As many of you know, this weekend Amy and I headed up to VA to my folks place in the Shenandoah Valley for our Christmas celebration as well as an annointing ceremony concocted by my brother. So after leaving school Friday Amy and I got to my folks house about 10:30 in the evening. Upon arrival we found everyone relaxing in front of a fireplace because it was COLD outside and there was SNOW on the ground.
Now first off I am immediatly excited by my family yes but also by the SNOW. I haven’t seen snow in about two years and I miss it oh so much! Then there is the fireplace which is just AWESOME when its cold. Anyway, after hugs and such we sat down to chat for awhile about this and that. I was later told that my mother was kinda nervous about seeing me because she has never seen me with a completely shaved head before and was wondering if I looked funny… MOTHER… OF COURSE I LOOK FUNNY, I HAVE DADS LOOKS!
It was nice being able to sit around and chat with family. Amy ended up sleeping in front of the fire until about 2:00 am while Tommy and I were playing around. After a goodnight sleep Amy and I headed in to hear one of Pastor Shane Andersons amazing sermons. He is an amazing man of God and is an excellent spiritual leader for the New Market church. His sermon was on preparing the congregation to hear his up coming sermons on “walking on water”. Basically he talked about how to fail, so that we can understand how to succed in making a difference NOW in speeding up Christs second coming by accepting the latter rain. He actually go the entire congregation to move at the end of the sermon by everyone coming up front and kneeling and asking for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Needless to say, it was powerful stuff. If any of you are interested in hearing his sermons you can contact me, my dad, or check New Markets main website. Click HERE to check out the website!
After church we had lots of family and friends come over for lunch and eventually TWO annointings! The food was great and the company excellent and around 3:30ish, Shane came over to start preparing myself and a really really good family friend Mr. Bill to annointed. It was a very special service requiring me to sit in a chair in the middle of the family room with everyone kneeling around me (wow did i feel like Joseph with all the sheeves of wheat bowing down… just kidding) and laying their hands on me while the Elders prayed, the pastor praying and annointing and then anyone else who wanted to offer up requests to God for healing and for His will to be done. What was awesome was the way i felt, I started out feeling all important and big but as the prayers went up, I felt smaller and smaller, like an “out of body experience” but in a way that I knew I was a very small person and that God is a very VERY big being. The Holy Spirit was in the room and I know that God is working in my life and in the lives of those around me.
ok while praying, we’re all crying and stuff and i have a runny nose. thats an embarrassing thing when your hands are being held by other people and your nose is running. I looked like a St. Bernard except the drool isn’t coming out of my mouth but oozing a 12 inch long dribble of snot. Just shows that God has humor in serious events
After everyone who wanted to pray had prayed we took a few minutes to dry our eyes, chat a bit, then have Mr. Bill get into the “hot seat” We layed our hands on him and asked that he be healed of his cancer as well. He has a passion and fire to share the love of God, especially in Pathfinders and the youth. It is amazing the way he and I have grown closer through our turmoil and I know that the reason i partially have this cancer is to help understand what he is going through to try and help support him. He has been an inspiration and huge supporter to me and I thank him so much for everything that he has done.
The afternoon part was spent hearing silly stories about the Shack Dogz, different recent stories, things on how blessed we are etc. The fellowship was excellent and I thank everyone that could attend, who was there in spirit, and those were didn’t want to come because I look funny 
Thanks to my family for being there, Tommy for setting it all up, Shane for doing the ceremony, friends for the good laughs, and everyone else.
That evening Amy and mom went shopping (bleh) so the rest of us who were remaning played some Rook, BS, ate some food and just relaxed. About 10:00 i was exhausted and couldn’t take anymore so I retired for some of the best sleep I have had in a long time!
Sunday Amy and I were up at 8:30, 8:30 ON AN SUNDAY!!!! BLAHHHHHH I MUST BE CURED!!!!! Usually i sleep until 10 or 11! Anyway we got up, I played some World Of Warcraft, and prepared for a big lunch that would be our Christmas dinner. So we had some Meritime patties, Leek and Potatoe Caserole, Mandarine Oranges in Jello, Herb Bread (and Garlic bread). I twas DELICIOUS. After dinner we opened presents and sat around a bit and played of ‘Boggle’
It was a good weekend but one thing was lacking, and that was my little brother Matthew. I have been reading his blogs and he sounds really homesick and asks the question “have you seen growth in me” and i think that is a valid question. I have seen maturity in his posts and in the mssages he sends me. So Matthew, I have seen growth especially with dealing with the principal that one time. I know its tough to be over there, I was in England for a bit and you are farther away and for a longer period of time and there is a certain lady friend waiting for you. So it is WAY tougher then when I was away. But you are putting everything in Gods hands, and that right there proves that you are mature, mature enough to know where to place your problems. So keep that contact with God open and you will go far.
I hope everyone has a wonderful day and please keep in touch!
but this is needed to check progression. i am not looking forward to it since i have to drink that Barium stuff tonight and then get a GIAGANTIC IV shoved in my wrist then shoved on a diving board sized table then slid into a donut that is spinning at a quadrillion rotations per second!