Great Times

Over the last several months I have felt the Lord move in me great mountains. Thank the Lord for continuing to show me the way He would have me go. Sometimes we all get off track, but when we seek Him and continue to seek Him, He will bring us back to the right track that He wanted us on all along. I feel like that is what has happened in my life. I got off track, didn't stay on the track that He wanted me on, and now He has lifted me up, taken me back to the spot where I veered to the right, and put me back on the straight and narrow path. He is lighting my way down this path very distinctly. He has brought Katie and Micah into my life, showing me clear direction for our relationship, and I am so excited about what He is doing.

This last weekend I went to IL to visit Katie and the fam. I left IN Friday evening arriving in IL at 11:10 PM IL time (that's 12:10 IN time!). We had a great time Saturday doing a little garage saling, shopping and hangin' with the fam. One of two highlights for me was spending time singing and praising the Lord at the house. The piano, yeah, I bit out of tune, but the time singing was great! :0) We then went to CPC to have a Youth outing at Katie's church...I had blast getting to help Katie! We were able to spend time together working through our Devotions for Couples book, and praying together that evening and then I left to come back to IN Sunday AM really early. I had to be back in time to lead worship at our 11AM service.

As I drove back, I snapped a few pics of the sunrise on my cell phone. (I'll post them on my facebook, so check that out for the pics.) Again this week, the Lord kept me safe driving there and back. He kept me alert, didn't let me get sleepy, and I was able to drive straight through in less than 4 hours from Katie's house to the church. :) I spent those hours mostly in prayer and listening/singing praise & worship. The Lord brought people to mind that I needed to pray for, and one of those was our senior pastor and his family. I found out after I had been praying that his daughter had been involved in a car accident Saturday night and he was dealing with that while at the same time working on preparing for service. Gary was struggling to get focus, I spoke with him and continued to pray.

Praise the Lord for that time of prayer and worship on the drive back. His majestic beauty was evident as I drove seeing the sunrise, and He brought people to me that I should pray for. It was great, and just a beginning to my day.

I'll stop my rambling, but only after saying this...I cannot wait to have Katie here, and not be so far away from each other...however again I say "In God's Time" it will happen. :)

Blessings!
Mark

New Life Swells Up! :)

New life is breathing inside of me. The Lord has been vibrantly showing me direction for my life, and He has brought Katie into my life. We've been dating now since July and it has been the most amazing time! I am praising the Lord for her, her son Micah and our relationship...He is bringing us together in ways that neither one of us have ever been. :) The boys are getting along fine...some sibling rivalry, but they are doing well. Keith has taken to Katie and so has Ray! He has prayed multiple times in the last week that he get to see "daddy's Katie" and "her micah" sometime soon. I love that kid! :)

New life is breathing inside of me thanks be to the Lord! :) He has given me new direction, and zeal for Him. Thanks be to the Lord! :)

Katie is just 8 days older than me...and I turn 30 on Saturday! :) She's amazing! She loves the Lord and her family. She is willing to help, and support me and others in whatever way needed to serve the Lord. :) I love her very very very very much, and know that in God's timing we'll be together forever! :) Keep praying for us! Thanks!

Blessings!

Mark

Some old...some new... :)

So I'm back at school....that's old.
I'm officially divorced...that's old.
I've got full custody of my beautiful boys...that's new no matter what! :)
I'm dating someone...that's kinda new. :) read more if you want to know more...
I'm using Twitter now...kinda new...

The boys are adjusting to the new schedule, and I'm working hard to give them a consistent schedule. It may not get followed at mommy's house, but that is only every other weekend and 4 hours a week.

I've reconnected with a very close friend from my ICC & IYC days (Indianapolis Childrens' Choir and Youth Chorale)...Katie is awesome! I praise the Lord for putting her in my life. I know that in God's timing things happen, and God is in control...We (Katie & I) are putting things in His hands...we know that if we are to get married God will make it happen...We're excited, in love, and Praising the Lord together for what He has done in our lives... Katie is a youth pastor in IL and has a wonderful little boy who is 5. Micah and I have hit it off, just like Katie and my boys have already hit it off. Praise the Lord for the things He has done! Please continue to pray for us. Thanks!

Blessings to you all!
Mark

Kids these days...

First of all you should know that our school does not allow cell phones to be on during school time, which includes detention. Secondly, as I start detention each day I remind them to keep their cell phones off and put away. Third, (and you'll need this one last) students are to work on school related work and there is to be no sleeping during detention.

So I'm sitting in detention with students who didn't do what they were supposed to do at school and I have a student start texting while he is in detention. I wait, and observe him doing this for a while to be sure he really thinks he is getting away with it, I mean it was only 20-25 minutes into the detention of which he had a 2 hour detention.

So, when I go to take his phone, he of course denies he had it out, then when I take it he asks if he can have it back at the end of detention. I decided that I would contact our deans' office since they were still here. They tell me that if mom doesn't come get it that it stays here at school and they are waiting on mom to call them back. Mommy calls and says what any good mother should have "Keep the phone and I'll come by tomorrow sometime and get it!" :) YEAH MOM! It was his second offense having his cell phone taken this year, so he is looking at 1 day In-School Suspension and he'll loose the privilege of even bringing the phone to school.

THEN, when you think it all couldn't get better...I have a student tell me that he doesn't have anything else to do and he is going to sleep the remainder of the time, almost an hour of his 2 hour detention! I had already woke him up 1 time to warn him about sleeping. The second time I woke him he said go ahead and write his name down for sleeping.

Wow, I don't understand why kids think they can get away with these things. Is there no discipline at home or WHAT? I'm open for discussion on this one!

Tired...

This week has been one that would wear out anyone, that's for sure. Between finally getting my boy back, going to court Tuesday, finding out we have no agreement on file and to have NO agreement filed that day(ARG!!), getting yelled at on the phone, and a WHOLE LOT MORE I've gotten tired this week. I got to finish out my week (Thurs & Fri) reading the state of Indiana's "End of Course Assessment for Biology I" 5-7 times both days! Let me just say, "Oh the Joys!". I'm kinda glad I could do that because it did keep me a little busy, but I really missed being in the classroom.

I have really enjoyed working with Kelli, and look forward to next year (and ending this year!). Thanks for being a great friend and a great boss. Happy Mother's Day all and Happy Birthday (a little early) to Aiden! :)

Blessings,
Mark

Wild Ride!

Well, let's just say that since getting all lawyered up it's been interesting. We had our preliminary court case this week and until we have our final court hearing in July the agreement that my wife and I had for the kids will remain, and has been approved by the court as an official agreement. Praise the Lord that things have gone so well for the kids. They still see mom, and spend plenty of time with me too. :)

I am doing well, and continue to improve my eating/sleeping habits. :) It's been a ride that I would never wish on my worst enemy thus far, but there are days when things seem to be going uphill rather than down it spiralling out of control. Keep praying, I know I am. There have been several songs that the Lord has spoken to me through in the last few weeks. You can google them if you'd like, but I've tried to put some links here for you.

The first is by Matthew West called "The Motions". I heard this the very first Sunday after we split. God really spoke to me through the song saying hold tight and fast, don't go through the motions as you go through this, let My all consuming passion truly consume you and I will guide you through this. In the video that Matthew West released, and is linked here, you see at the beginning a bit of the story behind the song for Matthew West. He had a potentially career ending vocal surgery, but had to rely on God fully to bring him through the surgery. Can you see where this song would speak to me. Check it out and let me know what the Lord says to you.

The second song that I'll share today is by Unhindered called "Father Will You Come". I took the youth group to Acquire the Fire (ATF) in Indianapolis and Unhindered led worship with this song multiple times during the event. My youth fell in love with the words to this song and asked if we could do it the next day at church. So, being the overachiever I am sometimes (LOL!), I went home Saturday night after ATF and found it, printed it, and learned how to sing and play it at the same time first thing Sunday AM when I got to church. We just did the chorus and bridge that Sunday, but then the next Sunday we did the whole thing. Check it out...the Lord really has spoken to me through it as well, let me know what the Lord says to you through it.

Well perhaps you see that I'm not talking much about what is going on behind the scenes...that's because at this point in time I have, I think, let go and let God, and I'm doing much better...of course until the next time that I take it back from Him and try to handle it on my own. Each time I do that, the song "Father Will You Come" comes ringing through my ears...Thank you Lord for your all consuming passion and continued presence in everything in my life.

Blessings to you all and keep praying! :)
Mark

Lawyered up...

So I'm officially lawyered up.  I met with my lawyer and paid him his retainer fee on Friday after talking 2 times to him on the phone during the week.  He gave me some very good advice and things were going okay until Sunday.  Sunday afternoon I got a call from my wife.  She wanted me to come up to the house right then and get my things and only then would I be allowed to have the boys back.  I told her I didn't want the boys to see the fact that I was getting my things, but that is not what I wanted to do at all.  Basically that is all I was given for options and then was told she would NOT be meeting me at the VP at 4:00 as was scheduled and agreed upon.  

I ended up going to the house, with parents (mine and hers!) and getting some of my things and the boys.  I talked with my lawyer today and well...I have the boys.  Who knows what may happen between now and Tuesday (next week) when we have the hearing.  Hey boss..I'm gonna have to take at least the AM off Tuesday, if not the whole day, not sure yet.  Hearing is at 9:00AM, sorry, my lawyer WAS going to change the hearing date, but after this weekend, he has decided to try to have it that day so that it is handled sooner since my wife is no longer wanting to do things the civil way.  

Keep praying! 

Mark