Day 103.  I know that I shouldn't post a picture of some one else's child, but I think it is ok because his identity is hidden.  We had our annual Fall Carnival tonight.  There was a great turn out and every one had a fun time and went home with a  lot of candy.  I think that it is a wonderful way to have fun on Halloween without being out on the streets.  As a child I had so much fun going around the neighborhood and getting candy in my bucket.  I didn't always have the best costume, but we managed to come up with something.  Adults stayed home to pass out candy and the streets were full of kids.  Few cars were on the streets, and mischief was limited to a couple of high school kids and everyone knew who they were.  What a different world we live in today.  I don't think I would be comfortable with my kids out roaming the streets with their friends at night.  Even the ones that are out tonight have a parent close by, watching.  So, we will stick to the safety of having a great time at the church with lots of friends and fun.   

Day 102.  You know that the sun rises and sun sets in the Texas Panhandle are spectacular, but, did you know about the moon rises.  Yes, that's right, the moon rises.  I've been watching the moon for a week now and haven't had the chance to be at the right place at the right time to get a good shot.  And then tonight, there it was.  It was so cool watching it come up over the horizon and catching it in pictures.  I believe that one day I will look up at a scene much like this but instead of the moon or the sun it will be the son of God coming through the clouds.  And every knee shall bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. 

Day 101.  Super storm Sandy is hitting the upper east coast tonight.  A cold front colliding with a tropical storm on the night of a full moon.  It is "Frankenstorm".  I'm glad I'm not there.  Isn't it just like nature to wait until people get things built and settled, and then come along and show us what real power is.  I pray that the people there will be safe.  But, like the spider's web, it will be rebuilt.  God created us with a tenacious personality that leads us to carry on and rebuild even when circumstances are against us.  We don't give up and thanks be to God, we don't have to.  

Day 100.  This is a picture of the picnic and swimming area at a local lake.  I went there this morning just to walk around and take pictures.  The weather was perfect and I was the only one there.  I know the water is to cold to swim, but it is still a great place to go.  On one side there is a small dock going out on the water and it gives a great perspective of this little valley.  So, I went out on this dock and snapped a few quick shots.  I had my glasses up on my head out of the way of the viewfinder.  Everything was going great until I reached up to get my glasses and knocked them off of my head.  It all happened in slow motion.  It was like a slinky on the stairs. I caught them, and caught them, and then caught them again, and still they rolled right out of my hands.  They hit the water out of my reach, and sat there just long enough for me to say goodbye.  And these weren't my sunglasses.  Luckily I still have my old glasses.  A little  scratched and blurry but they will work for now.  Ironically, as I was walking around I found a pair of glasses that looked like they fell in the lake about ten years ago and now they are just part of the landscape.  Still, it was a pretty good morning.  

Day 99.  There are three horses that live in the pasture behind our house.  They used to come by every afternoon and the kids would go out and feed them an apple or carrots.  They were always friendly and very gentle.  Lately they haven't been coming close to the houses and when they do they are aggressive and almost mean.  A man down the street told me that someone has been teasing them.  What a shame.  I won't let my kids feed them anymore because they have started biting.  We had a dog when Matthew was little that was just the best dog, until the kids next door started poking him with sticks and throwing rocks at him.  He became viscous to anyone who came to the fence.  People are no different.  If you pick at them they will get hurt and then even be mean.  And the one who does the picking won't understand it.  Why do we bite and devour one another, when we are supposed to have compassion.  Jesus even went so far as to say that we should love our enemies.  When was the last time you saw a Christian with that kind of compassion.  What a shame.

Day 98.  If wishes were horses then beggars would ride.  Or, how about, if wishes were fishes then the sea would be full.  But, wishes are usually just flights of fancy and seldom come true.  We used to say that if you took a dandelion puff and blew the seeds into the wind, made a wish, and one of the seeds traveled around the world then your wish would come true.  I think there is just as much of a possibility of that seed traveling around the world as there is for most wishes to come true.  And yet, we planted more dandelions than I would care to admit to.  I guess in a way I still wish for the impossible.  I wish people would learn what manners are.  I wish they would be more courteous.  And, I wish parents would teach their children how to be young ladies and gentlemen.  But alas, all I can do is teach my own children, and pray for the rest.  Wishes may be just seeds in the wind but prayer works.

Day 97.  I wanted to take a picture of the two oak trees that I wrote about some time back.  I keep waiting to see the leaves changing colors, and they aren't.  The other trees around the neighborhood are already turning yellow or losing their leaves.  Anyway, I went out to check and when I saw that they were still green, I looked around for another shot.  Sitting in a large evergreen tree was this robin.  He just sat there and watched me.  So I decided to take his picture.  He was pretty far up in the tree so I was able to get close to the tree before he flew away.  As I looked around even more I noticed that there was another bird just sitting and watching, then I saw another.  It doesn't matter where I go there is always a pair of eyes watching me.  Several years ago there was a very popular song that said God is always watching from a distance.  I disagree.  He is very near to us while He watches.  

Day 96.  I sat this morning watching the news when something caught my eye.  It was the reflection of the sunrise on the front door.  I immediately grabbed my camera and went out to see for myself if it was really that orange, and it was.  I tried to adjust the colors to capture the beauty of the moment but decided to just leave it the way the camera caught it.  I just can't improve on what God painted in the sky this morning.  The view is becoming cluttered with buildings here and there, but, while I have this in the morning I will be happy.  I know it was just for me today and I can't wait to see what He paints tomorrow. 

Day 95.  Autumn is not only when the air gets cooler and the trees lose their leaves, it is also when seasonal snacks show up.  Caramel apples, and popcorn balls are two of our favorites.  I found a bag of caramel bits at the store the other day and just couldn't buy them.  I got the cubes that are individually wrapped and you have to spend the time unwrapping them.  But I did use the microwave to melt them.  I don't mind using the bits, I just like to unwrap the caramels.  It kind of justifies eating a few of them.  Now for the popcorn balls.  Does anyone know where I can get cheap dental insurance? 

Day 94.  I saw this today and had to take a picture.  I will try sometime this week to get a better shot of him.  I think he is so cool.  Some people have such great creativity, and imagination.  To look at a bunch of flower pots and figure out what you can make out of them takes a lot of vision also.  Unfortunately many people have lost their vision. "Why do we need to make something out of the flower pots.  They are flower pots, they have a purpose.  Don't try to change that."  We used to have posters up that said, "If you always do what you've always done, then you will always be what you've always been."  Have a little vision and see what you can become.  You are more than the what you seem to be.  I know that God is not finished with me, yet.  So why should I be satisfied to always be the same? 

Day 93.  I must confess.  This is an old picture.  I simply just did not take a picture today.  I know.  I'm ashamed of my self.  Ok, I'm over it.  Through the course of these 93 days I have taken thousands of pictures.  Most of them will never be seen by anyone but me, and some are pretty good.  Today was pastor appreciation at the church and there was a big lunch served.  It was very nice and we received a lot of cards.  The church is always sure to let us know that we are appreciated.  It's a great place to serve. 

 Days 90, 91, & 92.  I got a little sidetracked this week.  I did take some pictures but didn't make the time to write on the blog.  So here I am Saturday night playing catch up.  I don't want to bore anyone with the details, they are very boring, so I will just skip to today.  We had fun watching the kids play tennis today.  Of course, we concentrate on watching our own kids but it is also fun to watch the others play too.  Now all the kids know us and they are comfortable enough with us being there that they will actually sit and talk with us.  Some of them even seem to look at us for support while they are playing, and we are there to give it.  Today Maggie played a doubles match and two singles matches and she won all of them, so I posted her picture.  We are so proud of all the kids for playing so well.  They didn't win the meet but they all did very well.  Now today is over and the twins are out with the youth group from church.  They are competing in the redneck games. Things like pumpkin chunkin, and I am sure to hear all about it when they get home.  It's always a lot of fun.  They will be exhausted tomorrow.  Now, this week is over and we start a new one tomorrow, and new opportunities to make time for more adventures.

Day 89.  The youth group like to go to a local park after church.  One night I took the twins and dropped them off.  Up in the sky I saw a really bright light flying around in no real pattern.  It started out white and went to blue and purple.  I told Maggie to look at the UFO.  She just said, yeah that's our UFO.  She told me that it's always there.  So, being a curious person, I tracked it down.  Turns out to be a couple of guys out in a field flying this model air plane.  I looked like so much fun.  So, when I saw it in the sky tonight I grabbed my camera and took off.  Because it is always moving I couldn't get a clear shot, but I liked this one.  It's like the plane is pulling a ribbon through the sky.  The LED lights on the plane change colors.  OK, it's not a UFO any more.  But, it is still really cool, and the pilots are getting very good.  Things aren't always what they seem to be.  

Day 88.  I wonder why so many people seem to be feeling bad these days.  For the last couple of days this simple barometer has had water up to the little bowl.  Usually it's less than half way up.  So the atmospheric pressure has been pretty high.  I just know that in my house, high pressure affects the way we feel and act.  I guess it's the same if the pressure comes from the atmosphere or life.  I keep telling Stacy and the kids to take a deep breath and let it roll off.  It doesn't eliminate the pressure but it gives you a little time to relax and regroup.  Some days that's enough, some days I sigh a lot.  

Day 87.  I know this blog is supposed to be a summary of my fiftieth year.  But, I am having fun remembering days past.  This was my first SLR camera.  I had so much fun with it, and took a lot of pictures.  I can't believe that I still have some film left.  Now everything is digital, and instead of taking up space in the closet or under the bed, my pictures are all on my computer.  In these 87 days I have already taken thousands of pictures.  Some day I will have to go through them and start deleting just to have enough memory for the rest of the year.  I'm glad I don't have to delete memories to make more.  

Day 86.  Staying with the airplane theme today, I guess.  There was a "fly in" today at the regional airport.  So, I took the kids out to see the planes.  Most were small, single engine planes, and then there was this one.  It was made by Beechcraft and used in World War 2.  The story was told that the underside was painted yellow on this plane so the soldiers would know who was coming in, and be ready for them.  So, it was called "Yellow Belly".  I think that was all the kids got out of the day.  Because, later when the planes left Annie came in the house and said "Daddy, I just saw Yellow Belly flying over."  Dugan was with some friends and called me and said, " Dad, we saw Yellow Belly flying over us just now."  Oh the things that stick in their minds.  Now I just know that whenever we see a plane that has a yellow underside, it will be Yellow Belly, no matter what kind of plane it is.  I am just glad I haven't seen that many planes with yellow on them.  Except for the yellow crop duster that flies around town,  I guess he will now have a new nickname.  Be careful what you say, because someone is always listening and you don't know what part they will remember.     

Day 85.  This jet sits in the city park surrounded by a fence to keep people off of it.  I remember going to the park and being able to climb up in the plane and play in the cockpit.  I was the king of the sky.  Look out Red Baron here I come.  And, then I grew to big to fit through the small hole that led up into the plane.  They made it small to keep the big kids out, and now they keep everyone out.  Of course, this isn't the same plane.  Just like this plane when it flew, life goes way to fast.

Day 84.  I don't know exactly what is going on, but it seems that some ranchers around might be trying to reestablish a wild horse population.  Probably not but that would be so cool.  I love seeing these herds grazing in the open meadows.  They make me think of old black and white western movies, The Lone Ranger and Tonto, and John Wayne.  A time when life was more simple.  More simple? Really?  We have life so simple now.  We have so many conveniences, and yet fail to give thanks for most of them.  Thank you lord for my herd.

I have a picture for this day but I haven't been with my computer.  I have been at the hospital most of the day.  A very precious lady got our attention.  What started out as a bad headache now we know is actually three aneurysms.  She will be transported to Dallas some time today for surgery.  Just the day before she brought dinner to us.  I can't get over the fact that life is so fragile.  Dying is easy, it's living that is so hard.  How can we live without Jesus?  Anyway, I will post my pictures as soon as I can.

Day 83.  One day, many years ago, a youth sponsor asked us kids what our favorite scripture was.  Up until that moment I had always said whatever the other kids said.  I guess I was just riding the wave of convenience.  But that day I decided to be different.  So, I took out my bible and quickly flipped the pages and waited to see where it opened, then I stuck my finger on the page and announced that this was my favorite.  I memorized it, but I didn't really understand it.  It was a few years before I studied that scripture and found out what it meant, and then it really became my favorite.  Through the years I have accumulated many favorites, but, I still have this one memorized, and it is still my most favorite.  Because, I know that I am not an accidental Christian, I was chosen.  John 15:16

Day 82.  What do you see?  Sometimes there is more in the reflection than in the focus.  What is the focus of this picture, the pickup, the head light, the running board?  You can actually see me taking the picture if you look very closely.  But what I like is the road coming out of the light and going down the side.  There is usually more to an image than just what you see at first glance.  People are the same way.  An initial impression isn't always correct.  Look  past the focus and see the reflection of their heart.  

Day 81.  Another butterfly shot.  Actually I got two different butterflies today.  But I have seen this one around for a couple of days and finally was able to get close enough to take his picture.  In case you are wondering it is a Mourning Cloak butterfly.  I went out early this afternoon and took several pictures and had a hard time choosing which one to use.  Then I realized that the other shots weren't going anywhere.  If I don't use them, I can retake them.  This guy is here today but may not be here tomorrow.  So, I chose him.  He's nice but not really rare, or something spectacular.  But, I think he is pretty special.  In the caterpillar stage this guy had a voracious appetite that could devastate a tree, they travel in groups, also he had spikes that contain a mild poison.  Not really the kind of visitor you want around.  As a butterfly, I don't think anyone would chase him away.  So, here is the lesson.  God chose me.  You can fill in the blanks.  

Day 80.  Where is your home?  What is a home?  Type in "Home is" on a search engine and see what comes up.  There are so many different sayings and definitions.  That's because home is not the same for everyone.  For some it has to do with family and memories.  For others it has to do with security or comfort.  Some homes are always spotless while others have a little clutter.  I love my house, but I don't have to have this house to have a home.  To me, my home doesn't depend on the location or condition of the house.  I have lived in houses of all shapes and sizes, and in vastly different neighborhoods.  Every house has it's own story.  Home is where those stories come together and the parts become a whole.  So, where IS your home?

Day 79.  How cool is this.  I remember playing with this at my granny's house.  It is a toothpick holder.  You can't see it from the picture, but on the end of his nose is two little points that stab a toothpick when you push his head down.  When he comes up there is your toothpick.  So you only touch the one you will use.  But I liked it so much I would take the toothpick off and then get another.  When the holder was empty I would put them back and start again.  When my grandparents passed away mom asked if there was anything that I really wanted.  This was it.  Now it sits in our china cabinet with my nativity sets and Stacy's Precious Moments collection.  We spent all day at a Junior Bible Quiz meet and while I did take some pictures they weren't ones I could post here.  I don't like posting pictures of other people's kids, especially without permission.  Anyway, when I got home I was looking around for a shot and found this.  He brought back some cool memories.  I may not have inherited a fortune in gold, but what I did get is worth more than any amount of gold. 

Day 78.  We play this game with Scruffy where he holds his bone on top of his snout until we tell him to get it.  Then he flings it up in the air and chases it.  While the bone is on his nose he can't see anything else.  Like some people who try to get the splinter out of their neighbor's eye before they remove the bone in their own eye.  They find fault with everyone else but can't see their own.  Even Jesus said to take care of your own stuff then you can worry about others.  By the time you have finished correcting your own faults you won't want to mess with someone elses. 

 Day 77.  The twins had a tennis match today.  They were supposed to play Monday but there was a mix up and so they played today.  Dugan played doubles with one of his best friends and then played a singles match, he won both.  Maggie also played doubles with a friend and then she had two singles matches.  She won all of her matches, too.  Needless to say they are very happy about the day.  Their whole team did very well.  As long as we sat in the sun we were warm.  But when the shade came over us it was pretty cool, alright it seemed cold.  I know it was about 58 degrees, which isn't bad when you're used to 60 degree weather.  When you are used to 90 degree weather 58 is cold.  We all had a good time even with the cold.  When the match was over kids from both sides were talking and laughing together.  There was a little rivalry but mostly it was great sportsmanship.  Way to go team.  Keep up the good work, and the tennis too. 

Day 76. It's Wednesday again.  It really seems like I have the hardest time on Wednesdays to take a picture and write on the blog.  I know it will be busy so I start early, but something always happens and it doesn't get done.  So, here I am once again after midnight just trying to survive.  Stacy picked up this little survival kit from a missionary at a ladies meeting.  The missionary wasn't a lady, and he brought these for the pastors.  What's inside you ask?  Well, let's see.  Books.  And they are, Daily Strength for the Battle, The Bible Promise Book for tough times, Playbook For An Uncommon Life, a Bible, and the Book Of Hope.  I think I'm going to make it.  Thanks, Bro. Grider.

Day 75.  Fall is here though it doesn't really feel like it yet.   The days are getting a little bit cooler.  Soon even the trees around here will be losing their leaves.  But first, the leaves will change color.  These two oaks will turn bright red before they drop their leaves.  It is pretty spectacular when they are that color.  So, this Fall I will take a few pics of them to document the change.  In the Winter they will be dormant and then come back to life in the Spring.  No matter what the season is they stand tall and strong and take the change with grace, instead of bowing to the worries of life.  

 

Day 74.  Today is October 1.  This is the time of year when the tarantulas are migrating and looking for mates, so you can find them around a lot right now.  October is also breast cancer awareness month.  You can find pink everywhere in support of this.  October is also sexual abuse and domestic violence awareness month.  October is the time of year we have to endure all of the trailers for the new horror movies coming out in honor of Halloween.  I wonder if there is a connection between these last two, it wouldn't surprise me if there is.  It is amazing to me how people will fill their minds with violence and wickedness and then be surprised when it comes out in their personality.  As the old saying goes, (garbage in, garbage out).  What you put in will come out. 

Day 73.  The fog was so thick this morning it was creepy.  Actually, I thought it was cool.  But, it was thick.  So thick in fact that you couldn't see what was around you.  The fog stayed around until about 9:30 when the sun finally burned it off.  There are people who prefer to walk through life in a fog.  The problem with that is you can't see the traps and pit falls.  What they need is the son to burn the fog away so they can see clearly.