Christus Victor & a Pit Bull Attack

Last night, Sunday June the 13th, my Father was walking his little lap dog down our street. A pit bull dog charged across the street after little Max. The pit bull grabbed Max in his jaws & my Dad grabbed its jaws to hold them open.
Can you say, "Let's Get Ready to Rumble!!!!?" Dad was amazed at the power of this dog. They literally wrestled across the entire street. Dad was bitten badly during this time.
God gave Dad the presence of mind to wrap the leash around the dog's neck & strangle it. He made sure it wasn't going to get up...ever again.
He then grabbed his poor little Max & ran the quarter mile home. Now Dad is 68 years old but don't tell that to the pit bull.
We went to the ER & he was just covered with puncture wounds, abrasions & in some places - literally chunks of flesh just missing - ripped out by a dog trained to fight.
When I saw Dad his pants & shirt had more rips & holes than not. He looked like he had gone through a shredder. He was covered in his own blood.
Now, because whoever owned that dog immediately disposed of the body, He may have to get a series of shots for rabies. We don't know yet.
What does that have to do with Christ our "Christus Victor"? Well I just couldn't help being reminded of how Christ ripped me out of the jaws of Satan, how he was torn in the process & how he bled & how ultimately He slew the serpent & won the keys to death, hell & the grave. Why? For the same reason a 68 year old man would attack a pit bull with his bear hands...LOVE. A love that makes no logical sense mind you but love none the less. Jesus WON our ransom - He rescued us & defeated our foe forever! And he did it out of LOVE. I was just as helpless as little Max & Christ was just as committed as my Dad & infinitely more.
A torn & bleeding Father, a grateful lap dog, a helpless sinner & a victorious messiah - My Christus Victor!
"But God demonstrated his love by sending Christ to die for us while we yet hated him"

And IT Begins...

NO WAY!!! I got on the scale & this pic was only 7 lbs over...you heard it right - I've weighed in at a rotund 235 pounds! By far the most I've ever weighed.
Today, I began the Zija 'Lose your gut' program. Supposedly for us fellas, the average weight loss is 5 to 7 pounds a week. I would like to get down to 175 & maintain that.
That equates to 65 pounds! If all goes well, by the opening of rifle season for deer, I should be pretty close to my target weight.
I'll keep you updated on my progress & the effectiveness of Zija's Zm3 all natural weight lose supplement system.

Bed Rest -vs- Low Blood Pressue

Here's a post from my wife's facebook:

Elizabeth Adrian Dziadul is pretty sure not many people will understand the significance of my blood pressure being 110/68 at 34 weeks pregnant

Elizabeth Adrian Dziadul
I have chronic hypertension that rises as the pregnancy progresses. By this time, I'm usually on bedrest or on 3 meds. I'm on the same meds I've been on the whole pregnancy and these past few weeks the bp has been LOW! It's the supplement I'm taking= Zija. If you know my past history, you know this is amazing.
Elizabeth Adrian Dziadul
Zija is a company that develops products from the morianga tree. It is a complete nutritional drink and it is amazing. I credit it with my blood pressure being so low this far into pregnancy. When I started this pregnancy, my bp was in the 190's/120's- now it's low!

I don't really know what to make of all this but seeing is believing. Beth began taking the tea & after one mug of it - all her edema / swelling was gone. I believe this also has something to do with the b/p & the regulated sugar levels as she has gestational diabetes.

Zija also makes a completely natural diet supplement called Xm3. Beth said that she'd like to try that after Emma arrives.

Seeing that I'm the only one who has gained weight with this pregnancy (Beth has not had any weight gain thus far) I will be starting on it as soon as it arrives next week.

The average loss for a man is 5 to 7 lbs a week.

Why not follow my progress right here. I'll weigh in next week & begin to regain my health with the help of Zija.

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