Sorry...

   Sorry, sorry, sorry for not posting in forever!! Seems like we`ve been really busy lately but maybe that`s just me. Anyway, I wanted to post about Thanksgiving on Thanksgiving but that didn`t really work out so, here is my Thanksgiving post. I have so so much to be thankful for. I don`t know where to start. Here are just a few: music, family, friends, food (of course), an amazing, supportive, fantastic church family, quoting movies with my sister, laughter, joy, tears, stars singing God`s praise... and on and on it goes. But the thing that I am most thankful for above everything else is that God didn`t pass me by but embraced me as a son. A holy, almighty God who would have been perfectly just to turn the other way and send us to hell, showed love for worthless sinners like us and doesn`t even remember that we did anything wrong. He wiped my record clean. That`s something to be thankful for. THANK YOU JESUS!!
Before I end this post I would like to show you some pics of how we spent our thanksgiving:

All the men played football in the back while the feast was being prepared. =)

The Big Fella is clearly going to catch this ball and take it in for six points!

Eddie Joe could... go.... all... the.... WAY!!!

This is only some of the amazing food that was waiting for us when we came in...

...prepared by the amazing Grandma!!

        We all had a great Thanksgiving together. It was also our little sister Peaches` first one with us. She came home to our family from Ethiopia at the end of March and she is such a little joy in our life. And this Thanksgiving marked the day that she was brought into the transition home Hannah`s Hope one year ago. So, it was a special day for us all. We are all so thankful for her. God is good. I hope you all had a fantastic Thanksgiving and, well, MERRY CHRISTMAS!! Just kidding. :)




--Rye Bread

Fifteen?!

     Yeah. It`s hard to believe but me and my brother turned fifteen on Sunday. And yes that means we are old enough to get our learner`s permits. O____O   But don`t worry, we haven`t gotten them yet. Soon though.... very soon. Driving aside, we really did have a fantastic birthday. On Saturday we went to Starbucks with who else but the band. After grabbing our coffee we went and had an epic jam session. Here are some pictures:

              After that, we headed back home for guy time with a bunch of our friends. It consisted mostly of air hockey, John Smith, capture the flag, and foursquare. Here are some pictures from our evening:

   


          Well, we are both so thankful for our family and friends who made it such an awesome birthday. Have an excellent night and watch out for us driving on the road. Be a twinkie not a ding-dong...



--Rye Bread

Something Greater

       As you may know, both of us love music. We love to play it, write it, listen to it, you name it. So, once me and T-bird became pretty experienced in the instruments we play, (T-bird: piano, trumpet, a little guitar; me: guitar, trombone, a little piano) we decided to form a band with a couple of our friends. Our band is called Something Greater and I decided to post a video of us playing one night at church. On the drums, we have "South Pole", (looooong story) on the electric guitar is "The Big C", playing the piano is T-bird, and me completely destroying the song on the microphone. Without further ado, here is the song "Lights" from Something Greater:












--Rye Bread

Last Slice of Pizza

     I was supposed to post a Tim Hawkins video yesterday because it was Tim Hawkins Tuesday. However, yesterday was filled with school, school, school, choir, school, school, basketball practice, school, school, and last, but not least, school. So, instead of making you die of laughter from Tim, here`s a video from Julian Smith that`s stupid but somehow makes me laugh every time I watch it.




















--Rye Bread

Other Blogs...

      These are some awesome blogs from some friends and family of ours that you should check out:

Bursts of Sunshine is a blog that our older sister writes and is one of the best blogs ever! Sunshine is the coolest, funniest, most amazing older sister we have and is such a good example of Christ in the way she lives her life. So, what are you waiting for? Check it out!! Oh, and if you want to read more about our family and such, go to our family`s blog, room for more.

Another excellent blog you want to see is Dingy, But Loved. This blog is written by our very good friend, Bugg, with whom we make hilarious skits and reeeeeeaaaaally random inside jokes. We always have a blast together. So, if you`re looking for a blog written by someone with an awesome sense of humor, and with a passion to shine for Jesus, this is the one. =) Oh yeah and you should also look at their family`s blog, Hennhouse Happenings.

You should also see the blog, Meant to Shine. This one is written by our sister in Christ, Cassandra. She is also a very good friend of ours and a great example of Christ to us. She has this incredible, contagious desire to be a light in the world`s darkness and always seems to be giggling about something. ;) And I also recommend their family`s blog, Unto Him We Live.

Another one you should definitely look at is 80 Billion. This blog is written by Belle, who is one of Sunshine and Cassandra`s good friends. She is also the cousin and friend of Bugg. She is a very godly person who strives to defeat Satan in the everyday fight. And you will just have to see why she calls her blog what it is. :)

      

    Whew. Well, I hope you look at all these fantastic blogs. There are probably some I`m forgetting but that`s about it for now. Have an awesome day and remember, be a twinkie not a ding-dong. =)



--Rye Bread

Tim Hawkins Dose for the Week...

     Here is your Tim Hawkins video for the week:









--Rye Bread

Thoughts on a Friday Night

It is Friday night and I got an extra shot in my starbucks drink so I am very awake and ready to post. This post is just me thinking of different things tonight. Thinking about the insane summer we've had. Thinking of how God loves us even though we don't deserve it. And one of the ways He shows His love for us is through affliction. Well, why does He do that?! we wonder. Why doesn't He just shower us with blessings and say, I love you? I'm not saying He doesn't do that, but if that happened all the time, why would you need to depend on God? You could say, "I'm doing great on my own. I don't really need God in my life."

Oh, but you do!! He's the reason you're breathing right now! He's the One in control of your life! So I think one of the many thousand reasons God afflicts us is to remind us that we desperately need Him and that we need to trust Him. Without Him, we are nothing and we can't do anything on our own strength. He is our great God and our Rock. Here's a few lyrics to a song I wrote about pain and affliction in our lives:

It might seem like the pain's too much
But God is just showing His love
He'll give you the way of escape
He won't let you drown

So when dark times come your way
Rejoice on that day
For God is lifted high
And we are brought down



--Rye Bread