Thought for Today

Thought for Today
Carl Sagan

"We make our world significant by the courage of our questions and by the depth of our answers."

From Uncle Ivan...

Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her "How could God let something like this happen?" (regarding the attacks on Sept. 11). Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, "I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?" In light of recent events...terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found recently) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school . the Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself.. And we said OK. Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said OK. Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves. Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with "WE REAP WHAT WE SOW." Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.

Are you laughing?

Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they WILL think of you for sending it. Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us.

Uncle Ivan sent this note along.. Awesome, thanks.. Uncle Ivan!

I have enjoyed the redneck jokes for years, but we are mostly making fun of a culture that values home, family, country and God. If I had to stand before a dozen terrorists who threaten my life, I'd choose a half dozen or so rednecks to back me up.

Tire irons, squirrel guns and grit -- that's what rednecks are made of. I hope I am one of those. If you feel the same, pass this on to your redneck friends. Ya`ll know who ya are...


You might be a redneck if:

It never occurred to you to be offended by the phrase,"One nation, under God. "

You've never protested about seeing the Ten Commandments posted in public places.

You still say "Christmas" instead of "The Holidays."

You bow your head when someone prays.

You stand and place your hand over your heart when they play the National Anthem.

You treat Viet Nam vets with great respect, and always have.

You've never burned an American flag.

You know what you believe and you aren't afraid to say so, no matter who is listening.

You respect your elders and expect your kids to do the same.

You'd give your last dollar to a friend.

Today's Quote

Today's Quote

All I really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt!

-Lucy, Peanuts

Saw this and thought of Ann... hehe....

Perhaps there has always been ........ a problem.... with terrorism....

The Fort Wayne News (Fort Wayne, Indiana), 16 February 1898, page 1:

Nearly Three Hundred Men go Down on Board the Battleship Maine in the Harbor of Havana

BOMB PLACED UNDER THE BOW OF THE BOAT

Special From Havana Leads to the Belief That the Hellish Deed May be the Work of Spanish Sympathizers.

NAVY OFFICERS SCOUT THE THEORY OF ACCIDENT

Captain Sigsbee Declares That the Magazine Was in Perfect Condition--Hundreds of Sharks Add to the Unspeakable Horror.

HAVANA, Feb. 16.--The United States steamer Maine, a charred and torn hulk, lies at the bottom of the harbor, a tomb for 100 of her crew. She was blown up by an explosion at 9:40 last night. Most of the crew were asleep at the time. The indications were that a torpedo had been exploded under the bow of the battleship. Captain Sigsbee, who was wounded in the head, says the ship's powder magazine was in perfect order. All of the crew who were not disabled showed great coolness and courage. The Spanish cruiser Alphonso launched boats and hurried them to the sinking battleship. The number of dead is unknown. The explosion shook the city from one end to the other, and created the greatest excitement. All electric lights were put out by the shock. It was almost two hours before it was known what had exploded

Here's a shot of Ann and Andrew reading a book Sunday afternoon. How bout that? Got to see Kaitlyn Saturday night, Andrew on Sunday and Austyn on Monday, how lucky of grandparents are we? To see all three! And all our kiddos too!!!

Ann and I went over to see Austyn on Valentine's and he was really excited about the day and his new movie he got for Valentines. Great to see Phil, Tammy and Austyn. Phil was tired from his first day on the new job with Rain's Trucking in Perkins. But as you can see, Austyn was plain ole' happy!

And from a friend in California comes this "virus warning".... BEWARE... AMISH VIRUS INSIDE

And from a friend in California comes this "virus warning".... BEWARE... AMISH VIRUS INSIDE

He told me he received a letter in the mail that looked funny, writing not like ours today (you could read it!) and so carefully opening it, he found inside a hand written note on a piece of lined school paper.


"This is an AMISH VIRSUS.

AMISH have not computers nor electricity, and use the HONOR system, so at this time, would you please delete all your computer files.

Thank Thee very much!"


Later, he received a call from a friend of his in PA. who had gotten behind an Amish buggy on the way to work and had extra time on his hands...

Uncle Ivan never let's us down with great writings and here is another from we received today!

In light of the many perversions and jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke, it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.

Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her "How could God let something like this happen?" (regarding the attacks on Sept. 11).

Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, "I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?" In light of recent events...terrorists attack, school shootings, etc.

I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found recently) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK.

Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school . the Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself.. And we said OK!

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said OK.

Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.

Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with "WE REAP WHAT WE SOW."

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says.

Kaitlyn is really growing...

Here ya go! Jake, Ann and I took a road trip and went to see Kaitlyn last night. She is really growing fast. She set in her stroller and played with her toys, etc. and she was a perfect Angel when we took Mom out to eat at Doc's for Valentine's Day!!
We had a rather late night last night gettting back home L a t e for an old man anyway...haha.
Everyone is messing around today. I have to get the PCL Music Awards all put on our website and uploaded today and set so I can link it in the am to announce our winners artist for last year's Payne County Line Music Awards for Oklahoma artist.
Andrew dropped by this am and is spending the day so Heather can get some much needed rest. Her tail has been dragging this week after having bit of stomach flu, and she is weak. Jake Ann and I had it too, and it's not fun!
We almost got to see and keep Austyn Saturday, but Ann had left to go with Jake to feed all the cattle and I didn't know it, so anyway, we missed our chance. Ann and I heard that Grandma went to an auction with Phil and Tammy and Austyn at his school Friday night. That's so cool!
Jake got his first "tail chewing" at work the other day for leaving an office with test for the next day unlocked on night, but all in all, he thinks that is his only major miss step to date, so he says all is going well and seems to be happy with his new job.
Phil starts his tomorrow and I know he is happy to be off the road so much. I know how that is after being in the feed business and making from 3 to 6 trips a week to to OKC and all the other places for 21 years, it gets old in a hurry. He will be working for Rain's Trucking in Perkins, OK.
Welp, all I know for know, enjoy the day, it's a wonderful warm "spring" day here in Oklahoma, with Temps in the 60's this afternoon, and wow, sunshine in abundance!!

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Just a quick note to everyone about this and that...
Talked with Mom, when I finally caught her at home, and heard about cell phone batteries blowing up, viruses on computer, her busy day, greasy chicken at Long John's, etc... hahaha.... She has had a head cold but was better when I visited with her.
Jake, as of today, will be finishing up his second full week at the Vet Teaching Hospital on OSU Campus in Stillwater. He seems to really like it, as it is a job and income! He keeps mentioning going to welding school. So one can only guess...
Phil starts his new job on this coming Monday working for Rain's Trucking in Perkins in the office. He will be a great addition to their team.
Jonathan is finishing up a school in OKC. It was put on by Microsoft and trained them in the use of a special program he will be using in tracking web design/development projects for the Chickasaw Nation. He is on their Web Dev team, and loves his job, just don't ask him if he does, haha...
Heather had a bout of tummy virus this week and with Madison Ann coming in a few months, it gave us all a scare. Ann kept Andrew for a day while Heather recovered at home. She is back at work and doing ok. Her father in law has a bout of it and last I heard was very weak and could hardly walk and if any of you know him, Roy, he retired from Stillwater Police Dept., farms full time and is now a full time deputy well!
Paul is ok, haven't heard a thing from Tammy or Austyn, and was told Randi and Kaitlyn are doing ok.
so all in all, things are going ok. Andrew has been spending Sundays with Jake and they play video games and have a big ole time for a few hours, and he loves to talk on the phone!!
In my area of the world, PCL is finishing up our year end awards and are to announce on the 14 of Feb., Monday. It has been a big deal, we had almost a million votes cast, with over 900 nominees for about 68 areas, and I count it all by myself... it has been a 18 to 20 hour a day seven day a week thing for me since Jan 1 and I am now looking forward to Tuesday!! Sure glad Jake has been able to tend to the cattle for Grandma and us!! He has been our saving grace this year!
Not much else going on here. Oh yes.. Grandma gets her hearing aids next week, can't wait to see how that works.. haha...
Enjoy the day... Hey Cortney, how was the Colorado trip?

From the New York Times (New York, New York), 11 February 1861

Railway Detentions--The Lesson of the Season
From the New York Times (New York, New York), 11 February 1861, page 3

If any railway traveler has escaped annoying detention during the cold terms of the present Winter, caused by the inability of the engine to proceed, he has been peculiarly fortunate. The vital features of the locomotive are susceptible to cold in a much great degree than the public imagines. A blockade of snow certainly delays progress, but it does not of itself permanently interrupt it, for if a locomotive can only be made to generate the breath of life, the penetration of the loftiest New-England snow-banks is but a question of time. The trouble is, that the supply of feedwater to the boiler, being dependent upon the locomotion of the engine, is cut off--the alternate charge and retreat of the huge battering-ram does not develop sufficient continuity of the motion to keep the pumps in action--the blood stops flowing through the veins of the iron horse, till half-a-dozen of them together are stalled in the same drift. But a more frequent cause of detention is the freezing of the pump during long stoppages at stations, or while waiting for trains. As the action of this heart of the monster is dependent upon his locomotion, any temporary cessation of the pulsation and flow is likely to result in disaster more or less serious. . . .

Today's Quote

Today's Quote

He who forgives ends the quarrel.

-African proverb

Adams Centinel (Gettysburg, Pa.), 09 February 1825, page 2

Adams Centinel (Gettysburg, Pa.), 09 February 1825, page 2

The number of Indians, within the territory of the United States, as far as ascertained, is 129,266, and they claim 63,143,258 acres of land.

. . . .

JEWS.--It is thought a bill will pass the Legislature of Maryland this session, giving to this proscribed race equal civil privileges with those of other sects; they have not been heretofore, in that State, eligible to any office.

During the last year, there were 707 persons committed to the Boston jail for debt. In that State, imprisonment for debt has not been abolished.

From Aunt Marilyn regarding OU.... Can you tell she loves OSU??? Can't blame her, I kind'a like both Oklahoma universitys.

From the Wilson's in Norman to all our family - Happy Valentines Day

Sending an early "Valentine" to see if it will make it around the world by Feb. 14th.


"For God so loVed the world,
That He gAve
His onLy
BegottEn
SoN
That whosever
believeth In Him
Should Not perish,
But have Everlasting life."

John 3:16

I love my Uncle Ivan... please keep on sending these stories..

Ivan Moffat
El Reno, Oklahoma

THE SUNDAY WE NEVER ARRIVED AT CHURCH
I think it is one of the ironies of life that some of our most harrowing experiences, with the passing of time, can become some of the most amusing, in retrospect. Perhaps this is one way that God balances the plusses and minuses in our lives.
I was eleven years old that spring of 1937. It had been raining this Sunday morning and the dirt roads would be slick but we did not worry about that as we prepared to go to church.
One of my brothers, with his wife, came by in their Model-A Ford coupe. I jumped in with them while another brother drove our 1928 Buick. Mama was in the front seat with my brother while Daddy rode in the back seat. They were about a quarter of a mile behind us but on down the road when we looked back, they were not behind us any longer. My brother stopped the car and we waited a bit but when they did not appear, we started to back up. Then we saw them! The Buick had slid off the road and overturned in the ditch.
The car had turned over on the passenger side so my brother Oscar, my Mama and Daddy were trying to upright themselves and try to get out. Soon, my brother rolled down the window on the driver's side and, standing on the steering wheel, he managed to pull himself out of the overturned car. He pulled Daddy to safety and it was then that they decided they had a real problem.
Mama was still in the car. And Mama was five feet tall and weighed 260 pounds. So it was no small problem facing them. Mama, in the meantime, had managed to get on her feet. She was standing on the window on the passenger side with her head barely visible coming out the window on the driver's side. She was a lesson in patience as she waited for Daddy and her boys to decide how to get her out of this predicament.
Bracing themselves the best they could, they managed, by pulling and tugging, to get Mama through that window. But the task was not accomplished--they still had to get Mama to the ground. By that time, we had been joined by a neighbor, who stood by me. My eleven-year-old mind was churning and suddenly I came up with the perfect solution. In dramatic fashion, I flung my arms open wide and yelled, "Jump, Mama, I'll catch you!" But our neighbor, afraid Mama might, in the uncertainty of the moment, take me seriously, yelled back, "No Bertha, don't jump!"
Well, we all did the obvious. My two brothers, with Daddy's help, took Mama's arms and eased her off the car, with our neighbor and me helping as she slid down. Needless to say, Mama had to forget all about her modesty that day.
Well, we all missed church that Sunday. Besides all of us being a muddy mess, by the time we got Mama on the ground, Church was over anyway. But you know, God was with us that day--Mama and Daddy and my brother were unhurt. And the only difference in this Sunday and any other Sabbath Day, this day our blessing came in a muddy road ditch-instead of Church.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This was something that my dad never told us about growing up... I wonder why? Could it be he was driving, hummmm ...

Thanks Uncle Ivan, and please keep sending in these precious memories, please???

For those that don't know, Oklahoma means Red Man. Well, it should mean RED CLAY, cause there is tons of it ... around where this happened, and where we live now!!! RED GREASY CLAY.... when it's wet, YUCK!!

Happy Birthday to Stephen Guth today.. all day long..

Oh my goodness how fast they grow up!! If my math serves me correctly, and I did graduate from Perkins High, "me thinks ole Stephen is about..." Yelp, he is old enough to know how to play the game and young enough to keep score!!! Happy Birthday, Stephen... give my best to LaNeta too... We wish you many many more!!!

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From Uncle Ivan for your viewing and listening pleasure..... http://www.dreamcloud.net/dreamer/squirrel/squirrel.html

Soap Making

Soap Making
From the Adams Centinel (Gettysburg, Pa.) 07 February 1816, page 3

Soap made of snow in the following manner:--Take and cut into very small pieces one pound of good hard soap, dissolve it with a slow fire, when dissolved put six or eight pounds of clean snow with it, and after having boiled them together well for three hours (or until it shows a lather on its surface) add a wine glass of salt, and let it get cold, when it will be found the finest soap & to weigh as much as the snow did originally