The Winning Road

The Sufficiency of Scripture Conference

2010-02-23T16:52:00.000-08:00

The SOS Conference was such a blessing to me. First off, the preaching was amazing (of course)! Its hard for me to pin down my favorite speaker. A lot of them have had a huge impact on my life. I am so thankful for all those men who are willing to stand up and speak he truth. I also enjoyed fellowshipping with new and old friends! Nice meeting everyone! Of course, much more could be said, but I'm not one that writes long blog posts. :)

Cincinnati

This was actually my first look at snow in the day time!
I have to say, it was pretty much what I was expecting. :)

I tried to revive this image on Photoshop. I think it came out alright in the end....

The Convention Area

(: Is that Emily Rose??... (I don't think I even knew your name when I took this shot)

For those of who were not at the conference, this was the main room where everyone gathered. Multiply that section of seats by 6 or 7. It was mostly filled.

I recorded about 3 hours of preaching from the conference. I picked 20 minutes of my favorite audio from the conference. I think it also does a good job summing up what the conference was about. I really did this blog post to put up these two videos. Uploading the few pics I took with my point and shoot was an afterthought.

If you didn't watch it, come back when you have 20 minutes! You will be happy you did.

God Bless!

The Fallacy of "Fairness"

2010-02-12T09:42:00.000-08:00

A Great political piece by Tomas Sowell.

If there is ever a contest to pick which word has done the most damage to people's thinking, and to actions to carry out that thinking, my nomination would be the word "fair." It is a word thrown around by far more people than have ever bothered to even try to define it.
This mushy vagueness may be a big handicap in logic but it is a big advantage in politics. All sorts of people, with very different notions about what is or is not fair, can be mobilized behind this nice-sounding word, in utter disregard of the fact that they mean very different things when they use that word.
Some years ago, for example, there was a big outcry that various mental tests used for college admissions or for employment were biased and "unfair" to many individuals or groups. Fortunately there was one voice of sanity-- David Riesman, I believe-- who said: "The tests are not unfair. LIFE is unfair and the tests measure the results."
If by "fair" you mean everyone having the same odds for achieving success, then life has never been anywhere close to being fair, anywhere or at any time. If you stop and think about it (however old-fashioned that may seem), it is hard even to conceive of how life could possibly be fair in that sense.
Even within the same family, among children born to the same parents and raised under the same roof, the first-borns on average have higher IQs than their brothers and sisters, and usually achieve more in life.
Unfairness is often blamed on somebody, even if only on "society." But whose fault is it if you were not the first born? Since some groups have more children than others, a higher percentage of the next generation will be first-borns in groups that have smaller families, so such groups have an advantage over other groups.
Despite all the sound and fury generated in controversies over whether different groups have different genetic potential, even if they all have identical genetic potential the outcomes can still differ if they have different birth rates
Twins have average IQs several points lower than children born singly. Whether that is due to having to share resources in the womb or having to share parents' attention after birth, the fact is what it is-- and it certainly is not fair.
Many people fail to see the fundamental difference between saying that a particular thing-- whether a mental test or an institution-- is conveying a difference that already exists or is creating a difference that would not exist otherwise.
Creating a difference that would not exist otherwise is discrimination, and something can be done about that. But, in recent times, virtually any disparity in outcomes is almost automatically blamed on discrimination, despite the incredible range of other reasons for disparities between individuals and groups.
Nature's discrimination completely dwarfs man's discrimination. Geography alone makes equal chances virtually impossible. The geographic advantages of Western Europe over Eastern Europe-- in climate and navigable waterways, among other things-- have led to centuries of differences in income levels that were greater than income differences between blacks and whites in America today.
Just the fact that the lay of the land is different in different parts of Europe meant that it was easier for the Roman legions to invade Western Europe. This meant that Western Europeans had the advantages of the most advanced civilization in Europe at that time. Moreover, because Roman letters were used in Western Europe, the languages of that region had written versions centuries before the Slavic languages of Eastern Europe did.
The difference between literacy and illiteracy is a huge difference, and it remained huge for centuries. Was it the Slavs' fault that the Romans did not want to climb over so many mountains to get to them?
To those living in Western Europe in the days of the Roman Empire, the idea of being conquered, and many slaughtered, by the Romans probably had no great appeal. But their descendants would benefit from their bad luck. And that doesn't seem fair either.

Help Haiti! Buy Sugar Scrub!

2010-01-29T09:37:00.000-08:00

Go to my sister Lauren's blog!

The Circa History Guild

2010-01-13T12:04:00.001-08:00

On our way to the SOS conference in Cincinnati we stopped at the Weathers' House for a visit. Thanks again Weathers family for your gracious hospitality. Before we left Alpharetta GA., on our way to Cincinnati, we visited the Circa History Guild.

The following 4 pictures are items that were in the John Adams mini-series!

The election box

Messenger bags!

I really liked these chess boards...

the ol' copper Indian

A woman teaching her children... Not something you see everyday in stained glass.

Dad enjoyed this one. Can you tell?

Thank you, Mr. Potter, for telling (and showing) us all that neat history!

The Fluoride Treatment

2010-01-09T20:04:00.000-08:00

NOTE: I know I've been out of the blogging sphere for quite some time now. In the past few months I've been quite busy, as you have probably guessed. I plan on doing a catch-up post soon, but for now I have written a post I had planned on writing a month ago....

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Fluoride. You know, that harmless, helpful additive found in toothpaste and our water supply. We've been told it's an essential mineral that prevents cavities and helps maintain healthy teeth. Right? ....Right?

Wrong.

First of all, there are no recorded benefits of fluoride. In fact, there is far more conclusive evidence that it is indeed harmful. The fact is, fluoride is a cumulative toxic waste that is more toxic than lead! It has been banned in 13 countries like Germany, Sweden, Norway, Ireland, Italy, and Austria to name a few. It causes birth defects, cancer, osteoporosis, and it can actually cause your teeth to erode and discolor.

So, if fluoride is really a terrible, harmful toxic waste, why do we put it in our water and toothpaste? For decades we have bought the lie of fluoridation. This lie has not only weakened tens of millions of immune systems, but has lead to hundreds of thousands of deaths. Federal health agencies have known these facts for years, but they have been controlled by manufactures to keep it a secret. Manufactures of what, you ask?

In the 1920's, aluminum manufacturing was booming due to aluminum cans. Dealing with large amounts of toxic fluoride waste was a growing problem. Fluoride waste was very costly to safely dispose of. ALCOA, an aluminum company in Pittsburgh, decided they needed to find a way to cut some of their costs. At the time, a man by the name of Andrew W. Mellon was over the jurisdiction of the U.S Public Health Services. He was also a founder and major stock holder of ALCOA.

So, in 1931, a PHS dentist was dispatched to 300 small towns in Texas where wells contain organic, natural fluoride. His mission was to determine just how much fluoride people could tolerate without taking damage to their teeth. He found that people's teeth were often discolored and eroded, but he also reported that they apeared to have fewer cavities than average.

I think you can probably connect the dots. This group of people (and others) devised a plan for this apparently worthless product. They launched a propaganda campaign to sell fluoride to the masses in toothpaste (despite any real evidence that it is beneficial). Apparently, they weren't making enough money on their newly launched sales campaign of selling fluoride in insecticide and rat poison.

In 1945 the American Dental Association decided to pump water into the Grand Rapids to do an official 15 year comparison study to determine if there really were benefits from fluoridation. But six years later, 6 more American cities were given the go ahead to pump fluoride into their water. The so called "15 year" study was abandon after only six years and the results were inconclusive.

Thus, manufactures of aluminum turned this once costly drag on their companies into a huge money maker.

Also, note that there are 2 types of fluoride. Calcium fluoride is found naturally in plants and water. The fluoride being added to our toothpaste and water is not calcium fluoride, but sodium fluoride, hydrofluorosilcic acid, or silicofluorides (all three are toxic wastes).

Have you ever seen the warning label on a tube of toothpaste that says "keep away from children". If a child ingested an entire tube of toothpaste, the dose would likely be fatal.

The first occurrence of fluoridated drinking water was found in Germany's concentration camps. The Gestapo was worried about little children in the camps getting cavities...um- NO! They used sodium fluoride to sterilize people and force them into a calm submission.

I could go on about the negative effects that fluoride has on our bodies, but I think you get the picture. Fluoride has been in dripped in our American water supply for close to 50 years and our toothpaste just as long.

So what should you do? I recommend buying toothpaste and mouthwash that doesn't contain fluoride. (Try www.vitacost.com)

I'd also recommend finding a filter that will filter it out of your water (something we have yet to do, as it can be expensive to find filtering systems that do). In case you were wondering, Brita filters aren't much good, but they do make the water taste good!

Anyway, I hope I didn't scare anyone too badly. Awareness is good though, right? You can click here for the article, 50 Reasons to Oppose Fluoridation.

Until next time,
Joseph

Food, Inc.

2009-11-13T14:54:00.000-08:00

Recently, our family watched a new movie called Food Inc. This film is extremely eyeopening as it describes where the vast majority of our food comes from. It goes into great depth as it documents the reasons why a hamburger costs less than a bag pf apples. It dives into topics like the dangers of E Coli and how they bathe meat in ammonia to kill bacteria.

Do you really know where your food comes from? I thought that I had a pretty good idea until I watched this movie!

Basically, most of the food in grocery stores comes from a few major companies that control how the food is made and who it is made by.

Although the people who made the movie did not appear to be Christian, they did seem to understand that food left in its natural state (the way God created it/ planned for us to eat it) is best. However, they mentioned "evolutionary design" a couple times. (Please.... now I've heard it all!!)

Aside from the humanist aspect of the movie, it's a great film that everyone in this country should watch! You'll never look at dinner the same way!

Finally Fixed...

2009-11-10T06:49:00.001-08:00

For as long as I can remember, the only chair in my room has been broken. Recently it almost reached the point of no return, as you can see.

Molly was quite fascinated by the old glue.

A little too fascinated...

My seat in the mean time.

After taking it apart, my dad and I used J-B weld to put in back together.

At one point, many years ago, my Dad refinished the desk, chair, and dresser set.

To tell you the truth, it's not the most comfortable work station. But the neat thing about it is that my Dad worked on it when he was young. It makes my happy to see the chair restored for future generations.

...'til next time....

:)

Broken Promises

2009-11-03T15:35:00.000-08:00

I want to apologize to my readers for not posting recently. I have been working on a few posts, but have been very busy lately. Just what has been keeping me so busy may show up in later posts... We shall see.

In the mean time, I thought some of you would enjoy this...

The Man Bag

2009-10-04T13:17:00.000-07:00

A recent trend for many guys is to carry "messenger bags" or "man bags". I have found that many guys have tagged right along with this recent change (including myself), while others are still tentative to use this accessory. Before I go over the different points of view, lets talk about their history!

Messenger/man bags are not a new addition to a men's apparel. Throughout most of history, messengers used over-the-shoulder bags to carry messages and goods. In fact, men carried bags over there shoulders before women did. Even to this day, Royal Mail Carriers in the United Kingdom use large messenger bags to deliver mail. Almost every war had couriers that delivered messages in bags.

Some people don't agree with men wearing bags because they think it makes them look effeminate. I think this can be true. It all depends on how you wear it and what the bag looks like. If you are a guy thinking about carrying one and are worried about this, find one made from distressed leather. Problem solved.

You might say, "Well thats nice, but why carry a bag today?" Men carry them for many different reasons but my main reason is this: I usually like to carry around more stuff then will fit into my pockets. It's that simple.

Here is a list of the things I usually carry around....

_-wallet
_-keys (my keys now hang off the side)
_-digital camera
_-camera charger
_-sometimes my iphone (but usually stays in pocket)
_-ipod/iphone USB
_-spare ipod nano
_-set of earbuds
_-another set of earbuds
_-sunglass
_-tin whistle
_-business cards

_-decorated notepad (thanks to Michelle, Gabe's little sister :)
_-a few misc. cables
_-assortment of pens and a pencil
_-Gum (thanks Lane)
_- iphone's Otterbox belt clip
_-iphone cleaning cloth
_-box cutter
_-always my 16gb Flash Drive...

Those are the things that I almost always have in my bag. I also sometimes carry...

_-Day Timer
_-checkbook
_-bank deposits
_-receipts
_-invoices
_-laptop
_-change of clothes
_-germ-X!
_-Frisbee
_-My Bible (I always carry my i phone's Bible)
_-my friends things that have been left at my house ;)
_-things to give to other people

(This is another bag that I'm planning to use in the future)

I could go on about things I sometimes carry, but I think you get the picture. It is true that I may not use all those things all of the time, but many times, it's nice to have them on hand. I hope you enjoyed this! Tell me if you did!

What do you think about "Man Bags"?

Boston 7/2/09

Always Ready

2009-09-06T13:25:00.000-07:00

I recently finished reading Always Ready by Dr. Greg Bahnsen. Bahnsen is a master at laying a concrete epistemology Foundation. Always Ready hits hard on the evils of neutrality and the foolishness of unbelief. His literary work really teaches you how to defend the the faith and intellectually be Always Ready to give an answer.

In one section of the book he writes how we need to be aware of the unbelievers assumptions of metaphysics (nature of reality) The following is an excerpt from Chapter 28, Bahnsen writes:

"Imagine that you have a colleague at work who graduated from college and fancies himself somewhat intellectual about matters of religion. According to him, there is no God and no spiritual realm (or spiritual events, spiritual forces) whatsoever. This physical world is all there is to reality. Moreover, this colleague finds it intellectually impossible to accept the Christian outlook because in contains what he deems logical contradictions within itself (say, that God is one yet three, or that God is loving and all-powerful but there is evil in the world). According to him, we cannot know anything to be true which conflicts with the laws of logic. The veiled problem in the thinking of your colleague is that his view of reality (metaphysic) does not comport whatsoever with his view of knowledge (epistemology). He can not simultaneously and consistently be committed to the laws of logic and the view that reality is solely physical in nature. You cannot touch or taste a law of logic; nor could you identify one with a sophisticated instrument devised be a physicist. Laws of logic are not physical, and thus given your colleague's perspective, laws of logic are not real anyway"

I love these types of arguments, they build us up in the faith and teach us how to be strong intellectually and "always ready" to give an answer. I think it is important for Christians to keep a constant read list to make us ever more passionate for truth. I recommend this book to everyone. But I would not recommend it as a bed time story. I found it required a pretty high concentration level.

I Hope you enjoyed my mini book review. May God bless you.

Reformation Vacation! - Part 2

2009-08-15T18:48:00.000-07:00

Welcome to part 2 of our amazing trip to Boston! I finally got my camera going by this point so most of these pictures were taken by me.... I hope you all enjoy.

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Day 3

After breakfast and a seminar or two, we set off on a mini tour of the State House with Dr. Paul Jehle! The State House is on top of Beacon Hill. The hill was excavated so that the dirt could be used to fill in the bay due to population increase. The tour started in the Boston Commons.

Dr. Jehle teaching about Boston's founding

English Puritans, led by John Winthrop, founded Boston in 1630 .

More Teachings

Ok, now we at the state house...

The height of Beacon Hill use to be the top of the gold dome.

Across the street you could see the Shaw/ 54th Regiment Memorial, the Black Union Unit.

Looking on...

A good shot of Dad!

One of my favorites!

The next several shots were taken inside the State House....

The flag room!

Descriptions of the flags

The man himself!

Lovely stained glass....

One of the stain glass circles in the ceiling.

Simply amazing historical artwork....

My Art :)

After the State House tour, we had lunch and walked back to the Commons for our next tour: Calvinistic Preachers. Dr. Joesph Morecraft told us how great men like Increase Mather, Cotton Mather, Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, Samuel Davies, and others were greatly influenced by Calvin.

Later that evening...

George Washington speaking to the audience about God's providence...

If I remember correctly, these men were in there 90's and had been actively preserving the accurate history of Plymouth for decades...

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Day 4

We woke up early on Independence Day to participate in the parade.

Gathering to parade around the Commons...

Nice camera!

Fortunately in a great spot for taking pictures of the line behind us..

The Thomas Family drum and fife leading the ladies line.

This might be my favorite picture of the whole event!

He was cute...

Think anyone looks out of place?

The celebration continued after we marched back to the hotel!

Later that evening...

Back on the Commons!

Everyone was gathered around the to watch the show!

ooooo

ahhhh

Thanks again Lauren for the pics on the previous post and the fireworks on this one! And Emily Case for taking these last two pics of my family

Two more videos as promised!

You guys did great!!! I enjoyed your family's music as much as Mr. Zahm. Thanks!

What a way to finish the conference! Thanks to all you great people at Vision Forum!

7/4/09 Boston

Reformation Vacation! - Part 1

2009-08-03T18:35:00.000-07:00

I hope all of you will forgive me for this delayed post, the previous post, problems with videos, and losing part of it, have not helped the situation. ;) The Reformation 500 was an event that I will remember for the rest of my life. There were new and old friends to meet, seminars to attend, history to be made, good food to be eaten, and superb sites to see.

Here we are at the Orlando Airport at about 6:00 am. We had to wake up at 3:00 am to catch the fight. Its hard for me to remember a lot that first day since I was going for about 18 hours with 3 hours sleep. Not recommended.

I would like to stop at this very nice picture to thank Lauren for taking all these pictures and for her great kindness in letting me use them. I made a mistake.... For the first two days of the trip my memory card was plugged in to my laptop and I didn't take a single picture... I know shame, shame.

Window Seat!

By Chance?

In Boston:

The first night of the 500....

First they introduced everyone to the speakers....

Dr. Morecraft III

Mr. Geoffrey Botkin

Col. John Eidsmoe

Kevin Sawnson...

Dr. Marshall Foster

Pastor Marcus Serven

We heard great music from Charlie Zahm almost every evening...

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Day 2

The next morning, we heard from Mr. Sawnson and Col. Eidsmoe:

Don't you just love to watch him speak?! More animation than you think could be possible....

Mr. Eidsmoe's voice is enough!

Later on, we went on our Paul Revere tour:

Waiting down below for the subway...

My first time on a subway.... that I remember...

Pastor Serven did an excellent job on the tour. It was great to be in the actual places of rich heritage.

That's my head(on the left) sitting in the Old North Church where Paul Revere's friend hung the lanterns in the belfry. Very neat to be in place where history was changed forever by Godly men who persevered.

A statue of George Washington that is said to be one of his closet likenesses.

Copp's Hill Cemetery where many puritans are buried, including many members of the Mather Family...

Me talking with Joey V.

Walking back to the subway.

We had lots of fun with the subway entrances/exits

And who could forget that wonderful singing that went on for nearly 4 hours that night in the lobby.

One of my favorite things of the whole trip, Charlie Zahm and Tad Marks...

Great song... anyone know the name of it? That would be helpful!

Well I hope you all enjoyed my little post... I've already started Part 2. I have 2 more videos and a bunch more pictures. Check out my sister's Blog... She should have her second Reformation post up soon as well. Thanks for stopping by!

Hogwarts, Magic, and Middle Earth

2009-07-15T15:45:00.000-07:00

Last Tuesday came the release of the sixth Harry Potter movie. In honor of the film series nearing its close, I have decided to compose an article on what the Bible says about witchcraft. I also want to explain how the Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter are very different, because many Christians make the mistake of putting these two fantasies in the same place... the trash bin. I think I'll start with a verse.

Deuteronomy 18:10 -13
Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD, and because of these detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you.

This verse alone should give every Christian a shock when they think of going to see a movie that glorifies "good witches". But instead, we have an army of Christians going to support and fill their minds with scenes of ungodliness. I'm going to make a point that has been made before. Instead of witchcraft, insert something else that is equally abominable to the Lord....

This is a story about "good" Homosexuals and bad Homosexuals. The "good" ones go to school the learn the art of their craft. They need to learn as much as they can so they can beat back the bad Homosexuals and save the planet..... Need I say more?

Do you think that such a movie would be watched by Christians? Of course not. Than why do we tolerate and even watch something that is equally displeasing to God? The answer is simple.

Most Christians care more about entertaining themselves than they do about pleasing the Lord. I've heard Christians give the following argument... "Witchcraft is not really real, its just fun to watch". Do these people read their Bibles? Obviously God knew that witchcraft was real enough to put in His Holy Book.

Galatians 5:19-21
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

In Galations, it talks about the obvious acts of sinful nature, and witchcraft is one of them! I believe there is NO room for debate when we think about "good" witchcraft. I think it's clear that anyone who truly desires to do God's will, will boycott all things Harry Potter.

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With all that said, I'm sure you all wondering why I think the the Lord of the Rings is perfectly acceptable. After all, there are wizards in the LOTR. The answer to this question is a long one and requires much history and knowledge of the books. I will try to explain to the best of my ability. I will try telling the entire history of the wizards in Middle Earth briefly . Here we go....

The Istari (wizards) were sent from the west by Eru Ilúvatar(Creator God) to save Middle Earth in the third age from Sauron a fallen Maiar (angel). The Istari were also Maiar before they were sent to Middle Earth stripped of most their power and memory. They were sent to Middle Earth in the guise of old men. And instead of using their powers they were meant to use their wisdom to help the free people remain free. Wizard is just a word Tolkien used to describe these sent beings. None of the wizards ever use witchcraft. They have little magic about them at all. Their mission was decribed at the end of the LOTR in appendix B:

It was afterwards said that they came out of the far West and were messengers sent to contest the power of Sauron, and to unite all those who had the will to resist him; but they were forbidden to match his power with power, or to seek to dominate Elves or Men by force and fear.

So, one of the reasons you don't see Gandalf using magic is because he has been told not to. In this way they could help the people with knowledge instead of lording over them with powers.

There were a total a five wizards sent to Middle Earth to contend with Sauron. These are the only wizards in all the history of Middle Earth. There names were Saruman the White, Gandalf the Grey, Radagast the Brown, and the mysterious blue wizards Alatar and Pallando. It is suggested by Tolkien that all these wizards lost sight of their task of helping the free people and were drawn away by there own pursuits. All of them expect for Gandalf of course. Gandalf is the only one who stays the course set by the Valar. He becomes the last beacon of hope for the seemingly doomed people of Middle Earth.

As everyone knows, the LOTR is not an allegory, but there are many many Christian themes such as this scattered throughout Tolkien's world. Tolkien wanted nothing more from his works than for people to see God in them through his many themes. Tolkien's least favorite criticism was that his works contained no religion. I think it is up to the reader to make his/her final judgment on the LOTR. But I will say, the more I learn and understand about Tolkien, the more I think that his literature is not only acceptable, but edifying.

Poll Results of Round One.....

2009-07-12T12:01:00.000-07:00

Which song do you like the best?

Votes:

-2- 43431- The Maids of Mitchelstown by Culann's Hounds

-3- 43432- The Drunken Sailor / The Bag Of Spuds by Liz Carroll

-6- 43433- Mollai Ni Hailpin/The Dusty Windowsill/The Merry Harriers by Colcannon
-2- 43434- The Walrus by Aureole Trio

...So our Winner of Round 1 is 43433 with 6 big ones.

On to Round 2!!! (Check Player)

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I know I told some of you my reformation post would be up today, but the pictures are still being edited by Lauren. She is going to let me use a few since she got so many. So please bare with us a little while longer for that. At least you can listen to some music in the mean time. :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Please Note:
If my blog post section or sidebar looks transparent like the Header, please let me know. It is an html error on my part if it is. Thanks!

Two Thumbs Way Up

2009-07-06T08:07:00.000-07:00

Ever since I saw the movie "Up", I've been wanting to write a review on it. Unfortunately, time constraints did not allow me to do so. I came across Isaac Botkin's review which is definitely better than a review I might write, so I have put a link to it below. Mr. Isaac Botkin is one of the most epistemologically sound film critics I have ever met.

Warning: This Review Contains Spoilers!

Isaac Botkin's: The Story of Up

How's My Costume Coming You Ask???

2009-06-27T19:26:00.000-07:00

In case anyone is wondering how my costume is coming along for the Reformation 500, here are some chosen pictures of the process....

Closeup of my vest...

Here are my grommets waiting to be spray painted...

Here they were with a primer and a finish coat. I decided the color was not the best...
too Milk Chocolaty. I made them darker as you will see on the end result...

My Costume also has peplums. Ten to be exact. My poor mom had to make ten of them!
What a saint!

I rebound my sword hilt in leather..

And last of all, a Picture of my knee Boots.....

So, maybe this post seems a little incomplete to you?

Well I hope so!

Just you wait.....

Happy Blogaversary!!!

2009-06-21T13:59:00.000-07:00

Today is my 1st Blogaversary!

I hope you have all enjoyed my blog as much as I have!

I want to thank everyone for reading and commenting on my blog over the past year!

My #1 Commenter WAS..... Emily Stone!
(not by much though :)
17 comments in the past year... Thanks!

If you are a regular reader of my blog, but haven't felt like leaving a comment yet, Don't let this post slip by!

Hope you like the new look and music!

Joseph A. H.

Books, Books, and More Books

2009-06-08T17:49:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday our family went to the Circle Christian School homeschool curriculum book sale in Orlando. We all got up at 4:20 in the morning to get there by 6:00. I don't think the coffee helped much, because I was pretty out of it until the sale was over and we ate lunch. Thinking back, the only thing I remember is a ride in the dark, standing in line (because the sale opened at 7:00) and lots and lots and lots of books everywhere! As I think all of you know, we have a business selling new and used homeschool curriculum. Below are some pictures from our foyer and living room after we got home that night....

This was most of the books, about 1/4 had already been put away.

Art....

Here is another angle showing a little bit more of the room and books.....

I could not resist taking a picture of this picture in our foyer, it makes me laugh every time I really look at it...

All the rubber bands, string, and thread that were holding sets together...

Extra Long Fancy- I could not resist.

We are still putting the books away, and by tomorrow, Mom should have them nicely organized. :D

Thanks for stopping by...

Senior Photo Shoot

2009-06-07T19:57:00.000-07:00

About a month ago I had the privilege of having my picture taken by a professional photographer, Anna Grace.

Thank you Anna for your time and patience.

Click here to view them and see her blog.

All This Rain

2009-05-20T08:52:00.000-07:00

I found this guy on our front porch last night.
Since we're stuck inside because of all this rain, I have a chance to blog post him!

His pattern was pretty cool

I like this one

He started to get very jumpy

uummm is someone going to get him....

Right after this shot, he leaped all the way to the door in the background...

...Photo shoot OVER!

I hope you all enjoyed this, or at least I hope
you will come back!

And yes, mothers.... I did wash my hands!

I got my license!!!!!!!

2009-04-30T19:24:00.000-07:00

Well this was the big day when I left (by myself) on a Wild Adventure...... Actually I went to work a whole 3 miles away! HA!

I passed the test on my first try- no problem! Here are some pictures Lauren took when I first put my license to use!

Dad :D

Sweet Tea...

Just being cool

Going, Going

Gone

Lauren took this nice picture our color coordinating parents

That was a pretty big day for me! It was getting difficult to run my business with out being able to drive. But, thanks to Dad and Gabe I did it for two years. Thank you!

Barberville 09, Oh ya.....

2009-04-28T17:20:00.000-07:00

Well another Barberville has come and gone. I hope no one was expecting lots of great pictures from me because, as you all know, I'm usually having too much fun to remember to take pictures. :D

Just after we arrived, Lauren and Anna...

and Lauren and Jean Marie

The Fiddling Krickets getting ready to preform....

I could not pass up taking picture of this guy's really big horn thing... :)

Emily Case... I don't remember why she was pointing.

Kricket Conference :)

Just after meeting up with the Lynns!

Getting ready to dance!

Gabe's little bro Alexander and Emily R

The only shots I got of the dancing.....

And no one's blog post on B-ville is complete without pics of the Stone Family Band!

They had a nice crowd.

You guys did great!

Men of the House, and Matthew Morse on the banjo.

Skill.

and there goes a string....

And finally, I only have one video for you.....

I don't like all of the content of their music, but these four waltzes were nicely done. :)

Well thats it for my post! I hope no one was too disappointed since it didn't quite live up to all the hype. I had a very nice time talking, jamming, and dancing with you all.

Cheers!

TAXED ENOUGH ALREADY

2009-04-16T12:32:00.000-07:00

I know its been too long since my last post, but the post pretty much explains what has been going on.

Yes, we went to a T.E.A. party. I think it was the first political event I've ever been to, and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it!

The rally was held in front of the old Deand Court House.

In the crowd.

You can tell that lady was proud of her hat :)

Mr. Brower gave a mini speech, we arrived just as he was giving it so we missed most of it, but what I heard was good.

As you can see there were a LOT of people there, I think between 1000 and 1500 people....

This lady's face is priceless

The signs were great....

I think this was my favorite sign, and with the flag waving perfectly in the back probably my favorite picture :)

We were visited my a channel 6 news helicopter

BARACK BOTTOM. Love it!

We have reason to believe that this guy was planted to turn the day into something that it was not. I didn't get the back of his shirt but it was basically a racial remark against Obama.

Obviously the rally was not about that. Thankfully, Mr. Brower had this guy covered. "AGITATOR"

Here is some live footage

Finally Everyone should look at this. Here is Obama's proposed budget for 09. Can we say WASTEFUL!?!?!

A Few Projects That Have Kept Me Busy...

2009-03-03T18:45:00.000-08:00

In the month of January, when I almost abandon my blog, I was very busy doing these three quite large projects......

Well this is it: my new mower. Its a 36'' Exmark Metro. Notice I said my "new" mower. As you can see I bought this mower quite used. It has a good engine and the body is in decent shape. So far, I have spent more money than I thought would be necessary for getting it to top running performance. I am hoping that its not a sign of things to come.

Here is the house in our subdivision that we recently finished building. Since the house was in our subdivision, I made many, many trips back and forth on my bike....

"Oh we forgot the cord or the extra battery", etc. You get the picture.

I painted the whole exterior of this house, from the primer, to the finished coat. I also did the trim and touch up! All these steps took me almost a month! I could have finished it in less time, but I did many other miscellaneous jobs in between.

Last, but not least, I have been working for months on preparing a bid to present to our subdivision's home owner's association, to maintain our neighborhood common areas. And, two weeks ago, our HOA chose me (out of five others) for the contract! It's going to take a lot of work (especially after all the freezes we have had) to get it looking great again!!

Keep your eyes right ;)

Praise the Lord for all his blessings!!!

I would also like to give a big THANKS to my Dad who helped me with all these things. I couldn't have done them without him. :)

The Hunt For Gollum

2009-02-22T09:43:00.000-08:00

I know that few of my readers share the same passion for The Lord of the Rings that I do, but I had to post this, simply because I am so excited about it. :) This is a "fan film" that is nonprofit, and was made by non-professional filmmakers in their spare time. Plus, they did it on a on a budget of $3,000. Everyone is going to be able to watch it May 3, on the Internet, for FREE!

If you are wondering where in the LOTR timeline this takes place, it is adapted from elements of the appendices of The Lord of the Rings. The story follows the Heir of Isildur (Aragorn), who is the "greatest huntsman and traveler in Middle Earth" as he sets out to find the creature Gollum. The creature must be found to discover the truth about the ring and to protect the future ring bearer (Frodo).

I wanted the trailer on my blog, but you need to see it in HD

Well, I cant wait for this! Tell me if you want to see it, and maybe we will organize a viewing or something. If you want to see the website, Here it is!
Cheers!!

Keep Listening Folks!

2009-02-18T17:41:00.000-08:00

Just in case you haven't been watching Mr. Schiff on youtube, Watch these!

I can't think of anything to add to this except, BE READY!! I'll close with this quote from Jefferson...

"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free.... it expects what never was and never will be."

- Thomas Jefferson

Peter is Back! (and I'm not talking about spiderman)

2009-02-12T12:03:00.000-08:00

Peter Schiff’s gives us another look at the economy. (If you didn't see the first one Click Here!)

Voddie Baucham Says:

"As if this isn’t bad enough, Schiff’s sound economic philosophy is still being mocked. He’s beating the drum against the “stimulus” package as Senators pat themselves on the back for cutting the bill down from the $820 billion House version to $827 billion (Senate math is fascinating). This is like an episode from the Twilight Zone. Buckle your seatbelt as the other shoe drops:"

I'm not going to give the usual, "Don't be alarmed" speech. Be ready!! Get your money out of the U.S currency! Sell your real estate! Get passports! Buy one of the only solid currency's left , Silver and Gold!! I'm not saying run scared, but have a plan!

Jam at the Stone Family's House

2009-02-10T18:03:00.000-08:00

I'm Back! I hope all of my readers will come back too! It's been over a month since I've posted, and my blog has suffered some major neglect. I hope that I will be posting more frequently from now on, but I can't make any promises because my schedule is very full. Well here we go!
...
A couple of weeks ago, we had the privilege of attending a jam at our friends, the Stones, house. It was a fun night filled with lots of music, friends and food....

A few of the Fiddlers

I cant remember what was going through my mind :)

Emily Stone

This is like, "Oh! someone is taking my picture!"

Jamin'

I had a really hard time getting my Guitar out of there :)

Gabe's little sister, Michelle

Who are you looking at??

Everyone looks so happy!

Another group shot... If you notice, I am looking very hard across the room trying to read the fingers of the other guitarists.

A good shot of Dad

Becca on her fiddle

This fits! The End! ;)
When you want to stop playing a certain song, you put your foot up. Then, everyone stops at the end of it.

...
Well thats the end of the pictures. I hope you enjoyed them! As you have probably guessed, I did not take them. My wonderful sister took all of the pictures and video, and was gracious enough to let ME post them! Thank you Lauren!
...
I know the sound quality is not the best, but I hope you enjoy them anyway.

I hope Anna doesn't mind being the center of attention. Like I say, Lauren took these not me :) Enjoy!

Poll Results

2009-01-03T05:02:00.000-08:00

For the Record:

Before 6:30-3 (30%)

6:30 - 7:00-2 (20%)

7:00 - 7:30-1 (10%)

7:30 - 8:00-3 (30%)

8:00 - 8:30-0 (0%)

8:30 - 9:00-0 (0%)

9:00 - 9:30-0 (0%)

After 9:30, :(-1 (10%)

I have to commend those who wake up before 6:30. Now I wish I had done a further break down like 6 - 6:30 and 5:30 - 6. I have been trying to get up earlier then 7 - 7:30, but I have not been consistent. Wow, Someone gets up regularly after 9:30....really :(

Gabes Blog

2009-01-01T06:20:00.000-08:00

Well Gabe finally made his blog, YAY! If you dont know who Gabe is click below and find out.

http://mastergabeotaz.blogspot.com/

A Bit Creepy

2008-12-30T13:16:00.000-08:00

I just found this out today. I haven't decided if I like this or not. It kind of unnerves me in a way. I was getting driving directions to the place that we are going to playing paintball next, and found out about Google Maps "Street View". This basically allows you to see a picture from the street as if you were standing there. Everyone might already know about this but I couldn't pass up posting about it.

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl

After you click the link, type in the address you want to view. Once you are there drag the little yellow man to a street that will become highlighted in blue. And there you have it. You can't see my house on it yet only the entrance to our subdivision.

What do you think about this new readily available technology?

Poll Results

2008-12-17T18:18:00.000-08:00

For the Record:

What are your favorite book genres?

Action-4 (36%)

Adventure-3 (27%)

Biographies-0 (0%)

Documentary -0 (0%)

Fantasy -5 (45%)

Fiction-4 (36%)

Historical-2 (18%)

Historical Fiction-6 (54%)

Mystery-4 (36%)

Non-Fiction-0 (0%)

Theological-3 (27%)

Other-0 (0%) I guess I covered them all :)

Votes:11, Poll closed

I Chose Fantasy, Fiction, Historical Fiction, and Theological. Thanks for voting.

Out With the Old, In With the New

2008-12-09T06:40:00.000-08:00

Lately, I've been more convicted about my speech building up and edifying others. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says, "Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing."

I've been thinking about how this verse applies to all areas of life, including chatting. "...but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today...” (in Hebrews 3:13). I think it would be a good idea to use our chatting time to build one another up in the Faith. As it says in Proverbs 27:17, "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

I have decided that each chat session will have a theme that will be posted the week before (i.e. a Scripture passage, theological topics, history, character traits, and current events or political topics and how they relate to a Biblical world view). I will try to vary the topics and keep it interesting, and I will also be taking suggestions. If you research the topics before hand, and come prepared, it will make the chat session more interesting! The chat will be held every Tuesday at 8:00 p.m. (unless otherwise noted). I am going to be posting the chat info in a gadget on my sidebar. I will try to update it by each Wednesday or Thursday.

Cheers!

(...and thanks for helping me convey my thoughts, Lauren)

The Turkey Rod Run 08

2008-12-05T10:02:00.001-08:00

Last weekend my Dad and I went to an antique car show in Daytona. Yes, you guessed it... The Turkey Rod Run. This is the first year I took pictures (excluding my cell phone camera pics from last year :P). Ive been going to this event since I was small, and dad has been going for 20 years! We don't go every year, but this year we were able to go.

The speedway

The tunnel under the speedway. The cars are all in the middle of the track.

I'll start with a nice Boss Mustang

An SS Camaro... One of many.

low... ride... er

What can I say?

I like the color of this car; it suits its name.

Pontiac GTO

A 1963 Split Window Corvette

Sweet

I just couldn't resist.

One of the highlights of the trip was this Shelby Mustang.

Turns out the owner of this beauty was a guy we knew. My dad built his house a couple years ago, and he had bought the car since then.

I like the bed of this truck :)

This 1971 mustang was for sale for 11k. I am wishing I had taken it home :(

Another nice Shelby

We stopped by this kit car stand where the cars started at almost 50k. I told em, "Put the blue one on my tab." hehehe jk

Have you seen the 2009 corvette yet?

That doesn't say 500, the sun is blocking the 7. Funny it didn't sell :P

Well, thats the end. I hope you all enjoyed my much needed post. If you want to see the rest of the pictures Click Here.

Poll Results and an Announcement

2008-11-30T11:35:00.000-08:00

It looks as if Tuesday Wins. So I guess I'll go ahead and set up a chat session every week on tuesday at 8:00. I will be in the chat room till 8:30 if you are running late. :)
Winning Raod Chat Ext.
http://www.chatzy.com/239274627688
Password is: 123

What are the best days for a group chat?

Monday-3 (37%)

Tuesday-5 (62%)

Wednesday-1 (12%)

Thursday-3 (37%)

Friday-2 (25%)

Saturday-0 (0%)

Sunday-1 (12%)

Votes: 8, Poll closed

Peter Schiff was Right

2008-11-27T08:18:00.000-08:00

This guy knows economics.

2006 - 2007

Poll Results

2008-11-24T05:50:00.001-08:00

For the record:

What is your favorite thing about Autumn?

Cooler Weather-7 (63%)

Changing Leaves-4 (36%)

Different Wardrobe-4 (36%)

Thanksgiving-3 (27%)

Fall Menu-2 (18%)

Other (Specify Above)- 0 (0%)

Votes:11, Poll closed

I voted for Cooler weather and Different Wardrobe. :) You can tell we are a bunch of Floridians!

A Day at Work with Gabe and Me

2008-11-16T13:02:00.000-08:00

I decided to post some before and after pictures of a landscaping project that I do every year or so for one of my best costumers. This year she left for the weekend and told me what work she wanted completed while she was gone. She has one of the nicest yards that I have the pleasure of working.

I made a mistake and didn't take any before- before pictures.

This is what it looked like after Gabe and I spent about 6 or 7 hours working on the project.

Scrapping up the old mulch

Art

Gabe is working hard. At this point we are almost ready for mulch. And...

After!

The mulch is a pretty big improvement, but I should have taken a picture of the yard before we trimmed everything

THE POWER OF RED!!!

The Final Shot.

On a previous occasion I installed the river rocks around the beds. I was happy that I figured out the right amount of mulch down to the last bag!! It was really amazing, first time for everything, right?!? Next time I do a big landscaping job, I'll get some better before pictures, before we start working! Hope you enjoyed it!

Poll Results

2008-11-13T18:44:00.000-08:00

For the record:

What's your favorite sport or sports to play?

Football-2 (16%)

Baseball-1 (8%)

Soccer-1 (8%)

Paintball-3 (25%)

Tennis-3 (25%)

Golf-0 (0%)

Track and Field-3 (25%)

Bowling-2 (16%)

Other-2 (16%) -We had two, very avid Swimmers.

Votes:12, Poll closed

I voted for Paintball, Football, and Tennis. ;)

Paintball Shoot Out

2008-11-10T15:25:00.000-08:00

Well here I am again with another post. I know you're amazed- its not about politics! First, I want to thank Gabe and his family for hosting it. Secondly, I want to apologize for the few, and, quite frankly, bad pictures. Not acceptable :-/

Exploring the Field.

Getting ready.

Setting up.

Guy Art (left gun is mine, right gun is Gabe)

Jeff coming in from the field!!

Waiting to start something. -_-

Hey did you see when I ______. Oh, but you weren't there when ______.

This is after I got into heavy crossfire. My hands got hit so many times my insides started coming outside :P.

Blue Jeans Gabe comes out next.

This is the barrel we all had a hand in painting (more on that later).

Cillin

Head Shot!

Hey, who you shootin at.

Ninja sword included!!

The quality of this video is also not very good, but I did the best I could (with dirty hands and not much light). I hope you enjoy it. Oh and so you know who's who the winner of each round is listed first. I promise I will do a better job next time. ;).

Why We Lost On November 4th and Some Words of Hope

2008-11-05T09:53:00.000-08:00

If you are still scratching your head wondering why Barack Obama won the 2008 election, I have the answer:

Last night John McCain said ...."But offering our next president our goodwill and earnest effort to find ways to come together to find the necessary compromises to bridge our differences and help restore our prosperity...."

.....Blah blah blah

I think you know what I'm driving at. John McCain was constantly saying we want to work with these people. How can we work with people that hate everything we stand for! It is impossible to beat liberalism by working with liberals. We must destroy liberalism by standing on Biblical principles and never crossing the isle.

The people of this nation will still vote for sound principles. Look at the CA and FL pro-marriage amendments. Both states voted for Obama, yet they both voted to keep marriage between a man and a woman. You see, when Biblical principles are plainly set before the people, they will still vote rightly (even in CA).

We have four years to rebuild conservatism. It was not on the ballot yesterday (unless you voted for someone without a fighting chance). If John McCain had won yesterday we would not have this chance. Centralism and modernism would have continued for another four years and at the end we might lose it again to someone even more liberal than Obama.

We have four years to rebuild. Let's not waste a single day. Spread the word.

-- Joseph A Hope

RC Sproul Jr, Is this too difficult... for God?

2008-10-31T09:31:00.000-07:00

"Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost." ~John Quincy Adams

Answering Some Criticism of Renaud and Strackbein's Article

2008-10-30T08:11:00.000-07:00

To answer the comment left on my previous post, I've linked to C.S. Hayden's blog. He eloquently answers the comment (which has apparently been making the rounds) line by line.

Click Here!

Sen. John McCain's Position on Abortion

2008-10-29T06:08:00.000-07:00

How Pro-life is John McCain? This is a part of the full article.

by Wesley Strackbein and Bob Renaud, Vision Forum Staff

Sen. McCain’s record on abortion has largely been “buried” this election cycle, and it indeed “speaks volumes,” but not for the reasons that Ertelt has suggested. A more careful look at Sen. McCain’s formal voting record and statements indicate that he will not make the protection of life a priority in a McCain presidential administration. While Sen. McCain voted in favor of the partial birth abortion ban in 2003 (as did Senators Tom Daschle, Harry Reid, and sixty-one others)[2] and has often stated that he does not “support Roe versus Wade” and would like to see it “overturned,”[3] the Arizona senator has actually stated his opposition to take active measures to overturn Roe for fear that such a move would endanger the lives of women.[4]

Moreover, Sen. McCain supports abortion in the cases of rape, incest, and the life of the mother, and he has actively campaigned to strike the prohibition of abortion in these cases from the Republican Party Platform.[5] In addition, Sen. McCain has voted to confirm radical pro-abortion judges such as Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen Breyer and has recently affirmed that he would vote for pro-abortion judges under a McCain presidency, so long as they met basic “qualifications.”[6] He also has been outspoken in his support for embryonic stem cell research and has voted in favor of funding for Planned Parenthood.[7]

The point is this: Attempts to paint Sen. John McCain as a pro-life candidate are grossly misleading. Mr. Ertelt of LifeNews.com and other pro-life groups such as the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) have “buried” widely known aspects of Sen. McCain’s record on life that demonstrate — while Sen. John McCain may not be as far to the left as Sen. Barack Obama on the life issue — he is not a champion of the unborn, and, should he be elected to the presidency, his past record and recent claims offer no confidence that he will do anything to advance the ethic of life as president of the United States.

We agree with the National Right to Life Committee’s conclusion of eight years ago — a position that they have now suppressed due to political expediency — that “John McCain Threatens the Pro-Life Cause”[8]; and as a service to voters in this 2008 election cycle, we have brought to light key facts on Sen. McCain’s record on abortion for readers to consider in forming their own conclusions regarding his stance on this critically important issue.

Full Article http://www.visionforum.com/hottopics/blogs/dwp/2008/10/4542.aspx

Friends, I think it is safe to say that who ever wins this election will not be fighting for life.

Still Enjoying Sapphire Valley

2008-10-16T17:48:00.000-07:00

We stopped on the side of the road for a family picture (the camera is on top of the car and it was fun getting the timer right with no cars coming).

Looking to the left of the look out.

This is a recently built bridge to the falls. Before the new bridge was built it everyone used the log on the right. ;)

Mom posing on the bridge.

Tributary

Not the biggest fall we have seen on our trips but one of my favorites.

A look from the top of the falls. Their was no path up there so I made one. ;)

As we were leaving the falls Dad pointed out a couple of trees that had started growing from fallen ones.

Here we are on a hike later that day.

The road goes ever on and on...

(Not really) Here's a view from the top!

A different view from the top
Mom and Dad posing for their 6th or 7th time up Whiteside Mountain

I just couldn't help it!!!

Just keepin' it cool 8-/

We had lunch on the top of this rock (or near it), I tried to convince Mom and Dad that it was a perfectly safe way to get down but some how they didn't go for it....

Back down the mountain, a lovely wild apple tree stands (in Cashiers). The apples were actually pretty good- if you could find one without holes that is!

Although we have only one day left of our time in NC, we are planning to stop at a family integrated church on the way back in Georgia. So, I hope to do one more post on our trip. :)

Autumn Adventures in the Mountains

2008-10-13T17:34:00.000-07:00

Well, here we are on another Vacation but this time it's in Sapphire Valley! I am sitting over at the rec-center because I can't get internet in our room and it's going to close at 9:00 *looks at the time* 8:46, so you can see I don't have much time, so I'm cutting to the pictures!!!

Our first glimpse of the mountains.

Our rental car got us there safely.

Our vacation home... We got the A and the B side this time.

A-side of the place

B-side upstairs

B-side downstairs

I started climbing the mountain opposite the condo and I couldn't help but wish it was a paintball field.

Looking to the side.

Looking up!

Our first round of put-put (we usually play 4 or 5 times)

Wow... he's good!!

Concentration!!

Dad gets it in for a 3 on the last hole and that means he won!! Not really- I think he won by about 7 strokes :P

I am now sitting outside of the rec-center trying to finish my post we got kicked out of the building cause its now 9:11 :(

This is our picnic spot we come here every year!

Eating lunch.

Is their anything more peaceful than that!

Hey, we match!!

Nice color!

We ran into an old friend Mrs. Thomas at the hardware store! The funny thing about it is the Thomas family lives in Ormond Beach and we havn't seen them for about a year, and then we ran into her 500 miles away from home!!!

Well I'll try to post tomorrow.....

What Voddie Baucham has to say about Sarah Palin

2008-09-15T18:17:00.000-07:00

Voddie Baucham hits the core of the matter....

Edit: You should also check out Voddie Baucham's blog. He has more time to explain without being cut off.

http://www.voddiebaucham.org/vbm/Blog/Entries/2008/8/30_Did_McCain_Make_a_Pro-Family_Pick____.html

Almost like a part 2 http://www.voddiebaucham.org/vbm/Blog/Entries/2008/9/1_The_Evangelical_Two-Step.html

Wedding Extravaganza

2008-08-25T16:24:00.000-07:00

We recently made it back from our 9 day trip to Louisiana. My camera (not even 60 days old!) quit working out of the blue while we were there. Thankfully it is under warranty, so I couldn't take any pictures for most of the trip. Lauren took most of the pictures with her camera and she did a great job as you will see. :)
Our original plan was to leave Saturday morning, but we didn't get on the road until after 2:00 due all of the work we had to get done before we left. OK... Picture Time!!

Here's Lauren in the car.

At the time this seemed to be the cheapest price for gas we would find but on the way back we found $3.35, but my camera quit working.

I thought this was cool! Ive never seen so many different color fire hydrants..... Maybe I don't get out much....

Our first stop was Birmingham, AL where we visited a nice family integrated church and spent time looking at the area for a possible move in the future. We all agreed in was one of the prettiest towns we have ever visited.

Just a neat looking building

We also meet up with some old friends (the Butler's) in Birmingham. They were gracious enough to invite us to their home and show us a little more of Birmingham.

Now we leave Birmingham and go on to the main part of the trip. Here is the Mississippi river; It was the first time I had seen it so thought I would blog it.

Here is Aunt Melanie at the Jackson House in Monroe, LA. This is where almost all of the wedding preparations took place. It was also where we stayed for almost a week.

Taking a break from hard work.

I think everyone there voted me the best cookie decorator..... Not really

Here is Rachel! Finally, a true cookie craftsman. Actually, there were four or five people that worked on the cookie decorating (after they had all been made from scratch).

Rebekah putting wedding favors together.

Here they are, all finished and ready to go! There were 200 in all!!!

Dad and I tracking tropical storm Fay. I'm sure you all can picture how worried Dad was with 3 houses to take care of and not being able to do anything 1000 miles away.

Rachel doing some baking.... I cant remember what it was but it sure looks tasty!

Jenny, Rachel and Rebekah's cousin, was polishing the silver.

Some of the gift giving.....and Rebekah trying to get a picture in the corner. lol

Everyone looking on while Albert and Rachel open gifts.

Here's the church after much decorating and flower arranging.

Rehearsal and rehearsal dinner discussion.

Don't worry, its just the rehearsal.

This was down below the church where we had the rehearsal dinner. I am waiting for a call to light the candles.... They might of had me wait too long down there.

L to R: Sierra, Jenny, me. Just having fun while they finished the rehearsal.

I had to post this a arrangement because Lauren arranged it herself; an absolutely beautiful job.

Mr. and Mrs. Atkins.... Rachel's grandparents. I had the pleasure of having a theological discussion with Mr. Atkins about Eschatology.

OK, The main event is here and I'm ready to go.

Waiting for the wedding to start.....

Mother of the Bride.

Flower time!!! AND......

The Bride!

It was a very God honoring wedding.

Yeah!!! And no one fainted!!

Art

Wow, who spent the time to arrange them so perfectly!! I think you can see me... er the guy who arranged them in the background.

The FOOD!!

Food + Art!!

Cutting the cake!

Lauren was good enough to serve it for everyone else.

Dad was also serving.

The get-away car!!

Rebekah!

Sierra! Also Rachel and Rebekah cousin.

Tara and Rebekah!

We are ready with the birdseed!

Yeah, there was bird seed everywhere not just on them.

Back over the Mississippi on our way home!! Well that's it! It was great fun and I already miss you all. I posted 50 pictures but there were over 500 that we took! It took hours to edit them and selcect some for my blog. So if you want to see more you will have to come over to our house for a visit. :) or check out Lauren's blog when she gets her vacation post up.

Over 100 Great Truths and Doctrines

2008-08-05T17:09:00.000-07:00

I have just finished reading RC's Essential Truths of the Christan Faith. This book is the most easy to understand and complete doctrinal study that I have ever read. Each doctrine or lesson is broken up into short 2 or 3 page chapters. It covers everything from "Human Beings and the Fall" to "The End Times". This book also gives the reader a more complete view of the Trinity, actually more than half the book explains the different facets of the Three. You could almost use this book for a Devotional the way its broken up into mini chapters. Well enough said, I think you get the idea that I recommend this book to anyone.

Sunrise at the Beach

2008-07-16T16:37:00.000-07:00

I would say, going to watch a sunrise at the beach is the best way to start any one's day. The only problem is waking up at 5:30. Alright maybe its not as good as I once thought, lol. Anyway its a lot of fun with great friends.

In the Car on our way, as light slowly crept into the sky

My friend Gabe who was meeting us there pulled up right behind us. The funny thing about that is he drove up right behind us just the night before on our way to our grandmothers house, But then he was just leaving work.

Yeah, we made it before she rose. (probably the first time ever)

Gabe starts eating :)

Me and Gabe, still waitin

There it is!!!!(if you can see that)

Unfortunately, the sky wasn't the clearest but it did make it nice and cool

Best place to veiw it by far!!!

Gotta love this photo.

The sun is about to show.......again!!!!

This was the most the sun came out all day, which made the water very cold. We stayed till 9:30 but still no rays of sun. Although we had fun, most of it was not in the sun. :)

My Blogs Name

2008-06-21T08:30:00.000-07:00

I decided to call my blog "The Winning Road" because the winning road is the road to Christ. I hope this blog will keep friends and family more in touch with me and my family. Also the blog was named for a random song that I had, but I couldn't get it in the right the format or something. (If you are ace at putting music on a music console please comment) If you don't know how comment anyway and tell me what you think of my blog name. Thanks