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Snoring Contest

After a hard day of playing music, attending church and xbox, I found these guys hiding out.....

For your viewing please....

your welcome,
www.ryancook.net

Reave goes Riding

Reave wanted me to video her riding her quad, so she can show her friends. I wish we would have had the camera rolling for the entire time, she was a crack up!

Around 50 sec you notice she is trying to wave at another rider and at the end she has a little stopping problem, but other than that, she is starting out great!

Next week, she is going to work on jumping.... j/k.

Anyways, here is her riding debut:



www.ryancook.net

Reave Reports on Everything!

Ok, here is part 2 on Reave Reports. It is hilarious! It starts out w/ Londyn filming, but about 50 seconds into it, Reave grabs the recorder from Londyn and does her own reporting around the house.  

Imagine the surprise when I downloaded the pics and video off the camera and found this little jewel!

Warning, this is 4 year old filming, watch the motion sickness!

www.ryancook.net

Reave Reports

Ok, this is what happens when the kids get ahold of the recorder. 

Reave was pretending she is a 'weather reporter'. 

This clip is only 30 seconds, but she did grab the recorder and has a 6 minute clip that I'll bust out tomorrow, so check back to ryancook.net to check it out.

Guard Your Marriage

Recently I have been hearing a lot about divorce, adultery, cheating, immorality and so on.  All over TV and billboards you sex being glamorized. Just today, a friend of mine came and talk about this messy subject of affairs and adultery that he was in the middle of.

Look at this heart wrenching, staggering stat- 65% of men and 55% of women will commit adultery by age 40. That is so sad!

I heard a message the other day about this subject and want to hit some points and add some of my own to it.

5 Ways to wreck your marriage-

Neglect your marriage

Start w/ yourself and your body

Give majority of energy to something else besides your marriage

No relational intimacy- no sex- if so, by all means, make it boring and as predictable as you possibly can

Enjoy common interests & form an emotional bond w/ someone else besides your spouse

Projects at work, co-ed sports, training at the gym

Try to relate to them and tell them things about your spouse you don’t like

Anticipate your time together w/ another

Extra cologne/perfume, make excuses to leave the house

Flirt w/ others

Email, FB and text them

Make sure you delete all communication between you 2 so spouse doesn’t find out

Leave notes, touch, joke w/ one another

Make excuses and rationalize your actions

Lie and deceive your spouse

By all means, God wants you to be happy!

Now that I have your attention, lets talk about this subject!

People never intend to commit adultery, it happens subtly.

Do whatever it takes to radically reduce and remove the risks.

God’s line w/ adultery isn’t just the act of, we think “well, we are friends, we haven’t crossed the sex line yet” but God’s line starts w/ our eyes, heart and mind. Check out Matt 5:28.

Guard your heart, eyes and mind.

Listen, if you kept a video log w/ all your interactions w/ other people through out the day, whether same or opposite sex and showed it to your spouse, would you be proud of how you behaved?

If emails, FB, and texts were fair game and you didn’t delete them, would you be able to say you treated others w/ integrity and not be ashamed of what they saw? Or would you say YIKES, I wouldn’t want them to see how I gave this other person so much attention, or when I got w/ m buddies/girlfriends, how we talked about others of the opposite sex.

5 ways to help your relationship w/ your spouse-

Keep a growing relationship w/ Christ. When you neglect your relationship w/ Christ, things go downhill.

Never be alone w the wrong people. Who ever that may be, same or opposite sex. What’s the appearance seem to be?

Never talk badly about your marriage w/ the wrong people. Find another married couple to talk to

Surround yourself w/ strong marriages

Avoid all inappropriate place and situations. Ex old flames looking you up on fb or texting- don’t let it happen. Don’t put yourself or your spouse in that situation

·      Avoid ALL appearance of evil.

If you have a job that puts you in bad situations, then quit. It’s easier to find another job than another father or mother to your children. True-life example- I have a buddy that got a job. I mentioned my concerns, he started anyways. The first day of training he went home, talked to his wife about it, listened to his wife’s views, went back and quit the job. He didn’t want to be put in any situation that could possibly lead to something else. Was he weak? HECK NO, he was avoiding the situation, guarding himself, and heeding the advice of his wife. Smart man and I respect him for that move!

Do what it takes to invest in your own marriage. When the grass looks greener on the other side, it’s time to water your own yard!

Your marriage takes work. After going on 18 years, I think Renee and I’s marriage is stronger now than it’s ever been. Why? Because we have been working on it for a while. It just doesn’t happen. We have open talks about things and situations in our lives.

• When we don’t work at it we fail.

4 ways to help our marriage

1. Get transparent- open up and share your feelings and heart
2. Get alone w/ each other- no kids or friends
3. Get spiritual- Best thing that happened w/ Renee and I, we learned to pray together
4. Get help- if you need help, find it

Adultery can cause devastation and a huge mess. Visualize telling your kids you cant live w/ them anymore. The respect they would lose for you. Telling your spouse who has sacrificed everything for you that you want to be w/ someone else. A person can destroy in 15 minutes what has taken a lifetime to achieve.

When we are unfaithful, God is always faithful.

If you wish to leave a comment about this blog, click the comment tab at the bottom of the page @ www.ryancook.net

 

 

Forgot to Pray?

Have you ever forgotten to pray?  Maybe you were to busy because of work, kids, sports, video games, life commitments?  We are a busy people!! 

 I was talking to my wife the other day about some things rolling around in my head.  Basically I was complaining and venting 'at' her about some things, things I can't change.  I knew I couldn’t change them, I was just griping.

After talking w/ her for a few minutes, I saw her entire demeanor and composure change.  I knew by this time, she didn’t really want to hear anymore…...  She stopped me in my tracks and asked me if I had prayed about these specific situations yet… (-Slap in the face-)  Not the words I really wanted to hear her say, but, it was the EXACT WORDS I NEEDED TO HEAR!

She was right and I fell to my knees in prayer.  Thank God for a praying wife and a wife that God can use to put me 'in check' every now and again!!  

www.ryancook.net

-Peace

 

Jesus & My Dad

A graphic look into my childhood years, if you start reading, you must complete.

I remember our first house on Olive Ave. in Fresno, CA. It was a white house w/ yellow trim and a huge oak tree w/ a fort and swing. It also had a detached garage where my dad kept his speedboat and dune buggy. I was lucky to have 2 sets of grand parents w/ in ¼ mile each direction of our house.

I could remember the days of getting off the bus from preschool and going to my Ova’s (Portuguese grandmother) house on any given afternoon and grazing on one of the following: old fashioned oatmeal cookies, glazed donuts, rice pudding or flihos, (pronounced flea-ouoshhh)

I remember our house had white interior paint and red furniture. I could remember the smell of raindrops hitting the dirt in the side yard where I rode my red banana seat bike; I still love that smell to this day.

I remember one day specific, when I was 3-4 years old that I’ll probably never forget. I came out side to the sounds of my mom and dad fighting. There was a lot of screaming and yelling going on. My mother was kind of yelping and crying at the same time. I don’t think they new I was approaching the garage, but I saw my dad beating my mom. I ran to her, as if I could help?? I remember starting to cry and trying to help, but they both yelled at me and told me to go inside. I did what they said and went back inside w/ my younger sister, who at the time she was 6-12 months old. The only expression I could remember from my mother was a look of ‘I am sorry you had to see me like this’ as the black mascara covered her entire face and ran from her eyes toward her lips.

To this day I do not know exactly what they were fighting about, the beatings were never discussed by either parents. From what my mom says, he used to cheat on her, I guess he got caught and took it out on her, not sure?

During my kindergarten year she had remarried to a man who she is still married to now named Les. Les had 2 kids himself. To this day I still consider Les my fake dad. After leaving an abusive and alcoholic first marriage, my mom didn’t know what to do; she just found a guy w/ a good job and married him. I don’t think she checked to see if he liked kids or not.

Don’t get me wrong, Les did what he thought was right in raising us. He just didn’t know how to be a dad. He took us to a theme park every other year and provided for us through our teen years. He was doing his part.

Through the years my mom kept custody of us and we were on an every other weekend visit w/ my dad, Clay. My mom would bad mouth him and tell us our dad didn’t love us. She would put him down any chance she got. She even wanted us to change our last name to Les’ last name. In fact, at the Kingdom Hall (we were raised Jehovah’s Witness’) some people called us by the last name of Thorwaldson because my mom insisted, I hated it; our name in the school system stayed Cook. It was confusing growing up w/ 2 last names.

I remember going to my dads house once and he had a small little Christmas tree in an apartment he rented. We got an Atari 2500 w/ Space Invaders that year for Christmas. I used to hate it when kids would tease me because we didn’t celebrate Christmas or receive any presents.

My parents could not stand to see, look or talk to each other, so they would ship my sister and I on a Greyhound bus and ride back and forth to my dads by ourselves. It was only 45 miles between the two cities, but they would rather load a 6 year old and 3 year old on a bus by themselves than to have to look at each other’s faces.

Most of the time we visited my dad, he would stay drunk. Whiskey in his coffee in the morning and whiskey and beer at night. We used to sneak sips of beers when he would ask us to grab cold ones out of the fridge. Sometimes, when my dad would miss the bus, he would have to drive us home on Sunday nights. I remember him pulling over because he said was tired, (drunk) so we would sit on the side of the freeway while he slept, my sister and I clinched in each others arms as the 18 wheelers shook the vehicle as they wisped by (mind you, it was only a 40 minute drive). One time I was 12 years old, my dad, sister and myself had went to a water park. By the end of the day my dad was to drunk to drive home, so he let me drive 25 miles home, I had a blast.

So you get the story, my dad was an alcoholic, adulterer, fornicator, wife beater, 5 marriages (married 1 woman twice) and was really not the father figure, or was he??? OK, thanks for staying w/ me this far. This is what I really want you to hear……….

I loved my dad. I called him dad. My soul yearned for my dad. Many of times we went back to my moms hungry because my dad didn’t have any food, only alcohol. Many times we slept on the floor as my dad slept passed out on the couch. I recall one time I wanted to move in w/ him, in fact I did when I turned 14, it only lasted 3 weeks. He couldn’t handle it. Even after that I still loved him, deeper than ever and still called him dad. I wanted to be w/ my dad.

My dad got sober at age 46 and died at age 48 from congestive heart failure, brought on by the gripping deadly disease and addiction of alcohol and cigarettes.

There was a burning desire deep in my soul. A desire nothing or nobody else except my fathers love could fill. I wanted to be loved by my dad and I wanted to love him. I wanted to be accepted by my dad.

We are created to have relationships, we are created to be a part of others. Our souls crave love and will find satisfaction w/ nothing less. I shouldn’t be surprised that the further I looked for the love of my dad and wanted to be loved, the more I listened to my soul, the closer I got to Jesus’ love searching for me. Through the love of Jesus, the love of Jesus I saw in my wife’s parents, though not fixed at age 22, I was able to accept His love and entered into a confusing bumpy relationship w/ Christ.

There was a spot in my soul that only my earthly father could fill. Likewise, my soul yearns for things only my heavenly father can fill. We can suppress that feeling w/ pain pills, hide the feeling behind masks, hide it by cutting, sleeping around, or getting lost in a world of drugs and alcohol. He, my Jesus, our Jesus, wants us to love Him the way I loved my dad. He wants us to love Him just as we are! He will fix us latter. Your soul, your spirit will never, ever, be satisfied w/ nothing less than Jesus.

Find Jesus = Finding Love and Happiness

If you would like to comment on this blog or any others, please go to www.ryancook.net

-Peace

Bragging

OK, I want to take some time to do some bragging on friends and family. Chayce started playing base again and is now in 2 bands. My nephew Zach has also joined the band and plays the drums. (I wish my other nephew Josh lived close, it would be cool for the 3 cousins to jam together, maybe some day!) Brandon L. on acoustic and lead vocals, Chelsy Tomosi on back-up vocals, and Tessa Honnen on keys (btw, happy 17th!) I am so proud of these kids and their commitment to God! They are the next generation leaders and are getting off to a great start!! Keep up the good work!! (sorry for the bad photos, taken from the camera phone)

Last week I also got to go see my baby girl Reave graduate from Kinder Music. She has enjoyed this class so, so much. She is always jumping around the house and singing her songs that she learns. She has the best teacher in the world!! Awesome job Mrs. Rowlad! Here are a few pics of Reave and grad day.

Drayven and his school had their Thanksgiving production a couple weeks ago as well. Drayven is loving productions and likes to perform; he is also doing great in school. Way to go Drayven!

I have to give props to my first baby girl Londy Lu. She is such a big help to her mother and I around the house. She helps w/ Reave and is an awesome big sister. She is doing well in school and is growing into a young woman of God. Keep up the good work baby!

Another great event we got to see is my niece Maci perform live at the mall! Her entire school choir has been on tour, performing at various places around town. Way to go Maci! Sing your heart out girlfriend!

As you can see, I am a proud father, Uncle and friend. I am very proud of you all. Remember, always be yourself and let God use you anyway He wants.

Have you bragged on your family or friends recently? What are you waiting for, get to bragging????

If you would like to leave comment, go to this site.

-Peace