June is our basic training preparation for a really hot rest of the summer.

Here we are once again, good morning to one and all from me, myself, and I here at my workstation where the calendar during the night made its change from May to this brand new Tuesday, June 1st, 2010. We heard the report last week that predicted a huge hurricane season for this year. That news always causes all of us who live near the Gulf of Mexico to sit up and pay attention. For those who have recently been greatly impacted by a deadly storm, we are even more tuned in. For us, we are just this month celebrating the one year anniversary of the completion of the rebuilding of our home after it was devastated by Hurricane Ike. Those who read my blogs know how Ike challenged us to our core. However, we must put our faith in our God as we face each day with each day's new issues and difficulties. Ike destroyed our house but we learned one day at a time, that Ike could not destroy the foundation of faith that helped us to get through it all. This doesn't mean that it was a happy go lucky experience because it was truly one of the most challenging we have ever faced. We face this upcoming season being reminded of the words of our Savior as He called out to His own from the raging and stormy sea, "Be not afraid, it is I." The lyrics of the Gospel song comes to mind: I can't walk upon the waters Or calm the troubled sea But I know a Man who can." Amen.

We are into that time of year where the sun is blistering and every day we have to choose whether to keep pouring gallon after gallon of water trying to keep our grass green. This is exactly what I was mulling over Sunday afternoon when suddenly some clouds formed and soon we had a downpour of unexpected hard rain for at least an hour or more. We had seen the weather and our potential was very unlikely but my how refreshing and early Monday morning the yard was breathing again, and I could almost hear it issue a huge sigh of relief. The extra dollars required to water our lawn has escalated significantly over the last several years making it a tough decision. Unless it turns out to be a wetter than normal season we typically will reach the breaking point and have to follow the advice of our wonderful neighbor from so many years ago: "Always remember son, there are no animals going unfed when your grass turns brown." Our neighbor died a few years ago and he was more like a family member to us, and we count it a blessing to be able to remember him so fondly and his many funny sayings.

It's always a chore to get everything going in the right direction when Monday falls on Tuesday. It seems like things are a little out of sync but that doesn't mean we haven't been blessed to have had three days off. It's a small price to pay to have to jump through a few hoops to get everything on track. Every day is an adjustment to whatever happens to be on our front burner. We never know exactly what that might turn out to be. The only thing certain in life is how that it is always uncertain. This is why our faith must inform our day by day living because the object of our faith is God Himself and He never changes. Time is getting away from many of us and we look at where we have been and what we have done and seen and it seems like it happened so quickly. It seems like only yesterday we were just starting out together and were glad to get my wife's grandma's rocking chair just to have another place to sit. Sunday evening I looked across the room and my wife was rocking our little great grand, our bundle of Madelyn Joy. Did someone press the fast forward button? I don't have to think long to know that I have wasted far too much time on things that didn't really amount to much. But, guess what? That milk will never be put back into the bottle but we do have a brand new day and as long as we are still breathing we can do what we can to make a difference in things that do count for time and eternity. It may be a seemingly small gesture here and there or a kind word, or sharing Christ with someone, but we can commit ourselves to doing what God has called us to do: Love Him and love others and show both of these in the way we serve. Yeah, I've made a few miles in my time, but I'm still traveling, still learning, and still needing God's grace every single step of the way! Amen. How about you? .....More later.