I'll Get Right To The Point

CEDAR POINT!

Kenna and Vannah...with Brad as a chaperone...got to go to Cedar Point today with the 

Western Middle School band.

Vannah is helping to lead the Middle School Color Guard....that's her on the left looking very concerned about their hand positions...her flag is invisible!!...(it's the Nyquil...really. :)

There's Kenner....the second one with the flag on the right side...Brad said the march through Cedar Point took a whole 7 minutes....well, if you compare that to the time you are on a COASTER...that's a super long parade....it's all relative!

Kenna and her gang...

Vanner with her other high school friends who help with the middle school band.

:)  SELFIES....gotta love 'em

Summer head cold...right on time :P  

Maybe I can get it out of the way and breathe easy for the rest of the summer.

I finally captured freedom

I held it in my hands

It crashed against each finger

escape became it's impassioned plan

now my knuckles clench tighter daily

to keep freedom secure

and all my efforts and toil in life

have gradually fallen under one rule...

I cannot set freedom free

If I release freedom and let it fly, to life, away

will I ever return to that sweetest place

where freedom feels at peace to land--

to rest upon my open hands?

Release...Let go....if you are like me that is so hard...I want certain outcomes and I think I can make them happen.  I know there are so many decisions in my life where my actions do influence my outcomes, but I have a hard time admitting when something is totally beyond me and letting go of my frustration, anxiety or my own stubbornness in trying to change these things...it's the whole "and the wisdom to know the difference" part of the serenity prayer that trips me up.  I used to think so highly of my abilities to solve problems....but I'm learning that most things (if not all things) can't be held...all things are at the liberty of GOD's omniscience to give and take away.  Open hands are the sign of a mature Christian who learns that GOD is in control...a person who is in a stance always willing to give away and to receive whatever God wills....trusting.

Kenna's Last Choir Concert

We enjoyed Kenna's last choir concert for the year tonight...the theme was "Homelands" so they sang some fun folk and patriotic songs as well as some songs from other countries.

One of the songs they sang was "Flanders Field" and their director had decided to honor veterans with that song so she emailed all parents earlier in the week for names of some veterans in our families.  I sent in the names of both of my grandpas.  They chose one of my grandpas to honor, so Kenna got to hold up part of a uniform and they made this...

The girls never knew my grandpas because they both passed away during the same year while I was in college, but they enjoy hearing stories about them and it makes me extremely happy that they are still very proud to honor them.

There is just something about that kind of pride..knowing someone you love very much put his entire life on the line for his country....I just want to live in a country that is worthy of that kind of sacrifice...I want to be a citizen that is worthy of all the sacrifices from these brave men and women....remembering fondly my Grandpa Billington and Grandpa Brinker.

Gerald Brinker

MILITARY | STAFF SERGEANT | TAIL GUNNER | 388TH BOMB GROUP
Shot down by fighters on mission to Brunswick on 11 Jan 1944 in B-17G #42-37867 'Berlin Ambassador. ' Prisoner of War (POW). Am w/ Oak Leaf Cluster/ ETO w/ 2 battle stars/ PH/ POW

I hear the Savior say, "Thy strength indeed is small....child of weakness watch and pray....find in me thine all in all."

Look Up Here...Look Up Here :)