Friday, September 30, 2005

People are Watching

Last weekend after Brock gave his message about Jesus being the only way to God, one of the security guards approached him. She was in tears about the message. Brock asked her if she believed in Jesus and the lady replied with, "I think so." Brock told her that he would be praying that she would find her way to Jesus.

The weekend before that, one of the security guards began asking me some questions. She had seen us praying for each other during our group devotions on Saturday morning. I was able to share with her a little and gave her a DVD.

Today, we struck up a conversation with one of the salespeople at Hot Topic. Later, we saw her again at a restuarant. She was reading a book about yoga. She said that she was a spiritual nerd, because she enjoys studying theology. Brock gave her one of our DVD's and told her that there was theology on it, but she would have to find it. Brock and Stephanie (who travels with us) both commented on the fact that it was not a coincidence that we saw her twice.

It's cool how the Lord sends someone to us every weekend. People are watching us.

Thursday, September 29, 2005

Dinner in Denver

We are in Denver, CO tonight getting ready to start another weekend of CIY conference. Brock and I ate at a very nice restuarant. We sat out on the patio. Toward the end of our meal, a homeless guy came up asking for money. Brock told him that he didn't have any cash. The man said that he wanted something to eat. To my surprise, Brock said for him to go get a table and Brock would buy them something to eat. The homeless man's eyes lit up. "Really?" he asked. Brock affirmed it, so the guy called his brother over and they went around to the entrance of the restuarant.

The waiter watched all of it happen. He sat the guys at the bar and gave them some food charging it to our bill. When he brought us the check, he brought us some dessert as well. We didn't order the cheescake, but the waiter said that when people do something nice, they should be rewarded. He said that it was really cool for Brock to do that because most people just blow them off. I think that the waiter received just as much of the message of Jesus' love as the homeless guys. Also, the cheesecake was the best I've ever had!

Wednesday, September 28, 2005

A Song of Praise in the Midst of the Storm

My best friend from college lives in Tyler, TX. Her parents live in East Texas near the Beaumont area. This is her story from the aftermath of Hurricane Rita:

My parents had a truly terrifying experience. Mom stayed up all night Friday just praying. She could hear the trees outside cracking and falling...she could hear shingles ripping off the roof...and she could hear loud bangs from large debris slamming into the house. We were all praying that God's hand would protect their home (where both my Grandmas and sister were also taking refuge). There is no doubt now that our prayers were answered...there is devastation all around them, and yet the house was relatively unharmed...and they are all safe and sound!

Sunday I had an opportunity to sing in church, due to the fact that a musical group we had booked was unable to get to Tyler. When the Worship Minister called me Thursday afternoon and asked if I knew what I could sing, I immediately said, "Through it All." It is an old southern gospel favorite of my dad's. There is a line in the song: "I thank Him for the mountains/I thank Him for the valleys/I thank Him for the STORMS He's brought me through.../Through it all I've learned to Trust in Jesus..." Even before I knew HOW He would bring us through the storm, I felt such a strong compulsion to share that message Sunday morning (if we were even able to have church).

Most of Tyler never even lost power, so we did have the joy of gathering for worship. At 7:40 Sunday morning, I arrived at church for a sound check and when I walked through the doors I could hear the Praise Team practicing. The spirit was so incredibly dense in that place you could almost see it. Everyone was smiling and saying "Hello..." There was just a general sense of jubliation, thankfulness, and humility. When I sat down to continue listening to the Praise Team, it occurred to me that my mom & dad would looooove to hear this music, and they were trapped in their home without power. They do have a phone line that works, however, so I decided to call them and let them listen through the phone. No sooner than Dad answered, though, I was called up on stage to start my sound check. I asked Dad if he wouldn't mind holding on for a while, then I passed the phone off to our Orchestra Minister and asked if he would mind holding it up while I sang.

Of course, he agreed. Also, the Worship Minister agreed to let me sing the ENTIRE song for the sound check. Green Acres holds three services each Sunday. Out of the four times I sang the song that day, the sound check was the absolute finest moment. When I got back on the phone, my mom was sobbing. "We weren't able to make it to church today," she said, "but we just had church."

Tuesday, September 27, 2005

Holly Beach Missionaries

Brock knows this couple that had a Christian resort in Holly Beach, LA. I say "had" because it's not there anymore. Holly Beach is gone. The only thing left standing is a water tower. On the news, it looks like a water tower in the ocean because the town is now ocean after Rita came thru. They depended on financial support to keep the retreat center afloat. They only had flood insurance on one little building on the whole property. Brock's parents church had just gone down there the month before to renovate the place. Now, it's gone.

The couple packed as much as they could into a trailer and went to some people's house in DeRidder, LA hoping to escape the worst of the storm. A tree ended up falling into the house where they were staying and landing just inches from their bed. They almost died. Then, a tree landed on the trailer they had brought and crushed everything. Basically, they lost everything but their lives!

This is just one of the thousands of stories of the destruction of Hurricane Rita. I didn't sleep very well last night. I thought about my parents trying to sleep in their hot house with no water. I dreamed that looters tried to get into the house because they have the windows up. It was 97 degrees yesterday where my parents live. A government helicopter delivered the town some food and water yesterday. They are saying that it will probably take a few weeks to get power back because the whole East Texas grid is down. Please, pray for all of these people effected by the aftermath of Rita. The media is downplaying the effect the hurricane had on west Louisiana and east Texas because it didn't hit Houston. It only hit small towns. Small towns are suffering right now. They don't have the resources that the larger ones do. Shepherd, TX where my parents live doesn't even have a mayor. Please remember the longterm effects that this is going to have on these little towns.

Monday, September 26, 2005

Updates on Rita

My parents were able to fly back into Houston yesterday. They went home to no power. They are saying that the power could come back on in 3 days or 3 months! Also, they were concerned about a dam in Livingston. If it broke the whole area would be flooded. They had to release some of the floodgates in order to relieve some of the pressure on that dam. Therefore, some of the houses in the low lying areas were flooded on purpose in order to prevent more houses from being flooded. Fortunately, my parents are not in a low lying area.

Brock's parents are still in Dallas. However, they know that there was alot of damage done to their hometown. The hurricane hovered over their area for a long period of time. They are about an hour northwest of Lake Charles in DeRidder, LA. They're right on the stateline of LA and TX where most of the damage was done. There are trees down everywhere. A couple went down in their yard, but none fell on the house. However, something to do with their electrical cover was blown off. Therefore, they are going to have to get some electrical work done. Brock's grandparents that live in that same town have two large holes in their roof.

Our friends that live near Port Arthur cannot get thru to anyone from their town. They have no idea the extant of the damage. They are staying in central Louisiana with his parents. However, they have no water or power. They have a few week old baby. They are miserable. The baby cannot sleep because he's too hot. They aren't even allowed to return home yet.

Praise the Lord that everyone is safe. However, still keep these families and towns in prayer. Everyone just has no clue what to do. Nothing is going on as usual. No schools are in session. My dad and Brock's dad are pastors. The churches are closed right now. The stores are closed. There are millions of people without power, and it's so crippling nowadays.

Sunday, September 25, 2005

Out on the Road

We pulled over last night to sleep. We needed fuel desperately but the gas station where we were spending the night was closed. Therefore, we couldn't turn on the generator because we were almost out of fuel. It was okay because it wasn't very hot. We just opened the windows and the vent right over our bed. If you don't know, we drive a racecar hauler which is a freightliner with living quarters. So, we have a bed, couch, table, sink area, and bathroom. Our bed is up over the cab and there is a vent with a fan directly over the bed. In the middle of the night, it started raining in the vent and onto our bed. Plus, we have a vent that keeps coming up on our trailer, so it may have leaked inside the trailer last night.

Then, as we were driving today, people on a motorcycle drove up beside us pointing to the back. We pulled onto the side of the road and found that our trailer electric cord had drug the ground and split apart. Therefore, we had no trailer lights and no brakes on the trailer. We just had a list of things fixed on our truck. It seems as if the list will never end! Sometimes life on the road really bites!

Saturday, September 24, 2005

Updates

Tonight was so much better than last weekend. Everyone is getting into the flow of things. I felt so much less stress than last weekend.

I'm completely well. Thanks for your prayers. At a little after lunch yesterday, my sinuses began to clear and I was all of a sudden better. I've felt 100% ever since. I know that this is because you guys were praying for me.

Brock's parents made it to Ft. Worth, and my parents are having a good time in New York City. We're glued to the TV watching the news concerning the hurricane. They just said that Rita will make landfall in a couple of hours...Now, Shepherd Smith cannot even stand up due to the wind gusts where he is in Beaumont, TX. Some of our best friends live right there. They already evacuated of course. It's scary!!!

Friday, September 23, 2005

Rita and Evacuations

My parents who live near Houston had already planned a trip to New York City for this weekend. They flew out yesterday morning. I'm so glad that they got out of there. Mom said that when they went to the airport, it was like a movie. The northbound side of the freeway was like a parking lot at 6am. They got to the airport 2 and 1/2 hours early and barely made it on the plane. Everybody that was flying out at anytime yesterday was there at 6am. Some people even let my parents ahead of them in the check-in line because my parents flew out at 9am and they didn't fly out until the afternoon. My parents plane was nowhere near full because everyone could not get through security. They waited for about 30 minutes until the plane took off leaving some of the passengers at the airport. I can only imagine the back-up that they are experiencing. However, my parents made it to New York with no problems.

After hearing about Rita's change in direction, Brock's parents who live near Lake Charles, LA decided to evacuate. They were going to stay with Brock's sister and brother-in-law in Ft. Worth, TX. Brock talked them into leaving last night instead of this morning. We haven't heard if they made it safely yet. Neither one of us can get thru to our parents on their cell phones at the present time. It says "Due to the hurricane in the area, this customer cannot be reached."

Our parents are just 4 people in the millions of people that are trying to leave. There is already panic in Texas. Pray that people will survive this hurricane!

Thursday, September 22, 2005

Sick

I'm sick. The head pounding don't want to get out of bed sick. I sneazed all afternoon Tuesday. Then, I crawled in bed. I wanted to stay in bed all day yesterday, yet I got up, packed us up, drove (Brock actually drove) to Georgia and performed a show. One of the downfalls of this job is that you can't call in sick. Last night was the first night that I've performed sick.

When I went into the dressing room to get something to eat, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. With my eyes and cheeks puffy, nose red, and unkempt hair, I didn't look like a girl that could be onstage. I tried my best to conceal my pale, sick face with makeup.

The show went well overall. There were 750 people in attendance and 48 people were saved. The show was not a disaster, but it was very rough for me. My reaction time was slow. You can't be slow during our show. It doesn't work! I hope that I'm better by Friday when we start the second weekend of our conference tour in Richmond, VA. However, it's hard to heal in the back of a moving truck.

Wednesday, September 21, 2005

See You at the Pole

Today is See You at the Pole day. So, think about those students all across America who are gathering around their flagpoles and praying for their schools. This all started with some teens in Texas who really had a heart for their school. I hope that it has become just an event. I hope that many students today are praying from a sincere heart for their schools.

We have a "Saw You at the Pole" show in Georgia tonight. Today just became the most booked day we have all year. We even had a See You at the Pole event last week because the guy got the dates mixed up. Halloween used to be our #1 booked day, but it slid in second this year.

Tuesday, September 20, 2005

The Cocoa Tree

I had the best chocolate last night! We went to a place called The Cocoa Tree in downtown Franklin, TN. The whole experience was like a scene from the movie "Chocolat". My friend and I were cold as we walked in because we had been riding on the back of our husbands' motorcycles, so the lady behind the counter suggested that we try some of their hot chocolate. We had chocolate fondue. It was fabulous!

Later, the owner of the chocolate shop came out and began telling us all about chocolate. She accidently started making it and has come up with several unique kinds of truffles. They have red pepper truffles and sweet potatoe truffles. She said that her desire is to show that the Lord does want to give us pleasures in this world. He made the cocoa tree simply for our delight.

She also gave us a history lesson on cocoa. Cocoa beans are only found along the equator in Asia, Africa, and South America. Her favorite are the ones from South America. Companies have come and tried to industrialize the harvesting of the cocoa bean and have been unsuccessful. There are wars over it. I tasted an actual cocoa bean. It tasted like a mixture between strong unsweet chocolate and a coffee bean. It was so fun!

Monday, September 19, 2005

I'm a Loser

I lose everything! In college, I lost my wallet about once a year. I've tried alot of ways to keep up with my stuff. I purchased one of those wallets on a keychain. I tried carrying a purse but would leave it somewhere even more often. When Brock and I were married, I had him carry everything...the wallet, his phone, the keys. I would always be sure he remembered to bring everything with him, but I couldn't keep up with the items that I was carrying.

This is bad, because now I have to keep up with so much stuff...all of our luggage, our equipment. I seem to be able to do a descent job at keeping up with the big things such as these, but there has been an occasional missing pants or bolt from an illusion that are in some random city. It's the everyday items that I seem to misplace the most. There is some kind of loose connection in my brain that simply doesn't think to pick up all of my personal items when I leave a certain location.

This weekend, it was my phone. I've had my old phone for 2 years and never had a problem. I've had this phone for 2 weeks and just left it somewhere in Pittsburgh! I don't know what to do. You girls know that the pockets in our pants will not hold anything larger than a few dollars. Even a credit card or hotel key is a problem in some of girls' pants pockets. The cards will not bend with you when you sit down. We all know that I can't carry a purse, but I simply must carry my phone on me. What should I do when I get a new phone to ensure that I will not lose it?

Saturday, September 17, 2005

First CIY Weekend

I'm exhausted! It was a good weekend but very tough. The first night on a tour is always sloppy. Plus, the rest of the crew have been practicing for two weeks. We haven't had any preparation. The stunt went very well. I cannot believe that we received it in the mail on Tuesday and performed it on Saturday! I don't enjoy doing things last minute, but I've learned to deal with it.

I wasn't used to the oddly angled stage and almost fell off. One leg went off the stage completely as I caught myself with my hands. Luckily, I was behind a large prop, so nobody noticed. I also tripped over one of the legs of the light tree.

There was a kid who had one of those belts that ran words across it like a marque. This afternoon, it read "BROCK'S WIFE ROCKS." I've never had that happen before!

Friday, September 16, 2005

Student Conference

We were at an airport or on a plane for most of the day yesterday. Today, we begin a junior high student conference. It's called "Believe" and is with the organization Christ in Youth (CIY) out of Joplin, MO (www.ciy.com). The conference is Friday night through Saturday afternoon and is about 14 weekends this fall and spring in cities all over the country. We were part of this conference a few years ago, but alot has changed. I'm nervous about it. We're performing a new big illusion/stunt for the first time tomorrow afternoon. Brock was practicing it in the hotel last night. Also, we're incorporating some of our illusions with other things that are going on during the program. It's going to be different. At least it will be a small crowd this weekend!

Wednesday, September 14, 2005

Back in the Saddle Again

We've had a wonderful time at home. We went canoeing, rode our motorcycle alot, hung out with friends. Chaos on Wheels and Inhabited have stayed with us. It's been great. In fact, I'm not ready to go. I've enjoyed being home so much that I don't feel like going again. Pray that I get back in the swing of things.

Yesterday, we drove to Pittsburgh. Today, we fly to Florida to do a show and then back to Pittsburgh. We are performing in Pittsburgh this weekend. We had to wait for a package to be delivered at our house before we could leave. Therefore, we didn't get off until 2pm. The reality of all of that is that we went to bed at 3am and woke up at 8am! Ugh! It's back in the saddle again.

Tuesday, September 13, 2005

Mangoes

We ate mangoes in Australia and loved them! Brock tried to buy some at the grocery store here, but they didn't taste the same. As we were driving back to the airport in New Mexico the other day, we saw a farmer's market on the side of the road. We pulled over. The guy let us sample some mango. It tasted as good as Australia! We bought a whole box of them for $2. I carried it on the plane. We've been eating mangoes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They are so good.

Monday, September 12, 2005

Epsom Salt Baths

After we did our last string of shows which ended up being 15 shows in 3 different states over the course of 9 days, we went to get massages. We both had gift certificates for massages that we received for our birthdays. We knew that this would be the perfect time to take advantage of the gifts. As I was leaving, the masseuse handed me a paper with some information on epsom salt baths.

I've been taking 2 or 3 epsom salt baths a week ever since. It's incredible! After I had the massage, I felt relaxed but very tired. The bath makes me feel relaxed yet rejuvinated. It is supposed to relax your muscles as well as extract toxins out of your body. If you don't have the money to get a massage every week, try this as an alternative.

You can purchase epsom salt at any Walmart or drug store (don't go to the food section like I did...it's in the pharmacy section). It should be about $2 for a large bag. Fill your tub with hot water and 3 cups of epsom salt. Soak for 15-20 minutes. Then, drain the tub until it gets about ankle deep and turn on the shower to wash off all of the salt. I usually make the shower slightly cool because the bath was so hot. I also read my book as I'm soaking. It's a wonderful thing.

Sunday, September 11, 2005

New Mexico Show and Brock's Phone Call

Last night was a first. We were late for a show! It started at 5pm. I didn't know that. In all of the shows we have done, we've never had one to start at 5pm. However, it was still my fault because I should have asked. We strolled in at around 5:30 only to find that everyone is there waiting on us! If you're going to be late, New Mexico is the place to do it. They are so layed back here and sooo nice. Even the guy in charge was cool about it. The only time he told us when it started was on right about the time we got there. It was crazy!

The show went well after the rocky start. There were 350 people in attendence which they were very excited about in this town. The ministers in the area claim that people here don't come out for anything let alone a church function. There were at least 35 people that gave their lives to Christ. It ended up being great!

Later last night, Brock recieved a phone call. He had met a guy on a plane this summer and felt compelled to give him his phone number. Brock even chased him down in the airport to give him the number. The guy called last night and I listened as Brock told him the good news of Jesus Christ. This guy told Brock that he had been getting drunk everyday for the last two weeks and was sick of it. Brock ended the conversation by telling him that they sat together on that plane for a reason and he thought of Brock tonight out of the blue for a reason. Brock said that God was trying to get a hold of him. He also told him that he had a choice to make. Brock said for him to call him back in a couple of days to let him know how everything was going. Please pray for this guy who is a comedian but does not feel like laughing right now. Pray that he will come to know the saving power of Jesus Christ.

Saturday, September 10, 2005

Flying to New Mexico

Today, we fly to New Mexico to perform. Whenever we fly, we take small tricks that play big. I actually just run sound, lights, and sometimes camera for fly shows. That's where I like to be best...in the production box. The fly show is just as good if not better because it's more driven by Brock's personality than by the actual tricks. Brock's personality is better than any trick we have. Therefore, the show is way more funny and interactive with the audience. Also, it's more impressive, because he doesn't use big, fancy props. He uses everyday items like their rings and keys, spoons, and ping pong balls. It's fun!

Friday, September 09, 2005

Message in a Bottle or Teddy Bear

The other day, I got some supplies for the hurricane evacuees. I dropped them off at a local church as they were packing up the trucks. One of the items that was on the list of needs was a teddy bear. So, I got one with an opening in the back held together by velcro. I wrote a note to the child and placed it in the stuffed animal. I hope that the child finds it one day and contacts me. That would be cool!

Thursday, September 08, 2005

The Aftermath of Katrina in Texas

My friend was in a restuarant in Tyler, TX last week and met a couple with their niece who were from New Orleans. The child's father was disabled and could not evacuate as quickly. At that point, they didn't know where the child's father was and did not have any communication capabilities. They didn't know what to do. The lady said that many evacuees in the area were getting jobs at Walmart just to pay for hotel and food costs. These stories are everywhere!

On a positive note, people are really trying to help as much as possible. My parents live near Houston. Yesterday, they went to train to do certain volunteer work at the Astrodome and were told that they did not need anymore volunteers. They already had about 30,000 volunteers! That's great! Mom is on the list in case they ever need her help in other ways. Also, Second Baptist Church is providing one meal a day for everyone in the Astrodome for two months. Rick Warren was going to be having a big rally getting all of the churches involved with helping and ministering to the evacuees.

Wednesday, September 07, 2005

Relief Efforts in Baton Rouge, LA

Brock and I received this e-mail from someone that we know and trust:

Below is a letter from an old friend of mine Clay Holcomb. He is a solid man of God who God is using mightely in Baton Rouge. Today, I called him and he told me of the horror that has resulted since Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast. Thousands upon thousands of New Orlean citizens have moved into the Baton Rouge area looking for shelter and relief. The churches are being overwhelmed. After reading Clay's e-mail, I would ask for you to pray about sending money to:
Istrouma Baptist Church
10500 Sam Rushing Dr.
Baton Rouge, LA 70816
You can put "Katrina" in the memo line and it will be put directly toward the relief effort.


This is Clay's e-mail:

No doubt all of you by now are aware of the devastation that has been unleashed upon the Gulf Coast region from Mobile to New Orleans. Our country has never seen a disaster of this magnitude in its history. As you watch the national news coverage it is impossible to grasp the scope of what is really going on down here. Let me just say in brief, that the devastation and anguish is impossible to conceive; however, so is the enormous outpouting of love from God's people and indeed all the people of this region. Please pray for this region and our people, but also be encouraged by the effort that is taking place.

Anytime you unleash a city the size of New Orleans with the highest murder rate in the coutry per capita, and more than 150,000 people who live below poverty level not to mention the people who lived even south of New Orleans, you are going to have some significant challenges to say the least. The homes and buildings in the entire region is at serious stress. The health care industry, police force, prison system, fuel supply, traffic and road infrastructure, school systems, churches, and local food supply are at critical mass. We are making it happen by God's grace but without an outpouring from God's people, we will not be able to sustain this. And to answer your question, yes, the federal and state governments are doing all they can but it is impossible for them to have been able to predict the magnitude of this desaster and to respond as expediently as needed.

Please, we are calling on you to respond with gifts of love to this ministry opportunity. Istrouma Baptist Church in Baton Rouge is a shelter housing over 700 evacuees from New Orleans, but ministering to the entire region.

The enemy has had a foothold in the city of New Orleans for many years. No dount New Orleans is a charming city with wonderful culture worthy of being rebuilt. But I am praying more than ever that God would use this tragedy to bring his people back to Himself and to remind us that we are not out of His reach, in any circumstance. Let's reclaim the Crescent City for the sake of the gospel and for the first time in American history be a part of the rebith of one of the most influential cities in the world.

Monday, September 05, 2005

My Part in Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts

This weekend has been so fun, yet it's bittersweet. As I'm enjoying my time off spending time with Brock and at home, hundreds of thousands of people are homeless, jobless, hopeless. I feel guilty when I lay my head down on my pillow in my own bed at night. It's difficult to go on with life as usual.

Finally, I decided to do something about it. As I was on my church website giving money to the hurricane victims, I noticed that they had other ways I could contribute to the Hurricane Katrina Relief Effort. Therefore, I am going to give some supplies to a local church that is going to deliver them to the ones who are in need. I will be giving blood to the Red Cross as well. Also, I signed up to have some evacuees stay at our home. I hope that a family takes us up on the offer!

By the way, everyone keeps asking us if Brock's parents are okay. They live on the west side of south Louisiana, so they were not affected directly by the hurricane. Indirectly, I guess we are all affected. Tell me some of your stories concerning the aftermath of Katrina. If you are looking for a way to contribute to the hurricane victims, go to your local church websites, or you can give money online at my church's website www.thepeopleschurch.org/katrina. Of course, you could always go to www.redcross.org as well.

Saturday, September 03, 2005

Fox News are Heroes

I know that in a recent post, I slammed the media. However, today, I'm seeing a better side of the news. Last night, we watched on Fox News as Giraldo Rivera pleaded with anyone to save the evacuees in the convention center in New Orleans. These people have been in the convention center for 6 days without food or anything. Thousands upon thousands of people went to the convention center having been told it would be a shelter and received no kind of aid whatsoever. Plus, according to reporter Shepherd Smith, there was a government checkpoint close by that would not allow the people to cross over to go get food, etc. I don't know what went wrong there, but Hiraldo picked up a 10 month old boy and said something to the tune of this plea is not for political or monetary gain, just please get these people out of here! He called it Hell on Earth. I dreamed about those people trapped in that convention center all night. This morning, the government sent military helicopters to rescue the people! I don't think that would have happened had it not been for Fox News.

Adventures on the Motorcycle

We went to meet a girl yesterday halfway between here and Jackson, TN. We met at Loretta Lynn's Kitchen. It was not very tasty. They make this red eye gravy consisting of ham fat and coffee. It smelled foul! Then, as we were conversing over lunch, we hear loud singing. There was a girl back in the back singing with the radio. You couldn't see her, but you could hear her. Our waitress said that she was trying out for American Idol soon. She wasn't bad, but it was just funny that she would sing so loudly behind a wall! Brock got her autograph as a joke. However, if Kristin Renee from Loretta Lynn's place makes it, we've got her autograph!

Because the gas prices are so expensive, we took the motorcycle. When we came out of the restuarant, Brock noticed that the chain was loose, so he tightened it. He had to stop three times to work on that chain, so we met some interesting people while we were fixing the bike. The first guys we met were motocycle guys. They were decked out in leather and scoffed at Brock's Honda. However, they had to push start some of their bikes. They may have been Harley's, but they were OLD. Then, we met another motorcycle guy on the side of the road that helped us tighten the chain again. He was very nice and tried to sell us his Honda. I only had one of our dvd's on hand. I tried to give it to him, but he took off too quickly.

Then, at a gas station, we met a family from New Orleans. They had never left Louisiana but were moving to D.C. They, like many others, have lost everything. The family was really cool...I thought they were a band at first. Brock gave them our dvd. I'm glad they got the dvd. Maybe during this tragedy, they will watch the message and accept the hope that Jesus offers.

Friday, September 02, 2005

Back in the Sticks

It's so peaceful where we live. We can observe nature from our windows or by taking a walk down our driveway. We counted 16 wild turkeys in our backyard the other day. Also, a deer went bounding over the steep hill in the back of our house.

As I went to get the mail, I saw a turtle in the road. It was about halfway into the right lane. I looked at its perfect shell and features. I could not bare to see it squashed by the next vehicle coming around the corner oblivious to its existance. So, I brushed it off of the road just as an SUV came barreling through the lane. Brock later went down and let me know that it was a land turtle. He said that you usually find them in the woods. Therefore, we took the little guy to our woods toward the rear of our property.

Yesterday, as I was mowing the lawn, a little brown and light blue butterfly followed me around the whole time. It was beautiful! I thought that it was strange that it got so close at times. They usually seem to be shy especially when there is a loud machine involved. Then, Brock and I sat on the front porch talking and the same butterfly came and landed on my leg. Brock would chase it away on accident, and a few minutes later, it would return to me. It probably sat on my leg for about thirty minutes.

There are some critters that I do not enjoy. Ever since we have returned from the summer, we've heard loud bugs called cicadas...they are LOUD! We also both got stung by a wasp the other day. Brock tried getting into our shop and was stung before he could even open the door. The wasp was just waiting by the only accessible entryway to our shop. I decided that if I run, maybe it wouldn't get me...WRONG! I did get the door open though.

Thursday, September 01, 2005

Media has a Slant

As we were sitting in the green room waiting to go on Fox and Friends news show in September of 2003, a man entered. He picked up a fax and began reading it. Then, he and Brock began talking about the Peterson case. Brock and I had been in the green room watching the newscast all morning, so Brock had gained a lot of information about what was going on in the news. The man exited the green room and was on the television a few seconds later. The anchormen introduced him as the "expert" on the Peterson trial. He proceeded to state word for word what Brock had just told him back in the green room! Just because this guy was a former District attorney did not mean that he was an expert on the Peterson case. He probably had never even talked with the people involved in the case. This man most likely comes in every week or so, picks up a fax with some information concerning the hottest case out there, and walks onto our television screens claiming to be an expert in that particular case. I'm sure Fox and Friends is not the only newscast that uses these kind of "experts."

Needless to say, the media definately has a slant. Lately, I don't know what to believe when it comes to Iraq or our president. The media clings to the negative. However, people who have actually been in Iraq have alot of positive reports. For more clear news concerning the War in Iraq, read some of the soldiers' stories at www.agreaterfreedom.com or some of Sara Horn's blogs at www.sarahorn.com/blog/ (check out the post entitled "Stay the Course, Mr. President). By all means, don't trust completely what the media says.