Joseph Campbell

A Day in the Life of the Campbell's

2010-12-09T19:18:00.003-05:00

Last night, Jeremiah fell and chipped one of his front teeth. Stephenie and I were a little frantic.

This morning, Jeremiah was able to get in and see his dentists around 10:15. (Side note - the receptionist at our dentist is a wonderful lady!) They took an x-ray of his tooth, found that the root was still protected and therefore our dentist was able to put a filling on his tooth. (Weren't able to "replace" the chip.) When all was said and done, Jeremiah had his wonderful smile back and you couldn't tell that it had been chipped.

We immediately jumped in our van and got on the road headed for Virginia (Colonial Heights area) for Stephenie's grandmother's funeral. (The actual funeral is going to be on Friday.) We made it to the funeral home just in time for a private, family viewing. (We stopped and changed our clothes in a nasty Burger King.) All of Stephenie's family was there. We had a great time of fellowship as we all shared different memories that we had of Grandma Henry (and Grandpa Henry).

Thank you to everyone for their prayers and words of encouragement.

The Power & Pull of Music

2010-11-30T14:57:00.004-05:00

This past Sunday night I had the opportunity to preach a message on the topic of music. You can listen to that message at http://www.southcharlottebaptist.org/.

In her book, Music and Morals, author Kimberly Smith states,, "...There is no such thing as 'Christian' music. There are only two choices for music: moral and immoral."

The "world" very clearly understands that music is very powerful. Just ask Muzak, a business that makes its living because of that power. Just ask any secular artist. Immoral music has a power that easily influences its listeners towards sensuality and rebellion, and influences them away from God.

That is where the pull of music comes in. 2 Timothy 3:1, 13-17 document well the pull of the world which can be seen in its immoral music.

Allow me to illustrate to you the "slide" that has taken place in so called "Christian" music.

Step 1. CCM (Contemporary Christian Music) - Artists such as Amy Grant and others began to popularize CCM which took the sound of the world and coupled it with "Christian" lyrics falsely believing that music (the sound) was amoral or morally neutral. CCM's belief was and still is that any music can be joined with Christian lyrics to make it acceptable and pleasing to God. (This is a Biblically incorrect belief.)

Step 2. CCM (Christ, Community, and Music) - This step began as "Christian" artists began to "crossover" into the world's pop music. In fact, these artists began to be referred to as "artists of faith." This meant that a musician, who gave any type of 'Christian' testimony, could perform Christian music and could also perform secular music. Many would place Taylor Swift, who gives a Christian testimony yet performs secular music, in this category.

Step 3. The slide hasn't stopped with simply taking the world's music and coupling it with Christian lyrics. Now it is a full acceptance, by Christians, of secular, worldly music - lyrics and all. I have on my desk right now a teen, "Christian" magazine with an article entitled, "Music to get you in the Christmas spirit." In this article it not only lists contemporary Christian musicians, but also artists of faith, as well as out-right secular musicians such as Harry Connick Jr. and Kelly Clarkson, former winner of the American Idol.

This same magazine, in tackling the subject of evangelism says, "Honestly, people want 'proof' of the difference Jesus makes. Your life is the proof." How can we prove that Christ has made a difference in our life when they "hear" no difference in our music and even see us accepting their music.?

"Come out from among them and be ye seperate..." (2 Corinthians 6:17)

Permission Slips

2010-11-12T16:02:00.002-05:00

Below you will find PDF's of the permission slips of tonight & tomorrow's youth activities.

Click on the appropriate permission slip to open/view/then print.

What Are the Signs of Rebellion?

2010-08-03T22:06:00.003-05:00

Tonight, in Bro. Rand's message, he gave us the 7 signs of rebellion. He then went on to preach a wonderful message on being "A Rebel - But No One Knows It."

1. Little or now communications
2. Loss of interest in spiritual things
3. Lousy friends
4. Lack of enthusiasm
5. Letting go of strong moral standards
6. Lack of gratitude or thankfulness
7. Little or no respect for authority

Monday @ The Wilds

2010-08-02T21:55:00.005-05:00

We arrived safely this afternoon after an almost 5 hour drive from Charlotte to The Wilds! We'll update more tomorrow!

Teens & Technology

2010-07-21T09:53:00.003-05:00

I have written to parents in the past about teens and technology. However, I was recently reminded about the subject and thought it important enough to address again.

Technology is everywhere. Every aspect of our lives is touched in some way by technology. Whether it be cell phones, Ipads, ATM machines, portable DVD players (and the list could go on), we can't seem to get away from it!

Unfortunately, parents many times "assume" that teenagers know how to use this technology. Now, while teenagers know how to use technology they really don't know how to use it! Hopefully the following thoughts will help you understand what I mean.

1. As a parent, take the time to acquaint yourself with all the technology that your children and teenagers use. (I understand that this can be an intimidating task but it is important!)

2. As a parent, teach your children how to use technology. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, "Whether therfore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." Teenagers need to be taught to use technology in the right way - a way which glorifies the Lord!

3. As a parent, you must "inspect what you expect." Now, although this will take effort on your part as a parent and although it may not be pleasantly received by your children and teenagers, it is a very necessary step. If you've taken the time to understand the technology yourself, and you've taken the time to teach them how to use the technology, then take the time to make sure they are using the technology in the proper way. Proverbs 29:15b says, "...a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame."

4. If, after following these first 3 points you find that your children/teenagers are not using technology properly, please don't have a "knee-jerk" reaction and simply take the technology away. Go back to steps 1-3 and ask yourself, "Do I understand how this technology works and what it has the ability to do?" "Have I instructed them in the proper use of this technology?" "Have I been holding them accountable for how they've been using this technology?" It may be necessary for you to have your children take a break from the technology for awhile but be sure that it includes plenty of Biblical instruction.

"All Scripture is given is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine (what is right), for reproof (what is wrong), for correction (how to get right), for instruction in righteousness (how to stay right): that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Computers began to become household items when I was a young teenager. My father bought our first computer when I was 12. I was intrigued with computers and began to teach myself how to use them. I learned that I could hook a telephone line up to a modem, type in a phone number, and visit "bulletin boards." (Remember, this was in the days before the internet and "unlimited" calling plans.) The online shopping mall that I visited was in California. While I did not get in trouble because of what I was viewing online, the phone call itself cost a lot of money. My parents hit the roof when the $800 phone bill arrived in the mail. Not that I'm blaming my parents, but had they taken the time to find out what that computer could do, then instruct me on how to correctly use that new technology, and then check up on me, they could have saved me a lot of "weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth" and saved themselves some money!

"But make me thereof a little cake first..."

2010-07-19T14:26:00.001-05:00

This story in 1 Kings 17 about Elijah being provided for by a widow woman many times is used to illustrate the principle of putting God first. However, I believe it has an even more practical application for us that we many times overlook. Put the man of God - your pastor - first! Allow me to illustrate.

My son, Jeremiah, started cutting grass this summer in order to earn money for camp, etc. Because of his age, though, I have had to drive him, and the equipment, to each house and provide some supervision.

Because of being out of town, one of the yards that he takes care of needed to be cut today! Because of the forecast - They called for rain in the afternoon - I had planned to go home at lunch and take him to get it done.

However, just as I had changed and was getting ready to leave, our senior pastor called. One of the senior couples in our church needed a ride home from the doctor's office. Pastor had planned to ask me to pick them up but when he realized what my plans were, he told me that he would take care of it and for me not to worry about it but to get the yard cut.

The Spirit of God prompted me, though, to press my senior pastor to allow me to minister to this couple (and to be a help to him). I told him that I could take care of it and then help my son get the yard cut. He finally agreed to allow me to do it stating that he had some matters that he needed to attend to in the afternoon as well. He thanked me and we ended our conversation.

I quickly drove to the doctor's office, picked the couple up and took them home. I hurried home, picked up my son (and daughter who is my son's "employee"), and headed to the particular home that needed to be tended to. As we arrived, the storm clouds began to gather. In my mind I told myself that if it began to rain, we'd just have to accomplish it another day.

As we were cutting the grass, the clouds continued to gather and I knew it was merely a matter of time before the rain started.

As my son was nearing the end, sure enough, the skies opened up and it begain to sprinkle. We quickly finished, loaded everything up, and then headed home. As we were driving home it began to rain a little heavier.

I began to think of this passage in 1 Kings 17:13 where Elijah instructed the widow woman that if she would provide for his needs first, that the Lord would miraculously provide for her needs. I believe that most of us know the rest of the story. As I said earlier, we so often use that story to illustrate the priciple of putting God first. However, let me encourage you to do the following. If you have a pastor, find some way in which you can put him first and be an encouragement to him. Maybe you could cut his grass. Or volunteer to watch his children so that he can take his wife on a date. Or make him his favorite dessert. Think creatively. The Lord will bless your efforts to honor your pastor!

"Forgotten" Verse of Star Spangled Banner

2010-06-09T10:05:00.001-05:00

O thus be it ever, when free men shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war's desolation!
Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land
Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just;
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust!"
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave.
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Every time we sing our national anthem in our church, we also sing this verse. Yes, we do need to get back to remembering that our country was founded upon the belief in Almighty God - the God of the Bible, not just some "made up" diety!

Teens & Technology

2010-06-08T15:31:00.001-05:00

I remember as a young teenager when I had earned enough money in order to purchase my very first Sony Walkman - a completely portable and battery powered cassette player! I was excited! I next remember purchasing my very own camera, a Kodak Disc 4000. I took literally hundreds of pictures with that camera.

As you realize though, technology has come a long way since then. Teenagers are know inundated with MP3 players, IPods, digital cameras, cells phones, DVD players, laptop computers, portable games, and the list could go on. Technology has definitely changed but what has not changed is the tempatation that teenagers face to use technology in a sinful way.

A recent news article from Fox News.com illustrates that point. The headline for that article read, “Trading Nude Photos Via Mobile Phone Now Part of Teen Dating, Experts Say.” That’s an alarming headline but by no means is it an isolated news story. I have other articles that speak of similar dangers that teenagers (and adults) face in using technology.

There is no way to escape technology. It surrounds us on all sides. Technology itself is not inherently good or bad. It is how we use it that determines whether it is good or bad. Proverbs 15:20a states, “A wise son maketh a glad father:” We all want teenagers that are going to use technology in a wise manner.

This may come as a shock to some but teenagers need to be taught how to use technology! The last part of 1 Corinthians 10:31 states, “Do all to the glory of God!” Teenagers need to be taught, by their parents and other caring adults, how to apply Biblical principles in their use of technology. (3 John 4)

George Whitefield

2010-06-08T13:15:00.001-05:00

English evangelist George Whitefield (1714-1770) learned that it was more important to please God than to please men. Knowing that he was doing what was honoring to the Lord kept him from discouragement when he was falsely accused by his enemies.At one point in his ministry, Whitefield received a vicious letter accusing him of wrongdoing.

His reply was brief and courteous: “I thank you heartily for your letter. As for what you and my other enemies are saying against me, I know worse things about myself than you will ever say about me. With love in Christ, George Whitefield.”

He didn’t try to defend himself. He was much more concerned about pleasing the Lord.

Our Daily Bread, August 18, 1992

Health Care in a Free Society

2010-05-11T14:36:00.000-05:00

Health Care in a Free Society, by Paul Ryan, member, U.S. House of Representtatives. Click the link below to read the article.

Imprimis

Biblical Principles of Dating, Part 2

2010-03-04T10:19:00.001-05:00

Last night in 7 Star Teens, I finished preaching on "Biblical Principles of Dating." This is a subject that is of interest to all teenagers. It should be of interest to all parents of teenagers as well. Part of the audio of that sermon & the Power Point to go along with it can be found at www.7StarTeens.org.

Can your relationship with Christ be separated from everything you do?

2010-01-28T14:40:00.001-05:00

Read the following comment made about Mother Teresa:

"Mother Teresa is principally known as a religious figure who ran a religious institution. You can't really separate her being a nun and being a Roman Catholic from everything she did," Gaylor told FoxNews.com.

Stop and think about what this man said. Now think for a moment about your relationship with Jesus Christ. Does your relationship with Him influence everything that you do? Could it be said of you, "You can't really separate their Christianity from everything they do?"

So many Christians seem to "compartmentalize" their relationship with Jesus Christ. That does not mesh with Christ's words, "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in Heaven!" (Matthew 5:16)

Let your light shine regardless of what someone else may say!

5 Lessons

2010-01-27T10:25:00.001-05:00

1 - First Important Lesson - Cleaning Lady.

During my second month of college, our professor
Gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student And had breezed through the questions until I read
the last one: "What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?" Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50's, but how would I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade. "Absolutely, " said the professor. "In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say "hello." I've never forgotten that lesson.. I also learned her name was Dorothy.

2. - Second Important Lesson - Pickup in the Rain

One night, at 11:30 p.m., an older African American woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rain storm. Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride. Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car.
A young white man stopped to help her, generally unheard of in those conflict-filled 19 60's. The man
took her to safety, helped her get assistance and
put her into a taxicab. She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address and thanked him. Seven days went by and a knock came on the man's door. To his surprise, a giant console color TV was delivered to his home. A special note was attached.
It read: "Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night. The rain drenched not only my
clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along.
Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying
husband's' bedside just before he passed away... God
bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving
others." Sincerely, Mrs. Nat King Cole.

3 - Third Important Lesson - Always remember those who serve.

In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and
sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him. "How much is an ice cream sundae?" he asked. "Fifty cents," replied the waitress. The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it. Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?" he inquired. By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient. "Thirty-five cents," she brusquely replied.
The little boy again counted his coins. "I'll have the plain ice cream," he said. The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left.. When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies. You see, he couldn't have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.

4 - Fourth Important Lesson. - The obstacle in Our Path.

In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a
Roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if
Anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the
King's' wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by
And simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the
King for not keeping the roads clear, but none did
Anything about getting the stone out of the way.

Then a peasant came along carrying a load of
Vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the
peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the
stone to the side of the road. After much pushing
and straining, he finally succeeded. After the
peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed
a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note
from the King indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many of us never understand !
Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve
our condition.

5 - Fifth Important Lesson - Giving When it Counts...

Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a
hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who
was suffering from a rare & serious disease. Her only
chance of recovery appeared to be a blood
transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had
miraculously survived the same disease and had
developed the antibodies needed to combat the
illness. The doctor explained the situation to her
little brother, and asked the little boy if he would
be willing to give his blood to his sister.
I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a
deep breath and saying, "Yes I'll do it if it will save
her." As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed
next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing
the color returning to her cheek. Then his face
grew pale and his smile faded.

He looked up at the doctor and asked with a
trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away".
Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the
doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his
sister all of his blood in order to save her.

Taking a Biblical Stand

2009-12-16T07:53:00.001-05:00

Last night, at the Mecklenburg County Commissioner meeting, approval was granted for the county to begin offering benefits to "domestic partners" (the politically correct term for homosexual partners).

Several used the argument that, "God is love and is accepting of all individuals," in favor of offering benefits to homosexual partners. Those same individuals were also very intolerant of those who were strongly opposed to this issue.

It is becoming very evident that the world (and even mainline "Christianity") is becoming more and more intolerant of those who take a Biblical stand against sin!

However, for those who would stand strong, find encouragment in the words of Paul, "Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong." (1 Corinthians 16:13)

My son...

2009-12-01T07:42:00.001-05:00

"My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother." Proverbs 1:8

In his commentary on Proverbs entitled, Godly Advice for Young Adults, Dr. David Sorenson says, "It is...incumbent upon parents to instill discipline, obedience, and the principle of righteousness in their children at the earliest age."

Why Wait?

2009-10-21T10:41:00.005-05:00

We've been studying the book of Acts & the early church in our teen Sunday school class. (We haven't gotten very far at this point. We've been in the first chapter for over a month.) In Acts 1:4, Jesus told the disciples to go back to Jerusalem and "wait for the promise of the Father." 10 days later "when the day of Pentecost was fully come," they finally experienced the promise of the Father. An interesting question, that I don't have the answer for is, why did Jesus want them to wait for 10 days? Why didn't they recieve the power of the Holy Spirit right there on Mt. Olives as Jesus ascended back into Heaven? Think about that one today.

What is Wisdom?

2009-10-06T12:11:00.002-05:00

The whole of Proverbs can be summed up in one word - wisdom. There are 3 parts to Biblical wisdom. There is the accumulation of Biblical principles. In the book of Proverbs it is refered to as knowledge. (Proverbs 2:3-4) Next comes the assimilation of Biblical principles. In the book of Proverbs it is refered to as understanding. (Proverbs 2:5-6) This is the part of Biblical wisdom where, with the Holy Spirit's help, you get a firm grasp on the understanding and meaning of those priniciples that you have eagerly sought to accumulate. The final part of Biblical wisdom is the application of those accumulated & assumilated Biblical principles. (3 John 4)

Young people are simple. Proverbs 7:7 says so. Being simple is not necessarily a bad thing. (It is if a young person stays simple!) A simple person is neither wise or foolish but can be easily influenced either way. That was the point King Solomon was trying to make with his son - "You are simple, I want you to become wise!" (Proverbs 1:1-7)

We all need to develop more Godly wisdom. It is found in the pages of God's Book - the Bible! Spend time in it each day. Encourage your children to spend time in God's Word!

Do they know how a Christian should act?

2009-08-25T08:14:00.001-05:00

It is common knowledge among the men that I play basketball with in the mornings at the YMCA that I am an associate pastor at a local church. This morning, as I was sitting on the sidelines waiting for the next game, to players came toward the sidelines both of them going for the ball. When the ball went out of bounds several of the players looked at me and asked who the ball went off of. I told them who the ball went off of and then a couple of players on the court began to playful bicker about whether I was right or not. It was at that time that one of the other player loudly said, "Hey! He's a minister. He's not going to lie!"

Matthew 5:16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

Although I am not trying to pat myself on the back, let me ask you, "What is your testimony saying to others?"

Why?

2009-08-22T20:09:00.001-05:00

For those of you who teach Sunday school or Children's Church, let me ask you a question: Why should your class listen to your lesson tomorrow? Do you build your lesson so that it is very clear to your students that they need to listen? Something to think about.

The Wilds - Day 4

2009-08-06T22:14:00.003-05:00

It really is hard to believe that the week is almost over. Only 2 more days before we come home. I'm sure that most of the parents are eager to see their children and, although some of the young people are looking forward to going home, they would still love to see this week continue.

Evangelist DeGarde's message in chapel this morning was very good and powerful. The title was, "5 ways the God displays His power." His text was Jonah chapter 3. I don't have my notes right here with me so I can't give you the points. The one point that has stuck is, "God displays His power through preaching!" (1 Corinthians 1:18)

This afternoon we were able to have Family Reunion with the juniors and the teenagers. We took time for the teens to share a spiritual testimony from the week (and a "fun" testimony). From the teen's testimonies I must ask the parents, "Are you being a hinderance or a help in your teenager's spiritual walk?"

Tonight, we went to the junior's service where Jeremy Frazer preached a message entitled, "How to block Satan's attacks!" Several of the young people responded to the message.

Moms and Dads, I must ask a favor of you. On Saturday, when we get home, please let your young people rest for awhile first before you pepper them with a lot of questions about how their week was. They are going to extremely tired and may not be too excited (right after they get home) to answer a lot of questions.

Also, we will give the young people the opportunity to give their testimonies on Sunday night while the experiences are fresh on their minds and hearts.

The Wilds - Spoke Tag

2009-08-06T14:04:00.002-05:00

The Wilds - Day 4 in Photos

2009-08-06T13:57:00.004-05:00

The Wilds - Day 3 in Pictures

2009-08-05T21:53:00.001-05:00

The Wilds - Day 3 (Wednesday)

2009-08-05T21:44:00.004-05:00

Today started out with a trip into town. We have a "Family Reunion" time with the teens on Thursday and we always like to give them some snacks at that time. So, every year we take a trip into Brevard to visit Wal-Mart.

When we got back to camp, it was time for Water Wars. The Juniors play water games at/in the lake. Immediately after that we ate lunch with the teens and then they had their "Lake Games." The Wilds has not done water games at/in the lake with the teens since 1997 but with since this year's theme has water related, they brought them back. Both the teens and the juniors loved the water games.

I was able to get my laptop working this afternoon on the Wilds' wireless network. After doing a little work, I had to hustle back to my room before the thunderstorms rolled through. It rained heavy for about 30-40 minutes and then cleared up again.

Wednesday night is always "Fun Night" at the Wilds. We went to the junior's fun time, then went to the teen's preaching service, and then the teen's fun time. Willie and Matt Herbster are hillarious together.

Evangelist Ron DeGarde preached a strong message on sin and salvation. Many responded. I am eager to look at the decisions slips that our teens have filled out. I will see them on Saturday morning when we leave.

All the kids are doing great! Not a single problem! Continue to pray that their spirits will be receptive to the Lord speaking to them.

Until tomorrow!

The Wilds - Day 2, Part 2

2009-08-04T22:56:00.002-05:00

I'm having computer problems here at camp. I have yet to get my laptop to work on the Wilds wireless network. I've got things that I need to get accomplished that I can't do until I can get that working.

Tuesday went by quickly. Everyone was busy. I was "accused" today of being 48 years old! Wow! I wouldn't have seen that coming.

All of the young people are doing great! I'm sure that there are some parents that are having a worse time of it than our young people are doing. Not one of them has complained of being home sick. They are having too much fun!

Stephenie went to the Junior Boot Camp chapel this morning and told me that they're speaker - Mr. Frazier - did an excellent job! Apparently Mr. Frazier holds a black belt in Karate and used it in his chapel message! Needless to say he was able to keep the kids' attention.

Evangelist DeGarde is preaching through the book of Jonah during senior high chapels in the morning. The teens are also studying through the book Jonah during they're "God & I Time" each day.

Evangelist DeGarde preached another powerful message tonight entitled, "The Blueprint for the Battle." His text was Matthew 3:16-4:11. His main points were 1) The warning signs of our enemy 2) The weapons of our enemy 3) The weakness of our enemy. He preached hard on sin and many of our teenagers responded during the invitation.

Stephenie & I have enjoyed watching the teens/juniors have fun. My mind tells me to go on the hikes, ride the giant swing, etc. but I can't just seem to get my body to go along with it. So, we end up sitting in a central location watching all the activity around us.

Have a great night! More tomorrow!

Wilds - Day 2

2009-08-04T15:13:00.003-05:00

The Wilds - Day 1

2009-08-03T22:15:00.002-05:00

Today has been a day of "forgetting." When we left the church this morning, I left the checks (to be used for paying for camp) sitting on my desk. Fortunately, I realized it before we got too far. Pastor Scott brought them to us at the Wal-Mart parking lot off of Hwy 49. Then, when we got to camp I realized that I forgot to pack the power cable/adapter for my laptop. Contrary to what some may think, I do spend some of my time during camp working. I had to call Bro. Waller and he very graciously volunteered to send it to me.

The trip to camp went very well. We had no problems with the bus. (Praise the Lord!) Would you believe, though, that it was the guys (one in particular) who were more "in need" of stopping to go to the bathroom than the girls were?!?!?

We arrived at camp around 2:30 and began the check in process. Normally it takes Stephenie just a short time to get the juniors checked in. She then meets me as I wait to get the teens checked in. However, today, I got the teens checked in and then got to our room and unpacked before Stephenie even got finished!

We took a short "power nap" after our sponsor meeting tonight. Driving several hours in a bus with that many juniors and teens can wear a person out!?!?!? It's not difficult but there's just only so many times a person can hear, "Are we there yet?" before they begin to lose a little of their sanity!?!?!

We watched the juniors tonight play a game called "Battleship Dodgeball." What happened after the game provided me with 2 - not just 1 - "Video Clips of the Day." Both of these would be on anyone's "Top 10" list! I may post one of them tomorrow.

Tonight, Evangelist Ron DeGarde, preached (to the teens) on "The Power of the Word of God." No pun intended but, it was a powerful message. His main point (and his only point) was, "God's Word has the power to change lives!" His main text was from 2 Timothy 3:15-17.

Well, everyone should be in bed and asleep by now. That's where I'm headed! I will try to give an update each day while here along with posting some pictures. Please spread the word to others about this blog so they can keep up with what the teens are doing.

Pray for the young people! Some mighty great things can be accomplished this week! God's Word is powerful!

The Frustrated Christian

2009-07-23T09:24:00.001-05:00

Are you a frustrated Christian? That was the opening question to a wonderful message that Evangelist Norm Stevens preached last night in the mid-week service at South Charlotte Baptist Church. Christians get frustrated because 1. No man can serve two masters (and there are plenty of Christians who try.) 2. A doubleminded man is unstable in all his ways. Trying to serve two masters would make anyone a little "unstable." And then he finished with this question, "Choose you this day whom ye will serve!" Everyone is going to serve someone or something. Choose to serve Christ.

The entire audio of the message can be heard or downloaded from our website at www.SouthCharlotteBaptist.org.

Enjoy!

Six Flags

2009-07-11T20:59:00.001-05:00

This past week we took 25 people to Six Flags over Georgia. We had a great trip!

Trip - The actual trip, both going and coming, was excellent. The bus ran perfectly, the weather was cool and comfortable, the teens didn't beg to stop for the bathroom every 5 minutes or son, and I had a wonderful church member who went with us to drive the bus so that I could fellowship with the teens instead of driving myself.

Teens - All of the teens had great attitudes during the entire trip! Now, don't get me wrong, they weren't perfect but they did a great job! I was especially please to see how they all pitched in to help set up and clean up for dinner on Wednesday night.

Accomodations - We stayed at Bible Baptist Church in Gainesville, GA. An old college friend of mine, Jon Williams, is the pastor there. Jon's wife is one of Stephenie's good friends. We had a great time of fellowship with them!

Six Flags - The weather was superb and the crowds were short. The worst wait was for the Superman coaster. We waited about an hour to get on. The best ride we went on was The Goliath. The Goliath is a metal version of a wooden coaster. It has three things going for it - a huge first hill, speed, and great hills that keep your stomach jumping up and down!

Connecting to An Online Generation, Part 1

2009-07-06T19:24:00.003-05:00

Proverbs 23:26 “My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.”

Teenagers are growing up in the most “connected” generation ever. Due to the information age where they have grown up, teenagers can connect with whomever they want, whenever they want. However, many of these same teenagers feel more “disconnected” from their parents and other loving adults than any other other generation before them. Sure, these teenagers live under the same roof with their parents, eat breakfast at the same table, watch TV in the same room, and even ride in the same vehicle; but that’s not the type of connection I am talking about. I am talking about the type of connection that Solomon was referring to when he said, “My son, give me thine heart…” I am talking about a connection that goes beyond the physical connection of living in the same family to that connection that binds the heart of a parent with the heart of their teenager. I am talking about the type of connection that so many parents and teenagers desire to have with one another yet so few actually do.

Over the past decade and a half of ministering to teenagers I have seen, as a whole, parents and teenagers drifting further apart. I have read books that deal with this issue. I have preached messages that have dealt with this issue. I have taught lessons that have dealt with this issue. Yet, as the years go by, the real heart connection between parents and their children has continued to deteriorate. Although they have not said it verbally, I have seen the questions in the eyes of parents and teenagers alike, “Why is this happening? What can be done to stop it?” Over the next several issues of this newsletter, I want to tackle the subject of connecting - really connecting at the heart - with your children. I want to encourage you to prayerfully read these articles and ask yourself the question, “Am I really connected with my children? What can I do to make the heart connection with my children stronger?”

In order to begin the process of really connecting, on a heart level, with your teenager, you must first seek to understand them. Have you ever made this statement in reference to your teenager, “I just don’t understand teenagers these days!” Or have you ever asked this question about your teenager, “What were they thinking?” Part of this feeling is due to the infamous “generational gap.” However, it is a valid point that in order to understand your teenagers, you need to understand that world in which they have grown up is different from the world in which you grew up.

Each year, two professors at Benoit College in Benoit, Wisconsin put together a “Mindset List.” They have been putting this list together for the past 11 years and it is designed to help the college faculty and staff understand the incoming class of freshman students. This list identifies those experiences which have helped shape the lives, mindset, and worldview of the incoming freshman. I want to include a few of the items from this past year’s list for the 2008 incoming class of freshman. You must realize that this list was compiled for a secular university that is not interested in Biblically training these young people. But, as you read this list, stop and consider how different of a world in which your children have grown up from the world in which you grew up. (If you would like to see the entire list, you may visit www.Beloit.edu/mindset.)

Mindset List for the Class of 2012
1. Gas stations have never fixed flats, but most serve cappuccino.
2. WWW has never stood for World Wide Wrestling.
3. Films have never been X rated, only NC-17.
4. IBM has never made typewriters.
5. The Tonight Show has always been hosted by Jay Leno and started at 11:35 EST.
6. Caller ID has always been available on phones.
7. Soft drink refills have always been free.
8. Windows 3.0 operating system made IBM PCs user-friendly the year they were born.
9. 98.6 F or otherwise has always been confirmed in the ear.

Although this list may make you feel a little “old,” it serves to illustrate the fact that your teenagers have grown up in a world that is vastly different from the world in which you grew up. You must keep that thought in mind as you seek to “connect” with them. The next time you need to “confront” your teenager, keep in mind the command found in James 1:19, “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:” Before demanding that they understand your point of view, seek to understand where they are coming from. That attitude will serve to help you truly connect with your teenagers.

It's Been a Long Time!

2009-07-06T10:53:00.000-05:00

Busy, busy, busy...That's all I can say. I'll finish this later.

Attack of the Cotton Balls

2009-02-05T13:30:00.003-05:00

Last night in youth meeting, we played two games - both involving cotton balls. It was quite amusing watching the teens try to pass a cotton ball using only a straw. Enjoy the pictures.

Snow

2009-02-04T11:49:00.001-05:00

I woke up this morning at 4:45 planning to go to the gym but when I looked outside, the ground and the streets were covered in snow. Normally that would not keep me in but...
I turned the news on to see if school had been cancelled. It had. The weatherman proceeded to describe some of the conditions outside which included black ice. Again, snow wouldn't normally keep me inside and off the roads but the combination of how early it was and the fact that there could be some black ice on the roads was enough to keep me in.
Instead, I made pancakes, hasbrowns, and bacon for breakfast!

Computer Crash

2009-02-01T15:33:00.003-05:00

Here is the timeline of events:

5:00 PM/Friday - I am informed that people are having trouble sending emails and accessing information on the server.
9:00 PM/Friday - Determine that the UPS (Uniterruptable power supply) for the server has been shut off. Why? I do not know but server is now online.
10:00 AM/Saturday - Server is still online but I am receiving an error from the UPS stating that the battery needs to be replaced.
3:00 PM/Saturday - Replace battery in UPS but Server will not come online.
9:00 PM/Saturday - Determine that external hard drive (via USB) is causing the Server to freeze. Upon removing external hard drive, Server boots up properly and comes online. However, this external hard drive contains information necessary to run School Dynamics, a program vital to the smooth flow of our Academy. I also determine that the Server's onboard USB connections are not working. External hard drive is "dead." Fortunately, we do have a back up of the information that is/was on that hard drive.
3:00 PM/Sunday - Install new USB card in Server. Purchase new external drive. On Monday, I will need to reinstall School Dynamics and restore the information from the backup.

My thanks to Mr. Joel Schaeffer for a wealth of trouble shooting information!

Questions About Standards & Potato Fencing

2009-01-15T12:29:00.007-05:00

Last night, in our 7 Star Teen meeting, I preached about standards. In a nutshell (a very small nutshell) here is what I preached.

What is a standard? Christian standards are rules, that have been based upon Biblical prinicples, which guide our conduct.

Are standards necessary? While we all would agree with and understand the fact that a person's spirituality is not determined by the outward conformity to a standard or a rule, standards are still a very necessary part of the Christian life.

Why are standards necessary? (Before continuing, take the time to read 1 Peter 1:13-16 and 2 Timothy 3:13-14) I gave the teenagers 3 Biblical reasons why standards are necessary.

Because God is holy.
Because God commands us to be holy.
Because the world is getting worse.

The issue of standards, whether standards that a parent sets for their children or the standards that a church youth group sets, really go back to a person's attitude. (2 Corinthians 7:1, "...perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord.") As I travelled for Pensacola Christian College, most of the questions that teenagers would ask me dealt with the rules that PCC had or that the teenagers "heard" that PCC had. My normal response to those questions was, "If your attitude toward authority is right and your heart's desire is to please God than you will not have a problem with the rules."

Last night we played a game called, "Potato Fencing." Enjoy the pictures!

Ping Pong Ball Relay

2009-01-08T11:05:00.003-05:00

We have a lot of fun on Wednesday nights during 7 Star Teens! (At least I like to think so.) We normally play some type of game during the course of the evening. Last night we played "Table Tennis Relay." The teens were divided into two teams and then grouped together by two's. Each person was given a straw. Each group, using only the straws had to blow a ping pong ball down the length of two tables and then back without letting it fall off the tables. If the ball fell off, they had to start over again. For some of the teenagers, it was a little harder than it looked!

Praise the Lord!

2008-12-02T11:38:00.001-05:00

"O give thanks unto the Lord for He is good..." Psalm 136:1

God is good in spite of the US economy! God is good in spite of politicians! God is good because that is who He is! He cannot be anything but good!

What Does Proverbs 7:7 and Proverbs 4:23 Have In Common?

2008-11-19T15:06:00.001-05:00

"And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding," Proverbs 7:7

"Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. " Proverbs 4:23

In Proverbs 7:7, the original Hebrew word, translated as "understanding," is also used in Proverbs 4:23 but it is not translated the same. What word is used instead?

Good Morning!

2008-11-19T10:38:00.001-05:00

It was very cold this morning...at least for Charlotte, NC. It was below 30 this morning when I walked out at 5 AM to go to the gym. How cold is too cold? That is the poll question for the day from one of our local TV channels.

It's Been A Long Time

2008-11-11T11:13:00.002-05:00

It's hard to believe that July was the last time that I posted on my blog.

It seems that all the attention has gone to Facebook. I have found an app that will "connect" my blog with my Facebook account so now I may get back to my blog a little more often.

(At church) We are currently in the midst of revival services with Evangelist Dwight Smith. His messages are posted on our church website - www.southcharlottebaptist.org.

Have a great day!

Obama

2008-07-24T12:49:00.002-05:00

Since when is Obama running for President of the World? What's he doing giving speeches in Berlin as if he is running for president of Germany?

Camp at The Wilds, Part 4 - Pictures

2008-07-17T15:08:00.003-05:00

Ben and Tim with one of the teen speakers, Mark Herbster.

The girls at the pizza party after "Fun Night!"

Elijah getting ready to ride the "Land Trolley."

The teenagers after our "Family Reunion."

Sterling's first ride on the "Giant Swing." (Notice that Ben is such an "old pro" that he was confident enough to take his camera with him on the ride!)

Camp at The Wilds, Part 4

2008-07-17T14:58:00.002-05:00

Last night, Mark Herbster preached an excellent salvation message from Romans 3 - "3 Statements of Absolute Truth." Those truths were...
1. All men are sinners.
2. All men are sentenced.
3. All men can be saved.

This morning, I attended the junior high chapel service. The theme for the entire week has been about the life of Joseph. Matt Herbster continued that theme in this morning's chapel. In his review of the previous day, Matt answered the question, "Why was Joseph promoted?" The answer(s)? 1. Because of his compassionate God. 2. Because of his consistent testimony. 3. Because of his competent leadership. It was an excellent message!

I will be bringing home an MP3 CD that will contain all of the messages from the senior/junior high camp as well as one that contains all the messages from Junior Bootcamp.

This afternoon we had our "Family Reunion" time. That is when each church is able to gather their young people together for a time of testimonies, prayer, etc. We also give them a little treat! (That was the main reason we went to Wal-Mart earlier this week.) I also, since I have my computer here, show them some of the pictures that I have taken throughout the week. Even though they would say they hate all the pictures I take, they always enjoy seeing them!

A highlight today was watching Sterling Dotson ride the "Giant Swing" for the very first time! He was excited.

Everyone is doing well. It is getting to that point in the week where they are all getting a little tired and are looking forward to getting back home to sleep in their in own bed. Mom & Dad, begin to prepare an environment where your child will be able to continue his spiritual growth.

Camp at The Wilds, Part 3 - Pictures

2008-07-16T14:39:00.004-05:00

Camp at The Wilds, Part 3

2008-07-16T14:16:00.003-05:00

Stephenie and I "slept in" this morning. I got up at 8:30. For that, my punishment was that I missed breakfast!

Stephenie and I went to Junior Bootcamp chapel this morning. Bro. Ron DeGarde preached on "Protecting Your Heart!" He used several passages of scripture but his launching pad was from Ephesians 6 where we are commanded to put on the breastplate of righteousness. Why? To protect our heart!

From there, I followed the Juniors to the Lake for the "Lake Wars." They divide all the Juniors up into 4 different water games that are all going at the same time. After each round, the children switch to a different game so that at the end of 4 rounds they've had the opportunity to participate in each game.

From there we went to the picnic lunch on the ballfield with the teenagers. I was glad for this especially since I missed breakfast.

After lunch, the teenagers got to play one of their favorites - "The Cat In the Hat." We took plenty of pictures and video from that game.

This afternoon the teenagers and juniors are participating in a variety of activities: the land slide, tubing down the creek, the rope swing, hikes to the falls, swim time at the lake, put-put golf, and the list could go on.

All the young people are doing very well. Continue to keep them in your prayers daily! Thanks.

Camp at The Wilds, Part 2 - Pictures Continued

2008-07-15T22:44:00.004-05:00

Camp at The Wilds, Part 2

2008-07-15T22:17:00.004-05:00

Today (Tuesday)...

I saw The Wilds before the sun came up. (Stephenie and I were up at 5:45 AM in order to get our morning walk in before the day started. I know what some of you are thinking, "Don't you get enough exercise just walking up and down the stairs!?!")

I saw Janna enjoy herself on the Land Trolley.

I saw Michael & Stephen Breeden go down the Landslide. (Very quickly, I might add!)

I saw Lauren and Hannah dive 65 feet on the Giant Swing.

I saw DJ and Andrew getting "crafty" in the Craft Shop.

I saw Travis, Sterling, Jeremiah & Fon Samuel getting wet at the Water Wars.

I saw MacKenzie, Zephany, & Jessica floating down the creek on inner tubes.

All the teens and juniors are doing well. I believe they are getting tired and it's only Tuesday night.

I saw a lot of our teenagers getting "scrambled" at the Scrabble Scramble Game.

Mark Herbster preached on "3 Tremendous Truths for Terrific Teenagers." His text was from Ecclesiastes 12 & 13. Those 3 Truths were/are...

1. Rejoice

2. Remove

3. Remember

(On Saturday, ask your teens to explain those three truths. Hopefully, they were taking notes!)

I'll have more pictures tomorrow! Enjoy! Feel free to pass this blog on to others who might enjoy seeing the young people.

Camp at The Wilds, Part 1

2008-07-15T11:54:00.002-05:00

We arrived at camp by 2:30 on Monday afternoon just as the check-in process was beginning. We had absolutely no problems with the bus on the way to camp this year. That was a tremendous relief and blessing. The young people finally settled down after we made our first pit stop about an hour away from Asheville.

Once we got off the interstate in Asheville to begin the trip "up the mountain" the young people once again found their energy. And, when we turned onto Frozen Creek Road (the road that leads to camp), the young people began to shout with excitement.

Check-in went as smooth as it ever has. The young people were handed off to their counsellors without a hitch. Everyone got their luggage. Well, almost... There were only a few pillows left and one toiletry kit left on the bus. Mothers, you'll appreciate this... Two teenagers couldn't find a piece of their luggage. In both cases the item was in sight and I pointed it out to them. In one case, the missing piece of luggage was the only one left sitting on the ground! Now I know how Stephenie feels when she has to "find" something for me that is sitting right in front of me!

A big thank you goes out to Pastor Scott, Mr. Litchfield, and Mr. Christian. Pastor drove "The Ark" (the new, short bus) which was loaded with all our luggage. Mr. Litchfield and Mr. Christian drove behind Pastor Scott in order to drive him back to Charlotte so that he could leave the bus here during the week. they will be coming back up on Saturday morning in order to drive the luggage back down the mountain.

All the young people are doing well. Stephenie and I have "made the rounds" on several occassions in order to "check in" on the teenagers. They all seem to be having a good time.

One of the teen girls came up to me before the evening service and said that she needed to call her mom. When I asked why, she said that she had broken her flip flops and only had her sneakers left. Well, we remedied the situation. Stephenie and I drove into town on Tuesday morning to pick up a few things for the "Family Reunion" time on Thursday. While we were at Wal-Mart, we picked her up a couple of pair of flip flops that were on clearance. Once again, Wal-Mart saves the day!

Matt Herbster preached on Monday night. His text was Proverbs 24:16-17. The title to his message was, "Spiritual Defeat...Deal With It!" It was an excellent message on dealing with spiritual defeat and how that sometimes we get content with spiritual defeat. It was a great way to start the week.

We brought one of the largest groups this year! I'd love to bring over 50 young people next year! Start saving now!

I'll include some pictures with my next post (propably late Tuesday night.)

Vacation!

2008-07-10T17:00:00.002-05:00

I took this entire week off so that I could work on some projects around the house:

1. Repair/rejuvinate outdoor table (Still not done with this.)
2. Replace outlets in Mollie's room (Done)
3. Build two book shelves for Mollie's room (Half-way done)
4. Put casing around windows in Mollie's room (Not started)
5. Repair doors of vanity in downstair's bathroom (Half-way done)

Without a garage, I've had to clean-up/put away every afternoon this week because of thunderstorms.

Also, on Tuesday, I spent 2 hours helping Jeremiah cut our neighbor's back yard in order to earn money for camp. Then, on Wednesday, I spent a couple hours cooking lunch for several Duke Energy & Bellsouth workers who have been working in our neighborhood. Again, that was to help Jeremiah earn money for camp.

Stephenie leaves tomorrow to take the younger children to grandma's house while we go to camp next week.

What a vacation...

My Take on the Oil Supply

2008-06-18T15:16:00.004-05:00

"And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth." Genesis 1:28

There is much talk on the price of oil and the President Bush's proposal to increase oil drilling and exploration here in the United States.

While I agree that we should encourage the development of alternative sources of energy, I completely understand that those alternative sources of energy are not going to available to "general masses" of people for a long time to come.

I also understand that the typical consumer is having a difficult time "making ends meet" with the current state of oil prices.

I further understand that there is no quick fix.

However, I disagree with Congress' on their reluctance to allow further exploration of and drilling for oil in the United States.

God has richly blessed the United States with abundant natural resources. He has given us these resources not to simply "sit on" but He has given them to us to use. God has made us stewards of these resources. He commanded us to "subdue" the earth. That's a pretty strong word. Now, before anyone accuses me of simply wanting to "exploit" our resources at the expense of the "environment," please read on. (No, I am not an environmentalist that enjoys hugging each tree that I walk by.)

I believe that we can use the natural resources that God has given us in a responsible manner without destroying the environment. (No, I do not believe in Global Warming and yes, I would much rather save a baby from an abortion than I would a whale from slaughtering block.)

However, again, there is no quick fix. Even if Congress followed President Bush's ideas and allowed further drilling for oil, we wouldn't see any of that oil for quite some time. I read an article today that said it would be 3 years before we saw any additional oil. We must also increase our refining capabilities. Gasoline doesn't come out of the ground. It has to be refined from the raw material - oil.

That is one reason why it doesn't make too much sense for OPEC to pump more oil. Example: If the current refining capabilites is to be able to produce 100 gallons of usable gasoline a day, it doesn't matter how much oil is pumped. The refining capabilities need to be increased as well.

I've not used my blog in the was before but these thoughts have been swirling around in my mind for several days and they needed to be let out.

Dad in Vietnam!

2008-05-30T23:36:00.000-05:00

I've been scanning my dad's old 35mm slides. This is one of my favorites thus far. It was taken of him while he was in Vietnam.

Iowa in Spring!

2008-05-30T23:32:00.000-05:00

Busy!

2008-05-30T12:51:00.002-05:00

Since we got back from my parent's 50th anniversary, we have been extrememly busy without a lot of time to breathe!

The day after we returned, Stephenie had our annual "Mother/Daughter Banquet." She had everything "planned" before we left but they had to put it all together the day of the banquet. They had a great time.

The following week I drove the bus so that our Academy students could go on a field trip to Dan Nicholas Park. (That event was key to what has put me behind up to this point. I have yet to "recover" from that field trip.)

Jeremiah & Mollie had their piano recital last Thursday night.

This week, I have gone to two different band/orchestra concerts that some of my youth group teenagers were performing in.

This week I also had to unexpectedly spend time trying to repair one of the office computers at church. Things like that always happen whenever I really don't have the extra time to deal with it.

The video projector in our main auditorium finally "died" a couple weeks ago. We were hoping that it would last until at least July. That's when our new church budget goes into effect. We had planned for a replacement in the new budget. Well, it didn't make it. The new projector arrived last Wednesday. We are waiting for a few more items that are needed to connect it to the computer and the DVD/VCR. We have an electrician in our church that is going to wire the new unit. We are mounting this new projector in a new place. That is why we need the the electrician's help. Hopefully we can have it put in place by the end of next week.

Neighborhood Bible Time is fast approaching. We had our first training meeting last Sunday night. We are still in need of one missionary teacher. We have additional training on June 15th.

This Sunday is our family's 8th anniversary at South Charlotte Baptist Church. It is also the 1 year anniversary for Pastor and Mrs. Waller. Pastor Waller came on staff last year as our new school administrator.

Right now I am at home, on my "day off." I'm sitting at the dining room table working on this Sunday's order of service and my Sunday school lesson. This Sunday is "Promotion Sunday." The 6th graders will be promoted into the youth group. There are quite a few 6th graders "moving up." We will be having a "Welcome Lunch" for them after the morning service.

Stephenie coordinated a "Teddy Bear Picnic" for the Kindergarten & 1st grade students today. She's right now resting on the coach.

Next Friday is Kindergarten graduation. Titus is graduating!!!! Stephenie's folks are planning to come down for the ceremony. It will be a busy week. Stephenie is going bowling with the video school students on Monday. We will be having our annual Field Day on Thursday.

Everyone keep in touch! I posted my "face" on Facebook this week. It's an interesting site and an interesting way to keep in touch with friends. I have caught up with a few old college friends on Facebook. I found out that one of them is a pastor in Iowa not "too far" from my parents.

Until next time...

Iowa is Green!

2008-05-12T22:15:00.007-05:00

On our way to celebrate my parent's 50th anniversary, we spent a couple of days in Kansas City. While we were there we visited Cabella's. It's similar to Bass Pro Shop but much bigger. Jeremiah, Mollie & I spent 2 hours in Cabella's. It was awesome! The above picture was taken there. We also visited the KC Speedway. Richard Petty's Driving Experience was there. We were able to go down to pit row and watch them drive the race cars. Even though we didn't ride, it was still quite an experience.

My parents were definetely suprised to see us on Saturday night. They understand how difficult it is for us to get away but they were sure glad to see us. We went back to my parent's home after dinner and spent some time looking at old photos. My brother and one sister left Saturday evening and my oldest sister left Sunday morning.

On Sunday, we attended Fellowship Baptist Church, which is were I spent a lot of time growing up. They had a group from West Coast Baptist College sing in the evening service. The leader of the group know "Mr. Cody." (Many of the teens in my youth group know who he is!) After church on Sunday night, we went to visit my Grandma Lounsberry. She enjoyed our visit.

On Monday, we drove to Newton, IA to visit my Grandpa Campbell and Grandma Myrtle (my grandpa's second wife). They enjoyed our visit but the kids got a little stir crazy.

I have eaten at all the places I look forward to on every visit...Taco Johns, Maid Rites, Zenos, Ev's Ice Cream. When we went to Maid Rites we saw Tow Mater from the Car's Movie. I'll have to post a picture later. It is still on our camera. A tow company here in Marshalltow has put together a very good, real-life version of Tow Mater. Titus was sooooo excited to "meet him." He even had the "ghost light" hanging from his tow cable.

All in all we've had a very good visit but it is too quickly coming to an end. I never would have said this as a teenager but, if the Lord would every allow, I would be more than happy to move back to Iowa. (Stephenie's just not so sure how she would do during the winter months.) This is the first time that Stephenie has ever seen Iowa in the spring. Her comment has been, "It's so green!"

I'll leave you with a couple of pictures of me with my siblings...

Good Friday!

2008-03-21T20:08:00.005-05:00

It truly was a good Friday! Please allow me to tell you why...

1. The kids were out of school.

2. I cleaned out the gutters around the front porch and then installed "gutter guard." With the number of trees that we have, it only takes a few weeks to fill up with leaves. Since we replaced all the gutters last year, I want to make sure that we take care of them and make maintenance as simple as possible.

3. I trimmed our oak tree out front. I trimmed it a couple of years ago and it has gotten bushy again. After I trimmed the branches, Jeremiah undertook the task of cutting the branches up so that the city would haul them away next week. Jeremiah actually volunteered for the job and he did a wonderful job of cutting the branches up and then stacking them up.

4. For lunch, we went on a picnic. We packed some water and chips, stopped by Burger King for some "burgers," and then headed for the Pineville Park. We had a great time!

5. I cut some grass, put out some "weed & feed," and put out some mulch. Again, Jeremiah jumped in and helped me unload it from my truck and spread it around the front flower bed.

6. I trimmed our Crepe Mrtyle bushes.

7. I could go on but I'll stop there....

It was a good Friday!

Jeremiah's Magical Moment

2008-02-20T22:20:00.003-05:00

Jeremiah played organized basketball for the first time this year at the YMCA. He enjoyed himself and I believe he'll probably want to do it again. He is no Magic Johnson or Michael Jordan but in his last game (which I videotaped) he did have one "magical moment" that was pretty exciting.

This video clip will explain what I mean... In this clip he is #13 and he's just rebounded the basketball and is headed toward his basket...

Attack of the Flu

2008-02-11T21:13:00.000-05:00

Last Friday morning, Stephenie and I (along with Mollie & Jeremiah) took our youth group on a ski/tubing trip at Winterplace Ski Resort in West Virginia. We take this trip every other year. When I woke up that morning, I had a "minor" sore throat. I didn't think anything of it.

We spent the entire day on the slopes having a great time. We finally got to our hotel and got to bed at 11:00 PM. (I forgot to mention that we left Charlotte at 6:00 AM. It was a long day for me especially since I'm also the bus driver.)

Saturday I woke up with "mild" sore throat and some chest congestion. Again, I didn't think anything of it but I did take a vitamin C drink before we left for Charlotte.

When we arrived in Charlotte, I took my temperature (around 3:00 PM) and it was normal. However, as the afternoon progressed, I began to feel even worse - headache, chills, etc. At 5:00 PM I took my temperature again and this time I had a temp of 99. It was at this point that I decided to visit our neighborhood urgent care.

After about a 2 hour wait, I was finally seen by the doctor. The first thing she told me was that I did not have Strep. Praise the Lord! That's what I thought I had. No, instead I had the flu.

She armed me with a prescription for 3 meds and sent me out the door.

At that hour of the night (7:00 PM), I didn't think that our normal pharmacy at Sam's Club would be open but I figured Wal-Mart's would be. Wrong! Their pharmacy closed 15 minutes before I got there. Next choice? CVS. Their store is opened 24 hours. When I got there I was informed that the phamacies in all the "24 hour" stores close at 6:00 PM. Now where? Ride Aid - Yes, they were open. (Good because I was running out of choices.)

Sunday has been my worse day. My temp reached 103. I was miserable all day. I slept about the same on Saturday and Sunday night - off and on. My fever finally gave way some time Monday morning.

There's not much else to tell. I believe the Tamiflu (antibiotc for the flu) has kicked in and I'm on the mend. The doctor told me that it would take about a week for me to get back to normal. We'll see.

Until next time...

Frustration Revisited...

2008-01-19T08:40:00.000-05:00

After walking away from my desk to do something else (as I contemplated what to do with all this electronic equipment) something happened.

When I came back to my desk everything all of a sudden worked. Go figure!

Until next time...when my frustration possibly comes back...

Joseph

Frustration...

2008-01-19T08:12:00.000-05:00

Dish Network can't get a line of site at our home. We have too many trees in the wrong location. Actually, our neighbor has too many trees.

Clearwire doesn't work too well with Microsoft Internet Explorer 7. Switched to Firefox. I want to get rid of Clearwire but can't without paying a lot of money. (If I can't get things working I may pay the money just to get rid of the frustration!)

Vonage doesn't want to work with Clearwire.

I'm about ready to toss all this equipment out into the yard.

I don't have hours upon hours to work with this stuff!

Signed,
Frustrated Computer/Technology User

Sky Angel Satellite TV

2008-01-08T16:09:00.000-05:00

We have had Sky Angel satellite tv for over two years. We have enjoyed it! (Especially the Hallmark channels and HGTV!) We wanted to add the service to the tv in the kid's playroom. Stephenie's grandmother had Sky Angel but she is now living in a nursing home. We were able to get her satellite equipment so that we could add Sky Angel to a second TV.

Last night, I spent several hours running a cable from outside, under the house, and up into the wall in the playroom. Once I got it all hooked up, I wasn't getting a signal. Since it was late, I had to wait till today to call tech support for Sky Angel to make sure I didn't need to activate anything in order to use that second receiver.

When I called tech support, I was informed that Sky Angel was going to be discontinuing their satellite service as of March 31, 2008. Their satellite is nearing the end of its usable life and they do not have plans to replace it. They are moving their service to an internet based delivery system. In other word you will only be able to get Sky Angel's service over the internet. Well, in order to do that, you will need to get a new receiver. (Cost for current subscribes is just $15 for shipping.) You will also need a fast enough broadband internet connection. To recieve Sky Angel's content for one tv you will need at least a 1.5 mpbs (download). Double that (3.0 mpbs) for two tv's and so on. WOW! Although Sky Angel had been promoting this new service I had not read anywhere that they were discontinuing their satellite service. This was definetely news to me!

After my talk with tech support, I did a little more research and found out that Cleawire's internet service is not compatible with Sky Angel's new IP service and, since I'm locked into a 2 year contract with Clearwire, there goes Sky Angel. We'll miss it!

(Note: I have called Clearwire, explained the situation, and have asked for a waiver to be released from my contract. I'll find out in 3-5 business days. If they let me out of my contract, I'll have a few more options.)

I have now investigated signing up for Dish satellite service. Since I already have the equipment (Sky Angel subscribers used Dish Network's equipment.) it would only be a matter of re-positioning our dish in the backyard.) Their most basic package is comparable in content and cost to Sky Angels' new service. I've got some praying and thinking to do about this decision. I've also looked into regular cable.

Clearwire, continued...again

2008-01-08T16:05:00.001-05:00

Just wanted to update everyone on Clearwire. Whether I just wasn't listening or they "failed" to tell me, their $15 a month for IP phone service was only for 3 months. Then the price went up to $35. That, to me, is not a great deal! When I figured that out, I called Clearwire and cancelled the phone service. I've kept the internet service. It seems to be working well. We had a brief service outage but I'm not sure if that was a Clearwire problem or if it was caused by my wireless router which very infrequently can be tempermental. If it ends up being my router, I will simply need to replace it as I use my laptop at home almost more than our desktop at home.

Clearwire...continued

2007-12-30T22:00:00.000-05:00

Someone, other than my family and close friends, read my latest blog that I posted on Clearwire. They posted a comment asking for more information on my experience with Clearwire.

Well, we're only into day 2 of our Clearwire service although today was an excellent test of the service. It rained in the Charlotte area all day and it did not affect our Clearwire service at all. I was very pleased by that.

I want to tell you a little more about our setup. I have the Clearwire modem/receiver located right next to an upstairs window. This is almost an ideal location. There are 5 indicator lights on top of the modem. The more lights that are burning, the better the signal is. All 5 of the indicator lights are burning although the 5th one does goes out occassionally.

I also have the modem hooked into a Belkin wireless router. I did not have to reconfigure my router at all. I just plugged it in and it was ready to go.

As I mentioned in my previous post, I also signed up their VOIP service. I had to purchase their Linksys phone adapter for $15. The only difficulty I had was trying to activate the adapter on Clearwire's website. For whatever reason I kept receiving an error message when I typed in the adapters activation code. I finally called Clearwire's tech who indicated that my adapter was activated. I plugged my phone into it (a cheap 900 MHZ cordless GE), waited until I got a solid green light, picked up the handset and immediately got a dial tone.

( I now must deactivate my Bellsouth account and move my number over to Clearwire. I'll do that in a couple of days just to make sure that I am pleased with Clearwire's service. There is a 7 day cancellation window.)

I was asked about speed & online gaming. Sorry to say that I do not use the internet for online gaming so I can't comment on Clearwire from that perspective. I can say that that it is much faster than my Bellsouth DSL Lite that we have had for a couple of years now. I signed up for Clearwire's Premium Service (1.5 mbps/256 kbps). This was the package that Clearwire said I needed in order to have their VOIP service. I just ran a speed test (www.speedtest.net) and I recorded a 2.0 mbps/209 kbps speed.

Any other questions? I'm not the smartest one out there but I'll do my best!

Clearwire.com

2007-12-29T22:44:00.000-05:00

I made the plunge today...

I have been doing some "research" into getting rid of our regular, old-fashioned, land line phone in favor of a VOIP company. In order to get rid of our land line (Bellsouth/AT&T), I would have to find a new high speed internet service. One of the companies that I have been looking at was Clearwire.com. They provide wireless internet. (I won't take the time to explain. You'll have to check it out for yourself - www.Clearwire.com.) One thing that I had not been as pleased with was the VOIP companies. Clearwire offers VOIP in some of its market but not Charlotte (or at least I thought and had been told.)

I went into Best Buy today and Clearwire had a little kiosk set up. I was pleased to find out that they did offer VOIP in Charlotte. It didn't take me long to decide to sign up. After all is said and done, my internet and phone service will only cost me $55 instead of the $85 that it now costs me with Bellsouth.

The great thing about Clearwire was the set up. It took me about 10 minutes to get everything set up. (I remember that, when I signed up for Bellsouth DSL, that it took me all night to get it running.)

So far so good. The good part, at least in Stephenie's eyes, is that we will be able to keep our current phone number.

May I Direct Your Attention To...

2007-12-28T22:11:00.000-05:00

...Where's George! I came across this website some time ago but was once again reminded of it while in Virginia this past week. Where's George.com is a website where you can register (free of charge) and then enter the serial numbers from $1 bills in order to track them and see where they've been. While shopping this past week at Peeble's Department Store in Virginia, I received a $1 bill as change. The bill was stamped with, "See Where I've Been. Track Where I Go Next. www.wheresgeorge.com." Apparently that particular bill began it's travels in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

It's pretty interesting. So...before you spend those bills in your wallet, check to see if they've been "marked." If they haven't been marked, before you spend them, sign up at Where's George, enter the bill's serial numbers, mark them yourself (with http://www.wheresgeorge.com/), and then spend them. You will receive an email alert when someone finds your bill and enters it themselves so that you can see where it's gotten to.

Happy New Year!

P.S. - Check out our photo album link.

Christmas at Grandma's (in Virginia)

2007-12-26T16:48:00.000-05:00

We celebrated Christmas on Christmas Eve morning and what a morning it was. The kids were in our room before 7:00 AM. We read the Christmas story in bed and then went down stairs to open presents. The kids were very excited! A little too excited for us especially since Stephenie was not feeling well. She had a severe sore throat! Since we were going to leave for Virginia around lunch, we decided that Stephenie should go to an urgent care to find out what was wrong.

The doctor said that her throat was severely swollen and that she had an infection. The doctor put her on an antibiotic for the infection and a steroid to bring down here throat swelling.

After she got back from the doctor, we had a brunch and then got ready to leave! We finally got out of town around 12:45 - after a brief trip down the road only to realize that we had forgotten our coats!

We made good time! There was very little traffic on the road. Most people were already where they were going to go and the Christmas Eve parties hadn't started yet. We only saw two highway patrol officers the entire trip. We made the trip in almost record time. We didn't stop at all except to go to the bathroom at the Virginia welcome center. We also let the kids play a little bit before getting back in the van to finish the trip.

I have uploaded some pictures to my photo album. Click on the link that is listed on the right of the page.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Christmas at McAdenville, NC

2007-12-26T16:38:00.000-05:00

On Sunday night, December 16th, our church, South Charlotte Baptist Church, went Christmas carolling to some of our "shut ins." Each one that we sang for appreciated it very much. Some of them were even brought to tears. It was a joy to minister to them in that way. After we carolled, we all drove (on our church bus) to McAdenville, NC, which is known as Christmas Town USA.

The entire town is lit up with lights. You drive very slowly through town to view all the lights. This year, many of us got out and walked through town. One of the older churches in town set up some plastic Christmas carollers, set up some speakers and play Christmas music for all to hear. Our group stopped and got our picture taken with those plastic carollers. It was very enjoyable.

Silas Walking

2007-12-21T21:50:00.000-05:00

Jeremiah's First Basketball Game

2007-12-14T21:58:00.000-05:00

Well, last week was Jeremiah's first basketball game! He enjoyed it. They won! As amazing as it sounds, he's the tallest one on his team. He still says that he would rather play football. (However, he's never actually played organized football.)

The entire family was there to cheer him on. He's going to have to miss his next game because he is in the wedding of one of his former teachers.

We'll keep you posted on how he does through his season!

AAAArgh!!! My Back!

2007-12-14T21:50:00.000-05:00

For those who have any sympathy whatsoever...

I threw my back out while Stephenie was gone a couple of weeks ago (pinched nerve in my lower back). Well, as is normal, it took three days for it to work back in place! As soon as it got back to normal, I threw it out again. This time it has taken a whole week to get back to normal.

Stephenie just laughed at me!

Christmas Lights

2007-12-14T21:41:00.001-05:00

Last weekend I finally got our outdoor decorations ups. It took awhile to "figure out" what I was doing since 1) I took out all of our bushes since last year and 2) we took down all the railing off of the front porch. Well, as you can see, icicle wrap the entire length of the front porch. I also put icicle lights around the eve of the side stoop and storage room. I then wrapped each of the porch poles. Stephenie had wanted topary Christmas trees that were lit to put by the front door. You can see from the picture that we got a couple. We purchased them at AC Moore, which is a store similar to Michael's.

Silas absolutely loves Christmas lights and Christmas trees. He gets very excited when he sees them all lit up! 'Tis the season to be jolly!

Titus @ the Emergency Room

2007-12-14T21:18:00.000-05:00

Earlier this week, Titus began developing a very deep cough. We weren't too concerned at the time. Titus and Silas sleep with a cool mist humidifier in their room which normally keeps them fairly healthy during this time of year. (Our warm weather hasn't been helping much lately!)

On Wednesday night, Titus woke Stephenie up. He couldn't breathe! Well, that was a "no-brainer" that we needed to take him to the Emergency Room (which is only two blocks from our house). Stephenie was rightfully worried and upset so I took Titus to the hospital.

Once Titus got to the hospital, calmed down, and relaxed, he began doing a lot better.

The doctor checked his ears, his breathing, took a chest x-ray and found nothing. The doctor informed me that what he had was an upper respiratory infection caused by a cold. In other words...he had a very bad cold.

The doctor gave us a prescription for albuterol to use as needed for his breathing. (We've only had to use it a couple of times at this point.) Other than that the doctor said to give him Benedryl for his runny nose and congestion.

Titus has stayed home from school for the past two days. He seems to be feeling better today.

Mr. Mom

2007-12-02T23:48:00.000-05:00

With Stephenie in Georgia, that means that I am playing "Mr. Mom" with an interesting twist.

On Saturday night, Mollie started complaining of a stomach ache. She threw up early Sunday morning. I've never been in this situation before but that meant that I couldn't go to church on Sunday. There have been plenty of times when I've had others call me to let me know that they wouldn't be able to sing, teach Sunday school, play the piano, etc. but I've never been the one to have to "call in."

We have a wonderful church family that "covered" for me by leading the choir, leading the congregational singing, and teaching my Sunday school class. Some of our church family also came to pick up Jeremiah and Titus so that they could go to church. I was proud of them. They both wanted to go to church.

The next interesting twist is the fact that now (Sunday evening) Titus has a fever. What's going to happen on Monday morning?!

Reminder of Logan

2007-12-02T23:35:00.000-05:00

This past Thursday morning (11/29), we received a phone call from one of Stephenie's best friends, Sherry. Sherry's sister (Heather) and brother-in-law (Jarrod) were blessed with twin girls about 7 weeks ago. Unfortunately, on Thursday morning, Heather found one of the twins, Hannah, dead in her crib. This was almost identical to what happened with Logan. When Logan passed away, Sherry came to be with Stephenie. Hearing this brought back memories of Logan. Needless to say, Stephenie immediately wanted to go to be with the family. Having been through this same situation, Stephenie knew exactly what Heather was going through and what she would go through in the days, weeks, and months ahead. Stephenie flew out on Saturday and the funeral was this afternoon (Sunday). From what Stephenie told me, the family is doing well. Jarrod's father (the grandfather) is also their pastor. We got to know these folks when we lived in Georgia.

For those of you who read this, please keep the Scarborough Family and the Sellars Family.

Thanksgiving Day

2007-12-02T23:21:00.001-05:00

Once again we had the opportunity to spend Thanksgiving with Stephenie's family in Virginia. We're thankful that we were able to also spend it with Grandma Henry. Stephenie's grandmother is now living in a nursing home. On Friday night, the entire family was able to go to the nursing home where we were able to participate in a service that is led by Mr. Ben, a wonderful man that goes to Stephenie's home church. We sang for awhile. The kids and I sang a couple of Christmas carols. Stephenie's brother-in-law, Ronnie, preached to end the evening. We had a great time.

Black Friday Eve!

2007-12-02T23:06:00.000-05:00

Yes, I lost my sanity for a brief moment! Normally the ladies go shopping on Black Friday Eve. This year, I came up with the idea for the guys to go out on Thanksgiving night. I found out that CompUSA was going to open up at 9:00 PM on Thanksgiving night. I didn't think it was going to be a big deal. How many people would actually want to shop at CompUSA on Thanksgiving night?! As we (My father-in-law, brother-in-law, nephew-in-law, and myself) found out that a lot of people wanted to go shopping. The line was all the way down the front of the shopping center. We waited in line, just to get in the store, for about 45 minutes. Once you got inside there was absolutely no room to turn around. It took us over an hour to check out! The check out lines went all the way from the front to the back of the store. It was long night and one that I don't want to repeat any time soon! My mother-in-law and the other ladies were excited to get all the men out of the house for a few hours!

Chewy's Christmas Present

2007-12-02T22:56:00.001-05:00

As you can see, Chewy is pretty comfortable. Last month, we broke down and finally got rid of the recliner that we have had for almost 10 years. When we moved to Charlotte, Chewy claimed the coach as hers. When we purchased a new coach last year, Chewy was not allowed to get on the coach. Chewy ended up kicking me out of the recliner and took ownership. When we got rid of the recliner she was suddenly homeless. As you can see from the picture, we purchased her a "doggy bed." She absolutely loves it! Literally, the only time she gets out of the bed is to go outside once or twice and that's it!

Kitchen Project

2007-11-16T13:44:00.001-05:00

One of the things that we "dislike" about our house is the "popcorn" ceilings. Well, a week ago, I go ambitious and started scraping the popcorn off of the kitchen ceiling. That was on a Tuesday night. I was just going to do a little bit at a time until I got it done. Stephenie "encouraged" me to just go ahead and do it all. Well, it only took a couple of hours to scrape it off. The clean up took a little longer. I hadn't really planned to do it all that night so I did not prep the room properly.

Stephenie was a little suprised but I wanted to get it done, so on Friday, I sanded the entire kitchen ceiling to prep it for paint. Clean was easier this time because I put up plastic and also purchased a sanding attachment for my Shop Vac which collected the drywall dust.

After I sanded, I painted - one coat of primer and then one coat of white ceiling paint. I was finished on Friday night. I have one touch up spot which I will fix when I put up the crown molding.

All in all I was rather pleased with my accomplishment. (So was Stephenie!)

Mollie's Last Soccer Game

2007-11-16T13:28:00.000-05:00

Mollie played in her last soccer game just a couple of weeks ago. Silas had a cold so Jeremiah and I were the ones that accompanied Mollie to the game while Stephenie stayed at home with Titus and Silas. Also, it was really cold that Saturday morning and Mollie's game started at 8:00 AM. It was the first day that we could really say that fall was here! After the game, Mollie got her trophy. (Just as a note - Everyone, and that included all the other teams, got trophies. This particular league at the YMCA does not keep score. It's just for the kids to have fun and learn the sport.)

Pineville Fall Festival

2007-10-25T22:18:00.000-05:00

Every fall, the little town of Pineville has a very nice festival with rides, inflatables, food and fun. This particular year was a little different though because we had spent the entire day having a yard sale! So, we were a little tired by the time we made it to the festival.

The Pineville Fire Department has a huge ladder truck (for such a small town) and they always raise Old Glory at the Fall Festival. We're very patriotic around there!

One of the rides that Jeremiah and Mollie went on was a "centrifugal force" thinging. It's one of those where the machine spins so fast that it holds you to the side. We weren't sure about how Mollie was going to do but she loved it!

Titus enjoyed the old fashioned carousel!

Then it was off to the trains for Titus!

Evan Silas got into the action!

Pensacola Christian College Board of Reference

2007-10-04T20:29:00.001-05:00

I am part the "Board of Reference" at Pensacola Christian College. Every other year, they fly us to Pensacola so that we can see what's going on. I enjoy going even though I have to spend the time away from Stephenie and the kids.

One new thing is that the Campus Church has a new pastor, Dr. Neal Jackson. The interesting thing is, Dr. Jackson and I were roomates while were in college. We both graduated in 1993. Although he is very busy, we were able to spend some time together catching up on "old times."

We also have a few students at Pensacola. I took a suitcase with me that was filled with almost nothing but "care items" for our college students. I felt pretty silly with an empty suitcase on the flight back.

Ramblings of an Old Man

2007-09-21T20:09:00.000-05:00

It's been awhile since I last "posted." Since that time I have turned 35. I was asked if I felt any different! I told them that I am actually looking forward to turning 40. My youth group threw me a little party on Wednesday night! It was very thoughtful of them! They're a great group of kids - not perfect - but I love them none the less!

(Check out Stephenie's blog for pictures. There's no sense in posting them twice.) Last weekend Jeremiah and I went to The Wilds for one of their Father/Son Campouts. No, we don't actually camp out. We stay in cabins but all of the activities are held outside around a campfire. There were probably 60 or so fathers and sons that covered all ages! It is a great time just to be with your son. The preaching is encouraging and challenging. There are plenty of activities. We enjoyed the archery range, the sling shot range, "Gazeeball," canoeing, the lake zipline, the land trolley, etc. You can check out the camp at http://www.wilds.org/. On Saturday, all the fathers and sons hiked to the "2nd Falls" where we had lunch. The food at these campouts is spectacular! After lunch we were able to play around in the water. Jeremiah loves nature and exploring. He is not afraid of "the unknown." After we arrived back at the campsite we went to the camp's lake. One of the highlights was when Jeremiah climbed to the top of the 20 foot jump off tower at the lake and jumped! Did dad do it? No! A gentleman about my size did it just before Jeremiah and he actually hit bottom. I didn't want to get stuck in the mud on the bottom. We got back home Saturday evening. Titus is excited about the fact that he will be able to go with us next year!

1st Degree Murder...

2007-09-06T19:05:00.000-05:00

Since arriving home from our youth group missions trip, we have continued to stay busy.

The week following our missions trip, I had jury duty. This was my first experience with the court system in North Carolina.

I arrived at the Mecklenburg Courthouse on Monday, August 20th. I waited all day long to be called. We were told that there were 3 trials going that were in need of jurors. Around 4:00 PM, my name, along with 24 others, was called.

The deputy sherriff escorted us to an empty court room where we were asked to fill out a very specific questionare. After we all finished, we were informed by the deputy sherriff that our "jury pool" was need in order to fill the last two "alternate juror" spots for a capital murder case! The defendant was being accused of 1st degree murder for allegedly shooting his wife and 1 year old daughter. We all thought that it wouldn't take too long to fill the last two spots. (We were told that the judge and lawyers had alreay gone through 180 potential jurors over the course of the past 5 weeks. We couldn't believe it!) One of the main reason is that the only two possible punishments for someone who is convicted of first degree murder, in the state of North Carolina, is either the death penalty or life in prison without parole. We also learned that, although in most other cases, the judge determines the punishment, in the case of 1st degree murder, the jury is responsible for also determining whether the individual is put to death or spends their life in jail.

What we thought would not take long took all the way until lunchtime on Wednesday. I was never questioned as a potential juror. However, had my name been called, I'm sure I would not have been chosen. I'll tell you why.

I strongly believe in the death penalty. That would not have kept me out of the jury. If an individual would tell the judge that they opposed the death penalty, he would ask, "Could you set aside your convictions and beliefs long enough in order to give the defendant a fair trial?" Each time the potential juror would say, "No." to that question. That made me think though and do some soul searching in the opposite direction. Allow me to explain.

The individual was on trial for and was accused of 1st degree murder which is cold-blooded, intentional murder. As I looked at the defendant I knew that I could give them a fair trial and assume their innocence until it was proven, beyond a reasonable doubt, that they were guilty. However, if they were convicted of 1st degree murder, I could not have even considered a punishment other than death. My belief in the Bible, particularly Genesis 9:6, leads me to believe that the punishment for such murder should be death with no other option (such as life in prison without parole). And, although I believe that we have the best form of government in the world, and the best system of courts and law (Yes, I know it is still flawed. It will be as long as their is sin in the world!), I could not set aside that Biblical conviction simply because the state of North Carolina asked me to.

Long post...I know...Hope you read it all.

I'm Tired...

2007-08-04T12:21:00.000-05:00

The Wilds, 2007 - Final Photos

2007-07-23T19:54:00.000-05:00

One of the last things that you see as you leave camp is the verse, 2 Timothy 3:14, "But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;"

Our prayer is that the teenagers will remember the things that God taught them during the week of camp and that they will continue to live according to those Biblical principles.

The Wilds, 2007 - We're Home!

2007-07-21T15:46:00.001-05:00

We safely arrived at home by 1:30 PM on Saturday afternoon! We left camp at 9:30 AM. After a short time of the young people "releasing" some energy by way of their team chears, they finally settled down and most of them went to sleep. We have, in the past, stopped at Forest City (on Highway 74) for lunch. However, since the young people were asleep, I decided to enjoy the quiet a little bit longer. We stopped in Shelby for lunch. The Burger King that we stopped at would not accept credit cards (Their machine was broken.) so, while our kids ate, I left Stephenie with them and went to Wendy's just up the block.

We had a great week! The young people will share their testimonies during our Youth Service next Sunday night, July 29 at 6:00.

I'll post some more pictures of the week on our church website.

The Wilds, 2007 - The Final Day

2007-07-20T12:39:00.000-05:00

It has finally arrived - Friday! For me, the week has gone by quickly. For Stephenie, it has gone by like every other week. She is eager to get back home and see our other children, Mollie, Titus, & Silas, who have been keeping MeMa Moulson company.

Watching the teens play "Tube Tug" today was quite exciting! You should have seen Donna Rowson trying to push a tube, that was twice as big as her, back across her line. She ended up getting flipped backwards! It was quite a sight. Oh! Wait a minute. You will be able to see it! I video taped the whole thing.

The young people are tired and ready to come home! They have all had a great week making memories and making friends. This will be a week that the teens will not soon forget.

Stephanie Guzman & Alexandria Gonzalez, along with their cabin and counselor are going to the Shoals to have Smores this afternoon. I'm not sure what everyone else is going to be doing. When I asked Tim & Levi what they were planning to do, they just shrugged their shoulders.

Tonight is the fireside service. This service is always a very special time. It gives teenagers, who have surrendered their lives to God before, the opportunity to renew that commitment to God. It also gives the other teenagers the opportunity to surrender their lives to the Lord.

This afternoon at lunch, Stephenie & I met The Hill's who are missionaries to the Navajo Indians in Arizona. They brought a group of Navajo teenagers to camp this week. The Hill's know Pastor and Mrs. Scott from their years at Tennessee Temple. The group had to drive 5 hours to the airport, then fly to Charlotte, then drive to The Wilds. It was a long trip for them. At least they didn't have to drive the entire way. Just their beign here is a demonstration of God's rewarding of their faith. One of their church members, when discussing how they could get a group of teens to The Wilds, said, "If we can build a new church building by faith, why can't we send our teens to camp by faith!" Enough said. They made it to camp!

Well, until tomorrow.....

Pastor Campbell

The Wilds 2007 - Family Reunion

2007-07-19T23:01:00.000-05:00

Today, Thursday, was the day for "Family Reunions" at The Wilds. After lunch, we gathered all of our teenagers together for a short time of fellowship. We provided them with candy, gum, suckers, Gatorade, etc. that we purchased at Wal-Mart on Tuesday. We then gave them the opportunity to share some testimonies of what they have learned during the week. I also gave them a short Bible challenge that was based on some of the spiritual lessons they have learned during the week.

I stay busy "running" back and forth between the Juniors and the teenagers trying to video tape them participating in the games and activities. As much as the young people "hate" seeing me with a camera in my hand, they enjoy seeing the pictures later and remembering the great time they had.

The Junior Boot Campers played "Spoke Tag" this evening and the teenagers played "Feetball." Some of our teen girls don't get as involved as I would like to see them. The teenagers seem to have more fun when they "wholeheartedly" participate in the games. Tomorrow, Friday, is one of the teenagers favorite games - "Tube Tug!" That's always an enjoyable one to watch!

(Sorry, there's no picture today. Something was wrong with the internet to where I could not upload one to my blog!)

The Wilds, 2007 - Water Wars

2007-07-18T14:54:00.000-05:00

Today, Stephenie & I went into Brevard with the "former" Meredith Plyer and her husband. Meredith's husband, John, is the Youth Pastor at Providence Baptist Church in Augusta, GA. We went to Wal-Mart to get some things for "Family Reunion Time" which is on Thursday afternoon.

We got back to camp in enough time to see the Junior Boot Camp's "Water Wars!" All of our Junior Boot Campers are having a great time!

Then we saw (and video taped) the teenagers playing a game called the "Buzz Saw." It's a crazy variation of musical chairs. (It's quite interesting to see over 800 teenagers playing musical chairs all at once!)

During free time, I (Joseph) manned one of the new "squirt guns" that have been installed down by the creek. Witihin minutes I was completely drenched!

After spending some time with the young people this afternoon, we came back to our room so that I could get a shower after my experience with the water cannons. Stephenie laid down to take a "sanctified" nap.

All of the young people are doing great! When asked, "Are you ready to go home?" they respond, "No." Don't worry, though, they will be ready by Saturday morning to get back to the own bed!

Don't forget to be in church (at SCBC) on Sunday night, July 29th. That is our Youth Service. The young people will be giving testimony from their week at camp. We will also being showing video and pictures from the week. You won't want to miss it!

The Wilds 2007 - Goin' Tubin'

2007-07-17T23:25:00.000-05:00

There is always plenty to do at The Wilds. Here's a picture of some of our girls preparing to go tubin' down the creek. They've added a new attraction to the creek. It's called "The Wild's Water Wars!" They have positioned and installed water guns (that are fed by the creek) along the banks of the creek so that bystanders can drench the tubers as they come into the home stretch. My wife had a blast today getting the teens wet with the water guns. However, Travis soaked her in return!

The Wilds 2007

2007-07-17T19:10:00.001-05:00

We arrived safely at The Wilds (Brevard, NC) on Monday. This was our (Stephenie & Joseph) 8 trip to The Wilds since we have been at South Charlotte Baptist Church.

Two years ago, the engine on the bus overheated on the way "up" the mountain. The engine had to be rebuilt because of that. Last, the same bus, with a new engine, once again overheated on the way "up" the mountain. I was able to coax it up the mountain without doing any damage to it. Well, this year, I decided to go a little different way to camp which I didn't think would be as difficult for the bus. We went I-77 north to I-40 west to I-26 east to camp. Even though it wasn't as steep, it was enough of a grade over a long enough stretch that once again the bus overheated. I drove the bus on the shoulder for about 3 miles going 15 miles an hour. We made it again without damaging the bus.

All 20 of the young people did just fine. They got a little stir crazy about an hour from camp. After leaving Charlotte at 9:30 AM, stopping for lunch and bathroom breaks, we arrived at the camp at 2:30 PM which is when they begin registration.

There are over 1,100 campers and sponsors this week at The Wilds. That does not include The Wilds staff. That's a lot of people.

We are having a great time! Stephenie is doing well considering that Jeremiah is a camper for the first time this year! Her biggest concern is that he take a shower on a regular basis during the week!

The Wilds takes pictures all throughout the week and posts them on their website. Check it out, you may see one of your children!

I may post more later this week if I get a chance! If not, we'll see you on Saturday!

Recent Happenings!

2007-07-09T11:24:00.000-05:00

It's been awhile since I posted anything.

I had the privelage of baptizing Jeremiah and Titus last night in church. They have both been saved yet we had not been "pushing" them to be baptized. We would talk with them (and pray for them) about baptism every chance we would get. Well, a young boy was baptized yesterday morning during the church service. This gave us opportunity to talk with them again while eating lunch. They both decided that they wanted to be obedient to God and be baptized so we decided to do it in the evening service. (Being a good independent Baptist church we always have the baptistry ready!)

I haven't gotten a lot of sleep recently. I am trying to, in a week, completely remodel the kid's bathroom (minus the shower/tub). Stephenie would like it to be finished before we go to camp next week. I'll post some pictures later.

Finally Finished!

2007-06-10T13:18:00.000-05:00

The siding on the house was finally completed this past Friday afternoon. The last thing that they did was put new gutter up. The house looks great! We have had quite a few comments from people about how the siding looks. We just have a little bit left to do on the deck.

Progress - In Several Ways!

2007-05-31T19:49:00.000-05:00

From the following pictures you should be able to see the progress that is being made on the siding to our house. Just is the little bit that has been done we can tell that the house is going to look beautiful when it is finished and that between the new deck and the siding that the value of the house is sure to go up as well.

We've made "progress" in other ways as well. A couple of weeks ago, we were informed that the rack & pinion system (steering) of our van was in need of replacement. The cost of replacement would have be close to, if not over, $1,000. After praying about the situation and also getting some guidance/advice from my father and Stephenie's father, we decided that it would be better to "bite the bullet" (Dad Campbell's advice) than it would be to "nickel and dime" (Dad Campbell's advice) our old van. (Rest assured that Dad Moulson's advice was the same although he did not use the same words!) (As a side note - Had we known that we were going to have to purchase a new vehicle, we would not have spent the money to side the house and put a new deck on. It's "funny" how God works things out. Romans 10:28, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God to those who are the called according to His purpose.")

Well, after a week of searching and praying, we finally purchased a new van. It has everything that we had wanted in a new van. Allow me to give you the specs: 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan, 27,000 miles, stow and go seating, installed DVD system, (the kids were excited about that one) and the list could go on.

The final price tag was $13,900. The same van, everywhere else we looked was anywhere from $16,000 to $18,000. This also happened to be the very first van that we looked at last week. The Lord allowed us to wrap the deal up at just the right time. We are going to be travelling to Durham tomorrow afternoon in order to attend the high school graduation of 2 of Stephenie's nieces and one of her nephews.

Why do we feel that we needed to purchase a new van? The following picture should answer that question.

For the past several weeks I have had to add power steering fluid to our "old" van on a daily basis!

Finally, pray for Stephenie. She has had a stomach virus today. I had it yesterday and spent more time in the bathroom than I did anywhere else. I felt terrible! The only thing that I ate yesterday were two packs of crackers and a toasted peanut butter sandwich. She is still lying on the coach. She hasn't moved a whole lot from that position today. However, she handles pain and discomfort a whole lot better than I do.

Until next time!

Home Improvement, Continued

2007-05-28T07:01:00.000-05:00

As you can tell from the pictures, the deck is in the process of being built. Two men from our church and one former church member all came over on Saturday morning to help in the construction. Two of those men have spent many years in construction and so this was an "easy" job for them. By Saturday afternoon the deck was finished. All that remained was the stairs and the railing.

I have been shoppoing for a new grill for awhile. Saturday afternoon, while at Home Depot, I has approached by a salesman, as I looked at the grills, who asked me if I would be interested in last year's model. (The HD distrubution center had sent them a couple.) He said that the price was $100. When I saw the grill I paid them the money and came back later in the afternoon to pick it up. That same grill, this year, costs over $200. Thank the Lord that I was in the right place at the right time. It works like a champ!

Home Improvement, Part (I've stopped counting!)

2007-05-21T21:41:00.000-05:00

I truly have stopped counting! Because our siding contractor is a small, family business, if problems arise on a jobsite, it delays him in other areas. Needless to say, he was supposed to start this morning, but was held up. The material was delivered tonight but we don't have anyone to put it on. He is to call me tomorrow to give me an idea of when he'll be able to start. The Lord is allowing our patience to be tested.

Also, we have been unable to get ahold of the mobile mechanic that repaired our power steering pump on the van. It has developed a leak and it is still under warranty. Stephenie thinks he is ignoring us. I'm beginning to wonder myself. We have to get it fixed, though. We have to go to Raleigh next week for a graduation.

With the van "under the weather" I bought Stephenie a pre-paid cell phone so that she can call me if she gets "stranded" by the van. We'd love to buy a new van but with having just taken out a home eq loan to pay for the siding and other improvements on the house, I can't see how we could afford a vehicle payment right now. It's all in the Lord's hands! He's never let us down and I doubt He'll will!

Until next time!

Home Improvement, Part 4 - The Saga Continues

2007-05-14T21:09:00.000-05:00

Last Thursday evening, I began in ernest to demolish the back deck.

I spent the entire day on Friday working on the demolition. At times, it was slow and tedious but it wasn't too difficult. The hardest thing was taking down the 2x10 that was how the roof of the deck was attached to the house.

I spent Saturday afternoon working on the demolition. The pile of debri continued to climb. I wasn't looking forward to hauling it off. Our city taxes pay for large trash to be hauled off. However, we have to "prepare it" and then drag it to side of the street. Preparing this trash meant removing the nails from the wood or driving the nails completely into the wood. I did haul off the roofing material to the local landfill. I would have been too much work to pull all the roofing nails out of the plywood.
I took a vacation day on Monday so that I could finish the demolition. Finally, late Monday afternoon, I finished the demolition and clean up of the deck. I discovered that there was some dry rot to the house band. I am having a general contractor, who is a member of our church, come to look at the spot to see if it will be okay or if it needs to be repaired. I think that I will be okay to simply treat the wood so that it doesn't disinegrate anymore.

This is what our deck looks like sitting by the edge of the road (minus the roofing).

Home Improvement, Part 3

2007-05-04T21:39:00.000-05:00

Demolition on the back porch continues...

Home Improvement, Part 2

2007-05-04T08:39:00.000-05:00

Well, May 16th is the big date! That is to be the day that the siding is to start being put on our house. However, before that day I have a lot of work to do. I have already torn the porch railing off of the front porch and I also have to tear the old deck off of the rear of the house. You will also notice that we dug up the old bushes which were located on the side of the house nearest the drive. Once the work is all done you won't even recognize the house.

Home Improvement

2007-03-30T10:12:00.000-05:00

It's been awhile since I've posted....

Our house is currently in need of some "new clothes." We either need to paint (I hate to paint!) or wrap it in siding. Having weighed the two, we have pretty much decided to wrap the house in siding. (We've pretty much decided that we are going to stay in this house for a long time!)

We received 3 estimates for siding - $33,000; $16,000; and $9,600! The estimate for $9,600 came from a gentlemen that was personally recommended to us. He's been in the siding business for 44 years. His company consists of himself, his son, and two other workers.

What color should we side it?

At the same time, we are going to tear down the existing deck in the back and replace it. We have a gentleman in our church that builds decks for a living and he has volunteered to help build a new (and bigger) one.

Right now we are just waiting on the home equity loan to be able to get started.

P.S. - As soon as Stephenie gets back, I've got to do some work on the van! Will the repairs to the van and home never end?!