And The Holy Spirit Pours Out

"There's more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we're hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we're never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can't round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!" Romans 5:3-5

Let me start by saying, I am starting to learn what God wants to see in my life. First, to be a lover, follower and disciple of Christ. God wants me to share the story of His son Jesus to anyone I meet. Help out my neighbor, community and friends who are serving around the world. Second, love my wife. Give her encouragement, support her and listen to her thoughts and desires. Third, love and take care of my family. This means I serve the Lord in whatever capacity he allows and use whatever the Lord provides to put food, shelter and clothes on my wife and son.

Without listening to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, none of the above is possible.

Leadership with the Holy Spirit:

Recently I have been learning a new style of leadership: Lead with the Holy Spirit in mind; be truthful and bold and compassionate. What does that mean? Throughout the day, weekend or minute by minute, I am tasked with many things. Sometimes I can delegate certain things, asked to make on the spot decisions and many times have people looking for me for guidence. If I do follow the Holy Spirit or determine what the Lord would have me say or do, than I found out that things run much better. If I don't speak up or act with the Holy Spirit in mind, none of these things will happen and it would be just me trying to do all the work.

Confession:

Hi, my name is Jeremy, I am a recovering passive person. If you want to be run over, not speaking up is permission to be allowed to be run over. I am learning to speak up for what I believe, need and desire. As I said, if you don't, you get walked on. Don't get me wrong, sometimes saying nothing at all is the right answer, but too many times I have not said or done enough. God is teaching me this no action is sinful, not right.

As I learn these lessons and apply them, please pray that I will continue to be willing to learn and grow from the many, many, things the Lord is teaching me daily.

God Bless.

This Little Prayer of Mine Book Giveaway

This Little Prayer of Mine is a children's book that Insert Title Here is giving away in April. The deadline is April 5, 2010. Post a comment and tell me why I should mail you a free copy of this new book.

Happy posting.

10 Recommendations for the Obama Administration

This was previously written, but somehow I forgot to post it. Here it is:

2009 was such an amazing first year for the Obama Administration, I thought I would give him a few tips.

Dear Obama Administration,

Here are a few things I would like to see in 2010. I hope you make them all possible.

1. Ban vehicles in America. Let the auto industry operate along side the government with a Auto Czar and only sell vehicles as exports.

2. Due to the ban on vehicles heavily promote mass transportation. Build more trains, bicycle lanes and walking paths for people to get around on.

3. Raise taxes. I think if you take away more of our money it will be better for everyone.

4. Enact a strict censorship law on all media banning any negative talk about the Obama Administration.

5. Start DNA profiling every American, except elected officials, in order to more accurately track individuals.

6. Tear down the White House and build a more green and efficient place to run the nation.

7. Mandate that everyone should have a dog. If the president has one, than we should all have one.

8. Tell John McCain that it is no longer election time, implying that during the campaign he was just lying (he was.)

9. Ram the health care bill on millions of American who don't want it (this is a HIGHLY possibility.)

10. Ban freespeech so people like you and I can't write blogs like this!

Have a great 2010, Mr. President.

Prayer Request and Support for Kodi

Stine Taylor has been keeping us posted on Kodi. Kodi is 5 years old who has just been diagnosed with cancer. I have gotten to know Kodi's parents over the past serveral years through the camp and Stine keeps us updated on how the family is doing. Stine posted the following on facebook and I wanted to share it with my readers:

"So you want to help......

Alright family, friends and friends that are family.........

I know that everyone wants to jump it and give or do something to help Kodi and her family. This is what all of you can do right now. First say a prayer of healing and understanding for the Tutt's. Then pull out your check books and donate some $$$ to the Tutts. I know what you are thinking "Just money!!" Yes just money, they are currently being overwhelmed with gifts and just random junk. Kodi does not need more junk in the house gathering dust, dust and germs are now the enemy. With the money you donate the Tutts can use it for what is needed. You can send donations to:

Prosperity Bank
1100 N. Stemmons
Sanger, Texas 76266

If you don't want to give cash another good option is gift cards. Gas cards, fast food gift cards....etc.

Ok......there are t-shirts and stickers in the works. I will get prices as soon as these items are created and I will post about them. At that time if you would like one, two .....six, let me know and I will take care of it.

If yall have any questions about anything just let me know. The best way to get a hold of me is via text. [you can get this number from me; email me @ jeremyhellums@gmail.com]

I love all of y'all

And the Tutts appreciate all of the prayers and support."

Please prayerfully consider this and lift Kodi and her family up in prayers. God Bless.

Friday Movie Pick: The Bounty Hunter & Green Zone

I am going to try and bring back my Friday Movie Pick. I really enjoyed watching the Oscars the other night and remember when The Hurt Locker came out; although I have not seen it yet, but from the previews alone I knew it was going to be a hit.

The Bounty Hunter cast includes Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler. Director Andy Tennant (Hitch) spins a tale of a bounty hunter whose next target is his ex-wife. It should be a good little flick.

Green Zone will be the "Bourne flick" of 2010. I highly enjoy watching Matt Damon in action films and until he makes a bad one, I will continue to be a fan. Set in Iraq, Damon's character learns covert and faulty intelligence might be the reason weapons of mass destruction cannot be found. I look forward to seeing this film.

If you've seen them, let me know what you thought. Happy movie watching. Have a great weekend.

Thanks for Signing Up for Friends of Highland Lakes

In my post on January 12, 2010, I shared with you a bit of my testimony and some facts about the camp and a few of you decided to support the camp.

I wanted to say a big THANK YOU for those of you who signed up for Friends of Highland Lakes Camp. The work here for the kingdom continues day to day and I am excited to share last weekend at Hot Hearts there were 13 decisions to follow Christ. The Lord is moving and we ask for the continued prayers and support for Highland Lakes Camp.

Have a great weekend.

Baby Hellums Number Two Update

The ultrasound was so much fun. I have been looking forward to March 17th for awhile (not due to St. Patrick's Day; I did wear green though).

The tech went right to work, so fast, I didn't even catch his name. The tech said, "I will do all the measurements first and than show you the screen." He squirted the nasty gel stuff on and went to work. Landon and I found a spot behind the tech so we could get a good look at the screen. I asked, "Do you mind if I stand here?" I don't recall the response, but I held my position.

At first I didn't know what he was looking at, but than I started to see little body parts including: the heart, neck and head. He was doing some initial measurements and I watched him measure the heart and counted the chambers. It is so amazing to see the growth of a baby at 18 weeks.

The tech moved the instrument around and all of a sudden I saw something very fimilar. I exclaimed, "That's a peepee, we're having another boy!" After my outburst the tech lightened up a little and started chatting with us. We got several great pictures of Baby Hellums Number Two. The tech told us he is about 8 ounces now and everything looked good.

Landon fell asleep about half way into the appointment. He got a little bored, but what do you expect he is only 8 months old. I snapped a picture of him sleeping on my chest. He is so precious.

As you might remember from Landon, we will announce Baby Hellums Number Two's name online the day of the birth. If you happen to chat with us in person and really want to know, we are likely to tell you because we are very excited.

Please continue to pray for my family and Baby Hellums Number Two. Thanks to everyone for your continued prayers and support.

Baby Hellums Number Two is...

A boy!

More details to come.

Wanted!

As of this afternoon, Landon Hellums was wanted for breaking the below vase. He has been seen crawling up and leaning against the said vase and has been told "no" several times for said actions.

This afternoon he was hanging out with his Pawpaw and he was driving his red Radioflyer Rocketship. He made it into the entry to the hallway and made a pit stop by the red baseball shaped vase. That is when he leaned or pushed against the vase and WHAM! went the vase.

Thankfully, no one was hurt, but it is uncertain if the parents should be blamed for even having a large glass vase in their house or if the little guy who broke the item should be charged.

A unstated reward has been issued for any information connected with this incident.

Is it a Boy or a Girl?

Tomorrow is the day we go to the doctor to find out if we ar having a boy or a girl. I am very excited about this appointment. Kari has been feeling Baby Number Two move around a lot and I felt the movement a few nights ago.

I have been talking and praying with Landon about our new addition, but I am pretty sure he has no clue he is about to have a sibling.

I was thinking about it last night and I am not sure I ever imagined having two kids this close together. In fact, I am sure I thought of having kids some day, but never thought it would be this way. It always seems to happen to Kari and I; we make plans, but they don't work out our way.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" Jeremiah 29:11.

Have a wonderful day.

Aaron Ivey Band

I had the pleasure of mixing the Aaron Ivey Band at Hot Hearts. Aaron and his band are great guys who not only make good music and have a heard for the Lord, but made an amazing music video:



According to youtube this is, "A music video from Aaron Ivey of the track, "Amos Story", from his latest record, "Between The Beauty & Chaos." Look for opportunities to tangibly help Haiti at the end of this video." They rocked this live for the students at Hot Hearts and I can't get these images out of my head everytime I hear the song.

I hope you enjoyed. God Bless.

Happy Three Year Anniversary, Kari

Today marks our three year anniversary. It has been a very fun ride so far and I look forward to it becoming even better. We have been blessed to have our first son, Landon Jeremy on July 4th and are expecting Baby Hellums Number Two in August.

I will never forgot when Kari Davenport walked into Miles Auditorium at Highland Lakes Camp and introduced herself to me. She was wearing her finest clothing, summer work clothes: boy shorts and an old t-shirt. For the record, I was on the ladder working while two of my buddies watched me.

Kari: "Hey, is that a Texas A&M wristband?" (back when the Lance Armstrong wristbands were popular and everyone under the sun made one).

Jeremy: "No! (with disdain) It is Texas State."

Kari: "Oh well, I thought it was A&M. I am Kari Davenport.

The rest of the details in my head are a bit sketchy, but I won't forget those words, her smile, and confidence.

I am thankful to have her as my bride and best friend. I pray that we continue to draw near to one another and the Lord together for many years to come.

Happy Anniversary.

Quotes from A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller

These are just a few of my favorite lines from A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller. If you haven't read Blue Like Jazz, I would recommend reading it before you read this new one.

"Here's the truth about telling stories with you life. It's going to sound like a great idea, and you are going to get excited about it, and then when it comes time to do the work, you're not going to want to do it. It's like writing a books, and it's like that with life. People love to have lived a great story, but few people like the work it takes to make it happen. But joy costs pain." pg. 100

"Job found contentment and even joy, outside the context of comfort, health or stability. He understood the story was not about him, and he cared more about the story then he did about himself." pg. 197

"The human story goes on." pg. 203

"It's a terrible thing to wake up and realize the person you just finished crucifying didn't turn out to be Jesus." pg. 205

Have a great day. God Bless.

Very Interesting Article on Church of Scientology

"Raised as Scientologists, Christie King Collbran and her husband, Chris, were recruited as teenagers to work for the elite corps of staff members who keep the Church of Scientology running...

They signed a contract for a billion years — in keeping with the church’s belief that Scientologists are immortal. They worked seven days a week, often on little sleep, for sporadic paychecks of $50 a week, at most."

The New York Times posted this article this morning concerning abuse in the Church of Scinetology. Here is another quote from the article:

"The defectors say Sea Org members were repeatedly beaten by the church’s chairman, David Miscavige, often during planning meetings; pressured to have abortions; forced to work without sleep on little pay; and held incommunicado if they wanted to leave."

Check out the link and read it for yourself!

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6).

Just Landon & I

This weekend Kari is going to a Lady's Retreat, so Landon and I are holding down the fort. We dropped Mommy off yesterday evening and headed back to camp. He basically cried the whole way home and threw up on himself. About 15 minutes from the house, he feel asleep.

Due to the vomit, I tossed him in the bathtub and we played for a little bit. He loves the bathtub, but is not satisfied with just "swimming" on his belly. Landon has to stand up in the tub, explore and cause me to worry about him hitting his head (which he does).

I got him dressed and bedtime was quickly approaching. He took his last bottle of the evening and quickly fell asleep. It was a great night and I got plenty of sleep.

Currently he is napping, maybe it will be one of those two hour naps I have been hearing about. It has been a great day off with my son and I am excited and looking forward to the rest of the weekend with him.

I have a special prayer request: Kari's Aunt Eve was just diagnosed with cancer. Eve is an amazing mother of three little ones who depend on her a ton. Her husband, John, is not taking it so well, so please pray for healing and comfort for John and Eve.

I hope everyone has a great weekend. Also keep Kari, Landon and I in your prayers as she attends the retreat and Landon and I spend our first weekend solo.

God Bless.

"Tiger Woods' apology: sincere or staged?"

This question has been posted or said in so many places since yesterday's press conference.

Who cares.

Leave the man and his family alone. He made a mistake and apologized; let him work it out with his family and get back on the golf course as soon as possible!

Find something else to report.

This concludes my rant. Thanks.

Hear No Evil

Matthew Turner had me laughing from the beginning of Hear No Evil. This was a book that was not going to be put down. What seemed a bit like the movie, Almost Famous, Turner offers a view into how music has affected his life, and how it subconsciously affects us all. His jokes and honesty about being a Baptist made this a page turner, but he was real with everything he wrote. The honesty he pours into this book helps all Christians realize that they aren’t the only ones who have been there. Turner talks about personal struggles and it is something we can all relate to, but something we would never share with other believers for fear of being judged.

This book goes by quickly, but music is always in the background, whether you’re hearing Turner’s or the music of your past. He ends with a perfect sound and what I felt was a peace to how life has gone. There is always a song or artist who can help you find your way back to, or closer to God. I’d recommend this book to a reader of any age. Happy reading!

This was book was provided for review by WaterBrook Multnomah.

Reviewed By: Ashley Beggs

Love & War Worth Your Time

By reading the first few pages of Love and War by John and Stasi Eldredge, I know I have found a good one.

"With refreshing openness that will grab readers...the Eldredges candidly discuss their own marriage and the insights they’ve gained from the challenges they faced."

John and Stasi take turns giving their respected point of views and the knowledge they have gained from the situtions shared. They don't seem to hold anything back; confessing in the beginning that early on in their marriage they were already discussing divorce.

As I have been reading through the book, many of the topics and thoughts have been very relevant in my own life. It has made me evaluate how I can strive to be a better husband to my wife. I am sure I will be re-reading several sections of this book in order to soak in all that I can from Love and War. Check it out and get your copy today.

God Bless.

This was book was provided for review by WaterBrook Multnomah.

Hellums Family News Update

Kari, Landon and I went to the doctor on February 3rd and learned she is 12 weeks along (as previously posted). The heart rate was averaging about 160 and from the picture everything seems to be doing fine.

Kari is experiencing the same type of sickness she had with Landon. This includes: vomiting several times a day, nausea and sometimes a headache. She didn't try during the last pregency, but she is taking Zofran, which is used to prevent nausea and vomiting. It works every other day, but she is very thankful for the good days.

In addition to moving very fast on all fours, Landon is now pulling up on anything he can get his hands on. His favorite "toy" now is an empty diaper box. He will pull himself up to his feet and than push his entire body on top of the box and lay there like a seal. He does fall off on occasion, but Kari or myself is usually there to catch him.

I am continuing to love where God has allowed me to serve. I enjoy everyday at Highland Lakes Camp. Ira, Brandon and I are always working hard, but laughing almost all day long. We are currently pulling a daily prank on Mr. Clyde and Mr. Bill; everytime they go on break at the dining hall they leave the windows down on the truck. We roll up and lock the doors to the truck; easy to get back into, but their reactions are priceless (shhh, they don't know we are doing this).

This month we are hosting the annual Highland Lakes Women's Conference. Called to A New Day will be February 26-27 and it looks to be a wonderful event. On March 12-13, Highland Lakes is hosting the Texas Hill Country Hot Hearts Student Conference. The featured guest are: Afshin Ziafat, Aaron Ivey, and Remedy Drive. You can register online this year, so sign up today.

I hope everyone is doing well. God Bless and have a great week.

Love Never Fails by Brandon Heath

"Love is not proud
Love does not boast
Love after all
Matters the most

Love does not run
Love does not hide
Love does not keep
Locked inside

Love is the river that flows through
Love never fails you

Love will sustain
Love will provide
Love will not cease
At the end of time

Love will protect
Love always hopes
Love still believes
When you don’t

Love is the arms that are holding you
Love never fails you

When my heart won’t make a sound
When I can’t turn back around
When the sky is falling down
Nothing is greater than this
Greater than this

Love is right here
Love is alive
Love is the way
The truth the life

Love is the river than flows through
Love is the arms that are holding you
Love is the place you will fly to
Love never fails you"

"Franklin is Takin' it With Him"

Rev. Joe Dan Franklin, Kari's Pepapa (grandpa), passed away on February 5, 2010, at the age of 80.

One of his many statements concerning death was "Franklin is takin' it with him." He would joke that at his funeral he wanted a u-haul truck to follow the hearse with a sign on it that said, "Franklin is takin' it with him," and than he would laugh a great big laugh. He was a man who loved to joke, give people a hard time, loved people and the Lord passionately.

Rev. Joe Dan served as pastor at several churches in Central and East Texas and Louisiana. One of my favorite sermons he shared with me was simply, "Love." He described to me that the Lord had laid on his heart to get up and just say, "love," to the congregation. What a powerful message; one that I will never forget.

Rev. Joe Dan was married to Mary Lou and had five wonderful children: Martha, Danny, Becky, Ruth and John; many many grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 1 to 5 p.m., Sunday, February 7, at Memorial Funeral Chapel in College Station. A funeral service is set for 10:30 a.m. Monday, February 8, at First Baptist Church of College Station.

Thanks for all your prayers. God Bless.

Angels

Angels: Who They Are and How They Help--What the Bible Reveals by Dr. David Jeremiah is a look into angels. Dr. Jeremiah uses scripture to reveal to the reader his points. Its not a quick read, because it makes you want to pick up your bible and read many of the accounts in the bible the author refers to.

It is an interesting and intriguing topic. I would recommend checking out Dr. David Jeremiah Angels.

This book was provided for review by WaterBrook Multnomah.

Baby Hellums Number Two News

Baby Hellums Number Two is scheduled, which we all know is subject to change, is due August 15, 2010.

More to come.

God bless and please keep us in your prayers.

Do You Ever Google Your Name?

I do often.

For several reasons, but now Insert Title Here is the first hit when you google Jeremy Hellums. This evening I typed in Kari Hellums and found the following article in the Rockdale Reporter:

"Congratulations to Ronald and Ruth Davenport of Milano on the birth of their new grandson. Daughter Kari Hellums and husband Jeremy welcomed their first child, Landon Jeremy, at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, July 4. Landon weighed six pounds 14 ounces and was 18 inches long.

Other grandparents are Denis and Donna Hellums of Cedar Creek and Debbie Lueders of Smithville. Great grandparents are Joe Dan and Mary Lou Franklin of College Station and Granny Lueders of Bastrop."

I had no clue this was in a newspaper. Gotta love Google!

I hope everyone has had a great week. God Bless.

Attack of Mommy

Attack of Landon

Prayerfully Consider Friends of Highland Lakes Camp

As most of you know, I currently serve at Highland Lakes Camp in Spicewood, TX. Highland Lakes has been a very special place for me for more than eleven years. In the Summer of 1998, I accepted the Lord as my Saviour. This instilled within me a passion to serve others in the name of the Lord. Another amazing divine appointment at Highland Lakes was the Summer of 2005, when I met my wife Kari in Miles Auditorium and most recently the Lord called Kari and I to live and work at Highland Lakes in April of 2009.

Highland Lakes Camp is a place for ANYONE to come: to find the Lord, meet with God here in worship and prayer, enjoy Christian fellowship and SO many other ways. I was just one of the 16,700+ who have commited their lives to Christ over the last 50 years at Highland Lakes Camp. That is an average of 334 people annually who come to know the Lord. Isn't that an amazing thing to praise the Lord for?

Our new Director of Development and Church Relations, Rod Cordsen, has put together a monthly giving program designed to invite every person who is connected to Highland Lakes Camp either from coming to camp here, participating in a retreat, being a member of a local church connected to the work of the camp and our 12 associational Baptist churches and their members to join together in reaching our communities for Christ. Our staff and board are already the largest financial supporters of the camp and that is due to first God's call on their lives and second their understanding of what God is doing here and finally their belief that it is important in the kingdom.

What does all that mean for the readers of Insert Title Here?

I am asking for your help and join Kari and I in becoming a Friend of Highland Lakes Camp. We have submitted our paper work and our asking you to join us in supporting Friends of Highland Lakes Camp.

It is easy. You can follow the link and set up your monthly donation online, call the camp (1-888-222-3482) and talk to Rod Cordsen or download the form from the website and mail it in. If you have any questions email me.

God Bless.

Coming Soon in 2010: Hellums Baby Number Two

FAQ:

How far along is she? We are not for certain as of yet; we will be going to the doctor sometime in the next couple of weeks. (I am sure I will post more details after that appointment.)

Were you planning this? No. Too many times Kari and I make plans, but God has a completely different plan. I said this a few times, "I am not sure if we would have planned Baby Number Two, so this works."

Was Kari taking birth control? Yes and as my boss likes to say, "That baby is going to come out with its fist clinched around a little pill."

Are you excited? I am very excited, but shocked. Who wouldn't want three more little "Landon" babies! :) It has been a wonderful first six months and I am looking forward to having another baby.

Is Kari sick again? Yes. She has already started throwing up and snacking all day long. I guess we should have realized something was up when she started snacking again at weird hours.

Do you have a name picked out? We do have a girl name picked out, but not a boy name. Upon birth we will announce the name of Baby Number Two.

Do you want a boy or a girl? Yes. We are praying for a healthy and strong baby. I think Kari would like a girl, but I want another boy.

If I missed anything, please feel free to ask. We would ask that you pray for Kari, Landon and I as we travel down another year of pregnancy.

Batterson's Primal Worth the Read

Mark Batterson's latest book is an encouragement to myself and the church of one of Jesus' teaching, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind..." (Luke 10:27). Primal: A Quest for the Lost Soul of Christianity is broken into four sections and Batterson focuses on the ways we can love God: our heart, soul, strength, and our minds. This happens to be one of my "cornerstone verses" that I often read and re-read.

Batterson uses easy to read applicable stories from his own life and others to help the reader understand his points. I would highly recommend anyone reading this book. The author never writes over your head and his books ooze with his own personal relationship with Christ; it is easy to allow God to change your heart after reading a Mark Batterson book.

Check out Primal: A Quest for the Lost Soul of Christianity, you won't be disappointed.

God Bless.

This book was provided for review by WaterBrook Multnomah.

A Few Quick Points

Landon had his first cold; 101 temp and all...he is getting better, still a little congested.

Today began Christmas break @ HLCCC; ready for a little rest and relaxation. Family Christmas' here we come!

We recently found out we will be moving from the north side of camp to what I call the east side of camp. We will be moving from our 1 bedroom duplex to a 3 bedroom house. It will be more space and crawling room for Landon.

Kari hurt her back some how and was in extreme pain last night; please keep her in your prayers and Landon too as he is fighting this cold (and we are loosing sleep).

I plan to write a Christmas blog...so stay tuned. God bless.

Hey Cupcake! Review

We have driven by the new Hey Cupcake! stand in Oak Hill and finally dropped by to see what it was all about. I have heard several people say they were amazing cupcakes, so we had to check it out.

With one store front and four other location "on wheels" in and around Austin; business does not seem to be too bad. I think the idea is cleaver, especially in a town like Austin. If you haven't seen one of these stands, basically the menu consists of 7 cupcakes, drinks and other gift items (shirt, hat, gift card).

Kari ordered The Standard and Red Velvet. We tried both and to be honest weren't very impressed. The Standard left a funny after taste in my mouth, none that I desire in a cupcake. The price seems a little high as well. Coming in at $2.50, that will be the last $5.00 I will spent at Hey Cupcake!.

With a little quality improvement in the flavor of the cupcakes, this little business would be smokin', but until than, it is just and average, quirky desert joint in Austin.

Have a great day.

A Few New Photos by Rod

Landon Laughs Some More

It All Boils Down to Love

One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"

"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." Mark 12:28-31

Will and I have talked about the "most important" passage in all of scripture and the above is in my opinion one of those critical passages we need to grasp. In addition to making Jesus Christ our Lord, we need to love above all else. When we are loving God and our neighbors, as the passage states, how can anyone walk around NOT excited about life.

"Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth." Psalm 100:1

First and foremost we should love God. I think if many of us lived this on a daily basis, our world would look a lot different. Jesus' love should be pouring out of us to God, praising Him for our lives, creation and all the many blessings He showers down upon us. Each day is a day granted by God and rightly so, we should shout for joy to the Lord. Colossians 3:17 states, "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

What does this look like? I think if and when we are loving the Lord are God and our neighbors: someone is excited about life with a smile on their face and encouraging one another; lending a helping hand to those in need; someone who looks past: race, creeds and economic status, but sees another creation by God; talking and praise the Lord throughout the day. These are just a few ways I think the world would look if we allowed God's love to flow in and through us on a daily, minute by minute basis.

God love you. In Psalm 66:20, the writer gives praise to God, "...who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!" God's love is indesirably huge and amazing and yet, we are loved by God. ("We love because he first loved us," 1 John 4:19.)

Be encouraged today to let love in, as the Goo Goo Dolls song goes, it all boils down to God's love. God loves you. Spread and share His love today with someone you know; a friend, neighbor, a stranger or anyone I might not have mentioned; just take the many opportunities God has ordained for you and love on someone.

God Bless.

Landon Eats His Toes

Landon's great-Mama (pronounced Maw maw) was putting his toes in his mouth for the first time and laughing so hard about it. Kari filmed this in Bastrop earlier this afternoon and uploaded it. Enjoy.

Landon has a Giggling Fit

I am pretty sure this was filmed @ 7:20pm, but I could not figure out how to change the time...I really did try. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this little clip.

He sure is a happy little baby.

God Bless.

Memories to Share

Recent family moments that will be hard to forget:

Feeding Landon at 4am. He closes his eyes to fall asleep, but giggles and than smiles. It was such a precious moment.

The first time he giggled. We went over to my Mama's house (pronounced Maw maw) and my mother (Landon's Big Momma) was showing him a new toy. He threw himself back in my mom's arms and started giggling, to the point he choked himself up.

Running to H.E.B. with just my wife. My Mama insisted she take care of him. Kari and I strolled around H.E.B. getting a few items, but rushed back to see our son. It is one of the first and few times we have left him alone.

Sleeping away from Mom & Dad. Landon currently shares a room with us. We went to visit Grammy, Kari's mom, and we put him down in his baby bed in a completely different room. He slept almost 9 hours each night over the weekend. Kari thinks my snoring is keeping him up, but we can't prove it yet (I don't think I snore).

There are so many more, but these are just a few that I thought I would share. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. God Bless.

Quoteable Moment

Ira: "I took you some work."

Mr. Clyde: "What did you bring me?"

Ira: "A piano bench."

Mr. Clyde: "A can of beer?"

Mr. Clyde is one of our resident volunteers who is 86. He is a cabinet builder and does amazing work. He is a little hard of hearing, hence the hilarious reply...I thought I would share.

God Bless.

Rainbow Over Highland Lakes Camp

Insert Title Here...Time for a Title Change?

When I started my blog, Insert Title Here, on Sunday, August 14, 2005, I wasn't sure what my blog was going to be about, but it has become a writing exercise, an outlet for some of my theological thoughts, sharing family news and some political rants. I am uncertain if Insert Title Here still fits my blog, so I need your help.

I am going to start a poll, but also want your comments. Should the title of my blog remain Insert Title Here, or should I explore a new title? I am not even sure if I could come up with a new title, but I think I will open the discussion.

Positive: Insert Title Here works because I have a different title for each blog, so you could insert that "new" title each time.

Negative: When people ask me about my blog, Insert Title Here and they ask me how to get to it, I have to respond, "www.jhellums.blogspot.com" instead of www.inserttitlehere.blogspot.com because someone already has it, but never post.

Drop me a comment and maybe a vote on my poll. Thanks for reading, if it is Insert Title Here, or if it isn't!

God Bless.

Psalm 125:1-2

Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion,
which cannot be shaken but endures forever.

As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
so the LORD surrounds his people
both now and forevermore.

Must See Pictures

Random Thoughts...(That Will Do)

Cash for Clunkers...almost 750,000 new vehicles were sold, so now 750,000 Americans are further in debt; thanks Cash for Clunkers (I know this maybe a little late, but that's why the title is Random Thoughts).

A couple of days off sure does heal the old body.

The Dallas Cowboys didn't look half bad; Romo did better in the second half, but I guess this is only Week 1. How 'bout them Cowboys!

Sadly, the Astros will not be making the post-season, go figure. Who shall I root for...I thought Texas had a chance, but it doesn't look like that will happen either. Go Colorado!

The Men Who Stare at Goats is on my "to see in the theater" list.

I am reading Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10 by Marcus Luttrell with Patrick Robinson on a recommendation by my boss; I can't put it down.

The Miles dedication went off well. Dennis Swanberg is a funny guy and does an amazing Billy Graham impression. A highlight (paraphrased):

Dennis' mother - "I just paid $2.37 for gas. Did you hear that son, I paid $2.37 for gas today. How much do you pay Dennis?"

Dennis' reply - "I don't know, Momma. We just pull up to the pump and fill up weather its $2.37 or $4.47; we still need gas."

Dennis' mother - "You don't know how much you pay?"

Dennis' reply - "No Momma, I don't."

Dennis' mother - "Well, that why you don't have nothing, you don't even know how much gas is."

I am sure that went off better when Swanberg told it, but I had to share (maybe if you read it out loud and talk like an old lady for his mothers parts it will be funny).

Ok. Randomness is coming to a close. The back story on the video of The Ira & Jeremy Show next time, stay tuned. Have a great evening.

The Ira & Jeremy Show

Back to Work

After a refreshing five days off, a birthday celebration and Landon's two month milestone, I am back to work. Saturday, September 12th is the dedication ceremony of Miles Auditorium at Highland Lakes Camp. Our featured guest and comedian will be Dennis Swanberg. It should be a pretty neat dedication ceremony (Kari and I met in the old Miles Auditorium). I believe God is going use this new auditorium to touch thousands of lives; young and old and I look forward to God using me at Highland Lakes Camp.

Landon continues to grow. I am not sure exactly when this growing is happening, maybe it happens while I am at work or while he sleeps, but I cannot be for certain. It seems like I get to see him so much and I would be able to see the "growing" happen right before my eyes, but I guess it doesn't work that way; he just keeps getting bigger! He is now smiling and laughing at just about anyone. I was lucky enough to capture one of these moments on film Monday morning (on my new video camera, thanks Mom); it is such a precious moment. At some point I hope to share a few of these videos with you (like Landon Makes Faces).

My birthday celebration was amazing. The Lord has blessed me with such an amazing wife. She went all out to make it one of the best birthday celebrations. She made arrangements to have my mom there, a few gifts and wonderful food. We ate homemade chicken and dumplings, chocolate cheese cake with cherries on top (yummy!) and rice crispy treats. She knows how to take care of her husband and treat him like a king. I love you, Kari.

That's about all the time I have. Back to the family. God Bless...until next time.

Ring the Bell Promo

"Ring the Bell" is a fundraising campaign by Highland Lakes Camp aimed at raising money for Miles Auditorium. After the fire in Nov. 2006, the camp had a vision to build a new building and office complex in place of Miles Auditorium. Currently the auditorium and office is complete, but we are asking for your gifts and support to help pay for the new building. To donate check out www.highlandlakescamp.org or call 1-888-222-3482

Baby Landon Getting Bigger

Landon weights about 12 pounds and is about 23 inches long (according to Mama's measuring tape). This coming Friday he will be two months old and getting his first shot.

Some things I have been enjoying:

Late night feeding times. About 3 or 4am he has his first morning snack and he and I get to hang out. The best part is, after his belly is full he falls right back to sleep.

Baby noises are precious. It is hard to describe for a blog, but baby noises are amazing.

Changing a diaper is tricky. You have to be very careful when opening a little boys diaper; I am happy to report he has only shot me twice (Whew!).

Dressing someone else (Landon) is hard. Maybe it is because I am trying to be careful with him, but I move to slow when it comes to putting clothes on him.

When Landon smiles he melts his daddy's heart.

I hope everyone is doing well. God Bless and keep it tuned to Insert Title Here.

Photoshoot w/ Cordsen Photography

These are just a few of the many pictures that were taken by our friends Rod and Dana. Check out www.cordsenphotography.com for his work. He does some great stuff. More to come.

"Pop the Chutes"

At the end of the day my boss will usually say, "Pop the Chutes." That is how I feel as Saturday approaches. Saturday officially marks the end of summer for Highland Lakes Camp; which means summer staff goes home, PR slows down and Retreat Season begins. The transition has already begun: Milam dorm has been converted back into a meeting space, bunk beds were pulled from the hotel and extra tables were moved from the dining hall. These are just a few of the retreat season changes being made.

Kari, Landon and I have been blessed by volunteers Rod and Dana Cordsen with baby and family photos. Rod is a professional photographer and has been volunteering for the PR staff for the last two weeks. It has been a pleasure getting to know him and his wife through work, fellowship and a photoshoot. They own a company called Story Studios and have a guarantee that I have never seen before, check out his websites Story Studios and Cordsen Photography.

Landon continues to amaze me everyday. He is starting to make new sounds and he is beginning to follow objects with his eyes and head. I watched as he scooted to the position that he found most comfortable before he fell asleep; so he maybe a little picky. He enjoys music, but most of all he loves being with his mommy. Kari's presence alone calms him.

I hope and pray each of you is doing well. Take care and tune in next time for more from Insert Title Here.

One Month and One Day (Plus some)

I might have said it before, but Kari and I are having a blast. I do confess, Kari is sleeping less than I am, but we are finding a good balance. Last night, we went to bed at midnight and he slept till 4:55am. After about a 20 to 30 minute snack, he went back to sleep until 7:15am. We are praying he repeats this routine tonight.

He continues to get bigger and bigger. I am amazed daily at how quickly he is growing, even though I heard "they grow up fast."

We are coming to the close of Summer 2009: Children's Camp and Pre-Teen Three are all that is left on the calendar. I am continuing to enjoy my job/ministry here at Highland Lakes Camp. Each day brings something new and God is do amazing things here. Please keep us in your prayers as we wrap up the summer.

God Bless.

Landon Makes Faces

Reflections on Fatherhood: Part Two

"The newness of fatherhood continues to strike me with wonder and amazement."

Little girls dream about their wedding, how many kids they will have and what house they will live in. Boys think about dirt, tearing things up and food. I don't recall every imagining what it would be like to be a father; I don't believe I could have imagined it correctly anyway.

Sitting up at four in the morning, just Landon and I, in the living room hanging out is priceless. As I watch his facial expressions, listen to his sounds, I wonder, "what is he thinking?" I have resolved that when he is dreaming he is seeing colors and shapes, similar to fireworks, but I am just guessing. I enjoy watching his faces so much I have caught myself just filming his face; crying and whining and all.

Landon is getting so much bigger and so quickly. People always say, "they grow up fast." They aren't kidding. He is now 20 inches long and weights 7 lbs and 10 ounces. We went to the doctor and he seems to be doing great. The doctor said he has a strong neck and he is doing well.

Kari went to see Mama yesterday. I got a phone call and Kari said he rolled over. Are you kidding me? I am not sure how old kids are supposed to be when they roll over, but if he is rolling over already I guess that means we will have to keep a closer watch on him so he doesn't roll off things. (wonderful!)

I hope that everyone is doing well. Keep it tuned to Insert Title Here. God Bless.

Landon Getting Bigger

Here Big Momma: New Pics of Landon

Reflections on Fatherhood: Part One

"Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22-23

At this point, the summer of 2009 has been huge when compared to previous summers in my life. As most of you know, I lost my grandfather on Sunday, June 28th and six days later Kari and I had our baby, Landon.

In just a short period of time, myself and my family experienced a loss and welcomed a new life into this world. As the verse states, the Lord is faithful through it all. God has taught me a ton in a very short period of time.

As I watched my Mama express her everlasting love to my dying grandfather she stated, "I'll sell everything I have in order to get Papa home and comfortable." WOW! Short of dying for him, which I am sure she would do, she would give it all up for her spouse. This everlasting love for her spouse is one I hope to give my wife and son. This also is just a glimpse of how our father in heaven loves us, "For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies" (Psalm 57:10).

This theme of love continued on July 4th. As Kari cried, groaned and expressed her labor pains we rushed to the hospital, time stood still; several hours later we became Mommy and Daddy to Landon. Once I laid eyes on our precious gift I was in love. I used to say, "There are no pretty newborns." People would insist, when its your own it doesn't matter. Those people who said it doesn't matter when its your own, were right; he swept me off my feet by his presence and cry.

The amazing responsibility and trust that is bestowed upon someone who has a baby is beyond description. A father is supposed by responsible to take care of his child, but yet he has to trust that God will protect his child whenever his earthly father can't be there for him. Many people said, "Your life is about to change." This is true, but an understatement. We attempt to pray daily for him and myself to trust that in the good times and in the bad times, "His love never fails."

Love of your spouse; love of your child; (love for everyone) and love for God should be everlasting and unconditional, even if he grows up to be a football player or a book worm.

More to come, Reflections on Fatherhood: Part Two.

God Bless.

New Pictures

Landon Jeremy and Family

A Little Background on the July 4th Birth

Originally back in October the doctor estimated that we would have Landon in early July. After several other appointments and various tests it was determined he would be due on July 20th. Therefore we scheduled a c-section for July 14th.

On Friday, July 3rd, Kari began experiencing contractions. We called the doctor several times to figure out how we would know when the best time to go to the hospital would be. We were told to write down how long in between contractions and how long each one lasted. Once they reached 5 minutes apart and lasting for about a minute for an hour, than we should go to the hospital.

The contractions continued through the night. With one phone call to the doctors office and several to my mother in law, Ruth, at approximately 6:00am we decided it was time to go to the hospital. We hurriedly made preparations; packed our bag and gathered cameras, etc. (since he was 10 days early we had not already done these things). I remembered that I left my camera at the office so before leaving campus I ran into the office to get the cameras, just in case (still believing we weren't having the baby).

Our hour drive allowed for a perfect time to see what the contractions were doing. She had been contracting for almost 24 hours, but there was no pattern. The pattern formed on the way to Round Rock. As we watched the clock the contractions were hitting 5 minutes apart and lasting for one minute. We found out our doctor was on call and we arrived at 7:30am.

We were quickly taken upstairs to labor and delivery where the nurses monitored and reported to our doctor for about 30 to 45 minutes. Before the doctor came to see us one last nurse measured her cervix; Kari was already sitting at 4cm. Now it is not uncommon for someone to be 4cm and not deliver immediately, but our doctor came in and advised we have him on July 4th. Without hesitation because of the pain and because we were ready to meet our bundle of joy, we advised the doctor to proceed.

At about 9:15am they wheeled Kari back to the ER and I waited patiently in the room for a nurse to come and get me. I had some trouble getting all my gear on and even tore one for the shoe covers (they should put arrows on those things or at least have someone help you put them on). We went back to the ER and the doctor was ready to go.

9:53am Landon Jeremy was delivered. I watched as the doctor removed him from my wife's belly. She proudly showed him off to Kari and I. I witnessed the cleaning and first diaper; in addition the weighting and measuring. The pediatrician showed Landon to Kari than handed him to me. We waited with Mommy behind the sheet as the doctor finished the procedure. Mommy immediately showered him with kisses and glowed with happiness at the sight of our baby boy.

By 10:30am we were back in our room with Landon. He doesn't cry much and loves to be wrapped tight in his blanket. He enjoys snuggling with his Mommy and we already treat him like our little prince. He makes several funny faces and even has this half smile face. There are two dimples, one on each side of his face and two little dimples under his bottom lip (which we have noticed that both my brothers have these dimples).

Kari's parents and siblings and my Pop, Donna and Brooke were in the waiting room ready to meet Landon. We took a few minutes and than Kari began vomiting. This last for about 4 hours, but she has not thrown up since. Many family and friends have already come to visit and welcome Landon to the family. Thanks to everyone who's dropped by, called us, sent us a text message, wall post or whatever other form of communication...Thanks to everyone for your love and support. We look forward to introducing each of you to Landon shortly and expect to be out of the hospital by Tuesday morning.

Please continue to keep us in your prayers. This morning Landon gets a shot and circumcised. I am not looking forward to this painful experience, but believe it is necessary for our baby.

Stay tuned to Insert Title Here for more pictures and possibly some video. If you want to drop a comment, please feel free.

God Bless.

More Pictures of Landon and Family

Pictures of Landon and Family

Landon Jeremy Hellums is Here!

Born at 9:53am Central Standard Time, Landon Jeremy weighted in at 6lbs 14 ounces. He has a head of blonde hair. He is making the sweetest little sounds and seems to be hungry.

More pictures to come...

In About 45 min. Baby Hellums Will Be Here

We are at the hospital right now and the doctor just told Kari and I that we are having our baby boy today.

More updates to come...

Son, Brother, Father, but he was my Papa

J.W. Lueders was born on March 30, 1928 in Cistern, TX. On February 10, 1950, he married the love of his life, Muriel Byler. Together they raised two children, Deborah and Russell in the Muldoon area. They celebrated their 59th wedding anniversary in February of this year.

He was known to many people in Bastrop as Jay. He served our country as a Navyman from 1946 to 1948. Jay started working for the U.S. Postal Service in Muldoon and later in 1974, Jay and Muriel moved to Bastrop,where he continued to work. After he retired from the U.S. Postal Service he spent time working as a subsitute teacher for Bastrop ISD. He enjoyed spending time on the golf course and working in his garden with his wife. Jay served as a deacon at Muldoon Baptist Church and First Baptist Church of Bastrop for many years. He is survived by his loving wife Muriel; his children Deborah and Russell Lueders; grandchildren, Jeremy and Kari Hellums, Aaron and Katie Hellums, Randy and Penny Lueders, Dustin Lueders, Matt Hellums, Kaytlyn Lueders and Courtney Lueders; his brother and sisters, Jimmy and Patsy Lueders of Victoria, TX, Billie and Charlie Williams of Upton, TX and Betty and Max Keener of Pleasanton, TX.

He was proceded in death by his parents, Harry and Martha Lueders and his older brother, Harold Lueders.

Visitation will be Tuesday June 30, at Marrs, Jones-Newby Funeral Home and family visitation will be Tuesday night from 6-8 PM.

Funeral services will held at First Baptist Church of Bastrop on Wednesday, July 1, at 10:30 am. Graveside services will be at Pitman Cemetary in Muldoon, Texas at 1:30 pm.

Please keep us in your prayers.

Papa "Went to Heaven"

At approximately 1:45am on Sunday morning J. W. Lueders, my Papa, passed away at his home in Bastrop, TX.

My cousin, Dustin, called at 2:30am to tell me he, "went to heaven."

More to come. Please keep us in your prayers.

God Bless

Michael Jackson Died @ Age 50

Pray for my Papa

I got a text message from my mom today that asked if I was going to be coming to the hospital today. I replied, "What's going on?" She replied that my grandfather, Papa (pronounced Paw-paw), had not eaten or spoken since Sunday. I spoke to my assistant director and asked if I could leave for the day and she quickly said of course.

Kari met me at the hospital and we spent the afternoon with him, Mama, my mom and uncle Russ.

We are not sure what is going to happen, but please pray for my Papa.

God Bless.

PS: Kari and Baby are doing great.

A Trip to the Hospital

Yesterday I took Kari to the hospital because she had been throwing up for 12 hours. The baby was moving the entire time as she was sick, but in order to prevent dehydration we headed to Round Rock.

Baby Hellums is doing fine. After 1 liter of fluid and some anti-nausea medication, which made her sleepy, she started to feel better mid-Saturday afternoon. We stayed at the hospital for several hours. Baby's heartbeat was stong and fine throughout the afternoon.

Kari has not thrown up since yesterday at noon, praise the Lord. She slept the rest of the day away and woke up with a headache.

We thank everyone for the continued prayers. God Bless.

An Email to the Readers

Evening or Morning:

I wanted to give everyone an update on Baby Hellums.

This coming Monday, Kari will be 36 weeks along. We have an appointment on Wednesday and look forward to this time to hear our babies heartbeat and ask the doctor amazing questions like: Can our baby get sunburned in mommy's belly? or Is Jeremy really supposed to gain all this sympathy weight?

All joking aside, we are set to have a c-section on July 14th. Unless Baby Hellums wants to make his appearance early, Tuesday, July 14th, 2009 is the day.

For those of you who have attended a shower or sent us a gift, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We also appreciate the continued prayer and support by many of you.

Looking forward to meeting our baby boy.

--
Jeremy
http://jhellums.blogspot.com
Stay tuned to Insert Title Here for baby news and pictures.

God Bless.

Day One of Journey Camp

The Countdown is On...

Here is just a glimpse of what is invading our home. In addition to receiving many diapers already from family and friends, Kari and I try to make it a point to pick up some when we go into town. I am still illusive as to how our newborn is going to make messes in all these diapers, but I keep hearing you can't have enough diapers.

Our home has been transforming into a baby ready home because crunch time is upon us. We have approximately 44 days until our titles officially change to Mommy and Daddy. The excitement of having a child has yet to subside. Often times you will hear us say, "We are ready to meet our little boy."

The last several months have been an amazing growing experience for both of us. My love for my wife has always been strong and grows daily, but each day throughout this pregency my love for my wife has grown. There isn't a minute I would not want to spent with her and at camp that is almost possible (to an extent). I am so blessed and awed by God for blessing me with such an amazing woman.

Over the past several days, my family has been dealing with my Pa Pa (pronounced Paw paw) who is currently in the hospital. They found fluid on his lungs last week and said he would be going home this Monday, but that changed. Yesterday evening I recieved a message from my uncle that said my grandfathers lung had collapsed. Please keep him and my Ma Ma in your prayers.

I hope everyone has had a great week. God Bless.

Playing Catch Up & It's The First Day of Camp

Catch Up: Kari and I were blessed by the Highland Lakes Camp staff and several close friends who joined us at a baby shower several Sunday's ago. It was awesome to visit, catch up and take a moment at camp before summer to relax and celebrate the upcoming birth of our son. We want to thank each of you (most have already received "thank you" notes thanks to Kari) for the wonderful gifts, the time you spent and your friendship.

Kari and I went to the doctor on Wednesday of last week. Baby Hellums is getting bigger and continues to kick all night long. It is pretty cool to just watch the movements and even more amazing to feel him kicking or moving around inside his Mommy.

Last week was Summer Missionary Team (SMT) training. About 50 college students come out to camp and serve for 12 weeks doing jobs that include (but is not limited to): cleaning toilets, life guarding, doing dishes, making camp videos, selling stuff, etc. This is a short list, but not only do I get to oversee the production on campus, I have an opportunity to direct the Public Relations (PR) staff along side our director, Danny. At this point we are doing great on our calendar; one video completed and one scheduled to be completed by weeks end (the famous "rules video"). It is such an awesome experience to meet and work along side students who have a passion serving Christ.

Camp: As I mentioned, this was the first day of camp. Meaning we have our first big group of students out here. Summer is here. I have only been on staff two months and I have to say, "my job is awesome!" For those of you who don't know, I like to work hard. I said it today, "If I didn't have to have a day off, I wouldn't," not because I don't want to spend time with my wife or my family (because I enjoy that as well), I just really enjoy my job. Everyday is something exciting and new; which is very refreshing for me. An added bonus, it just so happens, that I get to eat almost all meals with my wife and sometimes she gets to help me out with my job. God is awesome!

One story (for Alan):

"I ruined one pink work shirt with blood on it, tore a hole in it, and lost a staff member to an injury."

Today we moved a carport. I don't know to many people who can say they moved a carport till today. It is similar to the one pictured minus the siding. Basically it is large enough to park a RV underneath. Myself and seven other guys were charged to move one of these by lifting it and moving it about 30 feet. Things were going well, besides the large amount of weight until some decided to yell, "drop it!" I am not sure who said it, but there was no "1, 2, 3," hence, there was an injury. The production specialist, Brandon, had the carport slide down his ankle. Thankfully his foot was not caught underneath, but rather he pulled it out before that could happen. Enough damage had been done that he got a trip to the ER and learned it was only a major bruise. However it did swell to the size of a tennis ball. A man short, we eventually got the carport moved into place. Now I can say, "I moved a carport; with my bare hands."

I hope everyone is doing well. Cassie, thanks for the wonderful words. We miss you guys and look forward to another visit to Texas. God bless. Until next time...(hopefully sooner than last time).

Number One Fan - Cassie

Last year I awarded the first ever Number One Fan award on May 23, 2008. Since that date Insert Title Here has over 5,300+ visits from 41 countries. Thanks, to all the readers.

It is that time again to announce the Number One Fan of 2009, Cassie. Cassie and her family moved to Washington a little over a year ago and through the internet and e-mail we continue to stay in contact. She is the author of PACIFIC NORTHWEST: THE SAGA BEGINS... and keeps us all up to date on what they are up to in WA state. It is exciting to read about.

Cassie and her husband, James, were my Senior year Sunday school teachers and she will never let me forget the one time I taught Sunday school, but never returned the teacher book. I am not sure exactly when I finally returned the book, but I did give it back. Cassie, thanks for reading and for investing your time in students even if they don't return your Sunday school book. Seriously, thanks.

I hope that everyone has had a blessed week.

Oh and you have an opportunity to become my number one fan in 2010...so keep reading!

God Bless

Thursday Update

Yesterday I completed the CPR/AED/First Aid training course without to much problem. It was an all day process filled with video instruction, teacher demonstrations and practicing some of these life saving applications.

Kari went to the doctor concerning Baby Hellums for our scheduled appointment. This will be one of the few that I miss. She said the results for the gestational diabetes were fine and everything else looked great. Besides a little back pain, Kari and baby are doing great. It is still very exciting to me that God is forming and weaving a life within my wife. Each day brings something new and Kari and I are both very excited.

Last night I had my first thoughts along the lines of, "Awe man, how am I going to react when my son gets hurt?" I recently hurt my foot and it is scraped and bruised; as I dodged hot water in the shower I was overcome with fear for my child. This pain I was feeling in my foot could one day be a pain my only child has to overcome one day. I winced through the pain, but feared watching or the thought of my son experiencing any similar experience.

I took a moment before bed and was reminded of the following verse, "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full and well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place" (Psalm 139:14-25 NIV). Not only is God "wonderfully" making a precious gift for Kari and I, but He is in charge. He knew, knows and will continue to know our son before we even knew he was there. What a thought. This squashed much of the "fear" I was having previous, because I know that ultimately God is in charge because our son is His creation.

Every morning I have an opportunity to have chapel with the Highland Lakes staff. Every aspect of this morning time is "church." We meet, sing praises to God, discuss God's word, encourage one another, etc. (it is a great way to start the morning). Currently, we are preparing for the summer and reading Crazy Love by Francis Chan. He compares his fatherhood and his desire for his children "only a faint echo of God's great love" (pg. 53). What a concept that I look forward to.

Please continue to keep us in your prayers. Work is going well. There is always something to do, from cleaning to setting up I am always busy (it is great!).

God Bless and take care.

Save the Tax Dollars and Photoshop It!

According to "military officials estimated that the mission and photo shoot, aimed at updating file photos of Air Force One, cost about $328,835 in taxpayer money."

I am uncertain as to why this was worth the money or fear that this stunt caused NYC citizens. Maybe it is just more evidence the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing.

If you need to update your file, please let me know, I would be more than willing to photoshop this picture in order to update your file for half of what was spent.

This concludes the rant. I hope everyone is having a great week. God Bless.

It's Friday...Not Really, Sorta

Today is my Friday because tomorrow I have Sunday off. Right now, Kari is on her way home from Milano and I am hanging out with Brandon and Carter in the PR Shack. The new PR Shack is going to be located in the new Miles Auditorium (pictured to the right). Currently we are preparing the floors in the new PR Shack for the move in. Time flies when you are at camp and sometimes you don't even know what day it is.

Kari and Baby's first shower was today. I have not got all the details, but she said she had a wonderful time and is thankful for all the gifts given. I am looking forward to seeing and hanging out with my wife in about an hour.

I hope that everyone had a blessed week. God Bless.