Ben is being 'prepared' for the new arrival of a little sister in the not too distant future. We talk about Emma Grace & ask him where she is etc. Well, He has caught on & He talks about his new sister, "ELMO GRAPES".

I have several concerns with this new moniker.

1: I am very fearful that the name will stick. How unfortunate for little Elmo, I mean Emma

2: I fear that Ben is expecting a red furry puppet from sesame street & that he's going to be mighty disappointed in the real Emma Grace.

I thank God for little boys who keep a stressed out Daddy laughing.

Anna's Birthday

Anna turned 14 on Wednesday. I've forgotten how amazed I was when I first saw her. I finally had a girl! Black hair & chubby cheeks. The cheeks got chubbier & the hair got lighter...a lot lighter & curly. The sweet baby became a very feisty toddler who considered herself the queen of the world & we were all her royal subjects.
Today that has all changed...mostly.
Anna is now a young lady who is hanging on to the last vestiges of her childhood as her adulthood looms ever larger on the horizon. I'm proud of her.
She is a talker & loves to let you know what is going on in her heart.
She's going to be a great wife & mother one day. Sure love you Anna girl.

What are you trying to say?

Ben, my 2 year old son, was sitting on my lap the other day. He patted my stomach & said, "Hi baby Emma". Most of the family was in the living room at the time & they witnessed it.
I suppose that's a sign that its time to shed some excess pounds.

Opening Prayer

I was recently asked to bring the opening prayer at the National Day of Prayer Breakfast in Macon.
As I began to pray about the prayer, God seemed to give me some words that would not have been my first choice to pray out loud but may have been His first choice. I had my son read it & he indicated that it may be the last time anyone asks me to pray at a public event.
I could discern no release from the Spirit to pray something different so I delivered what God impressed on my spirit the night before.
Here's the text of that Prayer:

Good Morning Father,
I just want to say 'thank you' for a beautiful morning. This day has dawned differently from most days for today we gather to bow as a nation to admit our brokenness, to confess our national sin, & to repent before you - our sovereign God.
We need you Lord, but our problem is that we have forgotten how much we need you.
We have transformed Your national blessings into our national idols.
We've worshiped the blessings & rejected the source from whom all blessings flow!
We heartily sing, "God Bless America" but its been a long time since we've prayed to be blessable Americans.
We plead with you to restore our national health while we reject your supernatural holiness.
We fret over our devalued dollar but we fail to weep over the fact that we've devalued your deity.
We've looked to Capital Hill for the answers that can only be found on Calvary's Hill.
We're in trouble Father & your people don't believe it nor can we discern it because we're numb!
We need you Father God to give us back a hunger & a thirst for righteousness!
We need you to give us a passion to seek first your kingdom & your righteousness & as you add 'all these things' to us, we will hold them loosely so as not to worship to blessing over the source.
We long for the day that genuine Holy Ghost revival floods this land!
On that day Lord, we will be far more concerned about offending you than offending man.
On that day we will discover the freedom that comes from fearing you & we will escape the fear of man which You said is a snare.
On that day we will lift the Son of Man up & watch your Spirit draw all men unto you.
O let that day be today! We need you Father - help us!
Come by Macon Georgia & visit us with true Holy Spirit Reformation & Revival!
Only Jesus can heal our hurt & bring life where there is death. Only Jesus can unite what Satan has divided.
Help us Lord & begin with me.
I beg you in the ONLY name by which man can be set right with you - in the name of your son & my savior - Yeshua
Let It Be