Farm Sounds

We have been out at the farm a lot lately, painting like fools. We haven't had a chance to really stop and enjoy it much yet. Last night though on my way out I stopped. The frogs were croaking in the pond, the crickets were chirping: farm sounds. I took the recording below. If you live in the city and haven't been in open spaces lately, have a listen and enjoy. The audio is kind of soft, so you'll have to turn up your volume.

A Message From Ben

Ben and Caleb both call me at work from time to time. It is a great break to my day and a reminder of my purpose. Sometimes they leave messages too. This one is a great testament to where Ben is right now. Enjoy!

Fighter Verses and a growing community

Each week our church memorizes a passage of the Bible. Our church calls them "Fighter Verses." I have written about our families desire to hide God's word in our hearts before. At times this has been easier than at others. One thing that I am very excited about is the songs that have been written for some of this year's fighter verses. They are written by Scott Jamison, incidentally one of Ben's teachers on Wednesday night and the writer of one of the blogs I read daily. One of the performers on the songs, Tom Dodd, leads our small group. His wife Abigail writes another blog that I read. I am excited about this music and how it has already allowed me to put this week's verse in my heart (track 4 below).

I Timothy 4:12 "Do not let anyone despise you for your youth but set the believers an example in conduct, in speech, in love, in purity." (I wrote that from memory, so I may have jacked some of it up.)

I am also excited about the community that we are developing over the Internet. This is definitely one case where my getting to know people in the virtual world has helped me get to know them in the real world. Check out the blogs that we enjoy above and listen to the music below and maybe even join us in memorizing these scriptures.

Some audio tests

We got Caleb a new tape recorder for his birthday. This has led to a lot of fun recording sessions. I thought that I would try to figure out how to get some of these online. This weekend I did just that. Here are a couple of short ones that I think everyone will get a kick out of. The quality is not very good, but come on, it's from a cassette tape.

In case I disappear, come looking for the voice on this recording.

I LOVE to hear Matthew laugh. Whenever I hear him chuckle in the back of the house, it makes me get a huge smile on my face. Give it a try.

Hymn of the Week--Away In A Manger

We have a Little People's nativity scene that every time you push the star down on the top, it plays Away In A Manger. Unfortunately, it has soured me a little to this Christmas hymn. But when Shirley suggested last night after dinner, Ben was very excited. I was excited too to see the boys sing a long with this one. I learned this when I was their age in Aunt Betty's class at Waterford Community Church. Below you can hear Ben and Caleb from two years ago singing this carol. Turn it up. It is a great one!

Hymn of the Week
Away In A Manger
Words by J. C. File
Music by William J. Kirkpatrick

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head.
The stars in the sky looked down where He lay,
The little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay.

Gabcast! bcm #7 - Away in a Manger

Ben and Caleb sing

What's so great about your god?

This summer, like last, our church has been doing Wednesday night service outside at an area park. We eat hot dogs, spend some time singing and then hear from God's word. This past week they had what we used to call growing up "a time of testimony". People got up and went to a microphone to answer the question, "if someone knew nothing about Christianity but asked you, 'What's so great about your god?', what would be your answer?" When I was in high school and college, I would have been the first one to the microphone. For good and bad, I have become a little bit more timid.

Here's my answer. In my mind there is only one reason that I would give. My god is so great because when I was dead in my trespasses, he chose me, not because of any merit of my own. Before I loved him, he loved me first. That love sent Jesus to the cross to die a subsitutionary death. He took the wrath of the Father upon himself. He took my place. He gave me the gift of faith through His grace that led to new birth. Because of that gift my life is forever changed and different. He took out my heart of stone and replaced it with a heart of flesh. He wrote his law upon my heart. All of this not due to anything that I did, but entirely because of His kindness and His mercy. What a gift! What a God!

When I think thoughts like this and write words like these, it really does make my heart overflow in singing. The song below is a recent favorite.

Happy Birthday Joe! We love you.

Joe,
We love you today. We are glad that we have had you for 34 years. (Well, actually I've only had you for 30 years. I haven't actually known anything else except having you.) We hope that you have had a great day. Blessings on you this year.
Gabcast! bcm #8 - Happy Birthday Joe

A Happy Birthday from all of us

Away in a Manger

Every night before the boys go to bed we do some sort of devotions. Lately we have been reading this book about Christmas carols. (This would be a great book to buy for kids or grandkids.) It tells the story of the Christmas carol, has a verse of scripture, and then we sing the song. Of course the boys don't know the songs yet, so it is usually a solo. We finished the book the other night though. So last night we just went through and sang some that they knew. They have learned a lot of them from listening to Christmas music on the radio.

This morning I had the boys sing one of their favorites. Caleb is kind of leading on this one, but you can hear Ben here and there. Enjoy and thanks for reading and listening.

Gabcast! bcm #0 - Away in a Manger

Ben and Caleb sing

Happy Birthday Joe

So, I tried to get the boys to sing a song last night so that I could put it up here. I started recording and they started singing Happy Birthday. I don't think they had decided to whom they were singing. You'll here that when they get to that spot. Knowing somehow though that Joey was the next person in our family to have a birthday, they went with him. Happy Birthday, Joe. Even if it is 12 days early. Maybe we'll celebrate the 12 days of Joe! We love you. Enjoy!

Gabcast! bcm #5 - Happy Birthday Joe

A great rendition of a classic, especially for Uncle Joe

Audio Blog Test

Gabcast! bcm #3 - Audio Blog Test

This is only a test.