Christmas 2009 Photos

(Click on any image to enlarge)

A Christmas Poem

(Image from Jill Homer's blog "Up In Alaska")

MY CHRISTMAS POEM

I have a list of friends I know, all written in a book
And every year, when Christmas comes, I go and take a look;
And that is when I realize that these names are part,
Not of the book they’re written in, but of my very heart.
For each name stands for someone who has crossed my path sometime,
And, in that meeting, they’ve become the rhythm in each rhyme
And while you may not be aware of any “special link”
Just meeting you has changed my life a lot more than you think.
For, once I’ve met somebody, the years cannot erase
The memory of a pleasant word or a friendly face.
So never think of my Christmas greeting as just a mere routine
Of names upon a Christmas list, forgotten in between.
For when I send a Christmas greeting that is addressed to you
It’s because you are on the list of friends whom I’m indebted to
For I am but the total of the many friends I’ve met
And you happen to be one of those I prefer not to forget.
And whether I have known you for many years or few,
In some way you have had a part in shaping things I do;
And every year, when Christmas comes, I realize anew,
The best gift life can offer is meeting friends like you!
May the spirit of Christmas, that forever endures,
Leave its richest blessings in the hearts of you and yours.

Author is a friend of retired FBI Agent Ron Grove, Sioux City, IA (57-94)

Family Snowball Fight

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

A White Christmas It Will Be!!

 

 

 

 

Sharrows and "Bikes May Use Full Lane" Now in National Traffic Sign Standard

Wednesday, December 16, 2009
This morning, the US Federal Highway Administration published a new edition of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). The December 2009 Edition of the MUTCD contains a number of new standards that apply to bicycle facilities.

Full details...

Send A Thank You Card To Our Troops

http://www.letssaythanks.com/Home1280.html

It's About Time ~ New And Refinished Floors

21 years of hard use and our hardwood floors were ready for refinishing. While we were at it we decided to expand the floor into the family room and up the stairs. We are very happy with the job Fredericksburg Hardwoods did. They matched our existing Red Oak floor perfectly and did a great job on the stairs.

(Click on any image to enlarge)

All new flooring in the family room

Kitchen and foyer floors refinished.

Dad's Black Walnut grandfather clock sure looks good on the refinished floor.

Winston Churchill on Islam - 1899

“As that wise sage, Anon, once observed, "All generalizations are false, including this one." Recognizing, then, the perils of generalizing about a religion, I nevertheless was impressed at the insight of such a young Winston, as set forth below.

Herewith a speech by Sir Winston Churchill, in 1899, when he was a young soldier and journalist. He was ever a master of the English language and creator of some great turns of phrase. Here's the speech:” (introduction, unknown author)

"How dreadful are the curses which Mohammedanism lays on its votaries! Besides the fanatical frenzy, which is as dangerous in a man as hydrophobia in a dog, there is this fearful fatalistic apathy. The effects are apparent in many countries; improvident habits, slovenly systems of agriculture, sluggish methods of commerce, and insecurity of property exist wherever the followers of the Prophet rule or live. A degraded sensualism deprives this life of its grace and refinement; and the next of its dignity and sanctity. The fact that in Mohammedan law every woman must belong to some man as his absolute property, either as a child, a wife, or a concubine, must delay the final extinction of slavery until the faith of Islam has ceased to be a great power among men. Individual Moslems may show splendid qualities, but the influence of the religion paralyses the social development of those who follow it. No stronger retrograde force exists in the world. Far from being moribund, Mohammedanism is a militant and proselytizing faith. It has already spread throughout Central Africa, raising fearless warriors at every step; and were it not that Christianity is sheltered in the strong arms of science, the science against which it had vainly struggled, the civilization of modern Europe might fall, as fell the civilization of ancient Rome."

[Sir Winston Churchill; The River War, first edition, volume II, pp. 248-250, London]

Are You Missing The Gift Of The Present?

http://liveholiness.com/ Thank you Kate.

So you have a problem. You find that you’re spending way too much time
either dwelling on the past or thinking about the future. You truly want to
stop, but you don’t know how; the past and the future are constantly luring
you with their voices, and you keep listening to them.

You wonder why you’re constantly restless and why you lack interior peace
and joy, but the answer is right before you—literally right before you.
It’s called the present moment.

One of the reasons we sometimes miss the gifts that the Lord wants to give
to us each day is because we so often fail to live in the present moment.
But let’s examine the interior experience of living in the past and the
future and see what fruit it bears in our lives.

What happens when we dwell on the past (not good memories, but our negative
past)? We feel regret for past actions; we experience resentment
(literally “to feel again”) toward a person or persons; we dwell in our
hurts or in our failures. Regret, resentment, hurt, and failure. Not
exactly a great way to spend our day.

What happens when we live in the future? We experience fear of the unknown
or what may be; we worry about how events may turn out; we conjure up
scenarios that cause us great anxiety. Fear, worry, and anxiety. Again,
not a great way to spend our day.

No wonder why people who dwell on the past and who live in the future fail
to experience the peace and joy that the Lord wants to give them in the
present moment. The past is gone; the future is not here; and it is simply
irrational to spend our mental energy on things that cause us such interior
turmoil. Dwelling on the past and living in the future are both evidence
of our lack of trust in God: lack of trust in his mercy for our past and
lack of trust in his loving care for our future.

So what does Jesus say about all this?

Regarding the past: “Your sins are forgiven” (Luke 7:48 and many other
instances!).

Regarding the future: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life,
what you will eat or drink, or your body, what you will wear… Can any of
you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span? … If God so clothes
the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven
tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith… But
seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things
will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take
care of itself” (see Matthew 6:25-34).

God lives in the eternal present. When the Lord revealed Himself and His
name to Moses, He said, “I Am Who Am” (Exodus 3:14). The Lord did not say,
“I was who was” or “I will be who will be.” He simply said, “I Am.” We
need to learn to dwell with the Lord where He is, in the present.

What are the benefits of living in the present moment? The greatest
benefit is the peace that it brings. No regrets, no worries, just dwelling
in the present moment with “I Am.” Also, we experience more gratitude,
because we become acutely aware of God’s presence and how He is acting in
our lives each day. Furthermore, living in the present helps us to be
fully present to the people that we encounter each day and to see Christ in
them. Lastly, living in the present actually benefits our future because
by staying focused on the most important aspects of our lives we will be
well prepared for whatever the future brings us.

How do we acquire the habit of living in the present moment? We certainly
are not going to be perfect; but we can at least train ourselves to return
to the present moment when we find ourselves listening to the voices of the
past and the future. The best way to develop the habit of living in the
present moment is to spend at least 10 to 15 minutes daily in quiet prayer,
dwelling with the Lord who lives in the eternal present. After all, it is
the Lord who said, “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:11). If we
can simply learn to be still in prayer each day, that stillness will
eventually begin to permeate the other hours of our day.

So, when you’re tempted to dwell on your past sins, simply pray, “Thank you
for forgiving me, Lord.” (If you know you need to confess your sins,
simply do it and let it go. God does not hold grudges).

When you’re tempted to live in the future, simply pray, “Jesus, I trust in
You,” and return to the gift of the present.

Hiking Praise - David Crowder Band

Billy Goat Trail ~ section B

On Saturday October 3rd, after having a wonderful lunch at the Old Angler's Inn, with our good friend Audrey, Valerie and I changed into our hiking cloths and hit the Billy Goat Trail, section B. It's a 3 mile round trip hike along the Potomac River within the C&O Canal National Historic Park.

(Click on any image to enlarge)

It was a beautiful sunny day and although there was some rock scrambling the trail was generally flat and well maintained. We made it home in plenty of time to attended the first annual Capitol Ale House Oktoberfest.

The trail was 1.6 miles along the river with the return via the C&O Canal tow path.

Lets Go Mountaineers WVU 35 - ECU 20

We spent a great weekend in Morgantown visiting Molly. Maggi traveled up to meet us from West Jefferson, NC, her new home.

A Blast From The Past

Christmas 1956, My first guns, cowboys or agent, doesn't matter

A mountain biker is born ~ circa 1952
(click on any image to enlarge)

Future NASCAR Pit Crew member ~ circa 1952

Enough with the girls will ya ~ 1957
L-R, Leslie, Janet, Wendy, Jay, Dale, Lisa

My first Adirondack summit with Dale and Lisa ~ 1956
L-R, Jay, Dale, Lisa

The Forth, Inn at Kelly's Ford 2009

Maggi and Martha - They must be talking wedding stuff.

Valerie and Molly waiting for an opening in the Ladder Ball tournament.

Flying Circus Aerodrome & Airshow did a flyover before the fireworks started.