Look closely, and you will see the bright spots in this day. Give your attention, your thoughts, and your efforts to those bright spots, and they will grow even brighter.

Flag Counter started April 3, 2008

I was just listening to a country music radio station and heard this song for the first time. With the miracle of google, I found the lyrics in just moments. What a tear-jerker song! You have to listen to it to get the full effect.

If you’re reading this
My momma is sitting there
Looks like I only got a one way ticket over here
I sure wish I could give you one more kiss
War was just a game we played when we were kids
Well I’m laying down my gun
I’m hanging up my boots
I’m up here with God
And we’re both watching over you

So lay me down
In that open field out on the edge of town
And know my soul
Is where my momma always prayed where it would go.
If you’re reading this I’m already home.

If you’re reading this
Half way around the world
I won’t be there to see the birth of our little girl
I hope she looks like you
I hope she fights like me
Stand up for the innocent and the weak
I’m laying down my gun
Hanging up my boots
Tell dad I don’t regret that I’d follow in his shoes

So lay me down
In that open field out on the edge of town
And know my soul is where my momma always prayed where it would go
If you’re reading this, I’m already home

If you’re reading this, there is going to come a day
You move on and find someone else and that’s okay
Just remember this
I’m in a better place
Soldiers live in peace and angels sing amazing grace

So lay me down
In that open field out on the edge of town
And know my soul is where my momma prayed where that it would go
If you’re reading this
If you’re reading this
I’m already home

I was just listening to a country music radio station and heard this song for the first time. With the miracle of google, I found the lyrics in just moments. What a tear-jerker song! You have to listen to it to get the full effect.

If you’re reading this
My momma is sitting there
Looks like I only got a one way ticket over here
I sure wish I could give you one more kiss
War was just a game we played when we were kids
Well I’m laying down my gun
I’m hanging up my boots
I’m up here with God
And we’re both watching over you

So lay me down
In that open field out on the edge of town
And know my soul
Is where my momma always prayed where it would go.
If you’re reading this I’m already home.

If you’re reading this
Half way around the world
I won’t be there to see the birth of our little girl
I hope she looks like you
I hope she fights like me
Stand up for the innocent and the weak
I’m laying down my gun
Hanging up my boots
Tell dad I don’t regret that I’d follow in his shoes

So lay me down
In that open field out on the edge of town
And know my soul is where my momma always prayed where it would go
If you’re reading this, I’m already home

If you’re reading this, there is going to come a day
You move on and find someone else and that’s okay
Just remember this
I’m in a better place
Soldiers live in peace and angels sing amazing grace

So lay me down
In that open field out on the edge of town
And know my soul is where my momma prayed where that it would go
If you’re reading this
If you’re reading this
I’m already home

At the fair today we saw one of our favorite acts, Kachunga, the alligator wrestlers! Jessica and I have enjoyed their show several times in the past at the Missouri State Fair. Our good friend Susan Sparks books them and arranged for a more personalized photo shoot.

Delilah took right to the small gater.

Bryce, however, was pretty clear, “No, you go ahead Sissy, I’ll wait over here.”

Delilah, the ham!

“Ok, if you hold me Mommy, I’ll be in the photo.”

Susan asked me if I’d like to have my photo taken with the gater. “No,” I said, “but I’d sure like to have my photo taken with those really CUTE Kachunga guys!” So, we arranged for one of their girlfriends to take our photos!

Delilah held the gater during our photo shoot above and then walked down the line holding it so the kids could pet it. Won’t be too many years, and she can work performing for Susan just like her mother and uncle Justin did!

A man and his wife were having some problems at home and were giving each other the silent treatment. Suddenly, the man realized that the next day, he would need his wife to wake him at 5:00 AM for an early morning business flight.

Not wanting to be the first to break the silence (and LOSE), he wrote on a piece of paper, “Please wake me at 5:00 AM.” He left it where he knew she would find it.

The next morning, the man woke up, only to discover it was 9:00 AM and he had missed his flight. Furious, he was about to go and see why his wife hadn’t wakened him, when he noticed a piece of paper by the bed. The paper said, “It is 5:00 AM. Wake up.”

Men are not equipped for these kinds of contests.

I helped with our church Vacation Bible School tonight. Here’s the group.

Bryce got a big-boy haircut yesterday!

We took Garland fishing to that farm pond. Richard caught the first big fish.

A 2 pound largemouth bass!

(more…)

Here’s the “before” photo of our office area. I had my laptop on the left and used the old CRT monitor in the middle as a second monitor.

We lifted the paper sorter and shelving on the right so the printers fit better under them and moved the laptop under also. I can still use the CRT monitor. I also took this opportunity to take everything off the desk and totally clean behind and around it. We fixed the power strips better below the desk to make them neater and easier to clean around. Then we set up our new iMac computer on the left hand side! This computer is for capturing and editing stockmanship video.

Garland decided maybe he needed to try out the whole cowboy hat thing! He helped us drive the cows from one end of the farm to the next.