Micah Mauldin

20 Years of Marriage!

2011-07-20T07:55:00.001-07:00

Today is my 20th wedding anniversary. 20 years ago today, at Lake Catherine State Park, a scared, much skinnier 19 year old kid stood in the every increasing heat of that July morning waiting on his one true love to get to the alter. She was late in getting there but that is to be expected and after 20 years I can attest, IT CAN BE EXPECTED! ;-) Finally she got to top of the "aisle". It wasn't really an aisle, it was the center aisle of the amphitheater. I looked up at that pretty little 21 year old bride and all my fear melted away. When she got to the altar, she was trembling so bad! I took her hand and just stroked it the whole time we stood their saying our vows. It was a very good day. 19 and 20 is too young for most everyone to get married but I can say that or me, it was the best thing that I could have done.

The day we got married, we had less than $20.00 in the bank. Our honeymoon was going to consist of driving back to the apartment. But, folks started slipping us money. Ten dollars here, twenty dollars there. By the time the day was over, we had $265.00 to go on our honeymoon. So we hopped in the car and drove to Eureka Springs! We hit town at 7:20 pm, on a Saturday night, in a tourist town, with NO reservations. There wasn't a room to be had at hardly any price. After trying our best to get a hotel room, we had given up and resigned ourselves to driving to Rogers, Arkansas to get our "honeymoon suite". Suddenly, two miles outside of town, up on top of a small mountain was the "Blue Chalet Inn Motel". It was as "grand" as it sounds! I flew in gravel flying ans asked if there was a room. The manager said, "yes but I need to show it to you." I asked how much it was and he said "$35.00" I said "I'll take it!" He said, "NO! I need to show it to you." Reluctantly I said ok, and followed the guy towards the rooms. We veered right. I was confused. We got to the side of the building and started going down stairs to the basement. I was even more confused. We got to a ratty old door, with a padlock on it. He opened it, we stepped into the laundry room. We walked to another ratty door. It had a padlock on it. He opened it. We walked into a basement "room", where the ceiling was about 3 inches shorter in height than I was. There was a single bed, yeah I said a single. A TV in the corner older than both of us and an OLD window unit at ceiling level to cool the room. What did I do? I said "we'll take it!!!" Thus began our "honeymoon". She should have known then to run for the exits but to her credit she stuck with me. She's been doing that faithfully for 20 years now.

In our 20 years of marriage, we've lived in three states and a total of 12 houses and apartments. We've amassed a staggering net worth of .......well lets just say it isn't staggering! We've served five different churches as pastor, which considering the fact I wasn't even a Christian when she married me, came as a shock to lots of people! Through it all, I had God's favor, she has been the consummate pastor's wife! I could not have asked for a better partner in the ministry. She is a dedicated, faithful, hard working, and attentive servant of our Lord. She is a better Christian than i am, and a better "minister" than me too. God doubly blessed me when He gave her to me as a partner in this journey of ministry. Truth is, without the faithfulness and love of my wife, I NEVER would have come to Christ. I owe much of my salvation to how God used her to bring me to faith in Christ.

We've been blessed with four children. That's right, FOUR children. We have the two all of you know and two more that we lost along the way, lost at least for now. We know will be reunited with them in eternity. We can't wait to meet our children in heaven. We can't imagine our life here without the two God has given us to raise. Zachary is our first born. We were told we'd likely never have children. Carrie had three dreams, early on in her pregnancy. In those dreams we had a blonde haired, blue eyed, baby boy named Zachary Aaron Mauldin. Zachary means "the Lord hath remembered". He sure remembered us! :-) Zachary has been our joy and our happiness.

If you look up the definition of "strong willed child", you will find his picture! From the day he was born, he has shown his brilliance, his curiosity, his inquisitive nature, his STRONG WILL, his affection, his love, and his zest for life! He was hyper, smart, independent, funny, and have I mentioned strong willed? He has been all of those things and more.

We always wanted a big family but God had a different plan for us. When Zachary was about three, we lost our 2nd child to miscarriage. It was the single most devastating thing we have endured. It was even harder on Carrie. We never knew how much it had effected Zachary until we noticed that YEARS later he would talk about and ask about the sibling he never new. Ten more years would go by without a child. We never fully understood why but we just accepted that Zachary would be our only child. BOY WERE WE WRONG!

In 2007, somewhere just after our 16th anniversary God pulled a fast one on us. We found out that in our late 30's, We'd be having another baby!!! I'd gotten so very sick by then but we couldn't have been happier! I don't know if there could have been much of a WORSE time to have a baby but we were having one nonetheless! Carrie said the pregnancy was SO different than the one with Zachary she was CONVINCED we were having a girl!!! For the first couple of months, she called the baby, "Baby Grace". Grace turned out to be not Grace. Ultrasound once again showed with no room for doubt that Grace would be a boy. We never much considered many other names other than Samuel. His story of being the answer to years of prayer made it the only name that was "right". Samuel means "the Lord Heard". He heard our prayers from many years before He showed, he is always faithful.

Samuel Everett Mauldin, AKA "The Texas Tornado" entered this world April 16, 2008. Our lives haven't been the same since! That boy is so much like his brother some times but in many ways he is all his own. He is smart, inquisitive, full of life and energy but not really hyper. Now his temper on the other hand is a whole new ball game! That separates he and his brother so much! This child can throw down with the best of them. He is so rotten, so bad, but so perfect. He has brought the three of us so much joy. He completed this family like nothing else could. He worships his brother and I think his brother, or "Bubba" fees much the same. Seeing the two of them together brings me more joy than any other thing this earth could give me. He completed this family.

About a year after Samuel was born, we conceived our fourth child. We weren't really trying but we weren't really trying not to. We were thrilled and excited but it was not to be. God chose to take this fourth child and as much as it hurt us, we knew we would someday be reunited with this child as well. Eternity will be all the sweeter with all FOUR of our children beside us. God is good, all the time.

The story of our 20 years wouldn't be complete without telling the story of my illness. 12 years into our marriage I got sick. It was mild and not too bad at first. We had no idea what was wrong and no idea of the journey that lay before us. Five years later and and five years of terrible sickness later, I finally got a diagnosis. Lyme Disease. That was not the end of the journey but the beginning. I have gotten far sicker than I ever could have imagined. I even lost two years of ministry. I lost the ability to walk at one point. When Samuel was four months old, I couldn't even hold him, feed myself, dress myself. I could not even care for myself in any way. What did my wife do, she stood by me. She cared for me, nursed me, pushed me to fight when all I wanted to do was give up. She fulfilled her vows (okay, maybe not the obey part!) but she seriously took to heart the vow that says "in sickness and in health". My illness has without a doubt taken its toll on us, our marriage, and our family but my wife never wavered. She has been the rock, the glue, the steadying hand, and the heart that has kept this family together.

Time doesn't allow me to tell all the tales that covers 20 years of marriage. We've buried my grandmother, her Dad, my grandfather, my Aunt Jimmie, her Aunt Suzie, and countless other friends and Saints. We've seen a stroke take her mother, not her life but her life as she new it. We've baptized, married, served, and walked beside some of the sweetest Saints any other ministry couple could have ever served. Our 20 years have not always been easy but they have been full. God has shown through all of this His unfailing love and faithfulness.

Though time has given her auburn hair a few more "highlights", 20 years has made us both a tad bit "fluffier" than when we walked the aisle, she is as beautiful to me today than the day we said "I do." She has the most beautiful smile, the sweetest and most tender of hearts, a deep love for others, a servant's heart, she is my everything. I cold not imagine my life without her. I couldn't imagine life with anyone else. She is my wife, my very best friend, my companion, my buddy, and the love of my life. Carrie Leigh Mauldin is my wife of 20 years and I wouldn't have it any other way. I love you beautiful!

Always and forever.

Micah AKA "Her Sweat Pe!" (Don't ask, long story!) ;-)

Lyme Disease Medical Update

2011-06-08T12:15:00.000-07:00

I have been bombarded with questions about how the doctor's appt in MO went, what did he say, etc. I don't want folks to think I'm dodging them, I simply am still trying to process it all!

In short summary let me say that it went amazingly well. God blessed the travel which I was dreading. We certainly had traveling graces! The appointment lasted a little over THREE HOURS! We covered things I'd never heard of (and I considered myself a fair student of Lyme Disease), things I would never have dreamed were connected, and some things I had no idea were going on in my body! The experience was mind blowing but so very encouraging at the same time!

The information came at me so fast, I barely had time to catch a tiny fraction of it. I was sent home with nearly an inch of instructions, explanations, prescriptions, etc. Its like earning a degree trying understand and process it all.

Yesterday, I finally got to pick up all of my new prescriptions (all but one). The cost came to over $1,100.00!!! This is about one month of medications in most cases! We haven't even gotten to the big question of if and or when he decides to put the port in and use those medicines. That will be $3,000.00 a month just for the meds! Fortunately a very small % have to have the port and those meds. We'll have to wait and see. One of the unusual things I had to get was an "EpiPen". It looks like one of those big oversized writing pens people use sometimes. I have two of them ($200.00!). Should I go into anaphelactic shock or my heart stop, Carrie gets to grab one of those and stab me in the outer thigh as hard as she can. Or she gets to not stab me. Guess that is her call! ;-) Its actually kind of cool but kind of scary at the same time. It is what it is I suppose.

The meds are crazy complicated, all over the map on when, how much, when not to. and on and on. It is going to be a real challenge to manage it all. Funny thing is, none of my test results have even come back on other issues. This batch of meds is only the beginning. I decided to get a head start last night and take just ONE PILL of the 11 new scrips I got last night. Wanted to judge what it was going to do to me. I woke up this morning unable to move feeling like my body was on fire! This dear friends is called a Herxheimer reaction. It is one of those things that happens when you attack the bacteria, they start dying off, and the effect on you body is murderous! This was with just one pill of one med! This is going to be fun! :-)

This morning I started the full initial regimen. Horse pills and lots of pills. Had to choke them down. Get to do this at least four times a day! I will introduce a new med every three to four days until I am on them all.

The good side of them all is the strong likelihood of a complete and total recovery! It is going to be a long, painful, sickening, and difficult trip but it is a trip I have to take to get my life back. There is so much more I have to tell, other health issues, other treatment avenues, diet changes (extreme!), and on and on. Just not enough time today.

Prayer Needs:

1. Ability to withstand the treatments. These treatments will almost kill me before they make me better. The side effects and suffering they cause is extreme. Please pray for endurance.

2. Financial. The medication costs are going to be astronomical. So many generous people both in our church, my Dad's church, and a few individuals have been so generous already, we just know God's provision can handle the rest. It is going to be expensive.

3. Healing. That is our ultimate hope. This treatment course has a strong likelihood to both treat the lyme, cure the lyme, cure the seizures and so much more. Ultimately this rests in the hands of the great physician and we all know He is able.

4. The Church. Please continue to pray for our church. They have demonstrated an amazing love and support for me and my family. They have stood by us through some terrible physical trials. Pray God rewards them for their faithfulness, blesses our church during some hard days ahead, and for His favor on our labors as we seek to make a difference in His kingdom.

5. My family. Please pray for my family as they endure yet another long round of treatment, illness, and difficult times. There aren't words to express how they have helped me, stood by me, and been there for me but I would be remiss if I did not ask God's strengthening hand be upon them.

6. For me. Patience, strength, endurance, faith, pain tolerance, and healing. Think that about sums it up.

Special thanks to all of you for your love, encouragement, prayers, and support. We could not have made it these last eight years without it. For the first time I can say, I can almost see the finish line. May the Lord grant us the grace to see it through to the end! Thank you, we love you, and may the Lord of all Lords richly bless you.

In His Service,

Micah

Jeremiah 29:11-13

"11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. 13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart."

Urgent Prayer Request

2011-06-01T02:04:00.000-07:00

Good Morning to all my Friends and Prayer Partners,

I will be traveling with a friend to Columbia, Missouri this morning. Tomorrow morning I will see a new doctor, Dr. Charles Crist. He is the specialist for Lyme Disease treatment in this part of the country. If all goes as we believe it will, he will send me home with a new avenue of treatment than what I have been on the last three years. I have been on oral antibiotics for almost three years but have seemed to reach the end of what these medications can achieve. Dr. Crist uses a more aggressive method than my previous physician.

When I get back home, I will be setup with a local physician who will coordinate my local care. I will have a port put in my chest above my heart that will allow the meds to be put in direct. The medications will carry severe side effects and will be extremely difficult to endure. The cost of the monthly meds alone will be $3,000.00 a month. This does not include my doctors fees, my local doctor, home health, etc. This could take several months to a year to eliminate the Lyme bacteria. There is the hope of a cure but it will be an expensive and difficult journey.

My beloved church family, my father's church, and Christian friends have been stepping up and helping us raise the money to offset these costs but it will be difficult to meet all the expenses as the treatment is ongoing. We are looking at tens of thousands of dollars. Without this treatment, I am left with no "earthly" cure for my disease. I have to admit that is a fearful prospect for me. My suffering and struggles with this disease are simply more than I can bare. My prayer to God is that I get my life back, so that I can be the pastor, husband, father, and man that God wants me to be.

Please pray with us:

1. Pray for safe travels for me and my friend Robert Haley who is taking me to Missouri.
2. Pray for my family who has had to endure so much during my nine year fight with this disease.
3. Pray for the doctors and their treatment plan that I will be able to endure the treatment's side effects.
4. Pray for the treatment that it will be able to fully eradicate the Lyme bacteria from my body.
5. Pray for the Great Physician to have His hands at work during this time, without His hands I know no treatment will ultimately be successful.
6. Pray that will will be able to meet the extreme financial burden this treatment will entail.
7. Pray for my church family that God will strengthen them and hold the church together while I endure what is coming. We are blessed with the sweetest sense of unity and love and I don't want a trial to change that.
8. Lastly, please pray for me. I must confess that it is difficult for me at times to stay upbeat, project faith, and be the spiritual leader God wants me to be. As always, my heart's desire is to simply hear my Lord say "Well done my good and faithful servant". I will need your prayers to live that out.

Thank you in advance for those prayers. We have a long and difficult journey ahead of us. Without your prayers, we will never be able to endure everything we have to face. We love and appreciate each of you. May the Lord richly bless each of you. Thanks!

***NOTE*** THERE WILL BE NO WEDNESDAY SERVICES TONIGHT, JUNE 1ST, 2011, WITH BOTH ROBERT AND I OUT OF TOWN.

In His Service,

Micah
--
Pastor Micah J. Mauldin
New Beginnings Baptist Church
Texarkana, USA

www.nbbctexarkana.blogspot.com

What is Lyme Disease? For those who want to know.

2011-03-31T08:59:00.001-07:00

Lyme Disease is caused by the bacteria "borreliosis". The infection comes from a tick bite. I was infected when I was 22 years old. It was not until I was in my early 30's that the infection took over and my nine year battle with Lyme Disease began. The information below is from the website of a Dr. Crist, a Lyme Specialist I hope to see in the coming months. The process is extremely expensive but my church family has rallied around me and is trying to ensure that the funds are available for me to finally win a victory over this disease. I could not wish for a more loving supportive church family.

So, if you've ever wondered what is wrong with me (alright, leave that one alone!) :-), read on! I experience most of the symptoms below. In fact, the description below is a pretty fair description of my everyday life. It is a living hell.

borreliosis

In many ways, borreliosis is like syphilis. Both of the germs that cause syphilis and borreliosis are called spirochetes (spiral-shaped bacteria). Before penicillin was discovered, doctors called syphilis “a great imitator” because syphilis can imitate or mimic virtually any disease. Likewise, borreliosis often mimics other diseases. This is one of the key points of this website. Borreliosis can cause any symptom and any disease. People who have not been healthy need to consider this infection as a possibility if they are trying to find the cause of their medical problems.

When the initial bacterial infection occurs after a tick bite, people may develop a rash and experience a flu-like illness. Often the rash is a red ring resembling a bulls-eye, but occasionally the rash may be red all the way across. The key is whether the rash enlarges or gets bigger, not if it is a red ring or solid red. The proper name of the borreliosis rash is erythema migrans, erythema meaning red and migrans meaning the rash migrates or enlarges. In my opinion, a tick bite followed by a rash that enlarges and/or a flu-like illness is borreliosis until proven otherwise.

Borreliosis patients with a chronic infection most commonly have pain, tiredness, brain or thinking problems, blurry vision and neurological (nerve) problems. Remember, the borreliosis bacteria may cause virtually any symptom or disease. In addition to other symptoms, borreliosis patients usually also have hypercoagulation (thrombophilia), endocrinopathies (hormone deficiencies), toxic metal elevations, deficiencies of essential amino acids and essential fatty acids, and also vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Borreliosis patients are usually low in iodine, have allergies, dead infected bone (osteonecrosis) in the jaw, have neurotransmitter deficiencies, and may have chenical sensitivities. (These topics are addressed in other sections of this website.)

Pain is far and away the number one problem for those with borreliosis. Not all patients have pain, but most do. Any part of the body can hurt, including the head, neck, eyes, ears, jaw, arms, hands, chest, abdomen, back, legs, feet, muscles and joints. This pain is sometimes worse than pain caused by surgery! Morphine may not help.

Tiredness or fatigue is the second most common symptom of borreliosis. If you divided the pain symptoms into specific categories such as headache or joint pain, then fatigue would become the number one symptom. This tiredness has often been misdiagnosed as chronic fatigue syndrome. It can be so severe that the fatigue is described as complete exhaustion. Many are so tired that they lose their jobs and cannot help at home. They may also attempt a minor physical activity like walking to the mailbox or taking out the trash and become so tired that they have to go to bed.

The third most common symptom is brain or cognitive problems. Common symptoms or diseases include memory loss, decreased mental concentration, mood swings, irritability, depression, anxiety, panic disorder, manic-depressive illness (bipolar), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), paranoia, schizophrenia, and “brain fog”.

Blurry vision is the fourth most common symptom in borreliosis, but that is with combining all of the various pains together and all of the brain or thinking problems together. The bacteria can inflame any part of the eye (causing conjunctivitis, iritis, uveitis, retinitis and optic neuritis), so having blurry vision as a common symptom is not surprising.

Finally, there are the neurological symptoms. Neurological borreliosis is also known as neuroborreliosis. Patients may experience numbness, tingling, burning, twitching, jerking, and muscle weakness. In addition, they may have seizures, and multiple sclerosis, Parkinsons, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig disease) encephalitis, meningitis, stroke and dementia. As one neurologist who specializes in borreliosis put it, “The chapter on neurological Lyme disease is still being written.” As I stated earlier, borreliosis is like syphilis and may imitate or mimic any disease, including neurological disorders.

In addition to the above symptoms, there are “red flags” that I highly associate with borreliosis. These include memory loss, twitching around the eyes, Bell’s palsy (in which half of the face droops), tinnitus (which is ringing or buzzing in the ears), symptoms that affect one side of the body more than the other, symptoms that are worse when a patient first gets out of bed or that are worse in the winter, when patients use words like “strange” or “weird” in describing their illness, and finally, when patients have been to a good doctor (or many doctors) and yet the cause of the symptoms or disease is still unknown.

Borreliosis patients are often misdiagnosed as being hypochondriacs. They are told that they are just getting older, or that they are lazy, crazy or simply overstressed. They are often referred for counseling when actually what they really need are antibiotics. Because the symptoms can be so varied and are often so vague, borreliosis is typically not even considered for testing or treatment.

Prayer Request

2011-03-26T14:04:00.001-07:00

Good Afternoon to all our Dear Friends,

I hope this finds you all well.

As most of you know these last few weeks have been brutal for me physically. I have battled constant seizures, muscle pain, and weakness. Many times I can offer some idea of why I'm experiencing a downturn or flare up but there seems to be no rhyme or reason. I'm experiencing one of the most difficult times I've ever gone through.

With that, as most of you know I've been forced to miss far more of our services than I'd ever want to miss. I don't ever want to miss if the truth be known! I want all of you to know that I don't take any of that lightly. Each and every absence grieves me and weighs on my heart like an anvil. I desire nothing but the best and greatest for our sweet church. I still hold great dreams and desires for us and want nothing more but to be a part of all that God is doing and going to do.

I don't begin to understand why I have to go through what I am experiencing. I do not possess God's understanding or the knowledge of all that He is trying to do in our lives. I do trust that He is firmly seated on His throne and I possess an unshakable knowledge that He loves each of us and that all of this will work to the furtherance of His will and our ultimate good.

I write this to ask you selfishly for your very special prayer. I covet them like I've rarely coveted them before. I am physically beyond what I can take. The near constant seizures have left me broken, the pain has left me shaken, and the weakness has simply left me exhausted. My heart and firm faith tells me that I am where I am supposed to be, doing what I am supposed to be doing. I am forced to wonder in my mind though, how long is too long if I cannot be the pastor that our church needs. I have always promised and I reiterate again that I will never make a hasty decision to step down or resign. I do not intend to now. However, I must make a decision in the long term as to what is best for our church. If I am a hindrance than I don't want to be. If the church will be stronger and better able to fulfill her mission without me as her pastor than I must come to that decision.

I need your prayers for a few things. First and foremost, I continue to ask your prayers for healing. I accept God's plan for my life but it does not mean that I or we cannot ask Him for a miracle. I am desperate for just that. Nine years I have fought this disease. Three years we've known its identity, Lyme Disease. I simply don't know how my body can take much more. I am weary and physically broken. I beg you for your prayers like never before.

Second, I ask you to pray for wisdom for me and our church family. I don't believe that I am forced to make any hasty decision. Not a single church member has been anything but supportive. I do believe that decisions must eventually be made regarding what is best for the church and we will all need His wisdom to make those choices wisely.

Lastly, I selfishly ask your prayers for my family. The unknown of the future and the constant state of them living through and watching me suffer takes its toll. Carrie and Zachary see my pain and suffering and I know it weighs on them. They like so many of you do not fully understand what God is doing sometimes but trust that somehow He is in all of this. Little Samuel is so in tune and picks up the littlest signs of how I feel. He has learned far too soon and all too well to see the signs that "Daddy don't feel good". Sometimes when the seizures leave me in the floor, he is afraid and scared for his Daddy. He doesn't understand. If the time comes that we decide to step down, we are faced with a huge burden of lost income and though our trust in God is absolute, in our flesh and human weakness we carry the fear of the unknown and it isn't easy.

I hope and pray that I will be with my beloved church family in the morning. As always if it is within my power, I will be with you and serve you to the utmost of my ability. My love, my heart, and my prayers are always with you. I love you all. I pray nothing but God's continued grace and blessings on the New Beginnings Baptist Church of Texarkana. I love you. Thank you for your love, support, and prayers.

In His Service,

Micah

* On a final note, I will be with First Baptist Church of Kildare, Texas tomorrow evening. My dear friend Virgil Ragland is their pastor and I will be his guest speaker. Please pray for that service and pray that I will be physically able to give God my best. Thanks again for all of your love and prayers.

--
Pastor Micah J. Mauldin
New Beginnings Baptist Church
Texarkana, USA

www.nbbctexarkana.blogspot.com

Zachary's 16th Birthday Party - THIS Friday, 02/25/2011 @ 7 pm!!!

2011-02-22T00:16:00.000-08:00

This is just a quick invite to any and all for Zachary's 16th Birthday Party. The party will be THIS Friday, February 25th at 7 pm at our church. It will be a simple family and friends get together. Snack foods will be served along with an assortment of deserts.

NO ONE should feel obligated to come, everyone is invited. Gifts are optional, PLEASE don't feel obligated to bring a gift. We'd just love to see your faces!

I know not everyone can come, so please don't feel the need to explain if you can't. We just wanted you to all know you were invited. :-)

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to write or call. I'll put our contact info and a map to the church at the bottom of this message. Hope you all are having a blessed week and we look forward to seeing you all Friday. We love you!

Micah, Carrie, Zachary, and Samuel Mauldin

Cell # 903 949 1003

Church address is:

New Beginnings Baptist Church
2200 Lowell Street
Texarkana, AR 71854

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=2200+lowell+st%2C+texarkana%2C+ar&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq&hnear=2200+Lowell+St%2C+Texarkana%2C+AR+71854&gl=us&ei=VRdjTfXyOsq1tgeBzvXqCw&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CBcQ8gEwAA

ITS SUPER PIG!!!! (NOT!)

2011-01-31T18:29:00.001-08:00

Samuel and Peeda

I was playing with my little one today. My two year old son Samuel is a mess. He's too smart for his own good sometimes.

I had been wrestling with him, tickling him, just all around good Daddy fun. Then I picked up his favorite thing in the world, Peeda or Pigda. His stuffed pig. He LOVES Pigda, can't bare to be without him. He somehow got those two words from Piggie but I digress.

Anyway, I picked up the pig and started buzzing it at his head, pretending that Pigda could fly. I then said "ITS SUPER PIG!!!" He got this very serious and perplexed look on his face. Then the looked turned to extreme disapproval. Then he looked at me very seriously and said "He not Supew Pig, he not have a S on his chest!" Man you've got to love them at this age. Kid cracks me up!

Samuel looked at me so serious and said "Don't move or I shoot the pig!"
I don't call him the "Texas Tornado" for nothing!

White Chicken Chili - A New Mauldin Family Favorite!

2011-01-09T23:50:00.000-08:00

The Mauldin family discovered a new, simple dish not long ago, that we just love. It is quickly becoming a favorite.

I'm sure there is a recipe on the internet but if you are a gourmet like us, buy the McCormick seasoning packets.

Here is the recipe, this is for a double batch. You can cut it in half if you'd like. Cube three large or four small boneless skinless breasts. Put a tablespoon or so of oil in a large pot. Season the meat as you like. I usually add salt, pepper, garlic powder, a bit of italian seasoning mix, and my favorite spice Kicken Chicken. It doesn't take a lot of spicy additions because the mix itself has a kick. Though not too hot. My two year will eat it but thinks it is a bit spicy.

Cook the cubed chicken on medium heat till thoroughly done. Stir frequently. No need to drain the cooked chicken.

Add two cups of water, four cans (15 oz / 16 oz) of Great Northern Beans, and TWO packets of the McCormick White Chili mix. Our Wal-Mart sells it.

Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer for ten minutes, covered. Stirring occasionally.

Serve with a little shredded cheddar cheese mixed in or maybe a dollup of sour cream. It is awesome! Quick, easy, awesome. A Mauldin family classic in the making!

If you try it. Let me know what you think. We love it!

2011 Anniversaries Did you know?

2011-01-02T15:31:00.000-08:00

Did you know that 2011 will mark:

The 400th Anniversary of the publishing of the King James Bible.
The 235th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
The 175th Anniversary of the Battle of the Alamo.
The 150th Anniversary of the start of the Civil War.
The 70th Anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor & the USA's entrance into WWII.
The 50th Anniversary of the start of the Civil Rights Movement.
The 20th Anniversary of the end of the 1st Gulf War.
The 10th Anniversary of the attacks of 9/11.

And out of place but no less significant to the history of the world:

The 40th Anniversary of my birth will be held on October 16, 2011! ;-)

New Beginnings - 1st Sunday of 2011 - Believing God for His Promises

2011-01-02T10:45:00.000-08:00

HEAVEN CAME DOWN AND GLORY FILLED MY SOUL!!!

What a great morning at New Beginnings! The Word was strong and true, the Spirit was full and moving, and scarcely a dry eye in the room! People on their faces praying all over the sanctuary!!! The altar was full! We as a church are believing God for 12 souls, 12 new families, and every life in our church touched by God in 2011!

He is able and we believe!!!

NBBC Year End Update and Invitation

2010-12-31T12:16:00.001-08:00

Good New Year's Eve to one and all!

Hard to believe another year is almost behind us. Still can't quite wrap my head around the idea of it being 2011! God has been so good to us, as He always is. 2010 has been a year to remember that is for sure.

Before I get into a quick recap of our year, I want to let you know New Beginnings is having a New Year's Watchnight Party tonight. It begins at 7 pm and lasts till it is over. If you don't have plans, we'd love to have you, no matter where you go to church! You don't have to stay till Midnight by any means, stay as long as you like. We are all just bringing what we like, mostly finger food, snacks, sweets, or something to drink. We'll fellowship, play games, dominoes, whatever. We'd love to see you come out and join us if you don't have plans. I'll put a link to a map to our church at the bottom of this email.

As for 2010, it has been a year of contrasts. We started the year off really strong with a great deal of momentum. One of the highlights was our 1st Annual Block Party and Anniversary in June. It was a great success. Satan of course couldn't let all the good things go unchallenged and tried his fair share of attacks on many of our sweet and faithful people. I for one was brutalized this summer during that never ending heat wave. It was the worst physical setback I've had in a long time. Extended absences then really hurt the church's attendance and momentum. As we came into the fall season, we began to see small but steady increases in both attendance and new visitors. It never ceases to amaze me how God knows exactly what you need and when you need it! The end of this year has seen me alive with renewed physical health and vigor, steadily increasing attendance, and financial giving on the rise as well. We look forward to baptizing two in the coming weeks. God is good, all the time.

One note of praise, our financial giving hit a slump the same time our attendance seem to, late summer to early fall. Lest we get discouraged, we received an unsolicited gift of $7,000.00 to close out this year's budget. Isn't God so very, very good? I certainly stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene!!! He is forever faithful!

As for me and my family, we have nothing but praise for the One who rules our heart and lives. I am blessed with an unbelievable wife, mother to our children, and partner in the ministry. She is so much more than my right hand. She is my heart, my conscience, and my faithful partner in life. There aren't enough words in the universe to tell of what my sweet Carrie means to me. Our oldest son Zachary continues his sprint into manhood. He will be 16 in just a few short weeks. His maturity, intelligence, thougthfullness, and support are a never ending blessing to us both. He will graduate two years early this May. He is amazing. That leaves our little Texas Tornado, Samuel. So rotten, so bad, and so wonderful all in one. He is such a joy in all of our lives. I never would have dreamed God would answer those prayers for another child, prayers we'd almost forgotten we made. Yet God gave us our little late in life surprise just when we needed him and what a blessing he is. Again, God is good all the time.

Then there is our church family. Again I am at a loss for words to describe their faithfulness, commitment, love, support, hard work, and grace they demonstrate in their love for God, their church, and their pastor. It is such a joy to serve among such people. I have seen a move of God in these last few weeks in our church. A deepening in our study, a moving in our hearts in our services, and a conviction that God is in New Beginnings Baptist Church, with a purpose. I see God growing our faith and deepening our trust. He has great things in store for us!

Lest I forget so many of you, our faithful prayer warriors, encouragers, friends, even financial supporters, we could not do what we do without all that you do for us. I know that seems like a lot of do's but that is what the ministry is, doing, doing, and doing. You help make all that possible. We love you and we thank you!

Hope to see many of you friends at our church tonight. If you don't have plans already, make plans to join us. It is nothing fancy, just a good time, fellowship, food, and games. My kind of new years! Here is a map to the church:

http://www.google.com/search?q=2200+lowll+street%2C+texarkana%2C+ar&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

We love you all. Thank you for you love, faithfulness, and support. May God richly bless each of you in the coming year. May God bless the New Beginnings Baptist Church for His glory and His glory alone.

In His Service,

Micah

--
Pastor Micah J. Mauldin
New Beginnings Baptist Church
Texarkana, USA

www.nbbctexarkana.blogspot.com

Book Review - "Heaven is for Real" by Todd Burpo

2010-11-30T05:00:00.000-08:00

I found out about a pretty neat program not too long ago. I could get free books if I'd agree to write a review. As a lover of books, with over 1,000 of them in my library, I jumped at the chance.

The first book I received was titled "Heaven is for Real" by Todd Burpo. Needless to say, as a pastor I was skeptical! I thought, Oh no, not another I've been to heaven book! Beginning with 90 minutes in Heaven, the market has been flooded by books of peoples accounts of their journey to Heaven, Hell, and the Laundromat! I assumed this book would be little different and I thought I'd wind up relegating this book to the "not worth my time" pile. I was wrong.

"Heaven is for Real" is a a heartwarming, simple, and surprisingly biblical glimpse into a little four year old boy's journey into Heaven. Colton Burpo was four year's old when he found himself at death's door. His family didn't realize he had made his amazing journey until small but shocking revelations that amazed and bewildered his parents began to leak out. Colton didn't just have one sit down conversation, he let his journey be known one startling revelation at a time.

How could this little boy know these things? How could he know about relatives who had died long before he was born? How could someone so young offer such amazing insights into Heaven, Christ, and the glories that await Christians? How could he know things he'd never been taught and couldn't know?

As I mentioned before, I'm a skeptic at heart. A book like this one wouldn't likely catch my attention and certainly wouldn't win any praise from me. So many books like these are fanciful, unbiblical, and simply outright inconsistent with what I know to be true from the Bible. Colton Burpo's story was a refreshing and surprisingly accurate portrait of what awaits each of us whose destiny is Heaven. I read the book with a critical eye, looking for those little details that would prove this story to be at best inaccurate or at worst a fraud. I couldn't find them. His tale seemed honest. His descriptions fit the way a child would describe things, not one whose words had been fed him by an adult. Some of his revelations were simply amazing!

Who would be blessed by this book? I'd honestly say almost anyone. If you've recently lost a loved one or maybe you are a mother who has lost a child to miscarriage. You can find something here that will warm your heart and quite possibly help ease your pain. This book is a sweet, touching, and amazing story. I think you'll be blessed by it.

That said, you might wonder if I found anything in the book I didn't agree with. That's a tough question. I found nothing I'd say was blatantly wrong or in direct contradiction with the scriptures. There were a couple of things that made me raise my eyebrow but I can't quote a verse that says Heaven couldn't be like that, just a couple of things that didn't fit my expectation or interpretation of what Heaven would be like. Those things might make you wonder but I think you'll find they don't detract from what this book is meant to do, strengthen your faith, encourage you in your walk with Christ, and maybe just maybe long for Heaven just a little bit more.

Hope this review helps you make your choice of whether or not to pick up a copy of this book. I'd recommend you do.

Micah

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Negligent Blogger

2010-10-12T13:24:00.001-07:00

I can't believe it has been so long since I've posted on my blog. These last few months have been a whirlwind of medical issues, doctors, a hospital stay, new medicines and just trying to stay afloat!

I promise to get back in the groove again! We've had over 3700 visitors to this blog since we've started. I guess I'll have to get in in gear again if I want to pass 4000! :-)

After a brutally hot summer things are finally cooling off here in Texarkana. I love fall and hope this weather lasts for a while.

This summer saw the church go through the typical summer doldrums but we've seen things begin to pick up a bit as we come into the fall season. I'm sure my off and on absences due to illness haven't helped our attendance but I'm hoping a new regimen I'm on will get me back in the saddle the way I hope to be. I won't know for another couple of weeks whether it is really going to work but if it doesn't I'm planning on changing doctors. So, prayers appreciated on that.

The family continues to do well. I turn 39 on the 16th, so that means Samuel will officially hit the 2 and 1/2 mark! I can't believe my little man is already 2 and 1/2. Wow does it go by fast! Zachary is continuing his blazing path through high school. He is well on his way to finishing all of his high school curriculum by May of next year. This will mean he graduates at 16. He is one smart cookie! He'll go to school locally at first but if all goes well, he'll be able to move on to a bigger school somewhere else when he turns 18. Mom is just hoping it isn't Harvard or Stanford, they are MUCH too far away! :-)

I'm re-reading my favorite book of all time. It is called "The Problem of Life with God" by Tommy Nelson. It is an easy to follow, easy to read overview of the book of Ecclesiastes. He takes what could have been a dry difficult text and makes it come alive. No other book in my library, and I have over 1,000 books, begins to mean as much to me as this one book. I've given it to friends who are hurting, struggling, or grieving. It has never not helped someone understand that life with God is not always easy but it is always worth it. I hope to share some thoughts from the book as I go along in the weeks to come.

I'll have some new pictures of the family in a few days. Some folks have been badgering me for those. I'll do my best to get back in the saddle as I should! Praying God's best for you and yours.

In His Service,

Micah AKA "The Heavy Revy"

Assorted Christmas Pics

2010-01-28T23:26:00.000-08:00

The smile says it all!!

Thought I'd post some of our Christmas pics. I know I'm only a month late, but oh well. :-) I have some pictures of Carrie too, but she won't let me post them. She got a Snuggie for Christmas, a bright blue one. She looked like a smurf in all her pictures.....a very cute smurf, but a smurf none the less. I wanted to go on living, so I didn't post them. :-) Here are some more!

Both our boys really enjoyed Christmas!

Daddy.....Christmas WORE me out!

Check out my new Duds I got for Christmas!

I know he'll hate us later, butt man is this picture cute!!!

Daddy, I have no idea why I'm getting all these new toys, but I'm LOVING it!!!

Even my BIG baby still loves Christmas!

Why wrap all the presents, when you can just wrap the kid!
Proof positive we don't need to spend all that money on toys!

SOBBYS!!!!! (Samuel's word for dinosaurs...he used to say Saurs,
now Sobbys....I have no idea where he got Sobbys!) :-)

Daddy.....how could you ever be mad at this face?

Who ME?

Samuel fighting the sleepy monster!

Prayer and Praise

2010-01-01T12:38:00.001-08:00

Our two very handsome young men! We are blessed to have such wonderful sons!

After a really nice evening out with my wife, with my little one tagging along, so I guess you can't call it a date night, we settled in for a wild night of partying. I drove to Wal-Mart to buy milk while she baked some pumpkin bread!!! Yep, partying like it is 1899!!!! We sat on our hind parts and watched a Netflix movie. What can we say? We are some wild and crazy folks.

I should have known it was going to be rough night when about 10 pm a kidney stone started moving. Felt like someone had knifed me and was just spinning the blade around! Been up most all of the night, even now it appears no end in sight!

But I don't intend this to be a negative post! My relentless battle with kidney stones is what it is. It is horribly painful and unfortunately, not fatal! ;-)

I did want to share a verse God gave me over the last couple of days and some praise. I am just now seeming to come out of the worst physical tail spin I've had in about 16 months. The last time I've been this bad, I spent 6 days in Baylor hospital and was told to get ready to spend the rest of my life in the wheelchair. So, you can imagine how my last couple of weeks have gone.

I started declining rapidly the day my Uncle Bill went in for surgery. By the day after I was struggling to walk even short distances. I could barely lift my hands above my shoulders. By the second day I could not get out of a chair without assistance. Getting out of bed took minutes, not seconds. My pain has been unbearable. Every muscle seemed to scream with pain. Simple tasks like personal hygiene or getting dressed were quickly becoming huge obstacles. I didn't say a lot about it, because I wanted everyone of my friends to be focused and praying for my Uncle who is very dear to me and not be fixated on me. My condition stinks but is not usually fatal! His was the more serious prayer need by far!

By Tuesday of this week and into Wednesday, I had reached a new low. I was struggling physically that was obvious. I was also struggling mentally and spiritually. It was really difficult seeing all the progress I've made in these last two years just slip away and be right back where I started. My seizures were as bad as I've had them. I've had seizures back to back to back. Days have been spent just barely getting out of bed.

I received a baptist newspaper, The Southern Baptist Texan, in the mail yesterday and my eye was immediately drawn to one story. It was about a burn victim and his amazing story of recovery and faith. In that story, which I will put a link to at the bottom of this post, a verse was given that the Holy Spirit really used to lift me up and encourage me when I needed it most. The verse was this:

"Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live: And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD." Ezekiel 37:5-6

I know the context of the verse is different than my personal application, but I know God gave me that verse to encourage me when I needed it. What the world says is dead, what the world says can't ever live again, is never impossible with God. My God is the almighty and living God. Nothing is impossible for Him!

Many of you have already read how some 16 months ago, when I had reached the lowest physical point of my life the Lord assured me in my spirit that HE would heal me of this disease, in His time, and HE would receive the glory! I still believe that, I've never stopped believing it, though I know at times my faith has stumbled. God's faithfulness has never stumbled. I've already seen the doctors prognostications proven wrong. I've gotten so much of my life back, though it is give and take at times. I've been able to return to pastoral ministry, something you would never have believed had you seen me in that hospital bed back then. God is faithful! He can say to this body, LIVE! And it will have life. In Him alone I trust. In Him alone I have complete faith! He is still on His throne and His promises to me from 16 months ago are as true today as they were back then! I will live! I will serve Him! He will receive all the glory! I cannot ask for more!

On the praise front, I am improving. (minus this miserable kidney stone!) :-) It is slow and painful but I was able to drive myself to Walmart last night and grab a small dab of groceries. I know that task seems insignificant, but if you knew how far I'd fallen physically of late, you'd know just how significant that is! By the end of my little jaunt I felt like I had run a marathon and was about to fall out, but I had still done it. All praise to God!

My Uncle Bill Sillivan has made great improvements. He is out of ICU and on the road to recovery! I am so thankful and want to praise God for His wonderful faithfulness in answering the prayers of His people. Thank you for praying for him!

Thank you all for your continued prayers for me and our church New Beginnings. I am going to try and write later today on the church blog a summary of some of the things God has done for us over the last year! What an amazing God we serve!

I still have many questions. I am not sure how long it will take me to recover what I've lost. Not sure just how bad the seizures will be before they get better. Even though I have questions, I know Who has the answers. To God be all glory, power, honor, and praise!

In His Service,

Micah

Here is a link to the amazing article about the burn victim I told you about:

http://www.texanonline.net/default.asp?action=article&aid=6534&issue=12/21/2009

Here are some recent pics of the kiddos:

My almost 15 year old son Zachary. What a fine young man he is becoming!

(And dashingly handsome like his father too!) ;-)

Zachary at two years old....now wait till you see the next one!

Yes, that is the same outfit exactly! We are amazed at how much they look alike! Their smiles are different in the pictures, but we have seen both smiles on both boys so we REALLY see how much they look a like. Samuel is about 5 months younger in this picture than Zachary's picture but since Samuel is a whopper, I don't think it makes a lot of difference!

Happy New Year everyone! We love you all!

The Mauldins, Micah, Carrie, Zachary, and Samuel

The Call Amidst the Storm

2009-12-09T23:12:00.001-08:00

I had to write a poem for an English assignment this week. I thought it turned out pretty good. The theme of the assignment was the TRUE meaning of greatness. Greatness being not measured by fame, worldly successes, or any of the world's faulty standards. True Greatness is measured in our response to the storms of life. The question is not will the storm comes, but when will the storms come? Secondly, when the storms come, what will your response be? Will you give up, lay down and die, or will you fight and persevere through the storm?

A Christian friend once handed me a slip of paper with these words:

"Some times God calms the storms. Some times God lets the storm rage, but calms the child." This precious Christian lady suffered the loss of her oldest daughter, having been brutally raped and murdered. A loss no parent should have to endure. What was her response to the storm? She endured, she stayed the course. She did not let Satan have the victory he sought. She chose fight, rather than flight. Through it all, God received all Glory. Can we be asked any less? Are our storms so severe that our case is different? The small measure of suffering that I must endure are but small and insignificant when compared to the price my savior paid for my ransom. To Him be all glory, honor, and praise. Christ is Lord, He is Lord of all. I am but his humble bond slave. If in this life my small and insignificant trials can bring Him but the slightest hint of glory, are they not infinitely worth it? I think they are. Here is the poem I wrote. I hope you like it.

When life assails and life's wind hails
Your sails are torn and tattered
Prevail you must and sail onward just
Though the ship is worn and battered

The shore draws near and rocks you fear
No safety calls and beckons
But strong must stand the Captain's hand
His hand assured and reckoned

Resolved you must and causes just
The hope that drives and wills thus
No fear too great uncertain fate
When duty falls and certain calls us

In His Service,

Micah
An unworthy sinner saved by a marvelous and amazing grace!

My Favorite Non-Biblical Quote - It says it all!

2009-11-27T14:07:00.001-08:00

“It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”

Theodore Roosevelt 1858 – 1919

"Where are the nine?"

2009-11-25T23:41:00.000-08:00

I've seen a lot the last couple of weeks about what people are thankful for. I think that is a great thing. I wonder though, to whom are they thankful? We say all the time how thankful we are for this and for that. But how often do we stop and consider to whom we owe ALL thanks. The following passage ought to serve as a powerful reminder that all of us, and I mean all of us are blessed beyond measure. Certainly life is not always easy, but there is much to be thankful for. Have you stopped and thanked the one to whom you owe your thanks? I wonder, are you one of the nine or one of the very few who come back to the feet of your Master and give Him the thanks He alone is due.

"And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole."
Luke 17:11-19

Which will you be?

May you all have a fantastic Thanksgiving holiday and may you thank the One who matters most. To Him be all glory, and power, and majesty. Jesus Christ is Lord of all or not Lord at all.

In His Service,

Micah

My Son's Poem About My Six Year Battle with Lyme Disease

2009-11-23T12:19:00.001-08:00

My 14 year old son Zachary wrote this the other day. He has watched me fight my illness for over six years now. He has missed so much, years I should have been there playing with him, wrestling, whatever, he has missed. At times I've been too sick to get out of bed. I've suffered so much pain and he has had to watch me endure it. He has to help me out of the floor when I fall. He has had to help me to bed when the seizures have come. It has taken its toll on him but he has come a long way. He went through some angry years at God and there are still days I know he wonders why. He has learned to try and see God's hand in all of it. He is an incredible young man.

He wrote this the other day. I just thought it was good and shared so much of what my illness has put him and really our family through. So parents, when you think your trials only affect you, remember they affect your family just as much if not more.

He wrote this:

My senses have faded, my mind has gone numb,
I just feel so jaded, it strikes me dumb.

A decade and a half, he's spent serving you,
the rod and the staff, is far from his due.

I don't know your plan, don't pretend to know why,
All this on one man, all the pain in his eyes.

This is my plea to you, this is my heart,
Come down, pull us through, before we're torn apart.

I close with this, God is on His throne. I trust Him fully. He is sovereign in my life. If there is a valley to walk through, I accept it as the smallest portion of the cross he bore for me. To God be all glory and power and praise.

To my son, I say thank you and I love you.

Dad

Samuel's First Pee Pee in the Potty

2009-11-19T22:42:00.001-08:00

I'm coming Momma! I'm a big boy now!!!

Today was a momentous day in the Mauldin household. My wife put Samuel on the potty and by the shear luck of timing and his bladder the little man went pee pee in the potty! Of course the house burst into applause, praising him as if he'd just won the Olympic Gold! He, of course, being 19 months old looked at us all like we had lost our mind. Don't get me wrong, he LOVED the praise, but hadn't the foggiest idea what all the commotion was about.

So, for the rest of the day my wife faithfully put him on the potty every time she would change his diaper. He'd just sit there and look at his weenie.

It is going to be a LONG road to potty training land! ;-)

Love you all!

Micah

Most of these pictures were taken at a recent visit to the Fair Grounds park. Samuel had a blast! We just had fun watching him explore and have fun. The kid is fearless!

Bubba knows everything, and he showed it all to me!

Ok Bubba! Let's do that slide thing again!

Woopie!!!! OH man, a diaper wedgie!!! :-o

Daddy, I love you, but I am MUCH too busy for sugars!

Can you tell from my hair I had a rough night?
No sheets, no covers, stripped them all, a regular habit of Samuels!

Busy, but Good!

2009-09-29T22:44:00.000-07:00

Yep, blessed with two pretty great boys!

Keeping this short today, but I do have some new pictures. I've been a negligent blogger these past couple of months, but I'll try to do better. :-) Life is so very busy, but so good at the same time! Since we've moved to Texarkana, God has blessed us with the most wonderful church family, a great home, the chance to reconnect with so many old friends, a chance for me to go back to college, and the hope of starting a new job soon that will let me work totally from home. God is good, all the time!

The boys are growing like weeds, we can barely keep them fed. Samuel is only 17 months old, but is about the size of a 2 1/2 year old! Can't imagine where he would get that from? :-) Zachary is growing and growing. He is under strict orders to stop, but he keeps ignoring my orders! Can't you ground a child for growing too fast?

Carrie is wonderful as always. (got to get my brownie points in!) She is busy juggling more things than you can imagine, but always manages to keep it all together. I'd be lost without her.

My health is up and down at times, but I can't complain a bit. God has been so good to me, only the goodness and greatness of God can explain how wonderful he has been to us. His love and watchcare are never failing. We thank all of you who have prayed for us and our new church family these past few months. If I may ask, please keep it up! We covet all your prayers. These are exciting times for us, we need all the wisdom and guidance we can get. Thanks!

Now to some more recent pictures:

I SURE do love my Bubba!

Howdy! (Samuel in the church nursery)

What can I say, the child is just gorgeous! :-)

Me and Piggy just watching the tube!

PIG SOOOIIEE! GO RAZORBACKS!

Yeah, I know I'm cute! (Samuel with his cousin, Allondra)

Zachary with his cousin Hassavi, two good looking kiddos!

I'd say the boy was tired!

Man! Sesame Street is the Bomb!

Samuel going in for some sugar from his girl Jaylee!

(notice Jaylee's lips puckered up, they kiss A LOT!)

Life in Texarkana

2009-07-14T22:19:00.001-07:00

Hi All,

Seems like we are getting settled here in T-Town. We've been here about six weeks or so now, and it seems like we've been here much longer than that.

Carrie continues to chip away at all her little projects on the house. She is trying to get them all done before she starts keeping kids. I don't know if she is going to make it, but she sure is trying!

Zachary has been a huge help since moving here. He is a huge help with the baby, as always, but is becoming quite the little painter while he is at it. He helps me with whatever project I'm working on, and jumps in there when Carrie is working on something too. He'll be quite the handy Dan by the time he gets married! (which we are praying is a VERY long time away!) :-)

Samuel is, well, he is, I guess......just plain HUGE! Man this is one big kid! He isn't fat, just tall, heavy, and strong as an ox! He is gorgeous, just looks so big to be just shy of 15 months. I just can't figure out where he might be getting his size from. :-) He is cutting four molars all at once right now, but maintains an even keel most all of the time. He is such a good baby, just like Zachary was. Samuel isn't quite the traveler that his bubba was, and he hates getting his diaper changed to this day. He is quite an amazingly good baby though. Don't get me wrong, he is bad to the bone when it comes to doing things and grabbing things he isn't supposed to! Of that there is no doubt! He is just a well adjusted bad baby! :-)

The church is going great! We are six weeks in now, and God just continues to bless and bless and bless. I am so fortunate and blessed to be a part of what God is doing. I continue to be humbled at what God is doing around me. Many have said, and I agree there is such a sweet sweet spirit in our church. I pray God continues to keep it as such. We are quickly running out of room in our current meeting place, so make that a matter of prayer if you will. We need a place to call our own, at least something we can afford to rent that will give us a little more space and some additional rooms to use for nursery and children's church. Thanks in advance for those prayers!

Here are a couple of recent pics of the little man. Don't have any new ones of the rest of the family. I guess we are all just too busy:

Oh yeah, I'm a mess!

I think I should replace these gaudy Gold balls!
(he lost these permanently soon after,
they don't go real well with my flat screen tv!)

Hey, this almost fits!!!!
I love my new room, and Mommy finally got rid of this purple paint!
Now my room is a good old boy blue!
(well, half of it is, Mommy isn't finished yet!)
Thanks Mommy! :-)

Almost Settled!

2009-06-23T04:14:00.000-07:00

Two VERY tired boys after a long and difficult move!

Belated Greetings!

Can't believe it has been almost a month since I've posted anything! Bad Blogger! Bad Blogger! :-) I guess that speaks to how crazy and busy things have been.

Since my last post, we have started the new church, with three services now behind us. God has truly blessed, we are thrilled with how things are going. For detailed updates on the church, go to www.nbbctexarkana.blogspot.com

We have moved from Denton, TX to Texarkana, AR. We have bought another home here and have been trying to get settled here. We have made a couple of trips to Denton to tie up loose ends there. In fact, Carrie and the boys are there right now trying to get some things taken care of. We are having the interior of the house painted this week, and new carpet put down.

We are still praying for a good renter, our last one backed out at the last minute, so it really left us in a bind. Pray for us on this need, PLEASE!!! :-)

The family is doing great, Carrie has been working so hard at trying to make this house a home. She is doing so much, I'm worried she is overdoing it. Zachary has been more help than you can imagine. We never would have been able to make the move without him! I told him, "you sure are a lot more help this move than the last one!" Of course, he is a foot taller and has a LOT more muscles! :-) He was a tremendous blessing. He and I loaded the truck all by ourselves, and he matched me step for step. He was great! Samuel has adjusted well to our new home. He can open and close doors in this house, so he is into a LOT more things, a LOT more often! :-) He is getting much harder to keep track of!

I have almost a month behind me on the new job. I am a Correctional Officer. I work with the Arkansas Department of Community Corrections at the Southwest Arkansas Community Corrections Center, or SWACCC. It is the old St. Michael's building. I like it, the staff are great, the leadership are very genuine and do a great job. So far, I really haven't found anything to complain about! :-) OK, it is HOT in the building sometimes, but if that is the only complaint, I guess I don't really have one! :-) The pay isn't that high or anything, but the benefits and stability are really good. I'm thankful for the job, in this economic climate good jobs are hard to come by! I'm working nights, which has been a hard adjustment for me and the family, but we are making it.

As for New Beginngings, our new church, all I can say is THANK YOU LORD! God has blessed us with some of the sweetest and most faithful people you could hope for! We have seen a slow but steady increase each week. I'm excited and expecting great things from God next week! We are still meeting at the old YWCA on Magnolia, what a blessing that has been! We are so thankful for the generosity the owners have shown in letting us meet there! We have no outside support, but the faithful giving of our people has already been outstanding! Their faithfulness will allow our church to accomplish far more for the kingdom! I can't wait to get more and more of our church structure in place, from Sunday School to Missions. I told someone the other day, I'm having a blast!!! :-)

Well, I have to meet with a realtor in a couple of hours, to look at some potential meeting places. We appear to be getting close to outgrowing our current meeting place, so I'm trying to be proactive and be ready when the time comes we have to move to something a little more semi-permanent. What a great problem to have!!! :-)

Here are some recent pictures of the boys:

I LOVE my new house and my new church!
(OK, he was actually playing with my CPAP mask, but you
gotta admit he is mighty cute and has a gorgeous smile!) :-)

Mommy, these clothes are all in the wrong drawers!!!
(Samuel has taken to EMPTYING the drawers any
chance he gets! He also likes to put CLEAN clothes
into the dirty laundry hamper!) Annoying, but Cute! :-)

WHAT? I'm not sleepy or anything!
(Samuel LOVES Zachary's chair, he climbs up in it by himself,
and sometimes zonks out!)

Samuel and His Box

2009-05-25T15:05:00.000-07:00

OK Daddy, lets load that truck!!!!

Just thought this video was cute. He LOVES the boxes and wrapping stuff all over the house. He has no idea what is going on, but he is loving it! :-)

Three days till the move, packing, packing, and more packing. Just finished the garage, yuck! Man, I'm all already tired!

Anyone feel helpful or adventurous, we should arrive at the new house on Friday, May 29th. Want to help? ;-)

Ok Daddy, what do you want in this box?

Do we need packing material in this?

Bubba, I'm tired, you pack the next one!

Delays and Insults

2009-05-23T20:42:00.000-07:00

Soon to be our new home in Texarkana!

Well, after my last post I was bombarded with insults! My pictures were goofy, I really DIDN'T look 10 years younger, etc, etc....

I am so insulted I've decided not to move to Texarkana!!!! :-) Just kidding!

In case you didn't realize, the goofy nature of the pictures was INTENTIONAL! I know under normal conditions, I am dashingly handsome (NOT!), but I was going for the goofy look for the fun of it!

Now as for the 10 years younger remark, I'll have you know my lovely wife said that, BEFORE seeing my goofy pictures, so THERE!!!! Her opinion is the ONLY one that matters anyway! :-) Though, a certain sweet senior adult with excellent taste in men said that I was "just a good looking man", without my beard. So there!

After all that, I'll just take my toys and go home! ;-)

All the emails and comments were taken in good fun. Hope you enjoyed my relative transformation!

On the update front, all is going well. In case you haven't heard, I was delayed starting my new job for two weeks. I came in early this past Monday, as planned, only to have to delay my start because my hire packet had not been received by the state. Though I REALLY could have used the money, it did allow me to come back home and continue to help Carrie get ready for the move.

If all goes well, we hope to move this Friday, May 29th! Cross your fingers and say your prayers.

If that all goes as planned, we are planning a first meeting, tentative and introductory for the first Sunday in June. Can't wait!!!! We'll be sending out more detailed information and updates to our email list tomorrow. If you would like to be included on our email list, if for no other reason than being a prayer partner, just let us know. Otherwise, we will include all of those who have for sure signed on, asked to be informed, or our close friends who we know will be praying for us. All prayers are coveted!

We had a yard sale today, not great results, but we were able to thin out the junk. What didn't sell, went to Goodwill!

Our week looks like this:

Sunday - Monday - Packing, packing, and more packing.
Tuesday - Bring Carrie's Mom, Donna, to a Texarkana Nursing home.
Wednesday - Drive back to Denton, still more packing.
Thursday - Pick up the big Uhaul and load it up!
Friday - Moving on back to T-town!

I will (SHOULD) start my new job the following Monday, and we should actually close one day that week. The bank says for sure before the 5th of June. The sellers have graciously allowed us to move our stuff into the house prior to closing. This is a HUGE blessing!

Thanks again for all of your love, prayers, and support! We love you!

Micah

I'm tired of being in this playpen!
I'm using this ladder to get out of here!

Bubba rescued me,
so now I can help the family with the yard sale!