Summer is coming to a close

A favorite picture form our trip to Canada summer of 2006

We returned last night from what I consider our last adventure of the summer. Corben had a training @ the conference center in Cranberry on Tuesday and a meeting on Thursday in Bethal Park. So we all headed to Beaver County. We stayed with my Mom and Dad while there. On Tuesday after Corben was done with is training my sister, Pearl and I met him at Quacker Steak and Lube for lunch. Than upon our return to my parent's house Pearl and Corben went swimming which I figured would be the last time for the summer. Latter that evening we went to John's house and Pearl went four wheeling and we stacked fire wood. Pearl also helped Aunt Dottie make cupcakes. On Wednesday I went to the dentist, and got a pedicure. Aunt Dottie and Pearl made cookies, and Pearl and her Dad went swimming again. The remains of Tropical Storm Fay moved in so our trip to the Big Knob Fair was wet and short, but the gyros, french frys, and the famous Concord UMC funnel cakes still tasted great. Pearl's highlight was of course seeing the animals. Fay also resulted in my time with my sister picking black berries to be a wet experience, but we still had fun and got enough berries to make a cobbler. So on Thursday while Corben was at his meeting all day we went to my Grandma Aegan's and she taught us how to make a black berry cobbler. Pearl had a blast helping roll dough, but she never did try the end product. She says black berries are disgusting. After dinner Pearl and her Pap Pap went to the garden to pick green beans and tomatoes and Pearl picked the littlest watermellon I have ever seen but she is so proud of it. Pearl than decided to dig for treasue, so bath time happened before we left. We than headed for home listening to the football game and than finished watching the game at home. Pre-season is over. Come on regular season. Here we go Steelers. Fall is here. Today I will freeze our greenbeans so we can have fresh greenbeans this winter.

Almost Home

Our last stop of our two week journy was to Corben's parent's house for our nieces birthday. Pearl enjoyed playing with her cousin Jared. Enjoy a few pics from the party.

Family Vacation and School Continued

We spent a day driving in the smokie mountains, stopped by the aquarium again it was too hot for anything else. Than it was off to Kentucky for school. We spent one evening at the local YMCA Pool. On our way home we stopped by and visited family. Pearl picked pumpkins with Pap Pap Richard, and went 4 wheeling with Aunt Dottie and John.

Family Vacation and School

In August Corben had to return to Kentucky for a one week class so Pearl and I joined him. However before school we spent a week on vacation. We started off at our the Price family reunion, then went to visit Corben's parents, than headed to Tennessee again. We love this place.

Family Vacation

We spent just about a week this year the end of May begining of June in Pegion Forge Tennesse with my parents, sister, and her boyfriend. This was his first family vacation. The hotel ended up being under construction so we didn't get the rooms we had planned, but it all worked out in the end and we had a great time. We spent one day at Dollywood, one day at Spash Country, one day at the Aguarium, and lots of time shopping and seeing the sights. We can not wait for family vacation next year Pearl's says go to the beach. We will see. Enjoy a few of the thousands of pictures we took.

Pearl's First Beach Trip

Pearl had been asking to see the ocean. So in May when Corben's cousin Jeremy got married in Richmond Virginia we took a week's vacation and went on to Virgina Beach for some fun before all of our excitment over the next month and a half. We had received the call about Corben's move a few days before we left for the wedding. Here are few pictures from the trip. Pearl loved it and can not wait to return to the ocean and beach. We can not either.

Two Years Latter and the Lost is Found

Two years ago we went on vacation to Canada, and all three of us had our passports. Upon our return home Corben left for a month of school in Kentucky and Pearl and I moved us into our new home in Bridgewater PA. Shortly after our move I tried to locate our passports for some reason and could only find Corben's and Pearl's. I had kept the three of them together and could not figure out where mine was. We tore the house apart looked under stuff in stuff, there was not a place we did not look. I figured that it must have been thrown away during the move. I said that I thought it was somewhere in the house, however we just could not find it. So I decided that when we had the money I would get a new one. Well there were a few times over the past two years I could have gotten a new one, but things came up and we needed the money for other things. When we packed everything up to move I had in the back of my mind that we would find my passport, but we didn't so I figured it must not be in the house. However today we were looking for the remote to the DVD player (which ended up laying out in the open on the lamp) Corben was looking in the couch and out he pulled was none other than my passport. Now instead of paying for a new one all I will need to do is renew it in 2009. This reminds me of two things, 1. Like I never gave up on looking for my passport, God will never give up on searching for us when we are lost.
2. Like I celebrated and called my Mom to share the news upon finding the passport, God will rejoice and celebrate upon our finding our way home again.

I am alive

I got an e-mail the other day asking if I gave up blogging. Well I haven't, but I have been very busy. Most of June was spent packing and unpacking as we moved form Bridgewater to Timblin. Almost everything is unpacked and in it's place. We love our new home. Pearl really loves the fact that we have a big yard and that she sees horse and buggies go past our house many times a day. We do miss not being as close to my family, but are anticipating the things God has in store for us. Corben spent two weeks in Kentucky in June and one week in Kentucky in July. We will all spend a week there in August and Pearl and I are looking forward to the trip. We are going to take Pearl to Dollywood on our way down to Kentucky for a few days so I am not sure which part of the trip she is more excited about Kentucky or Tennessee. If you are up this way stop in for a visit.

Father's Day

Fathers Day... a time to honor parents, much like Mothers day, but with a major difference, besides the different roles Mothers and Fathers play, is that Fathers day is a time to be thankful for the teaching, raising, wisdom, insight, and love while Mothers day is ususally a time to remember, celebrate, and honor the caring, relationship, that mothers are so often associated with.

It is funny to recieve goofy ties, golf accessories, and other items that usually tend to be practical like tools when even though those things make me as a Father laugh, it is the smile on my daughters face and the warmth in my wife's eyes that positively shake me to the very foundation of my core and stir me to praise God for the gift of Fatherhood.

I lift up in prayer all those that are unable or just are not fathers and request your love and intercession for any pain that these wonderful people experience.

I am a father of a three year old daughter, Pearl, her and my wife mean more to me then words can express, but as long as I don't digress:

I am not sure I can even remember what I thought John 3:16 meant before I became a Father. If anyone reads this and does not know John 3:16 look it up. The Gideon's place bibles in Hospitals, hotals, and many other places and I hope you can find a place to read it, but worse case you can look online at sites like http://www.biblegateway.com/

I have a feeling that Mothers may even understand the sacrifice, love, grace, compassion, and caring that involves John 3:16 even better, but no matter what I am thankful...

Thank you God for making me a Father.

Father

Happy Birthday Dad

Tuesday was my Dad's Birthday. We enjoyed a wonderful dinner cooked by my mom with the family, and pie and icecream. Pearl also enjoyed haveing a swim in Pap Pap's pool. I value my dad's opinion and all that he has taught me through the years. I also value all of the support and advise he gives to us while we contiune on this journy of being a family in full time ministry. I am looking forward to many more years of his wise advice and love.

Speed Racer

We took Pearl to see Speed Racer with her cousin Jared and her PapPap Russell. She started to have a hard time paying attention after awhile and even asked to leave. I thought, 'this is not like Pearl' because she usually does so well at the movies. Then I realized she didn't start acting up until an hour and fourty minutes had passed into the movie. It was a good time and Pearl did great for the movie being over two hours and twenty minutes.

Here is a clip from the first seven minutes of the movie compliments of Yahoo and Speed Racer:



From: http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/speedracer.html?showVideo=1

Praising God

It is so amazing to see Pearl, my daughter, praise God.

We were driving down the road, just me and her, and I look back to make sure she is doing good and I see her lifting her hands and pointing her fingers to the heavens as our radio played a praise and worship song. It was uplifting for me to see her excited for her Jesus and then while pointing up she started singing the words, at least I think she was singing the words. No matter what it was it was music to my ears.

Yet again I am reminded we have much to learn from children... possibly more then we teach them, at least spiritually.

Getting back to the heart of worship

{ Picture from http://images.parable.com/ProdImage/87/7474018187.jpg }

I remember hearing about the story that surrounds the song "Heart Of Worship' by Matt Redman and thinking about what it means to have an innocent, pure, simple, and humble heart that seeks after Jesus, that continually connects and remains in Love with Jesus, Our Lord and Savior.

Two days ago I was amazed again as God reminded me of this same thing. I was getting my daughter ready to leave the house and you have to remember she is only 3 years old. We were all ready except she did not want to come down stairs, put on her shoes, and actually leave. So I run upstairs get the phone I left up there, but more importantly to remind her it is time to go and as I approach her at the top of the stairs I hear in a sweet, soft, and beautiful voice, "I am sorry, My Jesus". Pearl reminded me of how my relationship with Jesus needs to be.

What did my three year old do, say, or think that she wanted to tell her Jesus she was sorry I may never know, but what I do know is that I want to encourage her to continue this and maybe I need to set aside the busyness of life and like the song get back to the heart of worship. Worship is not just at the Sunday service or on Saturdays or Sundays alone, but every single day and should be during everything we do no matter what.

We could all be so blessed as to say today, "I am sorry, My Jesus" and get back to the heart of worship.

Sometimes it is easy to talk or preach about the greatest commandment, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." from Matthew 22:37 the NIV which references Deuteronomy 6:5. I mention this because it is not always easy to point the way for people to walk more deeply with Jesus, to love Him more deeply, to fill our minds completely, or have all of being focused on Jesus, but maybe, just maybe it is the things we consider little like coming before Jesus and being sorry, your Jesus, my Jesus, the Jesus that died so that all who believe may have everlasting life as John 3:16 proclaims moves us along the journey of better loving the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.




{ Picture from http://www.nhim.org/Lessons/Lesson%20Files/ChildrenPraying.jpg }

Is your glass half-full or half-empty?

When life hands you lemons do you make lemonade?



Then of course there are varying degrees:
Bitter
Semi-sweet
Extra-sweet
And just plain amazing with the perfect blend

Maybe life has seemingly left you bitter?
If so there is someone who can help. His name is Jesus
And His birthday is celebrated every year at Christmas
And His death and ressurection is celebrated every year at Easter.

This last Sunday I preached on 1st Peter 1:1-9 and I invite
All who read this Blog to take 5 minutes and read the passage
Especially if you have read it before.

Now the questions are:
Do you rejoice like the passage describes?
Do you experience great joy even while suffering under trials?
Do you see the brighter side while being refined through fire so
that your faith strengthens?

Please take a few minutes to look up Isaiah 48:10.

The good news, the great news is that not only are we giving glory,
Honor, and praise to God as He so rightly deserves when we suffer,
But we are pointing the way to Christ as the 1st Peter passage reminds us.

I leave you with this question:

When you look in the



and see your reflection who does it point to?

Happy Birthday Mom

In the picture Richard Aegan, Quina Price, Bobby Aegan, and Pearl Russell

Today is my Mom's birthday. She has taught me many lessons throughout the years and I look forward to having dinner with her tonight and learning many more things from her for many more years.

Fun at High School Musical on Ice

I got the opportunity to be able to go to High School Musical on Ice which is a combination of High School Musical one and two. I was able to go with Brenda and Pearl. I never knew it, but opening night can offer some more reasonable priced tickets. It was a wonderful time especially as I watched Pearl with her eyes glued to the Ice Rink as the musical ensued. I looked over and saw Brenda watching and not only watching the musical, but also watching Pearl to make sure she did not hit or spill anything on the person sitting in front of Pearl and I was struck by the wonders of family. Sometimes family life is difficult, it wasn't meant to be easy, but it is worth it and when I have moments like these the difficulties melt away faster then snow on a warm sunny day. The picture below is my momento of another wonderful moment that God used to make up for those stressful, even though not always frequent, days of hair pulling, biting, hitting, and overall fits that all three year olds go through.

What is today

Some people call today Holy Thursday, some say Maundy Thursday, some say Pass over, some say last supper, some say agape meal, some say first day of spring, and to some it is just Thursday, March 20. Well for us here in the Russell household it has been a day of preparation. We have been preparing for tonight's service at the church. Pearl was supposed to be in pre-school today but it was canceled so she to has been helping. At first I thought oh no, but to be honest with you it has been a blessing in disguise. Pearl has been a great little helper and I can not wait to experience tonight's service with her. So as our day of preparations is starting to wind down it will turn into a night of remembrance and learning. We will learn what some of the things were that took place so many years ago the night Jesus was betrayed, and remember in closing with communion what Jesus did for us on the cross tomorrow.
A short story about our preparations
We actually started our preparations last night by setting up the tables and chairs in the shape of a cross. Pearl was there and helped us, but we never really explained to her why we were moving the tables and we never mentioned to her the fact that they were in the shape of a cross. So today she has been for the most part busy playing while I've been getting the food ready. So when my mom stopped by for a surprise visit while we were just getting ready for lunch, and was happily surprised that Pearl meet her at the door. Grandma thought she was in school. I was not expecting Pearl to say much about tonight. However during the midst of eating lunch and talking about tonight and what I had done and still had to do my Mom asked if there was anything she could do to help. I said she could help me fill cups with grape juice if she wanted to over at the church. So that is when it happened Pearl perked up at asked with much excitment if Grandma wanted to go and see the cross at the church. So we did, we went to the church and Pearl very proudly showed the cross to her Grandma.

Picture Update

Visit to a game farm in West Virginia

Visit to a game farm in West Virginia

High School Musical on ice

Mommy's little helper

Second year in a row we spent V-Day in the snow

Wow what a cute little girl

Santa came and Pearl's goods are awaiting her in the morning

Pearl and Aunt Dottie waiting to go to Christmas Eve service at Bridgewater UMC

Pearl went to visit the pymatumming the place where ducks walk on the back of fish with her Grandma, Grandpap, Aunt Dottie and of course us this fall

Pearl ready to go Trick-or-treating, but missing her Justin

Justin Update

Well I wanted to update everyone and thank you for praying for my cousin Justin as he went through all of his training for the US Navy. He graduated from "boot camp" the Friday before Labour Day. Than he went to Texas for A-School for further training. While in Texas he met a girl who stole his heart. Her name is Heather and she is awesome. While he was home on leave Corben had the pleasure of performing their wedding. Justin than reported to Washington state where he will be stationed for the next two years. He than spent until the begining of March in classes training him even further for his job in the US Navy as a Master at Arms. He did however hurt his knee and is on light duty. So for the next two weeks his job is driving people around the base. He works 6 hours than has off 6 hours and so it goes for the next two weeks. Pearl can find Washington state on a map and tells us "Washington, Justin lives there". She also enjoys talking to both Justin and Heather via X-Box Live.