okay, maybe it's just me. maybe i'm overly-attuned to the changing social/political landscape. but i can't believe where this society is heading.
first off, and worst of all, President Obama has taken measures to repeal the ban of federal funding for abortions. this will lead to thousands of Americans choosing to be irresponsible because they can always just abort the baby later. it's unbelievable. it's disgusting. it's murder.
on lesser notes, we can't even win a game anymore without worrying about someone's feelings getting hurt. a girls basketball game ended in a shocking 100-0 score. kudos to the winning team. to the losers, you need to learn how to beat the trap and make a layup. that should have been the end of it. but NO! parents and administrators to the rescue! now, the winning team will probably forfeit the win and make a public apology! you think i'm kidding? check the link above.
and finally, you've heard the commercials. you've seen the special programs. by now, you know what is going to happen on February 17th, 2009: TV will make the switch to Digital. the government has offered rebates for converter boxes. the local news stations have been warning us for seemingly 2 years. but today, the announcement comes that we'll have to put that on hold until June 2009. why? because some households haven't gotten ready for the switch. i could care less if my TV input was analog or digital. but it bugs me that we seem to be bending the plans and desires of all to appease the irresponsibility and fragile egos of the few.
whatever happened to personal accountability?
whatever happened to "what doesn't kill us only makes us stronger"?
whatever happened to being responsible?
we were taught to enjoy the gift of sex in the context of marriage only. we were taught that a baby in utero is just as alive as a baby in your arms. we were taught that sometimes people are better than us, and we have to work harder instead of tearing down their accomplishments. we were taught to do certain things by certain times in certain ways or have to deal with the consequences of our actions.
in this age of "bailouts", i can't think of a way we could get bailed out of this mess we're making.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
One room down!
i mean, what a "before and after"!!! the only things we lack are the new flooring and new curtains. those will come soon. but the dining room is now usable again! doesn't it look so much bigger???
Friday, January 16, 2009
A little perspective....
one of my favorite announcers of all time is David Feherty, the PGA tour announcer with a thick Irish accent. even above how cool is accent sounds, he's hilarious. i stumbled across this article on Yahoo! Sports today. he was speaking about how he's interacted with some of our soldiers overseas. here's a quick shot:
"But every soldier I've talked to - there, at Walter Reed [Army Medical Center], anywhere else - I've yet to meet a soldier, a sailor, or a marine who hasn't said, "I want to go back." It doesn't matter how badly they're hurt, they still want to get back with their team. That's something you don't hear on the six o'clock news.
Back here, I've tried to do what I can. In July, I did what I called "the IED of golf" up in Chevy Chase, Maryland. We took 36 amputees out on the course that day. One of them stepped up to the ball on the first tee, hit it 240 yards. Let me tell you, it was the greatest shot I've ever seen, and I've watched Tiger Woods the last 12 years.
There was a Green Beret who wanted to walk with me, was on two prosthetic legs. Had just gotten ‘em. The first day, he walks 12 holes, and I'm just stunned by this guy. No self-pity, such courage and dignity.
The next day he comes back and says he wants to walk all 18. I'm saying, "This is Congressional. Sure you want to don't want to ride in the cart?" A buddy of his leans over to me and says, "It's easier to be the Pope than to be a Green Beret." I got the message.
So this guy is walking with us, his stump is bleeding, he's falling over a couple times. But he wasn't embarrassed, he just popped back up. And As he's walking, I'm thinking, I've got these kinds of people fighting for me. That's what makes me do whatever I can. These guys are American royalty, warrior princes, and we ignore them or humiliate them by making them suffer through things like sitting with their stumps exposed while they're going through airport security. Come on!"
we should stop and be thankful for our troops who do for us what we might never dream of doing for someone else.
"But every soldier I've talked to - there, at Walter Reed [Army Medical Center], anywhere else - I've yet to meet a soldier, a sailor, or a marine who hasn't said, "I want to go back." It doesn't matter how badly they're hurt, they still want to get back with their team. That's something you don't hear on the six o'clock news.
Back here, I've tried to do what I can. In July, I did what I called "the IED of golf" up in Chevy Chase, Maryland. We took 36 amputees out on the course that day. One of them stepped up to the ball on the first tee, hit it 240 yards. Let me tell you, it was the greatest shot I've ever seen, and I've watched Tiger Woods the last 12 years.
There was a Green Beret who wanted to walk with me, was on two prosthetic legs. Had just gotten ‘em. The first day, he walks 12 holes, and I'm just stunned by this guy. No self-pity, such courage and dignity.
The next day he comes back and says he wants to walk all 18. I'm saying, "This is Congressional. Sure you want to don't want to ride in the cart?" A buddy of his leans over to me and says, "It's easier to be the Pope than to be a Green Beret." I got the message.
So this guy is walking with us, his stump is bleeding, he's falling over a couple times. But he wasn't embarrassed, he just popped back up. And As he's walking, I'm thinking, I've got these kinds of people fighting for me. That's what makes me do whatever I can. These guys are American royalty, warrior princes, and we ignore them or humiliate them by making them suffer through things like sitting with their stumps exposed while they're going through airport security. Come on!"
we should stop and be thankful for our troops who do for us what we might never dream of doing for someone else.
Happy Birthday Sophia!
my niece Sophia will turn 3 years old next week! i have to work this Saturday, so we can't make the party! :( we hope you have a great 3rd birthday!!!
our house stuff is coming along. our dining room is near completion. we've primed the trim, and all we lack is the final high gloss coat, and it will be done! we primed the foyer yesterday, too. so we'll try to paint that soon. pictures will come eventually!
our house stuff is coming along. our dining room is near completion. we've primed the trim, and all we lack is the final high gloss coat, and it will be done! we primed the foyer yesterday, too. so we'll try to paint that soon. pictures will come eventually!
Sunday, January 11, 2009
New Look Dining Room!!! Pictures!!!
don't get too excited! we're far from over, but much further than we've been! this weekend, brooke and i finished spackling and sanding the walls in the dining room. so we primed the walls last night. this afternoon, we stopped by Lowe's and got our paint and painted the walls! the color looks alot better in person than on the pictures. we've still got to paint the trim and windows white, but we're thrilled at how good it looks so far!!!
you can see above how well the primer covered our spotted wall.
it looks great!!!
you can see above how well the primer covered our spotted wall.
it looks great!!!
Monday, January 05, 2009
Remodeling pics
after painting the ceiling. notice how smoky it is in there....that was from sanding some of the spackling off the walls. our house is thinly coated with spackling dust in about 5 rooms.
this is the "before" picture of the ceiling.
this is where the shower once stood in our bathroom. i've still got to tear down the white concrete walls and replace it with sheetrock. the shower pan has been removed, leaving the bare subflooring (which i'll need to replace).
this view is similar to the "Avios Avocado" picture. since this picture was taken, i've removed the toilet and broken up about 2/3 of the remaining floor tile.
Bible Knowledge Class
i'm trying something new for our teenage class at church. i thought it would be awesome if we could all know at least one fact from every New Testament chapter. like, if I said Ephesians 5, then you would be able to think of some topic or verse from that chapter. to that end, we'll review and study this every week this quarter in our teenage class.
yesterday was our first class, and i wanted to start with a baseline so i could see where they were and so they can see where they are in their personal Bible knowledge. i compiled a 32 question quiz that i want to share with you, too. to begin with, they only tried to fill in the blanks. then, i provided the possible answers so they could match them up. it took a while, but we figured them all out.
so give it a shot, and see how your Bible knowledge stacks up! like i told the kids, this isn't designed to make you feel dumb or like you're a bad Christian, but it's aimed at challenging you to be a better student and doer of the Word.
1. A chapter that lists 7 parables, including the sower, dragnet, and pearl of great price: _______________
2. A chapter that records Jesus’ prayer before His crucifixion: ____________
3. A verse that talks about “walking in the light”: _____________
4. A chapter that lists the qualifications for elders and deacons: ____________
5. A verse that we sing “I am crucified with Christ”: _______________
6. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God…” : _______________
7. A verse where we are first called “Christians”: ________________
8. “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain”: ________________
9. The faith was “once for all time delivered to the saints”: ______________
10. A chapter that lists the “7 ones”: _________________
11. A chapter that records Jesus’ 1st miracle: ________________
12. A verse that reminds us that God “will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able…” : _______________
13. A verse that tells us that Jesus will return as a thief in the night: _________
14. A verse that says “the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” :_____________
15. A verse that plainly says that “baptism now saves you”: _______________
16. “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord”: ______________
17. A chapter where Paul talks about his “thorn in the flesh”: ______________
18. “Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” : __________________
19. “Whatever you do in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.”: __________________
20. A verse that tells us that Jesus is “the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.”: ___________________
21. “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.”: ________________
22. If you don’t work, you don’t eat: ________________
23. A book that deals with a slave named Onesimus: _____________
24. “The Lord is not slack concerning His promises, but is longsuffering….wanting all men to come to repentance.”: _______________
25. A chapter that records Stephen’s sermon: ______________
26. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” ___________________
27. A chapter that records the “woes” to scribes and Pharisees: ____________
28. “we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age.”: ______
29. A chapter that records the conversion of Cornelius: ____________
30. A verse at the end of a book that tells the purpose of miracles: __________
31. Lost sheep/coin/son: __________________
32. “Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son.” : ________________
yesterday was our first class, and i wanted to start with a baseline so i could see where they were and so they can see where they are in their personal Bible knowledge. i compiled a 32 question quiz that i want to share with you, too. to begin with, they only tried to fill in the blanks. then, i provided the possible answers so they could match them up. it took a while, but we figured them all out.
so give it a shot, and see how your Bible knowledge stacks up! like i told the kids, this isn't designed to make you feel dumb or like you're a bad Christian, but it's aimed at challenging you to be a better student and doer of the Word.
1. A chapter that lists 7 parables, including the sower, dragnet, and pearl of great price: _______________
2. A chapter that records Jesus’ prayer before His crucifixion: ____________
3. A verse that talks about “walking in the light”: _____________
4. A chapter that lists the qualifications for elders and deacons: ____________
5. A verse that we sing “I am crucified with Christ”: _______________
6. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God…” : _______________
7. A verse where we are first called “Christians”: ________________
8. “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain”: ________________
9. The faith was “once for all time delivered to the saints”: ______________
10. A chapter that lists the “7 ones”: _________________
11. A chapter that records Jesus’ 1st miracle: ________________
12. A verse that reminds us that God “will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able…” : _______________
13. A verse that tells us that Jesus will return as a thief in the night: _________
14. A verse that says “the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” :_____________
15. A verse that plainly says that “baptism now saves you”: _______________
16. “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord”: ______________
17. A chapter where Paul talks about his “thorn in the flesh”: ______________
18. “Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” : __________________
19. “Whatever you do in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.”: __________________
20. A verse that tells us that Jesus is “the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.”: ___________________
21. “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.”: ________________
22. If you don’t work, you don’t eat: ________________
23. A book that deals with a slave named Onesimus: _____________
24. “The Lord is not slack concerning His promises, but is longsuffering….wanting all men to come to repentance.”: _______________
25. A chapter that records Stephen’s sermon: ______________
26. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” ___________________
27. A chapter that records the “woes” to scribes and Pharisees: ____________
28. “we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age.”: ______
29. A chapter that records the conversion of Cornelius: ____________
30. A verse at the end of a book that tells the purpose of miracles: __________
31. Lost sheep/coin/son: __________________
32. “Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son.” : ________________
Monday, December 29, 2008
Holiday and Remodeling Update!
we have been busy! for Xmas, we traveled north to "Donkey-town" to see Brooke's parents. we had a great time there. we racked up with some Lowe's gift cards! woohoo! we both had to work Friday and Saturday, so we had to come home late Thursday night.
our remodeling is coming along, too. it's hard to get alot of stuff done just in the evenings, but we're doing well. we FINALLY got all the wallpaper off in the dining room. we bought an electric sander to smooth out the rough patches, and it worked great. as i type, brooke is peeling wallpaper in the foyer near the front door. i enlisted my buddy Ryan from church to help me do some demolition in the master bathroom. we have completely removed the shower pan now. so it's just subflooring exposed now. we've still got some to remove from the old tiled walls, but it's coming along!
we'll head to "Monkey-town" for New Year's with my parents. we hope to post pictures soon of our holidays and the remodeling.
hope everyone has a great new year!
our remodeling is coming along, too. it's hard to get alot of stuff done just in the evenings, but we're doing well. we FINALLY got all the wallpaper off in the dining room. we bought an electric sander to smooth out the rough patches, and it worked great. as i type, brooke is peeling wallpaper in the foyer near the front door. i enlisted my buddy Ryan from church to help me do some demolition in the master bathroom. we have completely removed the shower pan now. so it's just subflooring exposed now. we've still got some to remove from the old tiled walls, but it's coming along!
we'll head to "Monkey-town" for New Year's with my parents. we hope to post pictures soon of our holidays and the remodeling.
hope everyone has a great new year!
Friday, December 19, 2008
Monday, December 15, 2008
Adios Avocado!
so this was our master bathroom. a couple of things to note here:
1. this photo was taken from an adjoining doorway to a spare bedroom. ergo, this isn't truly a "master" bathroom....more like a "jack and jill" setup. we will eventually wall off that doorway, making it a true master bathroom.
2. the large shower stall to the left is now gone. years of lime and calcium deposits almost prevented me from unscrewing it, but a little C-L-R loosened it right up. before buying the house, our home inspector told us about a leak in this shower pan. he estimated it would cost about $3,000 to repair it. sooooo.....we decided not to pursue that. we will instead install a shower head in the current tub to make that a shower/tub combo. where the shower is now will be where the toilet will soon be. which leads to note #3....
3. just below view to the right in this picture is our current toilet. it quite literally is the "stinkpot"....you know, when one person is just stuck in the middle of a big group. that's what it feels like where it is. it's kinda like they got so excited to have a full shower and a separate tub in one room that they forgot to plan for a place to put the toilet. so they said, "we'll just stick it here in the middle of the floor....". crazy.
4. please note the colors. avocado green tiles with avocado green countertops with avocado green striped wallpaper. somebody REALLY liked avocado green. i guess that was a sign of the times. anyhoo, any and every thing avocado will be removed.
5. how do you like the hanging light? i'm not judging, but if it was me, i would have picked a light that didn't hang in front of that cabinet door....you know.....so you don't bang into it every time you open that door. just a thought....
to date, in this bathroom, we have:
*striped the wallpaper
*scraped off the popcorn ceiling
*dismantled the shower
*broken off all the tile (shower and tub) - very time consuming
and that has taken the better parts of 5-6 days. we haven't taken pictures really since then, so we'll try to take a "demolished" picture soon. we'll be working quickly to get started on building it back up the way we want.
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