We were honored to be able to attend the Army-Air Force game on 7 November at the U.S. Air Force Academy. This is a photo of the ritual that is known as the "exchange of prisoners" as both corps give up their exchange students back to their respective corps for the duration of the game. The entire spectacle of an inter-academy college football game just makes you swell with pride in the young people who choose to serve their country. (I took this photo with my cell phone---sorry for the quality!)
Please remember our military veterans in your prayers and thoughts as we observe Veteran's Day on November 11th. We commemorate the end of World War I and, more importantly, have an opportunity to thank those who preserve our freedom. Veteran's Day is also as known Armistice Day, having the name changed after World War II. An armistice took effect on the Eleventh Hour of the Eleventh Day of the Eleventh Month of 1918. Approximately 20 million people died fighting in WWI. The Treaty of Versailles was signed on 28 June 1919, but fighting had mostly stopped with the armistice. Some regard the demands of the treaty as a causation for World War II, with Germany unable to meet the required reparations. But that is another story...
Fort Hood, Texas was Bill's first duty post after he graduated from West Point. We lived there for three years. The community on post and in Killeen is filled with wonderful people. Our hearts are greatly saddened by the attack on the soldiers of the United States Army and the post. May God watch over them all. LTG Bob Cone, commander of Fort Hood, is a classmate of Bill's and we are always proud to see USMA 1979 in so many of the important leadership positions of the Army, dealing with difficult issues so adeptly. Our prayers are with him and those under his command as they contend with terrible attack on our military.
The Attitude of Three Hairs
There was once a woman who woke up one morning, looked in the mirror and noticed she had only three hairs on her head. "Well," she said, "I think I'll braid my hair today," so she did and she had a wonderful day.
The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and saw she had only two hairs on her head. "HMM," she said, "I think I'll part my hair down the middle today," and she did and she had a grand day.
The next morning she woke up, looked in the mirror and saw she had only one hair left on her head. "Well," she said, "Today I'm going to wear my hair in a pony tail." So she did and it was a fun, fun day.
The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that there wasn't a single hair on her head. "YEAH!" she exclaimed, "I don't have to fix my hair today!"
Remember you may not be able to control what someone says or does or some of the situations that life throws you, but you can sure control the way you react.
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Are you a photographer? Photo hobbyist? Then you should look at this MSN group: Western Kansas Photography Club (3/16/06)
The Rocks 7/22/2005 This beautiful website is the creation of Stan Hutchins. Enjoy the beauty of the Monument Rocks during the height of summer. Thank you, Stan! (3/15/06)
(The photo of The Moving Wall above is by Stan Hutchins. He also sent me the following link to his photos of The Moving Wall. I really appreciate all of the contributions that Stan makes to this venture! Thanks so much!!!)
http://stanman52.googlepages.com/themovingwall-08-17-2006
This photo was taken on the evening of Tuesday, July 11, 2006 after a storm passed over the farm. We received 0.40" of rain and a complete triple rainbow. It was probably one of the brightest I have seen in the 23 years we have been back in western Kansas. A promise from God---remember?!
The Alaskan Chronicles - Four Pounds
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"There's only four pounds of pressure in the tires," Steve said.
It was our first full day in Alaska, and we were leaving for an all-day ATV trip through the Alaskan backwoods to a glacier.
Steve explained that having only four pounds of pressure in the tires helped the tires to bounce over rocks, logs and hills without the tire being damaged. Since the ATV sat on the tires and we sat on the ATV, the four pounds helped keep us from being damaged.
For six hours we bounced over rocks, drove through rivers and streams, and bounced over hills. I understood the four-pound principle the rough way.
As people, we need four pounds.
Life comes at you hard. Rocky stuff, hilly stuff, stuff that nearly drowns you and takes your breath away often faces you on this journey. We need four pounds.
We are often overinflated.
We are puffed up, stiff necked and stuck up. When a rock or hard experience gets in our path, instead of giving and easily rolling over it, we hit it like we have iron instead of four pound tires.
The resulting impact shatters us.
Much of our psychological pain is due to wounds to our ego.
It was one of the greatest and most thrilling adventures that I'd ever experienced. I would not have made it overinflated.
Perhaps to rise higher, we need to let some of the air out.
~A MountainWings Original~
THE FUNERAL ============================================================
One day all the employees reached the office and they saw a big sign on the door on which was written: "Yesterday, the person who has been hindering your growth in this company passed away. We invite you to join the funeral in the room that has been prepared in the gym."
In the beginning, they all got sad for the death of one of their colleagues, but after a while they started getting curious to know who was that man who hindered the growth of his colleagues and the company itself. The excitement in the gym was such that security agents were ordered to control the crowd within the room. The more people reached the coffin, the more the excitement heated up. Everyone thought: 'Who is this guy who was hindering my progress? Well, at least he died!' One by one the thrilled employees got closer to the coffin, and when they looked inside it, they suddenly became speechless. They stood nearby the coffin, shocked and in silence, as if someone had touched the deepest part of their soul.
There was a mirror inside the coffin; everyone who looked inside it could see himself.
There was also a sign next to the mirror that said: "There is only one person who is capable of setting limits to your growth: IT IS YOU!!!!! Your life does not change when your boss changes, when your friends change, when your parents change, when your husband or wife change, when your company change, when your church changes, when your location change, when your money change, when your status changes. Your life changes when YOU change, when you go beyond your limiting beliefs. Examine yourself, watch yourself. Don't be afraid of difficulties, impossibilities and losses. Be a winner, build yourself and your reality. It's the way you face Life that makes the difference."
~Author Unknown~
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We owe our prayers to those who serve in the military and also to their families. We owe our thoughts to those now gone, who preserved our freedom through many conflicts in the past. Bill and I personally have friends and classmates who are now in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other areas of this world. Scott City has young men and women who are serving in many different places and in all branches of the military. Please take time to remember. Please take time to pray. Please take time to appreciate your country and the opportunities preserved by those who have a higher calling--those who risk it all to defend our right to raise crops, teach, go to ball games, enjoy a night at the musical, travel, enjoy our families---and live freely.
The Seven Things to Do When Things Go Wrong ============================================
"I know that I have created most of my problems, but I do not know how to fix my life."
The above was a statement from a MountainWings Prayer Request.
So how do you fix your life when things for whatever reason have gone haywire?
Whether it is your fault or not, you need to know the seven.
The seven are:
1. Calm Down
2. Remove the Frown
3. Bow Down
4. Look Around
5. Seek Sound
6. Write it Down
7. Abound in the Sound
Listen to the sermon for an explanation of the seven.
Listen to it here: http://www.theonlineword.com/s/5307.wma
Read it here: http://www.theonlineword.com/pdf/5307.pdf
(Mountain Wings 11.1.09)
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