Dear earthly Dad,

You have been my dad since 1989. You have been the only Dad figure that I have known.

Through this 21 years we have had our ups and downs and ins and outs. There have been times where I hated you and there have been times, such as now, that I love you.

You have provided for our family and have shown me that you have to work and provide for yourself because no one else is going to do it for you.

There is a lot that I have learned from you. Some things are good and some are bad. I have learned things that I should do and I have learned things that I should not do. All of them are lessons learned and there are things I still have to work on.

I have seen you live a life that was pleasing to God and that showed me that Jesus Christ is the ONLY way, truth, and Life!

These past few years I have seen you traveling down a road that is leading to destruction. I, and the others, have expressed our love, concerns, opinions, etc to you to let you know how we feel but it seems that it has fallen on deaf ears. We have showed you love, even when it was hard, but we showed it because we really do love you. You have SO MUCH to live for! You have family, children, and grandchildren. Most of all you have Christ; if you will accept Him as your Savior.

I have told you many times that God is not waiting for you to change before you come to Him. His word says, "Come unto me all who are weary and I will give you rest; come just as you are!" The verse is saying that, "I, God, will change you. You cannot change yourself. Come to me and let me hold you, love on you, and show you that I can do EVERYTHING for you!"

Dad, the only hope that you have is to turn to God and allow Him to do a work in you that no other human could ever do! A work that even we cannot do for you.

Up until now there have been no consequences to your actions. Now, as you sit and read this in a Motel room I hope you realize that actions have to be taken by you to change what you have become, which Dad, you have become and have been, an alcoholic. You NEED help! You NEED help that none of us kids or mother can give you. You need help that you can't give yourself.

There is a place here called the Foundry that is a Christian based organization that helps addicts. They give counseling and put you to work and help you overcome this addiction.

We, your family, who will always be your family. Even though the marriage between you and mother is over, we are all here to love, help, and support you through this. Mother still wants the BEST for you, even if that best if separate from her. She loves you enough to let you go so those changes can happen. You can't love her or anyone for that matter if you do not have the love of Christ inside of you and if you don't first find out how to love who you are.

As you go down the path of Change and Restoration we will be beside you cheering you on, lifting you up in prayer, and supporting you.

I love you Dad! I will always love you and be here for you. You are always lifted up in my prayers and my phone is always on for your to call and our door is always open for you to come over.

Remember that John 3:16 tells us, "For God so loved the world that he sent his only Son that who ever believes in Him should not perish but have Eternal life." Call upon the name of the Lord Dad; which is the ONLY name that can save you!

4th of July - 2010

Veterans Park with Friends and Family for the fireworks!

Change of Plans

Plans change, this I know. But if you cancel something that involved other people because of your change of plans do not expect everyone else that you cancelled on to change their plans for the new date and time. It's not going to happen! I've got plans and others may also. Just cancel the whole thing all-together.

What I really don't like is that the original plans were changed because something better came along.

Moving on...

This is 4th of July weekend. I will remember why we are celebrating this holiday weekend but I will also enjoy Monday off. I like having paid days off from work, especially when they fall on a Monday.

We did not plan anything (done on purpose) for this weekend. I am tired of feeling like we have to have an agenda all the time. Can't we just do what we want to do when we want to do it?! That includes lounging around the house all day in our undies or naked if we want to.

Though we didn't make any plans, we do have some things we will be doing. I think I will put-in a bike ride in the morning and then do some yard work. Then we will have some family time doing this and that. A local church has teamed up with their city and will be doing fireworks, music, food, a movie, etc at one of the parks. The thing I am loving the most though is that there is no "set schedule" to follow.

So, I hope you all have a wonderful 4th of July and please take time to remember that our Freedom is not free and it comes with a daily price!

God Bless The USA!

Understanding?

Many times, when things do not go as I thought they would, or certain prayer requests do not happen the way I wanted them to, I often wonder if I am suppose to have understanding of why?

When I pray, I do ask for God's Will and I try my best at all times to wait patiently while praying. I try not to get my hopes up too high, because I do not want to be let down, but that's crazy because I know God wants the best for us and I know it is okay to get excited. But I will say that I am let down when something doesn't go the way I wanted it to. Especially when it is something that all I can see is the good in it. BUT, I know God has the best in store for me and my family and He can see the future so I must trust in Him.

Subject change:

Friday night was Guys Night Out at church. We gathered together and played Texas Hold'em. I am not a poker player at all and have only played a few time. I must say though that I did really good. We had two tables, 5 players at one table and 6 at another. Once there was a total of 6 players remaining we combined the tables and played until a winner. I didn't win but I made it to the victory table and then quickly went out. Lots of fun though!

We packed up most of Jennifer's Grandmothers house on Saturday. (she was the one that passed away a couple months back). They found a cash buyer for the house without even listing it, which is awesome, so moving stuff out had to be done. After starting at 8:30am and ending by 6:00pm we finished out the night with BBQ at Jim 'N Nicks!

After church on Sunday some friends and I moved our couch into storage just to put another one in the house that we purchased. (hoping that our new house has a living room and den area ;) I didn't want to get rid of our other one because we really like it but we couldn't pass up the price on the one we got. I will try and remember to take a pic and post it. Corban approves of the new couch. It is a sectional and he l-o-v-e-s running from one corner to the next and laughing the whole way! It is too cute so it is hard to tell him no.

After all the moving we headed over to church for Family Fun Night. Lots of fun there. Grilling, three-legged race, egg race and egg toss, and spending time with church family.

All in all it was a great weekend! I could have used more sleep but why waste a weekend on sleep. That's what Monday afternoons at work are for or at least to play on Blogger and FB! ;) jk!

Days Of Our Lives...

I don't think my life is boring; not by far. Though I do not live the "Suite Life" of Zack and Cody or "Get The Best of Both Worlds" like Hannah Montana, I have a great life.

I would say that my life centers more around "The Middle", "Everybody Loves Raymond", "Growing Pains", "Facts of Life," and maybe the ocassional "Golden Girls." These shows are or where more "real life" shows. You can actually see yourself going through and experencing the same things. The thing I like most about the shows is the love that the family/friends share with each other; even when they got mad at each other the love was still there. They showed more of what really happens when the digital camera was not ready to take a pic or when the video camera was not running.

Think about this for a moment: When you go over to someone elses house, the pictures on the wall are of the family members smiling ear to ear or laughing, playing, etc. Always something sweet and positive! I can't say that I have ever seen pictures showing where the husband and wife, children, or whomever is having a disagreement and someone is left crying or upset or depicting anything making you think that their life is nothing less than perfect.

When I was a teenager I remember our family meeting at a photo studio to take a family pic. It had not been the best couple of days but when the picture flashed we all stood there smiling as though we were the Brady Bunch and as if we always had this freakish smile on our faces. After we left the studio I went home, packed my bags, and ran-away.

I did end up going back home of course. The point I am trying to make is that "these are the days of our lives." No family is as perfect as the "brady bunch." For every "Golden" moment, there are times when you find yourself in "the middle" and wanting "the best of both worlds" but you soon realize that these are the "facts of life" and though there will be "growing pains" "everybody loves" you and you really are living the "suite life."

It is the moments in between the pictures that make us who we are. Enjoy this life that you live. Smile often and laugh much and focus more on the good things of life than the bad.

Summer Time

I remember when Summer arriving meant something to me. But then again, I still worked during the summer. Come to think of it, I have worked since I was 14 years old. Oh well, I guess somethings never change. lol.

This summer we don't really have too much planned. We have a few things taking place on different weekends and a florida trip to visit the grandparents. We might grab a weekend and head up to the Smokies. Our main focus is baby #2 arriving in September. Which I think we are going to change the name to Asher Jackson. Also, we are still trying to sell the house. If there is no activity on it by the end of this month we may consider renting it out. Lord, please show us your way!

There are a lot of houses out there and a few that we are interested in. We need to go ahead and get pre-approved so we are ready to jump when we need to. Like they say, "It is a buyers market"...but it's not a sellers!

Corban is growing like ever. He is my Buddy and I love him so much! I really can't wait for Asher to get here; but time does not have to rush for that to happen. Time is already going by too fast as it is.

Have a great weekend!

Selling A House

Our house has been For Sale since about October 2009. The only reason we are selling is because of our "growing family!"

We have had lots of interest on the house and a couple of verbal Contracts that never worked out. We have considered adding on but the cost of doing that just does not make since.

Four years ago we purchased the house for $110,000.00. The seller had it listed for $114,900.00. Four years ago the housing market was at its peak! Now, four years later, well, you know where the housing market is.

Before today we had the house listed for $117,900.00. With everything that it has, with all that has been done to it, and the advice of a realtor, we really felt that it was priced correctly.

Selling a house IS NOT fun. Especially when you have to make a decision, such as the one we made today. A decision to lower the price of the home to the price we paid for it when we bought it. I have officially listed the house for $110,000.00.

I have been holding off doing this because I refused to do it. There is a principle at stake here and a pride issue. A house was suppose to be an investment. I was suppose to make some sort of a profit off of the sell of a house. Now I am hoping and praying that when offers come in they are not for LESS than what we owe.

We sang a new song Sunday at church. It's called, "I give myself away!" The words are powerful and God moved during service. Here is the link http://www.youtube.com/user/TestedandTried#p/f/0/J4v5IXbEauM

Copy and paste the link to the search engine and listen to it. While singing the song, the word God gave was: "Why is it so hard for you to give me control! Give me control! Can't you see that I can do SO MUCH better than you can!"

P-O-W-E-R-F-U-L!!!

It was like God saying, "Eric, don't you think that I can still take care of you even if you have to sell your current home for what you paid for it four years ago or even if you sell it for less; as long as you are not upside down in it!" Obviously, I had to let my Pride fall and let the Principle of the matter fall. God is going to provide. All Jennifer and I can do is seek His will for our lives and Give ourselves away to Him. Because yes, He can do SO MUCH better than we can!

The words of the song applies to ALL areas of our lives. If you are a control freak like me then you know how hard it is to let go. But remember, you are not letting it go and letting another human being handle it. You are letting God have control over it!

Lord, ALL my HOPES and ALL my PLANS, I place them in YOUR hands...I give myself away!

15 months

On May 20th Corban turned 15 months old. I must say that this time has gone by fast. We went the other day for his 15 month check up.

Corban went on his 1st Zoo trip this past Saturday. I think he liked it a lot. I will post pics sometime.

We are still praying for some unspoke requests. I know that God is in control but waiting is the hardest part.

My heart is heavy right now. I am sick and tired of seeing people I love being hurt by other people. It hurts me to see them hurt. I am tired of being hurt and feel like that I was just being used. Oh well, I guess there are "seasons" that are coming to an end; which is probably for the best! It takes two to make a relationship work. If you are the only one doing all the work to make the relationship continue on you might need to "take a hint" and cut the ties and move on. So long...

Life...in the fast lane!

They say that when you have children life seems to go by faster. The statement is true but it is also true that when you are on your weeks vacation from work it goes by fast too.

15 months ago today my son Corban entered into this world. I can't believe how fast time has gone by. We have had our sleepless nights which seemed to go on forever but all in all, the time has gone by. Baby #2 will be here in less than 4 months; Talk about FAST!

I think we have settled on the name Emerson Jackson for son #2. Trust me, we have went through a lot of names. Emerson is still different but not off the wall different and Jackson is a family name on Jennifer's side. The funny thing is, I have always liked the name Jackson, Jennifer's favorite president of all time was Jackson, and there is a house in a local subdivision being built that has a Jackson floor plan that we both love. Incase you were wondering, baby #2 will be called Emerson.

We had two more people interested in the house but a week later...nothing. I think I am going to call one of them back today. She was REALLY interested but she called the day before she was going out of town so she might could have possibly lost my number. It's all about the SALE baby! We might have to start looking at the option of adding on again. I am not opposed to this I would just rather sale and purchase something else that already has all we need. You know, like the Jackson floor plan! I don't want to over-build the neighborhood either.

There are other things that Jennifer and I are praying about that I do not want to disclose at the moment. We want Gods perfect Will for our lives and are just believing Him for the BEST! If you want to pray for us, pray that we will know Gods Will when we see it and have the faith to trust Him 100%.

Oh, and a quick story on faith and trust: I was talking to a friend the other day that was telling me of their money problems and the kind of year they have had. I told them that though they have had a rough year that they are still standing and have not lost anything, house, car, etc. We got to talking about giving your tithe as commanded by God. They said they had not been giving like they should but it is hard. I understand I said but the one thing God tells us to test him on is giving. You CANNOT outgive God! Well, I was talking with them today and they said that they gave what they had to tithes. The next day they received money to cover their bills for two months and to catch up on other bills! (are you getting chill-bumps?)

HOW AWESOME IS OUR GOD!!! So, have you been doubting the provision of God? Trust Him and Him only! Lean NOT on your own understading! We live by faith not by sight! Man sees the outer appearance, but the Lord sees the heart!

Praying with your Spouse!

Why is it so hard to pray with your spouse, boy/girlfriend or fiance? We can sometimes stop what we are doing and pray for a friend quicker than for our own mate.

I think it is because your mate knows you VERY well and, if you have been together for 6 months or more, they have seen the "other side" of you that others may not have seen or that you keep from them.

When you and your mate have been fighting, things might have been said in the heat of the moment and though you may have made up the memory is still there.

I have a hard time praying with my wife. I love her dearly and pray for her all the time, but we don't pray together like we should. Say, EVERY day!

Satan is known as the "accuser of the breathern and therefore loves to condemn me and put thoughts into my head like, "why pray with her, she knows you don't love her. Remember how you acted the other day. When you are praying together she isn't even listening, etc. etc. etc." Does this sound familiar to anyone else or is it just me?

LIES, LIES, and MORE LIES from satan.

We (I) MUST remember the POWER of prayer! Mountains are moved when we pray! Strong holds are broken! Doors are opened and closed! Our faith is tested and made stronger! Our paths are made clearer! Satan is crushed under our feet! And surprisingly, the relationship with our mate is not as complicated as it seemed to be!

There is POWER in prayer and praying together! The bible verse that says, "Where two or more are gathered in My name...,etc" makes a lot more sense now!

Lord, forgive me of not praying with Jennifer like I should. Forgive me for not loving her as You loved the church and gave yourself for us!

Satan, you are goin D-O-W-N!!!

What am I?

What am I...

"When one does not know what it is, then it is something; but when one knows what it is, then it is nothing."

Funny Quotes!

"When I die, I want to go peacefully like my Grandfather did, in his sleep -- not screaming, like the passengers in his car."

"I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me."

"A recent police study found that you’re much more likely to get shot by a fat cop if you run."

What do others see?...

When others look at you, what do they see?

The Word says that, "they will know we are Christians by our love!" Do people see "love" when they look at you? In my life I know there are times where I am unloving; Attitude plays a big part in that and yes we must keep that in check because it effects the way we feel and how we deal with others.

I want to know, "do you portray TRUE love though?" The kind of love that says to people, "I love you no matter what! Come to me just as you are! Nothing that you've done could ever seperate me from you!" If those words sound familar they are. It is the words God has told to each of us.

I think the translation below, maybe New Living translation, describes it well.

1 Corinthians 13 teaches us The Way of Love:

If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing. If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love.

Love never gives up,
Love cares more for others than for self,
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have,
Love doesn't strut,
Doesn't have a swelled head,
Doesn't force itself on others,
Isn't always "me first,"
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn't revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.

Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled.

When I was an infant at my mother's breast, I gurgled and cooed like any infant. When I grew up, I left those infant ways for good.

We don't yet see things clearly. We're squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won't be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We'll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!

But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.

Show someone that you love them today! Don't buy them anything. Don't tell them that you love them with words. A simple smile (simple, but so underated), an act( remember, not buying them anything), not demanding perfection from them.(ouch)

L-O-V-E is an action word. It takes effort to do. I think that is why it is hard sometimes. Most of the time, it does not come natural. We love, because He, Jesus, first loved us!

"Dude Looks Like A Lady!"

I am involved with Relay For Life, American Cancer Society!

One of the teams hosted a "Dude Looks Like A Lady" contest to raise money. Oh the Fun! Hey, they raised over $1200.00 Saturday night.

I would like to think I had something to do with it! What do you think? I didn't win the contest, but it was still LOTS of fun. I think the men in the audience likes their women a little on the trashy side than the sophisticated side. hahaha!!!

A sad time...

A dear co-worker called me at 6:50am on Sunday morning to tell me that her 2 month old grandson passed away during the night. I couldn't believe it! I didn't want to believe it!

He died from suffocation. So many thoughts ran through my mind, and still do. I hurt so much for her because I know she was so happy and is in double pain because she also hurts for her son and daughter-in-law. I hurt also for her son and his wife because this was their only child. I can't help but think that, "if I hurt this much, I cannot even imagine the pain they feel."

When I got off the phone with her I went and got Corban and held him close. I didn't want to let him go. I kept thinking that we who have children have all done it! We have all put our children in the bed with us to console them or let them sleep with us just so we could get a little sleep ourselves. NOT ANY MORE! Please, if you put your child in the bed with you STOP RIGHT NOW!!! Don't think it can't happen to you!

I have cried so much! Lord, give them strength and peace and comfort! Surround them Lord as only you can do! I called my sister and told her to let their daughter, who is almost 2months, sleep in her own bed.

Corban woke up the other day from his nap crying. I was outside working in the yard and Jennifer was inside. The windows were open and I could hear his crying and I thought to myself, "that is the sweetest sound I have ever heard!" I would rather have him crying than me because...well...

Please keep the Sherrill family in your prayers! The viewing was last night and it was the hardest viewing I have ever attended. Lord, surrond them with your love!