Happy 50th, Rhonda

Happy Birthday to the love of my life, Rhonda. This last Friday night, family and friends gathered at El Mejicano Restaurant to celebrate my beautiful wife's birthday. She looked awesome and was surprised indeed with all the hoopla I had planned for her 50th! I know you're not supposed to ask a lady her age; however, I don't think she'll mind me posting this milestone on the world wide web. LOL I think I had more fun planning the party and just knowing how excited she would be when it finally happened. From the limo ride to the party and seeing her excited face when we walked in the party room to all of our guests that had arrived for her big day! And a big day it was.

The last week of planning this party was pretty crazy trying to find everything that I needed. My niece Cheryl came to my rescue with lettering for Rhonda's picture board. I couldn't have done it without her. And trying to keep everything a secret from my wife was not easy at all. She knew I was up to something; however, she didn't know exactly what was going on. Friday, I was running ragged all day long, planning this and that, picking up flowers, balloons and various other items for the party. My sister Cora, along with my niece Dana met me at the restaurant and provided all of the expertise on the decorating. I told them what I wanted and voila! Looked really pretty! From the Mexican buffet to the magic show by Steve Mills, blowing out the candles to unwrapping the gifts; everything went just perfect. I think everyone enjoyed the night and had a great time of love, laughter and surprise. Rhonda was so excited to see our longtime friends and family from around the state, along with all of our local friends and family.

Everyone enjoyed the magic show and Steve was fantastic. He is a professional and touched our heartstrings with his last trick talking about Rhonda and my dream. Wow! It was phenomenal. Steve is a good friend of mine and an excellent magician to say the least. Thank you so much Steve for making Rhonda's night such a night to remember.

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day to the love of my life. I can't imagine my life without my beautiful wife, Rhonda by my side. Through all of our ups and downs, health and sickness, I can definetly say, it's been a wonderful life. Filled with joy, love, laughter, sorrow, happiness, peace and the list goes on and on. She keeps my momentum going and encourages me when I get down and out. And believe you me, here lately with college, I've definetly had some hard days; however, through it all, life is good and I wouldn't have it any other way. We went through some hardaches, with Rhonda's dad's bout with cancer and then my mother with cancer also. It seemed like life couldn't go on; nevertheless, with God all things all possible and we came out stronger than ever with hope on the horizon. The last few years have been very difficult with Rhonda's ankle problem; however, again God has been with her and she is now on the road to full recovery! Praise the Lord for miracles, His mighty deeds to perform!

Rhonda - if you by chance read this and I'm sure you will, I just want to say I love you with all my heart and soul and would like to close with the "Love" chapter found in I Corinthians 13, NIV: "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."

"Breakfast at McDonalds"

I received this message below in my e-mail inbox and found it so good, I wanted to share it with everyone! This is a good story and is true, so I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

"I am a mother of three (ages 14, 12, and 3) and have recently completed my college degree. The last class I had to take was Sociology. The teacher was absolutely inspiring with the qualities that I wish every human being had been graced with. Her last project of the term was called, "Smile." The class was asked to go out and smile at three people and document their reactions. I am a very friendly person and always smile at everyone and say hello anyway. So, I thought this would be a piece of cake, literally. Soon after we were assigned the project, my husband, youngest son, and I went out to McDonald's one crisp March morning. It was just our way of sharing special playtime with our son. We were standing in line, waiting to be served, when all of sudden everyone around us began to back away, and then even my husband did. I did not move an inch...an overwhelming feeling of panic welled up inside of me as I turned to see why they had moved. As I turned around I smelled a horrible "dirty body" smell, and there standing behind me were two poor homeless men. As I looked down at the short gentlemen, close to me, he was "smiling" His beautiful sky blue eyes were full of God's Light as he searched for acceptance. He said, "Good day" as he counted the few coins he had been clutching. The second man fumbled with his hands as he stood behind his friend. I realized the second man was mentally challenged and the blue-eyed gentleman was his salvation. I held my tears as I stood there with them. The young lady at the counter asked him what they wanted. He said, "Coffee is all Miss" because that was all they could afford. (If they wanted to sit in the restaurant and warm up, they had to buy something.) He just wanted to be warm.

"Then I really felt it - the compulsion was so great I almost reached out and embraced the little man with the blue eyes. That is when I noticed all eyes in the restaurant were set on me, judging my every action. I smiled and asked the young lady behind the counter to give me two more breakfast meals on a separate tray. I then walked around the corner to the table that the men had chosen as a resting spot. I put the tray on the table and laid my hand on the blue-eyed gentleman's cold hand. He looked up at me, with tears in his eyes, and said, "Thank you." I leaned over, began to pat his hand and said, "I did not do this for you. God is here working through me to give you hope." I started to cry as I walked away to join my husband and son. When I sat down, my husband smiled at me and said, "That is why God gave you to me, Honey, to give me hope." We held hands for a moment and at that time, we knew that only because of the Grace that we had been given were we able to give. We are not church goers, but we are believers. That day showed me the pure Light of God's sweet love.

I returned to college, on the last evening of class, with this story in hand. I turned in "my project" and the instructor read it. Then she looked up at me and said, "Can I share this?" I slowly nodded as she got the attention of the class. She began to read and that is when I knew that we as human beings and being part of God share this need to heal people and to be healed. In my own way, I had touched the people at McDonald's, my son, the instructor, and every soul that shared the classroom on the last night I spent as a college student. I graduated with one of the biggest lessons I would ever learn:

UNCONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE.

Much love and compassion is sent to each and every person who may read this and learn how to:

LOVE PEOPLE AND USE THINGS - NOT LOVE THINGS AND USE PEOPLE."

It seems I have heard grace mentioned over and over this weekend. I'm so thankful for the grace of God, that He cared enough to send His only begotton Son that we could have life and have it more abundantly. I recently attended Bro. Doug's Saturday Night Alive Praise Service and Bro. Doug exhorted the church to allow grace to cover us and how God's grace is sufficient. I'm so thankful for God's grace and mercy. And just this Sunday at church, Pastor Holley spoke on the forgiveness of Jesus Christ and how Jesus chided everyone that was passing judgement on the little woman at the well. You know, sometimes, we get in our own little world and think that we are doing just fine, not realizing that each and every day we might be committing sin or have faults that offend Jesus. However, Jesus just takes us in His arms and says, we are forgiven by the grace of God. Hallelujah! God is great and greatly to be praised.

I hope this little story helps you as it has me. Sometimes, we just need to look around and smile and allow God to work in us. We may never know whose life we could touch.

- Smile the next time you go to McDonald's. -