My King! - S.M. Lockridge

Through the Bible in 2007

I'm more than a little embarrassed to admit that at the age of 35 I've never read the Bible through in a year. (Maybe not completely through ever.)

Anyway, I've decided that 2007 is the year for me to do this and thought I'd invite any family and friends (or any other of my 3 readers) to join me in this quest. If we are reading together it would serve for some accountability and motivation as well as opportunity for discussion.

Apparently you can read through the Bible in a year by reading three chapters a day and five on Sundays. (This schedule actually gives enough cushion to read Psalm 119 on it's own day. :-))

If anyone is interested in accepting the challenge reply in the comments and let me know.

I'm planning to start with Genesis since this a last minute deal. Whoever wants to participate together could help decide if we go mostly straight through or if we jump around some. I'm open-minded though I would like to stick with whole chapters.

Join Me!

The schedule for Genesis would be:

Jan. 1 Gen. 1-3
Jan. 2 Gen. 4-6
Jan. 3 Gen. 5-9
Jan. 4 Gen. 10-12
Jan. 5 Gen. 13-15
Jan. 6 Gen. 16-18
Jan. 7 Gen. 19-23
Jan. 8 Gen. 24-26
Jan. 9 Gen. 27-29
Jan. 10 Gen. 30-32
Jan. 11 Gen. 33-35
Jan. 12 Gen. 36-38
Jan. 13 Gen. 39-41
Jan. 14 Gen. 42-46
Jan. 15 Gen. 47-49
Jan. 16 Gen. 50 + ? (2 chapters of a new book)

Revival Hymn

Peggy Noonan on Gerald Ford

I always enjoy Peggy Noonan's way of expressing herself. On Gerald Ford:

...when he pardoned Richard Nixon, he threw himself on a grenade to protect the country from shame, from going too far. It was an act of deep political courage, and it was shocking. Almost everyone in the country hated it, including me. But Ford was right. Richard Nixon had been ruined, forced to resign, run out of town on a rail. There was nothing to be gained--nothing--by his being broken on the dock. What was then the new left would never forgive Ford. They should thank him on their knees that he deprived history of proof that what they called their idealism was not untinged by sadism.

No Peeking

We've had a little "peeking at presents" incident! Grammy in Texas had sent several items in UPS boxes, and one of the boxes was in our bedroom. It has taken me multiple conversations with Chandler to get him to admit that he might have seen and recognized what was in the box.

Here is the story in three parts.

Peeking - Part 1
Peeking - Part 2
Peeking - Part 3

Mezuzah

These were made for us as a gift from a Jewish friend of Tammy's brother Glyn. This decorative box is used to contain passages of Scripture affixed to the door post of a home as referenced in Deuteronomy 6:9 and 11:20.

Apparently the word "Mezuzah" (which literally means `doorpost') can refer to the protective box or the rolled up scripture inside.

Mount Fuji Amazing Garden

Let's try this again, I was having trouble getting my updated pictures added correctly...

My business partner, Terri Russell, gave this "Mount Fuji Amazing Garden" to Gabrielle (4) for a Christmas present. (Gabrielle is greatly enamored of all things related to gardening.) This top photo shows what it is supposed to look like and then we have progressive shots as it went.

Facing your Giants

I'm in the middle of some trying circumstances and have found this new book, Facing your Giants, by Max Lucado to be greatly encouraging. I just happened to see this on the new release shelf at the library, but I'll be getting my own copy to re-read.

Free Audio Bible

I've just ran across a cool site, www.audiotreasure.com, where you can download the entire Bible for FREE for use on an iPod or other mp3 player, or your can listen on your PC or burn to CD.

There are some versions that are intended for personal use and others that you are free to burn and give away as much as you would like.

Another site, just for listening online to the famous Alexander Scourby reading of the KJV is located at: www.audio-bible.com.

Pat the Rat

When any recording is being done it must be done by both Chandler and Gabrielle. :) Here is Chandler reading "Pat the Rat."

Answer to Prayer

Gabrielle (4) came breathlessly running downstairs to Tammy to tell her that God had answered a prayer for her. Apparently she was in her room trying to get her electric Christmas candle in her window to turn on and this is her version of the story.

Good use for a Concordance

These days when all your bible study resources are available on-line or on a CD, what to do with those three-inch thick Strong's and Young's concordances that are taking up shelf space?

This morning at around 5:30 am I was propping up the end of Cameron's truck bed with them, Strong's on one side and Young's on the other. He is sick with a cold and can hardly breath when laying flat. It seemed to help.

Just for the record...

I just wanted to let the Hobe Sound Blog readers know that I'm not really one of these prolific bloggers like my sister Jennifer or Tim Calhoun.

I just moved my blog to a new host and it reintroduced all my old posts to the blog feed as though they were recent.

Helping with the bedtime story

Chandler (6) is in telling Gabrielle (4) her bedtime story as they both "sleep-over" in his room. It is some sort of camping story involving "The Boxcar Children" as well as "Curious George" and the space shuttle.

Chandler has just hollered out to me in the next room, "Daddy, what is that kind of beef that comes from a deer?"

Me: "That's venison."

Chandler, a little further in the story, "What's the kind of beef that's found in the cow?"

Friday night at the Brown's

Here is a slice of our life on this mid-December Friday night.

What a blessing to have a six-year-old eager to take over Daddy's dreaded job of sliding the Rubbermaid tubs of Christmas decorations in and out of the attic crawl-space.

Gabrielle has been busy baking a "Birthday cake" for herself (her birthday is in May.) Mommy would want me to clarify that the fashion choices belong to the 4-year-old female in the house, not the 35-year-old.

Cameron, 20 months, is busy hammering in Chandler's homemade rocket ship. Fresh from the tub and distracted from getting pajamas on.

Confession, good for the soul?

Cameron (20 months), who knocked over the Christmas tree last week, pointed at the damaged tree yesterday and announced, "I done No-No!" I think this may have been one of his first sentences.

In Good Company

We've had a foster child, Shannon (11), recently move in up the street. (She of the "Holy Craft" expression.) Anyway, Chandler (6) and Gabrielle (4) have been more than a little bothered by Shannon's bossiness.

Tonight Gabrielle just told me out of the blue, "I don't have to mind anything Shannon says. I only have to mind you and Mommy and God. I'm only listening to you three. And I'll listen to Grandma when she comes over to visit."

The Way to Win

I've just finished this book, The Way to Win: Taking the White House in 2008, by Mark Halperin and John Harris. I am something of a political junkie, reading Real Clear Politics dot com and such nearly everyday.

Although I assumed that the authors of this book would exhibit the usual liberal bias of the main stream "Old Media" press, I originally picked this book up because I love Mark Halperin's sense of humor. He is the author/editor of "The Note" which is emailed by the political unit at ABC several times a week.

Basically, the book explains the "Trade Secrets" behind the electoral successes of Bill Clinton and George W. Bush and details the electoral failures of AlGore and John F. Kerry. I was especially pleased to see that they debunked the whole, "Bush is Stupid-Rove is his brain" theory. Naturally they give a lot of well deserved credit to Karl Rove, but much to Bush as well.

Anyway, I'm not recommending you buy it, but if you see it in the library and have some free time, check it out.

The Culprit

It's funny how you can have three little kids so different from each other. Chandler (age 6) is our little engineer, always trying to figure out elaborate ways to build new things. Gabrielle (age 4) is our prolific artist. From breakfast to bedtime she can be found painting, drawing, or cutting paper and gluing to make some collage.

The subject of this post however, is Cameron (20 months) also known as "The Culprit." Of course at his age he is practically required to be into something at all times. Earlier this week I was awakened at 4:30 am to the sound of the TV. Cameron had gotten out of his "truck bed" and was watching PBS while playing with toys. When I saw how awake he was, I just put a "Bob the Builder" DVD on to loop and crashed on the playroom floor for an hour.

Tonight, I came upstairs to the playroom to find that the fully lit and decorated Christmas tree was crashed on it's side. Cameron, of course, had long since moved onto something else.

I love this book...

I happened across this devotional book, Through the Bible, Through the Year: Daily Reflections from Genesis to Revelation by John R.W. Stott, at the library in the new releases. After a couple of weeks I had to order my own copy. I have never faithfully used any devotional but am loving this one and can see myself using it year after year. One of the cool things about it is that it follows the Christian (liturgical) calendar. As Stott says,

My concern, however, is rather to offer a resource for daily private devotion. It should enable us, whether we belong to a so-called liturgical church or not, to recapitulate every year the whole biblical story from the creation in Genesis to the consummation in Revelation 22.

To recall, relive, and celebrate annually this divine story should lead us into a wholesome and balanced trinitarian faith, should increase our familiarity with the framework and content of the Bible, and should establish our confidence in the God of history who has been and still is working out his purpose before, during, and after the incarnate life of our Lord Jesus Christ until he come in power and glory.

If I had the money, I would buy a case of these and give one to everyone I know for Christmas. Too bad, you won't be getting one from me, but I highly recommend you get one for yourself. :-))

Hobe Sound Blogs

Kevin Survance, of Hobe Sound fame, has come up with a great idea for keeping up with all the various blogs of HSBC/A alumni out there.

Check out: Hobe Sound Blogs. This is a "feed aggregator that just pulls in the latest posts to create a "blog of blogs."

BTW, you can click on the author or title of a post to go directly to their post on their blog. You'll want to do that on the ones that appear blank because it mean a picture was posted that didn't show up in this feed.

I wish this was my idea. :-)

What did you just say?

I know our kids are pretty sheltered, so when I overheard a neighborhood girl say, "Holy Crap!" in front of Chandler, I knew that it was just a matter of time before he either repeated it to the Pastor in the church foyer or asked us about this strange new expression.

I forgot about it until Tammy called today to say that this girl Shannon, had been playing in the yard with Chandler and that later Chandler came in and asked, "Mom , what is Holy Craft?" Tammy, not have been prepped by me, said, "Chandler, where did you hear that?"

Chandler replied, "Shannon says it a lot. I asked her what it means and she said it was the same as `Holy Shh'. Mom, what does `Holy Shh' mean?"

Tammy went on to explain that we typically like to reserve the word "Holy" for talking about God and spiritual things and that he should never use this "Holy Craft" expression. We'll see.

Punch Foley for Negron

The best kind of old friend

I'd say that the best kind of old friend is one you can see again after 12 years and just feel like you picked up where you left off with no awkward pauses.

Me with Randy Huff.

Randy and I share "history" as he was Dean of Men at Hobe Sound Bible College in my last year in the dorm when I was an Assistant Dean. Randy is now on staff at Kentucky Mountain Bible College and though Randy has the distinction of being the smartest person in eastern Kentucky, he is apparently not who legendary UK coach Adolph Rupp was referring to when he famously "lifted his eyes unto the hills...."

Consanguinity

Have you ever been sitting around at a family reunion or some other family gathering trying to decide if you are too closely related to someone to date them or just arguing whether someone is your "First Cousin Twice Removed" or your "Second Cousin Once Removed?"

If so, you need only to check out this handy, Table of Consanguinity.

View one you can actually read

"You know, It rhymes with..."

Apparently, we parents are now supposed to be referring to the various "private" body parts by their actual name in talking with our children, rather than all the nicknames used when we were young. This is working out well for us...

Today Chandler (6) was trying to remember the name of a favorite Beatrix Potter character, you know, the Puddleduck. He said, "you know Mommy, her first name rhymes with `Vagima'." (yes, that's with an "m".)

My Cousin Jon Brown

This link is to the athletic dept. of my cousin Jon Brown of Texas Christian University. Jon is the son of my Uncle David.

The General from Our Team

Chandler is now offically enamoured of all things military. Today he showed me this picture he had re-found of Uncle David in Afganistan (posted previously.) The conversation went as follows...

Chandler: "Daddy, Look at this picture I found where Uncle David is with the General from his team."

Me: "Chandler, that's also the General for our team."

Chandler: "It is?!?!" (shocked both that we have a General and a "team.")

Me: "Yes, His name is General Schoomaker."

Chandler: "Does he make shoes?"

Uncle Dave in Afganistan with the General from our team.

New Currency

Did you hear the one about the brilliant counterfeiters who inadvertantly made up a big batch of $15 bills?

They figured out pretty quickly that they wouldn't be able to pass them anywhere around their city, then one of them had the bright idea to go out into the country and try to find some remote convenience store with a dull cashier. They found a place so remote that they figured that it had to be operated by a real country bumpkin so they went into the counter and asked the clerk if he could make change for a $15 bill.

He quickly looked up and replied, "I sure can! How would you like it? I can give you two $6's and a $3 or three $3's and a $6.

I know that is lame but when people are complaining about my lack of blogging, these are the depths I stoop to.

This story came to mind however, because of a new currency that has been invented at our house. Something Chandler (6) like to call the "five-job." As in, "I did two `five-jobs' for two dollars," or more accurately put, two "five-jobs" will buy two items from the "Dollar Store." Pictured below are the first two "five-jobs" that Chandler has earned.

Real Men of Genius

I'm always partly amused and partly startled when a terrible tenant (like one we've evicted) gives us as a refererence to their next landlord before the ink on the court judgement is dry.

The guy who just vacated the house pictured in this little slideshow asked me when he could expect his deposit back. Buddy, thats going to be a while...

Norad Tapes

I'm giving myself away as a regular listener of The Diane Rehm Show, but occasionally I hear something so fascinating that I want to get someone else to listen right away.

The guest on August 3rd was a guy named Michael Bonner who is a journalist and was a producer of the United 93 movie. On the show they were playing and discussing the actual recordings that have been released of the control room at NORAD, where you can hear the military learning about and reacting to the attacks of September 11, 2001.

Mr. Bonner has also just written an article on the Norad Tapes.

Mel Gibson

Like a lot of people, I was both disgusted and disappointed to hear of the repulsive statements that Mel Gibson made when he was stopped for his DUI. Probably one of the regrettable things about it, is all the "I-told-you-so's" that are being thrown around by the folks who claim that Gibson's "Passion" movie was anti-Semetic.

If you think about it though, Gibson's anti-Semitism is harmless compared to that regularly displayed by the UN and many major European countries. I always love to find smarter people who agree with me on issues like this.

I thought this article said it exactly so: Mel Gibson and Me - by:Rabbi Daniel Lapin

Making a List, Checking it Twice

Our Six-Year-Old Chandler, is quite a little "planner." When his Uncle John Olsen was here this last week-end for Grammy's wedding, Chandler made detailed plans for showing Uncle John all his firefighter and medical equipment.

Since Chandler doesn't write words like "stethoscope" yet, he makes these lists by drawing pictures of each of the individual items that he wants to be sure to show Uncle John.

It kind of makes one think that mankind has not advanced so far beyond the Egyptian hieroglyphics of thousands of years ago. Come to think of it, maybe those old cave drawings weren't really art; maybe they were just a grocery list.

The List

The List Continued

Apparently you don't have to be ignorant to be an Evangelical

Given the conventional wisdom that Evangelical Christians have to be somewhat ignorant to hold conservative religious beliefs, you can imagine my shock to learn that the lead scientist on the Human Genome Project, Frances S. Collins, is a self-described Christian Evangelical.

He has a new book entitled, The Language of God, and I heard him being interviewed on The Diane Rehm Show recently. If you have time and care to, you can listen to that interview here.

The Jersey Girls

I don't know if you have followed the uproar in the past week about Ann Coulter's new book, Godless: The Church of Liberalism, in which she make disparaging remarks about 4 of the 9/11 widows. I agree with her point of view and was interested to see these letters in USA Today, supporting her:

Hidden dialogue revealed

Ann Coulter might be a wild woman on a keyboard, but her book Godless: The Church of Liberalism captures hidden dialogue that has been alive in kitchens, at barbecues and on ferries in New Jersey for the past four years.

As they clawed their way to center stage to blame America for 9/11, the four widows who became known as the "Jersey Girls" marketed their grief to the largest TV audiences, served as mouthpieces for John Kerry and others, and used the money donated by a nation to leave their kids home to heal themselves as they hit campaign trails and engaged in disgraceful public conduct at the most important investigative commission hearing of our time.

Coulter reveals the unspoken fact that there are a lot of people out here repulsed by the well-publicized and self-absorbed attempts by four women to achieve contrived fame off the backs of their murdered husbands and at the expense of all who suffered and died on 9/11. The debate is long overdue.

Tish Ferguson, Point Pleasant, N.J.

Glare of spotlight

Actions have consequences. When the four "Jersey Girls" who Ann Coulter criticizes became activists, they compromised their position.

We all respect and are sorry for their loss, but they are the ones who made a decision to move to the political arena and therefore must endure all that comes with it. It's a place where those who agree with their assertions and charges build them up. It is also a place where those who disagree with them have every right to explore and challenge their motives and positions.

Coulter sees what the Jersey Girls have become and is challenging how they have used their status. They opened the door for Coulter's and everyone else's assessment of them when they became activists.

Steve Auvil, Macungie, Pa.

Uncle Dave

Uncle Dave in Afganistan with

General Peter J. Schoomaker, U.S. Army Chief of Staff

Dad passed along this photo of my Uncle David who is serving this year in Afganistan. (My sis Jen has another photo on her blog.) I referenced a fascinating anecdote from him in a previous post.

Uncle David was always one of my childhood heros, in large part because he once told me when I was about 5 or 6 (he was in High School) that he "could pick up the whole house" and would if not for the fact that he would be in trouble my Grandpa (his dad.) Also, he was the youngest of my Dad's 9 younger brothers and sisters and so while most of the rest were gone with their own families and lives, Dave was often there to take us hiking or on other adventures.

When I was probably in junior high, Dave gave me a real patrol cap with my name on it. Chandler (age 6) has now claimed the patrol cap and has incorporated it into his own composite Soldier-Fireman-Paramedic-Doctor uniform.

Chandler - age 6

The Vinci Code

My sister Jennifer sent me a copy of "The Da Vinci Code" along "The Truth Behind the Da Vinci Code" for my birthday. I am anticipating reading both A.S.A.P.

I know there has been a lot of uproar regarding whether Christians should patronize the book and movie. Here are two views from a couple different folks I respect. The first is a guy named Joe Phillips who posts some on a message board I read:

OK, I'm now nearing the end of the book and there is certainly some material in it that would be jarring and offensive to most Christians. The ideas presented go a bit further than simply "Jesus was married". Still it is fiction and I think Brown presents it as such, but once one is caught up in the excitement of the story line, I suppose it is possible to forget that fact and start thinking that the material is being presented as fact.It is still a fascinating read and there are, in my mind, compelling reasons for Christians to read it:

• It's well written and highly entertaining.


• Its popularity makes it a fantastic beginning for conversations about God, the church, and religion, because almost everyone knows about it or has read it.


• There is a wealth of unique trivia that I find bolstering to faith. I didn't know anything, for instance, about the so-called "Divine Proportion" or "Golden Number" - Phi or 1.618. I sounded very intriguing in the book, so I started checking it out. Did you know that if you divide the number of female bees by the number of male bees in any beehive, you always get 1.618? Or that the ratio of each spiral of a nautilus shell to the next is 1.618? Or that this ratio is evident in nearly every aspect of nature - dimensions of the human body, plants, insects etc.? I find that absolutely fascinating and I wouldn't have known about it, had I not read The DaVinci Code. For more information, check out http://goldennumber.net/. The author of this website is, by the way, a devout Christian and part of his website is http://www.snapshotsofgod.com/ in which he shows in many ways how he sees God in all of creation.
  

I understand the angst regarding the book. I think one should be aware, when reading, of the nature of the book, and not get side-tracked by ideas expressed that may not coincide with ones own propriospect. My conclusion. It's not for everyone, but I enjoyed it immensely and have found a lot of good that has gone completely unmentioned in utterly unfavorable, uncharitable reviews by people who, I still suspect, haven't even read the book.......

Done with the book. I still stand by what I said above, although, having read the entire book now, I can see clearly that there is no way many people would be able to see anything other than evil in its scope and intentions. I can live with that.

One other interesting byproduct of reading the book is an increased understanding of paganism. I strongly suspect that much of the stuff talked about in the book is reflected in modern day Wicca. No surprise then that the book provoked a maelstrom of reaction with its heavy descriptions of pagan rites in one section and pagan symbols thoughout, as well as its decided preference for "the sacred feminine" - a subject long thought to be occultic in church circles. Nevertheless, reading the DaVinci Code didn't make me pagan anymore than reading Brengle and Boardman made me CHM, or reading Sproul made me Calvinist.

Peace be with you!

Joe

This following is from an Wall Street Journal Online op-ed by Peggy Noonan:

Speaking of the detachment of the elites, the second big news of the week--in some ways it may be bigger--is the apparent critical failure of "The DaVinci Code." After its first screening in Cannes, critics and observers called it tedious, painfully long, bloated, grim, so-so, a jumble, lifeless and talky.

There is a God. Or, as a sophisticated Christian pointed out yesterday, there is an Evil One, and this may be proof he was an uncredited co-producer. The devil loves the common, the stale. He can't use beauty; it undermines him. "Banality is his calling card."

I do not understand the thinking of a studio that would make, for the amusement of a nation 85% to 90% of whose people identify themselves as Christian, a major movie aimed at attacking the central tenets of that faith, and insulting as poor fools its gulled adherents. Why would Tom Hanks lend his prestige to such a film? Why would Ron Howard? They're both already rich and relevant. A desire to seem fresh and in the middle of a big national conversation? But they don't seem young, they seem immature and destructive. And ungracious. They've been given so much by their country and era, such rich rewards and adulation throughout their long careers. This was no way to say thanks.

I don't really understand why we live in an age in which we feel compelled to spoof the beliefs of the followers of the great religions. Why are we doing that? Why does Hollywood consider this progressive as opposed to primitive, like a pre-Columbian tribe attacking the tribe next door for worshiping the wrong spirits?

"The DaVinci Code" could still triumph at the box office, but it has lost its cachet, and the air of expectation that surrounded it. Its creators have not been rewarded but embarrassed. Good. They should be.

Learning all sorts of things...

• Cameron, 13 months, has been walking like a champ for over a week now...
  

• Chandler, 6 years, told me in the van today that he had learned a new word in church today from the visiting missionary speaker. "Oh, what is that?" "Gross!," he said. "What does that mean?" I asked. "I think it means the same thing as 'big'," he answered. I want to hear him use it a few times before I correct him.
  

• Gabrielle, almost 4 years, asked me this week how babies get out of "the ladies' bellys." I was torn between making something up or just telling her to ask Tammy when I blurted out, "I think the baby comes out the mommy's vagina." (As though I have not seen this occur three times.) Gabrielle screwed up her face and said, "No, I think they poop them out."

Tragedy in Afganistan

You may have heard the news story from last week about a rocket attack in eastern Afganistan that hit a school and killed and wounded several children. Link to news story {opens in new window}.

Anyway, my Uncle David (dad's youngest brother) is with the U.S. Army in Afganistan commanding a Forward Surgical Team. My Uncle James emailed him about the attack and the following was David's response...

Jim, the rocket that struck this little school - impacted about 1/4 mile from our location. Every injured child there - excluding the ones killed immediately - were carried to my medical team. Within 30 minutes - we had 29 children - all below the age of 12 - and the school master - at our front door.

It took us about 9 hours and 6 emergency surgeries - followed by MEDEVAC of 6 patients - to put things together. One of the little ones - with a massive brain injury - died after reaching our team. The others - a variety of injuries from minor to very severe - are doing o.k.

That rocket and others, were aimed at us. We're safe and doing good...

db

Clapp Street

The Town of China Grove, where our Youth Pastor is one of the Alderman, is having a little uproar over street names. They are renaming some streets after former mayors and the following is an excerpt from a Salisbury Post article...

Briefly revisited naming streets and how to mollify a resident unhappy with the newly named "Clapp Street."The board previously named the street in honor of a former mayor who served in the 1920s-30s.

"How did the name get up so fast?" asked Welter, noting near record speed for a street sign.

"We have a very efficient public works department," responded planner Lindsey Hobbs who went on to suggest adding "Mayor" or "Clarence" to the sign, perhaps making it less offensive.

Hobbs went on to say that he couldn't find any military service record for Clapp, ruling out adding a rank such as "Colonel".

Spectators decided to offer suggestions. A voice boomed out over all others, suggesting "Major," flooding the room with laughter.

The fate of Clapp Street will be decided at a later meeting.

Honor after the Fall

I typically despise E-mail forwards and usually delete without reading but for some reason opened this one. Here is the original link:

It is a Time magazine photo essay entitled, Honor After The Fall.

5-minute Personality Test

Try This! I found it uncannily accurate.

Letter to the Church

This is an open "Letter to the Church" from a guy who describes himself as "struggling with homosexual temptations and desires."

It reminds me of a college friend who confided in Tammy and I a couple years after school that he was "struggling with homosexuality." We were pretty surprised at the time though looking back I feel terrible about how isolated he must have felt.

See more at: http://justlikelove.com

Birthday Boy!

Cameron with Grandma Morgan

This is about how Cameron looked through his whole 1st Birthday party. He was tired! It was just a small celebration with Grandpa and Miss Lois, Grandma Morgan and Uncle Glyn and our friends from church, the Houghtens. See More Pictures.

Daddy, who is a boy that's not in our family?

I saved my favorites of the wedding pictures for their own post. More than anything else right now, Gabrielle is enamored of two things in life: Weddings and Cake.

I just can't wait.

Wash down another bite!

Daddy, who is a boy that's not in our family?

No more Weddings for a while!

Finally, the end of the Mateer Weddings. Michelle's was in December, Janelle's in January and now Terri's in March. (Terri is my business partner and longtime family friend.) Anyway, this third wedding also has the distinction of being Chandler's (age 6) and Gabrielle's (almost 4) first time to participate in a wedding. Chandler was the ring bearer and Gabrielle served as the flower girl.

Just before the big moment.

Passing of Dan Gordeuk

From Centre Daily Times: Dr. Daniel S. Gordeuk, 58, of Rural Port Matilda, died at the Mount Nittany Medical Center, Saturday, March 4, 2006. Friends, received 6 to 9 p.m. Monday, March 6, 2006 and 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 7, 2006, the State College Christian & Missionary Alliance Church, 1221 W. Whitehall Rd., State College; funeral services, 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 7, 2006, with Rev. David Janssen officiating; burial, Oak Ridge Cemetery, Union Township. Memorials, to the State College Christian & Missionary Alliance Church for the Establishment of a Gordeuk collection of reference books related to the Bible and Divine Healing. Arrangements under the direction of the Dean K. Wetzler Funeral Home, Milesburg.

Testimony from CBN in 2001

Testimony from New Hope Ministries

Passing of Anthony Burger

I was pretty surprised to hear of the passing of Gospel Music legend Anthony Burger at the age of 44. He was playing on a Gaither Homecoming cruise and apparently died in mid-song.

More info at:

Mark Lowry's website : see especially an email from Tori Taff (Russ Taff's wife)

AnthonyBurger.com

Gaither.com News

Taking A Stand

This letter regarding the Danish/Muslim cartoons was published in the Salisbury post today.

Taking a Stand

I missed this.

Passing the Torch at Bob Jones U

Addictive Game

I haven't been inspired the past several days so I'm going to just share a couple of lame things...

First, An addictive game...

Second, the Vice President Cheny Hunting game.

Danish Cartoons

For a while I was having trouble finding the Danish Cartoons of Mohammad, Mohammed, Muhammad, Muhammed that have inflamed the Muslim world. You can see them at Michelle Malkin's blog.

From Crack Addict to Pastor

A customer who came into our U-Haul dealership today mentioned that she had just published a book. "From Crack Addict to Pastor" is the title and from the excerpt she left with me, it sounds like quite a dramatic story.

After we chatted for a few minutes, I recalled reading a story in the Salisbury Post about her. I have an aquaintenance who testifies that he has broken every one of the ten commandments. This lady seems to have committed pretty much everything but murder and been restored.

Dollar Dance

We attended the wedding of Janelle Beaver and Chad Safrit, Saturday January 21. This is the happy couple...

This is me with the bride, engaged in a strange native ritual know as the "Dollar Dance." Also known as, "Two Wesleyans Stepping On Each Others' Feet." (the photographer didn't catch Tammy dancing with the groom but she did.)

Here is Gabrielle clutching her dollar. Since the wedding (and the wedding of Janelle's sister in December, Gabrielle has been all about getting married.

Here is Chandler with his Grammy at the wedding

Redneck Church

Mark Beymer passed this along...

• You Know Your Church Is A Redneck Church if... the finance committee refuses to provide funds for the purchase of a chandelier because none of the members knows how to play one.


• You Know Your Church Is A Redneck Church if... people ask, when they learn that Jesus fed the 5000, whether the two fish were bass or catfish, and what bait was used to catch 'em.


• You Know Your Church Is A Redneck Church if... when the pastor says, I'd like to ask Bubba to help take up the offering, five guys and two women stand up.


• You Know Your Church Is A Redneck Church if... opening day of Deer season is recognized as an official church holiday.


• You Know Your Church Is A Redneck Church if... a member of the church requests to be buried in his 4-wheel-drive truck because It ain't never been in a hole it couldn't get out of.


• You Know Your Church Is A Redneck Church if... the choir is known as the OK Chorale.


• You Know Your Church Is A Redneck Church if... in a congregation of 500 members, there are only seven last names in the church directory.


• You Know Your Church Is A Redneck Church if... Baptism is referred to as branding.


• You Know Your Church Is A Redneck Church if... high notes on the organ set the dogs on the floor to howling.


• You Know Your Church Is A Redneck Church if... people think rapture is what you get when you lift something too heavy.


• You Know Your Church Is A Redneck Church if... the baptismal pool is a #2 galvanized washtub.


• You Know Your Church Is A Redneck Church if... the choir robes were donated by (and embroidered with the logo from) Billy Bob's Barbecue.


• You Know Your Church Is A Redneck Church if... the collection plates are really hub caps from a '56 Chevy.


• You Know Your Church Is A Redneck Church if... instead of a bell, you are called to service by a duck call.


• You Know Your Church Is A Redneck Church if... the minister and his wife drive matching pickup trucks.


• You Know Your Church Is A Redneck Church if... the communion wine is Boone's Farm Tickled Pink.


• You Know Your Church Is A Redneck Church if... the final words of the benediction are, Y'all come back now, ya hear............

"End of the Spear" Controversy

I had not even heard that the movie, "End of the Spear", was in production. Apparently it opened nationwide on Jan 20th. It is the true story of the 5 American missionaries (Nate Saint, Jim Elliot, Peter Fleming, Roger Youderian, and Ed McCully) who were martyred in the Ecuadorian jungle in 1956 by the tribesman they went to reach with the Gospel. You've probably heard of the story, Through Gates of Splendor, written by one of the widows, Elisabeth Elliot.

Anyway, "End of the Spear" is based on the book with the same title by Steve Saint, son of Nate Saint.

The Controversy involves actor, Chad Allen, who plays the parts of Nate and Steve Saint. Chad Allen (see his press) is a homosexual activist which seems seems incongruous to have him involved with this story.

The ‘End of the Spear’ dilemma

‘End of the Spear:’ What Were They Thinking? (by Albert Mohler)

MLK or Just ML

My sister Jennifer forwarded this very funny item to me. Check this post at the blog, RealLivePreacher.com.

Miss Janelle's Flat Tire Story

Chandler was quite entranced by "Miss Terri's" retelling of "Miss Janelle's " and so he had to share it with the Children's Church Sunday morning in the form of a prayer request (complete with sound effects.) Later Sunday, I got him to tell me again. At a "command performance" he tends to talk much faster.

Gabrielle Sings

After hearing Chandler recording something, Gabrielle had to have a turn...

Alive! Alive! - Gabrielle

The Pledge of Allegiance - Chandler

ABC Song - Gabrielle

God is Good all the Time!

I mentioned Chandler's funny phone messages in a previous post and I was finally able to "capture the magic." This is audio of Chandler leaving a similiar message for "Miss Terri" at my office.

The Truth About Kwanzaa

I made a quick reference to Kwanzaa a few days ago as a comparison to Chandler's organizing a "Winter Party." I really didn't know anything about Kwanzaa other than that is was created in the 1960's here in the U.S.

I just happened to stumble across this great info on Kwanzaa through LaShawn Barber's Corner. This article she references, The Truth About Kwanzaa was a real eye opener. I think every Christian should read it before considering accommodating Kwanzaa in any way.

D. John Won

I just received the disturbing news this evening that one of my closest friends from college, D. John Won, passed away suddenly at the age of 34. John was one of the most optimistic and motivated people I ever knew. I regret that we didn't keep more closely in touch after school. Tammy and I thought so much of him.

UPDATE: January 08, 2006@20:53

Tammy and I just continue to be heartbroken over John's passing. I can't begin to express myself as fluently as my friend Randy, but it is good to remember John that way. Thank you Randy.

Pat Robertson's Leg Press

A lot of people are expressing consternation over Pat Robertson's remarks on the illness of Ariel Sharon. Scrappleface has a great article on the topic, and it is all over the rest of the news.

I am mostly amazed by this claim on his website that his "age-defying" shake is one of his secrets to his ability to leg press 2000 lbs at the age of 76.

The George Foreman Grill

One of Chandler's (5) favorite videos is the demonstration video for the George Foreman grill. Not Sesame Street or Veggie tales, but instruction in grilling. So he and Gabrielle (3) got the George Foreman up on the kitchen counter while I was in trying to catch a few minutes of "Dancing with the Stars." When I heard them in there discussing getting real food out to play on the grill, I sent them packing upstairs to the playroom to use pretend food on it.

The next thing I know, they are fussing because Gabrielle is "pouring" pretend "oil" on Chandler's food. Gabrielle, of course, knows this is making Chandler crazy and enjoys it all the more.

Playing Doctor

Chandler has been enamored with all things medical for a while and has been getting little "doctor-hospital-ambulance" types of things at all gift giving occasions including a little hospital set and ambulance at Christmas.

He has been telling us for days or weeks that at the "Winter Party" he and one friend will be playing "this" and he and another friend will be playing "that." We've been telling him that he needs to include all his invitees in everything. So anyway he tells me last night that he and Jamie (a six-year-old from our church) will be playing doctor and he was going to tell her this last night at Pioneer Club. I was thinking that her mother would be thrilled!

Me: "Chandler, why don't you have all the planned games be a surprise for the kids when they arrive?"

Chandler: "Well, I think I'll have all the other games be a surprise, but this one I want to tell Jamie tonight." (Now I'm scrambling.)

Me: "Well, since you have such a nice hospital and ambulance, why don't you call it `playing hospital' instead of `playing doctor'."

Chandler: "That's a Great Idea!"

Now I'm thinking that I have earned my black belt in parenting and that Jamie may be allowed to attend the Winter party after all.

Real Christmas Tree - Pros & Cons

Well, we (Tammy) pretty much finished dismantling and packing away Christmas today. I hauled the tree out to our area where we have bonfires. It made me consider the pros and cons of having the real live christmas tree in your living room.

On the "Pro" side you have...

1. People saying, "wow, you have a real tree!"


2. The smell


3. Being able to water something in addition to your pets

On the "Con" side, I submit exhibits 1 -8:

Out of the Mouths of Babes

Chandler has decided he wants to host what he calls a "Winter Party." This is an occasion that is completely a fabrication of his five-year-old brain, kind of like Kwanza or "Festivus" from Seinfeld.

Anyway, Chandler and Tammy selected a date, January 14th, Chandler is planning what refreshments he wants, "Well we're thinking about little pizzas and then for `bessert' little chocolate chip cookies and ice cream," who he wants to invite, and what games and activities will be on the agenda.

So he asked Tammy if he could call his little friend Matthew during the day and leave a phone message inviting him to the "Winter Party." Tammy rehearsed the details with him and Chandler made the call. He got through everything great and then on his own, closed his message by lowering his voice and giving a little quote from his Grammy's answering machine, "And remember, God is good all the time!"