Memorial Day Weekend

Memorial Day in America was designed as a day to honor those who have served, are serving, or have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country. There are tributes, rallies, parades, cookouts, family get together's, baseball games, eating, and on the list could go. Unfortunately, many people do not take the time to remember the sacrifices that were paid so that we have the chance to live in the freest country in the world.

This weekend for me was spent in a flurry of activity. I was in Ft. Wayne (a city 45 minutes west) three times, Goshen (a city about 45 minutes north) twice, and South Bend (a city about 1 1/2 hours northwest) once! The weather included one incredibly bad storm, one tornado warning and horrible storm, and sun and heat. My car died in Ft. Wayne and is still there at the moment, I have a bad case of sun burn, and all in all, I have a weekend packed with memories and laughter that I would do all over again given the chance. Below are pictures that were snapped during this wonderful time in my life.

~In the WOWO studio with Pat Miller~

I was given the chance to be in studio with Pat on Friday afternoon during his talk show, it was great fun!

~With my friend Brandi~

We met at the mall and went out to eat at Red Lobster after the show on Friday.

~ARMAD Rally for the Troops in Ft. Wayne~

On Saturday was the rally for the troops by ARMAD, "Amature Radio Military Appreciation Day"

~Fort Wayne TinCaps Game Saturday Night~

Unfortunately we were rained out

~Sunday~

Sunday was a bit hairy because I was stuck in Wal-Mart during a tornado warning. This picture was taken in the Wal-Mart parking lot during that time.

~Monday~

I had spent the night in Goshen and went to South Bend very early on Monday morning to walk in a parade.

~TinCaps Game~

We were able to exchange our tickets for Monday's game. Unfortunately they lost after a four game winning streak. We had a lot of fun though!

Wicked Weather

So, we haven't had the terrible tornadoes that other states have, but we have had our own share of nasty weather the past few days. I thought I would post a few pics that I've taken...

***Not the nicest looking sky***

***It was raining like crazy, you can see the beginning of the storm in the distance***

***This was after the above storm***

***Taken earlier today outside my work. The water was about calf deep***

***Current weather...our little red dot in the center of all of the stuff is where I am***

Trust God

God didn't plan for us to have our lives planned out;

He planned for us to trust Him to plan our lives.

Tax TIME!

This post may seem a bit odd to you. After all, April 15 was tax day, right? That's when American's all over the country were frantically rushing to pay their taxes, post offices are open until midnight, and all in all it's a crazy day...for most people. However, I have a slightly different twist.

You see, my company (more specifically my department) processes property taxes for Kosciusko and Elkhart Counties here in Indiana. The tax deadline for those is May 10, TODAY! We are inundated by 7 to 10 (or more) two-foot mail trays full of payments that we must open and process, mostly by hand! It's a blessing and a curse at the same time. A blessing because I work extra hours and make money, but it's a curse because I work extra hours when I'd rather be doing something else. Ah wells, the blessings are greater than the curses.

I John 5:14-15

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him,

that if we ask anything according to His will,

He hears us.

And if we know that He hears us,

whatever we ask,

we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

Blessing -- Laura Story

My Aunt Sue (Greg's mom) shared these lyrics with me at my cousin's funeral this past week, I thought I would pass them on to all of you as well.

We pray for blessings

We pray for peace

Comfort for family, protection while we sleep

We pray for healing, for prosperity

We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering

All the while, You hear each spoken need

Yet love us way too much to give us

lesser things

Cause what if Your blessings co

me through raindrops

What if Your healing comes through tears

What if a thousand sleepless nights

Are what it takes to know You’re near

What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise,

We pray for wisdom

Your voice to hear

And we cry in anger when we cannot feel You near

We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love

As if every promise from Your W

ord is not enough

All the while, You hear each desperate plea

And long that we'd have faith to believe

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops

What if Your healing comes through tears

What if a thousand sleepless nights

Are what it takes to know You’re near

And what if trials of this life are Your merc

ies in disguise

When friends betray us

When darkness seems to win

We know the pain reminds this heart

That this is not, this is not our home

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops

What if Your healing comes through tears

And what if a thousand sleepless nights

Are what it takes t

o know You’re near

What if my greatest disappointments

Or the aching of this life

Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy

And what if trials of this life

The rain, the storms, the hardest nights

Are Your mercies in disguise.

~~~~~~~~~Greg~~~~~~~~~

From a Cousin

This has been copied (with permission) from the Facebook page of one of Greg's cousins, Matt Seftick.

"Somebody should tell us right at the start of our lives that we are dying. Then we might live life to the limit, every minute of every day. Do it! I say. Whatever you want to do, do it now! There are only so many tomorrows." ~Pope Paul VI

To my cousin, Greg Seftick, you are the one who inspired me to do great things with my life. Although I never would have made it through med school, the corps was my way of trying to be as great as you and Chris. All of this happened so fast and looking back I never took the chance to say how proud of you I am, and just how much you influenced me as a man and what I've become; a Marine.

You and Chris were the ones who gave me the courage to fight, to follow what I wanted. Even in Afghanistan on my worst days, I thought to myself, "This ain't nothing, the stuff you had to go through in E.R. was way worse, and you handled it day in and day out." That thought alone made it easier to push on.

Your passion to be free and to roam the country the way you wanted to was the most amazing thing to me. You are the smartest man I've ever known and I will forever be proud to serve in your memory, for the Seftick name. Even more, I will always be proud to call you my cousin. I love you Greg and not one day will go by without you in my thoughts and prayers.

Update #9: Visitation

This evening was the visitation for one of the greatest, most amazing, awesome, terrific, fantastic, fun, daring, cool, adventurous person, it was for my cousin, Greg Seftick. So many emotions flooded me during the evening that it's nearly impossible to put anything into words. The outpouring of love for Greg and his family was immense. He loved and was loved greatly. In the short thirty-one years of his life he packed more in than most people would in eighty years.

Greg was one of the most unique people I have ever met. He was constantly doing or planning something dangerous and adventurous. From skiing, to hiking, to rock climbing and way beyond, his life was full of never missing a chance to try something and anything new. Every time I saw him he was always full of a never-ending stories which would keep you enthralled for hours on end of his crazy adventures that most of us can only dream about, but he put into action.

Most of all I remember Greg as a wonderful example to all of his younger cousins. He was a leader by nature, he was strong, outgoing, ambitious, loving, and just totally awesome. He was my dearly loved cousin. RIP Greg.