mkblog

2003-08-19T08:25:00.000-07:00

"Dear Old Dad"

On July 20th at 2:30 pm my dad died. It was an exqusite bright and sunny day just NW of Middleton on Highway 44. Dad was heading up to the freeway on his 100th Anniversary Super Dyna-Glyde Custom Harley Davidson motorcycle. The bike was a dream come true for dad. He bought the bike back in April, I still remember his call. In hindsight I would've been much more interested in his bike(him), I would have asked more questions, I would have quickly arranged a trip to go and see it(him), to celebrate his(him) dream. I've got more to say about my dear old dad, but not today. I miss you dad. God, I hope he's with you, keep him outta trouble, amen!

2003-07-11T08:06:00.000-07:00

JOB!

1 Timothy 5:8

But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

With great blessings come great responsibilities... You know how when you are starving you would eat just about anything? You might even eat something only because it tastes good even if it's not good for you. I have so called hypoglycemia, when my blood sugar crashes I can and have passed out... WHAM, I’m down. I've been told that when I feel my crash coming that I need to eat some thing good for me like some milk and cheese. I should not eat sugar, candy etc... It's so tempting to just grab something sweet, I get the 'quick' fix, but could still crash even or even worse over time end up a diabetic. I guess that's not a great metaphor to my current situation. Here at MS it could take years or maybe not at all to 'own' my own product and lead design and development on it. It's an amazing opportunity that would feed my flesh and give me great confidence. I was instantly ready to say YES! Then there are the real issues. Why did I go into software development? Sheree can remember I bet. School was hard, very hard, I kept pursuing this career even when at many times (still happens when my attitude is out of check) I'd find myself wishing I was back life guarding at the YMCA (maybe when I retire in 5 yrs). The reason I came into this career was for money, I wanted to be the best provider for my family. I will trust Him, for the priorities He has placed on my heart, and they are.... God, Family, me...

God U know, show me Ur way, and tell me Ur secrets....

2003-07-09T06:48:00.000-07:00

BLOG!

2003-06-24T06:49:00.000-07:00

Prov:24:27(click)...
Prepare your outside work,
Make it fit for yourself in the field;
And afterward build your house.

>Rom:5:3(click)...
And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4and perseverance, character; and character, hope.

Rom:5:8
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Rom:5:19
For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous.

...look...what gift I have received. Eternal life, given to me at my darkest most wretched moment of existence! What being would so believe in its own power to love, and know its Love could change something so dark and crooked into something good and useful? Who would die for an evil, selfish and angry man? Why did He die for me? I can see why He died for so many, I've seen their goodness after the transformation, but me....it boggles my mind. Sure... I have indeed changed, even dramatically from that nearly 18 year old man-child. Who full of rage and violence wanted nothing of God. Yet in the darkest night of my life...He reaches in to touch me with His perfect Love? My King! My Savior! My Blood! My Sanity! My Thought! My Substance! My Breath.....help me to breathe....breathe Your life into my children and my wife, overcome ME!!! I need to be LESS and am desperate for You to be MORE! You have given much, let me reflect You in my family, be with us today...I pray You would come near and Your countenance would light our Way......

2003-06-20T08:27:00.000-07:00

God is doing so many amazing things around me...I'm just way overwhelmed!

We've come to a place where we consider investing, but it would've come at a cost of time...After serious consideration we decided to rest where we are for a season and not chase the allmighty dollar...Wisdom is a tricky sort you know...

On one hand we could sacrifice today, and have much tommorrow, on the other hand we must recognize that today we allready have much! I can't sacrifice peace, and time with my beautiful family, God has literally answered nearly every prayer i've lifted up to Him accept one. It's a big one and too painful to even go into. My two missing little angels, growing up with out me...Every holiday, birthday and season they drift farther away from me. Is God punishing me? I don't believe that, these are not just consequences of my actions but also the actions of the person i was married to at the time. She has free choice as well. I believe that in the end her choices will cause more damage and pain for the kids than that of not seeing me for all these years. Faith, hope untangible yet they heave me out of bed every day, they drive me through battles both physical, mental and emotional. These gifts from the very Spirit of my Father get me through "The Days", there are three a year that are marked more than any. November 6, my baby turned 11, January 25, my other baby turned 10, and finally this year June 15th. God knows what it is to be seperate from a child... I have an idea of what He went through! I look at my three angels, 4 actually, and can not even entertain the slightest thought of living with out them, not even breathing! Thank you Father for giving me these precious treasures, I don't deserve such wealth this side of heaven, You surely love me for giving me them as gifts!

2003-06-12T08:30:00.000-07:00

A reminder...our world is lost...

Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature.
Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.
Romans:1:24->32

Father, i dedicate this song to You!

Amazing grace! (how sweet the sound)
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

was grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear,
The hour I first believed!

Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
His grace has brought me safe this far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease;
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who called me here below,
Will be forever mine.

amen!

2003-06-10T08:34:00.000-07:00

James 1:27
Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

2003-06-09T08:15:00.000-07:00

The Key!

I sometimes discover links between distant passages in the bible, and this morning I had one of those moments. Maybe this won't click with you, but at least I'll have a place to go back and reflect, and at the least it is something to consider.

Three passages...
Proverbs:9:10
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One understanding. "

Hebrews:11:3
"By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible."

Romans:10:17:
"So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
"

To tie these together you need one more verse, my favorite, because here Jesus is speaking to the "Believers"!! He's inviting those who believe Him to enter in to a deeper place, it's just this deeper place I want!

John:8:31-32:
"Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.""

Notice that in Proverbs 9, we are told the knowledge of the Holy one will lead to understanding, and then in Hebrews we read that by faith we UNDERSTAND the worlds were framed by the WORD of God, and then in Romans we read that faith(which) brings understanding comes via the WORD of God!!!! Wow! I hope you see this... So then finally Jesus tells us that if we abide in His WORD, we will KNOW the truth and be set FREE!!!!! I can not tell you how many religious people I have known over the years that were vehemently anti God's Word! Many seeking the Spirit only! The didn't see that Spirit is found in His Word. Not only were many against it, but were completely unaware of it as a significant and relevant gift from God to empower us and to set us free. We each need to seek Him daily and discover our salvation in the Truth that Jesus IS! God help me to never lose sight of this fact, this truth that empowers us to live a transparent life, openly confessing our weakness and dependence on you and the loving family you placed in our lives, i love you my sweet Savior and thank You for my phenomenal wife and children!
Michael.

2003-06-04T07:55:00.000-07:00

A fine line between confidence and arrogance.
Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:

"For yet a little while,
And He who is coming will come and will not tarry.
Now the just shall live by faith;
But if anyone draws back,
My soul has no pleasure in him."

But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.
Hebrews:10..click here

God grant me Your confidence today! I so desperately want to be a man of integrity and great work ethics. I want to be Your great hand of provision to my family, please strengthen me today for this task, that You would find me, and be pleased, i come to You via Jesus, my faith and hope are in Him, amen.

2003-06-02T21:17:00.000-07:00

Good Times!
Well, it's been interesting these last few days...
I returned to work to find the people covering me while I was away were in fact not covering my while I was away. This did poorly reflect on them, but as is with responsibility it also reflected poorly on me. It's difficult to pull myself away under the best of circumstances with the intense work loads and now with 'team' members as such I don't think I'll ever feel safe leaving them with anything that might reflect on me. I have worked a twelve hour day on Friday and today a ten hour day, whew, and no end in sight! God is good, it's His show, make it or break it, I’m His for good! On Saturday I dug up a 12’ tree (plumb) and 10’ tree (maple), and then planted them both. We then put a vineyard cottage style brick border around the backyard tree and river rock around the one in the front yard. I was very 'pumped' up and liking all of the very physical weekends I’ve been blessed with! Last week I returned early to finish my 'final' assignment only to find out that my teacher meant "final programming assignment". Saturday morning I finished my final, final assignment a 10 page research paper on Linked Lists. It was pretty interesting and with confirmation from my professor, the course is indeed complete!!!!!!! YES!!! And a few weeks early!!! So, no course until ....July 1. I know... it's a fairly short summer break, 1 month, but my goal is to have my first degree before my kids start college ;-)!
Well my highlight was taking my li'l Izzy to work with me, this used to be an every-day-for-half-a-day-thing, so we reminisced a lot. While I pounded through debugging sessions and a who-dropped-the-ball war all morning Izzy happily sipped hot cocoa, chocolate milk and snacked while surfing kid sites on our T1 broadband internet connection, occasionally climbing on and around me to get a peak at what I was mumbling about. We took 4 trips to the bathroom before finally breaking for lunch because as Izzy said the fourth time we headed out was, "just standing and sitting and not doing to much makes me really have to go pooooopp... a lot" then he would laugh, and of course he would repeat this story at higher than conversational tones as we wandered toward the 'workroom'. Lunch was a great success, with a couple of hefty slices of pizza, two giant chocolate-chocolate chip cookies, a generous bag of “cheeeeztoes”, and yes again more chocolate milk we made our way to a lunch counter and sat in the 'big' and 'tall' chairs (about twice Izzy’s height). After removing half of Izzy’s lunch from his cheeks, neck and nose we meandered by the waterfalls and pond soaking up the sun light and finally back into the cave of technology, my office. Where for an hour or so Izzy sat next to me driving his matchbox cars up and down my arm and then over my hand and mouse, but pausing to peel out on my hand where those veins pop out, you know those veins on my hands how they are raised up, kind of, well anyway they’re good for peeling out on. Then he'd look up and interrupt me with "dad... you only type? That’s it, just type?" Later, about twenty minutes I think, he said "you just clicked, you clicked with you mouse clicker, is that it? You only have to type and sometimes click?” I replied "yep, type, sometimes click, and sometimes.... I just sit here and stare at the screen... and do nothing." Next we straightened up a little because one of my mentors was coming to assist me on some nasty debugging with a visual basic application I was loathing. A few minutes after our guest arrived, he (the guest) looked at me and said "your little guy is out!" with a big smile... I looked and sure enough there was my Izzy... curled up in a ball under his corner table amidst a pile of toys and dawning stickers all over him he had salvaged off all the different pieces of equipment in my office, my heart swelled to explosive proportions, all of the mess at work vanished and for that moment... I knew why I was here! Izzy slept for an hour and a half, until I scooped him up (minus a half a dozen stickers or so…) with his toy/snack pack and laptop on one shoulder and my little assistant on the other we headed out. By the time we reached sub-parking level 4 he was starting to stir and the buckling into the car got his eyes open and then we were off to the lovely Seattle area freeways but today it was a good thing... we could CARPOOL-DIEM (seize the day and share the way!), the sun was shining the sunroof open and the windows down, we laughed chewed gum and sang our latest favorite song! Goes something like this "Izzy, Izzy bo-bizzy, banana-fanna-fo-fizzy, me-my-mo-mizzzzzzzzzyyyy.......IZZY!"... And then every other name we could come up with!
I'm the wealthiest man I've ever known or heard of, now it's almost nine, Sheree is out cold with a migraine (which coincidentally is the best place to be under the circumstances) the kids are all fast asleep, and I'm unwinding in a very quiet and peaceful home... good night!

2003-05-30T08:38:00.000-07:00

Why are you here?

2003-05-30T08:12:00.000-07:00

This is my new blog...I will be updating this when ever I have time...

2003-05-21T12:29:00.000-07:00

new..