Thanksgiving 2013

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

I woke 5 am to no alarm this morning and rustled in bed only to get the normal and reasonable response from my wife, "why don't you get up and have some coffee."  My ears hear, "get out of here and let me sleep!"  Time to serve my wife and get up...

Love Thanksgiving mornings and the thoughts of what is ahead in the day. Group ride, hanging with family, playing with the kids, delicious foods, wine, and a stomach ache (or two) as the day progresses.  It is one of those days that reminds me that "my cup overflows..."

As I sat this morning looking to read various news articles of the world, I found this article Opening the Gates which describes that the leaders of Iran were considering (or reconsidering) their rule of whether the women of their country may watch world soccer.  As I read on, I was reminded of the realities of the world and different countries that oppress their people in the name of their religion.  Unfortunately, the article does not seem to state that the reality for women in Iran will change anytime soon, especially under the regime of the nations Islamic Law.  It pauses me this morning to give thanks for so much.

This guttural thanks is not just rooted in giving praise for basic comforts and our country's prosperity (those things are good too), but a much greater thanks for our real and eternal freedom in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  It is my prayer that both our religious freedoms and basic liberties never change.  I also pray for those who are oppressed (such as the women of Iran) and looking forward to when God decides to explode his Church in even that part of the world.  May he open the real gates of freedom!

God thank you for this life and the wonder of your world.  Thank you for my marriage and the joy of family.  Thank you for my children, Sean and Amber.  Thank you that my daughter can live in freedom without oppression and being cursed a second class citizen!  Thank you for your hand in our lives.  Thank you for the reminder to trust you always, and to remember that it is not our circumstances that say we are blessed, but rather the much deeper and eternal blessing of knowing you and being loved by you.

Thanks for reading and Happy Thanksgiving to you all...

Martin Family Surfing

My brother and I have always loved the water and surfed since a young age.  We just loved being in the water, and every kind be it rivers, lakes, and ocean experiences.  We hope to pass on the baton to my kids and have them enjoy it and make it part of their life experience.  Here is a long overdue post and photograph back in early summer in Ventura.

I promised the kids some level of safari this summer which now includes Ventura this weekend and then North San Diego in August.  Looking very much forward to the times...

(Seanyboy, Amber, yours truly, and big Sean)

Praise God for these experiences and family times.  Hope you all are having a great summer...

Double date night...

Had the privilege to enjoy a date with my daughter and her good friend Liz.  Saint Patricks School dance night.  Picked up my dates at the house, a fun italian dinner, and dancing at the school with a bunch of dads and their daughters.  Mike Silva and his daughter Jamie joined us for dinner and it was a fine time indeed.

The dates for the evening.  Amber asked if her friend Liz could join us...   

The traditions...

My beautiful daughter...

Great time and love recording these events.  My time is running out.  She is growing quickly and just the way it is intended.  Praise God for his wonderful gifts and the memories of these moments...

Seanyboy's First Rifle

This past Sunday, Seanyboy and I had a moment to go fire his new rifle.  What a great time at the Hogue Gun Club in San Luis Obispo.  Spent the first 30 minutes calibrating his red-dot scope.  Got it close enough for his range of shooting.  We had a great time as men together...

Seany boy in action on his Marlin Model 60

A viewpoint on range...

The tools of the day...

This experience of gifting my son a firearm provides much good.  Not only will he learn how to expertly handle his rifle, he will experience extremely important lessons in safety, discipline, respect, care, and humility.  My upbringing was much the same way and the tradition will be shared as best I can.  In time he will also grow to understand the important freedom and the stewardship that it comes with.

Much thanks to my dad for his training and care for me in these areas.  I look forward to continuing that same family tradition with my children.  

Great time with my son this past Sunday.  He was glowing with excitement of the experience and really did well with the instruction, safely and respectfully.  Looking forward to more together...

Thanks for reading...

Totally Thirteen!

In the year 2013, on the 13th day, our millennium baby Amber turned the age of 13!  

We had the great privilege to celebrate our daughters birthday yesterday evening with family.  At her request, we made sliders with brie cheese, mac'n cheese (by grandma) and TT made some great carrots with an amazing salad.  It was a fine meal in honer of our young jewel turning her first teenage year...

Amber got her wish of spending the day with her mother and her Aunt Debbie shopping for one of her favorite things, stylish clothing.  When she arrived back, she insisted on having me sit so that she could show me everything that she purchased with her own money.

Her is a stunning picture of my teenage daughter Amber - she is indeed a precious jewel and gift...

Over the past year, Amber has been exploring and practicing her gift of singing and music.  We chose to gift her a recording mic so that she could continue more effectively in that.  It was fun and enjoyable to listen to her belt it out last night.  

Did I tell you that my daughter turned thirteen this weekend!?  You are my little girl Amber, no matter what age!

I am so grateful to God for the giving of this wonderful daughter.  She is so full of life in everything that she does.  She is a a leader, a giver, friend to many, and gives her best efforts at everything she does.  We delight in watching her grow.  

Your family and friends love you dearly Amber and grateful for the way your life has touched us all.  We wish you a very Happy Thirteenth Birthday and many to come.

Double Digits!

Our beloved son is ten years of age today!  It has been a delight to watch him grow and we cannot believe it has been ten years already.  All birthdays are a celebration but we believe 10 is a big one.  We had the joy to celebrate with family this past evening with his favorite meal -  tacos.

After dinner he received his first coming of age gift in the form of a .22 caliber rifle (Marlin Model 60).  This is a Martin tradition and the next steps is firearm safety and then some respectful use and training of how to fire it...

We love this young man dearly.  He loves to read, enjoys adventure, surfing, fishing, the natural world, and he has always wanted a firearm of his own.  He now gets his chance.  Looking forward to the time together and the instructions on this.

Happy Birthday Seanyboy!  Your family loves you!  God bless you and keep you always!

14 Degrees on the Lower O

During a recent Eastern Sierra visit and family vacation, had an early morning moment to cut loose on the Lower Owens River for a little fly fishing.  Had a least 6 lands and several other hook ups.  Beautiful scenery, great time with Johnny O, and fun just enduring the 14 degree temps.

A little video to show the landscape and experience...

Christmas 2012 is here!

This Christmas we are on the road visiting family and friends.  Interesting time to watch the kids adjust and try some adventure in this.  We enjoyed a delightful dinner prepared by my sis Donna and her husband John.  Later in the evening we had a surprise visit by my brother in his uniform, taking a brief break from protecting and serving the community while they sleep.  Lots of fun had by all and the anticipation by the kids for the coming of gifts was precious as it always is.

After nearly a month of contemplating Gods word towards a build up of Christmas, and after accepting and gifting this morning, I was reminded of the greatest gift in an unexpected way this morning.  My son Sean reminded me of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in a new way.

After opening a few gifts this morning, which included a cash gift, he retracted to a different room of the house and was tearful.  I gave him a bit but then went to him and sat with him to see what was going on, thinking along the lines of disappointment towards the gifts he received.  I could not have been more wrong.  He explained to me sadly that he did not earn the money and that there are many that deserve it more.

I sat with him for a moment and realized he just gave me such a reminder of the Gospel of Jesus Christ from his own words. God gifted us all, with his most valuable possession in His Son, and we did not earn nor deserve it.  He freely gave to undeserving sinners, which is all of us.  It is only His Grace that we received such a gift, in Christ Jesus.

Rather than make this time with my son a theological experience and screw it up, I simply reminded him that his care and thought for others is a gift of Jesus, and his sharing this with his dad was my greatest reminder of Christmas this year.  We both smiles and hugged for while and I got to watch his joy rebuild...

Thank you God for your providence and the unexpected gift this morning.  My heart is full right now and wanted to share this with family and friends.  Merry Christmas to you all and let the light of Jesus shine in your lives!

Da Wifeys 40th

My beautiful wife turned 40 on December 21, 2012.  Had a great weekend celebrating her special day with dear friends and family in tow.

My niece was kind enough to help bring in the celebration by creating a video of some special photos that tell a story of Jenn.

See this video, celebrate her with all of us...  We love you Jennifer and thank the Lord for the amazing ways you have touched us all in your life.

In Loving Memory, Jonny Kleven

Jonny Kleven

Greater Grace

If you are like me, you remembered Steve McQueen in such favorable ways.  As a child, I had no idea of his life, his addictions, his background, and certainly not this story of redemption.  I remember this cowboy, stuntman, moto rider, and all around fun actor that did it all.  I am sure we all recall the most famous car chase scene in Bullet...

I love waking early and seeking various stories on the Gospel Coalition Blog and to my delight, I found this amazing nugget.  Who knew?  I surely did not know this story but what a delight to read it.  Indeed, God gives the greater grace...

Click this attachment, read on and enjoy and hit the player button at the bottom for some cool tunes...

http://southerngospelyankee.wordpress.com/2012/12/09/greater-grace-a-story-of-god-redemption-and-steve-mcqueen/

Giving Thanks (part two)

My family arrived in Borrego Springs this afternoon.  We are having a great time and love seeing my wife and kids enjoy the experience.  It is a very beautiful desert landscape and our creator seems much bigger than I regularly give credit.  Father, your work is beyond my imagination and gratitude.  Thank you for loving your people infinitely more than they deserve.  Thank you for sending your son so that we may have life from certain death.

I look forward to waking to Thanksgiving tomorrow.  May we praise your name all the day!

Psalms 100:1-5 ESV "Make a joyful noise to the Lord , all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord , he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations."

Martin Family - November 2012

This picture is a very recent family photo taken at our church for the family directory.  Jenn and I both cracked up that even in light of all the many pictures that our family has, this is the first family photo taken by a professionally paid photographer!  Whoops...

We like the photo and hope you enjoy them too!

Giving Thanks (part one)

(Donna, Mom, and Cheryl)

I have much to give thanks for and it is fitting I am speaking of it this month as we approach Thanksgiving.  This picture says a lot.  I am thankful for my sisters (one missing!).  I am thankful for my mother, what a great friendship later in life.  I am thankful for cycling and the fun and experiences it has brought to this family.  Thankful that the ladies found it important to go for it for a charity, raise money, and enjoy their time in fellowship this fall.

So absolutely grateful for the family God has blessed us with.  

More to come...

The Time a Bobcat Almost Clawed Me (by Seanyboy)

This is an essay penned by my son Seanyboy. I was so excited to read it since like my son, I have an adventurous heart and remember similar experiences as a young boy. The only difference being my son can record it at a young age, and record it well! Sean may have an obvious gift of writing. He is 9 and only look forward to what is to come. He loves books and absolutely consumes them. Taking or suspending his reads is my only leverage of discipline that works! Enjoy the read...

Seans Story

Below you will find some books that he started to read this week.  Over half read already.  Thank God for the Public Library!

Thanks for reading friends.  We love you...

A thousand years

Amber asked to post these lyrics and music...  Fun and encouraging song...

Sing it Waylon!

I love this mans guitar, voice, and the deep lyrics over the years.  Great song and especially like the words - promise, and then follow through.  Take a listen and enjoy!

Encouragement...

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

http://bible.us/Col1.15.ESV

Amber and Seany at Tinley's 2012

Multi-Sport Introduction - Scott Tinley

Eden, Amber, and Seany Boy with the sport legend Scott Tinley aka ST!