God is exalted above all

---

1 Chronicles 29:11 

Yours, O Lord , is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord , and you are exalted as head above all.

---

God - 

Help us receive with joy the blessings and power,

that come from your greatness, power, glory and majesty. 

 We are yours. Amen.

Welcome to Friday - 2.20.15

 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! Psalm 124:1

 Welcome to Friday!

      

This is the day the Lord has made and I will rejoice and be glad in it (Psalm 118:24).  I hope you had a great day and a wonderful week.  I hope that you enjoyed your Valentines weekend in some special way, or just enjoyed the rest of a long weekend to yourself.  So, how are things going today?  Or better yet, how did things go for you on this Friday?  

On a scale of one to ten, how was your week and how did it make you feel?  Were you busy, anxious, excited, frustrated, disappointed, elated, or just set in your normal flow.  What was the best part of your week, the busiest, and the most joyful.  Are you as excited as I am that today is Friday and the weekend is about to begin in full swing?  What are your plans for the weekend?  I hope that you have had blessed and productive week.  If not, well, we will get it next week.  I hope you are doing well today.

I had an awesome and busy day!  You know, it is always so amazing how the day can just take off and go in a direction that we never imagined and could have never planned for.  It is also amazing and wonderful how the God who created the entire universe, set it in motion, and keeps it going stays with us, loves on us and make us feel loved in the midst of these "sometimes" crazy days.  And, I am grateful, thankful and continually amazed at his perfect timing and answers to prayer.

We had a critical customer issue come in overnight.  It was made worse by what seemed like a cavalier response from a team member, that escaped our usual filtering.  It escalated quickly to the COO, CTO, and VP of Sales.  By 9:00 it seemed like I had been hit with a micro-management hammer and stabbed in the back by a spiraling email thread of poor communication and finger pointing.  The rest of the morning was spent in a pow-wow with the team trying to back track and regroup from the initial response and plan a way forward.  After an hour the email thread was at least tailing off, but a new problem appeared when someone felt slighted that they were left off the spiraling threads.  After some "breath prayers," like "Please Lord," "Lord help me," and the ones too complicated for words, we hit a break through.  And 2.5 hours later, the team had met together and hammered out a better plan that included both figuring out what happened and proposing an initial way forward.  Plus, as a bonus the customer said - "Oh, no worries, we know how to get around the problem.  We just want to know why it happened."  Whew!  

All of this was a bookend on a busy and crazy work week that started on Tuesday, where we had six hours of meetings.  I don't know if the meetings were really that bad, or if my expectations were slanted because I was still enjoying the joy and happiness from the weekend getaway with Trish at the Weekend to Remember marriage conference.  The conference was so good that I really needed another day or two to come down off the excitement.  Perhaps I was a bit too excited, joyful, hopeful, and perhaps just a little naive about how well the planning would go on Tuesday.  Thankfully, Trish and mom reminded me not to forget the joy I experienced in the midst of the day to day and the struggles.  

Anyway, besides the fire drill from today and the issues on Tuesday the week was really wonderful.  The weekend was fabulous.  I can't say enough about just how special it was for me.  Everything from the food, the resort, the conference and most importantly the company and friendship of my wife were excellent.  A break rom the girls, who we both love, was very much appreciated.  It is so nice to just hang out in the bed without having to get Emma or Ava, or change a single diaper.  Plus, having Monday off to spend with the girls was an added bonus.  We partly lounged around the house, partly tidied up, and all caught up on what took place while we were gone.  The girls absolutely enjoyed their time with their "Granny," and told us all about their weekend.  I think those who had no one telling them to put down the electronics were especially grateful for the change in supervision.  

Paige, Sydney and I played "Monopoly Deal" on Monday and I won three out of three games.  I even won the game where I returned from upstairs to find the two of them each holding the games best cards in their hand and grinning like the cat from "Alice in Wonderland".  They "claim" the random shuffle and deal "just happened" to give them these outstanding cards.  Seriously!  Meanwhile, my hand was so poor in comparison.  I didn't have a single power card or card of value in the first set.  They grinned the whole game as I grimaced and "partly stewed" at the notion that I was being conned.  However, they stopped grinning when I played my last card and announced game over.  Sure, I guess I was supposed to be a little more gracious and mature in winning (or losing), but I'll try that next time.  This time, I wasn't the most gracious winner and I wasn't the most excited while the odds looked bleak.  After the third game we all took off to various corners and pursuits.

Ava and Emma kept us all entertained this week with bedtime routines.  All week you would put Emma in the bed, and before you could tuck her in she would scoot out, slide under the bed and hide somewhere in the middle giggling.  She thought it was the cutest thing.  All of which Ava would get a big kick out of.  Especially since it was perfectly fine with her that Emma was hiding, because it guaranteed that she had the bed and bedtime story to herself.  When they weren't going straight to bed, it was because they were begging for dessert.  Emma even managed to engineer a request to "Go potty..." so she could check out the last of the Valentines Day donuts.  Unfortunately for her, Ava had already polished it off.  

This week also featured some early rising little people.  If it wasn't Emma tiptoeing into the room it was Ava.  At least Ava went back to sleep quickly.  Emma wanted to talk.  Paige and Sydney also got up early this week, but they usually get dressed, go down stairs and start their morning routine.  Getting up early for them is a function of trying to watch cartoons before school.  They usually get just about ready to settle in, when Trish comes down and changes to the news and starts doing their hair.  

Cassarra and Gabbi are doing well.  They of course, being teens, are not in the early rising list.  They, in fact, are starting to push into the "stealing my hot water" list because of how late they get up for their saunas.  Seriously, on one of the coldest days of the week, I think they both took steam baths back to back and left me feeling like the water was being pumped into the house from an outdoor stream in Colorado.

Cassarra had an interesting dinner episode this week.  She accidently turned on the wrong eye on the stove.  Instead of the eye for the pot of water, she turned on the main eye where a glass baking dish was cooling.  The dish got so hot that it actually exploded.  The hot glass shredded onto the floor, thankfully missing Cassarra and Emma.  The end result was a couple of burn marks on the counter, and the floor.  I guess we will probably need the new flooring sooner than later.  Again, it could have been worse, so I'm glad that it was only the replaceable things like a floor and counter top.  Cassarra slightly burned her hand, but it seemed better after a few hours.

Trish is doing well.  I think she would say that she loved the conference as well.  She definitely loved the views of the sunrise over the beach and the vibrant colors that came alive each night at sunset.  She would also say that the seafood was amazing.  This week she is working on printing out the pictures, updating the photo albums and getting everyone back on track.

Anyway, I rambled longer than I thought I would - but it has been a blessed and highly favored week.  God is so good and his grace and mercy our amazing and unmatched.  Again, Welcome to Friday!  I just wanted to check in again to say Welcome to another Friday, and another weekend.  I hope you have a great weekend, stay warm, and enjoy the friends, family and ones you love!

Welcome to Friday

With love (& in triumph),
Cassius Rhue

Welcome to Friday - 2.13.15

Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord.  Jeremiah 17:7

Welcome to Friday!

Good morning and "Welcome to Friday!"  How are you doing today?  How are things going for you and in your world?  Did you have the week you imagined, or even better?  I hope that you are doing well, and that you had a week that far exceeded your imagination.  I am praying that you are in good spirits, in good health, and that you are able to bask in and enjoy the day's blessings.  What a wonderful day is just waiting to unfold for you today.

I have had a pretty good week.  I got to experience some of the most amazing sunsets this week as I crossed over the picturesque Lake Murray.  Some nights it looked like a master artist had gone through his paint supplies and cast bright colors across the sky and then, dropped just a hint of sun rays kissing off the distant horizon.  One afternoon the skies were filled with fluffy clouds like overstuffed pillows.  Each cloud a different shade of gray; dark gray, charcoal, misty, grainy gray, and mostly white with just an outline of gray.  Then tucked in the middle of this bouquet was a golden set of gentle rays reflecting from the sky.  Each night was a different treat.  Even last night was spectacular, it looked as if someone had set the sky on fire and the whole horizon was ablaze with glorious reds, burnt oranges, and electric yellows.  

Anyway, it was a really good week and I am so excited and thrilled to have the upcoming weekend to celebrate with my wife, and to go out and enjoy the life we are building together.  I am thankful for another great week filled with blessings:

• Friday night princess ball with Sydney and Paige
• We had one daddy daughter dance
• Paige collected a ton of balloons
• Sydney and Paige had more than their share of cupcakes
• Daddy/Daughter date night with Paige on Saturday
• Free Chick-Fil-A coffee 
• Laughter w/ Paige
• A free car show
• A free cup of Starbuck's cofee on Sunday (yes, coffee is a theme these days.)
• Getting registered for the "Weekend to Remember" marriage conference
• Getting a great (very steep) discount to attend the conference
• Getting an even better discount on the hotel reservation
• Paige had a good check up at the doctor
• My dentist doesn't think it will be too difficulty (or costly) to fix my chipped teeth
• Getting to look at heaven's canvas and the beautiful sunsets 
• Completing our first major Microsoft project at work
• Getting back on track with items at work before the end of the week
• I started the week knee deep in overdue items (overdue on arrival I might add)
• I was chin deep on Wednesday, but mostly in the clear by Thursday night
• Spending time with Trish on Sunday 
• Laughter, lots of laughter between family, friends, and co-workers
• Receiving a $100 donation to our church's Manna Station ministry to feed the homeless
• Sharing in the good news from a friend whose daughter won a part of a contest based on her outreach service at Manna Station

I had a lot of fun this week and last weekend.  It all started with a packed Friday night.  Sydney and Paige invited me to go with them as their date (and ride) to the Princess Ball at their school.  This has become a tradition, and this Friday night princess ball was great.  Paige and Sydney had fun and danced almost the whole night (except when they weren't eating snacks).  Paige brought home about a 1/2 dozen balloons from the party and they were both all smiles.  As predicted they ignored me most of the night, but I had fun keeping an eye on them and talking with other "Ditched Dads."  Sydney of course stayed until the party was almost over, then she calmly got her coat and announced that she was ready to leave.  

On Saturday we had our Outreach ministry at the church.  We served at least 100 people this past Saturday.  It was really cool.  We didn't have the normal big crowd of people helping, but it all worked out.  I even got a chance to talk with an old friend who I met 10 years ago when he came to the church for our Food Pantry.  Since then he is doing much better and has his own place to stay and a steady job.  That is a blessing.  I also met a guy who looked to be about 40 - 41 who had a heart attack one year ago.  He was so thankful, you could see it in his eyes and hear it in his voice.  I also met a guy who said we gave him pants to help find a job 10 years ago.  He actually remembered us, and he also is doing better.  He has entered a recovery shelter.  I also had a great time laughing with one of the guests who asked me to sign his volunteer form.  I asked what was I signing it for.  He said, to show that he volunteered his time to come up and eat.  It was too funny!  

Sunday was blessed with funny stuff and great moments.  We had some wonderful, and I do mean wonderful singing by the men's choir at church.  The youth made me nearly bust a gut during our Sunday School class.  They were engaged, funny, excited, and I think they may have actually paid attention the entire time.  I hope they got something out of the lessons about knowing Christ versus just knowing of Christ.  We had a great time after church getting a free cofee, and then some bagels.  Ava and Emma were supposed to share a bagel, but Emma was asleep.  I guess the saying is true, "You snooze, you lose!"  Ava ate most of the bagel, with a little help from Paige.  Gabbi got to see the new baby, but didn't remember to send any pictures.  

Another funny thing happened on Sunday.  Cassarra went to a youth church event with one of her friends and had a  great experience.  They told the group a lot of things Trish and I have tried to tell her.  This time she was all excited about this "good advice" they were giving, and how it all made so much sense, and etc.  It made me laugh.  I wondered, how many times did my parents try to tell me something and I didn't listen to them, but thought it was so wise coming from someone else.  Trish just smiled.  So long as she gets the message, and grows in grace, who cares who she gives credit to.  Or at least, I will try not to get to bent out of shape when she doesn't give us the credit.  :) 

By Monday the week was rolling.  Ava rode w/ me to take the girls to school.  We were running a little late, so I had to just quickly get her in the car.  I put her in Emma seat and buckled her in.  Well, that was a bad idea.  She wouldn't let me hear the end of the fact that I put her in the wrong car seat.  She was quite upset.  She calmed down when I let her play with my remote controlled truck.  She got a kick out of having it make donuts on the floor.  Emma was quite upset that we didn't take her to school also.  She calmed down by chasing after the remote controlled truck.

Tuesday's big deal was finding out that my teeth can be fixed, and it will not cost a fortune.  The dentist laughed at the story, and reminded me that it only takes one good hit to chip your teeth.  He didn't find any real structural issues, so he plans to just have them capped again.  I also got a long overdue haircut.  I guess I had to after Trish got this gorgeous haircut in preparation for our upcoming retreat. 

The rest of the week included things like, Ava and Emma swapping breakfast plates.  Ava took Emma's pancakes and Emma took Ava's grits.  Ava and Emma pretending to be fitness instructors or workout people.  They were jogging in place and counted.  Emma counted one, two, free.  While Ava counted one - two - three.  After a few minutes they'd run off to the next room, come back and dive on the couch.  Then they'd do it all over again.  Jog in place... .  The work week took a good turn.  We are in line for a new project.  We completed

a marketing endeavor at work to hopefully generate a lot of new sales.  I successfully lobbied two new initiatives to our COO.  I made dinner on Thursday again.  I probably made the best grits ever from the microwave (yes, I did it in the microwave).  I also did baked Tilapia at Ava's request, only to have her say she didn't want any.  We also had tator tots and a homemade cheese and potatoes baked dish (cheese, onions, sausage, and sliced potatoes).  The girls had fun talking about Valentine's day, an upcoming Junior prom (I can't even begin to believe this is happening), and their weekend with their granny and Auntie.  Sydney received a D.A.R.E award and a new t-shirt.  She was excited about that.  

There are just so many blessings and wonderful things that seem to happen all around us.  I hope that you will have an excellent day.  Take a deep breath and enjoy the tremendous blessings all around you and provided for you.  I hope that you had a good week and that your weekend will be even better.  May God's tender love rest and bless you deeply this weekend.  May your friends, family and loved ones let you know just how amazing you are and tell you how much you are loved.  Experience the fullness of God's love for you today, and as always -

Welcome to Friday!

Trust in God and thrive

Psalm 52:8

But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever.

Only in God and His steadfast love can we flourish, thrive and have a fruitful life. 

The green olive tree reminds me that with God we are lively, blooming, cared for and fruitful.  Our lives are not dead, but covered with the leaves that display who we are - in Christ, and the green shows that we are bearing and capable of bearing fruit.

But, also the green should indicate that we are not yet fully ripened.  A green olive may be harvested for some oils and for some purposes.  It can also be left to continue to grow and mature.  

Likewise, we are not yet completed.  We are being sanctified and made more like Chriat.  Some of our gifts, fruit and changes in Christ can be used now as a testimony to God, healing or encouragement to others, and even as a fragrance of praise. 

Ultimately, we shall be a fully ripened harvest and the oil of joy, hope, praise, and glory to God will stream from our fully sanctified and redeemed bodies.

Holy God may I dwell with you and you in me.  My Father I seek your love and Holy Spirit.   Transform me and my heart, so that I will be a fruitful and thriving part of your kingdom.  Amen.

Awesome Marriage Conference Weekend - 2.13.15 - 2.15.15

I wanted to share some pictures from my Valentine's weekend away at Hilton Head.  Trish and I went to a FamilyLife "Weekend to Remember" marriage conference.  The conference was held at a beautiful resort on Hilton Head Island.  Although we attended this conference two years ago, we didn't stay at the resort at that time.  And, although we have gone to a conference 7 out of the last 8 years and continue to find it refreshing,  educational, and helpful for the strength of our marriage.

This past weekend was great.  We learned some new things about commitment, and working together as a unified team.

The most important unit in society is the family, and the highest priority within the family is the marriage relationship.

We uncovered and unpacked some of the keys to better communication, working towards oneness, and building our marriage upon grace.  

I learned about Biblical manhood, being a servant leader and owning up to and seeking forgiveness for failing to lead my own family well.  I also learned more about the incomprehensible and undeserved grace that must be received and given in order to make it all click.

Grace: an undeserved but desperately needed gift from God to us,  to be shared with our spouse, kids, and others.

I have several pages of notes and I hope to get them typed to share.  Things like:

• The 50/50 plan (you do you half and I do mine, or meet me half way) fails b/c "every mule thinks his load is heaviest."
• Headship is about accountability, not dictatorship.
• A wife will do almost anything for the man who loves her unconditionally and sacrificially 
• Weddings and divorces are a billion dollar industry, but how much do we willingly spend on staying together?
• A husband needs to do only 2 things well.  #1 - Outrageously and sacrificially love his wife.  #2 - Courageously and faithfully lead his family

All in all, the resort was amazing and the fresh seafood was unbelievable.  The many different sights and sounds of nature reminded me of the blessings, creativity and majesty of God.  Who else could create such stunning sunrises, and elegant waters.

For me, the time away was so refreshing and enjoyable. The best part was having time with Trish to reconnect and rekindle our marriage and commit to loving each other more and making our marriage thrive.

FamilyLife offers more conferences throughout the year at www.familylife.com/weekend.  I probably haven't told you anything you didn't already know, and you may not need it, but if you do or just want to experience the conference let me know.

Cassius 

Pics

Everlasting to Everlasting

http://bible.com/59/psa.41.13.ESV

Blessed be the Lord , the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting! Amen and Amen.

[God's generosity is immeasurable]

Welcome to Friday - 2.6.15

For the word of the Eternal is perfect and true; His actions are always faithful and right.  Psalm 33:4

Welcome to Friday!

Welcome to Friday!  May the God of all Creation, the One who is willing and able to bless you abundantly, give you the light, love, grace, and full mercy of His presence in love.  How are you doing?  I hope that you are doing remarkable well and that you have had a simply amazing week.  Hopefully you experienced a break through, and explosion of favor and good fortune.  I hope that you also experienced the unmatched joy that comes from knowing and believing that you are truly loved and a beloved child of God.  Today, is a great day and I am so excited that Friday is here.  Are you excited for Friday and the weekend?

This has been a really good week.  I have fully recovered from the agony of watching the Seahawks snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.  I also recovered from being up well past my bedtime as I tried to get my frustration, and blood pressure back under control after cheering so hard for the comeback that fell short.  Cassarra, Gabbi and Trish laughed at how I reacted to the end result.  I didn't laugh on Sunday, but by Monday morning I was at least able to admit that it was just a game.  And while I didn't enjoy seeing the Seahawks loose, on the bright side, I probably had the best workout I've done all year while trying to calm down and blow off steam lifting weights in the garage.  Plus, since we had our own mini-party complete with some outrageously good Philly cheese steaks, chips, dip, and wings it was all good.  

The girls focused mostly on commercials and the chips and dip.  Only Sydney shared my deep disappointment with the final outcome.  On the way to school on Monday she prayed, "Lord, help us to accept when things don't go our way!"  What a big prayer! I learn a lot from my own children.  

From Sunday night things just kept moving up and up.  My brother and his wife brought a beautiful new baby boy into the world.  I am so excited for them and the joy that they will experience.  All of the older girls are excited about the news and we all can't wait until we can get up and see the new addition to the family.  

Monday also featured Emma's knew phrase, "I fine!"  Anytime you asked her if she needed to go to the bathroom she'd say "I fine!"  It wasn't until late Wednesday night and Thursday night that I discovered that "I fine" wasn't always true.  I got a good laugh on Monday with the four younger girls playing hide and seek in the house.  They played with Ava counting.  She would count from 1 to 10, skip to 15 and yell out ready or not.  When she wasn't "It," she would follow who ever else was hiding and give them away with her little laugh.  It was funny watching them hide in plain sight, try to keep Ava from giving them away.  It was also funny when the kids hid in the pantry and Paige walked by the partially open door twice without finding them.  It wasn't until Ava laughed on the third pass that Paige found them.  Emma would just run, laugh, and giggle, but she never hid anywhere.

Tuesday was a joy at work, as we had a long meeting to discuss some new changes.  The meeting went on and on and just when we thought we had a final decision it all started over again.  At one point I realized that I just needed to breathe, and as soon as I let go of the tension, things began to work out.  My co-worker solved a huge roadblock, convinced the other manager to agree to the compromise and brought the derailed meeting back under control, and to an end within 30 minutes.  

At home I fixed a quick dinner.  The girls weren't too thrilled with my choice of side, rice, but it was all I could think of.  Ava and Emma didn't complain.  But then again, they didn't eat the rice either.  They both opted for some more recipe experiments via pancakes.  Somehow, I think cinnamon is the perfect cover up for sneaking in veggies.  At bedtime Emma had such a fit over being left in the bedroom by herself that I had to try half a dozen or so tricks to get her to calm down.  We read, laughed, played, etc and nothing worked.  I held he r and tried to rock her to sleep, but no luck.  Finally, I took of my skull cap and gave it to her (it was all I could think of at the time), and that calmed her down.  Within a few moments she settled down, and when I came back in to check on her, she was sound asleep and  Ava was now holding on to the hat.  Another blessing was Cassarra being inducted into the Junior Civitans society.  They had a ceremony at school and she was able to take part in the induction ceremony.  She didn't make a big deal out of it, but I am very proud of her.

Wednesday was a good day.  I count it as a really blessed day.  Paige and I finished off last of the delicious Philly subs.  Trish, who hadn't been feeling the best, started to feel a bit better.  The little ones continued to entertain with another game of hide and seek.  By dinner my teeth were all settled back in place.  On the one day that I forget to wear my mouthpiece during basketball I managed to take not one, not two, but three errant elbows to the face.  The worse was getting hit twice on the same play by one of the biggest guys.  It happened so fast.  I walked over to the sideline of the court and spit out a few small pieces of my teeth, lamented the fact that the dentist is going to have to file these same teeth down again.  And then I put my mouthpiece in for the rest of the game.  By Thursday morning the last few chips broke off.  I am hoping the dentist will be able to fix them without much work.  It could have been worse.  A few months ago one guy lost his front teeth on a weird collision.  This one was strange, as no one really claimed to have hit me, but anyway.  Thank God my teeth are still in.

Thursday was a good day.  We had a going away lunch for my former boss.  After 18 years of working together he has moved on to start his own business.  It was a really good lunch and a nice change of pace for a day that featured meetings from 9:30 - 12:00 and from 2:00 - 4:30.  After work we all had dinner.  It was my night to fix dinner and we did Parmesan encrusted Tilapia, rice, and crab salad.  Actually, the only thing I really fixed was the fish and some zucchini.  The rice was a chicken bog made by my friend around the corner who was trying out his father's recipe.  The crab salad came from Publix.  I guess I was really just the organizer of dinner tonight.  The girls seemed to enjoy the food and especially the conversation.  I love dinner time where we can all talk about the week, laugh at jokes and discuss what is going on.

This morning the girls and I got up early and had our first Friday breakfast together.  This month was Chick-fil-A.  Surprisingly, Ava and Emma ate their food this time and didn't have a fit about anything.  They both had yogurt and hash rounds.  We also managed to get in and out on time and to school and work early.  This was a good thing, because my niece Alyse is shadowing me today.  So far she has been to two meetings and she isn't all to excited about the possibility of the remaining two.

All in all it has been a good week.  We are all doing pretty good and had a good week.  Trish is doing much better today, as she wasn't feeling the best earlier in the week.  Gabbi did an amazing job on her tests and quizzes this week.  Paige and Sydney continue to do well, and Cassarra applied to an MIT summer program this week.  I hope she gets selected.  Her teacher invited her to apply based on her math and science grades and test scores.  

I am thankful:

• 2nd chances
• Good friends who call to wish you love
• Seeing Matthew do well in two games
• Not losing my teeth in basketball
• Winning one game on Wednesday during lunch
• Being able to fill in for Alyse on the job shadow
• My wife feeling better
• Getting to spend time with the girls at breakfast
• Good food at the Super Bowl party
• Bible Study with my co-worker
• Making it through a busy week
• Our church ministry receiving an award recognition
• The birth of my nephew and him being healthy

Well, I hope you are ready for a weekend filled with good things.  What are you plans?  I hope that you are able to make the most of the weekend and have all the best.  Paige and Sydney will be my date for the Daddy/Daughter Princess ball tonight.  This is our fifth or sixth year going.  Their script is usually something like, "ditch dad for most of the night, return in time for one dance, then go home."  It was funny hearing the girls tell their mom that they ditch me so I can have time to talk to my other dad buddies.  So thoughtful of them :)   Have a great day and...

Welcome to Friday

God of irresistible, irrefutable, and 

undeniable love rise up and bless us

in the midst of our journey towards you.  

May our hearts and minds be inclined

to enjoy your will, enjoy your love, 

and succeed in the things that really matter.  

God of love, kindness, grace, mercy, and light 

give us the fullness of your presence and give us life.

With love (& in triumph),
Cassius

Welcome to Friday - 1.30.15

Welcome to Friday!

2 Corinthians 4:8 We are cracked and chipped from our afflictions on all sides, but we are not crushed by them.  We are bewildered at times, but we do not give in to despair. 

Welcome to Friday!  Thank God that Friday is here.  Thank God that today is an amazing new day with new opportunities, joys, hopes, laughter, memories, and love.  Thank God that more than anything you and I have an opportunity to count blessings, make memories, and enjoy the day the Lord has made.  So, how are you doing?  Tell me how did things go with you?  Is everything going well and on track in your neck of the woods this week?  What was the best part of your week, and what was the funniest thing that happened to you?  How did you do with your own "To-Do" list?  I am praying that you are doing well and that you had a really great week.  I hope that you accomplished the most important things on your list, felt loved by those you love, and made memories that will last a lifetime.

This week reminds me of a puzzle.  You know, each piece of a puzzle looks broken and fragmented, out of place and odd on its own.  However, when you put two pieces together, then three, and then more... suddenly something beautiful starts to emerge.  First some edges, then something more tangible, and finally enough comes together to make you smile.  This was my week.  There were some awesome moments, sights, smiles, sounds and tastes and then their was this weird puzzle piece called Wednesday that seemed so out of place.  

Monday was magnificent.  The morning started out really well, and I managed to get to work early.  Our team completed a short release of our next product release.  The release was successful and it is my first in my new role.  I was very excited about the progress we made and actually got a little ahead of myself and skipped a few steps in our release process.  Thankfully, everyone was expecting a few slip ups and I received lots of grace.  The girls and I chatted over dinner, laughed at Emma and Ava's antics and joked about upcoming plans.

Tuesday was a terrific day.  We managed to keep the momentum of Monday going and cut our normal 2 day meetings down to a single four hour meeting.  One of the guys on my team solved an computer problem that was bothering us for months.  At home Emma's potty training was gaining more momentum.  Trish made an amazing dinner and then I made a batch of cookies.  I also made a batch of pancakes for Ava, Paige, Emma and Sydney.  Even though they had dinner, I decided to make pancakes to test out a new recipe.  Don't tell them, but I secretly hid butternut squash inside of the pancake batter.  I had to cover it up with a little bit of cinnamon and sugar.  The only persons who suspected anything were Cassarra and Gabbi.  Gabbi refused to eat them, but Cassarra tried it and said it was actually really good.  Since Gabbi didn't try the pancakes, I made her some mashed potatoes with butternut squash.  I covered up the taste by using a bit of 4 cheese blend and a bit of american cheese.  The rest of the night was taken up by Cassarra and Gabbi, who were all abuzz about various things coming up in their social calendar.  Paige and Sydney were sharing jokes, laughs, and stories about all kinds of random, but funny things.  They stayed up in their rooms chatting.  When I came to check on them, they tried to pretend to be sleep, but Paige was unable to stop laughing or smiling.  She was a dead give away. 

But, then Wednesday happened.  

Wednesday felt like the piece that just didn't fit.  I got up late, had to hustle and scramble to get out on time.  Trish and I normally enjoy a coffee date on Wednesday morning, but we had an early appointment and didn't get to spend time chatting over coffee.  Instead we frantically tried to get ready for the appointment.  In the midst of the chaos, Emma had a potty training accident.  Later that day, I lost quite handily at basketball in the first game, and lost the second game 34-24 after being in the lead 24-4.  Although we won the 3rd game, it wasn't enjoyable due to some pretty frustrating comments made by one of the guys who plays with us.  I don't know why, but it frustrated me for the rest of the afternoon.  Even after I got home I was still bothered by it all.  Even as I made cookies that looked like mini-cakes (next time I will follow the recipe closely), and even after making bacon I was still bothered.  Wednesday just felt like the week was getting ready to nose dive down the wrong end.

Thursday was starting off on an interesting note with Emma getting up early and trying to push her way into my spot on my bed.  She rolled and thrashed so much that I finally decided to get up and go down stairs.  I scarfed down a cup of coffee, responded to a few emails and watched a bit of news before finally feeling awake.  The steps on the treadmill seemed so much harder than normal, and my workout was cut short.  Once at work it seemed like Wednesday was till holding on, but then suddenly a breakthrough.  

I received a few text messages from friends that brought me joy and changed my focus.  A couple of emails reminded me of all the other things that I had to be thankful for.  

The day continued to get better when one of my friends and co-workers shared more encouraging words.  He even helped me laugh about it all by reminding me that we weren't getting paid to play basketball.  

Then Trish sent me a picture of Ava and Emma using corn starch to turn our house into a winter wonderland.  It was too funny.  She said they even tried to make snow angels in the powder.  I can't believe what they were thinking, but it was just the laugh I needed.

The week returned to its rightful direction by Thursday afternoon.  Not even bad traffic, or a disgruntle employee were able to derail the day.  And as I look at all the pieces I can see that this has been a truly remarkable week.  I am thankful that

• Sydney participated in the district science fair and did well.  Now she plans to go to the regional fair
• Gabbi and Cassarra continue to do well in school; they both scored well on quizzes this week
• Cassarra got an all clear at the dermatologist
• The girls social calendar kicked off last night as they enjoyed going to a pageant at school
• We had a good Thursday dinner laughing around the table while eating pizza  
• I managed to get a small victory over the "I don't like vegetables" crowd by sneaking butternut squash into pancakes, peanut butter cookies, sugar cookies and mashed potatoes
• We managed to get Emma back on track with training, and even managed to go to church while not having an accident on Sunday
• The sermon was a good message to everyone about watching what you listen to, see and read
• Not everything you listen to on the radio or watch on TV is good for your soul
• Don't allow your values and character to be overridden by someone else's lower standards
• Ava and Emma provided huge laughs with their snow storm.  
• Paige is getting set to go back to Tae Kwon Do next month
• Sydney and Gabbi did wonderful singing on Sunday.  They practiced at home and thankfully they didn't try to take each other's part like they do at home
• Ava sang with the choir, and she seemed thrilled to be up there with her sisters.
• My first release in my new company role was completed ahead of schedule
• Nice encouraging messages from friends and family
• Enjoying a beautiful sunset on the ride home
• Catching a beautiful sunrise on the way to work on Tuesday
• That I have friends and family who make life filled with joy and love

Well, my week wasn't perfect, but it was still really, really good.  I like to think that every moment was a blessing in disguise because looking over it with the pieces in the right places, and a beautiful week has emerged.  

What are you plans for the weekend?  Are you planning to watch the Super Bowl?  If so, which team will you be pulling for?  We plan to have a small party at the house like we do most years.  It's more like a Super Bowl commercial watching party.  We don't really watch the game each year, especially when my team is out of it.  And well, this year my team is out of it, and I'm trying to stay neutral on the team's playing.  Well, I hope you have a great weekend.  Find some times to make memories, enjoy yourself, and rest.  Have a great weekend and... 

Welcome to Friday!

2 Corinthians 4:9 We are persecuted, 

but we have not been abandoned. 

We have been knocked down, 

but we are not destroyed.

With love (& in triumph),
Cassius