AWESOME Saturday!
My accountability group came over at 6 a.m. which meant I got less than 5 hours sleep after my Friday night date with the Lord. We had a GREAT gathering! Words cannot describe how valuable this intimate, transparent fellowship has been in my life.

Bball with my son!!
We play each Saturday at his old school and but this time I had him on my side most of the time so I would not have to chase him LOL! We had a blast. We had occasion to play against each other in one game (because when we played together, the other team abused us) and when he guarded me, he started pushing and being aggressive within the context of the game and he did well, lots of confidence!
The pass - At one point I was guarding him, and he anticipated I would try to deflect a bounce pass by sticking out my leg so he faked it and then through it between my legs to his teammate \:o, something I would do
The steal - On another occasion, he was guarding a bigger guy who abused him in a previous game (I told the guys to not ease up on him so he could learn to play against bigger stronger guys). The other guy is dribbling the ball out sort of directing his teammates, every body watching him and son harasses him and TAKES THE BALL AWAY from this guy and dribbles the ball to the other basket to score, LOL! This guy is probably 6 years older, fit, 60 lbs heavier, 7 inches taller. Everybody saw it and laughed. Just another priceless memory from hanging out with my son.

Praises from Hawaii!
In between games, I got a call from Hawaii from my newlywed friend (the one who I helped with his wedding). He was there on business but also took his wife AND when he was doing business, he was meeting with the people we went to serve with on the missions trip. He has been having challenges of melding two strong wills in a new marriage. He and I have been speaking regularly, praying, counseling etc. He calls to tell me the amazing things God has been showing him and his wife for them and their marriage while there!

Jarin and Scott (names used here so I can remember to pray for these guys in the future)
After bball, son and I get some food and come home so I can then take daughter to lunch and shopping. After eating, I am exhausted and call D telling her I will pick her up in 30 minutes (son will go back to his moms and maybe play in the pool or just chill). As I get ready to nap, my door bell rings, I see it is someone I do not know so I go to etell them thanks but no thanks and I recognize the ministry this guy represents base on the logo on his shirt. It is a Christian home that helps people addicted to drugs and alcohol. Before he can say more than a sentence I tell him I would like to donate.

I call son outside and ask the guy, who introduces himself as Jarin, and I ask to tell his story (a short version) to my son while I find my wallet. The story is always my life was a mess and God is changing me. I have been to their main facility before and the program is very, very solid and because the give people a hope that fills the hole people try to fill with booze or drugs, their recidivism rate is very low. They help people find the solution to the problem and the symptom (booze, drugs etc) goes away. Again, 20 years ago I accepted Jesus as my Savior and God took the desire for alcohol away. I didn't go to this program but my solution, a relationship with the Lord, has worked for 20 years and I have seen the solution repeated over and over and over again. Heck, I laugh because some of my best friends at church are ex offenders, felons, drug dealers whom God has cleaned up and transformed. (By the way, there are plenty of non convicts at church, God will clean those people up too LOL!)

(INTERJECTION: when I bought food after bball, I did not have enough money on me or in the car where as normally I would that amount stashed away. I had to leave my food drive to an ATM to get cash and then drive back so while at the ATM, I got EXTRA cash)

I returned with my wallet and after giving him money (which I now had but did not have just 10 minutes earlier). Had Jarin arrived two minutes later, I would have been napping and son would not have disturbed me. I offered him cold water and then began talking with him and ministering to him knowing that he would be new in is struggle against his problem. He had been asking God for wisdom in some of the various areas God has been revealing too me over the last 20 months but especially over the last month or so. I had the book we are using for my Monday study and told him he would greatly benefit from it The Accountable Man: Pursuing Integrity Through Trust and Friendship. He was so appreciative of my giving it to him.

His friend, Scott, eventually came around and I asked them to sit, gave them a snack and then just loved them and shared some of the amazing things God has been revealing to me about myself, and the men I closely associate with. I made some CD's for them but particularly one that I call THE MAN CD. This is music for men, encouraging men to be men of integrity, to be there for there brothers, to humble themselves, to stand for Godly values etc.

When I was done burning the CD's I let them know I had to go meet my daughter, I prayed for them and Scott prayed for me.

I no longer needed a nap and had just finished another appointment God had arranged for me.

(So much more to come including my date with my daughter but gotta go now)

(I use to love my wife,
now I love my Life!)

George \:\)

Committed2Him- "C2H"
All Things (Back from Spain!)...18