Starting the New Year

As I look ahead towards 2007, I can already see it will but another exciting year.

Corey will be moving out in the fall to go to main campus. So the house will be a little quieter.

I will be back on my diet once I can start walking again, and the holidays are over. Too many desserts to sample this time of year to waste time dieting.

CONNECT group still going well, might have a class spin off of ours if the Lord leads that way. Cannot wait to meet even more new people and get them active in our church.

There will be some sad times in 2007 also. My Aunt Edna died this week and we are going to the funeral today. My Aunt Nellie died this month as well. As time marches on I am more reminded that our time here on earth is short compared to eternity. We better enjoy the journey now.

Any other suggestions for New Year's Resolutions?

Merry Christmas Report

We are having a great Christmas at the Salyers. Angela and Rachel are asleep, Tyler is watching TV, Corey is at Kyles, and Brandon is at the Thomas'. I am catching up on email and after reading Pastor Noel's blog, I am glad things are quiet here.

It was a hectic time on Christmas day, but the boys slept in until 8:30 AM, the latest present opening time ever. I was of no help to Angela, due to the broken ankle, and Angela kept forgetting to bring out presents! We were all done and she found more of Tyler's presents, thought we were done again and Brandon found one more for me! Angela just had a lot on her this week, but all is well that ends well.

By my account this was the best Christmas ever. Everyone got something they wanted, and something they were surprised to get. Angela was the big winner of the day with a "dream" blanket, food processor, and silver punch bowl being the big things. I got some clothes, a new book to read, my Woody Hayes picture re-framed, Bible software, and Civil War DVD set.

Angela's family showed up (25 people) for dinner and gift exchange, I got some stupid Ostrich, but Tyler traded me, since it came with an OSU shirt. It was lots of fun with all leaving around 10:00 PM.

Today, Angela, Rachel, Tyler and I went to the mall and bought a few little things, tomorrow is Easton!

Ankle doing fine, went back to doctor, new X-ray showed nothing bad, so I get to stay in the walking boot and 1 crutch.

Christmas Trivia

Christmas Wreath:
The Christmas wreath is a symbol of Eternal Life that has come to us through Jesus' coming into the earth to save mankind. The circle is a symbol of eternity in that it has neither a beginning or end. The evergreen symbolizes life that continues to bloom even in the midst of winter. Sometimes there are candles lit in the middle of the wreath to show that Christ, the Light of the world, has come and brought us this eternal life.

Gold Ornaments:
Gold represents the gifts the Wise Men gave. They gave Jesus precious gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. We bring Jesus precious gifts, too. Our gifts are faith, hope, and love. We love Him because He first loved us.

Gifts:
We share gifts with one another at Christmas to remind each other of Jesus - the greatest gift of all.

Reason for the Season

As we approach Christmas I would like to remind everyone that Jesus is the Reason for the Season. It is so easy to get caught up in getting ready for family to come in, buying and wrapping presents, and even taking care of a broken ankle, to forget why we celebrate Christmas.

If Jesus had not been born 2,000 years ago, who knows where we all would be right now. So I am declaring a 7 day waiting period on asking for anything.

I think for the next 7 days when we want to ask people for something, we should stop and just be thankful for what we have.

If you feel the urge to ask somebody for something, call them and thank them for all they have done in the past for you.

If you find yourself thinking about all the things you don't have this Christmas, stop and thank God for all you do have.

If you are dreading seeing those relatives you "put up" with once a year at the family Christmas part, take Pastor Noel's advice from last Sunday and talk to them how Christ coming to earth has changed your life.

And whatever you get. or don't get, for Christmas remember that Jesus is the Reason for the Season. That is the greatest present of them all.

Good News!

Just got back from the Doctor. No ligament or tendon damage, did another X-ray, and I now have a walking boot and 1 crutch. I had a little trouble getting the hang of walking with 1 crutch, but figured out it was a "rhythm" thing, and like skipping in kindergarten, I figured it out.

Going back to work on Wednesday for at least part of the day.

It really is crimping my style, not being able to walk. Had a few more Christmas presents to buy, but I am not complaining, could be a lot worse. Sean talked about his ankle "dangling" from his leg when he broke his ankle.

Yesterday, I asked Brandon to take me to the doctor and he quickly agreed. Today when I got him up and told him we needed to stop and get gas, Brandon said "to go across the street?", I said no to go to Columbus. He was shocked because he went to bed at 3:00 AM!

He thought we were going to our family doctor at Cherry Westgate, about 2 miles from our house not Mt. Carmel East about 45 min away.

That's all for now, thanks for your prayers and treats!

one tough guy

That is what the doctor told me today after he told me that my ankle was broken! I fell last Monday at home, but went to Chicago all week for work. I wore a brace and it never really hurt much.

I got home today and since it was still swollen I decided to stop for an X ray. Well it was broke, so now I am sitting here in my chair at home with my foot up. It has a splint on it, and I am supposed to use crutches.

Go to orthopedist next week to see if I need a hard cast or maybe a walking boot.

Chicago was good, the food was great, but glad to be back.

All for now, anyone want to teach my class Sunday?

jeff

Weekly report

1. Nothing major happened this week, just work and getting ready for Christmas
2. Angela cooking all week for CONNECT Group party tonight, I MUST approve all food before allowing others to consume, sort of like a personal quality control. So far she has passed with flying colors!
3. Tyler was named the MVP of a basketball game he played in this week.
4. Brandon "won" a hunting trip to Texas on eBay (he really didn't win, he has to pay for it.) Like Pastor Noel said, no one goes to Wal-Mart and says they "won" anything, why do we do it on eBay?
5. Corey had a date, but said she looked different than her photo he saw before hand
6. I go to Chicago next week for work

That's all for now.

Well, we knew it would not last.

Well winter finally made an appearance in central Ohio. After the best Indian summer I can remember with temps in the 60's, it finally is getting cold. Very windy over the last 24 hours with temps dropping into the 30's. All next week the highs will be in the 30's and the lows in the 20's (FYI to the Dear's vacationing in Florida, hope you have your winter coats in the car for when you get back).

I am not complaining, we had a great fall.

Last week was uneventful, work was good, just getting caught up on some stuff. Putting up Christmas decorations at home including my Ohio State Tree (pictures to follow) and our Dickens Village collection of houses.

Celebrated my 51st Birthday last night, got a nice ecard from DD, very funny, and a card from Aunt Rhoda, Cranes, Smith's, Mom and Dad, etc. Angela got me a note holder for my desk with a train on it, and the boy's went together and got me a "Jim Tressel" sweater! (A gray sweater vest with OSU logo) just what I wanted!

We thought we were going to KY today for the Logan Christmas party, but Angela found out she had the date wrong, it is next Saturday! I think she is getting "some-timers" which is a Kentucky version of Alzheimer's (pronounced "all-timers" in some parts of Ohio and Kentucky)

So we kind of have a free day, but there is always shopping to do for some kids from church, decorations to put up and of course football to watch!

Happy Thanksgiving!

This picture shows 6 people sleeping in the living room of my mother-in-laws house in Morehead, KY. We just got back from spending our Thanksgiving there and we had a great time. We had 14 people all over the house Thanksgiving night and would have not had it any other way.

1st the bad news, we finally had the nerve to tell Tammy that no one really liked the dinner rolls and cakes she has been getting from Riley's Bakery in Newark. For years Gary has gone down there and stood outside to get the rolls and cakes for family events. We always thought everything from there was so dry and hard to eat, but we never could bring it to tell Tammy. She thinks they are great! Well we told her and now she is paranoid about everything she makes. She even called Corey tonight and asked him what else she makes that no one likes!

Now the good news, we had a great time.

The food was great, even Pam's breakfast was very good, with plenty to go around. It was the first time that everyone had been together for Thanksgiving, maybe ever. I know it wasthe 1st time since Billy Reid passed away and Memi moved to KY. Everyone got along and got to do there own thing. Some played Phase 10, some watched football, some watched hunting shows, and the rest just talked to each other.

On Friday, JR took Brandon and Blake out to some land he owned for them to hunt. Brandon said it reminded him a little of deliverance and was glad he had a gun, they saw a few does, but no bucks. JR gave Blake a muzzle loading pistol and Brandon and Corey a muzzle loading rifle.

Tyler and Memi got up at 0430 to be at the stores by 0500, said the Wal-Mart lot was overflowing. The rest of us got up and went shopping around 0700. Tami and Gary left to fight the crowds at Jeffersonville Outlet Malls.

Got back Friday, so today we put up the outside decorations. Angela and I then spent the rest of the day in Columbus Christmas shopping. I was surprised how easy it was to get around, there were people, but not a lot. The weather was great with temps in the 60s.

Tomorrow, have another dinner at the Bonner's with Kyle and Amy and their families and then back to work on Monday.

I'm Back!

Well, I am finally back and ready to get you caught up on what has been going on, it has been a very busy time since our last blog. so let work my way backwards.

1. Go Bucks! OSU beat the dreaded team from up north, in without a doubt the best football game I have ever seen. We had about 20 people over to watch and my brother in law Gary was going nuts! He was wearing a scarlet and gray wig and was yelling and screaming at the TV. He was so nervous the whole game he never sat down, but would pace and yell all the time. This game was an instant classic and was much better than something called the "Iron Bowl". Who names a bowl after a household appliance? Those people from the Alabama can be a little odd, but we love them. So now it is back to Arizona to play in the National Championship game on 1/8/07
2. Saturday AM I helped at the church by manning the coffee bar at the Ladies Holiday Brunch. Angela was in charge of this part and it looked great. Her and Tammy decorated the table, and Pam, Kellie, and Tammy got to attend. Angela made us all laugh by telling the winning story about the funniest Christmas when she told about how the girls tied her dad's bedroom door shut on Christmas Eve so they could sleep without him waking them up. Angela also made us cry by telling the night her dad died after returning home from Nashville. It is a great story, ask her to it to you, if you have not heard it before.
3. Thursday was a travel day unlike any other. I had been in Phoenix all week on business and was trying to get home. When I checked my bag, the boarding card did not give me a seat number so I knew something bad was up. To make a very long story short, all the flights from Phoenix to Columbus on ALL airlines were oversold for Thursday and Friday! to get back home, I had to take a 4 hour flight from Phoenix to Orlando, wait 4 hours and then fly 2.5 hours to Columbus. The only other option was stay in Phoenix until Saturday! At least I got a free airplane ticket out of the deal.
4. The week in Phoenix good and bad. The purpose of the trip was to present a cultural awareness simulation (training session to all those who do not have a Masters Degree) to all the Plant Managers from every Abbott Nutrition mfg plant. My part went really well, so I got some kudos from those that attended. The other good part was the food! It was wonderful, Mexican type for breakfast, lunch, and dinner prepared by the chef at the plant in Casa Grande, AZ south of Phoenix. Only bad part was it was meetings all day everyday from 0800 until 07:00 PM, so after we would eat in the evening we had about hour to unwind before going to bed and starting all over the next day.

Vacation Pictures

Where we stayed in Gatlinburg & Hilton Head

Angela at The Lady and Sons

Part of the gang from TN

The Last Night

We have been on vacation with the same 9 couples for the last 4 years. We all look forward to the fall when we travel to Gatlinburg. The last 3 years we have stayed at the same place and have developed many fun routines.

The 1st night we all go out to dinner together, Friday we go out to a nice place and eat, Thursday and Saturday night we grill out, and Saturday morning the men cook breakfast.

But Saturday night is always a very special time. After dinner we all gather around and tell 1 Praise report from the last 12 months and a prayer request for the next 12 months. It is wonderful time with tears and hugs as we pray for our kids, each other, health and job needs, and just for God to work in our lives.

It is very rare to have those kinds of friends and that is what we miss most since leaving TN and moving back to Ohio. We have made many new friends and renewed family ties in Ohio and that is great!

I think it was Mark Twain that said a lucky main has 2 or 3 close friends during their lives, we feel very fortunate to have 9 couples in TN that are that to us.

Vacation Day 3 to End

• Day 3 began badly with a "Low Oil Pressure" warning from the car, but added some oil and no problems until later. The trip from Hilton Head to Gatlinburg was fine with no problems. The back seat had already started to fill up with things we had bought. The trunk was already full with baggage. I had to pack more than normal because I left Sunday for Chicago for work, since I did not want to take a chance on the flight, I carried a set of clothes with me. Angela just packed like she normally does, see earlier posting for details. We met up with our friends and ate at Corky's that night.
• Day 4 was a shopping day (aren't they all?). Anthony, Chris, and I went to a Christmas store to look at their train display, I bought 2 OSU ornaments for my Ohio State tree. Dirk and Ken met us at lunch at Cracker Barrel. We then spent the rest of the afternoon at a Bass Pro shop that was huge!! Never been in one that big before. Angela didn't buy much but was scouting out her purchases for later. Sid cooked out hot dogs and burgers for dinner. Played dominoes, was winning till others got sleepy and went to bed.
• Day 5 more shopping! Angela and I went by ourselves. Car started giving the same warning as before so I took it to Billy at Ridge Road Automotive. Billy was a character, 64 year old chain smoker, who had his shirt unbuttoned to his belly button, but wore a coat over his shirt. He hadn't shaved all week, but I was stuck with no good options. Had to leave the car. Went to Gatlinburg, visited the Pepper Palace with the largest selection of hot sauces I have ever seen! Bought 2 jars and sampled about 20 different types. Ate at the Peddler, a great place in town with everyone and headed back to cabin. Didn't sleep well worrying about the car.
• Day 6, Billy called at 9:00 AM and said he could find nothing wrong! Praise The Lord! Better yet he did not charge us anything. Picked up car with James, ladies went shopping again, and Anthony and Chris went to the UT game, James and I stayed around the cabin and watched the OSU game and got some of the food ready for that night. Sid cooked tenderloin and fish on the grill. (Read next posting for more details about what happened later)
• Day 7, headed home early due to my flight was supposed to leave at 5:30 PM, ended up leaving at 8:00 PM. No problems driving home.
• A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL! It was just good to get away and see our old friends.

Vacation Day 2

Got up late, walked on the beach this morning, collected sea shells. Beautiful day, about 80 and sunny.

We did it! We ate lunch at THE LADY AND SONS, the Paula Deen place. We had to wait about an hour, but it was worth it. Angela had the buffet, and I had pulled pork, dessert was good but small portions. Angela got a new apron with "Put some south in yo mouth" printed on it.

After lunch we walked around the City Market, a collection of shops and eating places trying to walk off some lunch. Angela has fond memories or her childhood of little roadside places where her family bought pecans (PEE-Cons). She has looked and looked and finally asked a shop owner where to buy pecans, he told her "Kroger! There are no little stands selling them anymore". Oh, well, that's progress.

We also visited a little store that sold hand cream, the sign said "Know samples". (for my Alabama friends it should have said "no samples")

Looked for a train museum, with no luck, so we headed back, stopped at a place across from the hotel for dinner.

A good time was had by all!

Heading to Gatlinburg tomorrow, probably will not have internet access, so I will catch y'all up later.

Vacation Day 1

We left yesterday after church and drove south of Charleston, SC. Great weather, saw 1 bad wreck, but otherwise uneventful, until we got to the hotel.

We went to a nearby Subway where Angela ordered a salad, it was interesting because the girl who took her order had some kind of a cajun accent. She asked Angela if she wanted crackers, which Angela interpreted as her asking if she wanted no-fat dressing? Not even close, but I stepped in a interpreted. When we paid for the salad, I looked in the bag and saw no fork was present, so I asked for one. The girl looked at me and said they didn't have any! Angela asked how she was going to eat her salad and the raging Cajun offered up a spoon! Luckily, the hotel had a fork so momma was happy!

When we checked in, the only room was on the 2nd floor. When we brought our luggage in Angela asked where the elevator was, and was told they didn't have one! Now if you have seen those movies about people bringing lots of luggage, they have nothing on my wife. I have 1 suitcase, 1 laptop, and 1 other small bag. Angela has 2 suitcases, 2 makeup bags, 1 bag with nothing but stuff to read on the trip, and a bag full of hair curlers. We (me) got to drag them up the stairs and then back down this morning.

Today we got to Hilton Head about 1:00 and checked in at our oceanview room, pictures to follow. We then drove to Savannah, GA and had a late lunch at Uncle Bubba's Oyster House. Angela is now a fan of raw oysters!!! Uncle Bubba was there, but outside in a meeting so we only saw his back. While here we found out that Paula's Party Show is filmed there, so I got a picture of Angela standing where Paula Deen stands, she was so thrilled!!!!

Later we walked around River Street in Savannah for couple of hours, found the River Street Sweets known for their Pralines (pronounced Pray-leens). To our (my) good luck they had their Halloween candy 50% off, so I made up for it by buying more than I would have! It is good stuff, whatever is left, I will share, but don't hold your breath.

We also found the "Lady and Sons" restaurant where we are going tomorrow. Didn't look like much, but it is on the inside that counts. More on that tomorrow.

Finally, we went to a kitchen store where I found my Christmas passing party gift for the Allen family get together, while Angela found a few things that I know will benefit my stomach in the end, so I bought them for her.

A good time was had by all!

Champions! And other stuff

Wrap up of the weeks activities:

1. Brandon and Corey won the championship of the Columbus Parks Department Fall Softball, 1 pitch competitive co-ed league! My nephew Kyle hit a homerun in the bottom of the last inning to win the game!!!
2. Corey was named the new Granville Christian middle school basketball coach! Jay Burson (ex-OSU basketball player) is the new GCA athletic director and called Corey and offered him the job! He is so excited and can't wait to get started.
3. Pam and family are pumped up about the possibility of being on TV. Not sure of all the details but I think Pam submitted information to the new Rachel Ray TV show (She is on Food TV channel with shows like how to eat on $40 per day and a cooking show) and they called her back. Sounds like the show will be about the "uniqueness" of their family, if you know I what mean!
4. I told Angela they should give John his own show, "How to eat on $40 per week!" or "How to survive with nothing but a twist tie" or "McGiver gone wild"
5. STARTING VACATION TOMORROW!!

Happy Birthday Angela!

Well today is a BIG day in the family, Angela turns 50. I know she does not look 50 but I can verify that she is. We are celebrating tonight with her sisters at Buccca Di Beppo in Columbus.

For her birthday and our 25th anniversary (also this year) I surprised her with an upcoming trip to Savannah, GA to see her idol, Paula Deen, the Food TV star! We are leaving a week from Sunday, spending a few days in GA and then meeting our TN friends for annual trip to Gatlinburg.

It continues to amaze me how time is flying by. It seems like only yesterday that we were baby sitting Kyle and Amy and now in the blink of an eye we are watching their kids. Seems like time is going faster and faster every year.

Back to Angela. There is guy at church who gave me the nickname of "Lucky". It comes from the fact that I am "Lucky" to be married to the piano player (which is Angela). I am lucky, she is beautiful, talented, and fun to be around. She is my best friend and I LOVE HER!

I am the luckiest guy in the world. There are many people who do not have anything close to what we have. Sure, we could always use more money, but who could not? Our boys do not always do what we think they should, but overall they are great boys. Even though our extended families have their moments, but I know they would be there for us.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the woman I love!

CONNECT Group 10/15

It started out like any other Sunday morning CONNECT group, with snacks and coffee and the group settling in. Amanda asked me ahead of time if she could share a praise and of course I said yes.

She stood up and for the next 5 minutes or so, told how God was working in her life, healing her marriage and giving her life meaning again. How God had closed doors until she realized she needed to seek God's will in her life instead of her own.

Then someone else shared a recent example of how God was real in their life and working right now! This continued on for over 30 minutes, and I realized that there was no need for a lesson from me that day. God softened our hearts and the class provided the content.

We laughed and cried, prayed and thanked God for the amazing way He is moving in our lives. It was a day that the Spirit moved in a way that only He can. You cannot plan for anything like that, but we just have to be sensitive to it.

It reminded Angela and I of some of the special times we had with friends back in Jackson, TN. That is a special group of people that we will always share a special bond with. It only made me more excited about seeing them all again in Gatlinburg in November.

Big Night Tonight!

Tonight is the Bonner family bonfire and wiener roast at Henry's farm, weather and wind permitting. Can't wait to see everyone again, Jordan is coming home and bringing a few friends, so Corey is a little excited, think he actually took a shower today! Memi and JR are coming from Kentucky and maybe even Angela's Aunt Carol and family from Portsmouth.

Angela called Carol last week to get her secret recipe for coney sauce for hot dogs. Somehow Angela remembered way back a long time ago when she was a little girl and Carol owned a restaurant. The sauce made quite an impression, but when Angela asked for the recipe, Carol said she didn't know and didn't think the sauce was that good anyway. So for the last week have had hotdogs and different sauce recipes so Angela could figure out how to make it. She settled on one I like, but who knows if it was like the original. I had a good week!

Get to try out the new hot dog cooker forks we bought at Backwoods Fest this year, they about 4 feet long and should keep me from burning the hair off my hand from getting too close to the fire. Suggested to Tammy that Gary start the fire about 2 hours before time to eat to let it burn down some. Full report later. I think Brandon, Corey, and Kyle are upto something.

The other big thing for the night, is yesterday Pam flunked a personality test she took as part of applying for a job! One thing Pam has is personality, so can't wait to get full report on what happened. More to come on that as well.

Eternity!

Last night Corey, Kyle and I went to Spring Hills Baptist Church (SHBC) to watch their production of "Eternity". This play portrays what it will be like when we die and go to Heaven to be judged. There were 5 different scenes with people at various stages in life who have died and now must face the judgment. (We saw something similar when we lived in Jackson, TN, but it was called Heavens Gates, Hell's Flames).

This was a very powerful and emotional hour with joyous moments of those who get to meet Jesus because their name is written in the Book of Life, but tragic for those whose name is not there. Satan jumps out of a pit in the floor and has his demons drag the person to the fiery pit and throw then in, screaming.

To show you the power of this show, SHBC has extended the number of shows until next Sunday, last night was supposed to be the last night. Also, this was the 1st church service I have ever been to where they asked people to leave! There were so many people wanting to attend, that Pastor Pound asked anybody who has already seen the show or who could come back another night to give up their seat because there were 100 more people outside wanting in!

Before last night about a 150 people had accepted Christ as their Savior, with at least another 20 to 30 going forward last night.

PRAY for those who were moved by the play, but did not respond.
PRAY that they have the courage to make the commitment to repent of their sins.
PRAY that they make Jesus the Lord of their lives
PRAY for the cast and crew, I know they are getting tired (Jeremiah is portraying Jesus)
PRAY that people take their unsaved family and friends

You will leave changed

It's Official!

Brock Bonner is officially a family member forever!! Kyle and Kellie met with the judge today surrounded by family. They passed whatever kind of legal waiting period, and got to take the little fella home with them. From what I heard from Great Aunt Angela, Brock got his picture made in the judges chair holding the gavel and probably slobbering on everything.

Corey scared me to death because I text messaged him and asked how it was going and he replied "Not good". As my breathing slowed and my chest felt tight, Brandon called and confirmed everything went quick and fine.

Corey, remember paybacks are coming, it may not be soon, but there will be a day, like when your auto insurance and gas bills are due, they might "lost".

BIG Bonner costume party and weenie roast bonfire this Friday will now really be a celebration!

One of those days

Yesterday was one of those days within the extended family, a little drama, a little humor. The following is based on a true story.

My brother in law, John, took his family to watch Jordan (my favorite niece, unless Olivia is reading this, then you are) run a half marathon near her college. According to reports she did well and passed her personal best with a time a little over 2 hours. (Note: I get tired riding in a car for 2 hours let alone running for 2 hours.)

On the way home the family stopped at Cabella's, which is to hunting what Bass Pro Shops are to fishing. Blake ordered a new hunting bow, possibly for his birthday, bought some arrows and the family hit the road home (visit#1). Well a short time later Blake realized that he had bought the wrong thing and being the good father that he is, John turned around and returned to the store (visit #2). While waiting for Blake to come out of the store, Pam took advantage of the time to go shopping at a nearby Target (Note to self: need to write a blog the creative shopping habits of the Allen girls), John waited in the car, took out his retainer (I thought there was age limit on those things?) and somehow it fell out of the car without him noticing it. So the family gets back in the car, back on the highway heading west when John realizes that he does not have his retainer. They turn around again and return to the store (visit #3) and pull up to the parking spot they had, just as someone was pulling into it and getting ready to run over the retainer, John jumps out scares the poor guy to death, but rescues the device and finally head home.

When they get home, an Asian couple arrives at their home to pick up the stove that Pam had decided she did not want any more. John walks out to meet them and warmly welcomes the 1st person to exit the car with a, "hello young man, how are you doing today?" greeting. To which the reply was, "I am the wife". Needless to say the rest of us were crying with laughter, not at John of course, but with him, because all of us make the same mistake of thinking that Asian women look like young Asian boys!!

The big news of the day on the Salyer side, Brandon shot 2 does yesterday, the last one was doe-zilla, weighing over 200 pounds. Unfortunately after he shot her, she ran through the woods into the heavy brush where it took over an hour in the pitch black to find her and carry her out of the woods, (with my help I might add). I saw parts of the Bonner farm I did not know existed.

Finally, pray for Kyle, Kellie and Brock on Tuesday, the adoption will be finalized and the little fella will be theirs forever legally.

Friday Night Lights

Watched a new TV show last night, Friday Night Lights, on NBC (on Tuesday's, go figure). The show as very well done, it is about a small town in Texas that is nuts about its high school football team. Great action, intriguing stories, some parts not for kids, but overall pretty fair.

Why am I writing about a TV show? Well, as part of the show it reminded me of a big difference between living in the north and living in the south. What the TV included was the team praying before the game. They even said the word "Jesus" on prime time!!

For those who have never lived in the south it is a common practice that before any high school sporting event is played, there is a public prayer offered. There is no one talking or being disrespectful, even in public schools! It is something that my sons got to experience growing up and playing sports.

Many people make fun of NASCAR, but it is the only major sporting event, where someone prays before the race starts, publicly, over the PA system. I wonder sometimes if that is why some people in the media make fun of those who attend or support NASCAR events?

I am glad there are still parts of this country where faith is a part of their everyday lives, and it is normal to give God thanks for all he has done.

Our family always pray before meals, home or in restaurants. It is important that we are not ashamed to thank God for what we have everyday.

Say an extra prayer to God when you read this and thank Him for what he has done for you.

Facing the Giants!

What an awesome movie! I think everyone should go and see this movie about what happens when we take our eyes off of God's purpose for our lives and work on what we think is important.

It is currently at Easton, look for a location near you.

Click the "Plugged in Online" link to the right for more details.

surgery update 9/29/2006

Just got back from the doctor and got the go ahead to resume normal activities. My nose and sinuses are healing slowly, just like the doctor expected. Will take 4 to 6 more weeks for a full recovery.

BIG game tomorrow night OSU versus Iowa at Iowa. Should be a good game for awhile, but OSU will pull ahead and win big in the end. Wonder if Pastor Noel was has recovered from Auburns close win last night at South Carolina? Too close for comfort for the #2 team in the country. Starting to wonder if a OSU vs AU national title game could happen? (I know MSU will not be there, LOL DD). Might have decorate the pastors office door if that happens.

Deer bow hunting season starts in the AM. Corey, Brandon and Blake all have deer stands up and are ready to go. Hope Corey gets one this year, he was shutout last year while Brandon got 2.

Continue to pray for Messick family.

Guiding Light

This was from my devotional today. It reminded me that the #1 problem with people who are in the "darkness"of sin, is that they do not know they are in the darkness, i.e., they do not know there is another way.

1 John 2:7-11, Holman Christian Standard Bible ®
7 Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command, but an old command that you have had from the beginning. The old command is the message you have heard.
8 Yet I am writing you a new command, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.
9 The one who says he is in the light but hates his brother is in the darkness until now.
10 The one who loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. Or in it
11 But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness, walks in the darkness, and doesn’t know where he’s going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

"The front of his T-shirt read, Be the Moon. I was curious to know what that meant, so as the guy walked by I turned around and read the back of his shirt. It read, Reflect the Son.

Since science was never my strong subject, I had to think about the shirt's message for a moment. Then it hit me. Just as the light of the moon is actually a reflection of the sun, so Christians should be a reflection of Christ, the Son of God.

Christians are similar to the moon in three ways. First, the moon doesn't have the ability to produce its own light. It's simply a celestial body that depends on another source for light. In the same way, Christians don't have the ability to produce our own light. The best we can do is to reflect His light.

That's what today's verse means when it describes the Christian who "lives in the light." When we live "in the light" of Christ, we are like mirrors that reflect His light. Second, the moon's ability to reflect the sun depends on its position in relation to the sun. In the same way, our ability to reflect the light of Christ depends on our relationship with Him.

Finally, the moon often provides enough light for a person on the earth to walk around outside without falling flat on the ground. When Christians are growing in their spiritual lives and staying close to the Lord, they give off a light that can guide others who may be stumbling in a dark world.

What about you? Are you being the moon? Do you reflect the Son? Allow God to use you as a guiding light for others this week.

Take a close look at your life. Where are you in relation to Christ? Do you know Him as your personal Savior? Are you staying close to Him through prayer, Bible study, worship, and fellowship with Christian friends?"

Passing on

My best friend from high school, Rod Messick, passed away today. We were part of the original CE Harmonaires singing group when we both were in high school. He was a year older than me, but we both caught up with each other the next year at The Ohio State University for a couple of years where he met his future bride, Julie, and moved to Richmond, VA and got married. They had a good life with 5 girls and then finally 1 boy.

The thing that gets me about this is how fast it happened. Rod had been bothered with a bad back for years. About 2 weeks ago they ran another test and found Stage 4 bone cancer! They gave him 2 months to live, but he is already gone.

I got a chance to talk to him to him last week and he told me that he would meet me in heaven, and he is right. Rod was a Christian and is now no longer in pain and is walking down the golden streets with Jesus after hearing "well done good and faithful servant".

Say an extra prayer for Julie and the kids, his sisters Soni, Sally, and Holly and their families as well. I know his parents Don and Harriet really well and they must be heart broken. No parent wants their children to die before they do, so remember them.

This just proves that can be short and fragile, we must be ready to go at anytime. So make sure that you live your life to the fullest everyday and love those around you like it was your last day on earth. It very well may be.

Surgery update

Well, I made through the surgery yesterday. Had a lower turbinate coblation and cysts removed from both sides of my front sinuses. Feeling pretty good today, both sides of my nose are swollen inside so it is hard to breath through my nose. Throat is sore from the tube during surgery. Otherwise doing fine.

Going back to work tomorrow because "Salyer's don't miss work". My dad worked for 42 years and I cannot remember him missing work ever!!! He passed that on to me, because I have probably missed 5 days total in the last 20 years. I hope my sons have that priority and go to work when they are supposed to be there.

Great website

http://www.pluggedinonline.com/index.cfm

This website reviews movies, TV shows, and music from a Chrisitan perpsective

Does God hear all prayers?

Last week in CONNECT class I said that God only hears prayers from those that are saved. I based this on scripture in James 5:16 and Matthew (Ask, Seek, Knock

Pastor Noel get wind of what I said and preached a mini-sermon on Sunday to clarify. (Note: this was the 1st time someone preached a sermon based on something I said)

Since we were moving Brandon back into OSU dorm last Sunday night during the service, I got the CD and listened to it twice and now I want to re-phrase my statement.

1. God hears everything, everybody, including children, can pray to God and he hears them.
2. There are a few examples in the Bible of when God answered the prayers of sinners.
3. God will answer the prayers of the saved, because He said He would
4. God may choose to answer the prayers of the unsaved, but is not obligated to.
5. See Pastor Noel's blog for scripture supporting all of the above

Hope this clears up any confusion, remember if you are saved, it is not an issue!

Read Joshua Chapter 3 for this Sunday.

What a day! GO BUCKS!

OSU is number 1! We beat Texas like a drum last night. The offense played great, the defense was better than ever, still have a little problem stopping the run. We had about 20 people over to cook out and watch the game. It is going to be a great year!

Wonder how the temperature was in the Dear house last night? He is an Auburn fan, she is a Mississippi State fan. Auburn clobbered MSU yesterday so I know he was very happy!

Today is also move in day for Brandon. After church, we load up and take him to OSU. School doesn't start for 2 weeks, but he has a job there getting ready the dorm for the majority of kids to arrive.

Answer to prayer for Amy S., starts a new job soon, hired her on the spot (company obviously recognizes talent when they see it, wait a minute, that was the same place that let me go)! Good luck anyway.

Got a call about my best friend from high school, just diagnosed with bone cancer, called and left a message of support and pray. So keep Rod M. in your prayers.

Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

This is the most wonderful time of any year. This is when I saw the best commercial ever made. It showed a mom and dad pushing a buggy (shopping cart) down the aisle, dancing and smiling while the song "most wonderful time of the year" was playing in the background After the parents moved out of view 2 kids about 10 with a sad looks on their faces and arms folded walked slowly behind. The point was it was a "Back to School sale" and the kids would be out of the house going back to school. What a wonderful time!

As our boys get older it loses some of drama. They are gone most of the time any way. Brandon starts back on 9/10 and told us last week, that if goes through next summer, he could graduate in 12 months!! (Angela started tearing up right then). We kid Corey about always being at home, but I know he will be moving to main campus in 12 months. So this time next year we may be truly almost empty nesters! Life moves so fast!

But I am rambling, it is still the most wonderful time of the year because FOOTBALL STARTS TONIGHT! College football starts tonight and I cannot wait. Taking Pastor Noel to the OSU game on Saturday so he can see some yankee style football in person. It will be fun with a packed house.

Next week PRO FOOTBALL starts and the Browns are going to the Super Bowl, this is their year, I can feel it.

Finally, baseball is getting exciting. The Indians have won 10 of 12 and are making a late run at the wild card (now I am dreaming) but there is always next year for tribe fans. Hope the Reds make the playoffs, at least that would give me something to do between football games.

Boys are back in town!

Did not realize it had been so long since I posted some news, here is the latest on my mind.

• Well the boys (Brandon, Corey and Blake) survived another fishing trip to Lake Erie with Memi and JR. Every year they take the boys fishing before school starts and usually come back with interesting stories. Last year they caught almost 800 fish, which was way over the limit, so this year I think God got them back since they caught less than 200. Brandon also takes all the video and produces a video highlighting the trip and forever burning it into our memory. The best part of the video recap was Memi wearing a baseball cap backwards and giving some kind of a gang sign! That and the scene of JR pulling his chair close to the TV while everyone else was playing a game, will make this trip memorable.
• Car update: Ended up spending the money and getting the head gasket fixed professionally, what a waste waited 6 weeks without the car and still ended up spending the money. THEN, the Jimmy went into the shop and we found out that it was only running on 4 of 6 cylinders! Fuel injector problem which always equals a lot of money! Corey spent all the money from working this summer to get it fixed. He is now in "work mode" to refill his piggybank.
• CONNECT group is amazing. God is really working! We had over 20 again and are now moving to the biggest room in the basement! Keep praying that we can be an outreach to those in the church who need Christian friends and to the unchurched that we can reach them. The monthly fellowship is at our house this Friday, Tailgate Time, is the theme as we celebrate the beginning of football season.
• Got my 2 tickets to the OSU opening game on 9/2, taking Pastor Noel, going to show him what real football looks like, not that wimpy SEC stuff. He is a big Auburn fan, so he might have something good to brag about this year. I think it would be cool if OSU played Auburn in the Championship game, watch for lots of trash talking both ways then!
• Work going very well, doing a lot of training classes recently, Crucial Conversations and teaching managers how to coach their employees.
• "The Office" is coming on, that's all for now!

How to soften your heart.

Well guess what? The Neon is back in the shop! It was overheating driving down the road and now needs to be fixed again! Wish I had the money to get a new car, maybe a Chrysler 300!

Great day at church, set new record attendance with CONNECT group with 20! Had 6 new people! Told Pastor Noel we needed a bigger room and more tables! God is good.

Our class motto is: "Where the teaching may be mediocre, but the snacks are great!" guess who teaches and guess who provides the food? Angela, my queen, makes the food. I am sure people are coming to see what she makes next!

Helped out at VBS last week. Had between 125 and 150 kids every night. Really softened my heart up to talk to some of the bus kids and hear what kind of life they have. The lesson one night was about being scared and how if you have Jesus in your heart you do not have to afraid. One little boy in Angela's group told her that he gets scared when his mommy goes to jail. We both teared up thinking about what kind of life that little 4 year old was faced with. Really makes you appreciate what you have and really makes my problems seem trivial.

At VBS you hear more of those kind of stories and that should remind us that God has been very good to all of us. If you are reading this you must have a computer and a nice home with family that loves you. There are many, many people out there who are much less fortunate than we are. Working at VBS makes that much more real and keeps my heart soft.

Lord, help us all to find ways to reach out and minister to those less fortunate than ourselves. Let us never get too busy to forget to help out those who need some of your grace and mercy.

I think having a soft heart is a good thing.

Milestones

Today is a big day in the salyer household with several milestones being passed:

1. I hit the 15 pound loss mark today! The combination of calorie counting, food substitution, and exercise helped me overcome a potential disaster this weekend. We had people over to eat and Angela made 4 wonderful desserts!! They all looked good, but I (for the most part) stuck to the fresh fruit and avoided a big weight gain.
2. Tyler started his 1st real job today! He called this AM and was very excited, we are so proud of him, he has been through a lot but he made it and I know he will be successful. I would give anything to be a fly on the wall in his classroom today.
3. The Neon made it to Columbus this AM with no problems! no overheating, oil leaking, or other problems( THANK YOU JESUS!) This is only the 2nd time in 6 weeks I was able to drive this 35 MPG gas sipping car to work, so pray for it to keep running.

Renewing Vows

We went to a ceremony last night for family friends who renewed their wedding vows. They had been married 10 years, have 4 beautiful daughters and I am sure they felt it was something they needed to do. It was nice, to publicly declare their love for each other and renew their commitments to their marriage.

But you know, if that was the only time they showed their love for each other, their marriage would not be based on much. Anybody could tell their spouse they love once then every 10 years! What counts is what happens the rest of the time. How do they treat each other, how do they show love, do they forgive each other when they make mistakes or hold grudges?

It dawned on me later, we as Christians should be renewing ours vows to Jesus daily. We should thank God everyday for the sacrifice he made to send Jesus to die on the cross for us.

I wonder if Christians had to publicly "renew their vows" would they do it? I know Jesus would do His part, and wait for us at the altar, to see if we would be as interested and committed to Him, 5, 10, 20 years later, as we were when we accepted Him as our Lord and Savior.

Would you?

Why women really do hate men.

It dawned on me the other day that women really hate men. The following are a few reasons why.

1. Losing weight. My diet is going good I'm down between 10 and 15 pounds. But every time I tell that to a women, they say, "It is so easy for men to lose weight." EASY? If you call counting calories everyday and walking or running 1 or 2 miles a day easy! It is hard work to lose weight. Women hate men because men have the mental toughness and self control to lose weight whenever they want to.
2. Playing sports. Women are not very good at playing sports. If they were, why would we need "women's" tees in golf? Or different size softball when women come to bat. Women give the illusion of being good at sports by playing each other. Do you remember all the publicity given to the 1st women to dunk a basketball? It was last year. There were boys who could dunk a basketball when I was in high school. Women hate men because we are better at them at sports.
3. Being right. This will be the most controversial thing I have ever written on my blog. Men are just right more often. In every relationship someone has to be the kite and someone has to be the string. In most cases the man is the string to make sure good decisions are made everyday. Left up to a women she would go shopping everyday, all day, when their closets and drawers are full of clothes! A top to go with this, a purse for that, jewelry on sale, shoes, shoes, shoes. If I hear the word Stein Mart one more time!!!

PS: Pray for me now, before Angela reads this!

On a lighter note!

Well on a lighter note than last post, some more positive, lighter information:

1. WE got the Neon back!!! Yes, it is in our driveway. Brandon and Corey cleaned up the engine really well, it looks great. BUT, now it needs a new radiator, something about the car being built in Mexico makes the radiator hard to get. At least we got it back and paid a whole lot less than we would have.
2. Corey moved the Crossbow to the basement in record time, without me having to threaten him. Even Angela used it tonight for 5 minutes. I am such a wimp on it. I cannot do curls with more than 80 pounds!
3. Diet still going good, down over 10 pounds. Had a good weekend, not too much straying, except for some lemon mousse thing Angela made that was out of this world!! Since it had lemon in it does that count for a fruit?
4. Finally, CONNECT group continues to amaze me, and I am an optimistic person! We had 10 again with 2 more new people, if everyone would come at once we would have close to 20 and need a bigger room! Having our 1st class fellowship this Friday at our house. "Bring your favorite dessert" (my idea). Need to walk for sure on Saturday twice as long.
5. Tomorrow is next to last class at the Naz. Hope I don't get yelled at again!!

Hard Hearted Christians

Last week the CONNECT lesson was from Mark 4, the parable about the sower. Everybody has always thought of the parable from the perspective of the sower. I challenged the class to think of it differently.

What if the 4 types of earth can represent my heart? I can't get it off of my mind that Jesus was warning us about having a hard heart, like the hard ground where the Word will not grow in my life if my heart is hardened to the things of God.

Went to visit Aunt Rhoda, she has "hollyhock" growing in the middle of her driveway. A beautiful plant with purple flowers on it. It is growing out of a crack in the cement. She said it grows for a while and dies and comes back next year the same.

Sounds like some Christians. They used to come to church every service, their heart was soft to what word of God would have them do with their lives. But now, for many reasons they think, you never see them at church except on Sunday AM services or worse only at Christmas or Easter.

Their lives are full of things that keep them out of church and from hearing God's word. People act like they forgot that God does speak on Sunday nights and Wednesday nights too! It always starts little by little, missing once in a while, then, next they get out of the habit, and finally they make plans to do things when they should be at church.

If you ask them about it, they get very defensive and make excuses. That should be a clue to them that maybe they are wrong.

Pray especially this week for those family and friends who used to come every week, even teach class and sit in the front, but now they hardly ever darken the church doors. Reach out to them and invite them back to the Fathers house. This will keep our hearts softer and maybe start to put a crack in theirs to start the process of the flowers blooming again.

Finally, ask yourself, is my heart soft enough for God to do anything with it? Do I get into arguments with the people I love and respect over things that are really self centered and inwardly self focused?

Look back over the last month, and write down all things you did to help your church reach souls for Christ. That will tell you the truth. Everything else is just an excuse.

Hectic Week

This has been a hectic week around the Salyer house.

Sunday was great, had 10 people again in CONNECT, with 2 more new people. I am excited about 1st class fellowship at out house on Friday 7/28.

In the evening we took mom and dad to Brandon's Championship softball game. They were short of players, so Corey had to play shortstop (he did a great job, especially considering he is left handed). They lost the game but still won the championship due to their overall record. Celebrated by going to Red Robin and I got a veggie burger due to the diet.

Tuesday night taught class at "The Naz" campus in Newark. One of the women in my class was mad at me because of her grade. Well, when she only did part of the assignment what do you expect? She forgot to turn the page in her book and missed the most important part of the paper.

Is it just me, or do women seem to argue and hold grudges longer than men do? This person in the class would not look at me the whole rest of the class.

I am still convinced that when women argue with each other it is a lot worse than when men argue with men. Women never seem to get over it, the one who messed up doesn't want to admit it. Men will move on a lot faster and get over things quicker than women will ever do. Men care a lot less about being right than women do.

Wednesday night we watched Brock while Kyle, Brandon and Corey had a softball game for the Park Trails team. Brock is getting big and really is starting to develop a personality, he is smiling a whole lot more.

Diet going well, recovered from Mimi Cafe dining experience and now have lost 10 pounds! Jeremiah added to weight loss bet by saying that he would give me $30 if I could jog around Park Trails by Thanksgiving. Little does he know I plan to do it by the 1st of November.

Days Neon has been at Jake's house = 20
Days Corey has left the exercise machine he got from Blake in garage = 10

The Salyer Curse

The Salyer family does not do well in English classes. I call it the Salyer Curse. That is the only class I would tell the boys that as long as they got a "C" it would be OK. For some reason English Class was always a mystery to me. I can talk it, I write in English, but understanding the details of the language are like speaking Greek.

(to prove my point, when Angela read this, she thought I was being funny and left out the word "do" above. It wasn't on purpose, I added it later)

I thought Corey was adopted 1 time because he got an "A" in English, but he assured me it was because the teacher liked him.

Tyler got the job! ( 1 down and 2 more boys to go). The interview went very well. They told him he was 1 of 6 candidates, some with more education than him, but the principal called and offered him the job that afternoon! He is very excited and can't wait.

Guess what Tyler is teaching? See the 1st paragraph. That's right, 5th Grade English!! God has a sense of humor!! The principal told him not to worry, take the job, that doesn't mean he will have to teach it every year.

Final note, reason # 995 I love my wife. Came home Friday night to the best dinner I had had in a long time. Shrimp, new potatoes, corn, fresh green beans, biscuits, and peanut butter dessert!! Diet took a step back that night, but I walked my 2 miles on Saturday trying to get things back under control.

Pray for Tyler!

Tyler just called to let me know he has a job interview with Shelby County School district. The interview is with a school principal that has a reputation as being very good to work with. From his voice he is very excited.

My 2nd class at "The Naz" went very well last Tuesday. Starting to understand the flow of the class and how to get material covered without just standing up and reading to them. Now I have to grade 12 quizzes and 12 papers before class Tuesday, pray for me!

Angela getting ready for a jewelry party at our house tonight so I am going watch to Brandon play softball in Columbus tonight.

Thanks to Uncle Gary! Brandon bought a Chevy Lumina from Gary to replace "ol' blue" his Honda with about 2,000,000 miles on it. Now Corey is thinking about buying the convertible Chevy Cavalier Gary has because it would get better mileage than the Jimmy.

My nephew Nathan bought "ol' blue" and Jim called and said that Nate loves it! It is 1st car and Jim said he put about 1,000 miles on it the 1st week. So I could just get the Neon back, the Salyer will have upgrade all 3 cars that are the worse in the family. God is good!!!

Great day on Sunday!

We had 10 people in the CONNECT group again this Sunday, but 4 of 10 were different than last week. Praise the Lord that by starting this new class, we can reach those who may not know other people their age.

Keep praying for the Worship Leader search team. we feel God is moving and we want to be very sensitive to His direction and not ours.

Well, the Neon is still getting fixed, this is the 4th week. Hard to complain. The guy who is fixing it will do it much cheaper than taking it somewhere else. Only problem is that Angela doesn't have car during the day, so she has to do her shopping, I mean running around during the evening.

Corey and Brandon had about 10 people over to watch the World Cup finals. Very exciting game with lots of drama. I guy I work with has a cousin that plays for Italy, so that is who we were rooting for.

PS: went with the Dear's to Skyline Chili after church, don't think Pastor Dear liked it

CONNECT Groups

Pray for tomorrow! It will be the 2nd meeting of the Young Couple CONNECT group (anyone know what CONNECT stands for?) We are very excited with the response last week, we had 10 with more letting me know they are coming this week!

Angela is bringing something for breakfast, so as Brent Lay from Jackon, TN used to say, "The teaching may be mediocre, but the snacks will be great!"

Spent today at Thomas pool, perfect weather, great fun was had by all. Even Henry Bonner drove down for a visit and talked about how he knew General George Patton from WW2.

Indians Game & Jeff's diet plan

Wow! What a great time we had at the Indians baseball game last night. Even though they lost, we had a great time. even if we got home around 1:00 AM. (Thanks to Jordan for not rubbing it in that the Yankees won big.)

You have to ask Blake and Olivia how it feels to be awakened by the taste of Listerine breath spray in your mouth. Corey has the video and it is very funny!!!

Brandon won his softball game so his team is now undefeated and playing for the championship soon.

Someone asked what diet I am on and it is my version of Weight Watchers.

1. Take your current body weight and divide by 10 (200 pound/10 = 20 points)
2. Count the calories in the food you eat and divide them by 50 ( candy bar with 200 calories/ 50 = 4 points)
3. Keep your calorie intake under 20 points per day
4. Walk at least 1 or 2 miles every day you get a chance. (slow pace is fine)
5. If you mess up and eat something that throws your point total for the day over your goal(like Whitt's ice cream), forget about and start over ASAP.

Let me know if this helps.

The Legend begins!

This begins a new era in technology as the Salyer family (Jeff & Angela) joins the 21st century!!

Wow! What a weekend! Tyler and Rachel visited from Memphis, Brandon got Morgan for the weekend and Corey and Kathleen broke up!

Brandon got a new (to him) car and is already putting a stereo system in it.

Corey and I are going to the Indians game tonight with John, Blake and Jordan

I started my diet last week and am already down 7 pounds! yeah!