As you vote remember........

"You cannot help the poor, by destroying the rich.
You cannot strengthen the weak, by weakening the strong.
You cannot bring about prosperity, by discouraging thrift.
You cannot lift the wage earner up, by pulling the wage payer down.
You cannot further the brotherhood of man, by inciting class hatred.
You cannot build character and courage, by taking away a mans initiative and independence.
You cannot help men permanently, by doing for them what they could and should, do for themselves."

Do you recognize the author?

Very, very wise words, and we still don't get it

Max & Moo and Us two...

If you have read Cathey's blog, you know we were in Maryland this past week visiting Ben, Lauren and their kids, Max and Moo (Madeline). It was a great visit! I loved being awoke each morning as Moo jumped on our bed.

There were many firsts on this trip, I ate "Biscuits and Gravy", had a sandwich at "Chick fil a", ate lunch at "Pot Belly", had BBQ at "Famous Dave's"..... do you see a pattern here.... and gained 5 lbs.

One other thing about this visit that will stay with me, besides the trip to our Nations capitol, is our time with the kids Max and Moo. Moo just turned 4 and Max is 2. They are a kick! I was a little apprehensive at first with Max. He is autistic. Before the visit, I knew very little about autism. I now have greater admiration for Ben and Lauren, and what they do as parents. They have their hands full. Max does not communicate like we do. He has his own language and any new word he learns is a huge step for him.

Phillies win the World Series....

The Philadelphia Phillies won the World Series, defeating the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 5 at Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park. It was the first suspended game ever played in World Series history.

After a rain delay in the middle of the sixth inning on Monday night, the game was completed two days later, a three-and-a-half-inning sprint with everything on the line.

The very first "professional" baseball game I ever went to as a kid was the Eugene Emeralds, who were at the time a farm club of the Phillies. Larry Bowa was on that team.

Do you remember your "first"?

Also, I would like to point out the Phillies play OUTDOORS, as God intended.

Enough said......

"Mr. Cone Goes to Washington...."

Today we went to church and then spent the afternoon in Washington DC at the Mall. It is a place I have wanted to visit all my life, and here I am.....

I must say it is very humbling to stand at each of the memorials. I was surprised at how big they are in real life. To stand on the steps where Martin Luther King gave his "I have a Dream" speech, let me speechless. When I was a kid, I can remember watching his speech live in black and white. I was moved then to hear it.......

I was surprised at how I reacted to the Vietnam Memorial. As a high school student growing up in Eugene, I protested the war at the University of Oregon (or as I call it now the Berkley of the Northwest). I hated the war because we were not there to win. It was VERY sobering to see all of the names on the wall. Solders who gave their life for what???? Such a waste. Standing there brought me to tears....

The Korean Memorial was very cool. It looked like a unit on patrol coming out of the woods.

Oops....

Left the sprinkler on last night..........

High School sports and life......

Being a high school sports official, I followed this story as it went through the courts, etc.

High schools sports DO shape an individual. Depending on how he/she handles adversity may be an indicator on how they handle life.........

" A former Colville High School wrestler who made headlines for head-butting a referee in 1996 pleaded guilty Wednesday in Spokane Superior Court to felony domestic violence.

Chad Hilderbrandt, 30, attacked his wife in April and later tried to intimidate her in a phone call from Spokane County Jail. Judge Sam Cozza sentenced him to 27 months in prison.

When he was 17, Hilderbrandt was convicted of fourth-degree felony assault for knocking official Bob West unconscious.

Hilderbrandt had just lost a wrestling match and was confronting his opponent when West tried to diffuse the situation, newspaper reports say. After being head-butted, West fell to the floor and remained unconscious for a short time. A video tape of the incident was widely broadcast, and West unsuccessfully sued the Colville School District.

Hilderbrandt received a 30-day jail sentence for that assault."

(Spokesman Review 10/23/08)

World Series

Rays and Phillies...........

In a DOME??????????

God did not give us baseball so we could play it in a domed stadium on FAKE grass.

Thought....

I had a thought on yesterdays message.

If God speaks to us in a "Still, small voice." (Except for me, He uses a 2x4.)

How can we hear Him, if we are busy informing everyone of our great deeds on His behalf??

The miracle of Seth

We've said our final goodbyes to Seth over the last couple of days. Yesterday at the graveside service and today at his memorial service. Todays memorial service was very touching and Pastor Glenn's message was perfect.

I want to say thank you to Kathryn and Leland for allowing me and Cath to walk with them through this time in their lives. Its one of the miracles of Seth, bringing people together!

It's going to be tough to get through each day for a while. Some days you'll feel like its all going great and others, you just don't want to get out of bed. On those days, remember "the next day......."

The next day.....

The Wall, the excavator

Spent this weekend building a new retaining wall that will be 52 feet long and 5 feet high when its finished. I rented a mini excavator. What a great way to deal with this "soil". I use the word soil loosely. Where we live you can not plant anything without removing rocks the size of basketballs or larger.

I realized as I started digging with the excavator that it was going to take a while to get the hang of the controls. Just then, Alex shows up from college, jumps on the excavator and makes short work out of it.

Dang, something else he's better at than me.

Sunday, after church, Travis, Whitney and our grand dogs (It's kinda like "training" grand kids) spent the day with us. While Cath and Whit cooked enough casseroles to feed a small army, Travis and Alex gave me a hand with the wall.

One journey ends....

Seth went home around 5:30 AM this morning.

One journey ends and a new one begins.

I like to think he and Brandon have met and are already into mischief.

Can you get into mischief in heaven??

Hopefully, they have joined Mitch's youth group.......

Coffee with God

I write this for me only, but your welcome to read it.

It's taken me two hours to write.

I am crying as I write it.......

Please do not read anything or anyone into it.

If you're easily offended PLEASE stop reading here.

I am thankful for Seth, Kathryn and Leland and up until a couple of weeks ago didn't really know them well. Oh, I would say hi to Leland in church 'cause our wives worked together, but that was about it. Not anymore. I love them.

Years ago, when Cath and I sat where Leland and Kathryn are today, I was one angry dad. I can remember it like it was yesterday.

Everyday in the hospital brought excruciating decisions. The time in the hospital felt like time stood still. It was hard to eat, sleep and breathe. It was hard to leave our son's room to go to the bathroom.

I was going to work out a deal with God. Hey, I was in the ministry. I had gone to Bible college, I had married a good Christian woman, I was an Elder, I didn't miss church, I...., I....., I..... AND, I had watched enough "Big Hair TV" (you know the channel) to know, that if you had enough faith, had the right oil, had the right people praying, our son would be healed.

Being an elder at the time, I asked that they come to his room and do what elders were supposed to do, anoint, lay hands, pray and have faith. I EXPECTED A HEALING MIRACLE. "God, just give me a partial one, but I know what I want it to look like."

I remember sitting in the room as the elders came and prayed as if it was last night. Everyday I prayed and looked for that miracle that I knew was coming for our son....WOW, what a story it would be.... Hey, I know God - take me. How about a trade? Could I trade for what's behind door number two instead?

I expected that miracle right up until I heard Brandon's last and final heartbeat.

Boy, was I pissed at God. How dare He not answer my prayer? It was the only one in my life He needed to answer......... I wouldn't ask for another thing.

It was then I scheduled "coffee with God."

At the time I first scheduled it, I wanted to tell Him just what I thought. Toe to toe, coffee mug to coffee mug, man to man. Oh that's right, He's God......... okay so I couldn't go "man to man"..... Got it. I JUST WANTED HIM TO HEAR ME OUT!!!!

He did. "and then we see clearly, not as a child"

Today, I still have "coffee with God" scheduled, I'm sure its on His Outlook. I'll tell Him I get it and then give Him a big hug. Hummm, that's a little to 'touchy, feely' for me. Okay, maybe we'll bump chests.

I've invited Leland to go with me, he's in...... knuckle shake..... end zone dance.

So much for my 401k

Hummm, Red Sox's and the Ray's for the American League Championship........

These guys HATE each other. I think they have had a couple of bench clearing brawls this season. Should be very entertaining. Would love to umpire this series!

Seth

Cath and I tonight spent the evening with Kathryn, Leland and Seth up at the hospital. If you have been following Cathey's blog you know Seth's story. I was happy to encourage Cathey to support them, but I was determined not to get involved...... God had different ideas.

I played for Mitch Thomas's memorial service. Being up front and hearing the incredible sound of the packed sanctuary, I was sure this was what heaven would sound like. God spoke to me that Saturday afternoon and I went up to visit Leland, Kathryn and Seth alone in Ped's ICU after the service. (Cathey was out of town visiting her parents.)

Wow, it was like twenty years had been stripped away......

I thank Kathryn, Leland and Seth for allowing us to support them during this time. I have held Seth a couple of times. I'm grateful for that time. In a way Seth is helping me to heal..... Who would have thought it?

The Shack...

I am currently reading The Shack.

A very interesting take on who is God. Don't agree with all of it, but, boy does it make you think.

Some are folks calling it heresy. Here's an interesting blog on just that: http://lifestream.org/blog/2008/03/04/is-the-shack-heresy/