Trip to Louisville

Just a few pics from our trip to Louisville, KY last weekend. The first one is a very attractive metal plate sign in the concrete stating the name of the area we went after church on Sunday. The next is a pic of the Qdoba where we had lunch. The last two were taken in New Albany, Indiana where my wife and I toured Sunday evening. We thought it would make a nice starter home for my son and his wife who are house hunting at this time. I can post a few more shots later if anyone wants to see the church where they are members. Oh, and I almost forgot, but we got to see Pirates of the Caribbean 3, and there is no need for more pics as I have posted a plethora of those earlier. And there is no need for me to tell you about it, and spoil it for you because I know all of you will want to see it with an unbiased mind.

J. V ernon McGee

Sometimes during my lunch period (kinda sounds like school days) I have the opportunity to listen to J. Vernon McGee on the radio. (I know I am not really listening to him, because he has been dead for a few years, but he had a great plan for his radio show to go on well after his death.) Anyway, I heard his voice today (between 12:30 and 1:00) and he said that "some Christians have just enough religion to make them miserable." He was speaking of those who "enjoy" the pleasures of sin for a season, and then they are convicted with guilt, knowing they are not walking with the Lord. They repent, and then try to live at the foot of the cross, only to be tempted again, and then only to fall back into the same stronghold of sin. (This is my paraphrase.) Certainly God is faithful to forgive us all as we sin every day, many times committing the same sins over and over again. But J was saying how much joy these Christians are missing when they seem to miss out "on the victorious Christian Life." There is a true deep down joy that comes from living for the Lord, and I can say that I have learned this from the experience of being on both sides of the fence so to speak, even as a Christian.

Thinking about this old song...

I'm not scared of dyin' and I don't really care
If it's peace you find in dyin', well, then let the time be near;
If it's peace you find in dying, when dyin' time is here,
Just bundle up my coffin, cause it's cold way down there.

My troubles are many, they're as deep as a well,
I can swear there ain't no heaven, but I pray there ain't no hell.
Swear there ain't no heaven, pray there ain't no hell,
But I'll never know by livin', only my dyin' will tell
Only my dyin' will tell.

I happened to be thinking about this oldies song by Blood Sweat and Tears the other day. I haven't quoted the whole song, but I thought how bold the writer/singer is in saying he's not scared of dying, and he "can swear there ain't no heaven, but I pray there ain't no hell." I just wondered to whom is he praying? God would surely be in Heaven, and he feels sure there is no such place. Only his dying will tell. I believe there will be many like this man who will be sadly surprised. We can pray for him and witness as we have opportunity to the saving power of Jesus Christ.

Bloomin' Magnolia

Today I have posted a pic of a bloomin' Magnolia in town. It seems that the one we have in our front yard is a little slower to bloom than some of the others in the area. (Would that make it a late bloomer?) I am sure that in a few more days ours will have plenty of blooms and will be a glorious sight to see. If anyone is interested I just may post one of ours.

State-Clemson Baseball

Friday night I was able to enjoy a State-Clemson baseball game with my wife and brother-in-law. This one followed the 11-4 State win the night before. This game was very close throughout, with the score tied at 0-0, 2-2, 4-4, 5-5. It went to the bottom of the ninth with the score tied at 5 all and the leadoff batter got up to the plate, and we cheered, "We just need one!" And, "Walk-off home run!" So freshman Dallas Poulk delivered and he made it exciting because the ball bounced on top of the fence before going over! You can sense some of the enthusiasm from the bottom pic where the Wolfpack team is celebrating.

Salem Lake

Saturday was a great day for a bike ride--around Salem Lake, or part of it, and then on to Old Salem via the Salem Creek path. The shot at the top shows the straight-away along Linville Road. The next two pics show a couple of fisherman and some Canadian Geese, although I think that they came here legally and are actively working toward getting US citizenship. (The geese, I mean.) The next one shows a path into the woods which is forbidden for bikes, and I can't say that I have ever seen one, at least not on this particular path. And then I got a bit carried away taking some pics of the signs. I suppose I really like the first one with the bottom half in blue (I can't really describe that top half color) because it is new and different. One reason I took these is so that I can read them now that I am not flying around the lake at lightning speed.

The Big Move

Within a week I will move from an office which I have enjoyed since 1989, and the area has been known as QC. The office with the pannelling is the old QC office which will be torn down to make room for other manufacturing so that all of the dye and finishing will be on one floor. One of the offices that I will use is shown in the lower pic here. UPS and DHL shipping will be done here along with the regular US mail. I can post pics of the area I will use to shade lots and of another area I will use to cut samples (if there is a popular request.) So I will work out of three main areas and have a bit more walking to do for the time being.

Forsyth Co. Library

I went to the Main Library last week and they were giving out these post cards showing the first one in Forsyth County. As the back of the card says it began as Carnegie Library on Cherry St. in Winston-Salem in 1906. That was quite a while ago. Look how far we have come. I remember trying to teach David something about computers on an Apple II-E at the 5h Street location when he was just a boy. Y'all know he has been teaching me about them ever since.

Puzzle

This is a little game that I built after seeing the main principle in a store. Ben helped me remember how to thread the string. You might not notice the ring on the silver ball at first, but the object is to get it to the other side (the gold ball.) And the metal ring is too big to go through the wooden ring. No, you don' t cut the string or bend the ring. If anyone wants to Skype me and we'll work the puzzle together as I hold it up to the webcam, give it a shot.

THE UNIT

I am a bit late in posting about this week's epi of The Unit, but I have to say that this one is one you don't want to miss. (If you did, you may be able to catch it on the summer reruns.) Dennis Haysbert plays the team leader of the unit (that reports directly to the President.) Dennis' character is Jonas Blaine, aka the Snakedoc. He is in the process of persuading the colonel to send him on a mission that involves his exiting out of an aircraft at 30,000 ft. There is a bit of a higher risk for Jonas because he has some shrapnel retained in his back very close to his spine, (too close to operate.) Jonas makes a very strong argument, and then the colonel asks, "What are the only things that fall from the sky?" And I love his answer, "Manna from Heaven, and the Airborne Rangers!" I can't describe my emotions fully when I hear this, but I know that I have a very deep appreciation for all of our military men and women, and I am glad that somewhere far up northwest there is someone in the US Army flying low over the final frontier. I am glad that he wants to be there. And I am glad that the Lord above is watching over him.

What a difference a day makes, deja vu

Whenever you see something that you want to capture with your camera, don't put it off. Go ahead and seize the moment. The two pics at the top were taken yesterday, and the bottom one today. I thought the pretty yellow and blue flowers would stick around for several more days. However, I ride by today and see these men digging them up and putting out new flowers. I will keep you guys posted.