This will be my last blog for the year 2008! I just finished teaching a marriage education class to 8 couples in Tyler today and I am very glad this is my job. All my couples thanked me for taking the time to teach them some valuable communication, conflict resolution, budgeting and other skills they will need to get their marriages off to a great start. I even got a phone call during one of the breaks from the couple who completed my 8 hour class last Monday. (The one that lasted from 3:00-11:00 p.m.) They got married and they want to e-mail me some pictures of the wedding!
God has blessed me with a wonderful job. Not only do I teach these great skills to couples, both married, engaged or other, I also learn from them as well.
I hope God blesses me in 2009 so that I can help even more couples.
Happy New Year, See You in 2009! -- Mark English
About ME
- Mr. E
- Grand Prairie, Texas, United States
- Mr. E is a Christian, Husband, Father of 2, former Army Officer and Texas Rangers Baseball fan.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Thursday, December 25, 2008
English Family Photo 2008!
Actually this picture was made in October of this year, but it was part of a series of family photos, made along with my sister and her daughter, we made to give to my parents as a Christmas gift. We really liked this one with the Flag flying in the background!Merry Christmas 2008!
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
The Twelve Days of Christmas - 2008
My wife Jamie and I have a tradition each year of buying each other 12 gifts for Christmas (not counting anything that fits in our stockings). Each gift must be $5.00 or less, not counting tax, and one gift can be up to $10.00. This is hard for me because their are not many things out there that are $5.00 or less. You have to be very creative sometimes. Here is what I got from my bride, Jamie this year.
On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me: 2 pairs of needed dress socks
On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me: A Wine Tasting for Dummies Kit (includes a book about how to get to know the types of wines and 4 wine glasses) Sadly the day before I got a box of 4 wine glasses as part of the gift exchange at my work Christmas Party. Wine anyone?
On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me: 2 pairs of needed dress socks
On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me: a 4 pack of Starbucks Frappachinos (Mocha flavor)
On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me: a wooden cross magnet that has a "secret Bible verse" engraved on it.
On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me: a Red "I'm a Christian Dad" T-shirt
On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me: 2 pairs of needed dress socks (I am now good on dress socks for the next few years)
On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me: the movie "Patriot Games" on DVD. This was the movie we watched on our first "official" date. How Romantic! (Romantic that she remembered the movie, but not such a romantic movie to watch on a first date.)
On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me: A pair of Salt & Pepper Shakers that fit together like puzzle pieces (You have to have seen the movie: Fireproof, to appreciate this gift.)
On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me: a set of metal brain-teaser puzzles.
On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me: a pair of nice shorts for next spring.
On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me: A nice dress short sleeve shirt!
The strangest gift I received, so far, this year came from my mother. She got me a monogrammed silver toothpick holder! Ooohhh! Now I can finally reach that piece of popcorn that has been stuck back there for years.
On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me: 2 pairs of needed dress socks
On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me: A Wine Tasting for Dummies Kit (includes a book about how to get to know the types of wines and 4 wine glasses) Sadly the day before I got a box of 4 wine glasses as part of the gift exchange at my work Christmas Party. Wine anyone?
On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me: 2 pairs of needed dress socks
On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me: a 4 pack of Starbucks Frappachinos (Mocha flavor)
On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me: a wooden cross magnet that has a "secret Bible verse" engraved on it.
On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me: a Red "I'm a Christian Dad" T-shirt
On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me: 2 pairs of needed dress socks (I am now good on dress socks for the next few years)
On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me: the movie "Patriot Games" on DVD. This was the movie we watched on our first "official" date. How Romantic! (Romantic that she remembered the movie, but not such a romantic movie to watch on a first date.)
On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me: A pair of Salt & Pepper Shakers that fit together like puzzle pieces (You have to have seen the movie: Fireproof, to appreciate this gift.)
On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me: a set of metal brain-teaser puzzles.
On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me: a pair of nice shorts for next spring.
On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me: A nice dress short sleeve shirt!
The strangest gift I received, so far, this year came from my mother. She got me a monogrammed silver toothpick holder! Ooohhh! Now I can finally reach that piece of popcorn that has been stuck back there for years.
Monday, December 22, 2008
A Very Long Day
Today I am going to do something either very generous or very insane. I am about to teach a couple an 8 hour Marriage Education Class, starting at 3:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m. This will put me home around 11:30 p.m. or so. To top is off I have been fighting a cold since last Thursday, and I am still coughing, sneezing and blowing my nose often. I hope my couple has lots of LYSOL.
This couple is getting married on Sunday the 28th and I was only person who was willing to teach them on short notice for that time of day. If they complete my class (and they better), they will get a certificate to save $60.00 when applying for their marriage license.
I am going in to work today at 12:00 noon, in order to flex some hours off and I am going to work at 9:00 tomorrow. I am flexing the rest of the overtime hours off on Wednesday so I can leave at 12:00 noon to spend Christmas Eve with my family.
This couple is getting married on Sunday the 28th and I was only person who was willing to teach them on short notice for that time of day. If they complete my class (and they better), they will get a certificate to save $60.00 when applying for their marriage license.
I am going in to work today at 12:00 noon, in order to flex some hours off and I am going to work at 9:00 tomorrow. I am flexing the rest of the overtime hours off on Wednesday so I can leave at 12:00 noon to spend Christmas Eve with my family.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Bravo Obama, Bravo!
President Elect Barack Obama stunned the, "sinful side of the American Community" yesterday by announcing that Pastor Rick Warren will lead the invocation during the Presidential Inauguration! Of course, all the gay-rights, abortion rights, and other "mainstream American cultural groups" are throwing a hissy-fit. (I hope I spelled hissy right!)I just hope Obama does not back down to the negative pressure to drop Warren and choose someone else.
Good choice Obama, now stick to your choice!
Monday, December 15, 2008
Learning the Voice of God
When God first called the great Prophet Samuel, Samuel did not immediately recognize the voice of God! Samuel had to get advice from his mentor, the priest Eli, on what do when he heard God's voice calling to him. Only after the third calling from God did Samuel answer. Why didn't Samuel recognize God's voice? Maybe it was because he was not actively searching for God and listening for His voice? Once Samuel did learn the voice of God, Samuel followed God the rest of his life.
Even the best of us Christians who are seeking God probably could not recognize the voice of God if He did speak to us. Why? It it because the noise of the world drowns out the quite still voice of God? It is because we don't have a relationship with God and therefore treat His voice as if it were the voice of a stranger?
Sheep have to learn the voice of their specific shepherd over all the other voices in the fields. Once they do, they will only respond to THEIR Shepherd, and them alone. Maybe as Christians we should do a better job of learning the voice of our Shepherd, Jesus the Christ? There are many voices in our world who claim to be shepherds or just voices who want to distract us from hearing the voice of God. We need to learn the voice of God, because His is the only voice that will lead us to safety, among a world full of wolves!
Even the best of us Christians who are seeking God probably could not recognize the voice of God if He did speak to us. Why? It it because the noise of the world drowns out the quite still voice of God? It is because we don't have a relationship with God and therefore treat His voice as if it were the voice of a stranger?
Sheep have to learn the voice of their specific shepherd over all the other voices in the fields. Once they do, they will only respond to THEIR Shepherd, and them alone. Maybe as Christians we should do a better job of learning the voice of our Shepherd, Jesus the Christ? There are many voices in our world who claim to be shepherds or just voices who want to distract us from hearing the voice of God. We need to learn the voice of God, because His is the only voice that will lead us to safety, among a world full of wolves!
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