Post #100!!--Day 160/Day 9/Day 20.

There's something to be said for purposely understating things. One could say "I give glory to God for the ocean and its' beauty." You could also say "There's something about the ocean that makes me rise up and praise." I like those first few words from the chorus of Ten Shekel Shirt's song "Ocean". That's interesting to call God's work and it's beauty and our total awe of it just...something. I get the idea. Very well put and I'm going to have to find out what a Ten Shekel Shirt is.

Today is my 100th post. Since this is my 160th day, I could look at this negatively and realize that means I missed 2 months worth of blogging. That's not what this blog is about though. It's about looking for the positive things in my day and giving glory to God for them. I know there were quite a few posts that spoke of more than one day. I think all in all, I've missed talking about happiness on a very few days. I looked over the blog and I enjoy reading most of them. There are a few where I think I was thinking along the wrong lines, but that's to be expected. I'm not perfect. I feel it necessary to mention Day 13 in particular. We still love and miss you, Debbie.

I enjoyed the bible study tonight for many reasons even though it was shorter than most. At one point, my attention was grabbed so quickly I almost hurt myself. I was going over the scripture Jim was reading and he says "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" which means, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" I snapped my neck very quickly towards the screen he was reading off of. I can't believe I never researched that, I thought. By "that" I mean my middle name before I was adopted. It was Eloy which is how "Eloi" is pronounced. I didn't like it at all and was glad my parents changed it to Ray. I just find it incredibly interesting that in the nearly 30 years since I was adopted I never found out what it means. I figured it was just a name. I wonder if they knew what it meant. I think it was my birthfather's first or middle name. I looked it up and found that in Spain it means "renowned warrior". In French, it means "the Chosen One." Either one of those meanings describe God in one perspective or another. It looks like that is where the name "Eli" comes as well meaning "God" in Greek.

The homework is to take Proverbs 2 and rewrite it so that God is talking to us in particular. That's a pretty cool assignment. I'm looking forward to doing it. It will help that I have it memorized. Not that I mind having the bible open while doing my homework, but I also enjoy the ability to just use my heart and mind to describe His words to me.

Kim and I would like to start attending Jim's adult Sunday School class. I pray that we're able to. I like how I ended Day 18 and am surprised I never did it again. What better time than now? What better place than here?

Dear Lord, You are the wise, loving, merciful, knowledgeable, strong, and powerful God. You have changed my life. I thank you for dying for my sins and I thank you for coming into my life. I am a sinner and am blessed that you are so merciful and loving. Thank you for Kim and Colton and Gabrielle and Noah. I could not ask for a better family. Thank you for everyone in Kim's family and everyone in my family. We are all blessed. Thank you for my church family. It's wonderful to have so many of your children come together to praise you every week. Thank you for my friends. I pray that you bless them all. I pray that you touch each of them in the way only you can. I pray for those who are sick and those with troubles that are heavy on their heart. I pray for the person who must've been severly injured in that car accident today. I pray for his family and the family of the man who hit him. I understand that tragedies like this happen, and eventually good will come out of all of this. I pray for the leaders of the world, the leaders of my country, the leaders of my state and the leaders of churches. Bless Pastor Don each Sunday as he teaches us Your Word. Bless our new president and have him do Your will. Continue to touch the lives of Dennis and Jennifer and Adam and Jim and Wendy and Jenni and Jim Kirkland and Kim and I and the kids as you have done so powerfully in the past few weeks, months and years. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.