Yes, I'm still here!

After a bit of a blog vacation, I'm back at it...at least for tonight. Here is my latest rant.......

We all pay it. We don't have much choice. Yup, Colorado Registration Fee's. Trucks, trailers, skid loaders, even large mowers are required to have a Colorado License Plate.

So get this. This year all registrations have increased in cost...to the tune of almost 150%. Here is an example of a small flatbed trailer I own:

2006- $16.91
2007- $18.91
2008- $18.91
2009- $42.41

Figure 9 different items that require a license plate and you do the math. A 150% increase in one year? No thanks Governor Bill Riter. Oh, and we get to look forward to increases each year thru 2012...

Afternoon Pictures

"The promise of the rainbow is found not in cloudless skies, but in the midst of the storm."

Softball

Here is an amazing picture my dad got from softball on Saturday. And yes I made the catch! Great picture dad!

Cannon Beach

I had the opportunity to go to the beach outside of Portland this past weekend. Here are a couple of pictures!

Barr trailhead

Sad news for those of us who hike here on occasion...

THE GAZETTE

The Manitou Springs City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to approve the final version of an ordinance that will allow fees for parking at the Barr trailhead.

Parking in the small dirt lot at the end of Hydro Street, which serves both Barr Trail and the Manitou Incline, has always been free.

Fines were set at the Tuesday meeting -- $15 for overtime parkers and $25 for unpermitted parkers -- but the fee will be set at a later Council meeting, after the city's parking authority makes recommendations.

"There's been everything from $1 to $10 bandied around, but nothing official," City Planner Michelle Anthony said.

Deputy City Administrator Mike Leslie said the city hopes to have the new fee structure in place by Memorial Day, May 25.

88 million

88 million votes? Seriously? 88 million people voted for the next American Idol and its not even the final yet?

WOW.

I flipped on the TV tonight (which is a rarity in my world) and saw the last half of Idol. What is so appealing about that show? Watching it for 30 minutes I pondered why everyone is so "into" idol. I sometimes turn on the radio in the morning and it seems like every station is talking about the latest idol buzz.

Do we as Christians buy into the Idol mantra? Do we cling to a little not-so-respectable sin such as Idol gossip? Does it become an idol in our lives?

We so often try to find things in life to fulfill us, when nothing and no one can ever fill us, except for Christ. American "Idols" come and go. Fame is fleeting. But Christ is everlasting. As hard as we try, none but Christ can satisfy.

Who is your idol?

Personality Test

Extroverted (E) 74.07% Introverted (I) 25.93%
Sensing (S) 69.23% Intuitive (N) 30.77%
Thinking (T) 57.14% Feeling (F) 42.86%
Judging (J) 58.82% Perceiving (P) 41.18%

ESTJ - "Administrator". Much in touch with the external environment. Very responsible. Pillar of strength. 8.7% of total population.

Free Jung Personality Test (similar to Myers-Briggs/MBTI)

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Quoteable

"Living to glorify God means doing everything...
for Him,
His way,
to point to His greatness
and reflect His goodness."

Salesman of the year

Here we go again...

Although an extremely dry first couple of months in 2009, winter has finally showed up here in April. Gotta love springtime in the Rockies!

Tough Love vs. Spanking - Good Argument

Most of America 's populace think it improper to spank children, so I have tried other methods to control my kids when they have one of 'those moments.'

One that I found effective is for me to just take the child for a car ride and talk.

Some say it's the vibration from the car, others say it's the time away from any distractions such as TV, Video Games, Computer, iPod, etc.

Either way, my kids usually calm down and stop misbehaving after our car ride together.

I've included a photo below of one of my sessions with my son, in case you would like to use the technique.

Sincerely,
Your Friend





I think this will work with grandchildren, nieces, and nephews as well.

Samson and the ladies

Samson had a problem. He liked the ladies. In fact, we see him struggle with this throughout his life. In Judges chapter 14 we read about Samson's first marriage which didn't last but a week. Samson's relationship with this young Philistine woman was characterized by selfishness. Verse three reads: "But Samson said to his father, go get her for me. She's the right one for me." Later we read: "then he (Samson) went down and talked with the woman and he liked her."

"She's the right one for me." Did you catch it? You see, Samson was asking the wrong question. To him it was all about him. Will she please me? Will she fulfill all my needs? Do I like her? Is she the right one for me?

Instead of boisterously stating "she's the one for me" Samson should have been humbly pondering: "Am I the right one for her." Samson didn't have a proper understanding of marriage, hence why his marriages always ended in chaos.

Marriage is not about finding the right one, but being the right one.

Before saying "I do" will you ask the right question?

Here In Your Presence

Take a look at this song called Here In Your Presence written by Jon Egan:

Found in Your hands, fullness of joy
Every fear suddenly wiped away here in Your presence
All of my gains now fade away
Every crown no longer on display, here inYour presence
Heaven in trembling in awe of Your wonders
the kings and their kingdom arestanding amazed

Chorus:
Here in Your presence, we are undone
Here in Your presence, Heaven and Earth become one
Here in Your presence, all things are new
Here in Your presence, everything bows before You

Bridge:
Wonderful, beautiful, glorious, matchlessin every way
Wonderful, beautiful, glorious, matchlessin every way
Wonderful, beautiful, glorious, matchlessin every way
Wonderful, beautiful, glorious, matchlessin every way


What do you think of the lyrics? I really love this song. Most of the lyrics are right-on and something about the music really invades my innermost being.

One line that has stood out to me lately is "Heaven is trembling in awe of your wonders." Do you think heaven is trembling?

Its going, going, gone...

Well the latest spring snow storm is over. Pretty disappointing storm. Came and went quickly leaving lots of ice and little actual snow accumulation. Roads in the morning (Thursday) will be icy until the sun starts warming things up. By tomorrow night this storm will be nothing but a distant memory =)

In other weather news, the storm for Saturday is tracking further to the north than originally predicted so don't expect any huge blizzard for Saturday. Areas in north/northeastern El Paso County will still get some wind and snow but the majority of C/S will miss out on the bulk of the storm. I like trying my hand at this whole meteorology thing because I probably get it right as much as the actual meteroligists.

Here is a picture from last weeks' blizzard:

Let it Snow

Free food!

http://www.krdo.com/Global/link.asp?L=377921

Creation

A friend of mine sent this to me. It is a foal less than 5 minutes after birth. Ah, the glory of God's creation is incredible.

Quality Video Animation

If only he had a stronger message/conclusions at the end...

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