Megan – the artist

Megan and Micah are both pretty expressive through art. Here is a small collection of Megan’s drawings. See if you can guess who these pieces are depicting:

The Disco Scene

Looking Pretty

I need to go pee.

Well if you guessed Megan herself – that would be wrong. These are an artist impression of her mother Rhonda. Can you see the likeness?

Megan's Inspiration

 

“That is what she wants to hear.”

Micah brings home a short paper he wrote for an assignment in school. The following discussion takes place:

Mom (reading Micah’s story): “My name is Micah Floyd. My favorite color is red. My favorite food is pizza. My favorite pet is a dog. My favorite activity is reading.”

Micah: The reading part is not really true. I put reading because that is what the teacher wants to hear, but in my head I was thinking video games.

Mom: MICAH!!

The laughter of a 9 year old follows.

 

Micah and his priestly duties

The other day Rhonda walked in Micah’s room about bedtime to talk to him. She told him she had something to talk to him about – here is how the conversation went down:

Mom: Micah I need to talk to you. I did something early today that was wrong. I need to ask you and God to fogive me. I …..

Micah (interupting & grabing Mom’s hands): Ok Mom, (Praying) Dear God, Thank you for this wonderful day and everything you made. Thank you for my mom and dad. Please don’t be mad at mom for what she did. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

I guess the matter is settled.

 

A link on prayer

One of the blogs I frequent is Pastor Joe Thorn. He has a great post today on prayer. I encourage you to take a look at it. You can find it here.

 

Conversations with Micah

Here is another conversation we had with our kids today at the dinner table.

Setting: Eating fish and discussing rather or not we (Rhonda and I) are still “hip”:

Rhonda: HEY – I USED TO BE COOL!! (Notice the key words “used to be”).

Micah: It’s not that your old – its just you guys are a little too adult to be fun.

 

Conversations with Micah

Micah throwing the duece!

Today I thought I would post about a couple of conversations Rhonda and I have had with Micah, our 9 year old son. I am sure in days to come I will share some from Megan as well.

Setting: Rhonda and the kids at Blockbuster.

Rhonda: Hey guys, this was a movie that came out when your dad and I were in high school. (Looking at the back cover.) Yes, it came out in 1988.

Micah: WOW – is it in black and white!
______________________________________________________________
Setting: The kids and I hanging out at the house.

Micah: (with a very serious tone and look) Dad – are you sure Megan is not an alien from another planet.

Megan: MICAH!!!
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Micah: Father, are you jealous of my thick, luscious hair?

Me: (Outloud) No – I am very happy with my current hair count. (Inside) VERY MUCH!

 

Memories

I am always amazed how smells, sights, sounds stir memories in me. The other day, Rhonda, the kids and I are in Mr. Boots – the smell of leather, the sight of pairs of boots lining the walls, the sound of the bell “ding” as people enter and leave the store all take me back to my childhood of being in that very store. My grandmother would take us there for school clothes and the occasional pair of boots for the start of school. I wore many of pair of wranglers from there and a few other stores through most of my school days.

I am at Kids Kamp with my home church last week. The combination of running around to exhaustion, the heat, and the smell of wet grass bring back vivid memories of two-a-day football practices in high school.

Today, I am sitting in a hospital room with my son Micah. The sound of the IV pumping, the smell of a disinfectant in the air, the sight of stainless steel door knobs bring back the memory of being here with Micah only 3 months ago. This stay should only be precautionary; hopefully, we are going home in the morning.

Memory is a powerful thing. It vividly records the very experiences of our life which shape the future. Much of these recordings are stored away in the vastness of our memories. A lot like old photo albums boxed and put in a closet or attic. Some of our recordings will never be replayed. But others are awakened from their stored slumber, triggered by the right word, sound, smell or sight.

Paul seems to have one of these flashbacks. He is writing a letter to his disciple Timothy. In the 1 Timothy 1:12, Paul begins to talk of his past; he mentions who he used to be and what he did while he was this person.

I wonder what triggered this thought. Was it a sound from outside, the smell of dust in the air, or was it the sight of someone’s tunic. Was it a specific memory? Was he reminded of the day Stephen was stoned? I don’t know.

Paul talked about who he was, the memory aroused by something. Yet as the playback reminded him of who he was it also reminded him of the new person he had become. It aroused the playback of God’s saving grace lavished upon him, of God’s mercy upon him giving him reason to rejoice and celebrate. He was an example of what God can do in the life of “the worst of sinners.”

What has God saved you from? How has God changed your life? Make a list – let it give you cause for rejoicing as you consider the work of grace God has done in your own life.

 

Interesting post on “quiet times”

I came across this post today on Between Two Worlds. Check it out.

 

Conversation with Micah

Here is how a recent conversation with Micah went just a few days ago:

Describing his experience in the hospital:

MICAH: I would say this has been the second worst experience in my life.

(Mom and Dad with questioning frowns on our face.)

MOM & DAD: Micah what has been the worst experience in your life?

(Micah with a twinkle in his eye)

MICAH: SCHOOL!!!!!

This is how we know he is back to normal!!!

 

Lessons from a Child’s Pain

I think it is time for another post. Here is one on some recent lessons learned.

A few days ago my son completed a 4 day stay in two different hospitals due to what started out as the flu and a bad stomach bug but turned out to be 3 stomach ulcers with two on the way. Weird, yes – but very true and fortunately very treatable. The fact a nine year old could get ulcers was beyond me. However, due to some bacteria (a very common one among the human race) Micah came down with a few.

Click here for photo of Micah at Scott and White

He is now on a round of antibiotics and an antacid for the next two weeks. This should take care of the little irritants. Micah and family are glad to be back into a normal routine that does not included vomiting, ivs, breathing treatments every 4 hours, and the taking of your vitals every 2 hours.

Everything Micah went through during this nine day illness makes for a pretty rough story. As a parent I can honestly say it is not fun watching your child vomit 5 days straight and Drs being a bit stumped by it all.
Since arriving at the end of this particular journey in life I have realized some stuff and learned some good lessons.

• Rhonda and I are very fortunate people. Micah was very sick. But his illness was very treatable and minor. While at Scott & White hospital in Temple, TX we came across children who were battling some life threatening diseases. Looking into the eyes of a father whose child is facing their mortality head on was heartbreaking. I don’t think I have ever seen fear, worry and heart break in a person like this before.

• My children are a gift from God and every moment with them must be treasured. And by God’s grace and His goodness my children are healthy. Our health is not a promise from God – yet God does give it. I am very thankful for this reality.

• On a couple of different occasions when Micah experienced some pain due to a procedure or frustration from being sick he would cry out to God, begging Him to make it stop. This broke our hearts. To hear your little boy beg God to make the pain and sickness go away hurts. But I am thankful that my son knows who to call out to when he is desperate and needs help. Micah knows to “lift his eyes to the hills” (Ps. 121).

• My son has matured in some ways through this experience. I am not sure how to put into words what I have seen take place in him through this ordeal. But the courage and bravery he has shown in the midst of this reveals to me Micah is moving further away from boyhood and ever closer to manhood. I am thankful for this; however, I do hope the days between the two will move slowly.

Click here for photo of Rhonda and Megan

• I have a fantastic wife and she is a wonderful mother. Rhonda is the top advocate for her children. She is a person of indescribable love for her son and daughter. Rhonda has exemplified the compassion of Christ by feeling in her own heart the pain her son has faced. She portrayed great courage, love and service toward every nurse and doctor that walk in the room. She was a comforter to her son and her daughter through a scary period. Rhonda served as a shining example to her daughter on what it means to care for your family as a mother. She is a treasure and I love her deeply.

Click here for photo of Megan and a cow

• Megan is a great sister. She loves and adores her brother. Megan prayed for him and helped decorate his room with color from her art and her joy from her smile and laughter. She carries in her the ‘no fear’ tenacity and servant’s heart of her mother. Megan is sensitive and kind and a very social butterfly. She talks to anyone and everyone. I thank God for this little girl. She is a great prize.

I am thankful to a God who uses things like a boy’s ulcer to teach me some new lessons and remind me of some old ones.

To see some additional photos of our adventure go HERE. More photos will be added later.

Until next time