Matthew went to the prom.

It's hard to believe that Matthew is old enough to go to the prom. This is his weekend. Andrea sent us a phone message with his photo attached, and he's so handsome wearing his tuxedo and with his date on his arm.

Betty saw the picture, and she began to cry like a baby. I think she had a hard time accepting that the baby she spent a year with is becoming a man!

Dave Ramsey

Betty and I attended a live event at the World Center today. She took me under protest, but I agreed to go and listen to what the man had to say.

I have to say that it was a day well spent. I enjoyed his humor, and I enjoyed the things he taught. He talked of the importance of being debt free and planning for our futures. I especially liked the plan he presents. He gave us a some basic steps to getting finances under control. I left determined to change some things in my own personal life.

I was also impressed by the people before and after the event. Large crowds like the one we saw today can be frustrating in inconsiderate, but that is not what I saw. The people who sat either side of us were kind and considerate and polite. One couple even offered Betty a snack bar half way through the event. When we got into the parking lot, I was also surprised. The exit from the parking was punctuated with courtesy and patience, very much unlike the last gathering I went to.

Mr. Ramsey pointed out some of the historical information about recession, banking, and unemployment. He helped me see that much of what is happening in our country is fear based. I feel encouraged, hopeful, and determined to do what I can to get our family better prepared for the future. He is planning a free event this coming week. I would like to invite you to take a look if it interests you.

Sticker shock

The cost of living is so frustrating. It creeps up a little at a time and isn't noticed until we have to make a purchase that is infrequent. When we do make those purchases, we are jolted into reality with the price that is substantially higher than the last time we made a similar purchase.

This last week when I picked my suit at the cleaners, the dry cleaner told me that my suit was completely worn out and would probably not endure another cleaning. Reluctantly, we went shopping. The shop where I bought my last suit has gone out of business. Another business that previously carried suits informed us that they are no longer in the business of selling business suits because there just wasn't enough demand for them.

We ended up at Dillard's. Because of my size, we had to pass up many of the affordable suits in search of something that would fit our budget as well as my over sized body.

I didn't find a suit that suited me. A very capable, courteous clerk came to our assistance. He showed me three suits. One was too snug and one was pin striped. I felt it was a bit bold for me. Our clerk graciously pulled out a catalog with little swatches of fabric and helped me pick just the right color and texture to fit my taste. When he quoted the price, I audibly gasped and Betty turned white. We knew that although I liked the color and fabric, our budget could not support what I had chosen. My attention returned to the racks of suits that were already in the store. One that I had bypassed had suddenly become more attractive and was chosen.

I didn't want to end up at church one Sunday with my undergarments showing the worn condition of my old suit. Although I had not been prepared for a purchase that large, we made it.

I Am the Way

The daffodils heads peek above the freshly fallen snow.
This and other signs teach us through beautiful symbols to know
That just as spring brings new life to the cold and barren earth.
New life can come to us from events following His birth.

Sin and death hold us captive. Our lives are filled with despair.
Is there someone who can help us, a single soul who would care?
Easter morn, a reminder of the gift given through His pain,
Offers to each of us hope that we otherwise cannot gain.

In the garden beyond us there is a solitary tomb.
The daffodils are blooming by the stone that 'twas rolled away.
The garden tomb is empty on this beautiful spring day.
If we listen quietly, we'll hear the wind whisper, "I am the way."

KV

Gratitude isn't always easy

There are times that one must focus on the good and let the less desirable things in life pass by. Griping and complaining doesn't make the situation better. There are times that if you don't let it out the pressure just begins to build. Tonight I feel like a straining pressure cooker.

My friend Stan's last day with our team was yesterday. It was hard to think of our team being cut by a third. I really wasn't ready for it to be cut by two thirds. After the end of this month, I will be alone. I am grateful for a job, but I don't know how I am going to do the work of three people.

Today, was a day that I was happy to see pass. I suppose that's a form of gratitude. I can see that I am going to have to do a better job or staying focused on the job to be done. I am going to have to keep myself organized and refrain from going off on tangents that keep me from getting the task at hand accomplished. I am going to do my best to roll up my sleeves, put my best foot forward, put my shoulder to the wheel, put my nose to the grindstone and do the best I can. If I lose this job, I can always find a good job as a contortionist.

I am grateful for my job. I am grateful for my understanding wife, and I am grateful that I still have a little bit of my sense of humor. I pray that I can find a good way to use it in the weeks that come.