the Convictions, Curiosities, Quirks, and Chronicles of me and my life

update for update's sake

2006-02-15T20:49:00.000-05:00

ok, folkies. I got some good news(maybe). I decided to put a new profile picture on -the catch: I decided against it. Sorry to disappoint(sp?) you. But because I dissappointed(sp?) ppl so bad I'm gonna throw in something to cheer you(again, a maybe). The reason I decided against putting the profile pic on is because #1: the camera battery is charging #2: I don't feel like it anymore #3:I'm gonna switch to wordpress in a couple days! wooohooooo! yeah, that's why. (maybe you ppl thought about it, but I think I'm in a crazy mood... can't ya tell?) Just soon you'll come to my site and see it totally different. heh heh... before I tell you too much I'd better just hang me slobberchops up to dry for a season, eh? whadda say?

Have a good one, good ol' pals!

2006-02-12T07:25:00.000-05:00

It's snowing!!!!!! It's Sunday morning and we have nigh a foot of snow with more on the way... We aren't going to go to church -most likely not. So we've decided to(maybe) attend the Amish Church that's at our neighbors place- thats if anybody does come to that church. I only went to an Amish church once and an my grandpa's Amish funeral -that's it. It's interesting. My dad was Amish growing up... and I think my mom was Amish for the first few years of her life. So I have some Amish backround although we don't talk much dutch... Every body have a great day being jealous about all the snow we've got- that is with the exception of those in Lancaster County.

(Adeiu! Adeiu! To you and you and you... goodbye ;-)

2006-02-10T20:06:00.000-05:00

This might be boring to some but to others... it might not. On to what I was saying...

********

Other than reprimanding my bow drill gone awry, I've not been up to doing lots of other stuff... I'm still experimenting with the bow drill a while, in an attempt to perfect my survival skills. I love that kind of thing- you know- ancient Injun tricks, primitive living, and other stuff pertaining to the sort. I really hope I get an oppurtunity to use those skills- just living in the bush for a year or two but I know that would take too much of a chunk out of my life as a teenager and "twenty-ager" but maybe I'll get stranded somewhere... If I would, oh my, I would have a very hard deciscion between trying to get home or just live out there evading rescue parties and the like... but on the other hand torturing those that know me in thinking I'm dead- it just ain't worth it. But then again I could contact them some way to say I'm alright and announce that I'll just stay put for a couple months... I dream about it often. I am naturalist and survivalist in certain respects, but see view nature very much like the Native Americans. One thing I love doing is making survival feasts in my head- mashed cattail roots with a dash hickory salt. Diced fish wrapped in dandelion leaves and garlic fried in fat. A side dish includes leeched acorn hardtack and, of course, chickory coffee or pine tea* - oh man, makes my mouth water and my blood rush. Many-a-meal have I cooked up in my brain whilst figuring almost every problem and solution I could think of in making it. Other stuff I think about- conquering boredom and loneliness. I have lots of time to think while helping to make deliveries to Philly in the truck.

*******

I've been contemplating shutting this blog down(don't panic), although the that thought was quickly driven away. So many good things have come about me having this blog but the only negative things I can think of are a waste of time(which I found out is not substantial for all the good things and time I did sacrifice) and the last thing(which is was shocking to me) is neglecting my diary and journal. It's a major accomplishment for me to hold a diary or journal(let alone both of 'em) for even five days. Ive had both for a year now. But the relationship between me and my journal/diary has grown to the point where I don't have a problem keeping up to it. Then my blog comes along and whips my journal time away... I've been feeling sad about it, saying farewell to it(I says to me-self, "Jet, just get over this confounded issue! Live life! Be a man!" but then I says to me-self, "Jet, don't squeesh your feelings. Live life, be a man!" Then me feels mighty good and pow'rfull better all over) Then I realize I kinda completed the transition from boyhood to manhood, but it's not like I'm "mature". No way! The more I live the more I see immaturity coming out. *flushes a pink hue* Now I'm glad I recorded the past year(sometimes to minute details). And now I say welcome to the next journal... for I am starting again...

with best wishes, and warmest regards to one and all: your pal jethro

The Redwall Series

2006-02-07T21:45:00.000-05:00

I guess this is the first review i've done of a book that I've actually written down(other than book reports) I am thouroughly engrossed in a new set of books I found on the juvenile fiction shelf at the local library... very elementary reading, although very lengthy. Definitely a capturing and uproarious fantasy saga... oh me, oh my. Some of the stuff in there- like the name calling. I love it. The following is an excerpt from the Outcast of Redwall written by Brian Jaques. The squirrelrabbit, Jodd says his real name.

"M'name is Wilthurio Longbarrow Sackfirth Toxophola Fedlric Wilfrand Hurdleframe
Longarrow Leawelt Pugnacio Cinnabar Hillweather..."

Beyond the Sunset...

2006-02-04T21:33:00.000-05:00

Beyond the sunset, O blissful morning.

When with our Saviour heaven's begun.

Earth's toiling ended, O glorious dawning

Beyond the sunset when day is done.

Beyond the sunset, no clouds will gather.

No storms will threaten, no fears annoy.

O day of gladness, O day unending.

Beyond the sunset eternal joy.

Beyond the sunset, a hand will guide me,

To God the Father whom I adore.

His glorious presence, His words of welcome,

Will be my portion on that fair shore.

Beyond the sunset, O glad reunion,

With our dear loved ones who've gone before,

In that fair homeland we'll know no parting.

Beyond the sunset forever more.

Will you be there?

random annoying things to do

2006-01-30T07:52:00.000-05:00

Adjust the tint on your TV so that all the people are green, and insist to others that you "like it that way." Drum on every available surface. Sing the Batman theme incessantly. Staple papers in the middle of the page. Ask 800 operators for dates. Produce a rental video consisting entirely of dire FBI copy warnings. Sew anti-theft detector strips into people's backpacks. Write the surprise ending to a novel on its first page. Specify that your drive-through order is "to go." Set alarms for random times. Buy large quantities of mint dental floss just to lick the flavor off. Order a side of pork rinds with your filet mignon. Honk and wave to strangers. Dress only in clothes colored Hunter's Orange. Change channels five minutes before the end of every show. Tape pieces of "Sweating to the Oldies" over climactic parts of rental movies. Decline to be seated at a restaurant, and simply eat their complementary mints by the cash register. ONLY TYPE IN UPPERCASE. only type in lowercase. dontuse any punctuation either. Buy a large quantity of orange traffic cones and reroute whole streets. Pay for your dinner with pennies. Repeat everything someone says, as a question. Repeat the following conversation a dozen times: "Do you hear that?" "What?" "Never mind, it's gone now." Light road flares on a birthday cake. Wander around the restaurant, asking other diners for their parsley. Leave tips in Bolivian currency. Push all the flat Lego pieces together tightly. At the laundromat, use one dryer for each of your socks. As much as possible, skip rather than walk. Stand over someone's shoulder, mumbling, as they read. Finish the 99 bottles of beer song. Leave your turn signal on for fifty miles. Drive half a block. Name your dog "Dog." Ask people what gender they are. Reply to everything someone says with "That's what YOU think." Lick the filling out of all the Oreos, and place the cookie parts back in the tray. Forget the punchline to a long joke, but assure the listener it wasa "real hoot". Routinely handcuff yourself to furniture, informing the curious that you don't want to fall off "in case the big one comes". Follow a few paces behind someone, spraying everything they touch with a can of Lysol. Deliberately hum songs that will remain lodged in co-workers' brains, such as "Feliz Navidad. While making presentations, occasionally bob your head like a parakeet. Lie obviously about trivial things such as the time of day. Make beeping noises when a large person backs up. Leave your Christmas lights up and lit until September. Change your name to John Aaaaasmith for the great glory of being first in the phone book. Claim it's a Hawaiian name, and demand that people pronounce each A. Sit in your front yard pointing a hair dryer at passing cars to see if they slow down. Chew on pens that you've borrowed. Invent nonsense computer jargon in conversations, and see if people play along to avoid the appearance of ignorance. Wear a LOT of cologne. Ask to "interface"with someone. Listen to 33rpm records at 45rpm speed, and claim the faster speed is necessary because of your "superior mental processing." Sing along at the opera. Mow your lawn with scissors. At a golf tournament, chant "swing-batatatatatata- hWING-batter!" Go to a poetry recital and ask why each poem doesn't rhyme. Ask your co-workers mysterious questions, and scribble their answers in a notebook. Mutter something about "psychological profiles." Stare at static on the TV and claim you can see a "magic picture". Select the same song on the jukebox fifty times. Scuff your feet on a dry, shaggy carpet and seek out victims. Do not add any inflection to the end of your sentences, producing awkward silences with the impression that you'll be saying more any moment. Never make eye contact. Never break eye contact. Signal that a conversation is over by clamping your hands over your ears. Construct elaborate "crop circles" in your front lawn. Give a play-by-play account of a person's everyaction in a nasal Howard Cossell voice. Holler random numbers while someone is counting. Make appointments for the 31st of September. Invite lots of people to other people's parties. Send fifty copies of this list to everyone you know.

What next...?

2006-01-25T20:45:00.000-05:00

I don't know how this is going to go yet... but I'm gonna be changing the template and stuff with my blog... Right now I have my blog on a server other than blogspot, I am still publishing through blogspot. So I'm going to switch it over to something else. I'll not be updating this thing for a while(maybe) How soon things fall into place, all depends on a lot things. So hard telling when I'll update... anyways....

New Location

2006-01-24T19:12:00.000-05:00

This is the new location for the old blog I had. The old blog will be deleted in a few days. I will also put up a photo gallery and put the link under the "links" section. So enjoy!

I just got tagged!

2006-01-21T18:54:00.000-05:00

For some reason or another Tony Kropf tagged me. Which means I have to write seven things that I want to do before God terminates me and my life. Here goes!

(1) Until termination, I want to continue on the Ultimate Hunt -searching for God and His plan.
(2) I want to learn what it takes to live dangerously for Him.
(3) I desire to learn to live life to the max...
(4) I want to become an evangelist... wanted to ever since I was seven.
(5) Live in the moment.
(6) If it's Lord's plan -to marry and raise recruiters for God that make an impact on society.
(7) I want to be content with what I have.

Who knows, maybe Jesus will return before my expiration date! That would be great... really great.
Now, that I did my part, I tag Arthur, Javan, Vannessa, Sandra, Patrick, Mike, and Seth.

Just life... just life...

2006-01-18T21:50:00.000-05:00

I've been thinking... and Thinkin'... and Thinkin' some more. I am seeing more and more how much there is to experience in life. And I guess I'm complainin' that I only have one shot at it. I want to do so many things, experience so much! But there is no way for me to do it. And I seem lost at what to do with my life. Of course, I'm gonna have to decide for myself which path to take and find out which path God wants to give to me. That's how I find it. God wants me to take the path that has me live life to the max. I don't mean livin' life in sin- that's not living to the max. This is what life's all about- living for God's purpose and plan. It's all up to us if we want to follow that plan. Maybe some follow it halfway and kinda draw their own little scheme, but I want to get all I can out of life. What a responsibility! I still feel kinda sad that I can't do "everything". But maybe Heaven's the bonus! Heaven's the reward for living life to God's plan and purpose and Heaven will make up for anything else... Wow... What a God we serve!

Night Walk

2006-01-13T22:34:00.000-05:00

I looked up. I was standing before a one lone tree at the end of a field. That lone sentinel was telling me something, something foreboding. I did not know what it was but I knew I would know before long. I continued walking, slowly. I stopped and scrutinized a party of cattle on the hillside. Their bulky silouhettes, masked with a white face, gazed wonderingly. A disturbed lowing groaned from one. I turned and looked once more on the lone tree. A full moon hovered between the craggy branches. A crisp breezed scratched my cheek. The clouds blew over the moon, dumping it into a gloomy gray. I felt erie. Even the leaves were somewhat glum- no playing tag for now. Walking along the edge of the wood, I searched for a roosting hawk I knew well. I saw a lump on a bough. No, that wasn't it. I inched soundlessly forward. Suddenly, the lump swooped from the treetops, fading into the foggy valley. Again, I went forward, hoping for it's mate. Then I heard it. A scratch. The silent flap a wings. I waited for that awful scream to split the nightly sounds. That cry to be heard in my mind forever. It never came. In a way, I wished it would have- to complete the ideal haunted night walk. A full moon, clouded into gloom by hateful clouds; a brisk wind, whistling in my ears; a hawk, crying what in my mind seemed like "arrogant distress": all on Friday the thirteenth... Time stopped for that moment, while I drank it all in. What a perfect way to end a day...

A capella Harmony Quartet

2006-01-12T20:18:00.000-05:00

Over the Moon

Moonbeams shining
Keep reminding
Of a trip that I'll be taking soon.
There is nothing binding,
I am pining
For the journey that will take me over the moon.
I'm sailing soon,
Above the moon,
And flying through,
The heavens blue.
I'm praying too, I hoping that you
Decide to choose,
And sail the Milky Way with me and ride
At Jesus' side
Naught can betide
And we're satisfied.
And now I'm longing and I'm hoping.
I have no time for moping,
For I will soon be floating
Away above the moon...

of mice and me

2006-01-08T18:43:00.000-05:00

Mom suggested posting this, so take it FWIW. We simply have hundreds of mice in the barn. Literally. I think they're quite cute, and would make great pets. I think I just might catch one... They are pretty tame too. They seem so soft and so full of adventure. I think it would be wonderful to be a mouse for a week or so- just to see what it would be like. They're would be many-a-thing to do. Just think of all the holes to explore, the garbage to eat, the things to see! I've seen as many as seven at once- all within ten feet of each other. I would just sit somewhere and soon one mouse after another would venture out. They were playing around my feet some crawled on my shoes, I even touched one. It was only the whiskers because it came to smell my hand when I extended it. I would've been able to snap pictures one after another. But I didn't have the camera. I did get a picture tho. Shot it about 1 1/2 feet away. Its kinda washed out so forgive the camera and blame me. ;)

Emerging Anabaptism

2006-01-03T22:34:00.000-05:00

I found out recently about Emerging Anabaptism. I'm excited about what's gonna come out of this. Is it going to be a tiny part of a 21st Century Reformation? Who knows? Anything could happen. I like the idea Javan gives on his blog about wrestling with God. What a way to build convictions! What a way to dive into a deeper relationship! If we do wrestle with God, providing we earnestly seek what's right, some of the things that we have been taught from little up and taken as truth will be confirmed and some may be disproved. That would be the nucleus of the revolution. Some of these "revolutionary ideas or convictions" that will be established in the hearts of the young, may take us as Christians to a new level of, shall I say, "compatibility" with God. When I say a new level of compatibility with God, I mean that the revolutionary issues which are brought up bring us more "in line" with God's standards than what we were before, whether they be proved to be truth or a falsehood. The reason I say that these convictions will be established in the hearts of young people, is that, it seems to me that most of the people in our churches that are very traditional tend to be the older generation. I am not saying that all the older people are traditionals. Some young people are traditional as well and some may go as far as being dogmatic about the traditional, and they may reason, "What's wrong with the way we do or believe things now?" I say unto them, "There's nothing wrong with that, but if there is something that is more in line with God's standards than where we are, what's wrong with becoming more in line and more intune with God?" Although my father is not so-called "young" or "old", some of his beliefs(that to me were revolutionary from the "normal") shook me to the core, and totally re-oriented me into thinking for myself. I was beginning to think that maybe my dad had begun losing his mind when he first told me some of those beliefs. But he had such a way of proving without doubt his proverbial "doctrinal theorem", that I could find no fault whatsoever. Now, let's say that I would come with my own conclusion of a controversial matter that would be offensive to others if acted out, I must not act upon those conclusions until I have beyond any shadow of a doubt, have solid Biblical proof, and maybe have debated about those issues with some other brothers. I view Emerging Anabaptism as a place to hash out and make "full proof" of those issues which were brought up. In writing this, I am in no wise trying to be controversial or rebelious, but rather to seek out that which is truth and that which pertains to truth. Remember, the path of truth does not lead to a thing, but to a Person.

New Year

2005-12-28T21:20:00.000-05:00

This next year is coming up so fast. The next will come and go... and then its the next and next and so-on... Before I know it,I'll be dead... Well, my body will be dead... My soul will be alive in a new body! I can hardly wait... until He returns. What a glorious day, a day that will never ever end... To walk with my Savior, oh what will we talk about!? I will wait till that inevitable day... We will wait...

This next year... In March, I quit school and my job and start working in the greenhouse till May. Then I resume school work. Get a job in the summer after school. October will be my sixteenth birthday... It seems to short. I'm not a boy anymore... I had a difficult time realizing that my boyhood was falling through my fingers like sand... Oh the days I had in my childhood. Certainly ignorance was bliss... One day I knew manhood was at the doorstep. Like the earlier post "Alone with the Creator" I was watching the sun set... I knew that was my last day... as a boy. I'm not embarrassed to confess. I cried my heart out to God. I lay in the grass tears streaming down my face. I wanted to hold on to the past but I knew I had to let God take it away. I watched the last silvery sliver of light fade into the horizon... and I new that God had turned a page in my life. But I'm enjoying life... and trying to enjoy the moment as much as possible, for my next birthday will be here before I know it. And I don't care how slow life goes as long as I have time enough to enjoy it.

Some pictures

2005-12-22T21:47:00.000-05:00

Here's some pics for you. Sweet Pea just had her pups on Thursday. We had to take her to the vet because she was so constipated that she wasn't able to "shoot 'em out."

This one is our house.

Annie's gonna grill me for this one, so shut up about it..:)

This is just one of those lazy dog days... I wish I could do the same sometimes...

Two Episodes

2005-12-19T18:13:00.001-05:00

Couple days ago, maybe Friday or Saturday, I had just layed my banjo on the couch(mistake #1) after practicing with Conrad. Well, us boys and my dad started getting roudy(mistake #2) We were pushing each other around and we were all trying to get my dad down. Anyway's dad, saw a way to get out of our pushing around and flopped onto the couch(major maistake #3) My banjo was on the couch! There was a sort of "screech" and a poppin' from the banjo(I call it Elaine) And dad scooted off of that couch faster 'an lightnin' I never saw him move that fast! Considering the weight, I was fortunate that it didn't break. It wasn't even off tune. Just on Sunday, me and Caleb were getting out of hand. You gotta understand here that we were out of hand according to mom and dad. They got tired of it and made us run out the road and back. (From our place to rt.340) It's over two miles. So we went a jogging. It only took us thirty minutes, but we weren't in shape at all... We puffed and puffed and our legs just didn't seem right after stopping. They felt like jello but we tried to act just as lively as when we left. We're both a little sore... But we have our leg-springs back again.

Winter is here.

2005-12-15T21:51:00.000-05:00

My, it's so cold out! This morning it was below the teens maybe around five degrees. It was so cold that when I went to gather the eggs, some were split open and frozen! I could hardly believe it. We're supposed to be getting some ice storm later in the week. Some of you may have heard about my mom. She got a fibroid. I don't really know details or even know what that is but she's pretty much shot, so us children gotta do a lot more stuff than usual since she has to rest. I got a few chances at cooking and grilling which was fun but I don't know how to the laundry... not yet. I think every boy should get to do some of what they call women's work- who's knows- maybe I'll end up being a bachelor... My sister declares she can't picture me as one but hey, all things are possible!

I post again

2005-12-12T08:23:00.000-05:00

Snowed again- three inches. Today the temperature is supposed to drop to 15 and rise no higher than 32. Anyway, I'm doing homework like crazy these days because I should get most of it done before March when I start working up in the Greenhouse. I feel kinda busy because of that and plus our family is starting to practice for a recording and I'm "in charge" which is very tough- we have our struggles and it seems I'm getting the brunt of it... Plus we have people asking us to have a "concert" for 'em and I'm just kinda mixed up, so pray for us and me... I believe we have something to offer to the world and the devil is going to do all he can to prevent that from happening.

Nobody in our family plays chess... until me and Caleb started playing give-away in which you want to lose, There are extra rules. But now I don't have to play by myself and lose and win at the same time!

Alone... with the Creator

2005-12-08T20:26:00.000-05:00

I don't know if anybody ever just simply sat out somewhere, maybe on a hill, when the sun was setting. I don't know why I'm posting this but take it for what it's worth. I tend to enjoy being alone. Alone, with no one except nature and me... and God. That's how my mom was or is- it may be genetic, I don't know or really care. I lay down on a hill blanketed with green velvet. I watch the world pass from light to dark, where sunsets plaster the sky with glory and magesty- giving a glimpse into the heart of God. A cool breeze creeps up from the valley, touching my face with a veil of peace that seems to pass through me. The grass, the silhouette of trees, the everything- all seem part of me... I seem part of them. I do not mind the dicomforts- a rock denting my back, a bug tickling my arm- I feel them... I am part of them. The clouds part, Lady Moon smiles upon me, making me wonder... I allow my gaze to drift as God turns the page to dot-to-dot... the stars. I focus on a special star of mine, I wonder how many people are looking at the same star? Dot-to-dot is kid stuff... It reminds me how insignifigant I "should" be- I don't deserve to enjoy these blessings I have. It reminds me of how "un-grownup" I really am, but I can see the hand of God molding me, making me into His masterpiece. How many people in this rushing world, ever experience what is so readily to be taken in? How many people realize there is a God who is personal- who cares about the little things? It's my job, it is our responsibility to tell them about it.

2005-12-04T20:57:00.000-05:00

It snowed... It wouldn't take me long to move south. The winter season just isn't my cup-o'-tea. The only thing that would take adjustment is celebrating Christmas whilst going barefoot, eating slushies, sleeping in air-condition, getting sunburnt. How about swimming in December! About Christmas, this year our family switched names instead of my mom and dad giving stuff. In other words, all the names of the family members put their names in a hat and one by one the get picked out by everyone. Whichever name you get, that's the person you give presents to. Anyway, I'm trying to "upgrade" my blog so I put on a chatterbox, a hit counter and I might add numerous other things. Another thing, those homing pigeons that hatched, one of them died... (*bitter tears*) It crawled out of the nest and... died. Would've gone to animal heaven had it not been for the reincarnation thingee. According to Hinduism... bla bla bla... uh.. ahh.. i ' m kinda.. uh... fazin'... out... *insanity* only- temporaryyyyyyyy.. ok ok ok OK? ok.

(five min. later) hey, i gotta go to bed...

December!

2005-11-30T17:32:00.000-05:00

Man oh man, its almost December! Just think. You probably heard many-a-time "how fast life goes" and a that but really, somebody must be stealing my time away. I'm tellin' you- life just does not wait on me. I think that if we would use our time wisely, fret less, and enjoy life as it is, we would probably think that life is going at the pace we want it to. It's just a thought. I think sometimes on a week that went by and realise that it was a loooooong week. But it seems that for the most part, I enjoyed it thoroughly. I don't know if I mentioned it or not- we as a family are planning on putting out a recording. Rosina will play the violin, conrad will play the fiddle, accordion, maybe the guitar, and I'll play the banjo and harmonica simultaneously. The rest will be singing.

Rocket Book

2005-11-29T17:55:00.000-05:00

I got this rocket book for my birthday and man is it ever cool! It shows you how to make rocket engines with fertilizer and confectioners powdered sugar and there's four more formulas based on homemade black powder. The stuff is cheap too and easy to make. The maximum altitude of the rocket with the biggest engine is a 1 1/2 miles and the smallest is 50 feet. The maximum has an engine diameter of only 2 in. and is over a foot long. So i'm gonna be havin a blast doing this stuff. I can count building rockets as credits in high school so if my mom catches me doing this when I gotta be doing school work I'll just tell her that this is school work! Here's the site http://www.teleflite.com/

Hatched!

2005-11-26T19:22:00.000-05:00

I've been waiting and waiting... and now they've finally hatched!

The Brain and Spirituality

2005-11-22T11:26:00.000-05:00

I found this link to be extremely interesting. I need to do more research on this subject. It's very intriguing- at least that's what I think. This wasn't the first time I read of this kind of thing but it's very convincing. http://www.livinginjoy.com/en/library/91

Got Worms?

2005-11-21T22:00:00.000-05:00

WARNING:Do not proceed if thou hast problems whilst reading repulsive material. This post contains that which might cause amnesia, dysentry, or even a slight mental disorder(in the frontal lobes). DISCAIMER: I am in no wise responsible for any negative affects this post may have, as for those of positive nature- please credit those responsible for it. This is your last chance, please consider your mental capacities, and your possibilities of surviving, say good-bye to your appetite if needs be.

NOTE: All things are possible except skiing through a revolving door.

Here goes...

It's really gross-I warned you. My dog has the worms. They actually look like spaghetti-really-I actually could not sleep for about a half an hour because I was thinking of it. The average size was around pencil thickness.(get the cuts bucket awhile) They were(are) somewhere between 4 and 6 inches long. She was actually "putting out" hunks of worms at a time mixed in with grass and slime. (Anybody still hungry?) Of course, we hauled her to the vet. Now, I'm not sure that I don't have the worms. You see, any dog kisses thier master. So what if there were eggs on her tongue and she slobbered them onto my nose, I wiped my hand on my nose to dry it, and somehow got it into my mouth. In fact, I feel "yucky" in the gut. I feel like throwing up. (We're having cold cuts for supper) My dad said there's a good possibility for worms in me- but I don't know if he was jokin' or not. Reading what I just wrote makes me more sick so I'll quit telling this story and resume it on a later date-that's just if it needs to be concluded.

A charge to keep

2005-11-16T23:06:00.000-05:00

I came across a poem that I thought was really neat.

A Charge to Keep I Have

A charge to keep I have,

A God to glorify;

A never dying soul to save,

And fit it for the sky.

To serve the present age,

My calling to fulfill-

Oh, may it all my powers engage

To do my Master's will.

Arm me with jealous care,

As in thy sight to live;

And, oh, thy servant, Lord, prepare

A strict account to give.

Help me to watch and pray,

And on thyself rely;

Assured if I my trust betray,

I shall forever die.

~Charles Wesley~

Cool blog

2005-11-15T22:36:00.000-05:00

Crazy Uncle?

2005-11-15T20:36:00.000-05:00

One of my great uncles died a couple days ago. He was saying crazy stuff, somewhat because they gave him morphine. The undertaker came to see him and asked if he could pray for him and uncle said,"Why, no! your the undertaker!" Then when someone else asked to pray for him, he said,"You can pray till the cows come home!" Then he'd said,"There planning for my viewing tomorrow and I just don't like it!" When he was at the old people's home, he would lie on the grass and people would come up to him and think he was dead and ask him if he was ok. He'd tell 'em,"I slept on the grass all my life, can't I do it here?" He'd also sleep on the sidewalks because they were warm and have a buddy to guard in case someone would come along and think he was dead! So the next time you say i'm crazy, it may be partly true; for things like that may run in the family...

2005-11-12T12:37:00.000-05:00

Here's a picture of Patrick saying his prayers.
This is also the first step to laying down which we didn't accompish. That's me, by the way.

2005-11-10T21:21:00.000-05:00

Today I had a blast diggin' voles out of their holes in the ground. It seems like a maze of tunnels but actually its a palace to some who know how to look at it the right way. The two dogs were with me, but only one of them got a vole. The other inhaled dirt and was sniffing and blowing furiously. I saw around three voles. The most I ever got was about five or six. They're so cute but mighty quick!

Runaway!

2005-11-09T16:20:00.000-05:00

Our neighbor's Amich daughter had a wedding on Tuesday. It lasted from eight in the morning to about ten in the evening. When the people were leaving, a horse got away. Anyway, we were sitting in the livingroom and suddenly my dad jumped up and said "There's a horse out!" I couldn't believe that he could have noticed it but he said later on that he knew it was running away because the trotting it had did not sound like it was in a carriage. It was ten o'clock and, of course, dark. We jumped in the car and when we came to the end of our drive three Amish guys jammed in. We went tearin' down the road and asked couple buggies if they saw a runaway horse. After a turn-around we took another route. We knew that we were on the right track after couple guys told us. Then we came on him. He was movin'. When I say that, I mean he was just a clippin' for all he was worth- harness dragging behind him! And he was headed straight for a major rd. (Rt. 340) We went right beside him around 25 to 35 mph. Then he put an extra "umpf" and really tried to go faster. We drove in front of him, the Amish guys were hangin out the windows and the sky-light howlin' for him to stop. Then suddenly he swerved off the road into a little barn which happened to be his home. Everything turned out to be ok.

Horse-back once again

2005-11-08T19:25:00.000-05:00

On Friday, I rode to Sam and Mattie Kauffman's place. It's about 10-12 miles round trip. It lasted shy of two hours, but on the way back, I was chargin' up a small slope and "he" started snortin' and a-swishin' his tail and was acting like he just entered insanity. I stopped him and jumped off and here I saw that as soon as he inhaled air, his nostrils collapsed. They were 'bout half tender from riding so long. So I stood there, holding his nostrils open so he could breath. We were a mile from home, but as soon as I trotted for only 30 yards, he would start snortin' again. Therefore I had to walk the whole way home from there on. It was such a blast. It probably gives some sort of adrenaline rush but there's nothing like pounding across the country- you feel as free as the wind!

New addition to family band

2005-11-07T12:14:00.000-05:00

Here's a picture of Thomas. He's the new addition to the Fisher's bluegrass Band. He goes to school of course so he won't start music lessons till vacation. He's all excited. In case you didn't realize- that's a mandolin.

Walk the line!.....

2005-11-06T16:55:00.000-05:00

This is posted with hesitation, so keep that in mind. Before I go any further, I need to say that my parents got a different way of "training children" than most do. Instead of using the "get-along-with-each-other" method they use what is called "Pecking Order" In other words, the youner submit(or rather are supposed to submit) to the older. So if somebody's fightin' the older gets punished for abusing authority and the younger for not submitting. Or just the younger gets punished if they didn't submit to a legitimate command of any "elder". Or just the older gets punished for a selfish oriented or otherwise crazy command while the younger has already carried that command out. The authority may by no means execute discipline upon the younger if he refuses to obey(what we call submit). Only the parents carry that responsibility. And the younger has no excuse to disobey unless he immediately carries the case to authorities higher than that which commanded him to do something in the first place. You might ask, "When does the youngest exercise his ability in authority." I say unto you that by the time the youngest gets to be fifteen, he'll have picked up a lot of information about how to be "up there". You see, the only way to have good leadership is to at some point be in submission. And may I suggest that the youngest may turn out to have the greatest ability to have leadership because he would have known what it is like to under authority and has the knowledge and the example of his elders to assist him. My parents changed their methods when I was between eight and twelve. I had just gotten most of the tricks down pat that were needed in the get-along-with-each-other method. Then WE(not they) switched over. Here's a little story, in fact, happened today. Our family was going down the road and as can happen I was fighting with another brother. You could barely call it fighting(but for lack of better terms...) To make it more positive on my side- he was fighting with me. Anyways, we were having a fight on the edges of fun and who's boss. See, sometimes the younger fights for the top, but the actual truth of reality prevails. Reality is that the "ladder" is maintained by the parents. on to the story... suddenly dad pulled off to the left into a vacant parking lot, drove us two hundred feet back from the road. We then knew it had something to do with "us". I knew he wouldn't spank us. (he refrained from that practice on the older folks) He told us to get out of the van and walk to the other side. We each stood facing away from the van on the end of the parking lines, one on each. Then like and army lieutenant he barked out commands. You gotta understand me when you hear this, my dad aint like most of those other guys he was grinning most of the time and it didn't look like he was angry. Any way he told ua individually things like, "turn around" "walk forward" "stop" And things like that. Soon it was obvious who had problems with submission. I was given permission into the van sooner than my counterpart. This was only a test to see what was actually happening in the back seat. Though the scare of it all was enough punishment and the rest of the ride was thoroughly enjoyed. After everyone was in the van I looked front and could see that my dad was laughing, I expressed that verbally and everbody burst out laughing. So just take this for what its worth... -jethro
P.S. Check with my dad to verify the truth of this posting.

Homing Pigeons

2005-11-05T19:53:00.000-05:00

We have had homing pigeons for a couple months. They're from New York. Racing bloodlines, in fact. We just today, one of the three hens layed eggs. We're very excited about it. They are white and we eventually want to raise about a dozen of 'em and release them at funerals, baptisms and weddings. We have some fantails outside too but the hawks are especially fond of them. Another thing, on the bluegrass banjo link page, there are "classical banjo" mp3s. I could hardly believe it! That was like telling me about the drums on some accapella cd.
Enjoy!

Another horse...

2005-11-04T08:20:00.000-05:00

On Thursday night Gene Esh brought his quarter horse over for us to train. We finished the other two horsed we had and now we got another. He said that his brothers and sisters run like crazy! So I'm looking forward to it because I simply love galloping full blast cross-country, but then when somebody else gets on him, he goes crazy because they don't let him run fast enough. But that's what they say and I don't agree. Right now, we're training Patrick(one of the other horses) to lay down. We got 'im to kneel but that's it.

New Blog

2005-11-03T09:45:00.000-05:00

So how's my new blog? I decided I should have one for a couple reasons but I need to work on it yet.