"Lukenstein"

This picture is a few months old.

July 26th, 2006... a son was born.

Luke Boswell Trimble.

I have in the past written some things
concerning the one I once called
"Lukenstein." Thanks be to God that
he came through those terrible twos
and early threes.

He is much sweeter these days, and
probably the hardest worker of our
four children.

He usually tries to play up... be much
older than he is. And often times I forget
he's only... well, he's only 4 now.

It seems just like yesterday. But it
has been four years. Time surely
does fly by.

Happy Birthday, Luke!
I am proud to be your father.

"Clean Fun"

"Psalm 24"

¹The earth is the LORD'S, and all it contains,
The world, and those who dwell in it.
²For He has founded it upon the seas
And established it upon the rivers.
³Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD?
And who may stand in His holy place?
⁴He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood
And has not sworn deceitfully.
⁵He shall receive a blessing from the LORD
And righteousness from the God of his salvation.
⁶This is the generation of those who seek Him,
Who seek Your face--even Jacob.
⁷Lift up your heads, O gates,
And be lifted up, O ancient doors,
That the King of glory may come in!
⁸Who is the King of glory?
The LORD strong and mighty,
The LORD mighty in battle.
⁹Lift up your heads, O gates,
And lift them up, O ancient doors,
That the King of glory may come in!
¹⁰Who is this King of glory?
The LORD of hosts,
He is the King of glory.


NASB VERSION

"Darkness"

I spent a little over an hour with
my family some where between
entrance and 175 below the entrance
of the Laurel Caverns this past Friday
during our first camping trip of
the summer.

It was cool.

Literally.

It was about 90 degrees outside where
you could see the sun. But in the caverns
it's a constant 50 degrees... all year round.
(See, I did learn something on our trip.)

We took the lighted guided tour.
It was a great activity. My daughter
even asked the guide about
stalactites and stalagmites... which apparently
are not conducive to the Laurel Caverns
due to the makeup of the ground it's in.
(See, I don't remember much.)

But the coolest part of the trip through
the cavern was the room they shut us in
and turned all the lights off.

Darkness.

Complete Darkness.

Can't even see your hand in front of your face.

That's Darkness that is never penetrated by
natural light... DARK!

But you are a chosen people,
a royal priesthood, a holy nation,
a people belonging to God, that you
may declare the praises of him who
called you out of darkness into his
wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9 NIV

"called you out of darkness"
from the depths of the caverns...

You can't find your way out of
this darkness alone.

If you don't take light with you,
or someone doesn't bring a light
to you, you are lost...

in the dark... pitch-black dark.

The darkness of the Laurel Caverns
is broken by man-made light.

The darkness of my heart is broken
only by my savior, my God.

"He's Probably A Minister"

Bank.
Wally World.
Get-Go for gas.

Fun, fun, fun on a Saturday morning,
the day before Independence Day.

SO, I pump my gas and go inside to pay.
Yep, cash only guy here.
It's great.

There's one fellow working inside the
rectangle. I call it the rectangle.
The cashier area.

Anyway, a guy is standing there counting
out pennies for his egg-sandwich or
something, so I get in LINE (key to
the story) behind him.

Another fellow, is standing around the bend
of the rectangle. (He's the red circle below)

So I started messing around getting my
money ready and organized as penny
guy was finishing up. While I was doing
that, another couple stepped in to the
store to pay for something. Kind of
stopping right beside me.

The lady kind of looked at me, and
since I wasn't in too much a hurry
I told her that they could go before
me.

Fourth of July fireworks started
here this weekend.

As penny guy was leaving,
angry white haired, white beard
man (guy in red in diagram)
says something about his chance
of paying being next... but not so
nicely.

Cashier says, "I was just getting
to you."

Not good.

Angry white hair says something
not so nice again and proceeds to
verbally smack cashier around.

Well, man who came in with lady
who I allowed to go ahead of me,
says, "why don't you get in line
like the rest of us?"

Angry white hairs says, "I was
here before you."

Man w/ lady says, "not really,
he was here before us."
He points at me.

Angry white hairs says, "I was
here before him too!!!" Continues
to mumble. Storms out mumbling.

Man w/ lady says, "Some people."

And Cashiers says, "Sad thing is...
he's probably a minister."

HUH?

Now, I'm not saying ministers don't
have their moments... impatience,
anger, acting like spoiled brats...
you know, SINFUL moments.
Those moments they need forgiveness for.

I mean, really, aren't ministers imperfect
finite beings like the rest of us.

A minister?

Crazy old guy maybe.
Sinful human dirty rag like me maybe.
A minister maybe.
maybe not.

Pray for you minister today. He needs your prayers.
The eyes of not only his church are on him.
The eyes of everyone are on him...
watching him...
waiting...
maybe even hoping...
to see him fall.

"Clean The Shed"

Spent 2 hours this morning taking almost
everything out of my shed, cleaning it,
having the kids help clean it, and putting
almost all of it back in in a more organized
way.

Not quite spring cleaning, let's call it:
The Last Day of June Cleaning.

I found things in there I could not remember
why I was hanging on to them.
I found things that I hadn't been able to find
in some time.
I found things, well, let's just say stuff that I
have no idea where it even came
from (including dead things, nothing mammal :)

It was a good exercise, and was good to get the
heart beating a little more than it does while
I sit a the computer most of the time.

But it's clean. Spotless? NO.
Eat off the floor? NO. Workbench? NO.
But it's as clean as I can ever make it.

Much the same is my life.
The Master has made me clean, once for all time.
Yet, when left to my own self, my
life becomes my shed... it starts to lose it cleanliness.
I make a mess of it.

I do things, I never even remember them.
I do things that I never thought I would do again.
I do things that I had no idea that I was able to do.
Things.
Not nice things.
Selfish things.
Things.

And yet, I have this...

"How much more, then, will the blood of Christ,
who through the eternal Spirit offered himself
unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences
from acts that lead to death, so that we may
serve the living God!"
Hebrews 9:14 NIV

I can clean my shed. But I have not the ability
to cleanse my life. Thanks be to God.

"SiMPLe"

Still can't see the bottom of the lake.
Still can't smell roses on the cake.

Still can't hear the truth in class.
Still can't feel the smoothness of the glass.

Can't seem to find the guy who knows.
Can't seem to know the river that overflows.

Some day, will I really ask?
Some day, will I truly seek?
Some day, will I dare to knock?

SiMPLe as it seems, I'm alive.
SiMPLe as it goes, I'm free.
SiMPLe as it goes, I'm free.
SiMPLe as it goes, I'm free.

Well, son, simply put, YES.
Don't focus on the way it's become a mess.

Well, son, I can truly say:
I have walked the road some day you may.

There is one who understands it all.
Just make sure you don't miss the call.

One day, You will ask.
One day, You will seek.
One day, You must knock.

SiMPLe as it seems, Be alive.
SiMPLe as it goes, Be free.
SiMPLe as it goes, Be free.
SiMPLe as it goes, Be free.

SiMPLe as it seems, Be alive.
SiMPLe as it goes, Be free.
SiMPLe as it goes, Be free.
SiMPLe as it goes, Be free

Today, You need to ask.
Today, You need to seek.
Today, You need to knock.

SiMPLe as it seems, You will be alive.
SiMPLe as it goes, You will be free.
SiMPLe as it goes, You will be free.
SiMPLe as it goes, You will be free.

SiMPLe as it seems, You will be alive.
SiMPLe as it goes, You will be free.
SiMPLe as it goes, You will be free.
SiMPLe as it goes, You will be free.

SiMPLe as it seems, You will be alive.
SiMPLe as it goes, You will be free.
SiMPLe as it goes, You will be free.
SiMPLe as it goes, You will be free.