My Home Schooled Sports Freak Grand Daughters

Allie and Libby have recently joined a travelling basketball team (not a home school team) and played their first game in Valparaiso, Indiana. Libby's team won handily, 23 to 9 but Allie's team was up against a team that my daughter said was very fast, and the score was tied all the way to the end of the game.


During overtime Allie's team won by 3 points. Guess who made the 3 points? Yep. Allie! 


There was some debate about whether Allie could continue with the travelling team because it's associated with the Public School system and Allie is home schooled, but one coach convinced another reluctant coach to keep Allie because if they didn't have her on their team, they would have to play against her.

They won the year end tourney in Mishawaka.

During their regular season the girls play for the Michianna Christian Athletic Club (for home schoolers) which has multiple teams boys and girls in basketball and volleyball. Allie is playing her last year for the elementary girls team, alongside her sister Libby.


They won the end of year tourney aginst three other private schools, and then went to The National Homeschool Basketball tournament where both their teams won first place.


Earlier in the year there was a tournament for Christian Schools Girls Basketball in Fort Wayne. At the end of the tournament Allie was picked to represent the team for the elementary Girls Free Throw Contest, while another girl from the Wildcats (our team) was picked for the Junior High Contest. Both of our Wildcats won. Both scored 9 out of 10.


Ally and Libby also play for the Junior High Girls. Libby gets to play every about every other game if there is a comfortable lead. 


Ally is a starter and lead scorer for both the Elementary and Junior High teams, and the leader in overall points in the Elementary team, while she's in 2nd place in the Junior High.


Ally won't be able to play in Elementary Girls this coming year, for she will be in 7th grade. Libby has 2 more years where she can play both teams. She's going in to 5th grade.


The girls also play soccer in at least 2 different teams, and yes, their teams have won tournaments, although last year they only got 2nd place.


Tim, their father, has been the Elementary Girls Basketball Coach this last two years.


God has really blessed me with some awesome grand daughters. 


My next article on this will be about my younger grand sons, who are also showing extremely promising signs.

Youtube adds Channel for your fans!

YouTube, recently purchased by Google,  has added a neat feature for those who store their videos and also keep track of their favorite vids.
It's called a Channel. It appears like a TV on your screen and visitors can find and play all of your uploaded videos, and all the YouTube vids that you have Favorited.
This approach fits me perfectly, since I store all my videos and pictures online, and don't back them up on my computer. 
Why? For one, I don't own a computer. I use Mary's a lot and others when I am out. I don't want to load down someone elses computer. In fact I really want to own as little as possible.
The other reason the Channel fits me well is that I like to collect things that inspire me or cause me to laugh and pass them on.
Stop by my channel and look around. Hit the play lists or view the uploaded videos of my family. http://www.youtube.com/user/hoosiergrandaddy?feature=mhsn#p/a
The channel also has stats to show how many people have viewed not only your channel, but also where they are from, percentages, and more.

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The Grace of Attracting the Best

Sainthood is an office and a state of being, a heart burning passion to follow Jesus! You are a Saint!*

Who is the Savior of the Saints? The Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God! Who is your Savior? THAT SAME JESUS!!*

God's grace is strong in you, Facebook and Twitter friends. I thank God for that!*

God says this aloud but the enemy doesn't hear: My Strength is made perfect in your weakness!

Mary and I went to the surgeon doc to follow up on her surgery, then drove to the farm to water the seedlings. We then headed to Eric’s place, a condo on Pine Lake, to feed Scooter. We had left over pizza for lunch.

Scooter developed a fetish for me. He thinks I’m verrrry interesssting (code word for weird!)

Mary had to take him from me to put him on the perch. He wouldn't step off my hand onto the perch until I hold him for an hour.

We finished up the Jet’s Pizza that was such an adventure last night to pick up.

There are two Jet’s Pizza on Orchard Lake Road. I went to the wrong one.

I departed quickly to go to the other Jet’s, only to find when I got there that I left my wallet at the first Jet’s.

Of course, I had told Mary told leave her purse at home because I was buying.

I’m very thankful for the thoughtfulness of Jet’s employees. When I got back to the 1st store, which is really now the 3rd store, they had already started preparing my order so I would not have to drive back to the 2nd store, which would have been the 4th store.

I’m also very grateful that no one stole my wallet.

I have a strange but blessed form of grace. I attract the very best people to me. Perhaps that's why the Jet's employees were so kind.

This is very evident in the women that I married, first my late wife Lynne, and now Mary.

Lynne in fact called me up to ask me out for a turn about hay ride, and on our first date, laid her head on my shoulder, and told me that she loved me.

I was in such a state of shock that it took me 15 days to clear my head. I then told her that I loved her and asked her to marry me.

We were married 40 years.

I was much more cautious with Mary. I asked her out, not vice versa. I waited 30 days before I proposed. We were married one month later.

The grace of attracting the best to me was evident while I was single and dating. Those details are none of your business.

The grace of attracting the best was evident in the churches that I pastored, and especially evident in the last church in Walkerton Indiana.

My sheep were shepherds to the shepherd, warrior lambs who stood guard over my family. They still do that.

The grace of attracting the best was evident in the way Jet’s employees were so gracious to me, watching over my wallet, helping with instructions, having the pizza ready.

The grace of attracting the best is evident in my Facebook and Twitter friends, and in those who read my blog, in other words, YOU!

I am very blessed by your participation in my thoughts. God bless you!

And friends are friends forever if The Lord’s the Lord of them

And a friend will not say never ‘cause the welcome will not end!

Debrah Smith as sung by Michael W. Smith

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Watering Seedlings and Babysitting a Parrot!

We often go to Eric's farm to water the seedlings in the greenhouse while Eric travels with his job with Delta Airlines. Mary waters seedlings while I keep Buster company and do my devotions, which are also #nanoS.

Mary will often lay down for a nap when we get back, and I will work on posting my blog, #nanoS, and keep up with thank yous'. (I am blessed to have a lot of friends that help me to glorify God in this unusual way!) 

I tried out a new devotional format on the computer. Found it to be very productive. I put several Bible Gateway pages up along with The Shepherd’s Journal page and just wrote as I reflected on God’s Word.

I put up my favorite Psalms 119, and I Corinthians 1-3 on a separate tab, along with Hebrews 5.

A strange thing is happening in my thinking. I’m starting to think in 140 character sentences. I normally wrote in much longer sentences before becoming a tweeter.

Scooter, Eric’s Australian Eclectus parrot, has been a social butterfly. He won't step off my hand to mount his perch when I go get him out of his cage. Mary and I often baby sit him when Eric, her son, is on a long assignment.

We often stop to pick up a Pizza from Jet’s Pizza. Not too long ago I had an embarrassing adventure! Drove to wrong Jet Li’s Pizza, then when I got to the right one, found I’d left my wallet back at the other. Jet’s Pizza was delicious, very thick toppings with lots of cheese. 10.59? for a large 8 piece pizza, and Mary and I can only finish ½. Pizza for breakfast is cool!

We miss our Keurig K-cup coffee maker when we go to Eric's. I don’t order coffee anymore when when we go out, because the Keurig coffee is so good it makes restaurant coffee taste pretty poor. I love how it makes the coffee in less than a minute. Of course, you can order it from Amazon here. Just go to the link from my blog, and I will be credit-ted. Don't forget to order the K-cups!

Devotional thoughts:

Want to be blessed by God? Walk in God's Law!*

Walk in God's Law by making every day a journey of discovery into His Word and be blessed!*

Sweet Jesus, with Your Infinite Spirit stir my sluggish heart until it is broken because of those who ignore Your Word!*

Best thing to do when when we are in political jeopardy? Meditate on God’s Word!*

Heavenly Father, I desperately need to focus on Your Word! Enable me with the infinite power of Your Grace!*

What wise man compares to the Father? What writer is a lovely as the Holy Spirit? Who is more persuasive than the Crucified One?*

When you see the asterisk (*) behind a devotion, it means I posted it. That helps me to keep track.

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Multiply Your Joy!

Are you longing for deeper, longer lasting, (even 60/60/24/7!?) JOY? 

Joy that persists even in your greatest moment of suffering?

 Joy that buzzes hrough your body like a shock wave, yet at the same time clarifies your focus so that you can tackle difficult taks while your are praising God?

I will share with a simple prayer that , if you pursue it, (and I double dog dare you to pursue it!) will lead to vastly increased joy.

I will share more of the logic and harmony with God's Word later. But for now, trust me that

I've done the research in a most focused, obsessive way, and I know this pray is according to the Will of God. I am also experiencing this joy!

Here is the prayer, in bold print: Lord, I ask that you infinitely increase YOUR LORDSHIP over my heart,body soul, and spirit, in the name of Your precious Son JESUS, now and forever, and do not hold back because of my fear! AMEN!

I've included these two pictures for a very specific reason. Please carefully observe the deep love between myself and my late wife Lynne in the kiss. Then look into the eyes of my sad face, taken the day of her funeral, and look DEEPLY! Even with the sadness and the pain of losing her, I was feeling an electric JOY OF THE LORD simply because I belonged to Him!

First Day Alone: Dress in Black?; Devotion

This is a good picture of Mary's condo. Just add 24 inches of snow!

Mary and I enjoyed our first day in her condo by ourselves. Don has moved to California. Actually he is still on the road. Just called in from Albuquerque, New Mexico.

I went out to get a haircut, picked up some Valentine’s Day cards for the grand kids and others. Mary worked on her bills then took a nap while I was out. Buster is living the dog’s life, lounging as close to Mary as he can.

Other posts from today...

I've noticed there are cycles on the Facebook/Twitter world, with surges of chatter followed by even longer periods of quiet. I enjoy everybody's posts!

I started dressing all in black when I worked in a factory where black stains jumped on me. Kept the style when I found it looks good, easy to coordinate,  it's cheap, & it fits my avitar, revmaddog. Two problems. I get called Johnny Cash. Mary throws her black clothes in my pile.

Devotional thoughts...

We are fiercely reliant on God's sustaining grace for even our recognition and our being remembered by others.

God sustains our memory of our life in the hearts of others &, if He so chooses, He can wipe our memory from the face of the Earth.

It is justice if we reject God & ignore Him in this life that He ignore us & blot out our memory in Eternity.

If I blot out God from my life, God will eradicate any memory in eternity. No loved ones will shed a tear for me as I suffer eternally, alone, & forgotten.

Psalms 1:6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

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The Football Game Parable

My life seems to be divided into 20 year quarters.

The first quarter was mostly good, except for early struggles with bullies, and my depression, which seem to be aggravated by screaming teachers. I attempted suicide in the third grade, but was obviously unsuccessful, and I never told anyone or tried it again.

Meeting, dating, and marrying Lynne and raising our family and pastoring churches from coast to coast and border to border was the second quarter, and very enjoyable. 41 years ago I received a phone call from a beautiful young lady from Chicago asking me to go to a turn about Hay ride. We were later riding in a car when she laid her head on my shoulder, told me that she loved me and gave me a kiss on our first date. 15 days later, I finally responded, by saying I love you, and I asked her to marry me. We were married for 40 years.

Lynne and I moved to Colorado Springs in 1969 to attend Nazarene Bible College. With Dave and Jane Smith we formed the Insights, a sort of unofficial college quartet. We would accompany Dr. Strickland, Dr Williamson, Ron Lush, or Dr. Newenschwander when they spoke at different churches on Sundays.

Later we re-formed with Dave Royer, and toured the Colorado area. For a brief period we traveled full time, and toured coast to coast.

I became a youth pastor, then a pastor, then a youth pastor, then back to the pastorate again. The girls joined us in singing and we became The Dittmers. I pastored in California, North Dakota, Illinois, Indiana, and Georgia.

The third quarter was a lot of work and some hard times, but God drew very close to Lynne and me and our girls, Becky and Wendy, which made it all worth while. I started a nondenominational church in Walkerton, Indiana, and had to supplement my income by working in a factory. I did both to keep the family together.

About 8 years into the 3rd quarter, Lynne was diagnosed with bladder cancer. I worked many extra hours to keep up with the extra medical bills, while our health insurance went through transitions and actually became excellent.

The girls married good men, Tim, a police officer, and Chuck, a pharmacy tech. They settled close by, and gave us incredible grandchildren, all of which Lynne enjoyed immensely. We worshiped as a family every Sunday in my Thomas Kinkade like country church, and had a Walton like Sunday dinner at our house every week.

Lynne had cancer of the bladder starting 12 years ago, and had her bladder removed, and later had her vagina removed. Around Christmas of 07 she had severe pain and swelling, almost non stop.

When the cancer doctor got involved again in Feb., 08 we began to manage the pain much better, and involved hospice in August. They were angels sent from God. My sister came for 2 months, another angel, and I took a lot of days off. Her last 6 days were bad, but God was really with us, and we had lots of help from our friends, and my girls were there constantly.

Wendy, Chuck, and Mathew moved in to help with Lynne, and later stayed to economize. I took out all of my 401k and spoiled her rotten 2 years before her death. The entire clan took a trip to Wisconsin Dells shortly before our fortieth anniversary, thanks to some generous friends who loaned us a cabin. I leaned on Him day after day, moment by moment, while the love of my life slowly withered.

Here is the strangest thing! My heart did not go numb. If anything, I hurt worse than ever, as she slowly died day by day in front of my very own eyes. God was doing miracles for others, but my own Lynne was fading, dying. But strangely, the joy of the Lord was so much greater than my grief. It was like a supernatural Chinese buffet, where the bitterness was overlaid with a deep satisfying sweetness. Lynne passed away October 12, 2008.

The 4th quarter of my life has been kicked off exactly the same way as the 2nd quarter, with a nice warm kiss in April 09 from a beautiful woman from Chicago. I met her on a Christian dating site when I asked if there was a woman out there who shared my passion for worship. I thought it was a sign from God.

She was a godly woman, but soon into our relationship, we began to struggle with compatibility issues. It was more than just personalities, but also careers, children, and in addition, I was still dealing with grief and anger issues.

I reluctantly went back to the same internet site at the very end of 09. In early January, I met a lovely lady from Michigan. Her mother had just moved nearby to Mishawaka, Indiana. On our first extended date of 4 days, I had more fun that I had had in 15 years.

One month into our friendship, we had a second longer extended date, and we found out that we were so compatible, that my daughters thought we were clones. Favorite movies, favorite foods, even our way of thinking made it a perfect fit. I proposed, and she accepted. We were married March 4th.

Mary is sweet, funny, romantic, and can be as cute as a bug, or a knock out beauty, whatever her choice is for the day. We are still looking for something to argue about, and she makes me happy 24/7. The girls, the grand kids, the son in laws, the in laws, and the church have adopted her as one of their own, for which I thank the Lord.

Mary and I are retired. We celebrated our 1st anniversary in March 2011.

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