Yes, Omaha, NE...or Council Bluffs, Iowa, depending on which side of the river that you're on. We left Rapid City SD this morning at 8:00 and got into some nasty winter weather or road conditions, as it were. Finally inched our way into town a couple of hours ago. Got the last room at our hotel too. We'll start again in the morning.
My computer crashed in Montana, so the vids that we have to post will be done when we return. Hope you like them. Our trip was a blast. We enjoyed and were blessed to witness and even get to help set up and cater (that was a riot) the 50th wedding anniversary celebration of Mrs. A's parents and got to see, visit and even stay (thanks Roger and Ann for your hospitality!) many of our Montana friends as well, along with snowskiing for 5 days and enjoying the hot springs at Fairmont. We were treated to lots of great food, hot off of the "Green Egg", singing, fiddle, harp and piano playing and even did some dancing...the Montana Waltz and the Virginia Reel. Lots of fun. Did I mention that ALL the little Arkanbloggers learned to ski with the girls following in their mother's graceful ways and Christopher was pronounced a "Hot Dog" on ski's. Also, we recommend the chocolate chip cookies at the cafeteria at Discovery Ski Lodge. There's so much more to come...
Happy New Year To You All and We Wish You God's Blessings In 2007!!!
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Monday, December 25, 2006
Friday, December 22, 2006
On the Road
These are some pictures ranging from Mitchell, South Dakota to Rapid City, South Dakota. Enjoy!
Here are some pictures...
Here are some pictures from the beginning of the trip. There are more to come...
Greetings from MONTANA!!
Greetings everyone! I hope that all of you are having a lovely holiday season. We just arrived in Montana last night at around 12:30. I was SO glad to see snow again! I believe that our first site of it was in Iowa, which is where we made our first video post that I will be posting after this one.
We left Council Bluffs early on Thursday morning, planning on going the entire way to Bozeman MT. I think it was about 17 hours of driving, with a few stops for gas, lunch, and dinner. The drive was not as miserable as we thought it would be. On the road, we watched plenty of movies in our DVD player ( I am VERY thankful for that) which helped to keep Christopher occupied. The views (though dull in some places) were beautiful! It was so amazing to see parts of the Badlands, snowy hills, and all of the little towns covered in snow all in one trip.
I am now going to attempt to post a video blog above this one. It should be pretty self explanatory. We should be blogging more detailed posts shortly. I hope that all of you are having a lovely (and safe) holiday season!
In Christ,
Paige
We left Council Bluffs early on Thursday morning, planning on going the entire way to Bozeman MT. I think it was about 17 hours of driving, with a few stops for gas, lunch, and dinner. The drive was not as miserable as we thought it would be. On the road, we watched plenty of movies in our DVD player ( I am VERY thankful for that) which helped to keep Christopher occupied. The views (though dull in some places) were beautiful! It was so amazing to see parts of the Badlands, snowy hills, and all of the little towns covered in snow all in one trip.
I am now going to attempt to post a video blog above this one. It should be pretty self explanatory. We should be blogging more detailed posts shortly. I hope that all of you are having a lovely (and safe) holiday season!
In Christ,
Paige
Sunday, December 17, 2006
The Day After Yesterday...or...The Night Before
Tick...tock...tick...tock. We are leaving in the morning and are currently running, let us say, a little behind schedule. I'm trying to wrap up some work that has to be done on the computer/printer, Mrs. A is at the store running errands and the troops are downstairs doing their chores. Packing to commence in about an hour. "Oy Vey", as my maternal great-grandmother might have said.
With a little luck, some discipline and a nod or two from the Good Lord (faith AND works you know), we'll get on the road before noon tomorrow. It is strange to leave our home this time of year and we even decided to forgo putting up the tree. But, it's all for a good cause, as we get to witness the 50th wedding anniversary of my Montana in-laws, which is the real reason for this trip to Big Sky country. The bonus is seeing other family and our Montana friends, along with having the children learn to ski. We're looking forward to it...even the 45 hours or so in the car for the total trip. That's some serious family togetherness right? More to come!
-The Arkanblogger
With a little luck, some discipline and a nod or two from the Good Lord (faith AND works you know), we'll get on the road before noon tomorrow. It is strange to leave our home this time of year and we even decided to forgo putting up the tree. But, it's all for a good cause, as we get to witness the 50th wedding anniversary of my Montana in-laws, which is the real reason for this trip to Big Sky country. The bonus is seeing other family and our Montana friends, along with having the children learn to ski. We're looking forward to it...even the 45 hours or so in the car for the total trip. That's some serious family togetherness right? More to come!
-The Arkanblogger
Thursday, December 14, 2006
When Worlds Collide...Or Do They?
Of late, I'm wondering why people of the Christian faith don't (for the most part) seem to look upon and discuss "religious" matters and situations in life, just as they would any other matter. I think we've gotten confused/brainwashed into thinking that there is this "church" life that exists whenever we are in the confines of the "church" building and then there is "the world" that exists outside of that. And from that logic, we think that there are two sets of truths that exist. Isn't that double mindedness?
That mentality reminds me of folks that claim to have a "work life" and a separate "home life". These people are compelled to act one way at work and then make a 180 degree turn upon leaving their place of employment. Sort of a Jekyll and Hyde syndrome, as it were.
It's all one life. There is no separation between work, family, "church", here and there. We should be the same wherever we are and no matter who we're with.
After all, faith isn't something that's manifested only when one is in the "church" building. It is only a building after all. It's not the temple. The church is the body of believers or those who profess God and make an effort to live according to the standards set forth in God's word/laws, while recognizing and accepting the gift of God's grace through Christ. In other words, they strive to be obedient to God, rather that their own sole desires.
When we are walking the path of truth, we should be able to discuss how to get a particular stain our of our clothes, using the same reason and logic, based on the same truth, law and good principle that we would use when discussing any biblical matter. I submit that, to abandon truth on any issue (all of which belongs to God) is to abandon sound reason and ultimately God.
In summation, "biblical" truth should be congruent with all other truth. If not, then we have a fly in the ointment that needs to be plucked out. More later.
-The Arkanblogger
That mentality reminds me of folks that claim to have a "work life" and a separate "home life". These people are compelled to act one way at work and then make a 180 degree turn upon leaving their place of employment. Sort of a Jekyll and Hyde syndrome, as it were.
It's all one life. There is no separation between work, family, "church", here and there. We should be the same wherever we are and no matter who we're with.
After all, faith isn't something that's manifested only when one is in the "church" building. It is only a building after all. It's not the temple. The church is the body of believers or those who profess God and make an effort to live according to the standards set forth in God's word/laws, while recognizing and accepting the gift of God's grace through Christ. In other words, they strive to be obedient to God, rather that their own sole desires.
When we are walking the path of truth, we should be able to discuss how to get a particular stain our of our clothes, using the same reason and logic, based on the same truth, law and good principle that we would use when discussing any biblical matter. I submit that, to abandon truth on any issue (all of which belongs to God) is to abandon sound reason and ultimately God.
In summation, "biblical" truth should be congruent with all other truth. If not, then we have a fly in the ointment that needs to be plucked out. More later.
-The Arkanblogger
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Employed...
About a month ago I embarked on the journey of finding a job. We searched around a bit, considered a few positions, and then...one came up.
For those of you who don't know, I was a competitive gymnast for about nine years. So I have experience in the area. It just so happened that a newer gym had opened up about five minutes from our home. New gyms generally need new coaches. So we called in to see if they could use me there.
To make a long story short, I ended up getting the job without an interview because of connections I have. So I now am a gymnastics coach. And what an interesting job it is. Everyday at work I get a worldview lesson, being as my fellow employees are not all the most Godly people. I get a workout lifting little girls so that they can get over the bar...or the mat, it all depends. I also get experience working with children. The well behaved and the not so well behaved. All of them are there. I do love working with the children, seeing the smiles on their little faces when they get a new skill (and are quite pleased with themselves, might I add). This job also gives me a reason to get back some of my old skills :) The only down: my face when I see how much tax is taken from my paycheck.
I learn something new everyday. This is for certain. Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
Paige
For those of you who don't know, I was a competitive gymnast for about nine years. So I have experience in the area. It just so happened that a newer gym had opened up about five minutes from our home. New gyms generally need new coaches. So we called in to see if they could use me there.
To make a long story short, I ended up getting the job without an interview because of connections I have. So I now am a gymnastics coach. And what an interesting job it is. Everyday at work I get a worldview lesson, being as my fellow employees are not all the most Godly people. I get a workout lifting little girls so that they can get over the bar...or the mat, it all depends. I also get experience working with children. The well behaved and the not so well behaved. All of them are there. I do love working with the children, seeing the smiles on their little faces when they get a new skill (and are quite pleased with themselves, might I add). This job also gives me a reason to get back some of my old skills :) The only down: my face when I see how much tax is taken from my paycheck.
I learn something new everyday. This is for certain. Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
Paige
Saturday, November 25, 2006
Oh Give Me A Church...
"Laaaaate is the hour", as Grima Wormtounge once said in a deep English accent(for your LOTRingers out there). I'm sitting at the little "nook" in the kitchen, surrounded by the dark and writing on the girls' laptop. Mine's in the bedroom where Mrs. A is experiencing deep REM stage sleep right about now. Something I'll be back to doing momentarily, just after I rid my mind of this little conundrum.
For the life of me, I haven't decided where to settle into a "church home" with my family. We've pretty much pulled away from the Church of Christ congregation where we'd attended for the past 3.5 years, due to unresolved youth ministry issues and other things having to do with our incompatibilities. Sad in a sense, but we did manage to make a few good friends while attending there.
We've since attended services with another Church of Christ, the Baptists, the Hyper-Calvinists and have held home worship (which we all enjoyed). I even sat in with the local "Church Of England" when I was traveling out of town on a Wednesday evening. In a few short weeks, we've been privy to Predestination, procrastination, singing with musical instruments or without (note...a pitch pipe is still a musical instrument), communion every week or quarterly, preachers being called "pastor" or just "brother so and so". Women doing nothing at all in worship, except sitting there quietly...or not. Having a choir or only congregational singing, separate classes segregated by age or family integrated worship? Prayer books or extemporaneous prayer? Doctrine abounds.
What ever happened to meeting with the saints/sinners on Sunday morning for an actual "worship" time, where that's what we actually do. Just worship. You know, plain old singing, prayer, communion and scripture being read by different men (possibly within the framework of a weekly theme, but not shackled to that). The worship is the centerpiece and not the preaching. Those who desire sitting through a lectureship, may stay for such an event to be held after worship. Others who desire to study alone or with a smaller group or go and eat or rest or go about their lives, may leave and not be chastised for doing so. Why are we bound to evening services on Sunday and Wednesday, which in my opinion are there as a way to make us feel pious toward our brothers and sisters, who do not attend these "extra-credit" services. My work takes me away from my family at times and I have no desire to get in my car and drive to a building, only to be separated from them for another hour or 2 on Sunday and Wednesday evening. Nor should I or my family be held accountable for not holding to such a schedule.
Isn't "church", the collective body of believers...no matter where they meet? It's not a building, for the love of Pete. When I hear the term "the Lords house" my Catholic Radar goes into overload. It's one of those descriptions that sound holy but need some defining before being thrown around loosely.
In retrospect, some of us hold our doctrines/traditions a little too close to the vest...in idolatry. A doctrine or tradition may or may not be based in truth. And what is relevant or even true at one point in history, may not be relevant or true in current times. We need to realize that 2 roads from 2 different starting places can and do lead to the exact same destination. That is a truth. There are common laws that must be adhered to on both roads but both roads offer different scenery and a different experience than than the other. Some of us get the scenery that we experience on our journey, confused with the destination itself. We can even become convinced that our particular journey is the ONLY way to the destination. No others will do. This is a lie. For although there are common laws that apply to every journey, many roads can and do lead to the same destination.
More on "the journey" later. For now, the sandman has crept up behind me and daylight is fast approaching. I need a warm blanket and a bit of sleep. Good morning to you all.
-The Arkanblogger
For the life of me, I haven't decided where to settle into a "church home" with my family. We've pretty much pulled away from the Church of Christ congregation where we'd attended for the past 3.5 years, due to unresolved youth ministry issues and other things having to do with our incompatibilities. Sad in a sense, but we did manage to make a few good friends while attending there.
We've since attended services with another Church of Christ, the Baptists, the Hyper-Calvinists and have held home worship (which we all enjoyed). I even sat in with the local "Church Of England" when I was traveling out of town on a Wednesday evening. In a few short weeks, we've been privy to Predestination, procrastination, singing with musical instruments or without (note...a pitch pipe is still a musical instrument), communion every week or quarterly, preachers being called "pastor" or just "brother so and so". Women doing nothing at all in worship, except sitting there quietly...or not. Having a choir or only congregational singing, separate classes segregated by age or family integrated worship? Prayer books or extemporaneous prayer? Doctrine abounds.
What ever happened to meeting with the saints/sinners on Sunday morning for an actual "worship" time, where that's what we actually do. Just worship. You know, plain old singing, prayer, communion and scripture being read by different men (possibly within the framework of a weekly theme, but not shackled to that). The worship is the centerpiece and not the preaching. Those who desire sitting through a lectureship, may stay for such an event to be held after worship. Others who desire to study alone or with a smaller group or go and eat or rest or go about their lives, may leave and not be chastised for doing so. Why are we bound to evening services on Sunday and Wednesday, which in my opinion are there as a way to make us feel pious toward our brothers and sisters, who do not attend these "extra-credit" services. My work takes me away from my family at times and I have no desire to get in my car and drive to a building, only to be separated from them for another hour or 2 on Sunday and Wednesday evening. Nor should I or my family be held accountable for not holding to such a schedule.
Isn't "church", the collective body of believers...no matter where they meet? It's not a building, for the love of Pete. When I hear the term "the Lords house" my Catholic Radar goes into overload. It's one of those descriptions that sound holy but need some defining before being thrown around loosely.
In retrospect, some of us hold our doctrines/traditions a little too close to the vest...in idolatry. A doctrine or tradition may or may not be based in truth. And what is relevant or even true at one point in history, may not be relevant or true in current times. We need to realize that 2 roads from 2 different starting places can and do lead to the exact same destination. That is a truth. There are common laws that must be adhered to on both roads but both roads offer different scenery and a different experience than than the other. Some of us get the scenery that we experience on our journey, confused with the destination itself. We can even become convinced that our particular journey is the ONLY way to the destination. No others will do. This is a lie. For although there are common laws that apply to every journey, many roads can and do lead to the same destination.
More on "the journey" later. For now, the sandman has crept up behind me and daylight is fast approaching. I need a warm blanket and a bit of sleep. Good morning to you all.
-The Arkanblogger
Saturday, November 11, 2006
Speaking of Arkansas and Things Southern...
Mrs. Arkanblogger "mugging" for me at one of the childrens' birthday parties.
Photo taken by Mrs. A. Taken at Silver Dollar City in the Ozarks.
Aunt Phyliss and Mrs. A preparing for the Thanksgiving feed in the den.
The first morning of last years' hunt. We did leave the neighborhood. Photo by Mrs. A.
The White River at Gastons' Resort. Photo taken from the top of the Dam.
I've been noticing a little dialogue of late, which concern the good and bad traits of our fair state of Arkansas. So, being myself a 4th generation Arkansan and more specifically of Arkansas county itself, I thought I'd take a couple of minutes to weigh in on the subject.
It is true that Arkansas is widely known a place where broods of mostly toothless hillbillies reside deep in the woods, stilling their moonshine and searching for spouses at their family reunions. It is also the general belief of the rest of the country that Arkansas women walk around in public sporting both bare feet and the condition of being pregnant. The town of Harrison has in the past been known as home to the national headquarters of the KKK and we shan't forget that there is still a place called "Hope", which spawned the likes of our former president William Jefferson Clinton. Our current Governor Mike Huckabee lived in a triple wide trailer while having the gov's mansion renovated, which prompted a quest spot on the Jay Leno show and made for fodder at the office water cooler for months on end. This is also the birthplace of Wal-Mart (which many good folks have held in favor and contempt over the years), although it's founder, Sam Walton, was born in our neighboring state of Oklahoma, just to the west of us. We're even home to the Arkansas Razorbacks, whose many fans will very proudly and spontaneously offer up the "hog call", consisting of a long and loud, "WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO....PIG...SOUIXEE!!!", to complete strangers in airports, grocery stores and in church (I've been there when it happened), should the spirit so move them. Bearing in mind those little highlights, we have somewhat of a history of being maligned...and sometimes painfully and truthfully so.
Now there is another side to the story, as the man once said. Let me say that I have lived in Oklahoma and Colorado and then had extensive dealings with customers as I traveled the states of Mississippi, Tennessee, Louisiana, Colorado, Wyoming, South Dakota and Nebraska. I have also spent time, some of it considerable, in Florida, Washington, California, Nevada, Montana, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, Georgia, Alabama, Texas, New Mexico, Utah, Arizona, Pennsylvania, North and South Carolina, Maryland, along with Washington D.C., the Bahamas, Cabo San Lucas and The Florida Keys. So we can safely say that I've been around the "block" a time or two....not as much as some...but I also know folks that have never left the state. Bearing all this in mind, I can say that Arkansas has some of the nicest people and prettiest countryside in the U.S. Yes, the Rockies and the Tetons are majestic and the Smokies are green and luscious. Our domestic coastlines offer captivating views and even the "plains" states have their vast beauty and cleanliness. I'll admit being quite taken with such places as Key West, FL, Bozeman, MT, Sheridan, WY, San Francisco, San Diego and Sonoma Valley, CA But as much as a cliche' as it is, for me, there is simply no place like home. Some people spend their adult lives escaping from their place of birth for one reason or another. Others embrace it. I've done a bit of both.
Let me share with you some of the places I love and things I love about Arkansas...
The Boston, Quachita and Ozark mountains must certainly they look as if they are mere foothills, if set aside the rugged mountain ranges of the west, but their colorful peaks and rolling beauty is quite engaging....and I've stood atop Mount Evans, Colorado on many occasions, which at it's peak is over 14,000 feet, so I have a pretty good frame of reference, as mountainous beauty is concerned. Arkansas' notable mountains include, Mount Magazine (often called the highest point between the Alleghenies and the Rockies at 2,753 ft.), Mt. Nebo and Mt. Petit Jean State Park. Another beautiful spot is Gaston's Resort, which is located on the White River just a few miles south of the Missouri border near Flippin, Arkansas. Gaston's sports world class trout fishing (with or without guides) , lodging and a fantastic restaurant located on the bank of the White River. I've been twice and I highly recommend it. There is Blanchard Springs Caverns, which is a 3-level cave system and is the only cave currently administered by the United States Forrest Service. Also the Ozark Highlands Trail roams some 180 miles around north west Arkansas and will eventually link to the Ozark Trail in Missouri. The future combination of the two trails will result in approximately 700 miles of trail in the Ozark mountain range.
Some towns worth a visit are Eureka Springs, which is a Victorian village with a European flavor with steep winding streets, lined with cottages and manors. It is the only city in the United States where none of the streets meet at right angles. The city is dominated by a 7-story 2 million pound white statue of Jesus, which sits across the valley from the downtown area. I'll admit that I could do without that one...but Thorncrown Chapel is most certainly worth a visit. This chapel in the woods was designed by E. Fay Jones, a student of Frank Lloyd Wright. A retired schoolteacher purchased the land for his retirement home but felt that the land was too beautiful not to share and commissioned Mr. Jones to design a structure where folks could feel welcome and close to God. Take the highway east out of town and follow it for a couple of hours and you'll find Mountain View, host of the annual Ozark Folk Festival. This celebration, along with the Arkansas Bean Fest and Great Championship Outhouse Race, causes the population of the city to swell from it's 2,800 folks to 100,000. It's not uncommon to find musicians playing and "jamming" together on the downtown square at all times of the year...weather permitting.
There is much more to say regarding the north part of the state but I am a child of the "Grand Prairie", which borders the delta region of the eastern part of the state, which has it's own beauty. The delta, running north and south, along the Mississippi River, variates between massive rice, soybean and cotton farms and thick hardwood forests. Stuttgart, my hometown, is in the heart of the Prairie and is known as the "Rice and Duck Capital of The World". The city is home to Riceland Foods, the world's biggest rice miller and is named after Stuttgart, Germany, which is also a leading rice producer. There are world class waterfowl hunting facilities throughout the Delta region and the "Cabelas of Waterfowl", known as Mack's' Prairie Wings and Rich N' Tone Duck Calls are both headquartered in Stuttgart. Dividing the northern and southern regions of Arkansas is our state capitol, Little Rock, which has become a vibrant city that's highlighted by The Clinton Presidential Library and is the headquarters of Alltel, Axciom, Heifer International, Family Life, TCBY and Stephens Investments. The opening of our River Market District was part of a very successful revitalization program for the downtown area of Little Rock and just last month The Big Dam Bridge was opened to the public. The bridge runs parallel to a lock and dam on the Arkansas River and spans 3,463 feet, making it the world's longest specifically bicycle and pedestrian bridge. Little Rock is also now home to a Peabody Hotel...where every day at 11:00 a.m. the Peabody ducks are escorted from their penthouse to the lobby via elevator. The ducks, accompainied by a Sousa march, proceed across a red carpet to the hotel fountain. Then at 5:00 p.m., the ducks are ceremoniously led back to their penthouse.
Now I don't have a southern accent, nor does my wife or our children...maybe our son has a "tad" of a twang...never the less, I love the many eccentricities about Arkansas' Southern Culture. Such as the fact that farmers and country folk wave at you when you meet them on the highway. You need to wave back. Grandpa's pass down pocketknives and shotguns to their grandsons...and granddaughters. In fact, a man without a pocketknife is probably a yankee or "one of those Californians". This is a place where many grandmothers still hand down family recipes and teach the younger generations how to cook such delicacies as fried green tomatoes, smothered steak and fried chocolate pies. Food is very important here. Much of our gathering and socializing takes place around a meal, laid out buffet style. Sweet tea is a staple for us...like folks having milk in the fridge. When we meet a hearse on the road and it becomes obvious to us that there is a funeral procession approaching, we pull over out of respect for the families and friends of the departed. I love that. Deer hunting season is such a part of the culture here, that school districts have recognized it and have at times, closed their doors, so the students can participate in the sport with their families. Camo clothing is always in style. If we're doing our jobs, we teach our children to say "yes sir", "no ma'am", "please" and "thank you". Another part of doing our job is to write thank you notes. The good southern men open doors for women, children and older folks. If someone treats us poorly, we call it "being ugly to us". When grandpa dies, unless one of the family moves in and takes over the property, we don't tear down his old country home. We'd rather let it sit...as sort of a conduit to the past. That explains the old houses, sheds and barns that you see littering the landscapes of the south, particularly in rural Arkansas. This is also a place where, though they are few, old country stores still exist. You can stop in have a homemade bologna (beef and sliced thick please on white bread only) and cheese sandwich, a doubledecker Moon Pie and Soda Pop. These establishments also generally offer a smattering of fishing and hunting gear, fuel, a selection of canned goods and frozen foods, a bit of hardware and tools, along with some local conversation. If you see one of these little "mom and poppers"...stop in a make a purchase, so they don't disappear from the landscape altogether.
It is true that Arkansas is widely known a place where broods of mostly toothless hillbillies reside deep in the woods, stilling their moonshine and searching for spouses at their family reunions. It is also the general belief of the rest of the country that Arkansas women walk around in public sporting both bare feet and the condition of being pregnant. The town of Harrison has in the past been known as home to the national headquarters of the KKK and we shan't forget that there is still a place called "Hope", which spawned the likes of our former president William Jefferson Clinton. Our current Governor Mike Huckabee lived in a triple wide trailer while having the gov's mansion renovated, which prompted a quest spot on the Jay Leno show and made for fodder at the office water cooler for months on end. This is also the birthplace of Wal-Mart (which many good folks have held in favor and contempt over the years), although it's founder, Sam Walton, was born in our neighboring state of Oklahoma, just to the west of us. We're even home to the Arkansas Razorbacks, whose many fans will very proudly and spontaneously offer up the "hog call", consisting of a long and loud, "WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO....PIG...SOUIXEE!!!", to complete strangers in airports, grocery stores and in church (I've been there when it happened), should the spirit so move them. Bearing in mind those little highlights, we have somewhat of a history of being maligned...and sometimes painfully and truthfully so.
Now there is another side to the story, as the man once said. Let me say that I have lived in Oklahoma and Colorado and then had extensive dealings with customers as I traveled the states of Mississippi, Tennessee, Louisiana, Colorado, Wyoming, South Dakota and Nebraska. I have also spent time, some of it considerable, in Florida, Washington, California, Nevada, Montana, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, Georgia, Alabama, Texas, New Mexico, Utah, Arizona, Pennsylvania, North and South Carolina, Maryland, along with Washington D.C., the Bahamas, Cabo San Lucas and The Florida Keys. So we can safely say that I've been around the "block" a time or two....not as much as some...but I also know folks that have never left the state. Bearing all this in mind, I can say that Arkansas has some of the nicest people and prettiest countryside in the U.S. Yes, the Rockies and the Tetons are majestic and the Smokies are green and luscious. Our domestic coastlines offer captivating views and even the "plains" states have their vast beauty and cleanliness. I'll admit being quite taken with such places as Key West, FL, Bozeman, MT, Sheridan, WY, San Francisco, San Diego and Sonoma Valley, CA But as much as a cliche' as it is, for me, there is simply no place like home. Some people spend their adult lives escaping from their place of birth for one reason or another. Others embrace it. I've done a bit of both.
Let me share with you some of the places I love and things I love about Arkansas...
The Boston, Quachita and Ozark mountains must certainly they look as if they are mere foothills, if set aside the rugged mountain ranges of the west, but their colorful peaks and rolling beauty is quite engaging....and I've stood atop Mount Evans, Colorado on many occasions, which at it's peak is over 14,000 feet, so I have a pretty good frame of reference, as mountainous beauty is concerned. Arkansas' notable mountains include, Mount Magazine (often called the highest point between the Alleghenies and the Rockies at 2,753 ft.), Mt. Nebo and Mt. Petit Jean State Park. Another beautiful spot is Gaston's Resort, which is located on the White River just a few miles south of the Missouri border near Flippin, Arkansas. Gaston's sports world class trout fishing (with or without guides) , lodging and a fantastic restaurant located on the bank of the White River. I've been twice and I highly recommend it. There is Blanchard Springs Caverns, which is a 3-level cave system and is the only cave currently administered by the United States Forrest Service. Also the Ozark Highlands Trail roams some 180 miles around north west Arkansas and will eventually link to the Ozark Trail in Missouri. The future combination of the two trails will result in approximately 700 miles of trail in the Ozark mountain range.
Some towns worth a visit are Eureka Springs, which is a Victorian village with a European flavor with steep winding streets, lined with cottages and manors. It is the only city in the United States where none of the streets meet at right angles. The city is dominated by a 7-story 2 million pound white statue of Jesus, which sits across the valley from the downtown area. I'll admit that I could do without that one...but Thorncrown Chapel is most certainly worth a visit. This chapel in the woods was designed by E. Fay Jones, a student of Frank Lloyd Wright. A retired schoolteacher purchased the land for his retirement home but felt that the land was too beautiful not to share and commissioned Mr. Jones to design a structure where folks could feel welcome and close to God. Take the highway east out of town and follow it for a couple of hours and you'll find Mountain View, host of the annual Ozark Folk Festival. This celebration, along with the Arkansas Bean Fest and Great Championship Outhouse Race, causes the population of the city to swell from it's 2,800 folks to 100,000. It's not uncommon to find musicians playing and "jamming" together on the downtown square at all times of the year...weather permitting.
There is much more to say regarding the north part of the state but I am a child of the "Grand Prairie", which borders the delta region of the eastern part of the state, which has it's own beauty. The delta, running north and south, along the Mississippi River, variates between massive rice, soybean and cotton farms and thick hardwood forests. Stuttgart, my hometown, is in the heart of the Prairie and is known as the "Rice and Duck Capital of The World". The city is home to Riceland Foods, the world's biggest rice miller and is named after Stuttgart, Germany, which is also a leading rice producer. There are world class waterfowl hunting facilities throughout the Delta region and the "Cabelas of Waterfowl", known as Mack's' Prairie Wings and Rich N' Tone Duck Calls are both headquartered in Stuttgart. Dividing the northern and southern regions of Arkansas is our state capitol, Little Rock, which has become a vibrant city that's highlighted by The Clinton Presidential Library and is the headquarters of Alltel, Axciom, Heifer International, Family Life, TCBY and Stephens Investments. The opening of our River Market District was part of a very successful revitalization program for the downtown area of Little Rock and just last month The Big Dam Bridge was opened to the public. The bridge runs parallel to a lock and dam on the Arkansas River and spans 3,463 feet, making it the world's longest specifically bicycle and pedestrian bridge. Little Rock is also now home to a Peabody Hotel...where every day at 11:00 a.m. the Peabody ducks are escorted from their penthouse to the lobby via elevator. The ducks, accompainied by a Sousa march, proceed across a red carpet to the hotel fountain. Then at 5:00 p.m., the ducks are ceremoniously led back to their penthouse.
Now I don't have a southern accent, nor does my wife or our children...maybe our son has a "tad" of a twang...never the less, I love the many eccentricities about Arkansas' Southern Culture. Such as the fact that farmers and country folk wave at you when you meet them on the highway. You need to wave back. Grandpa's pass down pocketknives and shotguns to their grandsons...and granddaughters. In fact, a man without a pocketknife is probably a yankee or "one of those Californians". This is a place where many grandmothers still hand down family recipes and teach the younger generations how to cook such delicacies as fried green tomatoes, smothered steak and fried chocolate pies. Food is very important here. Much of our gathering and socializing takes place around a meal, laid out buffet style. Sweet tea is a staple for us...like folks having milk in the fridge. When we meet a hearse on the road and it becomes obvious to us that there is a funeral procession approaching, we pull over out of respect for the families and friends of the departed. I love that. Deer hunting season is such a part of the culture here, that school districts have recognized it and have at times, closed their doors, so the students can participate in the sport with their families. Camo clothing is always in style. If we're doing our jobs, we teach our children to say "yes sir", "no ma'am", "please" and "thank you". Another part of doing our job is to write thank you notes. The good southern men open doors for women, children and older folks. If someone treats us poorly, we call it "being ugly to us". When grandpa dies, unless one of the family moves in and takes over the property, we don't tear down his old country home. We'd rather let it sit...as sort of a conduit to the past. That explains the old houses, sheds and barns that you see littering the landscapes of the south, particularly in rural Arkansas. This is also a place where, though they are few, old country stores still exist. You can stop in have a homemade bologna (beef and sliced thick please on white bread only) and cheese sandwich, a doubledecker Moon Pie and Soda Pop. These establishments also generally offer a smattering of fishing and hunting gear, fuel, a selection of canned goods and frozen foods, a bit of hardware and tools, along with some local conversation. If you see one of these little "mom and poppers"...stop in a make a purchase, so they don't disappear from the landscape altogether.
We like for our friends to come on up, down or over, as it were and depending on the season, sit in front of the fire, the wood stove, at the kitchen table, on the porch or in lawn chairs under the shade of the big pin oak in the backyard and talk about politics, religion, northerners or whatever comes to mind. We want to connect with you here....just at our own pace. We want to know who your people are and where you're from. Not to size you up...but to have some empathy with you and find some common ground for discussion. So, we'll see you soon and you be sure to give your mama a big hug around her neck and tell your daddy hello for us.
p.s. Deer season (guns) started last week.
p.s. Deer season (guns) started last week.
-The Arkanblogger
Friday, November 03, 2006
Look Below this post for Film Festival pics! (This one is "The End is Near???")
The head Arkanblogger posted a short paragraph on the rapture awhile ago. Since there were no comments and it was so short, I wanted to furthur this discussion.
Have you ever seen on of those people standing on the side of the road holding a sign that says something like "Be Prepared, the end is near"? Or "Repent, the end is coming"? A message much like the one that Jon the Baptist gave in Matthew? Well, it occured to me that the message on the sign might just be the best advice we can find on that other than the Bible. If you disregard the "end is near" part, that is. The Rapture is becoming one of the biggest topics in the world of Christianity. I don't think I'll ever forget pulling up to Mardels and seeing a big poster advertising the latest rapture book. As I skimmed it over I stopped at the date. Guess when it was scheduled to come out? 6/6/06. I know people who pour over rapture books, love the "Left Behind" series, etc. I have one question, where does it say some people will be left behind? If it is there, please tell me. I seem to have missed it. Back to the message on the sign...you see, I don't really know how our Savior will return, when, or the circumstances. I do know that He will come like a theif in the night. Not on the date that a "rapture countdown clock"is set to. Or perhaps by chance He might. I really don't know. But as long as I am living my life in a way that is pleasing to my Lord and Savior, it really doesn't matter. He may come today, tomorrow, or long after I am gone. But I will be focusing on here and now, and living a life that is glorifying the Lord. It doesn't matter to me in the long run how He comes. Just as long as does.
Paige :)
Have you ever seen on of those people standing on the side of the road holding a sign that says something like "Be Prepared, the end is near"? Or "Repent, the end is coming"? A message much like the one that Jon the Baptist gave in Matthew? Well, it occured to me that the message on the sign might just be the best advice we can find on that other than the Bible. If you disregard the "end is near" part, that is. The Rapture is becoming one of the biggest topics in the world of Christianity. I don't think I'll ever forget pulling up to Mardels and seeing a big poster advertising the latest rapture book. As I skimmed it over I stopped at the date. Guess when it was scheduled to come out? 6/6/06. I know people who pour over rapture books, love the "Left Behind" series, etc. I have one question, where does it say some people will be left behind? If it is there, please tell me. I seem to have missed it. Back to the message on the sign...you see, I don't really know how our Savior will return, when, or the circumstances. I do know that He will come like a theif in the night. Not on the date that a "rapture countdown clock"is set to. Or perhaps by chance He might. I really don't know. But as long as I am living my life in a way that is pleasing to my Lord and Savior, it really doesn't matter. He may come today, tomorrow, or long after I am gone. But I will be focusing on here and now, and living a life that is glorifying the Lord. It doesn't matter to me in the long run how He comes. Just as long as does.
Paige :)
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Film Festival 2006 (yes, it's finally here)
After much frustration (uploading photos, writing numbers of photos, etc) we are finally posting about the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival. These are 18 of the around 200 photos taken. Enjoy! This photo was taken the morning we left just before we pulled out of the drive way. We later stopped before we were even out of Little Rock to get Marie's phone. (long story) You can't see, but we filled the trunk to about 6'' below the brim I don't know what happened to the text here... Below we did a commentary by us Arkanblogger sisters. I will try and get Emma Joy and Marie's on here soon. (If you are reading it, could you please send them to me?)
Caitlin says: Oh what a beautiful mornin'!
Paige says: Lovely.
Elizabeth says: I love penguins.
Grace says: It's freezing!
Welcome to The Gristmill! The chicken fried steak was wonderful, and the mashed potato's were fit to die for. We are all a bit blue, being as it was rather chilly. We must mention the scrumptious strawberry shortcake. Mmm.Caitlin says: The food was wonderful! (you guys, remember your manners!)
Paige says: Brrrrr.
Elizabeth says: I want my jacket back!
Grace says: No way.
This is the cabin where we stayed. The inside was very nice. And most certainly big enough. Oh, we were on the right hand side of it. When we got there, we all thought that we were barging in to someones home. Caitlin says: It does look like a barn, doesn't it?
Paige says: The Christmas lights were so pretty at night!
Elizabeth says: I loved the kitchen.
Grace says: Howdy y'all!
We took a break after our first session for some Tazo tea and planning. We were all still a little sleepy after the rush that morning to leave on time. We were an hour away from the convention center. Yes, comfort does sometimes require sacrifice.Caitlin says: Ahh...the sweet taste of intellectual stimulation in the morning!
Paige says: I think I was looking for "The Oath" times...
Elizabeth says: Oh what a loverly morning!
Grace says:Hey, I took this one!
Caitlin says: Oh dear!Paige says: I don't see anything wrong with this picture.
Elizabeth says: I'm not even in this picture!
Grace says: I took this one too!
A lovely picture of the program, featuring the logo of the film festival. Such memories that are awakened! We might have taken a picture of something a little bigger though... Caitlin says: How inspiring.
Paige says: I kept mine. (it has autographs and markings)
Elizabeth says: You have no idea what this means to me!
Grace says: Thank you Caitlin, I took it.
This is the Dugger family playing the their violins. I don't think that is all of them though. Seeing them all up there and hearing them speak was a wonderful experience.Caitlin says: (undecided)
Paige says: What an inspiring experience!
Elizabeth says: I thought my family was big...
Grace says: It sounded so pleasant.
The River walk was just down there. This was taken on the bridge that goes from one part of the convention center to the next. We got to walk by the water later. It was so pretty!
Caitlin says: The florescent green color of the water was quite lovely.
Paige says: Someone had a wedding on one of those boats!
Elizabeth says: I feel like I am in Italy.
Grace says: That's one picture I didn't take.
This is our picture with the famous authors of The Rebelution blog. They were there as press members, I believe. It was so wonderful finally meeting them after reading their blog and seeing them online for so long. (If you want more on the festival you can see their blog at therebelution.com/blog) Caitlin says: Sigh...at least you can't see my braces.
Paige says: I don't think the tallest should be in the middle...
Elizabeth says: Hey, some of us are matching!
Grace says: Did I miss something?
Grace says: Did I miss something?
Sweet Joy, the lovely Grandma Sue, and me, Paige. This is just before we left for the convention center on the second day. We were thankful that the temperature had finally warmed up, though it doesn't look like it did, being as we are all a bit pale. (we were also wearing walking shoes that day, we had learned our lesson from the day before)Caitlin says: I see that look in your eye Paige...
Paige says: I know...it's TEXAS.
Elizabeth says: Lovely.
Grace says: What gloomy weather.
I believe that Caitlin took this one. We had just seen a wonderful documentary on biology (where we learned about roots and fungi) and were trying to pick a film to see next. We had to be quick too, our time in between films was very short. I tried to capture the moment on film.Caitlin says:
Paige says: I should have been looking at the video camera...
Elizabeth says: Decisions, decisions...
Grace says: Hmm...
It's Grace and Joy waving their fake Iraq money for the camera. I believe the money was used as an advertisement. Oh, they are in one of the rooms that were used for showing films. All of them were very nice.Caitlin says:
Paige says: If only they weren't shaking it...
Elizabeth:
Grace says: You just wish you knew how much it was :)
This is the upstairs part of one of the buildings that was being used to show films.There is a very interesting mosaic over there along with some people we met. There in the blue dress is cousin Joy.
Here we all are dressed up for the Jubillee Awards. This was the last night of the festival. :( But the award ceremony was wonderful! It was so awesome seeing all of those people dedicating their talents to God, and giving him all the glory.
This is the wonderful moment when "The Oath" won the Jubilee Award. (YAY!!!) Up on the screen is the director/producer, to his right is his wife (who acted brother to the man on the directors left) I hope you got that. If you get the chance to see this film I HIGHLY suggest it. Oh, this film also got the audience choice award. (it was wonderful!) I think I'll stop now before Caitlin stops me...
There you have Grandma Sue, Caitlin, Marie, and other random hands cheering for one of the films. I don't think it is "The Oath" though, we would be standing up (at least I was) All of the films deserved applause for sure.
On the forbidden staircase (thank you Grandfather...). This is the last picture that was taken after the award ceremony. Grandfather found the best staircase (which just happened to be roped off) and took our picture there. I believe our moods are reflected through our faces. Our last memory of the festival. Parting was so sad! But we do have next year to look forward to :)I will try and get the rest of the comments up there if possible. Sorry about the short report. There you have it, a pictorial review of the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival. We hope that you enjoyed it!
Caitlin, Paige, Elizabeth, and Grace.
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Your Uniform
This is an essay that I wrote a bit ago for my literature class. The subject could be expanded on more if desired. I will try and get a post out on the film festival soon. Grandfather has the whole 200 something pictures that we all took though. Maybe we can get some of those up soon. I look forward to your comments!
"Clothing can suggest, persuade, connote, or indeed lie and apply subtle pressure while their wearer is speaking of other matters." A quote by Anne Holander. I do not know Anne Holander, but I do know that she was very right when she said this. In this paper, I'll go a little deeper than just the issue of clothing, for it is not just what you wear, it is your entire countenance from which people will form their opinion of you. From cell phone rings, to the brand of your shirt, you are reflecting something. Your uniform in manner and attire show who you represent; and are major factors in people's general reaction to you.
Let us begin with the clothing you wear. Imagine this: you are walking through the mall one day and you see a group of young people. Their attire and accessories are all of the latest "in" items, from hair to toe-nail polish. What do you think of them? I will tell you what my thoughts would be. "My, I bet the read the latest magazine", or "it's just another group of preppy glamour girls". In only a matter of seconds, I formed an opinion of them in my mind and should I get to know these parties better, I will build on that original opinion. Now, could I have just walked past and ignored the fact that these people are self-stereotyped? (more on that later) Yes. But I did just what society frowns upon. I started to form an opinion of them, or "labeled"them. This group of people was wearing a "uniform", and that is what I identified them by. People say "you can't judge a book by it's cover". I will disagree with them for the most part. A cover does not just carry a picture. In fact there may be no picture at all. Maybe just a background color that may appear offensive or not. But a book will always have a title. My point is that what you wear shows what you represent. For instance, even if you just dress like a "skater", but do not skate, you appear as a skater representative. So generally, your allegiance appears to lie with the skater crowd. In this case, it is not necessarily your manner (though representing something can over time mold you to it) but your appearance.
The way that we carry ourselves and our manners that we use are a big factor in how we will be judged.It is the same principal as the clothing we wear. Some people may dress respectfully, but their actions are less than good, according to the Biblical standards. Another interesting thing is that the world generally knows when a Christian gets caught in a mess. Look at all of the attention that conservative and respectable people get when they make a mistake. It would appear that they are held to a "higher" standard...even by those who do not use those same standards for their own behavior. Do you not think the world is watching you just as much? I submit that they are. People look to other people for examples. Someone is always watching you. They look to the things you do as a model, good or bad. Someone to mold their actions after. That is just a fact. But as Christians, how should we act? A smile full of joy, and not deceit, is a beautiful thing. As followers of God, we should reflect the joy that we have in Christ. I believe that is one of the first steps to having a Christian manner. As long as our manner is reflecting Christ, we are representing our God correctly. But since we are human, and human nature is to sin, we are not perfect. So repentance becomes a key action in our "uniform" that we wear. If we go around sinning, and act as if we did nothing, we give out fellow Christians a bad name. We are labeled "hypocrites". But if we repent, we can redeem ourselves. I do not believe anymore is needed here, being as the Bible gives us all the insight we need on this subject.
Earlier in my paper, I mentioned "self-stereotyping". In our current culture, stereotyping is a bad thing to do. We aren't supposed to judge people by the things they wear, or even by certain characteristics that they carry. But when large groups of people get together, they start to separate into other groups that they prefer, creating semi-cultures within cultures. Certain groups were "popular" and other were not. It seems to me that people started seeing benefits of being labeled with a certain name, so they would imitate what they wanted to be. Altering their entire uniform just so that they could be labeled what they wanted and receive the benefits. Such as being popular, getting that boyfriend that they wanted, etc. Thus, my generation becomes a "self-stereotyped" generation. I personally think that it is wrong to pretend to be something you are not (and should not be) just to get attention. It is not God's way at all. Now, as Christians, what should our stereotype be? Or, is it even worth being stereotyped Christian anymore? In John 15, verse 19 it says this: "If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you." That should sum things up for the Christian. We should not be of the world. People should not be able to call us things of the world and be telling the truth. If anything, we should be called radical Christians who have hearts for the Lord. Because anything but radical might be lukewarm, and God wants our best.
Non-Christian people look to other people for answers. That is just a fact. They are unlike Christians in the fact that we look to God and His word first and foremost for answers, yet we also value the wisdom of other people. Christians might see this as a dis-advantage, because the non-Christian people looking only to other people will find weakness, frailty and sin, because it is human nature. But we can use this to our advantage, because if we put ourselves forward in such a way that our light's shine (Matt. 5:16) they will look to the Light. We need only to be there so that they can look to us, and not the world. But when they look to us, we need to make sure that we are representing out Father in a way that is honoring to Him. If the crowds see anything else, they might doubt our faith. Now that I have reassured you that the world is watching, what uniform are you wearing? Remember, we all wear one. Your uniform in manner and attire show who you represent, and are major factors in people's general reaction to you. In closing, your uniform can bring someone closer to God, or just as easily push them away.
Paige
"Clothing can suggest, persuade, connote, or indeed lie and apply subtle pressure while their wearer is speaking of other matters." A quote by Anne Holander. I do not know Anne Holander, but I do know that she was very right when she said this. In this paper, I'll go a little deeper than just the issue of clothing, for it is not just what you wear, it is your entire countenance from which people will form their opinion of you. From cell phone rings, to the brand of your shirt, you are reflecting something. Your uniform in manner and attire show who you represent; and are major factors in people's general reaction to you.
Let us begin with the clothing you wear. Imagine this: you are walking through the mall one day and you see a group of young people. Their attire and accessories are all of the latest "in" items, from hair to toe-nail polish. What do you think of them? I will tell you what my thoughts would be. "My, I bet the read the latest magazine", or "it's just another group of preppy glamour girls". In only a matter of seconds, I formed an opinion of them in my mind and should I get to know these parties better, I will build on that original opinion. Now, could I have just walked past and ignored the fact that these people are self-stereotyped? (more on that later) Yes. But I did just what society frowns upon. I started to form an opinion of them, or "labeled"them. This group of people was wearing a "uniform", and that is what I identified them by. People say "you can't judge a book by it's cover". I will disagree with them for the most part. A cover does not just carry a picture. In fact there may be no picture at all. Maybe just a background color that may appear offensive or not. But a book will always have a title. My point is that what you wear shows what you represent. For instance, even if you just dress like a "skater", but do not skate, you appear as a skater representative. So generally, your allegiance appears to lie with the skater crowd. In this case, it is not necessarily your manner (though representing something can over time mold you to it) but your appearance.
The way that we carry ourselves and our manners that we use are a big factor in how we will be judged.It is the same principal as the clothing we wear. Some people may dress respectfully, but their actions are less than good, according to the Biblical standards. Another interesting thing is that the world generally knows when a Christian gets caught in a mess. Look at all of the attention that conservative and respectable people get when they make a mistake. It would appear that they are held to a "higher" standard...even by those who do not use those same standards for their own behavior. Do you not think the world is watching you just as much? I submit that they are. People look to other people for examples. Someone is always watching you. They look to the things you do as a model, good or bad. Someone to mold their actions after. That is just a fact. But as Christians, how should we act? A smile full of joy, and not deceit, is a beautiful thing. As followers of God, we should reflect the joy that we have in Christ. I believe that is one of the first steps to having a Christian manner. As long as our manner is reflecting Christ, we are representing our God correctly. But since we are human, and human nature is to sin, we are not perfect. So repentance becomes a key action in our "uniform" that we wear. If we go around sinning, and act as if we did nothing, we give out fellow Christians a bad name. We are labeled "hypocrites". But if we repent, we can redeem ourselves. I do not believe anymore is needed here, being as the Bible gives us all the insight we need on this subject.
Earlier in my paper, I mentioned "self-stereotyping". In our current culture, stereotyping is a bad thing to do. We aren't supposed to judge people by the things they wear, or even by certain characteristics that they carry. But when large groups of people get together, they start to separate into other groups that they prefer, creating semi-cultures within cultures. Certain groups were "popular" and other were not. It seems to me that people started seeing benefits of being labeled with a certain name, so they would imitate what they wanted to be. Altering their entire uniform just so that they could be labeled what they wanted and receive the benefits. Such as being popular, getting that boyfriend that they wanted, etc. Thus, my generation becomes a "self-stereotyped" generation. I personally think that it is wrong to pretend to be something you are not (and should not be) just to get attention. It is not God's way at all. Now, as Christians, what should our stereotype be? Or, is it even worth being stereotyped Christian anymore? In John 15, verse 19 it says this: "If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you." That should sum things up for the Christian. We should not be of the world. People should not be able to call us things of the world and be telling the truth. If anything, we should be called radical Christians who have hearts for the Lord. Because anything but radical might be lukewarm, and God wants our best.
Non-Christian people look to other people for answers. That is just a fact. They are unlike Christians in the fact that we look to God and His word first and foremost for answers, yet we also value the wisdom of other people. Christians might see this as a dis-advantage, because the non-Christian people looking only to other people will find weakness, frailty and sin, because it is human nature. But we can use this to our advantage, because if we put ourselves forward in such a way that our light's shine (Matt. 5:16) they will look to the Light. We need only to be there so that they can look to us, and not the world. But when they look to us, we need to make sure that we are representing out Father in a way that is honoring to Him. If the crowds see anything else, they might doubt our faith. Now that I have reassured you that the world is watching, what uniform are you wearing? Remember, we all wear one. Your uniform in manner and attire show who you represent, and are major factors in people's general reaction to you. In closing, your uniform can bring someone closer to God, or just as easily push them away.
Paige
Friday, October 13, 2006
Continued from below...
After posting, I didn't think it fair if I just left you hanging like that, so I will now give you a bit more information about the link I gave you. A rumor went around saying that the Aussie's didn't want Muslims in Australia and that they were telling them to get out. Only the radical Muslims that were planning on living out the Muslim way of life though. If they chose to live the Australian way, they were fine. This article gives you the real story, and some great quotes. I think the Australians were being rational. I also received something different when I got the email. This is what I received:
Muslims who want to live under Islamic Sharia law were told on Wednesday to
get out of Australia, as the government targeted radicals in a bid to head off
potential terror attacks. A day after a group of mainstream Muslim leaders
pledged loyalty to Australia and her Queen at a special meeting with Prime
Minister John Howard, he and his Ministers made it clear that extremists would
face a crack down. Treasurer Peter Costello, seen as heir apparent to Howard,
hinted that some radical clerics could be asked to leave the country if they did
not accept that Australia was a secular state, and its laws were made by
parliament. "If those are not your values, if you want a country which has Sharia
law or a theocratic state, then Australia is not for you", he said on national
television. "I'd be saying to clerics who are teaching that there are two laws
governing people in Australia: one the Australian law and another the Islamic
law, that is false. If you can't agree with parliamentary law, independent
courts, democracy, and would prefer Sharia law and have the opportunity to go to
another country,which practices it, perhaps, then, that's a better option",
Costello said. Asked whether he meant radical clerics would be forced to leave,
he said those with dual citizenship could possibly asked to move to the other
country. Education Minister Brendan Nelson later told reporters that Muslims who
did not want to accept local values should "clear off". Basically people who
don't want to be Australians, and who don't want to live by Australian values
and understand them, well then, they can basically clear off", he said.
Separately, Howard angered some Australian Muslims on Wednesday by saying he
supported spy agencies monitoring the nation's mosques Quote: "IMMIGRANTS, NOT AUSTRALIANS, MUST ADAPT. Take It Or Leave It. I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individual or their culture. Since
the terrorist attacks on Bali, we have experienced a surge in patriotism by the
majority of Australians." "However, the dust from the attacks had barely settled
when the 'politically correct' crowd began complaining about the possibility that
our patriotism was offending others. I am not against immigration, nor do I hold
a grudge against anyone who is seeking a better life by coming to Australia,
However, there are a few things that those who have recently come to our country,
and apparently some born here, need to understand." "This idea of Australia
being a multi-cultural community has served only to dilute our sovereignty and
our national identity. As Australians, we have our own culture, our own society,
our own language and our own lifestyle."
"This culture has been developed over two centuries of struggles, trials
and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom"
"We speak mainly ENGLISH, not Spanish,Lebanese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society,
learn our language!"
"Most Australians believe in God. This is not some
Christian, right wing, political push, but a fact, because Christian men and
women founded this nation on Christian principles, and this is clearly
documented. It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of our
schools. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the
world as your new home, because God is part of our culture."
"We will accept your beliefs, and will not question why. All we ask is that you accept
ours, and live in harmony and peaceful enjoyment with us." "If the Southern Cross
offends you, or you don't like " A Fair Go", then you should seriously consider a
move to another part of this planet. We are happy with our culture and have
no desire to change, and we really don't care how you did things where you came
from. By all means, keep your culture, but do not force it another's.
"This is OUR COUNTRY, OUR LAND, and OUR LIFESTYLE, and we will allow you
every opportunity to enjoy all this. But once you are done complaining, whining,
and griping about Our Flag,Our Pledge, Our Christian beliefs, or Our Way of
Life, I highly encourage you take advantage of one other great Australian
freedom, 'THE RIGHT TO LEAVE'."
"If you aren't happy here then LEAVE.
We didn't force you to come here. You asked to be here. So accept the country YOU
accepted."
(some editing was done, but nothing to effect what was really said)
Now, is this too radical, or is it how we should be. Perhaps some more Biblical principals should be added too. I am not sure that I would be so harsh. It is a wonderful ministry opportunity. But if the people are close minded and biased, it really would be better for them to leave. I know right now The United States main issue with immigrants is from Mexico. Many people are complaining that "we shouldn't have to learn Spanish, make them learn English". Is this right? I think it might be. But we should not be so close minded and not be open to learning other languages. I would preferably learn French, not Spanish. But nonetheless I am interested in learning one. Another thing that was said above is that their country was founded on God, and if the people didn't like that, they should leave. I thought about that, then thought about how much America might shrink if we applied all the things above. We would lose all of the "politically correct" people too. I am sorry for the confusion below. At first I just posted a link, but then quickly realized that the link was not exactly what I received. Also, I am not claiming that the above is 100% accurate. I just thought that it might be a good conversation provoker. I am checking my source a bit more, and will try to give you the link that I was given soon. I think that this is longest post I have ever done. I won't try and make it harder for me to break this record so I will end here. I look forward to your responses.
Paige :)
Muslims who want to live under Islamic Sharia law were told on Wednesday to
get out of Australia, as the government targeted radicals in a bid to head off
potential terror attacks. A day after a group of mainstream Muslim leaders
pledged loyalty to Australia and her Queen at a special meeting with Prime
Minister John Howard, he and his Ministers made it clear that extremists would
face a crack down. Treasurer Peter Costello, seen as heir apparent to Howard,
hinted that some radical clerics could be asked to leave the country if they did
not accept that Australia was a secular state, and its laws were made by
parliament. "If those are not your values, if you want a country which has Sharia
law or a theocratic state, then Australia is not for you", he said on national
television. "I'd be saying to clerics who are teaching that there are two laws
governing people in Australia: one the Australian law and another the Islamic
law, that is false. If you can't agree with parliamentary law, independent
courts, democracy, and would prefer Sharia law and have the opportunity to go to
another country,which practices it, perhaps, then, that's a better option",
Costello said. Asked whether he meant radical clerics would be forced to leave,
he said those with dual citizenship could possibly asked to move to the other
country. Education Minister Brendan Nelson later told reporters that Muslims who
did not want to accept local values should "clear off". Basically people who
don't want to be Australians, and who don't want to live by Australian values
and understand them, well then, they can basically clear off", he said.
Separately, Howard angered some Australian Muslims on Wednesday by saying he
supported spy agencies monitoring the nation's mosques Quote: "IMMIGRANTS, NOT AUSTRALIANS, MUST ADAPT. Take It Or Leave It. I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individual or their culture. Since
the terrorist attacks on Bali, we have experienced a surge in patriotism by the
majority of Australians." "However, the dust from the attacks had barely settled
when the 'politically correct' crowd began complaining about the possibility that
our patriotism was offending others. I am not against immigration, nor do I hold
a grudge against anyone who is seeking a better life by coming to Australia,
However, there are a few things that those who have recently come to our country,
and apparently some born here, need to understand." "This idea of Australia
being a multi-cultural community has served only to dilute our sovereignty and
our national identity. As Australians, we have our own culture, our own society,
our own language and our own lifestyle."
"This culture has been developed over two centuries of struggles, trials
and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom"
"We speak mainly ENGLISH, not Spanish,Lebanese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society,
learn our language!"
"Most Australians believe in God. This is not some
Christian, right wing, political push, but a fact, because Christian men and
women founded this nation on Christian principles, and this is clearly
documented. It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of our
schools. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the
world as your new home, because God is part of our culture."
"We will accept your beliefs, and will not question why. All we ask is that you accept
ours, and live in harmony and peaceful enjoyment with us." "If the Southern Cross
offends you, or you don't like " A Fair Go", then you should seriously consider a
move to another part of this planet. We are happy with our culture and have
no desire to change, and we really don't care how you did things where you came
from. By all means, keep your culture, but do not force it another's.
"This is OUR COUNTRY, OUR LAND, and OUR LIFESTYLE, and we will allow you
every opportunity to enjoy all this. But once you are done complaining, whining,
and griping about Our Flag,Our Pledge, Our Christian beliefs, or Our Way of
Life, I highly encourage you take advantage of one other great Australian
freedom, 'THE RIGHT TO LEAVE'."
"If you aren't happy here then LEAVE.
We didn't force you to come here. You asked to be here. So accept the country YOU
accepted."
(some editing was done, but nothing to effect what was really said)
Now, is this too radical, or is it how we should be. Perhaps some more Biblical principals should be added too. I am not sure that I would be so harsh. It is a wonderful ministry opportunity. But if the people are close minded and biased, it really would be better for them to leave. I know right now The United States main issue with immigrants is from Mexico. Many people are complaining that "we shouldn't have to learn Spanish, make them learn English". Is this right? I think it might be. But we should not be so close minded and not be open to learning other languages. I would preferably learn French, not Spanish. But nonetheless I am interested in learning one. Another thing that was said above is that their country was founded on God, and if the people didn't like that, they should leave. I thought about that, then thought about how much America might shrink if we applied all the things above. We would lose all of the "politically correct" people too. I am sorry for the confusion below. At first I just posted a link, but then quickly realized that the link was not exactly what I received. Also, I am not claiming that the above is 100% accurate. I just thought that it might be a good conversation provoker. I am checking my source a bit more, and will try to give you the link that I was given soon. I think that this is longest post I have ever done. I won't try and make it harder for me to break this record so I will end here. I look forward to your responses.
Paige :)
Have the Australians Got it Right?
I recently received an email from a friend that I found quite interesting. It contained a link to a site that debugs rumors to see if they are true or not. I had no clue this existed until now. The rumor that she sent me was true. The link will be posted below. I think that the Australians are on to something...But that is just me. Is what they are doing Biblical? What do you think? I will do a further post on this later. For now, tell me what you think.
Please bear with me as I review my sources a few more times. Thank you very much!
Paige ;)
Please bear with me as I review my sources a few more times. Thank you very much!
Paige ;)
Friday, September 29, 2006
The Performance
Recently I performed along with all of my siblings in "Something Old, Something New, a musical and drama review" by our co-op drama group. I thought that I would share a few of my most memorable experiences in this post :)
We started rehearsals in August, I believe. That is the shortest amount of time our group has ever had to get a show together. We could not change the time either, due to people moving, and other things. So we were rehearsing often and long. I remember at the dress rehearsal how panicked/worried some of the parents and performers were. People were having line trouble, cues were being missed in songs, and just about anything else you can imagine that wasn't very good. Including a main character starting to feel ill. I will admit to being a bit worried myself too. You see, I was singing "Part of Your World" from The Little Mermaid, without a fin, or anything like it. So I wore a green formal dress, hoping that the green might hint at a fin. That night at the performance things started looking up. The girl who was feeling ill earlier was doing better, people were a bit more calm (except our opening act) and the parents seemed a bit more calm too. The lights went out, the performers were ready, so, in the words of our narrator, we "let the music begin".
The opening act (as mentioned earlier) was my Sister Caitlin. She was Maria, from The Sound of Music. The first song was her solo, "Confidence", which she did quite well with :) Then, most of the rest of the cast went out on stage to happily sing "Doe, a Deer". The last number was "edelweiss". (I am not sure of the spelling) That was sung by a sweet girl who has performed with us before. On the first night she had almost no voice, so singing was quite hard. Christina helped her a bit on stage to get throughout it. After the applause, the Oklahoma crew came on. We began with "Oh What a Beautiful Morning" then ended with the "Oklahoma" song. I won't repeat the entire show for you, being as you would get pretty bored. But I will tell you that it went well. Much MUCH smoother than we thought it would. It was a success.
If there is something I learned from this performance, it is that you can't please every member of the audience. Especially when it comes to something like a song. When I sang the song from The Little Mermaid, I didn't know who I was going to be singing to. The first night I felt no energy from the audience. It was very depressing. Except for the few little girls in the front row singing along. On the second night I was ready to go all out and put everything plus some that I had into it (or as much as I could being congested) Before I went on, a few little girls came up to me, and asked me when I was going to sing the mermaid song. I talked to them for a little bit about their favorite princesses, and the songs they enjoyed. They loved the song that I was singing, and wanted to hear it. That meant a lot to me. So I went out for that last performance to give it my all. My perfuming was better, I preferred my singing the night before though. When I finished and walked off the stage, I felt two tiny arms around me. It was a little girl who had been listening. She looked up at me and said "you did SO good!". Her smile was enough to make me happy for the rest of the performance. Despite all the downs, it all became very worth it. It is something I will never forget.
I am sorry for the post being a bit out of order, I have been working on it for quite some time. I am thinking about posting some of my essays that I have written for our literature class. Until then, have a blessed weekend!
Paige :)
We started rehearsals in August, I believe. That is the shortest amount of time our group has ever had to get a show together. We could not change the time either, due to people moving, and other things. So we were rehearsing often and long. I remember at the dress rehearsal how panicked/worried some of the parents and performers were. People were having line trouble, cues were being missed in songs, and just about anything else you can imagine that wasn't very good. Including a main character starting to feel ill. I will admit to being a bit worried myself too. You see, I was singing "Part of Your World" from The Little Mermaid, without a fin, or anything like it. So I wore a green formal dress, hoping that the green might hint at a fin. That night at the performance things started looking up. The girl who was feeling ill earlier was doing better, people were a bit more calm (except our opening act) and the parents seemed a bit more calm too. The lights went out, the performers were ready, so, in the words of our narrator, we "let the music begin".
The opening act (as mentioned earlier) was my Sister Caitlin. She was Maria, from The Sound of Music. The first song was her solo, "Confidence", which she did quite well with :) Then, most of the rest of the cast went out on stage to happily sing "Doe, a Deer". The last number was "edelweiss". (I am not sure of the spelling) That was sung by a sweet girl who has performed with us before. On the first night she had almost no voice, so singing was quite hard. Christina helped her a bit on stage to get throughout it. After the applause, the Oklahoma crew came on. We began with "Oh What a Beautiful Morning" then ended with the "Oklahoma" song. I won't repeat the entire show for you, being as you would get pretty bored. But I will tell you that it went well. Much MUCH smoother than we thought it would. It was a success.
If there is something I learned from this performance, it is that you can't please every member of the audience. Especially when it comes to something like a song. When I sang the song from The Little Mermaid, I didn't know who I was going to be singing to. The first night I felt no energy from the audience. It was very depressing. Except for the few little girls in the front row singing along. On the second night I was ready to go all out and put everything plus some that I had into it (or as much as I could being congested) Before I went on, a few little girls came up to me, and asked me when I was going to sing the mermaid song. I talked to them for a little bit about their favorite princesses, and the songs they enjoyed. They loved the song that I was singing, and wanted to hear it. That meant a lot to me. So I went out for that last performance to give it my all. My perfuming was better, I preferred my singing the night before though. When I finished and walked off the stage, I felt two tiny arms around me. It was a little girl who had been listening. She looked up at me and said "you did SO good!". Her smile was enough to make me happy for the rest of the performance. Despite all the downs, it all became very worth it. It is something I will never forget.
I am sorry for the post being a bit out of order, I have been working on it for quite some time. I am thinking about posting some of my essays that I have written for our literature class. Until then, have a blessed weekend!
Paige :)
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Just Type Right
Have you ever read an email, and because of the way it was typed, found yourself unable to fully comprehend what it meant? I have. Now, this may be with people more my generation, but it might be older too. I am finding that one of my newest most irksome things on my list is that little "lol" thing. (argh) Following that is one that I don't see as often with the people I speak with, OMG. Oh my gosh. Or whatever else they may say or imply. You can't really tell. I also find that the appearance it gives is not the most smart one in the book. Emails that are littered with mis-spellings, horrible grammar, and "lol"s give the impression of something very worldly. Part of my signature on my emails that I send out is an encouragement to stop living down to the expectations society expects and higher them. I use the words "Just type right", because really that is all it is. The way I look at it, typing with horrible grammar, awful spelling, lol's and the like, (and not caring at all) is a type of conforming. It relates to saying "like" to much. If there is one thing that makes my stomach knot up is hearing a sentence a bit like this : "And he was like, oh my gosh, and I was like, that's not cool, ya know?" Now, I will admit to saying "like" out of context some too. I am working on that currently.
Tell me what you think about this. If I started blogging with "lol"s and "OMG"s or whatever else, would you view it as conforming? I know that "lol" does not say "laugh out loud" to me. What does it say to you? Just curious. I look forward to hearing your responses. Have a blessed weekend all!
Paige ;)
Tell me what you think about this. If I started blogging with "lol"s and "OMG"s or whatever else, would you view it as conforming? I know that "lol" does not say "laugh out loud" to me. What does it say to you? Just curious. I look forward to hearing your responses. Have a blessed weekend all!
Paige ;)
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Reflections On Turning 44...
My recent 44th birthday was one of a little introspection, thankfullness and a certain amount of contemplation and contentedness. I wanted to list some things that came to mind and happened on that day, in no particular order.
- I'm happy to be here
- My wife and children cooked a great southern meal for dinner "supper", consisting of salmon croquettes, boiled okra, boiled small potatoes, black eyed peas, squash, squash casserole, cornbread, fresh garden tomatoes and double layer chocolate cake with oreo topping. I had two pieces. Fasted from the change in diet for the day in order to partake.
- My little sister took me to lunch at the Starving Artist's Cafe. Had the chicken crepes and little roasted potatoes. MMM. Thank you sis for the treat and the company.
- Got calls from Dad, Mom, Roger, Dubya, Connie, Brother K, The Montana Inlaws and Cousin Gwyn. Even talked to "Uncle Daren" right before I hit the hay.
- Received new guitar picks, a guitar strap and....my own "manly" cooking apron from my wife and children. Mrs. Arkanblogger must have gotten tired of my wearing her "prints".
- I'm half of 88 and twice 22. Simple math skills still work.
- Hair on my head is getting increasingly grey. Fine by me. I wouldn't dye one strand, even if you paid for it.
- Hair on my head is getting a "skosh" thinner on the crown. I can't see it. Also find by me. Note...no videotaping me from behind....and if you dare, don't show it to me. "with knowledge comes much sorrow."
- Hair appearing on ears is a little disturbing. Must procure a device to easily rid myself of these things.
- Hair in nose gets trimmed more frequently than hair on head.
- Mutant "mad scientist" eyebrow hairs are also disconcerting and in need of constant vigilance.
- Enough about hair.
- Most of the time, I still feel like I'm in my early 20's.
- Have plenty of friends on both sides of 44.
- Our home is "central" for me...due to the live occupants. Certainly not the inanimate ones.
- I still like the cat.
- Sometimes...I kind of miss the dog. A little. Kind of. Barely. Eehhh.
- Family is great.
- You can keep the metro Denver area but I still miss the West. States of Colorado, Montana, South Dakota. Even western Nebrasksa and most of Wyoming. Probably always will. The sky. The mountains. The air. 'Sigh'
- My daughters are all getting older, smarter and prettier. Ditto for my son, but handsome.
- I love having been married to Mrs. Arkanblogger for over 20 years.
- I have seen all but 1 of my grandparents pass but was fortunate enough to have them all a part of my life.
- I even knew my great grandfather and 2 great grandmothers.
- Was given lots of history of my family/heritage, which I hold dear.
- My understanding of the Christian faith is a constant work in progress. A certified journey.
- Still have a coffee with one of my childhood friends (Daren) about once a month or so.
- We live a block from where we were married.
- I love it when our children have their friends over. Bonus. The activity makes it a home.
- I'll probably buy another fixer-upper. That's what I do.
- I'll probably never buy a new car. That's what I don't do. Thanks Dad. GRRR.
- I have a few sun-spots on my face from driving in my car (according to the skin dentist)for so many years. Bugs me a little bit. Kind of blends in with the freckles though.
- I'll drop that 25 lbs. in a month or 2 and be in shape for December in Montana.
- The flooring industry has been my work home for 19 years. YIKES!!! Floors!!! Floors???
- I'm still happy to be here.
-The Arkanblogger AKA "Bruce"
Friday, August 11, 2006
HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAIGE!!!
First of all, Happy Birthday to H. Paige "Arkanblogger", our 2nd eldest daughter. Born 17 years ago today in a hospital in south Oklahoma City, Oooooooooooooklahoma, where the wind goes sweepin' cross the plains", or however it goes. Dr. Pablo Pinzon was the attending physician. I remember his gentle encouragement to Mrs. Arkanblogger in his native accent...puuuuuuuuuuush pushpushpushpushpush! Moments later...Paige appeared. Tonight, She, Caitlin and three of their friends are on the way (courtesy of Mrs. Arkanblogger) to a Princess Party at Wingfield Castle, where unbeknownst to Paige, a cake will be presented to her, which her sisters and Andrea (in the blue dress and red hair) prepared in secret. The picture was taken moments before their departure. I'll take the Arkanblogger family chariot and retrieve them later tonight. Happy Birthday H.P.T.!!!In the picture...left to right...Paige, "the twins" Jennifer & April, Andrea and Caitlin...The Princesses.
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