Behind the Wall of Sleep
Friday, 24 July 2009
Being a Good Christian
Today, being a good Christian just got a whole lot harder.
I would have to say that over the past 7-10 years I have strived to be a better Christian. There was an 11 year or so period in my life when being a good Christian was more of a side note for me; not always at the forefront of my thoughts or actions. I wasn't a "bad" person; I just wasn't in tune so much with God.
When you're a kid, you get your lessons on Christianity from your parents and from your priest/preacher/reverend/insert-title-here. But as hard as this is going to be to understand, they don't always teach you right. Now I don't mean to say they purposely mislead you; far from it. It's just that they may not know the whole story on what God's word actually says. So, therefore they don't give you, the child, the whole picture. Understand?
I just finished a book called Shocked by the Bible. I highly recommend it to anyone who is a Christian of any denomination. Heck, let your Atheist friends read it to, they may come around (but probably not, they are a hard-headed group of people). Anyhoo, in this book the author, Joe Kovacs has done his homework. He gives you the info and then shows you where in the Bible to find it. It is quite illuminating and in at least one part disheartening. And that is the subject of the title of this post.
Today, being a good Christian just got a whole lot harder. I love to eat good food. I am (now was) a huge fan of any piggy product. But let me tell you something; not eating pork is NOT just a Jewish thing or a Muslim thing... It's a Christian thing too. Now some may think that there is a scripture somewhere in the New Testament that refutes this law (and it is a law), but I assure you, it doesn't exist. If you can find it PLEASE let me know, the idea of giving up bacon, sausage, bratwurst, jagerschnitzel, pork loin, ribs and pork roast is sucking my will to live. But, if you want to do that; live forever with God at the appointed time, you must avoid the piggy. Add to this list anything from the water that is without fin and scale. Notice it's fin AND scale and not fin OR scale. That means no catfish, shark, swordfish, scallops, shrimp, lobster, crawfish, oyster, etc... The list is as long as my leg and will make you just cry. So, see what I mean by it just got a little harder to be a good Christian? Last week Tab and I went grocery shopping. We bought a pork loin, some Chorizo, bratwurst and bacon. I just fed the bratwurst to Biggio and Bagwell. I'm dehydrating the bacon and pork loin to make chewies for them and when the chorizo thaws out I'll just give it to them raw. Today, being a good Christian just got a whole lot harder.
I've washed my hands twice after handling the bacon but the smell is still on my hands and it's driving me to the edge of insanity. I love pork but I love God and the thought of eternal life much more...
Want to borrow the book? You'll have to wait until I get a new copy. I gave my copy to my flight attendant on the way to DFW from CO Springs. I told him to read it and then give it to someone else with the same instructions.
I welcome all comments on this subject but don't just email me; leave the comments here for all to see. And yes I'm serious, we, as a family are no longer eating piggys (the boys are going to be mad as wet hens when they read this).
I find the last two VotD's very appropriate to end with.
But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.
James 1:22
and
May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord.
2 Peter 1:2
Posted by Stu
at 5:49 PM CDT
Updated: Friday, 24 July 2009 5:50 PM CDT
Thursday, 23 July 2009
Geez!
So, we get on the plane, get seated and buckled in. People are coming aboard and the flight attendant guy brings me a Scotch. I crack open my new book (Liberty and Tyranny), take a sip of Scotch and then I hear, "Ladies and Gentlemen, leaving all of your personal belongings behind, please exit the aircraft in a calm and orderly manor." As I got to the front I asked if this was a drill, the answer was no and I looked back to see smoke in the cabin. Long story short; it was an electrical fire. I got delayed in Colorado Springs for the rest of the day, caught a flight to DFW, landed around midnight and got to my hotel (provided by American Airlines) around 0100hrs. It's 1321 now and I am finally home.
Philippians 2:12-13
Posted by Stu
at 1:30 PM CDT
Updated: Thursday, 23 July 2009 1:32 PM CDT
Wednesday, 22 July 2009
All Done
Woke up this morning and went to the Air Force Academy. Wow and wow!! It's huge; rivers, lakes, mountains, camping areas and of course, the campus. The Chapel is amazing.
After that I checked in at Fort Carson to see if I could "help out", they said no so I bounced and went to the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument to get my NPS passport stamped. Didn't have a lot of time to look around but I did see a petrified Redwood stump the size of a Volkswagon.
Now, here I sit in the airport; I did however get an upgrade to 1st Class...
Posted by Stu
at 3:44 PM CDT
Tuesday, 21 July 2009
Like Marlon Brando, but Bigger!!!
I'm in Colorado Springs. Two days and one night (that being tonight). I won't bore you with what a waste of time and tax payers money this trip was but instead say that this area is friggin' beautiful. But you'll have to wait until I get home to see pictures (I forgot the dang cable).
After "work" today I headed over to Garden of the Gods. If I'm not mistaken Rachel and I have been there before with PawPaw and MawMaw. All I can say is, "Wow!" Very impressive, again you gotta wait till I get home for pics.
Tomorrow it's the Air Force Academy and maybe Seven Falls.
John 3:3
Posted by Stu
at 9:01 PM CDT
Monday, 20 July 2009
Saturday
The Austin Zoo is, in fact, not a zoo at all. It's a rehab center for injured or abandoned critters. So, we went to Pedernales (for you non-Texans it's pronounced 'purden-alice') Falls. What we found there was quite shocking. There were no falls. The Hill Country has been in a drought for 2 years and it clearly shows. There were two little trickles of water about 8 inches wide "flowing" down the falls. I knew something was wrong when we had hiked 1/2 way down the trail and couldn't hear anything but I had no idea how bad it was.
2007
And July 18, 2009
See what I mean?
So, we hiked around the "Pedernales 'Rock' Formation" for a few hours then headed over to the LBJ Library. That was pretty cool too. I've now been to 3 Presidential Libraries (Ike and GHW Bush).
After that it was over to Scholz's for a few beers and Jägerschnitzel. Then it was on to the game.
Back in 1959, the Austin Senators won the Texas League Championship as well as the first PanAmerican League Championship. Why is that important? Below is an excerpt from the Austin American Statesman website:
By Danny Davis
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Sunday, July 19, 2009
ROUND ROCK — Howie Bedell and Jim Callaway entered Dell Diamond on Saturday in a blue Ford Mustang convertible, while Charlie Gorin arrived in a Mustang with a dark red shell.
Along with eight old teammates, a former business manager and four other Mustangs, Bedell, Callaway and Gorin paraded around the Dell Diamond field, stopping only when the vehicles parked behind home plate.
The 12 men then trotted out to the infield and each delivered a ceremonial first pitch. Some of the pitches easily reached their intended destinations, while others bounced in the dirt. Regardless, each pitch drew a cheer.
Eleven members of the 1959 Austin Senators were recognized throughout Saturday's game between the Round Rock Express and Oklahoma City RedHawks. George Shell, the Senators' business manager, was also honored.
"If there is such a thing as a red carpet, the Round Rock Express rolled it out," Callaway said. "It was such a great day."
In 1959, the Senators put together an 80-66 record and beat Tulsa and San Antonio in the playoffs to claim the Texas League championship.
Less than a week after winning the Texas League championship, the Senators participated in the firstPan-American championship game. Gorin, a former star at the University of Texas, pitched a no-hitter as Austin beat the Mexico City Reds to win the Pan-American championship.
Fifty years later, the Senators were honored for their two titles.
The Express wore replica uniforms, while fans with promotional Senators hats were sprinkled throughout the announced crowd of 12,060. On Friday, Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell proclaimed the weekend Austin Senators weekend.
But perhaps the weekend's biggest highlight came in the top of the seventh inning.
In a short on-field presentation, the Senators were presented with championship rings by Express CEO Reid Ryan, Express manager Marc Bombard and Texas League President Tom Kayser.
Despite their two championships, the Senators never received rings for their efforts. But Round Rock — mostly using money donated by the Express players — picked up a tab, spending more than $4,000 on the rings.
"That was exciting, really," Gorin said.
This weekend served as a reunion for the Senators, many of whom hadn't seen each other since the 1959 season. A few of the Senators' wives reunited, while some of the players' children finally could connect faces to the names that they had heard in so many stories.
"It was incredible," said Todd Callaway, Jim's son. "The ceremony itself was nice and beautiful and it was so nice to see them get recognition after all this time."
Genesis 12:1
Posted by Stu
at 2:50 PM CDT
Saturday, 18 July 2009
Well, I finally figured out...
Why the Express are in last place. They have no defensive capabilities. Holy crap! They looked liked a little league team last night. They blew a 7-2 lead in about 2 innings. Geez. Hopefully tonight the outcome will be a little different. Dave, Laura, Eddie and Nicole are driving up to join us for the game tonight.
Tab and I are heading to the Austin Zoo and then the LBJ Library this morning.
Luke 16:15
Posted by Stu
at 8:26 AM CDT
Friday, 17 July 2009
Communism Explained
Did you hear the story about the professor and the classroom? It explains communism so well. The professor told the class that after every test, all the students’ grades would be averaged and all would receive the same grade. So, after the first test, the A students who studied all night and the F students who partied all night, all received a C. As the semester went on, the A students quit studying, and all received an F.
And one more thing... Why is it a problem for the CIA to actually kill Al Qaeda leaders? Shouldn't that be encouraged?!?
I think we should all get our savings together and go buy an island somewhere...
Psalm 4:3
Posted by Stu
at 4:00 PM CDT
Tuesday, 14 July 2009
Another gem from Uncle Ted
Posted by Stu
at 5:09 PM CDT
Saturday, 4 July 2009
Chalk Ridge Falls
Yesterday, we spent the morning at Chalk Ridge Falls. The water was nice and cold and since we were there in the morning, the air wasn't so hot.
Since the floods a while back the Falls haven't been the same. The pool that the falls flow into has a bunch of mud, leaves and dead timber lying at the bottom. I walked into that to get this picture:
When I came out, I walked up to the falls and started shooting close-ups. I felt a little sting on my legs and looked down to find that I had 10-12 leeches on each leg. Nice! They weren't big giant man-killing leeches though; just babies.
We also found this little guy:
He's a baby Blotched Water Snake. He caught himself some breakfast and I caught some cool pics. Above is the before picture. Below is the during picture.
And this is the after...
Isaiah 5:4
Posted by Stu
at 9:51 AM CDT
Wednesday, 1 July 2009
Someone has to rid us of the friggin' ACLU
Posted by Stu
at 6:35 PM CDT
Saturday, 27 June 2009
"Man It's Hot."
"It's like Africa hot. Tarzan couldn't take this kind of hot."
10 points for the person who can tell me what movie that's from WITHOUT Googling it.
It is hot. Yesterday it was 108, today it is quickly approaching that again. Now granted, it's not "Mosul hot" but it is still hot.
Today was the Pack's watergun/balloon war. That was a welcome relief. Being soaked makes it a little more bearable.
Proverbs 29:23
Posted by Stu
at 2:23 PM CDT
Saturday, 20 June 2009
We're not millionaires...
But we did sell 4 books, 2 pictures and 1 bottle of rub. It was 8000 degrees outside and the wind was at hurricane strength so, we left at around 1400hrs instead of 1700hrs.
Acts 12: 2-3
Posted by Stu
at 6:31 PM CDT
Friday, 19 June 2009
Been a while...
I know, I know... "It's been a while!"
I know.
So, not much happening here. Tab and the boys are out of school. Baseball season is over. Mike and CW are going to start Golf lessons in a couple of weeks. Tab is keeping busy with the new book and I have launched a new webpage for my "Stu's Rib Rub." Just go to the main Show and Tell site and click the link. Or just click here.
We are doing the Belton Market Days tomorrow where we are going to sell the book, photos and the rub. Hopefully we'll be millionaires when it's all said and done.
Happy Juneteenth to those of you who know what it is and may be descended from those men and women.
Acts 12: 14-15
Posted by Stu
at 7:35 PM CDT
Sunday, 17 May 2009
New Link
I posted a link on the "My Artistic Side" page that will take you to my
JPG Magazine page. Enjoy.
Posted by Stu
at 8:21 AM CDT
Sunday, 10 May 2009
Happy Mother's Day
To the one who bore me and the one who bore my sons.
Psalm 139:13
Posted by Stu
at 10:48 AM CDT
Monday, 27 April 2009
Mom wanted me to update the blog...
Here it is.
Oh and check out our 10 day forecast: http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/76559?from=36hr_fcst10DayLink_undeclared
Psalm 145:18-19
Posted by Stu
at 5:32 PM CDT
Tuesday, 21 April 2009
You gotta love "Uncle Ted"
More Guns, Less Violent Crime as the Bad Guys Run or Die
More guns, less crime: Thanks to the Founding Fathers, we're as safe as in our mothers' arms
By Ted Nugent
Posted April 20, 2009
Water, water, everywhere water. Know it, embrace it, manage it, or drown. Same goes for cars, trucks, chainsaws, knives, crowbars, blowtorches, and guns. Based on the inept, clumsy, irresponsible failure of brain-dead, uncoordinated numbnuts, I will not be denied the pragmatic, functional utility of anything.
I will not drown, nor will I drink and drive, chainsaw-massacre anyone, stumble, slice, burn, or shoot myself, nor will I ever hold up a bank. So the best advice would be to think, improvise, adapt, and overcome, man up, but by all means, leave me the hell alone. You don't ban electric guitars just because someone may have a lapse in logic, goodwill, and decency and spontaneously break out into country and western music. The vast majority of sensible people will use electric guitars as God intended and whip out good, sexy rock-n-roll licks.
I need my water, cars, trucks, chainsaws, knives, crowbars, blowtorches, and guns. I have mastered them all; they are all wonderful ingredients for my American Dream of rugged individualism, declared independence, and self-sufficiency. They all serve me well, and I am not giving any of them up. Ever.
The masses must never be controlled for the sake of the lunatic fringe. Remember "Don't Tread on Me"? Don't.
America has spoken. With guns and ammo sales and concealed weapons permits surging at unprecedented rates, never in the history of mankind have more people possessed more firepower and most significantly, carried more concealed weapons on their persons than today across America. And as FBI crime reports and law enforcement and academic studies conclude, the self-evident truth is that more guns clearly equals less crime. Where there are more guns per capita, violent crime goes down, particularly crimes of assault, like rape, burglary, and robbery. This is good.
It is indeed Ted Kennedy's gun ban dream of GunFreeZones that have proven to be the guaranteed slaughter zones where the most innocent lives are lost. Think Columbine, VA Tech, Lane Bryant, NW IL University, Luby's Cafeteria, NJ, Salt Lake City, and Omaha malls, Calgary University, Toronto, Chicago, Boston, Flight 93, the mayor's office in San Francisco, ad nauseam. Peace and love will get you killed, and unarmed helplessness is bad. Unless of course your anthem goes baaa..... baaa...... baaa.
So why in God's good name would any human being wish to force unarmed helplessness on another? That level of cruel indecency and forced victimization is incomprehensible to me and about 100,000,000 Americans who own guns. Self-defense is the most powerful, driving instinct of good people everywhere. To deny this is evil personified. Write this down-GunFreeZones are a felon's playgrounds. Ban GunFreeZones now.
Good people don't want the rapist to succeed. We want him dead. We don't want our homes invaded. We want invaders dead. We don't like carjackers. We like them dead. We don't like armed robbers. We like them dead.
We have examined all the evidence we need to know that calling 911 is a joke, unless of course they bring a dustpan and a mop to clean up the dead monster we just shot while protecting our family.
The choice is clear: Gun control as forced by the Chuck Schumers of the world is complicit in every violent crime committed. Conversely, gun control a la Ted Nugent is putting the second shot through the same hole as the first shot, where innocent lives are saved and recidivistic maggots come to a screeching halt, felled by the lovely ballet of good over evil we call the Double Tap Center Mass Boogie. Learn it, know it, love it, shoot it. Good guys should live, bad guys not so much.
It is reassuring, and ultimately convenient, that fresh from escaping the scourges of tyranny, slavery, kings, and emperors, our brilliant, sensible Founding Fathers knew it was important to write down the self-evident truth that the right to self-defense is surely a God-given individual right to keep and bear arms. Write this down, too-"keep" means it is mine, you can't have it. "Bear" means I've got them right here on me. "Shall not be infringed" echoes that beautiful "Don't Tread On Me" chorus.
I like the U.S. Constitution and our sacred Bill of Rights but, quite frankly, I don't really need them in order to know in my heart and soul the list of self-evident truths therein. Those came from thinking, common-sense men who refused to be helpless, dependent slaves to anyone or anything. These truths are all burned forever on my soul. I live them, no matter what.
Meanwhile, in order to stop the drowning and murders, I will work on banning water; Obama can try to ban guns. Good luck.
Posted by Stu
at 12:42 PM CDT
Updated: Tuesday, 21 April 2009 12:43 PM CDT
Saturday, 18 April 2009
Who am I?
WHO AM I?
I was born in one country, raised in another. My father was born in another country. I was not his only child.. He fathered several children with numerous women.
· I became very close to my mother, as my father showed no interest in me. My mother died at an early age from cancer.
· Later in life, questions arose over my real name.
· My birth records were sketchy and no one was able to produce a legitimate, reliable birth certificate.
· I grew up practicing one faith but converted to Christianity, as it was widely accepted in my country, but I practiced non-traditional beliefs & didn't follow Christianity, except in the public eye under scrutiny.
· I worked and lived among lower-class people as a young adult, disguising myself as someone who really cared about them..
· That was before I decided it was time to get serious about my life and I embarked on a new career.
· I wrote a book about my struggles growing up. It was clear to those who read my memoirs that I had difficulties accepting that my father abandoned me as a child.
· I became active in local politics in my 30's then with help behind the scenes, I literally burst onto the scene as a candidate for national office in my 40s. They said I had a golden tongue and could talk anyone into anything. That reinforced my conceit.
· I had a virtually non-existent resume, little work history, and no experience in leading a single organization. Yet I was a powerful speaker and citizens were drawn to me as though I were a magnet and they were small roofing tacks.
· I drew incredibly large crowds during my public appearances. This bolstered my ego.
· At first, my political campaign focused on my country's foreign policy. I was very critical of my country in the last war and seized every opportunity to bash my country.
· But what launched my rise to national prominence were my views on the country's economy. I pretended to have a really good plan on how we could do better and every poor person would be fed & housed for free.
· I knew which group was responsible for getting us into this mess. It was the free market, banks & corporations.
I decided to start making citizens hate them and if they were envious of others who did well, the plan was clinched tight.
· I called mine "A People's Campaign" and that sounded good to all people.
· I was the surprise candidate because I emerged from outside the traditional path of politics & was able to gain widespread popular support.
· I knew that, if I merely offered the people 'hope' , together we could change our country and the world.
· So, I started to make my speeches sound like they were on behalf of the downtrodden, poor, ignorant to include "persecuted minorities" like the Jews. My true views were not widely known & I needed to keep them unknown, until after I became my nation's leader.
· I had to carefully guard reality, as anybody could have easily found out what I really believed, if they had simply read my writings and examined those people I associated with.
· I'm glad they didn't. Then I became the most powerful man in the world. And the world learned the truth.
*Who am I? *
Scroll Down
ADOLF HITLER
WHO WERE YOU THINKING OF?
Scary isn't it?
Posted by Stu
at 12:08 PM CDT
Tuesday, 14 April 2009
Recovery Day 1
I had surgery yesterday for the first time in my life. I DO NOT recommend it to anyone. Back on the March 31st blog I encouraged my Pop to get his taken care of too. FORGET IT! Use duct tape to hold it in place.
I haven't been in this much pain since I broke my sternum, that really should tell you something!!
Tab stayed home with me today and I think Mike will stay home tomorrow, as it is hard for me to get off the couch by myself. By the way, I'm also sleeping on the couch because I can't lie down completely.
I know, I know... Poor, pitiful me, right? Piss off, this crap hurts.
1 Chronicles 29:11-12
Posted by Stu
at 12:38 PM CDT
Updated: Tuesday, 14 April 2009 12:40 PM CDT
Thursday, 9 April 2009
Ft Sill Day 5 or "Hey, is that a SWAT team at my Hotel?"
Class. Power Outage. Lunch at Arby's. Return to power outage. Outage lasts 3+ hours. Class dismissed.
Carlton and I head back to the hotel. As we pull in we notice about 3 police cars outside the hotel. One of them has a scumbag in the back seat.
I drop Carlton off (I was off to take pictures and I figured it was just a routine disturbing of the peace) and leave.
I went to the Comanche County Courthouse and got some pics. While I was there I saw a woman almost get beheaded by some flying metal. The winds today are sustained at about 20mph with gusts pushing 65mph. The dust in the air reminds me of Mosul (just not quite as bad). So, pictures of the courthouse in the bag I drive over to a really cool looking Catholic Church for more pictures. I get some exterior shots then move inside. Really nice on the inside with some sweet stained glass.
Drove back to the hotel and there are now 17 police cars surrounding the hotel as well as officers in every corner. I'm informed by the front desk that I can't go to my room and have to wait in the lobby. No one knows what's going on so I ask one of the staff in a hushed voice, "Just what the hell is going on?" She says that some dude has been going around to the local hotels, checks in, finds a floor where a maid is doing a cleaning, walks past, fakes a diabetic attack, asks her to run downstairs and get him something to eat/drink and when she does he runs into the room, steals the TV and makes off with it. Well, someone here today caught him in the act and he pulled a gun and barricaded himself in the hotel room.
Three hours later we're still in the lounge. The staff ordered pizza for us and then Carlton and I went over to Mike's Sports Grill.
One order of wings and two beers later we head back to the hotel and now the SWAT snipers are out in the back parking lot. I snapped a few pics of them and then snuck into my room which is where I am right now, typing this. Helluva day.
1 John 4:20-21
Posted by Stu
at 8:28 PM CDT
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