliciously sweet that I often find myself giving into them as if they were friends that have my best interests at heart.

        On the most basic of levels, I desire fullness, and fleshly lusts seduce me by attaching themselves to this basic desire. They exploit the empty spaces in me, and they promise that fullness will be mine if I give in to their demands. When my soul sits empty and is aching for something to fill it, such deceptive promises are extremely difficult to resist.

        Consequently, the key to mortifying fleshly lusts is to eliminate the emptiness within me and replace it with fullness; and I accomplish this by feasting on the gospel. Indeed, it is in the gospel that I experience a God who glorifies Himself by filling me with His fullness. He is the One, Paul says, "who fills all in all." He is the One who "fills all things" with the gifts He gives. And He lavishes gospel blessings upon me with the goal that I "be filled up to all the fullness of God." This is the God of the gospel, a God who is satisfied with nothing less than my experience of fullness in Him! The first command God spoke in the Garden was, "eat freely." And with similar insistence He says to me now, "be filled.

       "What happens to my appetites for sin when I am filled with the fullness of God in Christ? Jesus provides this answer: "He who continually comes to Me will never hunger or thirst again." Indeed, as I perpetually feast on Christ and all of His blessings found in the gospel, I find that my hunger for sin diminishes and the lies of lust simply lose their appeal. Hence, to the degree that I am full, I am free. Eyes do not rove, nor do fleshly lusts rule, when the heart is fat with the love of Jesus!

        Preaching the gospel to myself each day keeps before me the startling advocacy of God for my fullness, and it also serves as a means by which I feast anew on the fullness of provision that God has given to me in Christ. "Eating freely" of such provision keeps me occupied with God's blessings and also leaves me with a profoundly enjoyable sense of satisfaction in Jesus. And nothing so mortifies fleshly lusts like satisfaction in Him.

Veta talking to her baby sister, Eva Elizabeth

Please continue to pray for Stephanie's pregnancy.  Last week she started showing signs of labor and was admitted to the hospital.  She was there for four days before they released her on medications to prevent the progression of her labor.  She is 36 weeks.

Veta on her Soviet Playground...

The wheels on the bus...

Same old around here...

Nothing new to report around here, that's why I haven't posted anything in a while.  We did get over 12" of snow in 2 1/2 days with wind gusts of 20-30mph, but even snow is old news to us these days.

Hmm, I got something…Veta was playing with a box of tacks today and didn't pick them all up.  I stepped on one and it went in the bottom of my foot until the head of the tack was flush with my skin.  I almost had to yell "earmuffs" while I screamed and then had to pull it out.  Then Veta asked,  "what happened daddy?"  …I wonder. 

I knew the day was coming...

Ever since the snow started falling I've been slipping and sliding, but I have not fallen…until today.  Funny thing was I had a close call yesterday, but I was able to save myself.  On the way to school this morning I was walking to the bus stop with my hands in my pockets and BAM, I was down so quick I didn't even have a chance to break the fall.  There I was laying on the street.  There must have been 25-30 people standing there.  Guess how many came over to see if I was ok... ZERO.  Ok, guess how many let out a gasp or some kind of concern for my wellbeing….ZERO.  Guess how many flinched…You guessed it!  Man, my knee is killing me.

A Snowy Morning in Moscow

Veta's version of "Jesus Loves Me"

Men's Day

I woke up to breakfast in bed this morning for "Men's Day."  Stephanie and Veta made me blueberry pancakes, fruit salad, juice and coffee. I love my wife and daughter!  It was a great Surprise!

In this area of the world they celebrate Men and Women's day.  So if you're an American parent living over here, you get two special days: Men's day and Father's day.  

Why you shouldn't txt in class!

I normally don't check my phone during class, but I received a call and a txt right in a row and wanted to make sure that everything was ok.  I waited until the teacher turned her back and I pulled my phone of my pocket and proceeded to read it under the desk.  Almost immediately after I started reading, she asked me a question from the book.  Keep in mind the question flung at me was in 100 MPH Russian, I must have looked like a deer in headlights trying to translate the question in my mind.  I finally gave up and admitted that I was not paying attention because I was txting.  Trying to justify my lack of interest, I told her in Russian that I was reading a txt from my HUSBAND!  I didn't even hardly finish the sentence before everyone was laughing! Dang!  When I screw up in language, I do it royally.

Lessons learned today:

1. Don't txt in class.
2. If you're a man, remove the word "husband" from your vocabulary so that it doesn't get used in the wrong context.

-ABC