Lara Michelle.

Lara is my cousin and best friend.  As I have explained before, she is one super amazing woman.  Anyone that comes in contact with her should consider him or herself enriched to have had the encounter.  She has literally been my best friend my entire life.  I was born just 3 months after her.  Lara has always been a natural leader with a competitive spirit.  She just dominates in everything.  This girl is the hardest worker I’ve met and she has charm like no other.  Hilarious.  Intelligent.  Gorgeous.  Compassionate.  Nearly perfect.

She’s 21 today.  Jims, I’ve loved you for 21 years and this is only the beginning.  Every single day God fills your life with mounds of purpose.  You have been given dignity and value.  Since God has given me the honor of doing life with you, I promise I will never stop pushing you into Jesus.  I know you’ll do the same for me.  Happy 21st best friend!

A Bit For Us (Lara=BLUE Jordan=RED):

 

-You’re the only person I’ve laughed so hard with that I gagged. (Billary)

 

-‘1) No one needs to know that happened. 2) I can’t believe that just happened.’

 

-You’re the only person I’ve seen Jesus with in the flesh.

 

-I love that you smile and laugh when you’re going to start crying.

 

-I know you blame me for your first speeding ticket, but your argument really wouldn’t hold up in court. (You were speeding way before I distracted you with the camera)

 

-The hardest I’ve ever cried was when we said goodbye before leaving for college. (We saw each other the next weekend)

 

-I'm still sorry my fish killed your fish. (RIP Ezekiel Able. LONG LIVE Chronicle Cain.)

 

-The reason I love stars so much is because they take me back to Strawberry Wine 2008. (It's shooting! Take a look at it G because it doesn't happen often!)

 

-Setting: Grandmother’s bushes. ‘Let’s see if we can walk on top of these. Brilliant idea.’ (Grounded)

 

-You’re the only person that I have ESP with. (Do you wanna go...to the barn for a snack? Yeah, then we can…go stargaze in the upper field? Exactly.)

 

-You could probably set a Guinness World Record for rate of falling asleep. (So what time we getting up tomorrow? Jims? Jimmy! ‘snoring’)

 

-I love that when we mentally sin, we ask for physical abuse. (Dang it, hit me. ‘Sketchy African American with hood walks by.’ Dang it, hit me twice. 'Heavy-set couple walks by.')

 

-Equally addicted to food. (Dude, did you know there’s an old granola bar smashed in your cup holder? Why’d you just put it in your mouth! I don’t know, I need help, I have a problem!)

 

-It isn’t normal to share that many bathroom stories. (Why is it that color? Just get a pitcher! ‘gags’)

 

-Brownies really aren’t that difficult to make. (Trial 1: Why is it like pudding?  Whoops, I thought it said 1 1/3 cups of water. Trial 2: Uh oh, they’re skinny and hard as a brick.  Well, you just had to put them in the 13 by 9 pan.)

 

-Let’s Disney battle it out! (Name that character: ‘Hey, d'you see that sky today? Talk about blue.’ KRONK- Emperor’s New Groove! Next.)

 

-I love that you’re sensitive to my many fears. (Sweet Jesus, please don’t say the word Yeti at a time like this. 'Laughter' For the love of God Jimmy, turn on the light. 'Just laughter')

 

-Copper, you're my very best friend. And you're mine too Todd. -Fox and the Hound

Satisfaction of Home

Straight from my journal...

“You know, I wake up every day and at some point think… ‘I’m in Australia.’  And in the beginning I was taken aback by it but in reality it isn’t as big of a deal as I thought.  I mean I’ve been dreaming of traveling the world for years.  I still dream and plan to travel.  But the truth is, once you get the pictures taken and you’ve seen what you’ve come to see…it’s just another place.  Don’t get me wrong I completely L O V E every country I’ve visited.  However, after a while the places mean close to nothing without the people I love most.  It doesn’t have the same affect on me as H O M E.  That’s why Heaven is going to be so good.  That’s my real home.  As good as home is now…I can’t imagine what Heaven, my real home, is going to be like.  I don’t think anyone actually knows what real happiness feels like.  I bet I won’t experience real happiness until the day I get to heaven and am sitting at the feet of Jesus.  My greatest love.  Home is where we all actually belong.  H E A V E N.”

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. –John 14:3

“It actually doesn’t matter where I go in the world.  Being struck by the initial beauties and wonders just wears off after a while.  But see, home never loses its goodness.  Likewise, things of this world will only satisfy us temporarily.  Jesus is the only everlasting satisfaction.  Home is where the heart is because  home is where Jesus is.

[H A P P Y  M O T H E R S  D A Y to my Mommy, Grandma, and Grandmother! Best mums in the world!]

Wonders of the Ocean.

Alright, it's about 2:30am on a Sunday morning.  I'm tired and about to go to sleep but I've been inspired.  I was inspired by this little shell that I picked up last month on Manly Beach here in Sydney.  It's been sitting on my desk since I brought it home.

As I was sitting here waiting for my iPod to charge, I picked this shell up to look at it more closely.  I don't know why but I just started thinking about looking at this same shell again once I'm back at home.  I'd probably be thinking... 'Wow, this little shell came all the way from Australia.'  But then, that's not that significant because even I will have just come all the way from Australia.  And I'm not in awe of myself.  So then I thought, 'Well, this shell not only came from a beach in Australia, it's possibly been to certain depths of the ocean that I, of course, will never have access to.  Yet I am holding it in my hand right now.  It's been on the sea floor no telling how many meters below, and  it's now in my possession.  Where it's been touched by the earth below, I am touching it now.

So as this blew my mind a few times over, I sequentially made a connection to God my Father.  I will never have all the understanding of God's wisdom and glory for as long as I live on this earth as a mere human being. But Jesus?  He does have all the understanding of God's wisdom and glory.  By myself I don't have access to God.  But with Jesus, my savior and prince,  I am given freedom to have access to God.  Romans 8:9-17 says things like: The same power that conquered the grave lives in me, I am a co-heir with Christ, I share in His glory.

Just as my shell can share with me the unreachable wonders of the ocean, Jesus is my soul connection to my heavenly Father in all His glory.

"I am His and He is mine."

Sending Love.

To my family and friends, just wanted to say I LOVE YOU from Manly Beach, Australia.

What I've been wanting on a daily basis:

1. Chick-fil-A

2. To hug my cat

3. To be more in love with Jesus

Well I obviously can't have the first 2 for another couple months, but all it takes to receive number 3 is to read in the red lettering of the Gospel. "When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, 'Don't cry.'" (Luke7:13)  That's the kind of God I serve.  Amen.

If you're blessed you should be a blessing.  So since many of you probably don't have the privilege to own a baby tiger,  I will share mine with you....

What I don't understand is how an animal could be so handsome.