Terribly Interesting

My brother Mike was a photographer. He had an uncanny eye to catch things unseen by the average person. He could see things in people that most of us would choose not to see. He could find the beauty and capture it on film. He was like that in life. People were very comfortable around him. You felt more relaxed, more beautiful, more you. When he died, there was a gaping hole in my heart. I desperately needed to laugh again. I needed to see that things were going to be alright again. I needed to see the glory of God in my day to day surroundings. I picked up a camera. At first it was a little Sony 8megapixel that I had bought to take pictures of my first daughter. I was desperate to see glimpses of God in creation, in faces, in clouds. I saved up and bought a Canon Digital Rebel. I snapped and snapped and snapped. I didn't recognize what I was doing for a long time. I did not see that I had begun doing this almost immediately after my brother had died. Somehow, it makes me fe...

Prepare your heart to begin again. Be strong. Be courageous. Release fear. Let loose of discouragement. I AM with you wherever you go. Don't you dare give up. Begin again. Joshua 1:9 For more on this segment, see this post .

Laomai and I recently began reading the books in the Childhood Character series by Ralph Bouma. It designed for 9 to 13 year olds, but my four year old loves it. We read a chapter a day and she couldn't wait to hear what happened to the character next. It teaches lessons that build faith and develop character. New Edition of another 19th century classic! Charles, a rambunctious orphan, is adopted by a wealthy older couple, but it quickly becomes clear that his adoptive father, Mr. Raymond, is a very ungodly man, while Mrs. Raymond is a devoted Christian woman.   Throughout Charles' childhood, Mrs. Raymond patiently but firmly trains Charles in the discipline and instruction of the Lord, as he struggles to learn the ways of the Lord. Charles constantly finds himself tempted to many disobedient behaviors. Through the trials, blessings, and lessons of Charles' life, children learn many truths about walking with God and resisting the temptations that arise out of the...

If you are looking for a little less relish and a little more spice from your eggs, try this recipe.

I have sold about $1,300.00 in my quest for a new kitchen. That provides me with my copper dream sink and a faucet. Now, I can start working towards new cabinets and a floor. Then the dream will be to get a new fridge (ice box as I call it), stove, and dish washer. Oh the joys of modern conveniences. Oh, the joy of a floor.  Synda was here working on the door again. It is her pet project. The last few weeks we have been on the road. We have ministered to family and ministered at a week of camp for a Christian school. That means little got done at our house. That's hard, but it also gives us a huge desire to work when we get home.  I have been talking to God about writing another book. My friend Pauline asked me last week if I wanted a desk that she had gotten from an attorney's office in Houston. Do you think it's a sign? The other funny thing is that a friend of mine has a desk very similar to it and I have long admired it.  I have been doing some photo ...

Everyone does this "what I am thankful for" each day on their facebook status updates in the month of November. I have been participating. I am really thankful for everything in my life. I am thankful for the deep things of God all around us. I am even thankful for the shallow things of this life. I have to admit what is really going on in my mind while I am writing things out each day. I am thinking that I am thankful that my daughters will not grow up in a culture that sells them into the sex trade. I am thankful that they will not know the horrors of sex trafficking. I am thankful that I do not know it myself. I am thankful that we have not sacrificed our children to the idol of culture and society. I am thankful that we do not live where war atrocities grip common life. I am thankful that my children will be given a chance to know Christ as He truly is. I grateful to get to educate at home and to be home. I am fall down on my face thankful to get to love people who...

I want to take a different approach to this today. I have been wanting to change it up and make a new picture for the segment.  The other day I was laying in my bed thinking about the ministry associated with the coach from Penn State that is being investigated for sexually assaulting a child. I started wondering if he had used a biblical theme to bas the name of his charity on. The Second Mile. In common terminology, people say to go the extra mile, but saying second mile bore the direct resemblance to Matthew 5:41.  " If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles." That line is what he used to form his organization.  I just sat there for a second. I was staring at the words and I began to tear up.  I had made the mistake of reading how they found the man abusing a child. I felt sick that he had done this and lured these young boys under the guise and face of Christ. I wondered if he had been abused by a religious authority himself. Then I...

Decision Points is not your typical memoir. George did not try to write it as a series of events that happened while he was in office or as a long list of facts about his life. He wrote it from the perspective of his human experience as the President of the United States. He carried the country through 9/11, war, and held strong to his beliefs in key decisions.  A friend of mine told me that this was a good read regardless of whether you are in agreement with George W. Bush's politics or not. I have to agree. I personally thought he did an excellent job as our govenor. He achieved all of the things he said he would do in his campaign. Then I watched the media rip the man to shreds as he was in the office of president. I enjoyed reading his perspective on the events he faced. He really shows you his humanity and the struggles he went through trying to serve our country. He speaks of his life, the people who became dear to him, the people who betrayed him, and the hard lessons...

I apologize on behalf of my wife.  She does such a faithful job of blogging every day.  This past week, she was incredibly generous to allow me her blog space to share songs I'm writing as part of the "7in7" songwriter's challenge.  And challenge it has been.  I've missed a few days, and so her blog has been absent the past few days.  We've been on the road the past 3 days, plus with being a dad, my day always seems full.  Finding time to not just write a song, but to also sit down, record it and post it is tough to do 7 days in a row.  If you've been counting, this is actually only #5 in 7.....but this is officially the last day of the challenge, so that's good enough for me.  It has been a useful but incredibly frustrating exercise.   I told Stephanie that the hardest thing for me was that it's completely foreign to how I normally write songs.  God usually gives me songs one of two ways:  Sometimes, he'll give me a song ...

Denbigh here.....so if you've been following my wife's blog the past few days (and I kind of hope you haven't), you notice that I'm posting a lot.  I'm part of a songwriting group that is undertaking a challenge....7 songs in 7 days.  Every day I have to write a song, complete it, and post it somewhere on the internet.  The problem with that is, most of the songs won't be that good.  But all the songs have to be posted.  Alas.....them's the rules.  Here's tonight's song: http://www.denbighcherry.com/audio/How%20valiant%20is%20my%20God%20and%20King.m4a This one kind of came out as a hymn.  Please forgive my voice.  It's horribly struggling this week.  

Once again, I(Denbigh) have a song for the 7in7 challenge.  This song is just.....silly.  This is one of those songs you write because your mind is gone and you've been around children all day.  Anyways here it is: http://www.denbighcherry.com/audio/House%20Restoration%20Blues.m4a Please bear in mind that this is a very rough recording, my voice has been shot for days, there was a hole in my mitt and the sun was in my eyes.  (Man, I hope no one is reading her blog this week.)  Did I say that out loud?

This is Denbigh....so, this week I'm taking part in a songwriting adventure called "7in7".  Worship leader Aaron Ivey has organized a group of songwriters to write 7 songs in 7 days.  Quite a challenge.  The catch is, you have to post each of your songs somewhere for others to hear.  So today I chose my wife's blog.  The 7in7 is quite daunting, because it forces you to write and finish a song every day......even if the song stinks.  Which happened to me yesterday.  Tonight wasn't going so good either.  I was highly unmotivated and my voice just didn't really feel like singing.  Thankfully, our college student live-in at Gomer's House was home, Aaron Harper, who also happens to be a worship leader.  He sat with me at the piano and we cranked this out in about 10 minutes. http://www.denbighcherry.com/audio/Awake.m4a This is me on piano and Aaron on vocals.  Please bear in mind that the recording is very, very rough.  We just...

Draw up into My healing. It is time for your heart to loose the things it holds onto, the things that hold it. Today, you grow up. Today, you no longer you learn to eat good things. Do not focus on who those around you say that you are or you are not. Pull up a chair. Break your desire to please others. I have anointed you. ME. I have prepared a feast for you before your enemies. ME. I have placed this cup before you. ME. Delight yourself in Me. "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows." Psalm 23:5 For more about this segment, see this post .

 We are always in full swing here at Gomer's House. This week, Denbigh has mostly been concentrating on getting foam board on the ceilings between the second and third floors. It is amazing what it will do to a space. We go from dark, drafty longleaf pine to the bright happiness of living inside an igloo cooler. Of course, as lovely as it is, it will get covered with sheetrock and antique tiles.  I have mostly been in the studio working on photographs and paintings. I sold 20 this past week. You can imagine, it kept me busy. I am working on getting everything in an etsy shop as well. Thank you to everyone who has purchased some artwork from me to help us with the restoration effort. We are deeply concerned about those around us and your help is priceless to us. Thank you.  "Wandering Heart" This is being shipped out of state tomorrow. This is 16x20 available for $20.00.  This is in the master bedroom.  The bathroom on the second floor. ...

Beautiful Stephanie is very tired tonight and not feeling all that well, so as her protective husband, I'm standing in the gap for her. Today, we were running some errands around South Austin, so we decided to schedule a trip to the zoo as well.  There are actually 2 zoos in Austin, which is kind of surprising.  We've been to the zoo in west Austin before.....quite a let down.  I got challenged and nearly attacked by a baboon, and we went on a lame train ride....that's about all I remember from that visit.  There is another zoo on the east side of Austin, kind of close to Bastrop, and that's where we went today. As we drove out to the zoo, which was in the absolute middle of nowhere, the first thing we noticed was the mile long entrance of gravel.  No, not even gravel....big, heavy rocks.  This wouldn't have been such a concern, but earlier in the day we had a flat tire and were worried about it going flat again. The zoo itself was decent enough and pret...

Filter your life through My desires. What I have for you is good. What I have for those around you is good. Though you may be persecuted and hated because of Me, pursue my good for those around you and for yourself. Be steadfast. Hold on to the hope of Christ.  Have faith.  "reject every kind of evil."   -1 Thessalonians 5:22 For more on this segment, see this post .