Friday, November 20, 2009

Gods Pie

A very thought-provoking visual.


Don't forget from Whom all things come to us.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Convicting thoughts 101

Anybody for a convicting thought?

  • Not living a vibrant Christian life is a selfish use of the blood of Jesus Christ. --Sermon at Grace Church in Leipers Fork (sp?) One way we can create vibrancy in our Christian walk is through service to others.
  • What's it going to be like to worship Jesus Christ with other great people of the faith like Moses and Abraham?
  • What do you live for that is > yourself?

The good news in all of this is that God provides a way for us to experience fellowship (or intimacy) with Him even after we sin by confessing and avoiding sin.

Tennessee in the Fall!

While in TN, Mom and I played tourists! The fall foliage is gorgeous!



Notice all the leaves on the sidewalk. Time to rake!



Brings back happy memories!



Walking through the leaves.


Happy memories of jumping in leaf piles and shuffling through the leaves as you walk.



Would you like to join me for a picnic?



I thought these were pretty buds!



Bench in front of big tree vs. Bench in front of a stump. No tree to sit under, but a concrete bench.



Carter House




I didn't know Douglas MacArthur's (WWII General) father, Arthur MacArthur (Civil War Major) was also a military man.








Cannon with wall built in front of it.



During the Civil War, at the Battle at Franklin aka "The Gettysburg of the West," there is a farm office known as the most bullet-damaged building that remains standing from the Civil War. This is at the Carter House.



The evidence of this battle remains with over 1,000 bullet holes remaining on the farm office.




Front of the Carter House. The brick home was commandeered to be used as the Federal Command Post while the Carter family, Lotz family, and another neighboring family, took refuge in the cellar.







A boot scraper built onto the front porch. I had fun "scraping my boots!"



When the Lotz family awakened on the morning of November 30, they found the main Union Line had been established approximately 100 yards south of their home. Mr. Lotz feared that his family, his wife Margaretha, his sons Paul and Augustus and daughter Matilda would not survive the battle in their “wooden plank house.” They sought refuge in the brick basement of the Carter House, a home across the street.

The Lotz house served as a hospital for the wounded soldiers on both sides until the following summer. To this day, one can step into the Lotz House and see numerous blood stains in all of the rooms.

During the battle a solid shot cannon ball crashed through the roof, smashing into the floor of an upstairs bedroom and down to the first floor. The large repaired patch made by Mr. Lotz remains in the second floor. And on the first floor where the cannonball finally came to rest you can clearly see where the hot lead ball first hit, burning the floor as it rolled.



My Uncle Bert is the Executive Director for Every Nations Ministries. At his church--Bethel World Outreach, they had many flags. I was stoked to see the Ukrainian flag!



Old friends! Traci and I met at Eberwhite Elementary school, in Ann Arbor, MI. Catching up with Traci was fabulous!





Outside of The Factory, Franklin, TN.


Surprisingly, the chair was comfortable.



Big Chair! I wonder if this is what a two year old feels like. And then we give them a phone book to sit on, so everything must be better, right!? I should seriously do a proportion study! I love math!










These are the stoves that The Factory in Franklin, TN, used to produce. It is now a bunch of fun shops, restaurants, and boutiques, including By the Brooke, which Mom's cousin, Brooke, owns.





My understanding is that the Santa Fe Diner in Santa Fe, TN has amazing Catfish Fry on Friday nights. Mom and I went on a lunch date--the food is good and cheap. I discovered that I love a cucumber salad they make, and we have now made it here at home!