Beauty Even in the Ashes

Well, it's hard to describe the crisis that much of southern California finds itself in as smoke has filled the skies for the past 3 days. Yet, even with the awful smell of smoke in the air, and the dusting of ash on the ground, the sun sets and the sun rises the past couple of days have been breath-taking. This photo was taken Wed. morning (10/24) at 8am toward the east. Of the many southern California fires that are burning, this one is referred to as the Santiago fire, and is about 20 miles away. Let us pray for God's help in this time of tremendous need for so many people.

More Pictures to Share

It seems like we have gone for ages with out taking many photos and then, all of sudden, we have all these opportunities to get some pictures taken. I think it has something with experiencing your first child leaving home and being on his own. It makes you think that time is going by really fast and if you run out and get some pictures taken real quick, it might be able to slow down time just a little bit. I know that sounds a little crazy, but it's the best explanation that I can come up with for now.

Reaching Milestones in Our Life!

There are times in our lives when we will realize that we have reached a milestone, a point in life that we thought was farther away than we imagined. After being married for 21 years to my wife Valerie, we have just sent our first child to college on the other side of the country. I don't feel like I'm old enough to have a college age son, but oh well, time marches on. It just seems like yesterday when I was helping him put on his shoes and pack his sack lunch for school. I still have two teenagers living at home who are also growing up very quickly. I know that God has wonderful plans for each of my sons, and I pray that I stay faithful to Him to reach all of the milestones that He has for me. Our life is truly like a vapor that appears for a short while and before we know it, much of it is behind us. Praise the Lord for the promise of eternal life!

Praising God For My Family!

Well, we have reached another mile-stone in the Birge family. My oldest is getting ready to go off to college. We thought we would run to Sears and get some family pictures taken before we head in different directions. It doesn't seem like it was very long ago when I was changing the diapers on these guys; now look at them. I'm proud of all three of my sons and I praise the Lord for giving me a wonderful wife and three fine boys! God is good!

God's Coffee

I usually don't take time to read all the emails that are forwards of forwards of forwards. There are just so many of them that I don't have time to read them. This morning though I did read this one and it was really good, so I thought I would post it on my blog. It was entitled "God's Coffee" and the author is unknown.

"A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life. Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups - porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite - telling them to help themselves to the coffee. When all the alumni had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said: "If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups... And then you began eyeing each other's cups. Now consider this: Life is the coffee; the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life, and the type of cup we have does not define, nor change the quality of Life we live. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee God has provided us." God brews the coffee, not the cups.......... Enjoy your coffee! "The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything." Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God."
Author unknown

Fun in the Photo Booth

At a recent wedding, the bride and groom had a great idea. They had a photo booth at the reception for everyone to get their picture taken for their memory book. It also provided a great opportunity to get some family photos taken :-). Valerie and Timothy teamed up for a photo session and then Michael and I had our picture taken. As you can see, I had a little fun with Michael (I didn't really yell in his ear).

Stephen was around somewhere and I know he had his picture taken as well, but I didn't get a chance to see it yet. I know we need to get some family photos taken real soon, but at least this is most of the family.

It's Nice to Finally See Some Fruit

About two years ago, my son Stephen and I planted a nectarine tree and a Fuji apple tree in the back yard. The only other tree back there was a lemon tree that Timothy and I planted three years ago. The lemon tree has been producing tons (maybe not tons, but you know what I mean) of lemons from the beginning, but the apple and nectarine trees have been slower getting around to producing fruit. Finally, we are starting to see some nectarines and apples this year. I can't wait until they're ripe enough to eat. It's really nice when a fruit tree actually produces fruit!

That's probably what the Lord says about us when He is able to produce spiritual fruit through us, "It's nice to finally see some fruit!"

One of those days...

Praise the Lord anyway. I know that's what I need to do. That's what I would tell someone else. Don't you hate it when people judge you to be this terrible person, when in fact you have been everything but that? Yet, to try to explain your heart to that person would make you sound like some kind of "ego-hungry" character. So...you choose the path of remaining silent and taking the verbal lashing. Someone told me a long time ago that it was wiser to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open my mouth and remove all doubt. I don't know if that is always true or not. I just hate it when people think you are some kind of self-centered, uncaring, inconsiderate monster; when, if they really knew the truth......well, it doesn't matter..... Praise the Lord anyway.

Visiting My Dad in Kansas

I had the opportunity to surprise my dad last week and fly out to Kansas (from California) to attend his retirement party at his place of employment. After 42 and a half years of working at the same place, my dad finally decided to go ahead and retire. It was nice to be there to hear how all his co-workers appreciated his years of service to the company. My sister was also able to drive up from Springfield, MO to attend the party. It was good to catch up with the family and remember all the fun times we had growing up on the farm in Kansas. It's amazing how times moves so fast. I hope that my dad is able to enjoy many wonderful years of retirement and that the Lord continues to bless him with good health.