tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-273512132024-03-07T17:50:41.887-06:00Puddleglum's WigwamI have been told I am a lot like Puddleglum. From C.S. Lewis's book The Silver Chair, he is a character who reliably looks at the bad side of affairs, but is really very courageous and even has a sense of humor in his own way.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07480065315464919523noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27351213.post-17874446141068591162007-10-08T20:54:00.000-05:002007-10-08T21:03:43.162-05:00I'm Moving!This will be my last post on this blog. Our family is consolidating our individual blogging to one <a href="http://pedersenwritings.blogspot.com/">location</a>. Please stop by for commentary, family news, jokes, insights, etc.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07480065315464919523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27351213.post-16166844210989069292007-07-21T23:33:00.000-05:002007-07-21T23:35:36.968-05:00Food for ThoughtHusbands are not commanded to marry the woman they love, but to love the woman they marry. Love is a choice, not a feeling.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07480065315464919523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27351213.post-83842971864752270132007-05-07T20:47:00.000-05:002007-05-07T20:54:07.939-05:00A GazeboHere are some pictures of a gazebo I finished about a month ago.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi18VU2QZOmeCP8jQjbuLH5BIsNJUJwoL2DFNAIkgeHCk0WCDlB5RSkOgpRbqMUaXRuOZKesHrwWpcSB7QTE87Ld3rEHyovolstbu06Aw9xfXoOwAc_0Sm4Vvg5S9PJdtH-Uxk5xA/s1600-h/S3010055.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5062001676743986578" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi18VU2QZOmeCP8jQjbuLH5BIsNJUJwoL2DFNAIkgeHCk0WCDlB5RSkOgpRbqMUaXRuOZKesHrwWpcSB7QTE87Ld3rEHyovolstbu06Aw9xfXoOwAc_0Sm4Vvg5S9PJdtH-Uxk5xA/s400/S3010055.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Ry0V2Z4dGzrIM4JZjPpe3E6dtSCBrMjan99aQfHIVFLkKPhUbHTJOxtLY1n73a48tswDD7fPoPVjBYyt_VSpgDeEaUTk5K7pb_U2NtAlme5Nn19ybqPiljoS53BZzL5Yvhik6g/s1600-h/S3010047.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5062001474880523586" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Ry0V2Z4dGzrIM4JZjPpe3E6dtSCBrMjan99aQfHIVFLkKPhUbHTJOxtLY1n73a48tswDD7fPoPVjBYyt_VSpgDeEaUTk5K7pb_U2NtAlme5Nn19ybqPiljoS53BZzL5Yvhik6g/s400/S3010047.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtt3lyjOp3VMaFnE4JURHmI4m8Zg13ol9XGPuSHF2XwvQbCCBtJpH0QILhRNNB-OQPZxQJjwPki7ZA_0eWDafYKQK-hzM2Wun7imcs6q_sPjtyjOkykvvuck4xiyS7sW-B9xC8gw/s1600-h/S3010049.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5062001479175490898" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtt3lyjOp3VMaFnE4JURHmI4m8Zg13ol9XGPuSHF2XwvQbCCBtJpH0QILhRNNB-OQPZxQJjwPki7ZA_0eWDafYKQK-hzM2Wun7imcs6q_sPjtyjOkykvvuck4xiyS7sW-B9xC8gw/s400/S3010049.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPS473USg7pyi76Q-Cdr19TEafElojHbbGKHFR4_lP_AndrsZ-u5wT_L-WwbHEN9QwRqCHV71BdESxQSZltcyQex7vpiB2yvW-CAU12wSXmPlv_ZlU-29duPH61fFvsz3tdihxQg/s1600-h/S3010051.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5062001483470458210" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPS473USg7pyi76Q-Cdr19TEafElojHbbGKHFR4_lP_AndrsZ-u5wT_L-WwbHEN9QwRqCHV71BdESxQSZltcyQex7vpiB2yvW-CAU12wSXmPlv_ZlU-29duPH61fFvsz3tdihxQg/s400/S3010051.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAZFFxSEzZ4WxE9OeLAWo5JW7pD4_pT42iGCiRB3PhYzAatfVTBgkSDbbxwoXWxdrK-PRgl8CkLFkPZy9YlYt09JRbWOBkM8ChndFH4R0J4KTN1O27IMAIUDkT5f9Vymnw46WXJw/s1600-h/S3010053.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5062001487765425522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAZFFxSEzZ4WxE9OeLAWo5JW7pD4_pT42iGCiRB3PhYzAatfVTBgkSDbbxwoXWxdrK-PRgl8CkLFkPZy9YlYt09JRbWOBkM8ChndFH4R0J4KTN1O27IMAIUDkT5f9Vymnw46WXJw/s400/S3010053.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlHGeObwuwWerNnG0GXraJCx_NcsczKUJfcpXI6LL01SK_3toU9-gOMpnz8V5s_EagRuiMcmoLnEQhmLz8bozZWNJ0ZklbRraFxNhlUnRnSfiDqYm2RuluEj0c1TsitibIW9rVrg/s1600-h/S3010054.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5062001492060392834" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlHGeObwuwWerNnG0GXraJCx_NcsczKUJfcpXI6LL01SK_3toU9-gOMpnz8V5s_EagRuiMcmoLnEQhmLz8bozZWNJ0ZklbRraFxNhlUnRnSfiDqYm2RuluEj0c1TsitibIW9rVrg/s400/S3010054.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div></div></div>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07480065315464919523noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27351213.post-1438189682099104082007-03-14T15:51:00.000-05:002007-03-14T16:06:23.057-05:00San Antonio Folk Dance FestivalLast weekend Katie and I were in San Antonio for the SAFDF. On Saturday evening there was a perfomance by groups from San Antonio, Austin, Houston, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans. Our group did a set of dances from the Czech Republic. It was perticularly exciting for me, because it was my first show to direct and choreograph. We came up short of perfection, but we got lots of good reviews from the audience, and I think the Houston dancers were pleased with how things went. Overall, the whole show was the best I've seen in the three years I've been going. People had obviously put a lot of work into costumes and practice, and the lights and sound came off without a glich. There was more of a feeling of energy and excitement than there has been in past years.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07480065315464919523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27351213.post-4781375512259178332007-03-09T09:36:00.000-06:002007-03-09T09:39:45.030-06:00Beyond ConservatismI tell people that I am a conservative because it is the quickest way to communicate to them a basic idea of where I stand on many issues. In reality, though, I would prefer to be known by some other title. The goal of conservatism is to preserve what we have or to get back what we used to have. Conservatives are like people in a fort on a hill. They are constantly fending off attacks from those who would drive them from their stronghold. The conservatives may be strong and smart, and they may have provisions to last for years and years. Eventually and inevitably, however, they will be pushed back, if their goal is last year’s status quo.<br /><br />The problem with conservatism is the goal. Our goal should not be to make America what it was 50 years ago or 200 years ago. It should not be to make our churches like 17th century churches or even 1st century churches. We should not base our clothing, our music and movie choices, our theology, or our ethics on what we grew up with or what our great-grandparents grew up with. Our standard has to be the Scriptures. We need to fight not for man’s institutions, but for God’s Word to have authority over every area of human existence.<br /><br />Thinking this way allows us to take the offensive, instead of propping up systems, like the government school system or an artificial dress code. We can engage the culture where it stands, since we have a standard that is universally relevant and which never becomes antiquated. Now we are free to abandon the fort and pursue better ground.<br /><br />So what am I, if not a conservative? A radical? A reformer? A progressive? I don’t know if there is a label that fits. But I do know that by God’s grace I will never just sit back and be satisfied with the status quo, whether in government, church, or my personal life.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07480065315464919523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27351213.post-44500372021827293072007-03-07T19:31:00.001-06:002007-03-07T19:31:46.158-06:00Guitar Tapping<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><p><object height='350' width='425'><param value='http://youtube.com/v/btJMXd4N6e4' name='movie'></param><embed height='350' width='425' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' src='http://youtube.com/v/btJMXd4N6e4'></embed></object></p><p>I enjoyed this a few days ago. My hands are way too stiff to ever do that on a guitar.</p></div>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07480065315464919523noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27351213.post-58146113904478646432007-03-03T21:46:00.000-06:002007-03-03T23:44:51.133-06:00Happy New Year!Yes, it's been a long time. I make no guarantee that I will post faithfully in the future, but I do appreciate the few of you who have continued to check back occasionally. You're either persistant or bored.<br /><br />In the past weeks, (okay, months) my family celebrated three birthdays, reacquainted ourselves with a <a href="http://www.macdonaldfamilysingers.com/">traveling family band</a>, enjoyed a visit from my grandparents, and many other fun activities. We also found a <a href="http://www.gracefamilybaptist.net/Welcome.html">church </a>which we intend to join.<br /><br />On the work front, I've had a few outdoor projects lately. I built a deck, and I've started a gazebo. The gazebo is actually a replacement for an existing gazebo which was beginning to fall to pieces. A feng shui advisor told the homeowner that a wooden structure was one of the best things he could have in that quadrant of his property, so he figured he better have one that was in better condition. I hope he doesn't blame me if he gets sick or has a car wreck before I get the new one built.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07480065315464919523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27351213.post-91407028516382015732006-12-28T22:03:00.000-06:002006-12-28T22:19:10.637-06:00Gems<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiMUO7lSVCc0mcjw1LabbyQ-VXgN6z3q3pKxd6Jpcm8tNavuMSg69qVDrwT9BrhMJ8LiuMAHfZln3ZEKR-Ugooawa6uQ3lt5IAHf6QJWzeF8K0ULNHAKIlU6mkzJ7PZvW9e6gSMw/s1600-h/sapphirebrooch-256.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5013794997849368754" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiMUO7lSVCc0mcjw1LabbyQ-VXgN6z3q3pKxd6Jpcm8tNavuMSg69qVDrwT9BrhMJ8LiuMAHfZln3ZEKR-Ugooawa6uQ3lt5IAHf6QJWzeF8K0ULNHAKIlU6mkzJ7PZvW9e6gSMw/s400/sapphirebrooch-256.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Last Tuesday, our family went to the Houston Museum of Natural Science. There are many great things at that museum, but the highlight for me on this trip was the new gem exhibit. We saw all manner of exquisite necklaces, rings, earrings, and other jewelery, including the brooch above. Some stones were cut but not set, being too large (as in egg-sized) to ever be worn. Many of the pieces were brand new, while others were centuries old. There were a few that had been part of the Russian crown jewels. Next time you're at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" onclick="BLOG_clickHandler(this)">HMNS</span>, be sure to visit the gems.</div>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07480065315464919523noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27351213.post-1166535109736807242006-12-19T07:26:00.000-06:002006-12-19T20:49:37.329-06:00Jury DutyLast week I went downtown for jury duty. It was my first time to go, but most of the experience was what I expected. There were long periods of doing nothing, I was told lots of things I already knew, I was herded from place to place with only a number for identification, and I was asked probing questions by an attorney. What I didn't expect was for my entire jury panel to be dismissed because there were not enough people willing to apply the law. Out of sixty perspective jurors, thirty-six said they were unwilling to give a guilty verdict, regardless of the evidence, knowing what the minimum sentence would be. Each side was to be allowed ten preemptory strikes, so twenty-four was not a large enough pool to choose a twelve-member jury.<br /><br />It would have been hard to maintain a belief in the basic goodness of man after watching all those people say they couldn't follow the law, knowing from what I heard that most of them were just trying to get themselves sent home. The charge was evasion of arrest, so it's not like the law was controversial or immoral.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07480065315464919523noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27351213.post-1165118169556111472006-12-02T21:44:00.000-06:002006-12-02T21:56:09.790-06:00Double CurseHere's a thought I heard today:<br /><br />Men never have to bear Eve's curse, trouble in childbirth, but when women become breadwinners, they take on Adam's curse as well as their own.<br /><br />I'm not sure I agree with all the potential implications of that statement, but it is an interesting way of looking at male abdication of responsibility.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07480065315464919523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27351213.post-1164211329016185342006-11-22T09:29:00.000-06:002006-11-22T11:27:21.523-06:00Tamburitzans<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3331/2879/1600/imgVHSjourn2.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3331/2879/400/imgVHSjourn2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Two nights ago I drove to Nederland, TX, between Beaumont and Port Arthur, to watch a folk dance group from Duquesne University. The <a href="http://www.tamburitzans.duq.edu/">Tamburitzans </a>are one of the best folk dance groups in the country, and I have hoped that they would come to the area ever since I heard about them three years ago. I have seen a lot of folk dancing, but I was thrilled by their show. From the costumes, to the music, to the choreography, to the energy and charisma, everything was stellar. If I was four years younger, I would be seriously tempted to go to Duquesne just to dance.<br /><br />At my current advanced age, I will have to be content with going to Texas Camp. Tomorrow Katie and I will be driving to Bruceville, TX for a four-day camp. We will spend our days learning Balkan and Vintage American dances, and our nights dancing to the wee hours of the morning.<br /><br />Today, my grandparents and aunt are visiting, and we're having Thanksgiving dinner today because Katie and I are leaving tomorrow.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07480065315464919523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27351213.post-1162868717501084122006-11-06T20:17:00.000-06:002006-11-06T21:05:17.586-06:00Passionate LoveI just read about a woman who later became the wife of a Muslim terrorist. As a young person, she was full of piety, often staying up all night reading her Quran. When her family found her in the mornings, she would be on her prayer mat with the book in her hands, having fallen asleep reading.<br /><br />That woman was chasing a lie, but how fervent are we, who have the truth?<br /><br />If we love God, we will love his Word. When a man and a woman are in the first excitement of love, anything that keeps them apart becomes merely an annoyance which must be tolerated. The necessities of life pull them apart at times, but their desire is always to be together, and one is never long out of the thoughts of the other. This is the kind of passionate love that Christ, our bridegroom, wants from us, his bride. Do we tell our lover that we're too busy, or too tired to stay up and chat? Do we go to a movie, or watch such-and-such show, and never think to invite him to sit with us and share our thoughts? Do we stubbornly try to solve all our problems ourselves, when nothing would please our provider and protector more than to bear our burdens on his own, strong shoulders? God forbid! Instead, we should hunger and thirst for fellowship with him. Embrace every opportunity to grow deeper in relationship with him. Passionately desire to know what he wants from us, and how we can please him more.<br /><br />Remember your first love.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07480065315464919523noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27351213.post-1159451563840998212006-09-28T08:49:00.000-05:002006-09-28T08:52:43.856-05:00Failure of the UN"Let's be honest. The UN system, born after the Second World War, collapsed. It's worthless."<br /><br />--Hugo Chavez<br /><br />I couldn't agree more.<br /><br />Gulp! Did I just say that?Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07480065315464919523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27351213.post-1158724596047093492006-09-19T22:46:00.000-05:002006-09-19T23:05:17.793-05:00Bathroom Pictures<div align="left">Here are a few pictures of a project I just finished. Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures from before the work. </div><br /><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3331/2879/400/Zener%20Bathroom%20001.jpg" border="0" /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3331/2879/1600/Zener%20Bathroom%20005.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3331/2879/400/Zener%20Bathroom%20005.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3331/2879/1600/Zener%20Bathroom%20006.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3331/2879/400/Zener%20Bathroom%20006.jpg" border="0" /></a>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07480065315464919523noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27351213.post-1157255436719641582006-09-02T22:21:00.000-05:002006-09-02T22:52:40.716-05:00Searching for QualityFinding craftsman who really care about their work is really difficult. The other day I had a conversation with a tile man I had hired in which he offered me a job managing a portion of his projects. His situation intrigued me. He grinds himself into the ground, working 12 to 14 hour days seven days a week, trying to do everything and be everything for his business. He wants to expand, but there is no way for him to do so while he spends all his time racing from job to job maintaining quality control. He is desperate for someone whom he can trust to require a high standard of work from his men when he's not around.<br /><br />As a manager, I've become impressed by how true it is that if a person in any line of work will hold himself to a higher standard than that which is required by his boss or his customers, he will always be in high demand. I am always watching for a subcontractor who will correct his own mistakes, rather than cover them up and hope I don't notice.<br /><br />Do you see a man skilled in his work?<br />He will stand before kings;<br />He will not stand before obscure men.<br />Prov. 22:29<br /><br />BTW, I didn't take the job.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07480065315464919523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27351213.post-1156911912477285602006-08-29T22:54:00.000-05:002006-08-29T23:25:12.540-05:00Swamp StompThe Swamp Stomp is an annual event here in Houston where contra dancers from all over the area gather for an afternoon and evening of food and dancing. Contra dancing is what you get when you cross English country dancing with square dancing and throw in some extra enthusiasm. It's a great kind of dancing, because anyone who can walk and who knows right and left can do it, but it's so fun that you almost never want it to stop. To the observer, contra just looks like lots of spinning and walking in circles, but when you get into it, it can feel like flying. Come join us, if you're in Houston on September 9. A picture is worth a thousand words, and a video is worth a thousand pictures, so <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsvBiTfY7lI">here's </a>a youtube video of an average contra.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07480065315464919523noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27351213.post-1156391118255874962006-08-23T22:33:00.000-05:002006-08-23T22:47:09.346-05:00A Twice-Satisfied CustomerI just got my computer back from Dell. The speakers went out a few days after I got the computer, and I had to send it in to get them replaced. No, I did not blow them out with loud music. I'm a little worried about what else might happen if the speakers failed for no apparent reason so quickly. To their credit, though, Dell warranty service was very quick and responsive. I heard recently that the average satisfied customer tells five people about their buying experience, and that the average dissatisfied customer tells ten people. However, a customer who has a problem which is remedied satisfactorily is likely to tell fifteen people. So there you go--I'm a statistic.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07480065315464919523noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27351213.post-1155614398909579532006-08-14T22:32:00.000-05:002006-08-14T23:02:13.560-05:00Entrepreneurial BootcampI spent the last weekend getting inspired at the Vision Forum Entrepreneurial Bootcamp. The speakers shared a vision for accomplishing great things for the glory of God in evangelization, business, politics, industry, and society in general. This happens through Christians who are willing to take work ethic, productivity, honesty, and diligence to the highest levels, and teach their children to do the same. One principle which I especially took to heart was to not let my desire for a worldly sense of financial security stifle God's leading when it comes to business moves. Let's not make a regular paycheck an idol.<br /><br />After the conference, I went dancing in Austin, then had a good time visiting some friends in the hill country.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07480065315464919523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27351213.post-1154051825445138872006-07-27T20:34:00.000-05:002006-07-27T21:05:50.120-05:00Whatever It Takes To Plays The BanjoI smashed my left index finger yesterday, and was feeling sorry for myself because it was too swollen for me to play the banjo. I decided, however, that I had no cause for complaint after watching a video of Mountain Heart. The amazing Barry Abernathy plays banjo though missing all the fingers from his left hand. Incredible. I guess I'll just make do with three fingers for a while.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/mountain_heart/videos.jhtml">This link</a> takes you to a CMT page. "I'm Just Here to Ride the Train" is a good one for watching the banjo player.<br /><br />I showed the video to Katie, and she says, "Why would anyone want to play the banjo that much?" Banjo players are so misunderstood.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07480065315464919523noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27351213.post-1153707300728249602006-07-23T21:09:00.000-05:002006-07-23T21:15:00.736-05:00The Door DestroyerRecently I had the unique experience of replacing a door which had been kicked in by my client. Said client is at least six feet tall and built like a bull. Upon finding himself locked out of the house one day, he lost his temper and destroyed the back door. When I got there, I found bent and twisted pieces of the deadbolt and doorknob scattered on the ground, and a mangled steel door. In the interest of self-preservation, I decided to do what I could to stay on this guy’s good side.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07480065315464919523noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27351213.post-1153020225268130922006-07-15T20:40:00.000-05:002006-07-15T22:57:44.903-05:00Culture ChangeThis may surprise some, but I've been finding it hard to get very worked up about legislation dealing with moral and social issues like marriage, abortion, and drugs. Every victory looks good on its own, but over past years, we have seen a steady disintegration in the values of the American population in general. We have gone from fighting no-fault divorce to fighting homosexual marriage. Instead of trying to stop first trimester abortion, we are trying to keep doctors from removing feeding tubes from living adults.<br /><br />The next generation of judges, legislators, journalists, and voters is one which has been taught that there is no creator, that there is no natural law, and that they owe no more allegiance to America than they do to any other nation. They have been instructed that every religion is equally tolerable unless one takes said religion so seriously that he believes it is the only true religion.<br /><br />As long as we fail to train children with uncompromising Christian values, we will be fighting a losing battle. We may see a federal marriage amendment ratified, but on our current path, it will be repealed twenty years from now. We may have a ban on partial birth abortion, but eventually we will be arguing about whether to kill human clones to harvest organs. Passing moral laws without producing moral people is like taking cough drops to treat pneumonia. If our culture turns around, it will not be through good laws, it will be through changed people.<br /><br />The best way to produce people of this sort is to have children and to have a lot of them. Children are blank hard drives just waiting for data. There's no way to estimate the impact of a man with many well-raised children.<br /><br />The only other way is to retrain existing people. The fields of unbelievers are ripe for harvest. Evangelize. However, evangelization is not enough to create people who will take our country in the right direction. We need to be prepared to train younger believers on how the Bible applies to current events and politics. We need to teach them the implications of God being the Creator, and of the intrinsic value of human life.<br /><br />Having said all that, I must point out that in all our endeavors, whether as lobbyists, evangelists, or housewives, we should not depend on success for incentive to persevere at our task. God may save our nation, but He may also decide to bring persecution to the church and to allow America to become a Babylon of immorality. Our part is simply to do what we know we must do.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07480065315464919523noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27351213.post-1152372853517428902006-07-08T10:16:00.000-05:002006-07-09T13:25:09.766-05:00Spider<div align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3331/2879/1600/spider.0.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3331/2879/400/spider.0.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />I am buying time with this picture of a recently spotted creature. A more thoughtful post will be coming soon.</div>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07480065315464919523noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27351213.post-1151935100499547642006-07-03T08:34:00.000-05:002006-07-03T09:00:38.576-05:00Dancing in AustinKatie and I spent Saturday in Austin for an Israeli folk dance workshop. The teacher, Ya'akov Eden, was raised on a kibbutz in Israel, spent several years in a professional folk dance ensemble, and has spent the rest of his life studying Israeli dance. It's a really unique type of folk dance, because the Jews have only had their own country for sixty years. Most Israeli dances from before the 1940's feel very much like Balkan or gypsy dances. The dances we learned are from Israeli choreographers who wrote dances specifically for Israel during the early days of Israeli independence.<br /><br />Katie and I decided we must be crazy about dancing. We went to our regular dancing in Houston Friday evening, had morning and afternoon workshop sessions in Austin, then went to Austin weekly dancing on Saturday evening, which goes from 7:30 to 11:00. Oh well, it was fun and worth it, and our feet and knees survived without injury.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07480065315464919523noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27351213.post-1151461078331520222006-06-27T20:19:00.000-05:002006-06-27T21:21:20.486-05:00Trip PicturesWe arrived home last night after sixteen days on the road. Here are a few pictures:<br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3331/2879/1600/DSCF0020.1.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3331/2879/400/DSCF0020.0.jpg" border="0" /></a> This is Delicate Arch in Utah. That's Seth in the white shirt and me in the red.</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3331/2879/1600/DSCF0025.1.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3331/2879/400/DSCF0025.0.jpg" border="0" /></a>These arches were huge. The people in the background were still several hundred feet from the first arch when the picture was taken.<br /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3331/2879/1600/DSCF0045.0.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3331/2879/400/DSCF0045.jpg" border="0" /></a>Instead of assigning the dishes to a few people, we all decided to pitch in. So we loaded up all our dishes, soap, towels, and even a drain rack, and marched off to the shower house. Doing the dishes has rarely been so fun.<br /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3331/2879/1600/DSCF0047.0.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3331/2879/400/DSCF0047.jpg" border="0" /></a>We spent one day riding the train.</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3331/2879/1600/DSCF0048.0.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3331/2879/400/DSCF0048.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3331/2879/1600/DSCF0066.0.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3331/2879/400/DSCF0066.jpg" border="0" /></a>One windy morning it took all of us to get the tent rolled up.<br /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3331/2879/1600/DSCF0069.1.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3331/2879/400/DSCF0069.0.jpg" border="0" /></a>We got to see our cousin Bree get married. Congratulations, Bree!!<br /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3331/2879/1600/DSCF0070.1.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3331/2879/400/DSCF0070.0.jpg" border="0" /></a>Our grandmother gave us her piano, so we rented a U-haul and towed it back to Houston. Here it is coming through the front door. </div>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07480065315464919523noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27351213.post-1150727729794180042006-06-19T09:17:00.000-05:002006-06-19T09:39:21.796-05:00Our Trip So FarRight now we are in Grand Junction, Colorado, on the first leg of a swing through southern Utah and southwestern Colorado. Here are just a few glimpses of our past week:<br /><br />We saw roadrunner eating a mouse.<br /><br />We saw a truck on fire. We could see the smoke from a mile away.<br /><br />We had a rear tire blowout at 72 mph. BANG, thump, thump, thump, thump, everybody screams, etc. Fortunately, the rain had stopped three minutes before it happpened.<br /><br />We met some cousins we hadn't seen in eight years.<br /><br />Three of us spent the night sleeping under the stars on our grandparents mountain property. Well, we didn't exactly see a lot of stars; it was cloudy all night, and at about 3:00 it started drizzling. We had been told that there was not a chance of our staying out all night, so we were of course obligated to stay out all night, waterlogged though we were. It at least made for lively breakfast conversation.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07480065315464919523noreply@blogger.com0