What Heroes Gave

What Heroes Gave

Each donned their uniform to be

Defenders of our liberty

Their mission sure, their spirits bright

Guard freedom’s home, be brave to fight

One final day each faced their call

Each gave their best enduring all

We’ll never know what they went through

But know they loved this country true

Deep down inside we should all feel

What heroes gave, their cost so real

We must stay thankful, grateful of

The gift of freedom through their love

Their loved ones bore the gravest pain

What we can’t know, some now sustain

To God I pray their pain will cease

And each will find long-lasting peace

Remember this from year to year

What heroes gave – shan’t disappear

We’ll never let their special day

Their time for honor slip away

These brave fought for a nation free

If not for them, where would we be?

by Roger J. Robicheau

 

Today, I would like to especially thank my cousins that continue to protect our freedoms.  You are courageous and honourable young men, and I love you.  Thank you for your sacrifices and your willingness to serve and protect our great nation.  I pray that God provides a hedge of protection around you, physically, mentally and spiritually.

 

Eddie Prince

Zach Potts

Calvin Potts

Remembering his fallen comrades:
SGT James Holtom
SGT Ross Clevenger
PFC Raymond Werner

May the Lord continue to comfort and bless
the loved ones they left behind.

Personally, it makes me laugh.

Personally, it makes me laugh.
Originally uploaded by happiness.captured

Boys were here. See the mortar (translation // permanent) prints on our shed roof?

What's your happy?

Random and odd stuff that makes me happy.
The very best ones are either time wasters or fattening.

Go figure.


• Watching ants.
• Sitting in front of the heater.
• People watching (best done with sunglasses on).
• Sitting in the sun.
• Sitting in my car after it has been sitting in the sun.
• Sitting in my car, in the sun, with the heater on, watching people.
• Browsing through random strangers' photos on Flickr.
• Age of the Empires (so so fun, haven't had it in years).
• Chocolate milk.
• Taking a nap.
• Growing my hair out, then chopping it off.
• Repeat.  Repeat.  Repeat.
• Testing my vocal range in my car (don't look at me like that, you do it too).
• The funny card aisle.  I peruse forever, laughing out loud by myself.  Sometimes people hover, and grab the cards I laughed the hardest at when they think I'm not looking.  (I'm on to you)
• Singing around the campfire.
• The chin lift, hat tip or two-finger wave from passers-by on rural roads.
• Shooting stuff with my brother.
• Persuading Dad to watch a musical with us girls.
                         Sweet, selfless man.
• Sharing an office with the sports guy. He saves toilet paper coupons.
• Driving with no destination in mind.        just....driving.
• Dove chocolates.
• Mom's roast beef.
• Getting caught up in the excitement of a hometown football game, even though I never understand why we're cheering.
• Floatin' on the water.
• Having a total stranger seek you out out to say you can sit by them at a packed graduation, simply because they are kind and noticed you standing.
• Being chosen early - 'not last' - for a team; that warms my heart with gratitude.
• Having someone speak well of my parents.
• Strangers teaching me how to bowl.  There is something painfully awkward about my technique that has drawn various self-appointed 'experts' to my side over the years.  Most recently it was a 12 year old.  I'll share some of the complimentary advice I've been blessed with.
"Briefcase, swing like its a briefcase at your side"
"See those little arrows? Aim for the middle one"
"Look, kid, you don't throw the ball.  Let it glide...."
"KILL THE PINS. ATTACK.  You look like you want to hug them."

I love it.

What's your happy?

Shewwwwwwwwww!

I cleaned off my digital recorder tonight.

These songs (my church singing)....
Shewwwwwwww!  That is some kinda good.

The Great Redeemer

Brethren We have Met to Worship

Who's on First, What's on Second

thanks for daffodils

They are finally here.

My daffodils.

Daffodils are the most happy flowers there are.  I love them! 

Somehow they look like happy little faces. 

Their fragrance is delightfully subtle, you have to seek it out.

They symbolize a small window of time - Spring.

You know they will always come back - just as certain as we anticipate Christ's coming.

I know they affect others the same way.  I bought some at Safeway in February once.  As I walked through the store, I started to feel very self-conscious because everyone was staring at me.  Heads were turning.  Then I started to notice their smiles.  Faces lightened with happiness.  One man commented on the daffodils... lightbulb came on.  It wasn't me, it was what I was carrying.  In the dark cold gloominess of February, it changed everyone's life for a moment to anticipate spring. It became a game then, I lingered a little longer in the store so I could keep playing.

Thank you Lord for daffodils.
I think they are extra specially good.

"happiness created"

I was bad. But you were________.

"Anna was bad."  A direct quote by Dana.

Its true.  I was bad.
I didn't share.
I scratched people with my fingernails.  But honestly, they shouldn't have tickle tortured me...
I had a foul mouth. (I can distinctly remember what soap tastes like)  Where does a 3 yr. old learn these words?  It certainly wasn't from my parents.
I wasted a lot of sugar sprinkling it out so I could watch the ants.  I'd always sweep the sidewalk very thoroughly before Mom got home.
Dana's dad delighted in setting my temper off when we were young.  He purposely made me spitting mad once when I was 4, and then he sat all of us cousins down and read Oscar the Grouch to us, pointedly in my direction.  I was made an example.  Me and Oscar, we were tight.


I thought of myself as Dana's protector sometimes (pff, a lot of good that would have done in an emergency). To be a protector there's a certain amount of 'bad' you need to exude.

And for the record, Dana, you were smug.  I can still picture you tipping your chin up with that saucy smirk forming at the corners of your mouth.


~~~ childhood.

Hey Mama

I am so thankful for you!

That sentence has a book worth of thoughts behind it.  I love you.

Anna

Less than two months

BSBC is just around the corner.
Yikes!

Photos from years past...

The Challenge: A Tape a Day

Hi guys.  I am really excited about a new project, and I hope some of you will join me.  Last night, our youth group leader issued a challenge to us.  I was awake for hours last night with exciting ideas running through my mind.

THE CHALLENGE:

LISTEN
to a preaching tape a day for one week.  Do this with friends, everyone listening to the same message.

TAKE NOTES
in your Bibles.

DISCUSS
with each other what you got out of the messages.

Tape A Day Club  THIS IS THE BLOG LINK (the blog is just in initial stages of development, but it will get the job done).

It would be difficult to put a hard copy of the same tape into everyone's hands every day, so the blog is perfect.  And that provides an excellent gathering spot for discussion.  It's currently open to the public, but if I feel we can't safely operate that way, we'll have to make it a closed community by invitation only.
My plan is to post the next day's file late at night, so if some of you choose to listen early in the morning you can.

I want to try this for a month. We are all busy, and I know that it doesn't seem like we can afford to give an extra hour a day, but after thinking about it, I can't afford NOT to try it. Why don't we prove God, and see if He doesn't give us more time because He likes what we are doing?

Brandon, maybe you could selectively share the idea with some of the kids on Facebook that were there last night.