The Pudgeman Quiz
You know, I was thinking. Now that I am married to a school teacher I am learning a few things about giving tests. The most important one is that it takes the teacher longer to write and correct the tests then it usually takes the students to take the tests. But, throwing caution to the wind here I’m going to give you a little true or false pop quiz about the Pudgeman. True and false are a little easier to correct! Submit all of your answers today and tomorrow then on Thursday I will post the answers and award a great first place prize! All you have to do is answer the questions T or F, any other information or questions will be deleted and any answers you did give will not count. You may only submit answers once and you must submit them as yourself (screen names count). You may collaborate with others on answers before you submit them but then you have to share your prize and what fun is that. Here we go:
1. The Pudgeman was born in Romulus, Michigan?
2. The Pudgeman graduated high school in 1980?
3. The Pudgeman built his own home in 1992?
4. The Pudgeman has never been to Texas?
5. The Pudgeman will be 45 on his next birthday?
6. The Pudgeman met Mrs. Pudgeman on eharmony.com?
7. The Pudgeman’s high school varsity letters included debate and band?
8. The Pudgeman is an avid hunter and fisherman?
9. The Pudgeman’s favorite colors are purple and green (not necessarily together)?
10. The Pudgeman’s favorite seventies band is Styx?
11. After his successful completion of drug and alcohol rehab in 1987 the Pudgeman began his walk with the Lord?
12. In 1979 the Pudgeman saw Star Wars for the first time with his nephew Jay?
13. The Pudgeman’s favorite vacation destination is now and always will be Omaha, Nebraska?
14. The Pudgeman’s favorite cartoon as a kid was a toss up between Bugs Bunny and Kimba the white lion?
15. The Pudgeman’s international travels have been limited to Canada?
16. The Pudgeman had his first hole in one (regulation golf not miniature) in 1995?
17. The Pudgeman got the winning hit for the Milan Babe Ruth league championship in 1977?
18. In 1983 the Pudgeman was nicknamed “plywood” by his college intramural floor hockey buddies because putting him in goal was like putting a piece of plywood there?
19. The Pudgeman placed third in his eighth grade wrestling tournament?
20. The Pudgeman likes to talk about himself in the third person?
Well there you have it. You know have until Thursday to submit your answers. Remember the high score will receive a fantastic prize from the Pudgeman himself! Be blessed beyond belief today.
Just Thinking Today
You know, I was thinking. Sometimes that's a problem but this morning I don't believe that it is. I was just thinking on the way in to work today how incredible my life is. I have a wife that loves me with all her heart (and I her), two fantastic step sons, a wonderful daughter with whom I am now getting reacquainted. A wonderful mother, sisters and brothers that although we challenge each other from time to time we all really do get along (when we want to). More nieces, nephews, great nieces & great nephews than I can keep track of. A steady job, a great church family (NewSong of course). Real friendships (you know the kind where you actually are involved in each others lives). One dog, two cats, two mice and a snake! All of this as well as the promise of salvation! Ain't Jesus great? Not just because He has given me everything that I have but because He just plain loves me. Not because of anything that I have done, but because I am one of the Kings kids. I don't know why God loves me, I just know that he does. Let me leave you with the following from Romans 8:35-39:
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.It you don't know anything else about God please know that He loves you unconditionally without any strings attached! Be blessed beyond belief today!
Getting Stirred Up
You know, I was thinking. Some times I have come on this blog and given you all some original Pudge stuff. But most of the time I have done nothing more than taken ideas from someone else and added my own flaire to them and then shared them with you. Today will be one of those kinds of posts.
Yesterday as I was sitting in church at Faith Baptist in Waterford, the pastor (Jim Combs) began to preach about things that stir him up. You see Pastor Jim is a man who doesn't hold back on what he thinks and feels just because it might not be popular. Some of the things that he listed were: People who use the Lord's name in vein, People who are critical of America, People who hurt children, Catching a big bass and a couple of others that were along these lines. He pointed out that we all have things that we get stirred up about. The main point that he made was that he gets stirred up about bringing people to Jesus! Man, now he was really speaking my language. I can't tell you what it does to me to see people become obedient to accepting Jesus into their hearts. There is nothing that can bring out more emotion or warmth in my soul than to witness such a thing.
There are people all around you today who are getting ready to step into eternity without knowing Jesus! Do you personally know any? What are you doing about it? I know that leading people to salvation can take a great deal of time and patience. Often you do not just walk up to a person and lead them to the Lord in one conversation but are you having any conversations with the unsaved about their salvation. I feel quite convicted right now as I write this. My hope is that the Father will give me the opportunities and the words to be more effective in His kingdom today, tomorrow and for as long as I walk this earth. Go out into your world today and share the Good News about Jesus with someone. Be blessed beyond belief today.
Forgiveness
You know, I was thinking. Last night I had the opportunity to sit around with a couple of brothers and just talk about stuff before I went to bowling. The topic we got off on was about forgiveness. The verse in particular was to forgive others as God has forgiven us. We pondered this thought for a few moments and the obvious question came up as to "how DOES God forgive us?" That is a good question! Here are the highlights:
Forgiveness is a gift that is just waiting for us to receive. It can not be earned or bargained for but it can be received by just going to the Father (as it was with the prodical son).
True forgiveness can only come through the blood of Jesus! Trying to earn it or attain it is not possible.
Forgiveness is complete. Since God has already forgiven us (even before we transgress) we are forgiven without any strings attached! I don't have to jump through hoops or do anything super-human to have this forgiveness!
So, for us to forgive others as God has forgiven us isn't such an easy thing to do some times. We have got to be ready to forgive as soon as someone transgresses against us. Our fogiving nature does not depend on someone elses actions. In other words I have to forgive whether or not the other person appologizes, repents, makes restitution or even asks for my forgiveness. My heart does not depend on their actions what-so-ever! That's very difficult to do. My flesh cries out for justice but the Spirit of God that lives within me cries out to show mercy and kindness! No matter what has been done to me.
Are you a forgiving person? Do you hold grudges or hard feelings toward someone? Do you put conditions on who you forgive and when? I guess the question that needs to be asked here is a simple one: "WHAT WOULD JESUS DO? Be blessed beyond belief today.
Some Pictures From The Big Day
You know, I was thinking. Here are some shots from the big day a couple of weeks ago. I hope all of you enjoy them:
Here is the Mollette/Galffy family
Monica, Mrs. P-Man, The P-Man & ONOM
You can't have a wedding without a cake!
Me and the two wonderful women in my life!
Yep we got rings too!
Hey, somebody had to do the job! He works cheap and his wife is pretty!! Thanks Tom!!!
Be blessed beyond belief today.
Just To Humor The Blogfather
You know, I was thinking. The other day I got tagged by none other than the
Blogfather himself! So, I took this about as seriously as a gnat flying around my head (you know a distraction and annoyance but that's about all) and went on with my life...........................until this morning. Someone named Russ got on the IM and began busting my chops about not responding to the "tag"! According to the Blogfather when one is tagged one becomes "obligated" to respond! So without giving up my fist ammendment right to freedom of speech, and most importantly to get this guy off my back. Here is my response to "five things that you probably don't know about me!
1. When I was about four years old my friends all wanted to grow up to be be firemen, policemen or astronauts. Not me, I wanted to be an ice cream man. I thought this would be the greatest job in the world. You got the truck with all of the cool music and lights. You get to drive around and see people all day long. But most importantly was that you had all of that ice cream at your disposal.
2. I am the youngest of five children. I have the unquestionable knowledge that since I was born exactly one year and sixteen days after my brother Jerry that I was an unplanned birth. I can't see my dad saying to my mom (when my brother was three months old) "you know, we need to have one more right away!"
3. When I was 14 years old my Babe Ruth baseball team (Milan Blue) won the league championship! I got the winning hit to clinch the championship (one of only three that season). We got knocked out of districts the first game.
4. My favorite car that I ever owned was a 1974 Cherry Red Chevy Monte Carlo. This thing was beautiful. It had a built up 350 Chevy engine under the hood and would just float down the road at 100 mph! Man, I miss that ride.
5. My first trumpet solo ever was when I was a junior in high school. I was playing in the community jazz band and had about a 20 measure solo to a jazz arrangement of the song "I'd Really Love To See You Tonight". My hands were shaking so hard that I barely finished the solo! But it went well.
So there you have it Blogfather! I hope this satisfies my obligations to both you and blog etiquette! Above all other things be blessed beyond belief today.
The Reunion
You know, I was thinking. The daddy/daughter reunion has happened. This is the first of what I hope to be many times that I visit with Sarah! The evening started out quite emotionally (as expected) and ended with us beating a couple of her friend at euchre. It has been a great start of a very short visit, but it is going to be a great one. I love my little girl very dearly and am excited about what God has for us.
It is very late and I am ready to get some sleep, I am sure that I will share more as the weekend progresses. Be blessed beyond belief today.
One Week Down & A Lifetime To Go
You know, I was thinking. I have been blessed with a wife for a week now and I must say this married life stuff is really working for me. Rachel and I still have very busy and demanding schedules but we are working through them better than ever. God has blessed me in so many ways throughout my life but giving me this wonderful gift is beyond words.
This Friday I will be traveling to see my daughter Sarah who I haven't seen in almost 15 years. I am very excited about renewing this relationship. Sarah and I have been emailing, IM'ing and talking on the phone for over a month now and she is finally ready to get together and meet face to face. I have to drive up to Traverse City after work and I will come back on Saturday afternoon. I am really looking forward to this and once again words cannot express what I feel about this opportunity that God has blessed me with.
One of the thoughts that have been going through my head lately is the quote by Jimmy Valvano some years ago. Jimmy was suffering from inoperable cancer and was literally dying when he told the audience at the ESPY awards "Don't give up, don't ever give up!" What wisdom there is in that statement. It becomes even more powerful when you add God into the picture. "All things are possible" when God is in the picture. Five years ago I was 450#, single, no children, bearly scraping by financially and wondering why God even put me on this earth. Although life isn't perfect I now weight 200# less, I have a wife, two step sons, renewing the relationship with my daughter, more financially secure and quite frankly I am genuinely happy. GIG ATT! You know what they say about when you come to the end of your rope don't you? Tie a knot and hold on for dear life! Hang in there, God is faithful and will deliver you! Be blessed beyond belief today.
Great Time In Frankenmuth
You know, I was thinking. God has blessed Rachel and I so richly with such great family and friends. Our lives have been brought together to serve God and to love others. We had a great little honeymoon in Frankenmuth with unseasonably warm weather to enjoy. What a blessing that was for us. I highly recommend the Bavarian Inn Lodge for anyone wishing to have a little getaway. Great family oriented place.
Well, I hope to update you some more on married life a little later. Thanks to all for all of the well wishes and love that you have all shown. Be blesse beyond belief today.
