You know after allot of thinking and much time in prayer and just looking around at the need of compassion and love for the kids in this community and beyond,.. I realized that even with the negative statements I got from a few people.. The world does need a hero..
Season 1 The Pilot - (how it all began) Hourglass - (looks at the future of Clark and Lex) Stray - (first meet Ryan)
Season 2 Red - (first introduced to red metor rock) Lineage - (find out the Luthors helped the Kents with Clark's adoption) Ryan - (first really sad show on Smallville Rosetta - (Clark learns where he is from + has Christopher Reeve)
Season 3 Slumber - (just down right creepy) Relic - (Jor-El visited Smallville in the 1960's) Asylum - (first look at how crazy Lex is) Memoria - (Lex cracking up as a kid)
Season 4 Crusade - (Clark/Kal-El flies) Run - (introduced to Bart/The Flash) Onyx - (see the real Lex Luthor)
Season 5 Aqua - (for Timmy) Lexmas - (what could of been) Reckoning - (death of John Kent) Vessel - (welcome to earth Gen. Zod)
Season 6 Arrow - (Hello Oliver Queen) Justice - (coolest one of them all) Nemesis - (best line ever "were you ever really my friend Lex?")
Season 7 Action - (Clarks saves Lana from falling off a building) Descent - (Lionel Luthor dies by the hands of Lex) Apocalypse - (shows what if Clark never came to earth) Arctic - (Lex destroys the Fortress)
Who would you want as your Commander in Chief? Someone who refuses to place his hand over his heart during the pledge to our nation's flag (remember he is a US Senator.........
While the prophet Samuel was young, he lived in the Temple under the spiritual guidance of Eli. One night God called Samuel’s name, but he thought it was Eli. After this happened several times, Eli realized the truth and told Samuel to go back to bed and if he heard the voice again to respond by saying . . .
“Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening!” 1 Samuel 3:9b
See You at the Pole™ is a student-initiated, student organized, and student-led event. That means this is all about students meeting at their school flagpole to pray—for their school, friends teachers, government, and their nation. See You at the Pole™ is not a demonstration, political rally, nor a stand for or against anything.
See You at the Pole™ is scheduled annually on the fourth Wednesday in September, which is September 24 in 2008. The suggested starting time is 7 a.m. If that doesn't work for your school, choose a time that will work for your school, but let everyone at your school know!
As the son and grandson of distinguished Navy admirals, John McCain deeply values duty, honor and service of country. John attended college at the United States Naval Academy, and launched a 22-year career as a naval aviator upon his graduation. He continued the McCain tradition of service to country passed down to him from his father and grandfather when he asked to serve in the Vietnam War.
On July 29 1967, John narrowly survived the first of many near-death experiences during his lifetime while preparing to take off on a bombing mission over North Vietnam from his ship, the USS Forrestal. A missile accidentally fired from a nearby plane struck the fuel tanks on John's plane and created a deadly inferno aboard the ship. John barely escaped the fiery disaster that killed 134 men, injured hundreds more and destroyed 20 planes.
Instead of taking the option to return home after the Forrestal disaster, Senator McCain volunteered for more combat duty - a fateful decision that stopped the clock on his life and separated him from his family, and country, for five and a half years.
During his 23rd bombing mission on October 26, 1967, a missile struck John's plane and forced him to eject, knocking him unconscious and breaking both his arms and his leg. John was then taken as a prisoner of war into the now infamous "Hanoi Hilton," where he was denied necessary medical treatment and often beaten by the North Vietnamese. John spent much of his time as a prisoner of war in solitary confinement, aided by his faith and the friendships of his fellow POWs. When he was finally released and able to return home years later, John continued his service by regaining his naval flight status.
Senator McCain's last Navy duty assignment was to serve as the naval liaison to the United States Senate. John retired from the Navy in 1981. His naval honors include the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Legion of Merit, Purple Heart, and the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Well, it is Sunday afternoon, I am still sitting in my office, waiting for Cathy and the boys to pick me up.. I didn't feel like eating, so I decided to stay and work a little, besides, we are going to a bar-b-q at 4pm...
Anyway I thought I would write a small blog for my pal Casey...she said this morning I haven't been writing as much.. So Casey this is for you..
"Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water. Jack fell down and broke his crown, and Jill came tumbling after!!"
If you are an avid reader of "Love-Letters", then you will notice from time to time comments left by a person named "margaret" (that is how she spells it, she never uses capital letters)
Since I been blogging, I never really introduced you to my friend "Margaret".. So ladies and gentlemen, sit back and let me introduce you to my friend Margaret.
I believe it was the spring of '89,(just before that little desert thing in the 90's) I was stationed in Ulm, German with the 29th Signal Battalion. Well that day we were heading to the riffle range to fire off some rounds, (yea they gave me a real gun!!) anyway. Margaret had just arrived and they placed her on the truck next to me..and me, being my cool self thought I would introduce myself. (now you have to understand, in the Army, you have your last name printed on your BDU's or Battle Dressed Uniforms). So anyway.. I inched my way over to find a more comfortable seat on the deuce and a half truck, and calmly and cool said.. "Hi I am Lonnie, what is your name?" She looked at me with these "deer in the head lights eyes" and then openly and obviously, pointed to her BDU top and said.. "Can you read." (of course in a nice "Vegas style" way, you see she was from Las Vegas!!..
Anyway as time went on, she became a very good friend.I remember this one time, (and if she reads this she might remember) She walked over to the male dorms and she stood outside my window and handed me an Easter Basket, and in the basket were candy and a crystal Porsche, that I still have to day...
She even went as far as to call me on Christmas day when we both were on leave, she was in Las Vegas and I was in Kentucky...
and the cool thing is after all these years.. she still picks up the phone or shoots me an email...
So to my friend Margaret..."I lift my glass to ya"....(inside joke...October Fest)!!! Oh... and Margaret.. what about all those commanders we had.. Capt Mattox Capt Grover...(remember when he went out and we watched thier kids.. (such bad kids)!!
This Saturday night I have my 20th high school class reunion. It is hard to believe that twenty years has gone by.. it happened so fast.. I look around at my office walls and I see so many pictures of people who are in my life, and the ones who are no longer around. I look at the pictures of my family,.. my beautiful wife and my amazing three boys. But if I close my eyes long enough I can see yesterday.....
I can see my self with my best friend from high school Flynn, him and I jumping on the back of motorcycles and following the school bus around, cause there was a certain young lady I wanted to impress!!.. Oh I impressed her alright..
Then I even look closer and I see myself in my "cool shoes".. I had to have "Nike Air" these shoes cost over $150.00.. my car now isn't worth that much.. I see myself my senior year, thinking I was so cool in my "stone washed Levi's, pink shirt, white suspenders (hanging down) and my cool shoes"..
and you all thought I dress funny now.. I am getting more excited as Saturday night comes closer.. I am wondering what everyone has been up too the last twenty years.. and I wonder how many are going to fall over when they hear I am a Minister of the Gospels...
Before I tell this story, I have to take you back to about 4 weeks ago. It was brought to my attention that there was a ministry opportunity in my own back yard that I knew nothing about,and that was because, the problem was I wasn't looking. When I finally opened my heart as well as my eyes. I saw God. During our VBS, I was given an amazing gift, I had the chance to share the love of Christ with some children and their parents, who, other wised would of just spent that week at home or at a fair. (yea, I was crazy enough to have a VBS during two county fairs).. Isn't it cool!!
Anyway, back to my story. for the past month our church has been picking them up and taking them to church and on youth trips.. (want to make adults laugh or pull their hair out, bring 27 kids to MacDonald's then the movie!!!)
Well, that brings me to tonight. We had our regular Wednesday night Bible study, and we brought some kids back to church to have fun and do our lesson, when one little girl asked me. "What is baptism"?..
As I began to tell the story of the love of Jesus Christ to this little girl, (this is what brought tears to my eyes and they are still flowing), her eyes started to dance like falling stars!! This young girl was so excited and happy that she has a Heavenly Father who loves her that she made me feel so loved for telling her.
To be honest, I cannot put into words what this little girl made me feel like, You have to experience it yourself, how do you do that you wonder? Simple, "listen with your heart, and your eyes. Not your ears or check book." to a child.
I was told once, "If you can make a child smile, you had a great day"!
This week was our Vacation Bible School, and tomorrow is our last night. I am sitting at my home desk at half past midnight, knowing that I have to get up in about six hours, trying to figure out how do I tell this story. This is a story of amazing victory!!. About three months ago, I planned our VBS, unaware that, I had scheduled it during the Pendleton County Fair, and the Harrison County Fair! Yea, you read it right, I planned a VBS in the middle of the two biggest attractions in our community. I was told numerous times, that I must of been "smoking crack"!
Our VBS was the biggest in years!!!.. I just don't mean numbers, I mean life changing decisions! We had to use three church buses to bring the kids in!!
I can't put into words what I experienced this week, but I know I wasn't the only one.. Our volunteers got a little "jolt from the Holy Spirit too.... and they did a GREAT JOB!! and on a personal note, for a long time I was struggling with where I belong, I was trying so hard to be the "perfect Family Minister", you know, saving marriages, saving homes, saving the world! that I forgot that I was chosen by God himself to be a Children's Minister, I fell in love with Children's Ministry over ten years ago, and I knew that God had a plan for my life then, but just like everything else in this life, we get used to just "surviving".. Well I don't want to just survive anymore.. I want to LIVE.. and live strong..
So to all my VBS workers.. this is for you.. Thanks..
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America
The Declaration of Independence of the Thirteen Colonies
In CONGRESS, July 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
Well today, Cathy, Stacey, and I were certified in adult, child, and infant CPR and, we also became certified in usage with the AED (Automated External Defibrillator).
Which is pretty cool because now, we at Antioch Mills can say that our “Minister of Family and Children and part of his staff our trained and certified!
Hopefully, this will give new parents visiting and regulars a peace of mind.
Hey yall, Well, just got back from taking the K-5th students to the US Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio. It was a pretty good time, it was like my 9th time being there, but it seems like each time I return, I found out something new.
Anyway.. I think I am going to relax for a while, then head for bed, we have our CPR class in the morning.!!!
Well.. check this out! Last Monday, the boys and I went to have dinner with Cathy at the nursing home where she works as the activity assistant. Anyway, she was telling Brady that the home had bought a Nintendo Wii for the residents to play with to help maintain their motor skills. (by listening to the advice of a amazing Family Minister, they bought one)
Anyway.. Brady stayed afterwards to "hang out" with some of the people who live there. and He came home saying.. "Dad, man they loved watching me play the video games. I had such a great time"
So now Brady has volunteer to "play" Nintendo Wii for the residents to make them feel better!!
Brady has been doing pretty good.. he has band camp in 3 weeks, and goes to Wilderness camp this week.. So we are going shopping this weekend to get him so "updated" camping grear..
Every morning around 8:30am at my house, I am awaken to the sounds of my three year old son Landon singing the theme song to “Bob The Builder”, and when he gets to his favorite part of the song, he screams, “CAN WE FIX IT…YES WE CAN”!
As I sit in my office preparing this devotional, those words are echoing in my mind. It sort of reminds me of how young Timothy must have felt when Paul instructed him to go and preach the good news of Jesus Christ. I can see young Timothy sitting there all excited and knowing like you know,this world is not a perfect place and he jumps up and screams, “CAN WE FIX IT… YES WE CAN”!
But we can’t be like Bob the Builder; we can’t fix broken hearts, or broken homes with bull dozers or big trucks. We have to be able to fix our world with life changing decisions for Jesus Christ, and then take that to the world. Just as Jesus commanded the early disciples to “go out and baptized them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Paul is instructing Timothy to “not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, and in love, and in faith, and in purity”.
As you leave here this week, our prayer is that you can be like Timothy, and let your life be the “bull dozers” and “dump trucks” that fixes your world. And your generation can say, “CAN WE FIX IT.. YES WE CAN”!
Tonight, I had a chance to watch the sun set.. Ever had one of those days, or weekends that every thing seems to be going great, then all of a sudden you feel like you are in "quick-sand" Well I had that happend today...I am clinging on the scripture from 1st Peter3:13-14.
Like in this picture of a sun set, you wonder what is going to happen when the sun is gone.
"I'll always remember It was late afternoon It lasted forever And ended so soon You were all by yourself Staring up at a dark gray sky I was changed
In places no one would find All your feelings so deep inside (deep inside) Was then that I realized That forever was in your eyes The moment that I saw you cry cry..moment that I saw you cry"
Today toddlers from our church had a picnic at Kincaid Lake in Falmouth. It was pretty awesome. The weather was PERFECT!
I think the best part for me was watching Landon throw rocks into the lake, or should I say "group of rocks". We walked down the hill to the lake and had to avoid the wild geese and Landon had his rocks in a little pail...
Well he decided to throw them all in at one time!!
The he said.. "Ok, I am ready to go home!"
Alex was just happy to be near water! and Brady, well he has a summer job at the library so he got to stay home by himself!!
What if it was possible to "time - travel" .. would you do it?.. I mean check this out, what if you could go back in time and stop the assignation of Lincoln or JFK.. or better yet what if you can go back and stop the attack on Pearl Harbor..
The reason I bring this up.. is I was watching this movie tonight called "The Final Countdown.. it was about the USS Nimitz (modern aircraft carrier) time warped back to December 6th 1941... What will the do.. what would you do?.. I know allot of people would love to go back in time and change history.. but is it our job to change the fate of time..I know it would be nice to stop our love ones from dying or being killed.. but again.. is it our job to do that?
I am reminded of this quote I read in a book..
The story was about this Jewish village that got attacked during "pre-WWII" a hand full of students and their teacher escaped with their lives.. anyway the teacher said this..
"I wish I was God right now." and one of the students said "Sir, what would you change"? and the teacher said.."I wouldn't change anything, I would just be able to understand."..
Well, What a day it has been, just a quick up date of what is going on with Brady, Landon, and Alexander...
Brady - We went to Cathy's work tonight and had dinner with her, Brady stayed and helped her out with the residents, then he stayed and played video games with some of them. He goes to camp next week, and then he gets his wisdom teeth cut out the week after, then he has to rest for two weeks, then he is off to band camp for two more weeks..he is as big as me now!!
Landon - Went to the story with mom, and Cathy bought some of those Viana Sausages, and Landon picked them up in the store and then he kissed them and said "I love these.. they are the best!!".. Tonight he got a Gordon Train from Walmart and he screamed .. "there is Gordon!"..
Alexander - Well Alex, is getting so big!! he eats like there is no tommorrow.. he is walking better now.. just flapping that arm as he goes, he can't go to the sand box anymore, cause he eats the sand.. he is now saying "Daddie"
Not too much is going on this week.. I have a toddler trip tommrrow and then Bible study on Wed night, Cathy is going out to dinner with here friends on Thursday, and Friday we have a family movie night at church..
I just got back today from seeing the new Narnia Movie, Prince Caspian... and for Jr. and Sr. High students.. it was ok.. but I don't know about younger kids..They had some tense moments. I mean the message was AWESOME!!! but there were some scenes that might of upset the little ones.. (Believe me I know!!! Lord Of The Ring)
But there were a couple of lines that stood out.. that I wanted to share..they are
1. Lucy the little girl sees Aslan for the first time again, and she says."You gotten bigger" and Aslan the lion says.. "So have you" then he says.."Every time you grow...So do I" (which is like every time you grow in "Christ", Christ grows bigger in your world.
2.Lucy was the only one who could actually see him most of the time, the others have lost their "faith" so when Lucy says.."No one believed me I could see you" Aslan says.."Why did that keep you from searching for me?" Which is pretty cool because, even though our friends may not have the "faith" it shouldn't stop us from believing.
OK, since my lovely mother had to mentioned that I caught the barracks on fire.. (which was only a small part in a closed room - my room) I will tell you what really happened.
You see it was a Friday night, and we had an early morning end of the month inspection. I am talking about "standing tall and looking good" type of inspections, where the Brigade General and Battalion Commander has a peek.
Anyway there is this trick to make your floor look real shiny!. You get a can of past floor wax, catch it on fire, then blow it out (or some would say to just put the lid back on it) and pour out the liquid wax. Then you can buff it to a shine.
Well Travis (my room mate) and I got a can of wax and it was about 3:00 in the morning. We didn't want to buff the floor to early then it would get scuffed up. We knew the inspection was 3 hours later..
So I proceeded to "catch the can of wax on fire".. when it flamed up.. and boy did it flame up!!! I couldn't find the lid to put the fire out.. so I blew real hard.. that cause the flame to burn off my eye brows and it caught the window curtain on fire!!
Travis got a towel and try to "stomp" it out!! it caught the towel on fire, (I guess hot flaming wax can be a good fire starter) then when he flicked the towel back it caught my bed on fire..
Just then the alarms went off and the building was evacuated..No one was hurt..But we were in so much trouble.
Needless to say.. We didn't have an inspection that day.
Well, it is about 1:00 AM on a Saturday night, it is Memorial Day Weekend, I can't sleep, I been cleaning the basement and garage most of the day and all that dust is making my breathing crunchy.
I tried watching TV isn't nothing good on. So I came to the computer and wrote some more on that short story "Abby's Gift" I have 30 pages done..
So I went to You Tube and found this video. I liked it.. Sort of reminds me of a very good friend I have..
later and remember to Thank a Veteran this weekend, well actually every day..
Shelly: - "Hey I would love to visit your church but I don't own a dress." Usher: - "Sorry lady, we don't accept your kind"
New Mom: - "Hi, we just had a baby and I not comfortable leaving her in the nursery, is it ok she stays with us?" Pastor: - "That darn baby in the fourth row was screaming half the service, and then the people around her kept trying to make her smile..how dare some people."
Church Deacon: - "Hey you.. you got mud all over the carpet, if you want to worship here, it best you change your shoes." Young Drifter: - "Sorry sir."
Young Gothic girl: - "They wont accept me here, I am different." Jamie, her friend: - "Sure they will, they told me in Sunday School, to LOVE everyone!" Older Couple: "You see that is what's wrong with the country today, freaks like her with the tattoos and piercings trying to love a God who doesn't want her'"
Here is an idea..."The Yep Church"
Shelly: - "Hey I would love to visit your church but I don't own a dress is that ok." Usher: - "YEP"
New Mom: - "Hi, we just had a baby and I not comfortable leaving her in the nursery, is it ok she stays with us?" Pastor: - "YEP"
Young Drifter: -"I got mud on your new carpet, you forgive me" Church Deacon: - "YEP"
Young Gothic girl: - "They wont accept me here, I am different." Jamie, her friend: - "Sure they will, they told me in Sunday School, to LOVE everyone!" Older Couple: "Welcome to our church I love your black dress, and your hair style" Jamie: - "Do you really like her"? Older Couple: - "YEP"
Luke 6:37 "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven."
Today is a very exciting day.. in about two hours I will be batising a good friend of mine. The turn of the story is prett cool.. He experienced heart ach early in the year and now he relized that he needs Jesus.. I am just honored I got to see the story end.. I know that God has a amazing plan for this young man life.
God bless you my friend This video sums it up.."We all need to come home running"
It was this month twenty years ago, That I signed up for the Delayed Entry Program for the United States Army... Who would of thought that for eight years.. (some were pretty long at times) I would have seen the things I've seen or experience the things I experienced.. This video reminds me that EVERY US Vetern is important.. May God continue to bless America...
Hey, how is everyone doing.. Well since I am a big "chick-flicks" movie watcher, I thought I would give it a try, and see if I can write something in my spare time. This is what I have so far...
Abby’s Gift
Prologue
Cherry Grove was just like any other small Kentucky town. As I sit in the waiting room of the UK Medical Center, (United Kingdom Medical Center), where the best neurologist in the world are, my mind couldn't’t help but go back to a more simpler time.
A time when you could leave your front doors unlock and we kids knew when the fire flies came out, we had thirty minutes to get home.
That was when I first met Abigail Johnson or “Abby” as she was known by all who knew her, only her grandmother and her mom when she got in trouble on occasion, would call her Abigail.
Abby was the best player at kick the can, a game of fast paced, heart racing excitement that only a twelve year boy or girl could really appreciate.
Now, as I sit flipping thru the pages of out dated back issues of Field and Stream, and Better Homes and Gardens, in room number two –twenty-four, I can’t help but wonder, did she make the right decision, and was it worth it.
Abby’s Gift
Chapter 1 – Kick the Can
“No, you didn’t tag me!” shouted Jason, as he stood there arguing with Abigail Johnson, the new girl. Abby, as she was known by her friends, moved to Cherry Grove at the end of the school term, two weeks before summer vacation. Her father has died of a brain tumor when she was 3 years old, and her mom wanted to start over and find more healing. She had heard about Cherry Grove from her Aunt, who grew up her, then moved to New York to start her career in the theater. A lot of people would say that Aunt Carol was where Abby received her magical imagination.
“Yes I did!!” shouted back Abby, louder then Jason, “You are such a big baby.” she shouted, “Fine,” “I will be it again!”
“Hey Willie, come and help me count.” Abby knew I hated the name Willie; my parents named me William Edward, after my great grandfather and I only like to answer to Eddie. But she was cute and I had the biggest crush on her, so whatever she wanted to call me was just fine with me.
Well it is Wednesday and I am sitting in my office.. about to get ready for the meal and Bible Study here at the church..but first I just wanted to give a little shout- out to an avid reader of "Love - Letters"
I am talking about my good friend "Chief Posey".. I just had lunch with him yesterday and we were having a good ole time..
He just became the new Chief of Police in our town.. and I wish him the best of luck.. I am 100% positive that he will do a excellent job!!...
So here's to you partner.. and if you see a green Buick with duct tape on the front and back window speeding threw town.. Remember what you read here !!! (haha)
Well.. I haven't blogged in quiet a while.. to be honest I have been quite busy.. and sort of just "not-with-it" for a while.. I seem to have a lot on my mind.. anyway.. I did thought I would share this thought.. it is from John 15:13
"No greater love is this.. then when a person lays his life down for a friend"...
This kind of remind me of that 1980's song from that big hair band "Stryper" the song was "Honestly".. it basically talked about what it means to be a friend....
anyway.. that is what I believe makes life worth living..
Well this past weekend we celebrated the birthdays of two young men..(haha) On Sunday we had a party for Landon Cho' Love, who turned 3 years old on April 11th.. and his younger brother Roger Alexander (Lex)... who turned 1 on April 8th..
It was a pretty cool time.. Brady put together this bike/pulling thing for Alex.. I couldn't figure it out..
Hard to believe I have a 13 year old and a 3 year old and a 1 year old.. No wonder I am tired so much!!!
Check this out.. while watching some TV last night I was channal surfing and came across this video.. This is pretty cool.. the words are sort of right on the money.. I look at my three boys and I can't help to think of all the things my dad told me.. and low and behold, I am saying them now!!
It is amazing how three boys can totaly change your life and have you put your priorites in line..
Next week is Brady's spring break and Cathy and I are taking ten days off to hang out with the boys.. I am looking forward to this journey called "being the dad of three boys"..
It should be a wild ride.. like the song says..
"From watching him learn how to crawl To skinned up knees from skateboard falls To praying he'd get through football alive From hearing his first words spoken The first time his heart got broken And knowing soon he'll spread his wings and fly I guess I didn't know what a Daddy goes thru Til I was a Daddy too"
Thanks dad.. You always knew what to say.. even when I am a daddy too, you still know what to say.. Love you..
Monday is my typical day off, so I thought I would jump in and start the laundry for the week, and boy will my wife be so "happy and surprised"!!!...
(We interrupted this story for a message from the Emergency Broadcast System)
Today is Tuesday and I just got off the phone with my darling quiet wife. She informed me that,and I quote.. "You are NOT allowed to wash cloths ever- ever- ever- again"!!.. It seems that she "noticed" that I washed her new pink sweater with some white and brown cloths and they have this "spotted pink" look to them..
Again, she said I was never ever ever ever to wash cloths again....
Tonight I am putting a shelf up in the bathroom.. I hope she didn't noticed the holes in the wall from where I tried to put it up on Monday and the holes were off centered... (4 times)
This Saturday is our Upward Closing program, a celebration to end a tremendous successful ministry season. So many people put so much time and effort into seeing that the children of this community would have a place to play and cheer and learn about the love of a Father..
My main prayer is that the mothers and fathers of those children will be responsible enough for the watering and the caring of the seeds that were planted.
Well.. it has been awhile since I last blogg.. I am working on my message for the Upward closing program.. as I sit in my office.. I can hear the rain beat along the metal roof of the Family Life Center.. Oh my it is rainning so hard out there...!!
Anyway quick update on the boys.. Brady - Landon - Alexander..
Brady.. has been doing pretty good.. he has a "freind" that he spends hours with on the phone.. he is doing much better when we ask him to do somthing..(going through teen hormone days)
Landon - OMG.... Landon is killing us.. He takes his pants down.. shows his bottom and does a Veggie tales song and dance.. he is learning some new songs at church and at mommie's "MOPP Classes".. he still needs daddy to lay down with him when he goes to bed...You know what.. Daddy needs it too!!!
Alexander - Alexander.. or Lex is doing amazingly well.. he whistles.. I am serious. he will whistle and actual sound wil come out..
over all the boys are doing pretty good.. I am blessed to have them
Dick and Rick Hoyt are a father-and-son team from Massachusetts who together compete just about continuously in marathon races. And if they’re not in a marathon they are in a triathlon — that daunting, almost superhuman, combination of 26.2 miles of running, 112 miles of bicycling, and 2.4 miles of swimming. Together they have climbed mountains, and once trekked 3,735 miles across America. It’s a remarkable record of exertion — all the more so when you consider that Rick can't walk or talk. For the past twenty five years or more Dick, who is 65, has pushed and pulled his son across the country and over hundreds of finish lines. When Dick runs, Rick is in a wheelchair that Dick is pushing. When Dick cycles, Rick is in the seat-pod from his wheelchair, attached to the front of the bike. When Dick swims, Rick is in a small but heavy, firmly stabilized boat being pulled by Dick. At Rick’s birth in 1962 the umbilical cord coiled around his neck and cut off oxygen to his brain. Dick and his wife, Judy, were told that there would be no hope for their child’s development. "It’s been a story of exclusion ever since he was born," Dick told me. "When he was eight months old the doctors told us we should just put him away — he’d be a vegetable all his life, that sort of thing. Well those doctors are not alive any more, but I would like them to be able to see Rick now." The couple brought their son home determined to raise him as "normally" as possible. Within five years, Rick had two younger brothers, and the Hoyts were convinced Rick was just as intelligent as his siblings. Dick remembers the struggle to get the local school authorities to agree: "Because he couldn’t talk they thought he wouldn’t be able to understand, but that wasn’t true." The dedicated parents taught Rick the alphabet. "We always wanted Rick included in everything," Dick said. "That’s why we wanted to get him into public school." A group of Tufts University engineers came to the rescue, once they had seen some clear, empirical evidence of Rick’s comprehension skills. "They told him a joke," said Dick. "Rick just cracked up. They knew then that he could communicate!" The engineers went on to build — using $5,000 the family managed to raise in 1972 - an interactive computer that would allow Rick to write out his thoughts using the slight head-movements that he could manage. Rick came to call it "my communicator." A cursor would move across a screen filled with rows of letters, and when the cursor highlighted a letter that Rick wanted, he would click a switch with the side of his head. When the computer was originally brought home, Rick surprised his family with his first "spoken" words. They had expected perhaps "Hi, Mom" or "Hi, Dad." But on the screen Rick wrote "Go Bruins." The Boston Bruins were in the Stanley Cup finals that season, and his family realized he had been following the hockey games along with everyone else. "So we learned then that Rick loved sports," said Dick. In 1975, Rick was finally admitted into a public school. Two years later, he told his father he wanted to participate in a five-mile benefit run for a local lacrosse player who had been paralyzed in an accident. Dick, far from being a long-distance runner, agreed to push Rick in his wheelchair. They finished next to last, but they felt they had achieved a triumph. That night, Dick remembers, "Rick told us he just didn’t feel handicapped when we were competing." Rick’s realization turned into a whole new set of horizons that opened up for him and his family, as "Team Hoyt" began to compete in more and more events. Rick reflected on the transformation process for me, using his now-familiar but ever-painstaking technique of picking out letters of the alphabet: " What I mean when I say I feel like I am not handicapped when competing is that I am just like the other athletes, and I think most of the athletes feel the same way. In the beginning nobody would come up to me. However, after a few races some athletes came around and they began to talk to me. During the early days one runner, Pete Wisnewski had a bet with me at every race on who would beat who. The loser had to hang the winner’s number in his bedroom until the next race. Now many athletes will come up to me before the race or triathlon to wish me luck." It is hard to imagine now the resistance which the Hoyts encountered early on, but attitudes did begin to change when they entered the Boston Marathon in 1981, and finished in the top quarter of the field. Dick recalls the earlier, less tolerant days with more sadness than anger: "Nobody wanted Rick in a road race. Everybody looked at us, nobody talked to us, nobody wanted to have anything to do with us. But you can’t really blame them - people often are not educated, and they’d never seen anyone like us. As time went on, though, they could see he was a person — he has a great sense of humor, for instance. That made a big difference." After 4 years of marathons, Team Hoyt attempted their first triathlon — and for this Dick had to learn to swim. "I sank like a stone at first" Dick recalled with a laugh "and I hadn’t been on a bike since I was six years old." With a newly-built bike (adapted to carry Rick in front) and a boat tied to Dick’s waist as he swam, the Hoyts came in second-to-last in the competition held on Father’s Day 1985. "We chuckle to think about that as my Father’s Day present from Rick, " said Dick. They have been competing ever since, at home and increasingly abroad. Generally they manage to improve their finishing times. "Rick is the one who inspires and motivates me, the way he just loves sports and competing," Dick said. And the business of inspiring evidently works as a two-way street. Rick typed out this testimony: "Dad is one of my role models. Once he sets out to do something, Dad sticks to it whatever it is, until it is done. For example once we decided to really get into triathlons, dad worked out, up to five hours a day, five times a week, even when he was working." The Hoyts’ mutual inspiration for each other seems to embrace others too — many spectators and fellow-competitors have adopted Team Hoyt as a powerful example of determination. "It’s been funny," said Dick "Some people have turned out, some in good shape, some really out of shape, and they say ‘we want to thank you, because we’re here because of you’." Rick too has taken full note of their effect on fellow-competitors while racing: "Whenever we are passed (usually on the bike) the athlete will say "Go for it!" or "Rick, help your Dad!" When we pass people (usually on the run) they’ll say "Go Team Hoyt!" or "If not for you, we would not be out here doing this." Most of all, perhaps, the Hoyts can see an impact from their efforts in the area of the handicapped, and on public attitudes toward the physically and mentally challenged. "That’s the big thing," said Dick. "People just need to be educated. Rick is helping many other families coping with disabilities in their struggle to be included." That is not to say that all obstacles are now overcome for the Hoyts. Dick is "still bothered," he says, by people who are discomforted because Rick cannot fully control his tongue while eating. "In restaurants - and it’s only older people mostly - they’ll see Rick’s food being pushed out of his mouth and they’ll leave, or change their table. But I have to say that kind of intolerance is gradually being defeated." Rick’s own accomplishments, quite apart from the duo’s continuing athletic success, have included his moving on from high school to Boston University, where he graduated in 1993 with a degree in special education. That was followed a few weeks later by another entry in the Boston Marathon. As he fondly pictured it: "On the day of the marathon from Hopkinton to Boston people all over the course were wishing me luck, and they had signs up which read `congratulations on your graduation!’" Rick now works at Boston College’s computer laboratory helping to develop a system codenamed "Eagle Eyes," through which mechanical aids (like for instance a powered wheelchair) could be controlled by a paralyzed person’s eye-movements, when linked-up to a computer. Together the Hoyts don’t only compete athletically; they also go on motivational speaking tours, spreading the Hoyt brand of inspiration to all kinds of audiences, sporting and non-sporting, across the country. Rick himself is confident that his visibility — and his father’s dedication — perform a forceful, valuable purpose in a world that is too often divisive and exclusionary. He typed a simple parting thought:
"The message of Team Hoyt is that everybody should be included in everyday life."
Well last week I turned the big "38"... yea can you belive that.. but it was pretty cool.. I got an awesome gift.. a new day planner that is really impressive and Cathy took me out to O Chuck's for dinner and I got to go to Big Lots...
My computer has been down so I haven't been able to blogg much.. Upward is going very well.. Three more weeks.. hard to belive..
Well it is that time of year again, Landon has been conjested all week and had a nasty sounding cough.. But the doctor gave him some meds and he is doing much better.. Upward is starting it's third week this Saturday and things are going pretty good.. We have a total of 152 kids involved.. I am excited about that...
"Diaper Dandy Baby"...
Oh I have a birthday comming up in about 13 days and 5 hours... so if any one wants to get me a gift and really dont know what to get me.. I take all kinds of CASH!!!
Hey .. Well it has been awhile since my last post.. honestly I been really busy with Upward Ministries.. last weekend was our first game.. I don't know I think it went pretty good.....
Hey everyone... Again I have to brag on someone.. Her name is Whitnay... or whom I like to call Whit-Ney... She is one of our students and she is also one of my Upward Cheer coaches.. Now, the reason I am bragging on her is not that she is a super cool teen who watches my 2 young boys some of the, most of the time.. and that she is my "honorary" daughter"..
But the fact that she wrote this letter to all her Upward Cheer parents.. It truly showed the heart of a teen who is trying to make a difference..
So it just goes to show you.. you can't judge all teens by what the news reports.. There are alot of AWESOME teens out there..
Here is a thought... why don't you take time out to talk to one.. you might just be suprised...
PS... this picture is a Christian pop group called Hawk Nelson.. her favorite...
Whay to go Whitnay!!!...."Remember who you are, And what you stand for".. I am prould of you girl!!!
I am so excited!!! Landon came to me this morning and said he had to poopie.. I was so happy for him.. He got on his stool.. (not that kind of "stool") and sat there.... and sat there.. and sat there.. then he made the cooliest face, and "plop"!! out it came!!!!
He jumped up and said..."Look daddy, it is poopie"!!!
I said "Yea!!!"
The he finished and we went and got a "scooby-snack" and watch TV..
Well.. Upward Basketball and Cheerleading has started this year.. I am sort of excited about this.. I think this might be one of our best years.. I have alot of new coaches who are excited about being a mentor to alot of deserving young kids.
I am very excited that we got a lot of new kids this year.. I am thrilled that we have so many returning families..
I am looking forward to see what God has planned this year!!!
This is pretty cool.. The other day Landon came to me and we were talking and he made this pretty awesome statement. He said “Daddy, can I fly thru the clouds with you?”...As I answered “You sure can!” As he walked out of the room smiling he then asked...”You my friend daddy?”…
And I answered “I am your best friend.” Then he went to bed.
