Life is good

I was contemplating on being in this house of mourning and realized something (again, scripture is proven..see ecc 7). I love the life that my kids bring to the house. I love their problems. I love the busyness. I love the love. I love the noise. I love the LIFE. We are living. We are really living. There is a LOT of life in my house and it is a good thing. I too often take it for granted and if anything good can come from a potential miscarriage, it’s helped me to see how much goodness there is in the life of my house. How much good life I have been blessed to be a part of…and continue to be part of. The crying, the laughing, the arguing, the obedience, the learning, the mistakes…it’s good to be alive. Praise God.

Baby status

Well, the doctors think that my wife is having a miscarriage. We can only sit back and watch. It’s a sad time in the house.

Powerful dream

I usually dream. Most of my dreams are pretty weird...very goofy is probably more accurate. However, last night I had an intensely real dream. I dreamed that I was near a coast somewhere and as I looked off into the distance I could see, in great detail, waves collapsing on top of each other. They were taller than mountains. As I crouched behind the window the ground shook ferociously. I wanted to get out of the house in case it collapsed. As I exited the house there was nothing but devastation all around. Huge sinkholes, everything was destroyed.

At this point, I awoke and could not stop thinking of the end times and how things might be once the wrath of the Lord is unleashed. Several people crossed my mind....I prayed.

If you have not considered your eternal destination, I would beg you to do so. God of the old testament, Jesus of the new....they are longsuffering, forgiving and in love with us all. However, there will be a time when they will be done with waiting. I am anxious to answer any questions you might have about this. If I can't answer them, I have close friends and relations, resources that can help. In fact, I work for a Christian university...I would be happy to use these resources to help any way I can.

Bear or Pork?

This is one HAMMY bear:

Can you believe he propped himself up and started SMILING at all of us. He looked across the crowd and kept his smile going. It was hilarious....

Here he is contemplating what's for dinner...maybe that's what he was smilin' about.

I need some help...

There are things in life I understand. There are things that I know are truths and are good. There are things that I know are evil and bad. Paul from the Bible said it best, "why do I do the things I don't want to do and don't do the things I should do?" (paraphrased)

Here are most of the scriptures in proverbs in relation to fools that I feel apply to me in one way or another:
Pr 11:29 - He who troubles his own house will inherit the wind, And the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.
Pr 12:15 - The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But he who heeds counsel is wise.
Pr 12:16 - A fool's wrath is known at once, But a prudent man covers shame.
Pr 13:16 - Every prudent man acts with knowledge, But a fool lays open his folly.
Pr 14:3 - In the mouth of a fool is a rod of pride, But the lips of the wise will preserve them.
Pr 14:16 - A wise man fears and departs from evil, But a fool rages and is self-confident.
Pr 15:7 - The lips of the wise disperse knowledge, But the heart of the fool does not do so.

Here are the scriptures in Proverbs referring to anger:
Pr 15:1 - A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.
Pr 15:18 - A wrathful man stirs up strife, But he who is slow to anger allays contention.
Pr 16:32 - He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
Pr 19:11 - The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, And his glory is to overlook a transgression.

Ok, I would say, I get it. I KNOW the answer. That's not the problem. The answer is typically on the other side of each of the proverbs that I "violate". The answers are easy. Or, I should say that the correct way is evident.

So, here's the question. How? How do I claim the correct way? How do I not do what I don't want to do?

I already hear the answers - "Trust the Lord.", "His yoke is easy His burden light", "Have faith.", "Lay your burdens at His feet." I even recall my 2nd oldest daughter reciting 1 Peter 5:7, "Cast your cares upon Him for He cares for you." as a 5 year old in front of an audience of people. Again, I KNOW these things. But, knowledge is only half of it I presume. I can recall times in my life where I figured out how to "turn things over to God". We do that with my wife's womb. Trusting the Lord that He will bless us, won't give us more than we can handle, and that He will provide. That's easy! That's almost like forgetting. Just forget that's an issue and know that it'll be handled. Man, "forgetting", now I can do that. But, what about the things that require an action? Or a change? How do you physically move to "Trust the Lord" on and issue like folly or anger? How is the yoke strapped on to handle those things? I hear more answers - "prayer" and "equip" come to mind.

I have prayed - earnestly as I know how - and often. I feel fairly equipped, I mean, I already quoted the verses that "correct" my predicament. Is there something else? Some have said that it is a lack of faith to pray and then commit the same sin. In fact, I think I've said that a time or two.

So, to be wise I should walk with the wise...this is request from me to you that are wise. Li'l help?
Pr 10:8 -The wise in heart will receive commands, But a prating fool will fall.

I don't know what prating is...but I don't even want to be on that side of the sentence...I await commands in hopes that I will become wise in heart.

Phew...

It's officially over. My vacation, that is. Now I can work on getting some rest.

More Vacation updates

Yesterday (wednesday) we went to Rocky Mountain National Forest Park thing. It was amazingly beautiful and very huge. I took 3 boys and some fishing poles. We caught quite a few fish, saw some elk or mule deer (I can't tell the difference). Drove 4 hours to get there and 2.25 to get home. My sister must have her little navigation thing on the setting SCENIC ROUTE. It took us west on 70, north on 40 to enter the park from the west side. Hum...On the way home I didn't ask her little nav thing for directions, I took 36 to Wadsworth. Even typing that out sounds shorter.

For you animal lovers...you tell me what type of critter this is (you should be able to click on the image to make it a little bigger):

Here are a few more pics:

It has been an exhausting vacation. The other kiddos and my wonderful wife stayed home and relaxed...

River Rafting Fun

My 4 oldest, grandpa, uncle Steve, aunt Mich and nephews went river rafting in Royal Gorge. They had a terrific time! Here they are in preparation for exciting river rafting fun units:

Aunt Mich has a Stinky suit...

Here they are on their first "bumps":

Calm driveby:

Good times!

Vacation activities

This weekend we went to Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs. I find myself wondering how things must have occurred or how they formed. I realize that many "smart" people think they know. But, primarily, the faith that they have in the people that say or teach those things bewilder me. Tectonic plates, haunted houses and the 1.8 kids per home that this country believes in will surely be our demise. On the way back a funny thing happened...

I am following my dad back from garden of the gods...the sprinklers are on right next to the road. In order to get in the air force academy, you have to clear through a security base. Well, since dads car is new and he doesn't want the water spots on it, he drives in the right lane, then switches lanes right before he arrives at the security gate. I view all of this from the correct lane getting water splashed all over my car.

Security guard - "Did you realize you changed lanes without using your turn signal?"

Dad - (silence until it was awkward, then) - "yes" as he flips out his military identification

Security guard - "That's a moving violation - why did you do that?" (or something like that)

Dad - drives through the gate without explanation....

Security guard - Rolls eyes very sarcastically...

I pull up to the gate right behind them and witness the shrugging of shoulders and rolling of eyes of the security guard. My wife breaks out laughing hysterically.

As I roll down my window and get ready to hand the security guard my id...

Me - "Hi"

Security guard - "Don't worry, I talked to that clown in front of you about cutting in front of you."

Me - "Actually, he was way ahead of me"

Security guard - "Well, he didn't use his turn signal and that's a real pet peeve of mine"

At this point I recognize the security guard from earlier in the day. I had handed him my license and he checked out my car earlier. At that time he had asked if "all those kids are mine"...Sandy, yelled out "they're mine too!" with a big grin. And everyone had a quick little laugh followed by:

Security guard - "I have 7 of my own. All these commies trying to tell us we should only have 2 kids"

Me - "Way to go!"

Security guard - "have a great day!"

So, back to now (or as my dad was driving away.) I attempt to hand the security guard my id and he says:

Security guard - "I remember you" he declines my id and he held out his hand for me to shake.

Me - Shaking his hand - "Thanks!"

Security guard - "Have a good night!"

Me - "you too!"

Ok, at this point you may be asking what the heck is so funny about that. I assure you that this story is definitely location based and you had to be there. So, to break it down for you, my dad (the clown) gets a stern talking to. I get notified that he talked to that clown for me, a handshake and have a nice day...

Monday - we went to Bear Valley Lake park or some name. Fished and rode paddle boats and canoes and such...here's a pic:

The one in front is my oldest nephew and my 2nd oldest daughter. My dad and other nephew are in the background being followed by my oldest son in a kayak.

Afterward, we went fishing and caught nothing, while the people we shared a pier with caught about 17. (I had 7 year old power bait). I'll have to remedy that next time!

More to come! The older kids raft tomorrow.

Trade war orders

Make 1.5 million. Put 500k in the bank.
Max out holds and shields on your craft.
Buy max number of Genesis torpedoes
Locate bad guys and post as comment the sector
Populate the planet. It will tell you when you can't have anymore. We need a citadel, quasar cannon and shields on each planet. Let's get about 6 planets in our sector. We don't want glacial or volcanic. Everything else is ok.

Let's move.

Fyi - placing bounties on red guys increases your points. You need 500 to join federation.