new Job...

I think I might have landed a new job today... it is with a company called Brandt Engineering. I would be starting out doing sheet metal work. so cutting, bending, riviting, and welding sheet metal, mostly to make air ducts. but I would be able to move into and on site type of thing in the future. that would be anything from welding, plumbing, or electrical. I am supposed to go in on monday for a drug test and a physical, and then start working after that. it pays $10 per hour. so the pay is not amazing, but it would allow me to be working with my hands!!! well i guess be praying for me, and how this turns out. depending on how it does turn out will determine weather or not I move to Colorado with Danny and Kendall. thanks for your prayers. I love you guys.... I can't wait until Christmas time with everyone!!!!!!

Family gone missing...

Where are the Smiths?????? Why haven't they joined yet... This little family blog isn't complete with out them!!!

Empty Pockets...

Hey G's and S's and F's, it's me. Johnny. Le Mutant (Make sure you say that with some serious French gusto!) For my addition to this space......here is a quote that I relate to in feeling like the prodigal son.

It is to the prodigals...
that the memory of their Father's house comes back.
If the son had lived economically he would never have thought of returning.

--- Simone Weil

I guess there are a lot of ways in which I actual relate, but they all come back to the broken and sinful state that I find myself being in when I am walking away from the Father. The brokeness of me is like having empty pockets and slopping around in the mud with pigs...and then remembering my Father's house!

Anyway, sorry for the random, confusing quote...Nice to see our little digital community!

Public v. Private

So Family, do we want this blog to be private or public? Respond please in the comments sections.

"VLOGGING"

Today is a rough day for me. No reason in particular, just rough. Whenever I have days like today, I tend to listen to what I believe is encouraging music, to others it may seem sad... but it works for me. There is a song that I was listening to today on the way to work and I would love to share the lyrics with you guys. (Just call me mom!)

This is how I feel today...

On a day like this I want to crawl beneath a rock. A million miles from the world, the noise, the commotion, That never seems to stop. And on a day like this I want to run away from the routine, Run away from the daily grind that can suck the life Right out of me...

I know of only one place I can run to... I want to hide in You The Way, the Life, the Truth So I can disappear, And love is all there is to see Coming out of me, And You become clear As I disappear.

I don't want to care about earthly things Be caught up in all the lies that trick my eyes... They say it's all about me. I'm so tired of it being about me... I would rather be cast away, Separated from the human race, If I don't bring You glory, If I don't bring You glory!!

Thanks for listening Family, it feels good to vent over blog... Vlogging!

In response to our Green B....

Aunt Lee

Click here for a video of Aunt Lee playing Guestures. The video isn't that great, but at least you get the ideat.

Hopes, desires for Christmas

So what is everyone's hopes for Christmas? Not so much what do you want, although feel free to post that. But as we look forward to spending a week or more together, what would you like to see us do during that week, how would you like us to spend our time. I know the boys love it when we go shopping, (kidding).

What if we focused on someone else? I wonder if we could find an Angel Tree family, or maybe a family from Neighborhood that we could spend time with. Maybe we could all buy a present for and deliver a meal too. Any thoughts on this?

Also, I just want to say that I don't want anyone to feel pressure to buy gifts, I think it is cool that mostly we still buy for everyone. But I know we do that because we love to give...so please no one feel like you have to buy. Let us all just give from the heart and whatever that looks like, is what it looks like.

Merry Christmas and Happy Black Friday...I am not shopping today, if you are wondering.

Mastrobertis

Last night we went over to Timmy and Solange's house and had dessert with the entire Mastroberti clan. It was out of control chaos, but so much fun. We had dessert, a huge selection of yummy stuff, espresso, coffee, wine and tea and then we played games. I had no idea that everyone was as into games here as they are.

We started by playing Guesstures, which is kind of like charades. It got crazy. Everyone yelling at everyone else. No one wanted Aunt Lee and Sharon on their team, although I must say Sharon is pretty good. There was a lot of screaming (laughing) and Aunt Lee almost peed her pants so I would say a good time was had by all.

I tried to take a video with my phone of Aunt Lee's turn, I hope it turned out and that I can post it...it is priceless.

I was also thinking, that someday that is going to be all of us. Aunt Lee has five kids and each child is married and has 2-3 kids. Can you imagine when that is us?

thanksgiving

this thanksgiving was so much different then it usually is... our turkey only wieghed in at 11lbs... thanks crazy... dad said it usually wieghs like 25lbs!.... but yea i missed you guys so much... I mean don't get me wrong it was a great day, but just different... but i must say that you all are what I am most thankful for! this past month or so has been pretty rough for me, and I really feel like Jesus and my family are all that have been constant in my life... so thank you guys for being such an amazing family. and thank you for always making me, number 7, feel so important. I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!

Hey

Hi G Fam,

I love that we are blogging together. I think this is a great idea and I am so grateful to Dan for starting this up. Kendall you look awesome in the picture below.

I love my family.

Hi everyone,
Greetings from the Fergusons! I think this is a wonderful idea! Thank you, Danny!

Caleb is all dressed up and ready to go to Texas or as he says "Tecus". He and Rachel love to go in my closet first thing in the morning and put on my boots, my pool hats and a bag for each of them and pretend to go to Texas.

I don't have much to say just that we miss you and love you all. We can't wait until Christmas. The other day I overheard little Rachel talking to Caleb about Christmas and she said "Well, when the Garippa family gets here"... (I don't remember what her point was). I just thought it was cute that she said "Garippa family".

I was talking with the kids this morning about why we have Thanksgiving and all that we have to be thankful for. What are you guys thankful for? I think one of the things that I love the most about Thanksgiving is that it is the start of the Christmas season - Jesus' birthday! I know that sounds so simple!

Love from Justen, Christy, Rachel, Caleb & Malia!

In N Out

Why does In N Out have to be so far away when its so close to my heart!!!!!!!

In n Out Offical Website

In n Out Secret Menu

Green B

Kendall calls me a Green B and I told her "you can call me your little Green B if you'll B Green" this is stupid I know, but funny. Green is a term that I like because I love nature and the outdoors. Somehow I feel closer to my creator through creation. I wonder if God designed it to be that way? When people say something is "green" it just means that it is earth friendly. The Bible tells us to be good stewards of what God has given us, I don't know the exact verse, but to me this means all things I am given. Not all people are given the same things, but all people do have this earth and life. It may not be life with the best set of circumstances, but it's life. So being "green" is taking care of the earth and life. This is a good thing not bad. A lot of people hear "green" and are skeptical and they think of crazy hippies. What's wrong with hippies at least they care about the earth, doesn't mean their gonna get everything right, but neither is the next guy. I wish crazy left wingers would stop being so radically liberal and crazy right wingers would stop being so close mindedly conservative. The only place where we can all meet, is in the middle. I think I'm a middle man, but not really it just depends on the issue or topic, sometimes I take a liberal stance and sometimes i take a conservative stance. We are all sinners and are lost without the Grace of God. We have all got to stop pointing the finger at the other guy, because as soon as we do that we've forgotten that the person we are pointing the finger at is no different from us. We are all sinners we just all stuggle with different sin. Just because my neighbor struggles with something that I don't really stuggle with doesn't mean I don't struggle with something else. I have to stop faulting him and look at the sin in my own life. God's Grace is for everyone who believes in him and if I want my neighbor to believe in God I have to show him the same Grace that God has shown me.

Anyways Go Green, I'm out.