Bob & Sandra's Place

Update from the Hugans

2011-12-29T14:49:00.006-05:00

Well, it has been a few months since I've posted on this blog, so I will try to summarize it all in this post.

In October we celebrated Sandra's birthday on October 9th. I'm so thankful for her! (More on that later.) Then, we began going through a series of doctor appointments due to Katie’s shoulder pain. It turned out that she had injured her shoulder due to over-pitching during last year's softball season. Over the past several weeks Katie has gone through physical therapy, and is in the process of a return-to-throw rehabilitation. We are hoping that her shoulder will become stronger and that she will be pain-free.

November is always one of our favorite months. November 10th was our 21st wedding anniversary. I am so thankful for the godly wife that the Lord gave me. She is truly my “true north”. The Lord has been so good to us over these 21 years, and I look forward to many more years of serving Him with her.

Michael's 18th birthday was on November 15th. It has been an amazing experience, and a great blessing to have raised Michael thus far. As we pray for the Lord’s direction and purpose for Michael, we are seeing the Lord bless him in many ways, day after day. He just recently finished his first semester at the University of Michigan, in Dearborn. Meanwhile, he has a good job working for a very stable company. His is remaining very active in church ministry; especially in the music ministry. He is also a great help in many aspects of the church, many of which are behind-the-scenes. I am thankful to the Lord for his willingness to not only serve in areas that are noticeable to others, but also in ways that only he, I, and the Lord know about. I am looking forward to seeing how the Lord develops him and guides him in the direction of his God-given destiny.

December was, as always, an enjoyable month, despite the busyness of the season. We were able to spend some family time during the holidays with my parents and Sandra's mom, and we are still currently enjoying time with the kids during the holiday break. Although Michael is off of school, he is working every day through the week; he really likes that - especially the paycheck!

That should get us up to date for now. Hope everyone has a happy new year!

The Hugans - November 2011

2011-12-05T11:01:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday Katie!

2011-09-29T11:49:00.011-04:00

Today is Katie's 15th Birthday.

Words cannot express our thankfulness for our little girl, turned beautiful young lady. The Lord has blessed in so many ways in regard to Katie. As I look at pictures from the past, it is evident why years ago I began to call her my "Sunshine".
With all the experiences that have come in her life, the Lord has blessed her beyond description. We're so happy for her for how the Lord has and is continuing to work in her life. We are so proud of her!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SUNSHINE!!!

Goodbye To Our Beloved Buddy

2011-09-27T15:10:00.044-04:00

In late August we took Buddy to the vet because he kept having ear troubles. When the doctor checked him out, he found some of the lymph nodes swollen. The doctor prescribed some antibiotics. Well, over the next couple of weeks, the nodes kept getting bigger. We took Buddy to another vet on the 6th of September and they did a test that came back positive for lymphoma. We were given a different antibiotic, but it didn't help. Over the the next two and a half weeks we watched Buddy get worse. We were slowly coming to the realization that Buddy wouldn't be with us much longer.

September, 2010

During the last two weeks of Buddy's life our family spent some great quality time with him. Michael and Katie each took their final turns at having Buddy sleep in their rooms. For nine years and nine months Michael and Katie took weekly turns with Buddy sleeping in their rooms on his floor bed. Sometimes they would sleep on the floor with him. Needless to say the kids, as well and Sandra and I became very close to Buddy.
With Michael / 2006

With Katie / 2004

2002

I made sure to get some pictures of Buddy doing some of the fun things he's always done; some of them he had stopped doing because they took too much energy out of him. He wasn't too interested in playing ball much anymore. He used to be great at playing catch; sometimes with his U of M football, and other times with a tennis ball we would hit out in the yard to him. He was awesome at jumping up and catching those balls! He truly was our own "Air Bud", and he loved playing that role. A few times I played "dot" with him (from the laser level we keep in the cupboard). Any time we would get out the "dot" he went crazy; he loved trying to catch that little red dot. It was so fun watching him play that game! All the games we would play with him added so much enjoyment, for him and for us!

Now that he didn't feel good enough to play because of the discomfort (he never displayed that he was in any pain), we got to where we would just take him outside for a walk around the church property. He loved to go outside and walk the perimeter of the property. As a puppy we trained him where the boundaries of the property were, and he was very good at staying within them. Every once in a while a squirrel or a rabbit would get his attention and sometimes we would have to go out and call him to keep him from chasing them too far - I'm gonna miss that... "Buddy, come home!"

(I'll add more memories over time)

This past Saturday, September 24th was going to be a busy day with our youth ministry Fall Festival in the morning and the church Fall Cookout at night. Earlier in the week Sandra and I contemplated how to work the timing out with relieving Buddy of the pain and suffering he undoubtedly was going through. We talked to the kids and decided, with our busy schedule, that Saturday was going to be the best day. I won't even try to describe the pain the four of us were experiencing, especially beginning in the early morning hours on Saturday. The short version (the long version being too painful to describe): we took Buddy to the vet and spent some very quality time (mainly for us) with him. The doctor and his assistant were very gracious and kind. They gave us all the time we needed. As he lay on my lap, we each gave very heart-felt hugs to our dear Buddy and said goodbye to, in our minds, the best dog on the planet.

We are all very, very sad that we had to let Buddy go. We will always hold the memories, some of which I plan to put on a blog about Buddy. Even though the conversations keep coming up about whether or not there is another dog in our family's future, all four of us unanimously agree - we will never find another Buddy.

We thank the Lord for the wonderful 9 years, 9 months He allowed Buddy to be a part of our lives. As Christians we know there is no "doggy heaven" and that Buddy is no more, but we do believe that the joy that Buddy brought into our family was truly a gift from the Lord to season our time here on this earth as we serve Him and look forward to being forever in His presence in Heaven. Still, there is the pain of the loss of a good friend, a great friend - certainly our favorite four-legged friend.

Another Good Year In Softball!

2011-06-27T11:04:00.007-04:00

Katie and the Inter-City Varsity Girls Softball team had another "banner" year. And by that I mean they actually won the regional championship - for the second consecutive year!

Michael's Senior Pictures

2011-06-01T08:05:00.002-04:00

20th Wedding Anniversary

2010-11-13T13:46:00.003-05:00

This past week Sandra and I went away for a couple of days to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary. It really is hard to imagine how 20 years could have gone by so fast! What is even harder to imagine is that 20 years from now I will be really old! OK, maybe not that old; 65 is looking younger every year!
There are far too many things to point out how the Lord has blessed us since that wonderful day on November 10th, 1990. I remember moment by moment all that took place that day; what a joyful day indeed! Ask Sandra to tell you the story about how her dress wouldn't let her get out of the limousine. Of course, if you are a member of FRMBC, you've heard that story, probably on more than one occasion.
Twenty years later, our lives are filled with manifold blessings from the Lord. It's hard to believe that Michael is almost 17 years old, and Katie is a beautiful 14-year-old teenager.
The Lord has truly blessed us with two wonderful children! Along with the challenges that come with raising teens, we are watching the Lord work in the lives of our children as they're growing ever so close to their adult years. Though it comes with challenges, it is a great experience as we help them in their journey to discover the Lord's destiny for their lives of service to Him.
Sandra and I are so thankful that the Lord has given us these 20 years. By God's grace, we have strived to live our lives in such a way as to allow the Lord to use us for His glory. We have enjoyed serving Him in youth ministry, in music ministry, and over the past 16 years in ministering to the wonderful people at Flat Rock Missionary Baptist Church.
We are looking forward to the future as we continue to serve Him and His people and we are looking forward to seeing how He will use Michael and Katie in the years to come.
I also look forward to spending many more years, Lord willing, with the love of my life, my dear wife, Sandra! I look forward to growing old together with her, although, she reminds me that I will be there far sooner than she will. That's okay though; that means I can use that as an excuse for my dry wit and sense of humor. I'm gonna love that!

How I Voted Today

2010-11-02T14:57:00.001-04:00

HOW I VOTED TODAY:
I voted PRINCIPLES, not personality.
I voted CHARACTER, not charisma.
I voted MORALS, not money.
I voted ENCOURAGEMENTS, not entitlements.
I voted CHILDREN, not convenience.

First Day of School - 2010

2010-08-30T08:03:00.009-04:00

Katie's a Freshman and Michael's a SENIOR.
Wow! Time sure goes by fast!

Michael got to drive the Charger on the first day!

Remember Michael, the time goes fast, not the Charger!

Sandra & Katie at the Riding Stable

2010-08-20T08:13:00.000-04:00

DVD / TVG cable connections

2010-08-12T18:33:00.002-04:00

This is temporarily displyed to assist a friend. Click picture to enlarge.

A Fawn in the Neighborhood

2010-07-05T20:57:00.005-04:00

Regional Girls' Softball Champions - News Herald Article

2010-06-16T08:32:00.013-04:00

SOFTBALL: Inter-City edges Shrine for regional crown
Published: Wednesday, June 16, 2010 in the Downriver News Herald
By Shane Preston

The Inter-City Chargers kept their softball season alive Saturday with two victories that earned them a regional title and advanced them to the Division 4 state quarterfinals.

Inter-City beat host Lutheran Westland 8-5 in the opening round and they edged Royal Oak Shrine 2-1 in the title game.

In the opener, Westland led 1-0 going into the fourth, but the Chargers soared ahead with three runs in the fourth, four in the fifth, and one more in the sixth to put the game out of reach.

Katie Hugan pitched six innings for the victory, allowing one run and one hit while striking out seven.

Ashley Raburn paced the Charger offense with three hits and three RBIs. Casey Thomas collected two hits and two RBIs while Corynne Claypool had two hits.

Inter-City then found itself in a pitcher's duel with Royal Oak Shrine.

In the top of the first inning, Claypool recorded all three outs for Inter-City's defense as she threw out two players on swinging bunts and picked a runner off first after she reached on a two-out single.

Claypool then helped manufacture one of the game's only runs in the bottom of the inning with a leadoff single, a stolen base, and a run on an infield groundout by Jillian Kraatz.

Hugan avoided trouble on the mound in the second inning by striking out two batters and inducing an inning-ending groundout after loading the bases with no outs.

Holding onto a 1-0 lead, Sarah Keenan knocked in the eventual winning run with a two-out bases-loaded single that drove in Jillian Kraatz. Inter-City led 2-0 after four innings.

Hugan found herself in a jam again in the fifth with the bases loaded and one out with Shrine's powerful clean-up hitter at the plate.

In a risky move, the Chargers pitched around the batter, walking in a run to make it a 2-1 score.

Unfazed, Hugan responded by promptly striking out the next two batters to escape the inning with the lead.

The last threat posed by Shrine was squashed in the sixth thanks to a fine double-play turned by Rachel Muscat that extinguished a leadoff walk and preserved the Charger victory.

Hugan was magnificent on the hill, allowing only one run and four hits through seven innings, while striking out nine.

Claypool recorded two hits and one run while Sarah Keenan collected one hit and one very big RBI. Casey Thomas and Alicia VanDeraa each had a hit in the win.

Inter-City advanced to the quarterfinals at Flushing High School where they faced Dansville.

(Note by me: One detail not mentioned was the most emotional event, as Katie struck out the very last batter in the last inning. As soon as she burned the last strike across the plate, there was a roar from the crowd like I've never heard before at a high school softball game. As Katie's dad, it was overwhelming!)

More Pictures from Regional Championship

2010-06-15T12:02:00.009-04:00

The winning pitch... "Strike Three!"

Katie with Inter-City Seniors

Coach Larry

Katie with her coaches

Inter-City Girls Varsity Softball Regional Champs!

2010-06-12T19:52:00.010-04:00

The team won their first game 8-5. Katie finished the first 6 innings with a score of 8-2. Then they played the winner of the second game. Katie pitched the entire game and they won 2-1. According to Sandra's count, Katie had 7 strike-outs in the first game and 9 strike-outs in the second game. Great job Katie!!!! Great job Varsity girls!!
These are some pictures taken by Katie's grandma Miller. I'll post mine when I get them downloaded.

Katie Leads Inter-City Softball to Districts

2010-06-05T11:25:00.001-04:00

Michael - Inter-City wins Districts

2010-06-04T12:08:00.002-04:00

Michael & Katie Spring 2010

2010-05-25T08:17:00.015-04:00

Katie Pitching for Inter-City Baptist

2010-05-12T22:15:00.006-04:00

SOFTBALL:
Inter-City takes two
Inter-City (10-3) continued to play well last week, sweeping both double-headers in dominating fashion. Sterling Heights Parkway Christian came into town on Tuesday and the Chargers dispatched the visitors 12-2 and 8-5.
In game one, the Chargers led 3-2 going into the sixth before exploding for nine runs in the inning and running away with the 10-run victory. Eighth-grader Katie Hugan allowed one earned run through six innings of work while striking out three. Casey Thomas was one of many players to collect multiple hits as she collected two hits and drove in three runs. Hannah Connor had two hits and two RBI while Corynne Claypool had two hits with three runs scored. Ashley Raburn, Alicia VanDeraa and Niki Taylor all collected two hits in the victory.
Parkway put up a better fight in the second game, but fell 8-5. Claypool went 3-for-4 with three runs and VanDeraa went 3-for-3 for the Chargers. Hugan picked up another win, allowing three earned runs with six strikeouts through seven innings.
On Thursday, Inter-City's doubleheader with Oakland Christian ended with similar results. The Chargers led 1-0 going into the fifth inning in game one when they again went for nine runs in an inning to cap off a 10-0 victory. Hugan threw a one-hitter and struck out six in her five innings of work. Claypool continued to swing a hot bat, going 3-for-3 with three RBI and three runs. Rachel Muscat collected two hits in the win.Hits were in no short supply in game two as the Chargers won 17-8, due in large part to a bevy of multiple-hit games.Alexis Zimecki had two hits, two RBI, and two runs for Inter-City. Corynne Claypool, Casey Thomas, Hannah Connor, Ashley Raburn, Rachel Muscat and Jillian Kraatz all collect two hits in the victory. Deanna Thoune drove in two runs for the Chargers in the mauling.

The History of the Cathedral Quartet

2010-03-25T06:47:00.006-04:00

This was and still is my favorite group of all. Thanks, mom, for buying me my first Cathedrals tape years ago and putting me on the course to love Southern Gospel Quartet music; especially the Cathedrals!
The History of the Cathedral Quartet

Michael's Test Results

2010-03-10T10:48:00.001-05:00

Michael received a good report from the doctor. Biopsy on removed lymph nodes came back negative. It seems that, in layman terms, the lymph node "turned on at some point and wouldn't turn off." We praise the Lord for the outcome. We appreciate Dr. Allan Lamb for how well he treated us and for doing a great job on the surgery.

Update on Michael

2010-02-26T11:01:00.004-05:00

Michael has been recovering well from his surgery. He has been experiencing a lot of muscle pain due to the fact that the doctor had to cut through his muscle to get to the swollen lymph node (2 cm in size). Tonight, at our Bible conference, will be the first time he's played his trumpet since the surgery. We're praying it won't cause him too much pain.

He has an appointment with the surgeon on Tuesday, March 9th. We should get the results of the biopsy then.

We, along with Michael, thank you all for your prayers.

Update on Michael

2010-02-22T18:17:00.001-05:00

Sorry for no updates, I couldn't get a good wireless connection and by the time Michael came out and woke up we were busy. Michael is home resting. It may take about two weeks before we will know anything due to the thuroughness of the testing. Thanks for all the prayers. Now we just wait for the results - trusting the Lord.

Michael in Surgery

2010-02-22T14:26:00.001-05:00

Michael went in to surgery around 2:15 p.m. The surgery should take about a half an hour or so. Then a half hour or so to come out of sedation. Obviously a much later start than we anticipated.

Surgery Set for Michael

2010-02-03T23:21:00.019-05:00

A few months ago our son Michael noticed a lump that had formed on the left side of his neck. He mentioned that he noticed it a week or so earlier, but it grew. We took him to the doctor and he was prescribed an antibiotic. The lump went down, but it didn't go away completely. We contacted the doctor and he set up an appointment with a general surgeon.

Yesterday Michael and I went to see the general surgeon. During the exam, the doctor noticed three slightly swollen lymph nodes. The plan now is to perform an open biopsy. This is done by surgically removing the three lymph nodes. They will then be sent to a pathology lab to be examined. The best case scenario is lymph nodes that had a previous infection that did not shrink back down to normal size. The worst case is Hodgkin's lymphoma. We won't know anything until the biopsy results come back. The surgery is set for Monday, February 22nd.

Please keep Michael in your prayers. For now he seems to be mostly concerned about the nuisance of having the procedure done. However, he knows it needs to be done; the sooner the better. We know the Lord is in control of the situation and our trust is fully in Him.

Last Day of School / Ready for Winter Break

2009-12-23T07:34:00.003-05:00

Today is the kids' last day of school for 2009! Both have had exams this week, and they're glad it's almost over. No big travel plans for the holidays. We'll be having Christmas at home on Thursday night with Lois (Sandra's mom), then going up to my parents on Friday. I know the kids are looking forward to the break. Sandra works most every day at the bank, but we'll have some afternoons to do some family fun.
I'm looking forward to the new year. Just the sound of a new year gives a sense of beginning again. I've strayed off the diet a little, so I'll need to get back at that, along with the exercising. I'm excited about the ministry direction at church. It's always exciting to know the Lord is working and leading; I pray everyone at church will get on board. There's always a few who seem uncomfortable with "C H A N G E". As I've told them, a healthy church is always in transition. We need to be ready when the Lord desires to move us forward for His glory and our good! I'm thankful for those who desire to be a part of the Lord's work and to be used as He leads us to higher ground! It's exciting to see the Lord work in the hearts of His people as they give of themselves for the furtherance of the Gospel.
What a great lifestyle; living for Jesus!

No More Twitter on the Blog

2009-12-16T06:49:00.004-05:00

It seems that between Twitter and Blogspot, one of the two doesn't have it's act together. I apologize for any foul language that appeared on my blog due to the WRONG TWITTER INFORMATION. It was not my Twitter information, but someone else's. I have removed all twitter-following tools from my blogs. If you want to follow me on twitter, just go to twitter and search for "BobHugan".
Sorry, and thank you for reading my blogs.

15 Years at FRMBC

2009-11-23T16:46:00.002-05:00

http://frmbcnews.blogspot.com/2009/11/15-years-at-frmbc.html

Last Day at Curves

2009-11-05T22:09:00.007-05:00

Friday, Nov. 6th will be my last day working at Curves in Allen Park. It will be a very bitter sweet day. I am excited about my new opportunity. I will be working at Fifth Third Bank in Taylor as of Monday, Nov. 9th. That will be the sweet part. The bitter part will be my having to say good-bye to many wonderful ladies I have met over the last 8 years. I started working at Curves in Oct. 2001 and have thoroughly enjoyed my job. I have made some great friends over the years. We have a very special, caring group of women that stick close together during the good and bad times. I will miss them very much.

My best to all of you ladies from Curves!!
Sandra

Life-Style Change

2009-10-15T16:30:00.006-04:00

I recently stated from the pulpit that a healthy church is always in transition. In other words, we need to constantly be in the state of Biblical change, personally, as well as a church.

Well, that applies to our personal lives as well. I've recently been trying to eat healthier and it has been paying off. I've lost around 13-15 pounds. However, it's time to step it up. I need to be doing more physically, especially during the winter months. So, we've decided to sign our family up for a 6 month membership at the Flat Rock Community Center. My workouts start tomorrow. My prayer is that I'll be able to exercise enough to increase the rate of my weight loss as well as just be healthier. The arthritis inhibits my mobility during the morning hours, but hopefully as my body loosens up, I can go later in the day. Since Sandra's hours have been cut at work, she will be able to go with me a day or two.
Also, we will all go together as a family and enjoy family fitness time.

All part of getting healthy. Now is the time!

Why I'm Thankful for a Godly Wife

2009-10-09T11:11:00.001-04:00

On Her Birthday, I Say, “Thank You!”

Today is my wife’s birthday, so in honor of her, I want to share a few things that I really love about her. As we near our 19th wedding anniversary, I can’t believe how much more I love her today than I ever thought possible. This is a short list—I know there is much, much more.

She’s godly—I love being married to a lady who loves the Lord and allows her love for the Lord to flow into every other relationship and responsibility.

She’s shared the vision—she understands what the Lord’s will is for our lives and she gives her whole heart completely and in faith, to allow the Lord to accomplish His vision for our lives and home.

She’s simply a wonderful wife—I believe love in a marriage is strongest when you realize your spouse loves you in spite of who you are. This is how Sandra loves me. Though I’ve often disappointed her, she looks beyond those failures and loves me faithfully—which has compelled me more than anything else to grow and ask God to make me the husband she deserves.

She’s a gifted mother—Sandra’s heart truly beats for the Lord, her husband, and her children. She has so tirelessly given herself to them for nearly 16 years. Her sacrifice defies description.

She’s a faithful co-laborer—whether it’s hosting groups in our home, counseling another woman or girl, helping plan an activity, teaching a class, taking a group on door-to-door visitation, or just embracing life in the “fish-bowl” of ministry—she’s embraced my call as her own. It’s awesome to serve the Lord with her.

She’s a talented home-maker—it’s an awesome experience to come home every evening to such a delightful environment. Her heart is in her home and for her family in an amazing way. Home truly is a special place.

She’s my best friend—I love being with her. Whether it’s sitting at a Sub Way eating a sub together, or playing tennis, just being with her makes the time special. She’s made this husband one very blessed, very happy, and very well-cared for man.

So with that—I simply say, “Happy Birthday, Best Friend!” You truly are the BEST!

“Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.” —Proverbs 18:22

What A Summer!

2009-08-25T10:03:00.004-04:00

Wow, I can't believe Summer is almost over. It's been busy and blessed! So much has gone on that I can't put it all down here in this one post.

It is obvious from the lack of posting on this blog that Facebook has really taken over the task of keeping up with what's happening. I'm using the other blogs from time to time, but this one has not seen much updating.

The kids will be starting school this next Monday. Michael will be in 11th grade and Katie will be in 8th grade. Wow!! It just seems like yesterday that they were both little kids in elementary school. Katie just had her braces removed - boy, did that 4 years go fast. She sure has been through a lot in that time period. Praise the Lord for His grace and mercy!!

Things at church are going well. We're coming up on 15 years here at FRMBC. I would have liked to see more numerical growth by this time in my ministry. To God be the glory, great things He has done though, there has been tremendous spiritual growth. Through discipleship, folks have really grown in the faith and are faithfully serving the Lord. I pray this next year that, as I have been attempting over the past year to refine our vision for the work of the Lord, the church will see more growth. There are so many things I would like to see our church doing that we could do if the Lord would see fit to allow us to disciple new people to spiritual maturity to the point where new ministries could be started for His glory. All in His own time, as He wills.

That's all for now. The Hugans are on Facebook. That's where folks will see more of what's happening with us.

Michael Receives Director's Award

2009-05-23T09:37:00.002-04:00

At the senior high awards ceremony on Friday of this week, Michael received the Director's Award for his leadership and desire to excel in the Senior High Choir. The person to receive this award is personally chosen by the choir director himself. Congratulations Michael!

Katie & Michael Pitching

2009-05-22T09:43:00.002-04:00

Michael's and Katie's New Bikes

2009-04-09T23:37:00.002-04:00

Vacation in Tennessee

2009-04-09T23:36:00.000-04:00

Happily Busy

2009-03-16T07:14:00.004-04:00

Things have quieted down a bit (literally). There are now a just few blowers down in the basement to finish the drying process so that we can start with the restoration. Yes, we're doing the routine again. We're dealing with the folks at Servepro from Canton. If you ever have this kind of water issue in your house, these are the guys to call; they're great. They did the cleanup last year when we had 4 inches or more in the basement of the church. Anyway, we're drying out.

Baseball and softball are kicking into gear. Katie has already had a few practices and Michael's practices start this week.

My mom and dad are down in Bloomington, Indiana. My dad is receiving proton beam therapy to destroy the cancer that he has. Things are going well. He's had a cold over the past week or so. Please keep him in your prayers - my mom too.

Sandra finally decided to get a facebook page. Yeah! She's already been in contact with some ladies she went to high school with, as well as some other pastor's wives. I think she likes it. ;-)

Pray for me. Dealing with these water problems has really kicked in my arthritis. I have an appointment this week with my doctor, but that won't change anything. Winter is drawing to a close so know I'm in summer preparation mode for church stuff: VBS, Camp, Summer sports ministry, etc., etc. As long as summer is on its way. So, we're...

Goin' on with the Song!

Watching the Weather & the Sump Pump

2009-03-11T01:13:00.006-04:00

It's about 1:15 a.m. Wednesday morning and I've been up several times checking out the weather. No, I'm not doing this because I'm a "weather bug", but because the sump pump is running about once a minute; that's 60 times an hour. I'm praying that the thing lasts through the night.

As some may know, the pump failed to work properly overnight Sunday into Monday, and we had a flooded basement -- again. Sandra took the day off work (without pay) and we worked from 6 a.m. until about 12:30 in the afternoon, shop vaccing the basement. It's still damp and musty down there. It may take a couple of weeks, hopefully no longer, to get it back to normal.

Well, tonight, with all the rain we're getting, I'm not sleeping much. I've got a little portable pump ready just in case, but I'm afraid that it won't pump as fast as the water is coming into the sump hole. I'm thankful that Bro. Lentz came over Monday night and we installed an alarm that will call the parsonage phone number when the water level touches a sensor. What that will do while I'm home is wake me up (if I'm asleep) and let me know to start running the portable sump pump.

I'm praying that the sump pump will work throughout the night and that I can get some much needed sleep. I'm still very sore from the clean up. Please keep us in your prayers. Thank you.

The Hugans - 4 By Grace

2009-03-02T16:47:00.003-05:00

Long Time - No Post

2009-02-09T07:30:00.006-05:00

Well, it's now February and I haven't posted anything since Thanksgiving. Yes, the blog has been on a back burner for a while.

Everyone is doing fine here at the Hugan's. We had a good winter break over the holidays, though the kids were ready for school to start again. Two weeks with not much to do got a little boring for them. Michael and Katie are now busy with school. They're also both gearing up for Spring sports. Michael is working with his pitching trainer and Katie has a lady working with her for softball pitching. Then there's homework, homework, and more homework!

Sandra and I are doing well. With work, church, Bible institute, the kids, and catching the water dripping down from our bedroom ceiling due to faulty construction of the roof, we're staying busy.

And by God's grace, we'll keep...
Goin' On With The Song!

Happy Thanksgiving to Family & Friends

2008-11-26T14:14:00.001-05:00

Michael's Birthday

2008-11-15T16:35:00.009-05:00

Katie - Junior High Volleyball

2008-11-12T08:10:00.003-05:00

Katie had a great season in her first year of volleyball at school. She played well and her skill level matured as the season progressed. I'm not sure what the team record was, but they won most of their games. Katie was very impressive in her serving ability and her overall playing skills contributed greatly to the team. I have more video footage than I do still pictures. I'll try to figure out how to put those on the blog. Good job Katie! We're very proud of you!

Here's one picture I took:

Happy Birthday Katie!!!

2008-09-29T07:52:00.006-04:00

Today is Katie's 12th birthday. Here are some pictures of her party from last week:

Is That Fall That I See?

2008-09-10T07:16:00.003-04:00

Well Fall has begun! Where did the summer go?

Our Fall has begun in full speed. We're busy, but having fun with it. With school in session, the kids are busy with school work nearly every night. I just don't remember having that much homework when I was in school. That may not necessarily mean that I didn't have it though. ;-)

Michael is in driver's training. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Just kidding; he actually is doing very well. He says he's pretty comfortable at the wheel. I don't know if that should make me concerned or not. Seriously, he's doing fine. He takes a break from sports during the Fall. He'll do basketball in the Winter and baseball in the Spring. He's done some throwing practice over the summer. However, we often switched places at pitcher and catcher. I wish I could do what I can do now with pitching when I was in high school. I've actually surprised myself. There have been times when I've gone out and thrown the ball at the tarp we have set up, without Michael catching. It feels pretty good, but I think I'll keep my day job. Speaking of my day job - the Bible institute has begun at FRMBC. Check it out here.

Katie had her first volleyball game yesterday. Her team won the first two games. I think the scores were 25 to 18 and 25 to 23. They play the best out of three. They played the third game to 15 and they won again, 15 to 10. Katie did a great job! Her serves were spectacular!! I'll get some pictures up soon. I think I may have only taken one or two because I didn't want to distract her.

More later.

Summer Almost Over

2008-08-19T08:50:00.008-04:00

I have been terrible about posting this summer. With planning and implementing ministry and dealing with the church basement, it's gone by fast. Our family has been busy. We haven't even been able to take a vacation anywhere. Most people don't realize the small window that a pastor has to take a vacation with all the "things" going on. I can't just drop things and take my family and go. People tell us, "Oh yes you can." No offense but... they just don't get it. Anyway, the details are too personal to post. Sometimes I just wish people could see things from where we sit. Enough of that though.
Michael and his friend Tom have been up at my parents since last Friday. They'll be back this Thursday. Michael, Sandra and I have to be at the school for orientation on Thursday night. Katie and her friend Cassandra did their annual trip to my parents a few weeks ago.
Most of the summer, Michael hung around the house during the day. In the summer time he does all the lawn maintenance. He does a great job! If I had a dollar for every time I heard him say that he was bored, we'd have enough money to take one of those vacations [oh yeah... no time ;-) ].
Katie's summer was typical of the last several summers with having to do "vacation station" - a workbook to give her "practice" (so they say) on "school" work. She hasn't had a normal summer vacation in several years. I don't think her school has handled her situation very well, but that's another personal thing. Katie was still able to do volleyball camp for a week this summer. She loves volleyball and is planning on playing on the Junior High team this year at school.
Of course the summer included Vacation Bible School, Youth Camp, and we just finished a great week of revival meetings. Now we're in the last week of summer vacation for the kids. Their school starts next week and the Bible institute starts on September 8th. So it's back to the grind! At least we can be together as a family in all this busyness and the Lord's work is getting accomplished.

Katie's Piano Recital (a little late)

2008-06-27T20:15:00.003-04:00

I forgot to put Katie's piano recital pictures on the blog from back in May.

Katie Playing Softball

2008-06-16T08:48:00.010-04:00

Katie has been doing very well in softball! Here are a few pictures I took this past Saturday.

Katie making a play at 3rd base.

Katie pitching.

Summer Is Here!!

2008-06-11T10:17:00.015-04:00

The last couple of weeks have been pretty busy with end of the school year stuff. Michael's baseball team became District Champions but lost in the regionals. Katie had her piano recital and they both had part in end year school programs. Now summer is here and the kids can relax a little. However, there's been plenty to do. Katie is still playing softball, and now that school's out, she can spend more time with her friends playing. Michael has been helping me with VBS props and has taken somewhat of an interest in wood-working. We're working on a backstop for his air-soft guns and his slingshot. Below are some baseball pictures of Michael. I’m working on Katie’s softball pictures.

Click on pictures to enlarge them.

Baseball and Softball News

2008-06-02T07:25:00.006-04:00

Both Michael and Katie are having a great time in sports this year. Last Thursday, Katie hit a milestone by hitting a double down the left field line. Unfortunately, Sandra, Michael and I missed it. We were at the Inter-City Baptist High School graduation (Michael sang in the chorale). But never fear, Grandma Miller was there with the camera!! Katie has been doing very well in both the hitting and fielding departments.

Michael's team played this past Saturday and won two games to become the district champions! They will be playing this Saturday in regionals. Though Michael's playing time has been limited as a freshman on the varsity team, he's done well. The last game that Michael pitched, he came in as a reliever and did a great job. He even fanned a few batters. (That means he struck them out.)

Katie / Flat Rock Girls Softball

2008-05-16T10:49:00.005-04:00

Michael / Inter-City Baseball

2008-05-07T07:13:00.001-04:00

Michael's Baseball & Katie's Softball

2008-05-01T11:20:00.004-04:00

Both Michael and Katie have been busy on the ball fields. Michael got his first win as a Freshman pitcher last Friday. He was pretty happy to say the least. The team lost this Tuesday by one run in extra innings. Overall the game was well played. There were a few mistakes in the end, but it was a hard fought game.

Katie's first softball game is this Saturday. All the Saturday games start at 7:30 at night. Personally, I think that is kind of dumb to have the games so late, but oh well. Katie is excited about playing. So far in practice Katie's coach has had her playing third base. She's got a great arm and can throw all the way to first base better than anyone else.

I'll try to get some pictures on the blog soon. I keep forgetting to take the camera to Michael's games.

Discovery Bible Clubs and ProTeens are almost over and plans for summer church ministries and activities are taking shape. We're looking forward to the warm weather.

Back From Kentucky

2008-04-09T11:44:00.013-04:00

We had a great time in Lost Creek, Kentucky with the Salem Missionary Baptist Church and Pastor Michael Wilder and his family. We were blessed with a good trip down, though it was interesting driving down a narrow, two-lane road in the fog. Bro. Wilder gave us perfect directions, though, and we made it to the church without any missed turns or detours.

I've known Bro. Wilder for several years without ever having the opportunity to really get to know him. Well, we took care of that this week. We hit it off right away. It's such a great blessing to get to know other pastors and their families who are earnestly contending for the faith. Michael and Katie got to know two of the Wilder's children: son Kristopher, who is a year or so older than Michael, and daughter Mikayla, who is a year younger than Katie. They had a great time!

The meetings were blessed with good singing and great fellowship, and I pray that the messages were a blessing to the church there. They have a Christian school as well as a great ministry called "Seedline". This ministry is all about assembling a booklet of John and Romans, and distributing them out to a lost world. It is fantastic! The folks at Salem Baptist are wonderful people and we thoroughly enjoyed our time with them.

We came back on Thursday (4/3) and went to the Tiger baseball game on Friday to see the tigers lose to the White Sox. We haven't given up on them though; the season has just begun.

This is the view from the top of the drive from the road.

The church building

This is their "gym". On the left end is the new addition
they build to house their "Seedline" ministry.

This is the parsonage. The main living area is upstairs.
The prophet's chamber is down below - wonderful accomidations!

Kentucky Trip / Health

2008-03-21T14:57:00.002-04:00

Next Thursday we are leaving on a trip to Kentucky. Sandra will be speaking at a ladies conference and I'll be preaching revival at Salem Missionary Baptist Church in Grayson. Meanwhile, I've been down with a bad cold (sort of pneumonia) since last week and it is getting old! This is the third time this season (since October '07) and I hope it's the last! Both Michael and Katie have been fighting off the soar throat and sniffles. Michael seems to be getting hit pretty hard with it right now. We're praying that the Lord will allow Sandra not to get it. I would hate for her to get sick at the time she's suppose to speak at the ladies conference. Please pray with us that the Lord will permit us to be "sick-free" during our trip. Our times away come too few and far between and we would like to enjoy ourselves. This is not a vacation, but it is a time "away" and it can be a time of spiritual refreshing. It would be good if we are not physically down.

Ready For Spring!!

2008-03-07T11:44:00.005-05:00

The Hugans are ready for spring. Although the kids have enjoyed the several opportunities to go ice skating. Wednesday was a snow day, yet it was perfect for ice skating at the frozen fountain at the Flat Rock library. Michael shoveled off the ice and he and Katie and a few friends from church skated for what seemed like a couple of hours. Even Sandra got in on the action.

Over the last few weeks Katie was attending another volleyball class. She's getting ready for Jr. High volleyball at school next year. She's signed up for girl's softball through the city for this spring as well. Sandra looked at the uniforms and the shorts are modest. She ordered a size too big so that the length and fullness would make them look like culottes. Bring in the waist and they will be perfect.

Michael is getting ready for school baseball. This year he'll be one of the starting pitchers. The coach has been working with him a lot and he's even had a few private lessons from a former major league pitcher. The things that Michael has learned recently have really helped him improve.

The Bible Institute classes are going well. I'm hoping some of our high school seniors will consider taking some classes next year. I'm prepared to teach a specific "one year" study for high school graduates to attend prior to any secular school they may be planning to attend. I've always believed that even if a graduate is not going to four years of Bible college, they should take one year first, then go to a community college for their career. I have the right courses for them to take. I pray they will take advantage of them. The worldly minded would say that would be a waste of time. Truth says, it's a solid investment to help prepare them for what's ahead.

Anyway, that's the latest scoop from Bob and Sandra's place.

Pictures from Cabella's

2008-01-28T05:37:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago, while the kids were off school, we drove over to Cabella's. We looked around, grabbed a snack, and looked around some more. Here are some pictures from that day.

The Holidays Are Over!

2008-01-07T07:17:00.000-05:00

Though the days went fast, we had a good break. We shared some good times with family and friends, and even took some time to have some time just to ourselves. As usual, the kids started to get a little board near the end.

<<<--- Buddy's a ham!

Now that the holidays are over, it's back to the grind. The kids are slowly getting used to the reality of getting back to work at school. Michael started right off today with a 6:30 a.m. basketball practice. With all the trips back and forth to school, I'm wishing I could win one of those "free gas give-aways" I hear about every now and then. It's worth all the sacrifice to be able to allow the kids to get a Christian education. As the commercial says... "That's priceless!"

4 By Grace in 2008

2008-01-01T13:19:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving Concert at School

2007-11-28T07:29:00.000-05:00

Last week was Katie's Thanksgiving Concert at school. The whole theme was based on using the word "THANKSGIVING" as an acronym referencing it to creation. The singing and music was GREAT!
Katie sings in the elementary choir (along with everyone else in elementary). She also sings in the chorus and plays the flute in the band.
It was really nice seeing all the kids from FRMBC (6 in all) that participated in the concert.

Michael's 14th Birthday

2007-11-14T07:25:00.000-05:00

Last Saturday we held a birthday party for Michael. He invited the guys from church and some guys from school over for an air-soft birthday party. What is an air-soft birthday party? It's kind of like paint-ball only with 6mm plastic BBs. The guys wear full protection with masks, gloves and, thanks to a little cool weather, a few layers of clothing. It's just a little "target practice" ;-)
The pictures pretty much tell the story.

We had a big cookie made instead of a cake. The image in the center is an "exact" replica of a Smith and Wesson Air-Soft pistol. Notice the red tip, signifying that it is not a real firearm. (I know... I'll keep my day job!) Our kids seem to lean toward these cookies. They take after their dad with passing on the cake thing. Anyway, Michael and the guys had a great time! Sandra's mom as well as my parents from Grand Blanc, were there as well to celebrate the occasion.

Katie's 11th Birthday

2007-10-03T08:15:00.002-04:00

This past Saturday we celebrated Katie's 11th birthday with grandparents and a few of Katie's friends.

(Katie's basketball chocolate cookie)

Michael's 9th grade picture

2007-10-01T13:55:00.001-04:00

Katie's 6th grade picture

2007-09-27T16:02:00.000-04:00

Back to the Fall Grind

2007-09-20T10:24:00.000-04:00

It's been such a great couple of weeks since the kids have been in school. I'm not saying that it's better without the kids around. I mean there has been a lot of great things going on in our family's lives. Michael and Katie are doing great in school. Michael is taking the Fall off, sports wise. He did join the high school chorale. He'll have a lot of fun with that. Katie is playing girls (duh) basketball at school. So far they're record is 3-0.

Ministry life has been busy, but oh, so enjoyable! We've made some improvements in some of the areas of ministry lately (See the Church News Blog). The Lord is blessing FRMBC and we are excited about all that He's doing. From "ProTeens", to the new College & Career Bible Study Fellowship, and more, the Lord just keeps blessing and blessing.

The Willing Servants Quartet is going to be singing at a Bible Conference in Richmond, KY this weekend. We're learning a new song to take with us and we'll probably sing it this Sunday back here at FRMBC. The guys are really fine tuning their voices as they continue to improve they're harmony. They really do sound good. There's a future for this group if they really want it! (See Willing Servants Quartet)

Well, I gotta go get ready for the trip.

Until next time...

BACK TO SCHOOL!

2007-08-31T07:28:00.001-04:00

This past Monday was the first day of school for Michael (9th grade) and Katie (6th grade). Michael is taking a break the first part of the year from sports, while Katie has decided that she wants to play girls basketball. Today is her first practice. Sandra and I had little bit of trouble coping with the fact that we now have a child in high school. Oh, where does the time go?!!

Pictures From Vacation

2007-08-25T16:49:00.000-04:00

Click the link below to see some pictures of our vacation up north.

Hugan Vacation Pictures

Back From Vacation

2007-08-23T21:50:00.000-04:00

We made it back from up North a few hours ago. We had a meeting up at the school for Michael's orientation for... can I say it... "High School" earlier this evening. We still haven't had much of the chance to catch our breath.
We had a great time, but it's good to be home. Soon I'll update the blog with a few of the 80-some pictures we took on the trip.

Tiger's Game in Style

2007-08-08T08:03:00.000-04:00

This past Monday Sandra's employers took their employees to a Tiger baseball game. Everyone had a great time; and the Tigers won the game! There was an extra ticket due to a person not being able to attend. So, Michael was allowed to go with us. He was very grateful to be able to go.

The surprise to everyone was that we were transported to and from the game in a Hummer limousine. All I can say is... alright, I'll say it... COOOOOL!!!

Thanks Mike & Leah for "Taking Us Out To The Ballgame", IN STYLE, and thanks for letting Michael go too!

Katie's Week of Volleyball Camp

2007-07-31T12:52:00.001-04:00

I mentioned in a post on Katie's Health Journal that last week Katie attended a volleyball camp at the Flat Rock Rec Center. Here are a few pictures:

Michael & Katie at Camp

2007-07-23T09:57:00.000-04:00

Michael and Katie had a great time at camp!

Current Happenings

2007-07-13T07:31:00.000-04:00

Today we will be taking Buddy up to my mom and dad's house. He'll be staying with them while we're at church camp next week. The kids are sad to have to not have him around for what will be over a week long period. However, it sure beats the alternative... the dog kennel.
Thanks mom and dad for letting buddy hang out there for a while!

Meanwhile camp preparations are at full steam ahead. It's crunch time! There is much to do over the next three days. This is when the not-so-fun work has to be done. When we're at camp, the work is fun.

Then after camp it's a week of preparation for revival. I'm really looking forward to that week!
Oh, I think that in between those two weeks Katie has volleyball camp. I'm not sure the dates for that. She's really looking forward to that.

All in all, Katie has had a pretty normal summer. We've made some minor adjustments in what she's allowed to do, activity wise. But overall things have been normal. She is almost done with the one seizure med that she is being weaned off, while the new med has gradually been increasing. She does great at remembering when she has to take it and she prepares it herself.

Michael is a little less busy now that baseball is over. He mostly hangs out with the guys from church. They get together often and go to the batting cages, play tennis, and other stuff. Michael has been a good help around the house and around the church grounds this year. He has helped me with ministry work from time to time as well.

Well, that's all for now.

Michael's Baseball Season Over

2007-06-30T17:00:00.000-04:00

Michael's team played the last two games of the season today. They split a double-header. Michael pitched two innings in the first game and struck out 4 of the 6 batters, with the other two being put-outs. Michael hit 2 for 4 ; however, Flat Rock lost the first game.

Michael didn't start the second game, but he went in to play third base in the third inning. He hit 2 for 3 with 2 RBIs and made two put outs. Flat Rock won the second game 16 to 12.

Michael had a great season!

Katie's Week of Basketball Camp

2007-06-25T13:17:00.000-04:00

Last week was a busy week with Vacation Bible School at church, along with Basketball camp at school for Katie. Busy, yet enjoyable! Here are some pictures of Katie playing basketball. I think she has great potential.

Summer Is Moving Fast

2007-06-22T12:14:00.000-04:00

It's hard to believe that we're nearing the end of the month of June already. Baseball is almost over for Michael, he hopes. It's not that he's lost interest in baseball; it's just that he's been playing it a lot lately. He has experienced some shoulder problems lately, so he's been taking it easy on the throwing. He was able to pitch in two games this week; two innings each. He had to leave the games early due to his desire to be a VBS. I'm thankful he wanted to be at VBS. His coach works well with the fact that our ministry is priority #1 to us.

Today is Katie's last day of basketball camp. She's been coming home every day from it exhausted, but she's ready to go back each morning. I think she has enjoyed it. Sandra left work early today to go up to the school and watch Katie play.

VBS ends tonight. It's been a great week and we've met some new kids this year. Next week I go into "Camp Mode" seeing that I'll only have three weeks to get all the preparation done. It's a heavy load, but it's worth it. Maybe some day I'll get to experience one of those things I hear about... I think people call them "vacations" - anyhow, one would be nice.

Regardless of all the weight of burdens, the Lord is always good! I'm reminded of the song that says, "It will be worth it all when we see Jesus." What a day that will be!! I'm thankful for the "haven of rest" that I have in Jesus and that it is a present possession. No matter what we go through, in Jesus, we're safe evermore! Our duty is to Trust and Obey!

Katie's Slurpee Shirt

2007-06-07T07:59:00.000-04:00

This is a shirt that Katie made at school. All the kids in her class made a shirt and wore them yesterday at their class picnic. (See Katie's blog for a new picture of her with her new hair style at Katie's Health Journal.)

Michael's Jr. High Baseball Team

2007-05-25T07:39:00.000-04:00

Inter-City's Jr. High baseball team went out on a high note with a 13-1 victory. Michael played shortstop because he pitched on Tuesday. The team had a great game with everybody contributing. Michael scored 2 runs.
Michael starts practicing for the city league next Tuesday. He's looking forward to being able to play during the summer.

Michael & Katie's Piano Recital

2007-05-14T20:58:00.000-04:00

Katie's Bowling Season

2007-05-13T07:39:00.000-04:00

Katie had a great season on her bowling league. Even though she had to miss some games due to her surgery, she had a "pin-smashing" season. Her average was somewhere around 91, and her high game was 116. She bowled with one of her best friends, Cassie, and made some new friends too. GREAT JOB KATIE!!

"Rocket" Hugan Takes Down the Competition

2007-05-11T07:14:00.000-04:00

I'm not a sports reporter, but I'll do my best here...
Tuesday afternoon (May 8th) the Inter-City Baptist Chargers Junior High baseball team took down one of their competitors, 9-3 in a full 7 inning game. There was no doubt that the whole team contributed to the big win, especially some awesome infielding that kept the runners down to a minimum.

A major contributor to that infield stood on the mound for the full 7 innings; Michael Hugan. Michael pitched a solid game with a considerably low pitch count. Out of the opposition's 21 outs, 16 of them were STRIKE OUTS! That's a record outing for the young right-hander who also went 3 for 4 at the plate, with 2 doubles, and 2 runs.

In one of last week's games Michael went 3 for 4 and was a home run away from a cycle. (That means he hit a single, a double, and a triple.) Needless to say, Michael is having a fun season!

Baseball '07 Pics

2007-04-23T19:14:00.000-04:00

Click on a picture to enlarge.

Willing Servants Quartet

2007-03-19T05:59:00.001-04:00

Michael Hugan (tenor), Tom Cavanaugh (lead), Bob Hugan (piano),

Tim Cavanaugh (baritone), JR Thompson (bass)

One of My Piano Mentors Goes "HOME"

2007-03-17T19:02:00.001-04:00

I've had three people in my life that influenced me in my piano playing. The first (and this may be news to her) is my mother. All those years hearing her play the piano for church has taught me much about accompanying singers with my piano playing.

The second was my first piano teacher, Mrs. Johnson. She taught me many things, but the thing that stands out more than anything is that because of her, I can play a song in any key I wish. She embedded chords and scales into me so that it became second nature. Because of her, my transitioning from one key to another is done with very little thought.

My third mentor at the piano is Roger Bennett; long time Cathedral Quartet piano player and co-owner of the Legacy Five Quartet, who took over the reins after the Cathedrals retired. I first met Roger as a teenager. A friend of my family, who knew Roger as a child, introduced me to him at a concert in Flint, MI. I talked with him for what seemed to be about 20 minutes. When Roger saw the Cathedral sheet music and tapes that I was getting ready to pay for, he told me to take them at no charge. As we talked about singing and playing the piano, he encouraged me to use the talent God gave me to play the piano for the glory of God. That night I decided I would take what God had given me and work to get better at it. Over the next several years I purchased almost every project the Cathedrals recorded since the late 1970s. I would play the tapes on my stereo and play my Roland piano along with them. As I listened to the Cathedrals sing, I would pay close attention to Roger's accompaniment and all the licks that he would play. Over and over again I would listen to the music, playing along on my piano. Over time I began to notice a difference in my playing. More and more I would listen to Roger's playing and pick up on his style. Every year I would see Roger at the December concert and he would remember me. We'd talk about the newest songs he was doing and I'd ask him questions about playing.

To this day, I still practice along with Roger playing on the Legacy Five CDs. Other than learning neat sounding licks, the most significant thing I learned from Roger's playing was how to play and implement rich sounding chords. He taught me what is now my favorite thing to do; how to take a hymn and turn it into a classical piece.

In September of 1995, Sandra and I went to the National Quartet Convention. That was right after Roger was diagnosed with Leukemia. I was talking with him during one of the breaks and he told me that no matter what, he knew the Lord was going to heal him. In his words, "Either the Lord's gonna heal me here and leave me here, or He's gonna take me home to be with Him. Either way, I'm healed." What a testimony. And he held that testimony over the years as he fought the Leukemia.

Today, the Lord completely healed Roger by taking him HOME. This morning around 8:00 a.m., Roger left this life to go to that "HOMELAND." The southern gospel music industry will have a deep hole in it with Roger gone now. All those who were touched by his playing, singing, and writing both songs and meditations, will miss him dearly. What an impact this wonderful man had on this teenage boy to use my gift for the honor and glory of the ONE who gave it to me. I'll never forget the man who, in my opinion, is THE PIANO PLAYER of Southern Gospel Quartet music.

Visit Roger Bennett's Midnight Meditations

"Mr. Long Arms"

2007-03-16T07:14:00.000-04:00

The other day Michael asked me to measure his height. He measured exactly 5 feet, 6 inches. He mentioned the relationship between his height and the length from finger tip to finger tip with his arms stretched out to the side. So we measured that... 5 feet, 11 1/4 inches. He couldn't believe it was so much longer. Even though that's normal at his age, he thought it was pretty cool. I told him when he is on the pitcher's mound this year we're calling him the "long arm of the law."

This picture was taken last year.

What About Michael

2007-03-09T11:45:00.000-05:00

We've been talking so much about Katie the past several weeks; I thought it would be good to update what's going on in Michael's life.

I don't recall knowing if I was as busy as my son is now when I was his age. He's incredibly busy. The good thing is that his schedule is fairly balanced with privilege as well as responsibility.

Today he is up in the Saginaw, MI area taking part in a MACS (Michigan Association of Christian Schools) competition. Today is the Sr. High competition. He will be involved in the Jr. High competition in a couple of weeks. Michael sings in the choir and plays the trumpet in the orchestra. He and a friend of his will be playing a trumpet duet for the Jr. High competition. He's been working at it with Sandra playing the piano accompaniment.

School baseball practice started this week as well. He's so ready to get back into baseball!

Michael is also singing in a quartet at church. Last Sunday night FRMBC's brand new southern gospel group, "Willing Servants Quartet", sang their first song, "I'm Feeling Fine". They did GREAT! The members are: Michael Hugan - tenor, Tom Cavanaugh - lead, Tim Cavanaugh - baritone, and J.R. Thompson - bass. They sounded like they'd been singing together for years, and the oldest member (other than me - piano) is in 12th grade.

We're proud of Michael and thankful that the Lord is working in his life and using him for God's glory.

Katie's New Health Journal

2007-03-09T10:38:00.000-05:00

I have decided to create a blog just for Katie's health updates. This blogger works really well and it's easy to update. This will be especially helpful during Katie's stay in the hospital. There is a link to it in the right hand column of this blog. I'll go ahead and place it in this post as well.

Please feel free to comment on Katie's blog. We will check it frequently. I'll teach Katie how to check it as well.

I think once people get use to the blog layout, it will be much easier to keep up on the updates.

Thanks again to everyone for all the prayers and cards and gifts that have been given. You're love is such a blessing!

Here For HIM!
Bob

Click here for Katie's New Health Journal

Katie's Health Update

2007-03-08T16:45:00.001-05:00

This is the first post on our new blog regarding Katie's experience with a brain tumor. Most folks reading this know about the recent past experiences Katie has had while dealing with this. You can visit Katie's Health Update for past updates.

I think that I might start using this blog page for future updates. This way we can view comments that family and friends make. Katie is always excited to hear from people who are praying for her. We want folks to feel free, but not obligated, to send us their thoughts and prayers.

I'm still learning how to use it, so it may take me some time to work the kinks out. Another plus with this is that the program has spell check. WHAT A BLESSING!

Until next time...

Bob

Greetings

2007-03-08T15:05:00.002-05:00

My name is Bob Hugan and I am the pastor of Flat Rock Missionary Baptist Church. My wife's name is Sandra. We have two children, Michael and Katie.
We hope that this blog brings honor and glory to our blessed Savior the Lord Jesus Christ and that it will keep us close to family and friends.