Shawn Williams - Engaged In The Battle, Having Already Won The War

Little Sadie Fryar

2009-07-13T10:30:00.001-05:00

Sadie: Isn't she beautiful?

NASA & The Bible

2009-07-13T10:24:00.002-05:00

This was sent to me. It really made me think. What do the rest of you think?

Thought this was pretty amazing and interesting! For all the scientists out there, and for all the students who have a hard time convincing these people regarding the truth of the Bible, here's something that shows God's awesome creation, and that He is still in control.
Did you know that the space program is busy proving that what has been called 'myth' in the Bible is true? Mr. Harold Hill, President of the Curtis Engine Company in Baltimore, Maryland , and a consultant in the space program, relates the following development.
'I think one of the most amazing things that God has done for us today happened recently to our astronauts and space scientists at Green Belt, Maryland . They were checking out where the positions of the sun, moon, and planets would be 100 years and 1,000 years from now. We have to know this so we won't send up a satellite and have it bump into something later on in its orbits. We have to lay out the orbits in terms of the life of the satellite and where the planets will be so the whole thing will not bog down. They ran the computer measurement back and forth over the centuries, and it came to a halt. The computer stopped and put up a red signal, which meant that there was something wrong with either the information fed into it or with the results as compared to the standards. They called in the service department to check it out, and they said, 'What's wrong?' Well, they found there is a day missing in space in elapsed time. They scratched their heads and tore their hair out. There was no answer.
Finally a Christian man on the team said, 'You know, one time I was in Sunday School, and they talked about the sun standing still.' While they didn't believe him, they didn't have an answer either, so they said, 'Show us, ' He got a Bible and went to the book of Joshua where they found a pretty ridiculous statement for any one with 'common sense.' There they found the Lord saying to Joshua, 'Fear them not, I have delivered them into thy hand; there shall not a man of them stand before Thee.' Joshua was concerned because he was surrounded by the enemy! And if darkness fell, they would overpower them. So Joshua asked the Lord to make the sun stand still! That's right... 'The sun stood still and the moon stayed and lasted not to go down about a whole day!' (Joshua 10:12-13)
The astronauts and scientists said, There is the missing day! They checked the computers going back into the time it was written and found it was close but not close enough. The elapsed time that was missing back in Joshua's day was 23 hours and 20 minutes.. not a whole day. They read the Bible, and there it was about [approximately] a day.
These little words in the Bible are important, but they were still in trouble because if you cannot account for 40 minutes, you'll still be in trouble 1000 years from now. Forty minutes had to be found because it can be multiplied many times over in orbits.
As the Christian employee thought about it, he remembered somewhere in the Bible where it said the sun went BACKWARDS. The scientists told him he was out of his mind, but they got out the Book and read these words in 2 Kings that told of the following story: Hezekiah, on his death bed, was visited by the prophet Isaiah who told him that he was not going to die. Hezekiah asked for a sign as proof. Isaiah said 'Do you want the sun to go ahead 10 degrees?' Hezekiah said, 'It is nothing for the sun to go ahead 10 degrees, but let the shadow return backward 10 degrees.' Isaiah spo ke to the Lord, and the Lord brought the shadow ten degrees BACKWARD! Ten degrees is exactly 40 minutes!' Twenty-three hours and 20 minutes in Joshua, plus 40 minutes in Second Kings make the missing day in the universe!
Isn't it amazing?
References: Joshua 10:8 and 12,13 and 2 Kings 20:9-11.

Great Truths We Have Learned

2009-07-10T12:41:00.002-05:00

Ed Warner, a friend from church sent these to me.

GREAT TRUTHS THAT LITTLE CHILDREN HAVE LEARNED:
1) No matter how hard you try, you can't baptize cats..
2) When your Mum is mad at your Dad, don't let her brush your hair.
3) If your sister hits you, don't hit her back. They always catch the second person.
4) Never ask your 3-year old brother to hold a tomato.
5) You can't trust dogs to watch your food.
6) Don't sneeze when someone is cutting your hair.
7) Never hold a Dust-Buster and a cat at the same time.
8) You can't hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk.
9) Don't wear polka-dot underwear under white shorts.
10) The best place to be when you're sad is Grandpa's lap.

GREAT TRUTHS THAT ADULTS HAVE LEARNED:
1) Raising teenagers is like nailing jelly to a tree....
2) Wrinkles don't hurt.
3) Families are like fudge...mostly sweet, with a few nuts
4) Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground..
5) Laughing is good exercise. It's like jogging on the inside..
6) Middle age is when you choose your cereal for the fiber, not the toy.

GREAT TRUTHS ABOUT GROWING OLD
1) Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional..
2) Forget the health food. I need all the preservatives I can get.
3) When you fall down, you wonder what else you can do while you're down there.
4) You're getting old when you get the same sensation from a rocking chair that you once got from a roller coaster.
5) It's frustrating when you know all the answers but nobody bothers to ask you the questions.
6) Time may be a great healer, but it's a lousy beautician
7) Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes alone.

Heaven Or Hell

2009-07-10T10:29:00.000-05:00

Is there a heaven and is there a hell? Now there is a question that probably all of us have considered to one degree or another. It is a question that most in the world have wrestled with and have even perhaps been haunted by. The Bible is pretty clear on the existence of heaven and hell and also is clear on the fact that they are in great contrast to each other.
Many people in our nation believe in heaven, but do not believe in hell. I guess they don’t want to deal with the reality of an actual hell as being a place of eternal torment. You would have to be a little off-your-rocker to want to go to a place that is described as an eternal furnace. It is a lot easier to think that you can live a self-involved life of depravity and that there is no hell and everyone is going to heaven. It’s a sweet little cuddly happy ending that would justify a life lived outside the grace and service of God.
In the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus Jesus has us understand that there is a heaven and there is a hell. Heaven is preserved for his saints and is for those who have lived a life in his grace committed to serving him. Hell is alive and kicking (sadly) and is ready for those who reject Christ and would live to serve self rather than God.
The parable Jesus presents to us in Luke 16:19-31 should really encourage us to strive for heaven and leave hell far behind us. It gives us practical advice on how to live in the grace of God as we serve God and help meet the needs of those less fortunate than us. The parable helps us understand and live out in this life the message of the Word of God. It teaches that even though in this life we have pain, hurt, and anguish that heaven will be a place of joy, happiness, fulfillment, and great blessing. It reminds me of a song I used to sing as a kid—Heaven is a wonderful place, filled with glory and grace, I wanna see my savior’s face, heaven is a wonderful place. I wanna go there!

More Rejoicing For the 1 Than the 99

2009-07-08T12:05:00.003-05:00

Luke 15:1-7 (NIV) Parable of the Lost Sheep
Now the tax collectors and “sinners” were all gathering around to hear him. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety–nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety–nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
Two points of mphasis I would like to make:
1) How strange that Jesus is accused of welcoming and eating with sinners! I mean this is what its suppose to be about. Jesus will go on a tell the story of the lost sheep showing us that this is really what living as a Christian, in the body, is suppose to be about. It seems like we build our buildings for the very reason to keep sinners out. We can make statements similar to this in judgment of our fellow Christians who associate with sinners and eat with them. How else can we share the life changing story of Jesus with them if we don't associat with them and make them the target of our efforts. But most of our efforts are on ourselves.
2) The statement in v.7 says there is more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over the 99 righteous who are safe in the pen. This is another statement that amazes me. Jesus concern is over the one lost than over the 99 who are safe. I think we in the church today have a tendancy to worry and fuss over the 99 who are safe than over the one who need to know Jesus. We seem to rejoice more over the 99 safe than the one who repents. Our efforts need to be for the sinner, to bring them Christ, but in fact most of our efforts are for the 99. How sad!

Grandkids

2009-07-08T12:00:00.003-05:00

Debby and the Grandkids

Welcome Sadie Holcomb Fryar

2009-06-22T14:32:00.004-05:00

7 lb 1 oz 20 1/4 inches long.

Teacher's Woes

2009-06-09T09:20:00.003-05:00

Ever have one of those days?
Did you hear about the teacher who was helping one of her kindergarten students put his snow boots on? He asked for help and she could see why. With her pulling and him pushing, the boots still didn't want to go on. When the second boot was on, she had worked up a sweat.
She almost whimpered when the little boy said, "Teacher, they're on the wrong feet."
She looked and sure enough, they were. It wasn't any easier pulling the boats off than it was putting them on. She managed to keep her cool as together they worked to get the snow boots back on--this time on the right feet.
He then announced, "These aren't my boots."
She bit her tongue rather than get right in his face and scream. "Why didn't you say so?" like she wanted to. Once again she struggled to help him pull the ill-fitting snow boots off.
He then said, "They're my bother's boots. My mom made me wear them."
She didn't know if she should laugh or cry. She mustered up the grace to wrestle the boots on his feet again. She said, "Now, where are you mittens?"
He said, "I stuffed them in the toes of my boots..."

Cutest Grandkids In The World

2009-06-08T14:45:00.003-05:00

Calling of the Kingdom

2009-06-02T13:08:00.004-05:00

We, in our culture, seemed to be possessed with material possessions and the attainment of such possesions. I know it is something I still struggle with. It seems like everything around us is just screaming buy this, you gotta have that, life will be better for you if you have this... When does it ever end. How can I keep the sound for more more more out of my head!!!! Perhaps the key is in setting my heart in something else. Instead of being concerned about wealth and material possessions whey not rather be concerning with the things of the kingdom. How can we let ourselves hear the calling of the kingdom rather than things? Read this passage from Luke 12:22-34 out of the God's Word Translation:
"Then Jesus said to his disciples, "So I tell you to stop worrying about what you will eat or wear. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothes. Consider the crows. They don't plant or harvest. They don't even have a storeroom or barn. Yet, God feeds them. You are worth much more than birds. Can any of you add an hour to your life by worrying? If you can't do a small thing like that, why worry about other things? Consider how the flowers grow. They never work or spin yarn for clothes. but I say that not even Solomon in all his majesty was dressed like one of these flowers. That's the way God clothes the grass in the field. Today it's alive, and tomorrow it's thrown into an incinerator. So how much more will he clothe you people who have so little faith?
Don't concern yourself about what you will eat or drink, and quit worrying about these things. Everyone in the world is concerned about these things, but your Father knows you need them. Rather, be concerned about his kingdom. Then these things will be provided for you. Don't be afraid, little flock. Your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.
Sell your material possessions, and give the money to the poor. Make yourselves wallets that don't wear out! Make a treasure for yourselves in heaven that never loses its value! In heaven thieves and moths can't get close enough to destroy your treasure. Your heart will be where your treasue is." (God's Word)
Hear the calling of the kingdom! I wonder if we could ever fully put this message into practice in our American culture of possessing things mindset. Hmmmm.

Prison or Work?

2009-06-01T21:57:00.003-05:00

The Difference Between Prison and Work:

In prison...You spend the majority of your time in a 8 X 10 cell
At Work...You spend most of you time in a 6 X 8 cubicle

In prison...You get 3 meals a day
At Work...You get only a break for one mean and you have to pay for it

In prison...You get time off for good behavior
At Work...You get rewarded for good behavior with more work

In prison...A guard locks and unlocks all the doors for you
At Work...You must carry around a security card and unlock and open all the doors yourself

In prison...You can watch television and play games
At Work...You get fired for watching television and playing games

In prison...You have your own toilet
At Work...You have to share

In prison...They allow family and friends to visit
At Work...You cannot even speak to family and friends

In prison...All expenses are paid by the taxpayer, no work requred
At Work...You get to pay all the expenses and then they deduct it from yoour salary to pay for prisioners

In prision...You spend most of you life looking through bars from the inside wanting to get out
At Work...You spend most of your time waiting to get out and go inside bars

In prison...There are wardens who are often sadistic
At Work...They are called Supervisiors

In prison...You have unlimited time to read email jokes
At Work...You get fired if you get caught reading emails

The Mustard Seed

2009-05-02T23:01:00.002-05:00

It's 11:oo PM Saturday night. My sermon tomorrow is The Mustard Seed. I know everything about mustard seeds. My sermon will deal first of all with the parable of the mustard seed. The mustard seed is likened to the kingdom of heaven. It is the smallest of seeds and becomes a large bush or tree that even the birds of the air can come and perch in its shade. God's kingdom is like this; it had humble beginnings a savior born in a manager and ultimately became the Mountain of the House of Jehovah and all peoples come into and find life everlasting.
So faith is like a Mustard Seed. Luke 17 says even a little faith, like that of a mustard seed can with the power and strength of God become something grand and life giving for those in the kingdom. The title is actually, Little Things Into Great Things.
How interesting is the mustard seed.

Everyday In May

2009-05-01T21:42:00.003-05:00

My goal is to blog everyday during the month of May. I'm already tired and ready to go to bed. I've got to get up tomorrow and mow the yard. I hope it doesn't rain tonight because the lawn is pretty soaked and it is long and needs to be cut. The fertilizer has come through and so it is pretty green, especially the back yard. It should look really good after I mow it.
The two Crepe Myrtle trees we planted in the yard are coming back. It froze a few weeks ago one night and killed the first leaves, but today I noticed that new leaves have come out. So they should be good.
We also have the Topsy Turvey Tomato growers and we have a few green tomatoes coming in and many many blooms. Looks like we will have tomatoes this summer. I love tomatoes. Today I made salsa and chicken with a slight tomato spicy flavoring. It was the first time I made it and it was really good. The family, I think, really enjoyed it. It was really good on flour and corn tortillas.
See you tomorow.

Crossword Puzzles

2009-04-30T11:13:00.003-05:00

Crossword puzzles have become a recent hobby of mine--like I need another hobby to take up more of the time I don't have. I'm not very good with little words in other languages. I don't remember things very well and so I'm hoping that doing crossword puzzles will help me retain words better. So many of the words in a crossword are words that you really don't use too much in your every day or preaching life. I'm just not sure if the word Spoor (footprints in one of the African languages) will ever be used in a sermon.
I was very proud because today I completed the entire Thursday puzzle without help from a dictionary or other people. Every so often I can complete one by myself. I'm still not very good with little words in other languages.
Thanks for the help with my last word I needed help with. The clue was Outback Maker. The answer was SUBARU. Easy answer, but I couldn't get my mind to go that direction no matter what I did. I kept thinking of something in Australia.
Here is one that I could'nt get, because I didn't know. Who was Galahad's Mother? Starts with an E. It would be easy to look it up on line or something, but I think that is cheating.
Her is another, Coffin Table. The answer is bier. I asked a friend Shane Fuller, who is a funeral director and he knew right away. He said if I ever had another funeral home type question to just give him a call.
Don't talk to me about the New York Times Crosswords. Maybe one day, if I retire, I will try and work those out. I used to do USA Today crossword puzzle, until they went up to $1.00 a paper.
I'm still not very good with little words in other languages.

What's Currently On My Mind

2009-04-07T10:51:00.003-05:00

My resurrection sermon for Sunday: What If There Had Been No Resurrection
Our Men's Retreat April 23rd - 24th: Topic for me is Leading Like Jesus In The Church.
I'm Sleepy. I've had to get up the past two mornings at 5:00 AM for meetings. I'm not a morning person and it physically hurts to get up so early. Debby says she feels sorry for me. Once I'm up and going though I'm fine. If I can just make it through my shower I'm fine. I always played a better round of golf when I teed off at 1:00 PM rather than 7:30 AM.
My crossword clue for 20 across is Outback Maker. It is a six letter word and the first four are SUBA__ and I can't think of what it is and it is frustrating me. I have most of the word but still can't get the clue. I'm going on.
I've made CD's of lectures about Biblical Wisdom Literature and I'm anxious to sit and listen to them, but I have a million things to do so I can't get to them for awhile.
I've got to build a web site for Jim Cawyer's Leather tooling business and I'm trying to find the time to do. I need to get it done.
I'm trying to get the Area-Wide Minister's Luncheon ready for next Tuesday and I've got to call Napoli's.
I think I might go get some Chinese food at, at, at, at, at,...well, I don't know where, but somewhere.
I've got to go to the restroom but can't because Little Hearts is here (Preschool Program at Lakeside) and they always keep the door to the men's bathroom open so they can monitor the little ones. I can't go in there when the door stands open. Surely you understand why?
I think leading like Jesus in the church has got to be more than just waiting on the communion table, saying a prayer, leading singing, preaching, or doing the annoucements. Don't you?

Who Is My Neighbor?

2009-03-23T14:59:00.003-05:00

The story of the Good Samaritan answers the question of "Who is my neighbor?" An expert in the law asks Jesus this question and Jesus tells the story of the Good Samaritan. The parable is found in Luke 10:25-37. Read the story and here are five lessons I think we can learn from this parable as we think about who our neighbor is in the 21st Century.

My neigbhor is more than just my own family and more than just my own church.
I can't let my religious duty and ritual become more important than loving my neighbor.
Being a Christian is more about what I do for my neighbor than what I know about the Bible.
It is altogether to easy to miss opportunities of loving my neighbor because of apathy, selfishness, religious elitism, prejudice, and busy schedules.
Loving my neighbor involves commitment, risk, sacrfice, and action.

Being a Christian and being the church is about helping those who are in need--by loving my neighbor. My neighbor is anyone that has a need. This is by far more impotant than how often I go to church, or how much Bible knowledge I have. Paul said, If I speak in human or angelic tongues, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body‹to hardship› that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Loving my neighbor is the answer to the question, "What must I do to inherit eternal life?"

The 23rd Cup

2009-02-20T11:34:00.005-06:00

Caffeine is my shepherd: I shall not doze.
It maketh me to wake in green pastures;
It leadeth me beyond the sleeping masses.
It restoreth my buzz.
It leadeth me in the paths of consciousness for its name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of addiction,
I'll fear no Equal for thou art with me;
Thy cream and thy flavorings they comfort me.
Thou preparest a carafe before me in the presence of Starbucks.
Thou anointest my days with vigor; my mug runneth over.
Surely flavor and aroma shall follow me all the days of my life
and I will dwell in the House of Maxwell forever.
Latte

I don't remember where I found it but I didn't write it. I accused Debby of writing it. She said she didn't write it, but was definitely a believer.

A Heart for God

2009-02-18T16:19:00.004-06:00

God promised Israel that he would bless them in the land if they would obey the commands. What are the commands? I think we tend to end up making a huge list of commands--all things that no doubt God wants us to do. Our list quickly becomes a cold, busy-work legalist formula. A list that grows into a tiresome impossible form which we struggle everyday to keep and it makes us fearful, fretful, and angry--we cannot keep from being overcome by our guilt of not be able to keep "the list."
Deut. 11:13 says, "So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today--to love the LORD your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul--" There it is, to love the LORD you God and serve him with all your heart and with all your soul. Those are the commands: to love and serve God with all your heart and all your soul. To have God at your heart. You know if we truly put God at our heart in love and service:

we wouldn't have so much trouble with people not coming to Bible Class.
we wouldn't have so much trouble getting people to come to worship services.
we wouldn't have so much trouble getting teachers to teach our children.
we wouldn't have trouble filling our small groups.
we would have more people serving others, not just the 20%.
we would have more people encouraging each other through phone calls, visits, cards, service, and compliments of one to the other.
we would love new songs and old songs.
we would love seniors, middle aged, teenager, and babies the same.
we wouldn't have guilt over "the list." These things would naturally occur.
we wouldn't have so much concern over structures.
we would realize the things that really matter.
we would choose to be kind over being right.
we would have a better reputation as Christians in our world.
we would have more passion and zeal for the things of God.
we would know that worship can happen not just on Sunday mornings in the assembly.
we could ignite the world with the Spirit's fire.
we would be more like Jesus than at any other time.

No wonder Jesus said the greatest command was to love God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.

Rene Descartes

2009-02-12T22:00:00.003-06:00

I told Debby about a joke I heard and she didn't get it. Here it is.
A philosophy student was enthralled with a lecture about Rene Descartes. The professor was discussing Descartes theory of doubt and how that left one with the uncertainty of existence and most especially the non-actual existence of ourselves. The poor student was up all night wrestling with the thought that he did not exist. The next morning he got up and went to see the professor and he walked into his office and blurted out his fear, "Tell me professor, do I really exist?" The professor turned and looked toward the student and replied in his strong Yiddish accent, "Zo, who vants to know?"
Get it?
It's not as bad as when Randy Harris at ACU will try and test his class to see if they are paying attention. Before he continues a discussion about Descartes he always finds away to talk about horses in philosophy and his students continue to take notes not realizing the absurdity of what he is saying. He then makes the statement, "but let's not get the horse before des cartes." ....... And his students continue to take notes not even thinking about what was just said. And it's a philosophy course.

Spiritual Pathways

2009-02-11T14:56:00.004-06:00

Growing up I was generally lead and came to accept that they way to God or to draw closer to God came through "going to church." I thought the only place to find God was in the midst of a "worship service." When I became a teenager I began to get the idea that God might be in your cloest as well, and that is where you could also go to pray and get in touch with God.
John Ortberg's book God Is Closer Than You Think, a number of Spiritual pathways are listed in chapter 7 that show how people in different ways are drawn closer to the presence of God. People relate differently to God and draw closer to God in different ways. They are all true and we can all draw to his presence through all of them, but one or two might be more true to you than some of the others. I believe this is perfectly exceptable in our spiritual growth and relationship to God.

Intellectual Pathways - we draw close by what we learn.
Relational Pathways - we draw close by the relationships we have with other spiritual people.
Serving Pathways - we draw close to God by serving others.
Worship Pathways - we draw close by our cooperate worship, or peer and family devotionals.
Activists Pathways - we draw close to God by standing up for a cause like feeding the hungry.
Contemplative Pathways - we draw close to God by alone times with God in meditation and appreciation.
Creation Pathways - we draw close to God by being close with his awesome creation.

Jordan Casey Russell (My New Grandson)

2009-02-10T17:15:00.001-06:00

Cute! Huh? Absolutely!

Love is...

2009-02-10T15:50:00.003-06:00

Love is...
Slow to suspect - quick to trust.
Slow to condemn - quick to justify.
Slow to offend - quick to defend.
Slow to expose - quick to shield.
Slow to reprimand - quick to forbear.
Slow to belittle - quick to appreciate.
Slow to demand - quick to give.
Slow to provoke - quick to help.
Slow to resent - quick forgive.

I believe that if the people in the churches that we attend would decidedly act in love toward one another in all these ways and others, churches would be so much better off. This ought to be true of families as well.
Why is it that we often hurt and are the hardest on those to whom we love or say that we love?
We must act in true agape love for each other, not to be suspicious of each other and we ought to seek and desire the very best for each other.
It seems we don't act in a way that is good for the whole rather we act on behalf of what we want. It's what Paul and James both said that we act in selfishness rather than on seeking the best for others. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
You might be asking yourself about now, "Well, who is he talking to?"
Yes, I'm talking to you (and me).

Birthday Lunch with the Grandkids

2009-01-17T18:22:00.002-06:00

Today we had a little birthday lunch at OTB. It was a nice and easy going lunch. Here is a video of the kind of fun Nana has with the grandkids.

The Joys of XBOX 360

2009-01-16T09:12:00.004-06:00

One of the major highlights of my week was playing Madden 2009 on the XBOX 360 I bought before Christmas. I sold some of the coins in my coin collection and bought a 360 for the house. Its a lot of fun. There is a karaoke program on it that Amy and Amaya really like. Caden likes the microphones and doesn't care if they are on or off he just carries it around the house talking and making noise into the mic. Hey it keeps him busy and that boy needs to be busy with something that is not destructive.
I've been trying to conquer Tour of Duty 3 but don't have a lot of time to spend on it. I think I've killed the same Nazi soldier on the first level a thousands times. One day I will make it to the second level and see if there are any other bad guys to electronically kill with my sharpshooter rifle. It seems like you kill one enemy in a window in a building and he reincarnates again in 5 seconds to the same spot looking the same. As a matter of fact every Nazi enemy looks exactly like the others. The good guys all look like the programmers who programmed the game. The similarities are amazing.
Well, back to Madden 09 this week. I truly, had only played two games of Madden 09 before I played my son-in-law, Chase--who incidentally has been playing this game for years. Well I beat Chase by 10 points, a rookie against a Madden Pro. Then I played my other son-in-law, Robby--another veteran of the game. I beat him by 4 points, it killed him because he got down to the half yard line and time ran out in the game (haaa-heeee-haaa, lol). They both had all kinds of excuses. I did have a rematch with Chase and he beat me only because I ran out of time and was about to kick a 25 yard field goal on second down with 10 seconds left and my being unfamiliar with the game (because I'm a rookie) could not find how to kick a field goal on second down. So we tied and he scored first in overtime and beat me. We played again and I was about to go up on him two touchdowns when he said he had to take the grandkids home and put them to bed.
Whispering: "I will be secretly practicing the game now so that I might annihilate them in the future." Becca and Amy, if you read this blog don't tell them because I know they won't be reading this.

Turning 47

2009-01-15T22:21:00.003-06:00

Ten things I liked about turning 47.
1. Got a few gift cards. Here I come Chick-fil-a and Scholtzkys.
2. Got a Penni press. Nothing like a sandwich made with a Penni press. Love the grill marks.
3. Got a gift card to a book store. Thinking about getting Biblica - a big Bible Atlas book.
4. Got my favorite meal--Curry and rice, even though I had to make it myself. At least I didn't have to clean up.
5. Got a coconut cream pie, mmmm my favorite. Turns out the grandkids love it too.
6. I still don't look like a grandfather, so they tell me, they could just be trying to keep me feeling so bad.
7. It's 364 days until I turn 48.
8. Debby is only one year older than I am. In September she will be two years older than me (really it is just 18 months). It's a good thing we don't say we are 47 1/2.
9. I ain't 50 yet!
10. The crying only last a few hours now. I'm too tired to cry any longer at this age.