I wanted to wish everybody a safe and happy thanksgiving, and ask that you keep brothers Mark Hatfield, Ken Parrish, and I in your prayers as we travel to encourage some brethren in Managua, Nicaragua. Please also pray that we don't get Montezuma's revenge as I did last time I went about 13 years ago when I got a nasty stomach bug, and an older man looked at me and said "you have Mondongo". "Mondongo?" I said. I think just the sound of that made me sicker!
I have also been wanting to post pictures of Abby in all her gear on her new 50cc honda motorbike. This little bike is the greatest! I got it at a garage sale for $250, and it runs like a charm. I still ride with her but one day she will ride, albeit slowly under our supervision, by herself.
I thought I was hallucinating seeing your name lit...lol
Have very safe travels to Nicaragua Josh! And I hope much good comes from it!
Happy holidays to you and your family...tell Lisa I said hello!
*Check out my kiddos' pics on my blog! You can see the newest addition! Did you even know we had another one??? lol
TAKE CARE!!!!
¡Dios os bendiga a vosotros! Sea hacer la voluntad del Señor - Isa 55:11 "Así será Mi palabra que sale de Mi boca: no volverá á Mí vacía, antes hará lo que Yo quiero, y será prosperada en aquello para que la envié."
When do you go?? I know you'll encourage and be encouraged! David has "ganas" to return, with all of us. Maybe next year some time. I'm not sure I'll survive the heat.
A friend of mine sent me this, and it reminded me of our little Abby. I especially like the part that talks about Solomon having 300 wives and 500 porcupines. Love to you all
"In the beginning, which occurred near the start, there was nothing but God, darkness, and some gas. The Bible says, 'The Lord thy God is one, but I think He must be a lot older than that. Anyway, God said, 'Give me a light!' and someone did. Then God made the world.
He split the Adam and made Eve. Adam and Eve were naked, but they weren't embarrassed because mirrors hadn't been invented yet. Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating one bad apple, so they were driven from the Garden of Eden. Not sure what they were driven in though, because they didn't have cars.Adam and Eve had a son, Cain, who hated his brother as long as he Was Abel. Pretty soon all of the early people died off, except for Methuselah, who lived to be like a million or something. One of the next important people was Noah, who was a good guy, but one of his kids was kind of a Ham. Noah built a large boat and put his family and some animals on it. He asked some other people to join him, but they said they would have to take a rain check.After Noah came Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Jacob was more famous than His brother, Esau, because Esau sold Jacob his birthmark in exchange for some pot roast. Jacob had a son named Joseph who wore a really loud sports coat. Another important Bible guy is Moses, whose real name was Charlton Heston. Moses led the Israel Lights out of Egypt and away from the evil Pharaoh after God sent ten plagues on Pharaoh's people. These plagues included frogs, mice, lice, bowels, and no cable. God fed the Israel Lights every day with manicotti. Then he gave them His Top ten
Commandments. These include don't lie, cheat, smoke, dance, or covet your neighbor's stuff. Oh, yeah, I just thought of one more: Humor thy father and thy mother.
One of Moses s' best helpers was Joshua who was the first Bible guy to use spies. Joshua fought the battle of Geritol and the fence fell over on the town. After Joshua came David. He got to be king by killing a giant with a slingshot. He had a son named Solomon who had about 300 wives and 500 porcupines. My teacher says he was wise, but that doesn't sound very wise to me.
After Solomon there were a bunch of major league prophets. One of these was Jonah, who was swallowed by a big whale and then barfed upon the shore. There were also some minor league prophets, but I guess we don't have to worry about them. After the Old Testament came the New Testament. Jesus is the star of The New Testament. He was born in Bethlehem in a barn. (I wish I had been born in a barn, too, because my mom is always saying to me, 'Close the door! Were you born in a barn?' It would be nice to say, 'As a matter of fact, I was.') During His life, Jesus had many arguments with sinners like the Pharisees and the Republicans. Jesus also had twelve opossums. The worst one was Judas Asparagus. Judas was so evil that they named a terrible vegetable after him. Jesus was a great man. He healed many leopards and even preached to some Germans on the Mount. But the Republicans and all those guys put Jesus on trial before Pontius the Pilot. Pilot didn't stick up for Jesus. He just washed his hands instead.
Anyway's, Jesus died for our sins, then came back to life again. He went up to Heaven but will be back at the end of the Aluminum. His return is foretold in the book of Revolution."
There are some classic lines in there! "Humor thy father and mother" "that doesn't sound very wise to me" "as a matter of fact, I was" "Judas was so evil that they names a terrible vegetable after him."
Great stuff!
OK!! I shall let you know the time...it'll probably be the 7:30 showing but I need a confirmation email from the Embry Hillz people first. I think I'm just getting my tickets online. I'll let you know ASAP.
I went here to purchase my tickets online for Batman at 7:30 pm on Friday July 18th for the Perimeter Pointe 10 movie theater on Mt. Vernon. I suggest you do the same.
Hey brother, our trip was cancelled due to Ken's health. We are planning to return to Nicaragua in November. If you could make that it would be a great trip
I would be sick if now you voted for McCain instead of supporting Ron Paul and his ideas of voting 3rd party. Josh there is relatively no difference in the 2 candidates. who cares who wins? Vote Chuck Baldwin constitutional party. don't wimp out and vote for evil. mccain is evil. maybe he is the lesser of 2evils but he is still evil
SELLOUT... Who paid you off? Your going to hate me for voting for the right candidate? Socialized health care will come with Barack but it will be done away with as soon as R.P gets into office. Prepare for 4 bad years either way and thats why I say vote with what you believe and if Barack wins then it will be the Dem's that look bad for the upcoming 4yrs because Guaranteed they are going to be bad. Someone's got to foot the bill for bailing out 1million people who were levereged 120% of there house value.
I will do something at the local level. talk to friends, convince people these are senseless unconstitutional wars that were never declared in congress. You can support that if you like. thats what you would be doing by voting mccain.
This letter is from a good friend of America! Feel free to forward!
I have just listened to the various soundbites where Obama & Hillary both promise to revisit and/or renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
Today Canada is the USA's largest, most secure and friendliest supplier of Oil, followed (apparently) by Mexico - Under the free-trade agreement, Canada is committed to keeping up its energy supplies to the United States even in times of shortages at home. In effect, NAFTA says cuts to U.S. buyers can be no deeper than they would be to Canadians. The same applies to other domestic resources under NAFTA such as Natural Gas..
Gasoline - Canadians are traditionally accustomed to paying much higher prices for Canadian gasoline, currently about $4.80 per US gallon. Americans pay much less at the pump for Canadian Oil than Canadians themselves pay for it at home. EVERY Canadian driver knows this!
Natural Gas - Due to NAFTA Canadians now pay competitive world prices for Natural Gas, instead of historic lower domestic prices. The US has precisely the same access to Canadian NG as do Canadians.
Lumber - Canada has a burr under it's saddle with respect to NAFTA over lumber sales. With the objective of manipulating the supply of timber and financed with seed money from the super rich, high priced Washington lawyers have filed over 27 complaints against more efficient Canadian Lumber Companies. All but one of these complaints against Canada, has failed completely under arbitration, with one limited success. Results from this form of legal terrorism include the following:-
- For a decade Americans have been paying 25 to 30% too much for lumber construction supplies = higher housing costs for all Americans.
- Less efficient Canadian suppliers are long out of business - producing anti US bitterness in the industry and amongst workers and damaged communities.
- Surviving Canadian suppliers are now typically 25 to 30% more competitive than their US competition.
- American credibility is seriously damaged. Despite a well meaning initial agreement - the United States corporately is viewed by most Canadians "as not keeping its word on NAFTA".
- The super rich get richer - they have manipulated the supply (and thus price) of lumber - a small investment of $40 Million in legal fees has reaped Billions in profits - all paid for by ordinary Americans.
Finally American hating liberals (yes we have them too! :) ) are well aware the United States cannot defend itself without Oil. Renegotiating NAFTA will put energy supply front and centre and thus play into the hands of your enemies. For all the integrity and wisdom of our principled Prime Minister, (the best ally the US could have had from Canada in 35 years), he leads a minority Government that could fall in a heart beat. Attempts to renegotiate will put secure energy supply front and centre. The liberals and America haters WILL try to limit your defence capabilities by interrupting oil supply - and quite legally!
It would be quite arrogant (and also incompetent) for either candidate to assume they can arbitrarily revisit or renegotiate NAFTA without addressing issues raised by the other Nations. Canada"s Prime Minister has made it clear that in the event of a "revisit" energy supplies will be an issue.
Conclusion:-
- Hillary and Obama are appallingly incompetent, are very ill advised, OR, perhaps they have no intention of following through and are simply lying!
Hey! Sorry about last week- meant to call you. I had gotten things mixed up and had other plans. Plus, I've just been working a lot lately. Too much. I need a few days off.
Yes. let's go listen to music soon. Anyone interesting coming to town??
bro, I've ALWAYS been about preaching...it's just because of a few unfortunate mishaps that I am not. My every desire is to move in that direction. I've been blessed in the meantime though, that I fill in at local churches when needed, and occasionally am asked to hold a gospel meeting, or speak in a lectureship. Also, to satiate my "preacher passion" I speak at schools and youth organizations on sexual abstinence.
I would LOVE to come- especially hanging out with you and Lisa Lisa and the Cult Jam. However, I have to pay $$$ for a crown (I chipped my tooth a few weeks ago) so I can't afford the $35 right now. But please keep me abreast of other fun stuff coming up. Maybe after I get my "stimulation check" from Uncle Sam I can tear up some concerts.
I thought you and Lisa were going to a concert and I was going to watch/play with the girls?! Anyway, sounds fun--best present is just being with you all. Mushy...but true. :)
Josh, you KNOW I'd love to see you and Lisa too, but it turns out that that weekend is not the best. Andrew has soccer game and I'll be doing the rounds with the b'day celebrations that weekend too. :) Maybe we could plan a trip over in the summer.
I will hug my mom for you this afternoon. Just some FYI for you and Lisa: I'll be in Atlanta all summer,(well, June and July) and I don't work at nights, so if y'all ever want a date out, I can be a babysitter. I'm sure y'all have plenty to choose from, but you can add me to the list.
Thanks Josh! And yes, most definitely, your friend can come. I have a denominational friend who might come, and I'm hoping to use it as an evangelism opportunity.
Hey Josh. I had a pretty busy weekend. I am in Atlanta. I had a friend come down for the weekend and actually locked my keys in my trunk last night, so uhnmm, the curse of the Gurtler mishaps lives on! I'd really like to discuss this issue with you or whomever sometime. Also, I have another email that I haven't replied to that includes just as many off-the-wall arguments. I would appreciate the help. Let me know you and Lisa's schedule this week and weekend and maybe I can come see y'all!
I Thessalonians 5:18 "In everything give thanks, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus"
Dear friends forgive me for not posting anything new of late. This does not mean that I have been without inspiration! A few nights ago, I was putting Abby to bed and we were talking about the New Testament. So far, Lisa has taken the girls through the Rainbow Series and the Old Testament so the girls have not spent as much time in the New yet. So I was talking about how much Paul wanted to be like Jesus and we should too, and Abby said, "do you mean Ron Paul?" :)
So, now that you know who I wanted to be our next president :) I encourage any and all debate regarding topics such as the Fed, taxes, supply side economics, foreign occupation, healthcare, immigration etc. In the meantime lets remember that the greatest concern this country has is called SIN. Most if not all of our sin is rooted in self, and concern for self. Dear friends, remember that the liberal Media WANTS you to be concerned, worried, and afraid about the current state of our economy and mood of our country. I think Herman Cain, a conservative talk show host put it well when he said, "In spite of what the liberal media wants everyone to believe, it is YOU who decides whether we are in a recession or prospering. Don't let yourself be a victim, decide that you are NOT participating in the recession and you wont!" Now, wasnt that refreshing to hear? Now, after deciding you will NOT participate in the current recession give God thanks for EVERYTHING in your life, through Christ Jesus (I thess 5:18). Thankfulness with a determined spirit will have a great impact on others. Maranatha
I Live in Venezuela, in the city of Maracay. I work with the only one sound church in this city. I have been preching in Mexico, Colombia and USA. I was in Texas preaching a Gospel Meeting with the spanish church in Odessa, where brother Wayne Partain preachs.
Yes, I can to go to Atlanta and be with you, only with need to talk and make arrangements for my trip. Also, let me know in what city you are, and what church (address).
Also, let me know when you go to Nicaragua, maybe, I can go with you and be your compainer. Please, if you have a e-mail, I would like have it. Please, let me know about the brother that goes to Cuba, this is VERY important to me. Answer me soon. Brotherly, Luis.
Feliz Cumpleanos amigo! I had such a great time in Georgia! It was so nice to spend time with people who wanted to spend so much time studying God's word and talking about spiritual things. I really appreciate the work you're doing.
Hola mi hermano, que bueno que podamos conversar por este medio. He oido de una iglesia en Atlanta, la Embry Hills church of Christ. Estas tu alli con el grupo hispano? o es otra congregacion donde tu estas? El predicador alli se llama Jose Coronado segun la web site de la iglesia.
Por ahora estoy pensando en ir a Cuba, y luego a Peru y Chile. Pero no tengo nada definido aun. Por supuesto que me gustaria ir a Atlanta y tener una serie con la iglesia. Podria ser para principios del 2009, si asi Dios lo permite. Solo que la iglesia este en acuerdo. Seguiremos conversando de este plan. Porque cuando yo viajo a otro pais trato de hacer arreglos con mas de una iglesia para que el viaje sea eficiente y productivo.
Sobre Nicaragua, necesito saber cuando tienen pensado ir y asi ver si me es posible acompanarlos. Yo tengo deseos de ir a Nicaragua. Varios hermanos me han invitado a ir. Es posible esta sea una buena oportunidad e ir con ustedes. Bueno, dejame saber las fechas y lo considerare. Seguiremos conversando de esto. Me da gusto haber conocido a Jacob, me ha agrado ser su hermano y amigo ahora. Cuidate y saludos a tu familia y hermanos. Brotherly, Luis.
Josh i know you like Koolaid. I want to move to a european country for 2 years and save money then when I come home my 100Euros would be worth a couple million.
Hermano, no tengo aun muchas canas, pero ¡es mejor que tener canas que no tener ningún pelo! Creo que nunca estarás calvo jamás. Me preguntaste cómo estaba. Ahora me va bien, pero en febrero me puso enfermo y casi morí porque tenía choque séptico y mi presión arterial alcanzó 90/27! Quedé cinco días en cuidado intensivo. Hicieron una puntura lumbar y fijaron una línea arterial (el nervio aún me duele a veces). No tuvieron ninguna idea al comienzo qué estaba mal conmigo, pero finalmente decidieron que fue meningitis viral y me dejó con myocarditis (inflamación muscular del corazón). La morfina era muy bien - era necesito contra los dolores del corazón. No he asistido a la escuela por una semana y por eso sólo acabé mi preparación para la escuela el viernes pasado. Mi corazón se ha vuelto a normal y he vuelto al trabajo. Os amo muchisimo.
I possibly maybe might can make it Friday. I am in KY for work this week but if I'm not too exhausted and if I decide not to go home to AL. I miss you guys!
Is there a study this Friday? If so, you guys should change your study plans and come to North Gwinnett's meeting with Coulter Wickerham!! It starts at 7:30 Friday night.
Josh how do you proclaim to be asthetically pleasing with superhuman strength with such a huge gutt? You are a glutton that doesn't ever exercise. I may be a glutton but atleast I work it off
Hey Josh! I got Lisa's phone mssg and your note on pleo! I had planned to go to the meeting at Embry Hills Fri. night and N Gwinnett Sat. night so I will probably not see you there Fri. I am looking forward to being there on Sat though. Thanks again for the great weekend in the mts! See ya'll next time! Cheers!
I think Fotty did do that! He was probably trying to make up for the lack of action he'd get as an adult. Poor kid. Hopelessness does have a face. I have the same issues with my back...I attribute them to Ziggy Piggy hacking me in the back with a hockey stick at age 13. Do you remember that?
That's hilarious! Seriously? I would love to come out and see you guys. I really miss you and Lisa and want to get to know your cute little girls better. They're so sweet :) Hopefully I'll be able to visit soon. I'm moving so things are a little up in the air right now. Maybe I can come during the time you guys have one of your bible study get-togethers.
My wife and I have been brewing alot of espresso lately so maybe that would explain why I am up right now at 3am! For just such a reason, I have decided to post a few questions out there to the pleoworld and make several observations that I would not normally make during sane hours.
There is an estimated 35 million foreign born resident aliens in our country, most of them illegal according to numbersusa.com. It has been estimated that 48% of all illegals are Mexicans, and nearly one third of all Mexicans are married men who have left their families to come here. Many of these men and women come from poorer, rural areas of Mexico and other poorer central american countries and arive here with little education and no desire to invest back into our economy. Furthermore, they strap our medical system with unpaid medical claims and in the cases of many construction workers, pay no tax. An estimated 16.6billion earned by mexicans was sent back to Mexico to assist relatives, giving the average American the feeling that many Mexicans do not wish to become americans or reinvest in our country. All of these observations have been made by conservative talk radio in our country, and most proud patriots are up in arms about the situation here regarding illegals. However, I do not think these things should affect our love for them and our approach to reach them with the gospel. I would however like to ask a few questions because some of thet issues are challenging. I do think that you will agree sometimes our patriotic views do not concur with the attitudes that Jesus says should be present in us.
1) Are we enraged because illegals add a tax burden to this country, dont pay medical bills, add burdens to our school system, dont maintain a nice yard, play annoying music? If these are the primary reasons, then we have placed country and secular matters above Christianity. However, If we are saddened because of the spiritual consequences of their decision to come to this country (leaving wife and family, stealing, etc) then our saddness is just. However, even though my wife and I have working with a hispanic church for 5 years, I still find times when my patriotic side fights against my sympathetic Christ-like mindset. Perhaps Jesus ate with illegal aliens alongside Matthew that night (Mt 9:10). His disciples were asked, "why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" But when he heard it, he said, "...Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice'. Our mercy towards the illegal should outweigh all other thoughts we have toward them, especially ones based on a false sense of patriotism.
2) According to Romans 13, our government's laws should be obeyed but not when they conflict with God's laws (Ax 5:29). The decision some brethren have made to refuse to teach the gospel to illegals is a clear example of placing man's laws before God's. Here is a point that the Bible is clear on--God has placed man's eternal destiny, his soul, many light years ahead of anything else man possesses or establishes (Mt 16:26). Paul tells about some Jews who were hindering the preaching of the gospel to the Gentiles. By doing so, God's wrath would come upon them (I Thess 2:16,17).
3) Hopefully we do not think we are 'too good' to associate with illegals, and have a godly influence toward them. Jesus was 'meek and lowly' in heart (Mt 11) and we are commanded to associate with the humble, and not to be haughty (Romans 12:16).
Tough Questions:
1) There remain a few tough questions that I am still working on. Once an illegal becomes a Chrstian, what then is their obligation regarding the laws of the land? For example, a member of the church who is not driving with a valid driver's license. How should the church encourage this to be corrected?
2) What attempts should be made to make amends with the laws of the land? Is prayer that the problem be addressed in Congress sufficient? Or on the opposite spectrum, do we take a hard-line approach that from the day they become Christians they are in error and must return to their country? I do not believe this is the right approach, nor that prayer is sufficient, but rather than time to develop an understanding is first required then further action must be taken. What are your thoughts?
In closing, back to my insomnia, while I was watching different sports clips on youtube, I found this classic video from Sting Its a song called Desert Rose
Finially made it to GA!! It's great to be here. Believe it or not, I already have plans for Friday the 9th so I can't promise anything but I'll see what I can do. I'd love to come though. Maybe something will work out. I'll let you know one way or the other. Please give my love to the fam! Talk to you later. Cheers!
I will gather the midgets and any Jewish-Amish descendants that I find living near me and come north on Friday. The hike sounds good, too! Do I have to sleep near anyone that snores?
Josh, I am bummed, but I have company coming in town this weekend. :( The kids and I will need to just plan a trip over to see y'all soon. You and Lisa are welcome this way anytime. I enjoyed having your parents here so much.
Thanks for your comment! I am not too big into Disney princesses cause alot of their messages aren't what I want to promote to my girls. So I'm totally for the whole princess thing and I do believe that they are princesses in God's kingdom and that we need to teach them to live like it. So she had her heart set on a princess party and I got an idea from a book that we have about being a princess that belongs to God.
hey, josh! this is deanna (lynn) vaughan (knew you at f.c.). thank you for these excellent (even at 3 am!) thoughts...i've been thinking about these same things in relation to the people on the street corners asking for money.
Hey Josh. I had wrote to your wife on pleo yesterday, and told her that we were living in Kentucky now...so I guess we won't be able to make the Friday night get together!! Thanks for your kind words. By the way, were you at the georgia/kentucky game? I thought I saw you on t.v. when they did a crowd shot! Take care.
Amigo, te llamé a ti annoche - ambos al numero de Craig y tu cellfon también, pero no estabas disponible. Ahora, son las diez de la mañana y tengo que descansar porque trabajé annoche. Tal vez podríamos charlar con café a pronto... ¡Llámame por teléfono - mi numero es: 905-688-0807 [la casa] o 289-669-0485 [cellfon].
Josh, just in case you check this this week. Just wanted to let you know I am not going to be able to be at the Bible class this Fri. Got something else going on. Gonna miss it though. Hope ya'll have a good one. "Hello" to all. Cheers!
You need a new post.
Your jokes are still on a previous post. I post more often than just once a year, unlike some people I know.
My plans are to come tomorrow night to the shindig. I have also invited others, but they might not be ready for the kind of shindig that you and Lisa are known to have. I shall attempt bring something delicious to eat.
Josh Hey I dont know if you remember me but I knew you through a cool guy, Jaime Houchen. I am Ryan Hochdorf. I stayed with you in Bowling Green and you came to Texas to stay with Jamie. ANyway how are things going? If you don't remember me then oh well. If you do come visit my blog, its lame.
