Currently Dean Koontz's Frankenstein: Dead and Alive: A Novel By Dean Koontz see related

No Cell Phone... No Problem!!!

    Ok soooo I have sort of been out of a Cell phone for a couple of weeks! And it feels...GREAT!!! I know that it is obviously hard for people to get a hold of me when I am not at home, but I have started to enjoy this. I feel soo free without one! I would always be playing with it, checking it to see the time or if I had a text. Expecting to see someone...work.....mom....someone trying to get a hold of me BUT NOW!...it feels great and soo Freeing not having one anymore! It feels like a weight has been lifted form my shoulders and I am glad to be free of it!! Some may be annoyed that I don't have one and to them I am sorry, but I am reliving my days of youth when I would say I am going somewhere and then go there and not have to worry about a phone. It's great! Well that's all I have to say! Simply put...No Cell Phone...No Problem!!!

Currently A Grief Observed By C. S. Lewis see related

Missing him!!

     "This is important, One never meets just Cancer, or War, or Unhappiness (or Happiness). One only meets each hour or moment that comes. All manner of ups and downs. Many bad spots in our best times, many good ones in our worst. One never gets the total impact of what we call 'the thing itself.' But we call it wrongly. The thing itself is simply all these ups and downs: the rest is a name or an idea." -C.S. Lewis A Grief Observed

    Witht the passing of my Grandpa we have met a great Unhappiness. Many hearts are sadden as the weeks continue to go by. But as they do I find that the quote above is very true. I am finding not Unhappiness or Happiness but moments of both. Ups and Downs not one single thing as a whole. I think of this and then try and imagin a small glimpse of what my Grandmother must be going through. How he was loved soo much. How he loved soo much. I can't help but think of my Grandpa and think of the joy he has. Be in the presence of our great and glorious king. To be able to worship without hinderence of sin! This is something that I look forward to doing!

   You know, many have said to me "It's tough now but it gets easier." No it doesn't. To think of my grandfather and the fun we had, brings up the two emotions that, them together, I am begining to be tired of. Joyfilled Sorrow. I am so missing my grandfather, all that I wanted to say to him and never will. All that I wanted to hear him tell me and now I will no longer hear his voice. Even now only 12 days since his death am I starting to forget what his voice sounded like. The deeep richness of love that it always dissplayed. How I miss that!! Playing Backgammon with him (he taught me how to play); Bochi ball (I hope I spelt that right) in the Houghton House backyard; Brewers games with him and my Uncle Dave. The little things that I'll never be able to be a part of again with him. "it gets easier!!!" No it doesn't!!!  But I know that he is with Jesus Christ, worshiping the Lord with all his might!! This though brings me Joy! For I do not wnat to be one who griefs as without hope. There is a hope and it is in the Lord Jesus Chirst, who, became fully man lived a sinless life and then died on the Cross taking the full weight of punishment for all our sins. After that was burried and the three days later arose from the dead and with that gave us the power to not fear death!

     Grandpa Houghton was a man that many Loved!! And thinking of him will never get easier! it just doesn't!!!

Currently John's Story (The Jesus Chronicles, Book 1) By Tim LaHaye, Jerry B. Jenkins see related

Eternal Glory thou shalt win! A tribute to my Grandpa!

"Come in, Come in; Eternal Glory thou shalt win."  -The Pilgrim's Progress

"Thus far did I come laden with my Sin;

Nor could ought ease the grief that I was in,

Till I came hither: What a place is this!

Must here be the beginning of my bliss?

Must here the Burden fall from off my back?

Must here the strings that bound it to me crack?

Blest Cross! blest Sepulchre! blest rather be

The Man that there was put to Shame for me!"

                              -The Pilgrim's Progress

       It has been a long time since I have blogged... mostly because I have not had anything that I felt needed to be posted! But now... a week after my grandpa's death I have found my voice. As I have thought about my grandpa, the life he lived, and what he ment to so many people...expecially me, I have found that what marked Ralph Houghton's life was Faith!He was a man who showed what it ment to have faith in a God who loves, cares and forgives...and gives us life everlasting through Jesus Christ!  My Grandpa had a saving faith in Jesus Christ and now resides in the Eternal Glorious presence of our Creator! Grandpa has won that Eternal Glory that was anounced to Christian in The Pilgrim's Progress. And his heart has sung, with all those who have come to that saving faith, the song that Christian sang when he came to the foot of the Cross. This faith was shown in the way he cared for those around him. Always showing his support by encouraging people when they struggled with something. By having a undending everlasting love no matter what choices you might have made...wise or un-wise. He was a man of humble stature who felt others accomplishments were more important and more impresive than his own. His faith in God and his relationship withJesus Christ helped him get through his time as a POW in World War II and it kept his mind clear to be an example of calm to his fellow soldiers. Everyday since his death I have continued to return to a verse in the bible. "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."-Phil.1:21 I truely believe my Grandpa has gained much in his passing. I am sad that he has left us but I am joyous for him for he has gained the presence of Christ and a peace that passes understanding. I am jealous of my Grandpa in that I long to be with Christ...yet I know that God has place me here to glorify Him for a period of time. I will see my grandpa again, I know this for sure, but until then I will follow his example of what it means to have Faith! Thank you grandpa for that example and thank you Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father God for giving me my Grandpa Houghton!

Edelweiss

Ok it's been to long since I have been on here and writen anything that is worth reading. I appologize to all for this. I have much I want to say to my friends out in Maryland specially after my Aunt Kathy and cousin Amanda Spiro came into town last week. But I am having trouble getting my thoughts together. I miss you all so much and seeing my family from out there really pulled on my heart strings and made me remember that Gaithersburg, MD is the dearist place on earth to me and that Cove life is the dearest church to me. Two years!!! If things go as planned (if the Lord wills it) I will be back out there in two years. And I mean living out there. If that is in God's will. For now I just want to say please be praying that I do not allow my missing you to turn into Sin. I want to glorify God in all I do and that includes trusting Him and remebering that he has a reason for me being back in Kenosha and not in my home. God is Good!!   I'll wrtie more when I can fully form my thoughts.

        Keep Fighting and Keep the Faith

                           -Andy