METAL REVIVE!

Before

After

(Whadya think?)

Yes! We did start a new business!

A while ago, we said that we were working on a new business and that we would announce it soon. Many of you locals have already been introduced to our new service, but for those who haven't, please feel free to visit...

http://www.metalrevive.com/

(designed by Sarah Beth)

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After much contemplation and seeing many many faded metal roofs, "The Father" felt that this service is an idea whose time has come. We clean metal roofs, and spray a clear coat to "revive" the color and shine and help prevent future weathering.

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As a family we have found such value in learning teamwork and goalsetting together. Eddie and I have realized the the wonderful and willing abilities of the young adults in our household as they rose to the occasion (and still are).

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Kitty designed a beautiful, professional brochure using her publisher skills and Sarah learned how to design a website in just a couple of weeks in order to get it up and running. Everyone gladly jumped on board, including our extended family!

We certainly appreciate your prayers that this business would not only prosper, but continue to strengthen our family unity as we work together, side by side.

Mama

Part #.......(DRUM ROLL, PLEASE!!!).......THREE!!!!!!!!!!

Well! You now know that we did in fact make it to Missouri. We (obviously, and it came to as no surprise) had a big family gathering, with fun, laughter, food, and jokes. We now pick up after that. (uh....duh) Benny and Rachel are staying with us, and we are just chilling out at the "farm" that...really.....isn't quite.....a farm.....just yet.....BUT! It is home base for Uncle Jay's business,  Wood Renew.

So, enjoy the (numerous) pictures. :)

~Kitty~

Rachel enjoying her new-found cousin

Swimming in the creek

Benny is clowning, as usual :)

It wasn't real, real deep, but it was fun!

(BTW-it flooded this past weekend, marooning U. Jay and A. Ashley in the property until it was good and ready to go down enough to let the vehicles pass.)

Grace and her rather excitable charges

Sweet little faces eating supper

Ben was just plain wore out.

(Markie looks like she's not far behind!)

Sweet

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We interrupt this program to...wake you up with some interesting facts.

September 23 is the 266th day of the year (267th in leap years). There are 99 days remaining until the end of the year.

1459 – Battle of Blore Heath, the first major battle of the English Wars of the Roses, is fought at Blore Heath in Staffordshire.

1779 – American Revolution: a squadron commanded by John Paul Jones on board the USS Bonhomme Richard wins the Battle of Flamborough Head, off the coast of England, against two British warships.

1780 – American Revolution: British Major John André is arrested as a spy by American soldiers exposing Benedict Arnold's change of sides.

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Little People playing. There is plenty of room!! :)

Ben the....Water-Wing Man??

Aunt Ashley took some of us kids to "a certain watery place of which I know"

(Yes, I know he said "muddy" and not "watery", but if Pooh knew I was quoting him, I'm sure he'd be much obliged.)

T'was a beautiful lake!

A. Ashley had a lot to do to keep Vannah from running down right away!

Lizzie with her leaning-sideways pose

Ahhhhhh! Now this is the life!

Mama and daughter, enjoying the cool water

"HI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HI!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TAKE MY PICTURE!!!!!!!!!! HI, KITTY!!!!!!!!!!!"

Just having fun

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One evening, we went to Jeremy and Danielle Niednagle's house for Bible Study. Unfortunately, we didn't get any pictures there. After a wonderful study of the Word, we moseyed on down to Jordan and Melissa's for a little while.

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Melissa showing us their beautiful house

Sarah and Little Willie Locksley

Mama and Melisssa

Old aquaintence or new, as long as you are with God's people, yo can have sweet fellowship

What a cutiepie!!!

One of those "Take a picture of someone taking a picture! that's so neat!!!" pictures....

Celebrities 1 and 2

Me with Celebrity #3

Discussion

The two wee-ones

Uncle Jay and Jordan talking about golfing (If I remember right...)

At last, it was time to say goodbye, but we (of course) had to have one more picture with our lovely hostess

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We're back! Are you still with us? Hmmm.....I'm not getting any responses....maybe they just went to get a snack.....I hope....ya'll aren't..*GULP*...asleep? Are you?....Well, just to make sure you don't go anywhere, check this out...

A duck walked into a hardware store. After waddling around, he walked up to the proprieter.

    "Got any grapes?" he quacked.

    "No grapes here, ducky. Sorry!" was the reply. The duck waddled out.

10 minutes later, he waddled back in.

    "Got any grapes?"

    "No!"

He waddled back out, only to waddle back in 10 minutes later.

     "Got any gra-"

      "NO!!!!!!!!!" shouted the poor proprieter. "If you come back in and ask for grapes one more time, I'm going to fasten your little webbed feet to my floor with tacks and use you as a decoration!"

A little bit upset, the duck waddled out. 10 minutes later, he came back in.

      "Got any tacks?"

       Relieved the duck wasn't wanting grapes again, the man shook his head. "Nope, sorry!"

      "Well then," the duck grinned, "got any grapes?"

There now! That's better! I knew ya'll would like that one. Now that you are all ears - - er.....eyes, enjoy the rest of the post!

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That night, us three girls, Uncle Jay, and Aunt Ashley stayed up late into the night. You can tell by the picture, that we were having fun. :)

See? Yep, we had some good laughs. :)

The next morning, guess who is at the stove? Uncle Jay. :)

Thanks for the wonderful breakfasts, Uncle Jason!! I love that bacon! :-D

Morning sluggishness and disussion

Vanna isn't having any trouble this morning!

Ahhh yes! The morning ritual. Cleaning up the hundreds of thousands of blankets used the previous night...

Sweet girl

Awww!!!

*Sigh!!!*

Well, folks, that's all for today! Ya'll come back, now!

Farm to Fuel Summit

Slueth Sarah Strikes Again...

Sarah Discher

Age 19

One morning I awoke knowing that something was different. Something would happen today! Something exciting would take place. The air was charged with excitement…


No. That’s how most people would begin, but I would prefer to give the fact as they are.

One would have expected an unusual prelude to an unusual day, but in this case, nothing out of the ordinary alluded to the events of the day. The morning had begun hot and humid, pretty much like every other morning in Central Florida. Life began as usual with everyone subtly sliding by the computer to glance over the email, while attempting to look as if they were examining an interesting paper on the desk. I was among those who take great interest in that paper on the desk, and that morning was no exception. Hark!! What find I? An email from Uncle Hans! “Will you be home on Saturday between the hours of 8 and 11?” “Ah! now this,” said I “is unusual. Why would we need to be home during those exact hours?” And so the quest began. Through bits and pieces of information dropped in my parent’s conversation, it became known that we would have a large breakfast ready, dress in western attire, play bluegrass music and have everything spotless for the occasion. My mind began to whirl.

…Relatives visiting…a moving crew…Ricky Skaggs to hear us audition…long lost friends or relatives visiting…No, none of these. They are either outrageous or impossible! I went to sleep that night pondering the impossible!

Saturday morning dawned…hot and humid. I awoke to the same puzzle I had dreamt of. As I began preparations for the day, a memory began to creep into my mind. “Yess…that’s it…a previous email…yes…riding…beginner…good…” And suddenly I had it! I had remembered an email Uncle Hans had sent a month or so ago inquiring after our riding skills. Uncle Hans must have arranged for horse rides delivered to our front door!

I was enlightened in sufficient time to dangle my newfound knowledge before my siblings, as one dangles a carrot before a horse (appropriately). As the trailer pulled into the yard and the horses stepped out, I had the satisfaction of knowing that Sarah, Private Eye had done it again. The facts had been brought to light and the mystery had been solved! It was a wonderful surprise!

Letter to the Editor: The Holocaust in America

Kitty Discher

Age 20

One of the most heinous crimes in our country is the sadistic holocaust of defenseless infants. Many of our citizens appear to think this reasonable. I will briefly point out the ludicrousness and ghastliness of this practice.

One validation often claimed: size. According to the pro-death community, a fetus isn’t a human because of the size. Following this logically a forty-five-year-old is more human than a two-year-old.

Another argument is the level of development. Some suggest that because a fetus isn’t fully developed, it isn’t a human being. The conclusion: a five-year-old girl is less of a person than an eighteen-year-old girl because the five-year-old has not fully developed a woman’s body.

The location of the baby is another point pro-death advocates use. Apparently eight inches down the birth canal makes a difference. Using this irrational argument, deployed astronauts are no longer human because of changed locations when they were deployed.

The next justification for murder is this: a fetus can’t survive unaided. Astronauts can’t survive in outer space without their life support. Disabled individuals are dependent upon both others and machines. Obviously they are still human. They are not brutally dismembered. They don’t not have their brains scrambled “solid blobs of tissue.”

My statements may sound ridiculous, but they are fully logical. Those who argue for abortion are grasping desperately for straws. I maintain that a baby inside the womb is every bit as human as a baby outside the womb. The Holocaust in America must stop.

Letter to the Editor: Romans 13

Grace Discher

Age 17

Many Christians of today have embraced a mistaken idea regarding civil government and resistance to tyranny. They believe, based on Romans, chapter 13, that opposition to any apparent authority, whether legitimate or tyrannical, violates the Biblical guidelines for submission to government. I wish to point out some of the errors of this assumption.


First of all, it is essential to understand that the government in America, or the “higher power” referred to in Scripture, is not the elected officials. The “higher power” in our country is the Constitution. We are ruled by that set of laws, not by its guardians and enforcers. Therefore, when the guardian/s of the Constitution fails to properly execute his duties, and begins to govern contrary to his lawful authority (the Constitution), he is no longer a legitimate ruler, and the people are fully justified in defending the true government by resisting and/or deposing the defective rulers.

Secondly, if there is no lawful, Biblical resistance to illegitimate authority, then that authority has unlimited power. “Unlimited power” means unrestricted sovereignty, which belongs to God alone. Therefore, those who claim that civil authority is accountable to no-one are giving away the Crown Rights of Christ and boldly encouraging dictatorship.

There are many Scriptural examples of God’s people resisting illegitimate authorities: Elijah challenged Ahab and Jezebel; David refused to surrender to Saul; Gideon battled the Mideonites, then the governors of Israel; John the Baptist publicly rebuked King Herod for his infidelity; etc.

These are only the very least of the arguments which challenge the erroneous, widespread misinterpretation of Romans 13. I challenge you to step out of your comfortable “safe zone” of submission, and awaken to the fact that God’s people must stand up to the tyranny in America, or we give free reign to anarchy and dictatorship.

Letter to the Editor: Rational Debate Tried: Debate Hasn’t Solved Health-care Problem

Kitty Discher

Age 20

I am writing in response to criticisms of those who attend the Town Hall meetings. It has been suggested that we rationally “debate” instead of attending thses meetings.


I would like to point out that today, as in the days just prior to our nation’s establishment, rational debate has made little or no difference. Our Marxist-minded leaders persist in destroying this country. Our congressmen refuse to honorable represent their constituents, and freedoms are being ripped away.

While rational debate has its place, the time for that is over. It has been tried (as it had been by the American Colonies in the 1700’s), and it has been persistently ignored (as England ignored the Americans). It is now time for action. Peaceful action is being attempted. The Town Hall Meetings, as well as the TEA Parties, are a warning to those in leadership that they are treading on thin ice. We will not sit back and wave goodbye to our freedoms –for which both of my great-grandfathers fought – without a fight. The healthcare bill is furthering the goals of those who would bring America to her knees and strip us of our God-given liberties. Instead of pushing the healthcare bill, our leaders should be working toward removing our current socialization of medicine.

People by the thousands are gathering to let their voice be heard by the only way left to them, aside from violence. I pray that our voices are heard before our fears are fully realized.

Emma is learning her Catechism

TAKE ONE

TAKE TWO

HERE WE GO!

In case you didn't get that...

What hath God done for you? He hath made me, He keepeth me, and He can save me.

What is God? God is a Spirit of Himself and for Himself

How many Gods be there? There is but one God in 3 persons. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

How did God make you? In my first parents holy and righteous

Are you then born holy and righteous? No, my first father sinned and I in him

The 1st five questions from John Cotton's spiritual milk for American Babes

The Great Trip Part 2 (Yep. Part 2 is finally here!)

So....from the Whiddons on to Arkansas and Missouri!!! Ohhh Yeeeeeeahhhh!!!!!! :)

Two excited (and tired!) little girls getting ready to bed down for the night after a long day of travel.

The next day, a stop for lunch (in the RV-eating is a wonderful feature of RV's!)

Markie's Travel Shot

The Train bridge going over the Mississippi

Emma playing around with someone. She always enjoys a trip! :)

Playing an animated story with her Parrot.

Nearing the journeys end...excitement builds and is suppressed...

"Mother...do you have any idea what that word can be? It has a 'V' and the clue is..."

Sometimes sleep makes the time go faster and it revives your energy!

Here is the Bag Boy, or Luggage Hand, or Slave Boy (or whatever his latest title is) resting before the Big Unloading Session.

Paul travelling First Class

Well...another one is out.

WE have a THIRD! Do we have a FOURTH??

NOPE, but at least he's happy and quiet. :)

Yes...you DO see what you think you see.....a Cheeto stuck into the toes of a sleeping traveller.

Gmama and I were......well.....needing some excitement? :) She came up with the idea and I committed the dirty deed. (No pun intended...)

See? Gmama is still laughing!

Paul meeting his Aunt Ashley for the first time.

Isn't it beautiful!!??!!

Ahhhh!! I love it! :)

And the "Howdies" begin!

"The Incredible Hulk grabbed the innocent gentleman, and in one moment..." oh sorry. Wrong story. (Blew your cover Hul...er....RG.)

Gma Harris couldn't believe how much they had all grown!

In Daddy's arms again...

Andrew even gave a small ghost of a smile as he hugged Gma

Enjoying the wonderful noise and chaos of such a meeting...

Lil' Sam taking it all in.

(Let's see if I can get it right this time...no Hulk, just his cover name....right!)

Here is....RG giving us one of those knock-out smiles he loves to flash around.

Daniel is being initiated into the "No We're Not Brothers, We Just Look Like It" club along with Matthew and Pete, who founded the club many years ago and have managed to keep it going ever since....

"Why, yes...I am the Hulk's mother, thank you! He wasn't always like this you know..."

Sweet girls, just happy to be together again.

Great picture. No caption.

How 'bout - "We're proud of our garbage bags - nobody does garbage bags like we do garbage bags!"

(They're not actually garbage bags, they're just storing things until A.Ashley and U.Jay move to their permanent home)

Our beautiful Jr. Hostess

The Smile shows itself again as our mysteriously named man enjoys visiting with Gma again.

Aunt Katie, Sam, and me (looking like I just crawled out of bed...which I probably did...)

And the War for the Toys begins...!!!

Old pals (or was it rivals?) greet one another affectionately (or is it that they give the Peace Hug?)

Sarah took about 4000 pictures of the hummingbirds. (They were also up and about to greet us when we arrived) I've put one of the pictures up for you Humming Bird Lovers of the Stricklen Family. They move too fast for our camera :)

Aunt Katie meeting Paul for the first time.

"Sisters....Sisters....Never were there such devoted sisters...."

Grandadddy and Vannah

If you look carefully, you can see by Uncle Jason's cheeks that he has just said something witty, or to get under his big sister's skin... :-D

Smiling class

Paul is receieving instruction from his big cousin on smiling techniques.

Mama and Lil' Joe

(another creative caption)

Part of the Kitchen Crew

Catching up....

I wonder if Daddy knows who he's really talking to??

The squirts have started already....no, just kidding. They were playing very nicely together when I took this picture.

Hey, Rachel. What a beautiful smile!!

Hmm.....the Hulk must have a sense of humor...or is he trying out that smile again??

The Secret Meeting of The Three Brothers

("We part in radiant contentment...")

(Nice hairdo, Pete)

They were posing an advertising shot for Slumpers and Scowlers Anonymous

Uncle Jay was grateful for some strong arms to help move the wood pile. This was a very entertaining operation to watch....

Muscles takes a log from Legs

Legs and.....Legs?

Markie introduces Paul to his someday-to-be home

Sweet Rachel bringing Gmama some "Welcome" flowers.

Vannah giving Gma a flower that she picked

Gathered together for prayer. Thank you Lord for a wonderful day!!!

"Almost Heaven, South Missouri....Ozark Mountains, Missouri River..."

(for all you John Denver fans out there...)

Thats all, Folks!

(for now...)