Thursday, August 28, 2008

this place is going crazy!

I am safely back to the Milwaukee airport waiting for my flight. This weekend is the 105th anniversary of Harley Davidson motorcycles. They expecting 200,000 cycles for this event!!!!

Do you believe that? I knew Harley fans were dedicated but I cannot imagine that many bikers. My hotel was near Lake Geneva 1 hour from Milwaukee, and there were people staying there.

It was exciting to see people crowded on the overpasses waiting for long lines of bikers to pass by. I probably saw a couple hundred, but locals said most are coming in today. They interviewed a couple from Germany who flew to Tampa, Fla, rented a bike and drove all the to Milwaukee to be apart of this event.

I can confirm the cookies on the flight last night were warm and good, but the seat was typical airline seat nothing special. Wonder why they do not offer cold milk with warm cookies? The tickets were 4x the cost to fly into Chicago, so you think they could afford it.

After I got checked in last night (like how I am telling the stories backwards in time?) I went for a walk down by the Lake. Lake Geneva was very nice, some old wooden boats and sailboats on the lake beautiful weather.

The hotel had a patio out back so I stopped and talked to an elderly couple from Chicago. They had just driven up for the day. They like being retired, "Every week has 6 Saturdays and 1 Sunday!" What a great way to look at life, that is how I want to live when I retire!

Watched TV last night, Democratic convention makes me sick, all the speakers talking about good it was when Bill Clinton was in office. It amazes me how blinded people are by there own agenda. They had Obama's campaign manager on the Today show this AM. Matt Lauer asked him 6 questions and the guy never answered one of them!

At least when McCain was at Saddleback forum, he provided straight answers.

McCain better pick a Conservative running mate or he will lose for sure!

Press On! (This the favorite phrase my friend James Page in TN)

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

on the road again!

Well the travel season for work has started back up. As I write this, I am sitting in the airport waiting to fly to Milwaukee for business. One observation so far, the Columbus airport is a lot less busy then it used to be. I was able to get a parking spot close to the front, the TV monitors that showed departing flights are filled with advertising, no waiting in security line etc. Big change from the past, even flying mid-week.

Over the next two months I go to:
  • Milwaukee, WI
  • Altavista, VA (next to Lynchburg)
  • Chicago, IL
  • Casa Grande, AZ
  • Sturgis, MI
  • Gatlinburg, TN (annual vacation)

I was supposed to go back to Europe in Nov, but since it was going to cost almost $10,000 it got delayed until Jan 2009.

This flight is on Midwest Express, I never flown it before, but I heard every seat is a 1st class seat AND to you warm cookies after take-off! I will give a full report later to confirm this rumor.

Pray for Tyler and Rachel's house to sell or rent. It has been on the market since they got married (this is Tyler's old house) lots are looking but no one is buying. So they decided to rent and use that money to pay the mortgage. Ask Angela or I to tell you the story of a little boy in his class, too sad to put in the blog. Let me say this, HUG YOUR KIDS TONIGHT!

Closing thoughts:

Continue to pray for the church and staff. Our CONNECT group has had over 30 people each of the last two weeks. Pray God will continue to bless, and raise up other leaders to start new classes. There are other exciting things going on at church that will be announced later.

Remember to get your school colors ready. Football starts this week! Go Bucks!

Also, now that regular bloggers have updated there is now a 1 month limit between blogs!

Press On!

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Why do parents do this?

I was reading a sports story yesterday about the Fields family who have a 7 year old son named Wrigley. He was going to the Chicago Cubs game yesterday and throwing out the 1st pitch. Why you might ask, well some of you have already figured it out.

The Cubs baseball stadium is called - Wrigley Field, that's right his family named him after a baseball stadium!

I heard also of a boy named, Marvin Gaye Mays, and a girl named Pinkie Fara Fauccett. That is their real names not just nicknames.

When we lived in Tennessee we knew a couple with a son named Rebel and a daughter named Dixie.

What other real people do you know of that have famous names? Reply back in a comment below so all can share.

As much as I hate to do this I need to thank the quarterback of the University of Florida , Tim Tebow. He was part of the team that beat the Buckeyes 2 years ago, won the Heisman Trophy as the top college football player, last year. He is very good.

Every year Playboy magazine honors all of the top college football players for the upcoming season, and Tebow refused to go and participate. Why? Because he is a Christian and believed that would not be good for his testimony! His faith was strong enough to allow him to make the right decision!

So Thank you Tim Tebow! You are a role model for others!

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Changes are coming! - updated 9:00 PM

WOW, I bet that got your attention!

Nothing big except I have instituted a new rule for bloggers.

To stay active on my blog list you must update at least every other month! Not too much to ask. So sorry Pastor Wally you are out, and Sean is next, it has been 5 weeks and counting.

A teacher friend of mine told me this week, that during the 1st week of school they collect a form from parents listing many thing, but one thing is food allergies.

One parent put: Sloppy Joe's, yes, their child is allergic to sloppy Joe's, not hamburger or tomatoes or even bread, but somehow when you put them all together it creates something that their little child is allergic to.

Another parent told me their 1st grader had to bring a flash drive to class! Whatever happened to a box of tissues and wet wipes? Times sure have changed.

Saturday, August 09, 2008

Uneventful week, sort of




  • The week started off busy, we still had little Jacob until Tuesday. He is such a smart little guy, I know this because when I walk into the room he always reaches out for me! He is destined for great things, since he is such a good judge of character!!!!

  • Pray for Amy and Jason (Jacob's parents), when thy were gone they got married. Angela has invited them to church and lunch tomorrow and they promised the would come. We know God is the only answer for them and are trusting that God will work in their lives.


Rest of week was OK, nothing exciting until Thursday. Memi and JR came because this is the annual Lake Erie fishing trip! The Brandon, Corey and my nephew Blake (the campfire chef mentioned earlier) are there right now. They are having great weather, not too much luck fishing, that we have heard of. One exciting thing happened this morning, something about Brandon was swinging a cutting board and it hit JR?? More details to follow. One of the best things to happen afterward is the video they make of all that happened, if possible I will post here to share with all. and of course since we have 4 cars and a larger truck here now, they are coming tomorrow AM to seal the driveway, we have cars at neighbors and my parents house.

Angela and I went to see the Batman movie, "The Dark Knight". We both loved it, I was surprised that my arm candy (Angela) also really enjoyed it, good moral about right and wrong and ethical decisions we are required to make, and how nothing, no situation should make us do something that goes against what we believe, even if it makes an "outcast". Definitely some Christian themes spread throughout, by accident? maybe, maybe not.


Today, mowed the yard for the 1st time in 2 weeks. some parts still pretty brown, but others needed it, I needed the exercise, so I made it all the way through. Took a shower and watched a movie trying to recuperate. Got up to work on my lesson and I was so sore! If I did that every week I would be OK and probably a lot skinnier.


Looks like Tyler and Rachel will have to rent Tyler's old house, unable to sell it right now. But God may work through that because they may get enough rent to help pay the current mortgage as well! Like all newly married couples more money coming into the pot is always a good thing.

Pray for Kenya Team and their families, good reports so far, but Sunday will be a big day for them I am sure, supposed to come home this Wednesday.

Press On!

Tuesday, August 05, 2008

Is it time?

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2008/05/12/activists_push_to_repeal_state_income_tax?s_campaign=8315

Is now the time to repeal the state income tax in Ohio? This article describes a similar effort going on in Massachusetts. It would save a typical tax payer over $3,600 per year there. That is $300 per month for my SEC friends. That would buy a lot of $4.00 per gallon gasoline and $4 gallons of milk.

When we moved here from Tennessee we were shocked at how high the taxes are in Ohio. You see Tennessee does not have any state income tax. Their roads are better than ours and the schools are no worse.

I am not sure how this could get started but I would be happy to sign a petition if someone has started this campaign. My guess is most politicians would be against this because they love to spend our money and instead of trying to find ways to save it, they are always wanting more.

Forbes magazine also just listed the top 10 fastest dying cities, and 4 of 10 were in Ohio! Do you think the residents of those towns could use a tax break?

This may be the year in Massachusetts, why not Ohio also?

Sunday, August 03, 2008

Weekend update

It seems like I am getting the habit of updating on the weekend, but that works for me. At least I AM updating unlike some unnamed other bloggers.

Wednesday: Kenya Mission Team left today, 7 people from church will be their doing God's work. Pray for them and their families that are here for protection, wisdom, guidance and strength.

Thursday: Little Jacob came to visit while parents are Las Vegas, he is still here and will not go home until Tuesday. Aunt Angie has been a real trouper because I have not been much help due to ...

Friday: Was the 1st Annual Thomas-Salyer boys night out! We camped out over at the farm. Blake cooked a great dinner over the fire topped off with smores and peach pies, boys went fishing, and we spent a lot of time relaxing. Look for more pictures to show up in the family video. Sleeping in a tent, my 1st time on a loooooong time, went well, Brandon snored louder than me! A good time was had by all.

Saturday: Got up at camp, Corey tried to fillet the fish they had caught, no luck. We still had a great breakfast of eggs, bacon, toast, and potatoes. Take Blake with you if you go camping, he is a great campfire chef. Saturday afternoon I had to do a project for work. I have mastered the art of removing labels from cans, I worked until 11:30 PM last night. UGH!

Sunday: Good day at church new couple in our class, met 2 more new young couple after Church. Got a call that my shift was cancelled on the removing labels project, so do not have to work tonight! So I took advantage of the time to make my fantasy football keeper league picks for Tyler's league. FOOTBALL STARTS TONIGHT! Yeah! The Hall of Fame game is on, let the season begin.

Read this article in the paper and it about made me sick.
http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/08/03/baptism.ART_ART_08-03-08_B4_61AU3UV.html?sid=101

God please forgive us! Help us to reach these people, soften their hearts towards you!

All for now, getting ready for church and then football!