Spoken from the heart

I used to not take things as seriously as I do now. When your life is on the line and God gives you the opportunity to live, all you want to do is bring people closer to Him. He saved me. Because I almost lost my life, I try not to do anything that would upset Him, anything that He wouldn't approve of- bad language, rude and cruel behavior to other people- that's not our place. "Treat others as you would want to be treated."
In Aug, it was a hot summer day and I pulled into O'Reilly's in Springdale and as I was leaving, there was a man who had an old car who had trouble with his radiator hose and he asked me to help him. I worked on it for 30 min and I felt like that was the right thing to do because he needed help. I fixed his car and he was on his way. I just wish everyone could do the same thing when other people need help. I wouldn't accept any money. He needed someone and nobody else was there besides me. Times like these feel like a test that God puts before us to see how far we'll go for another person.
Since God saved my life, he also changed my life, because he knew that I couldn't leave everyone. I have a family and need to be there for my children, Zane & Kadee, as they grow up. I don't remember most of what I went through and from what I hear, I'm glad I don't. I think God has blessed me in this way. And, it's funny because even though I don't remember, when I got off the ventilator, I was a changed person. My wife knew right away. Well, she probably knew before that. God changed me and made me a better person and I just want to help others with my story and be an example.
I wanted to share this quote, we have it in our house: "Use the old practice of 'Counting Blessings.' Often it's only when you start counting that you realize how many you really have." -Thomas Kinkade I have so many blessings and I'm thankful every day. I think this is the way it should be. "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." 1 John 4: 7-12

(Those are the words of Cody from October 2008.)

Roll With Me- Montgomery Gentry

Wake up in the morning
Get to living my life
Making sure that I'm all that I can be
Went to church on Sunday
There was a moment that came
I swear it was like the Lord spoke right to me

So now I'm slowing it down and I'm looking around
And I'm lovin' this town and I'm doing alright
Ain't worried 'bout nothing except the man I wanna be
I'm thinking it's time to be livin' the rhyme
When I'm singing a song about nothing but right
And it'd sure be nice if you would roll with me

Saw a kid last winter only twenty years old
Being laid to rest while his mom stood by his side
Sure was hard to watch those tears roll down her face
Made me think how we all just have our time
[ Montgomery Gentry Lyrics are found on www.songlyrics.com ]

So now I'm slowing it down and I'm looking around
And I'm lovin' this town and I'm doing alright
Ain't worried 'bout nothing except for the man I wanna be
I'm thinking it's time to be livin' the rhyme
When I'm singing a song about nothing but right
And it'd sure be nice if you would roll with me

Who knows whats up ahead
I think I'd rather not know instead

So now I'm slowing it down and I'm looking around
And I'm lovin' this town and I'm doing alright
Ain't worried 'bout nothing except for the man I wanna be
I'm thinking it's time to be livin' the rhyme
When I'm singing a song about nothing but right
And it'd sure be nice if you would roll with me