Jesus is the Reason for the Season

Merry Christmas to all..

Today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you Christ the Lord.
Luke 2:11

Changes

Changes are like the seasons or the beginning of a new day. Different.
There are events in our lives births,death,marriage,divorce. In a new year there can be so many changes. This past year I have experienced a lot of "changes". Marriage,surgery,a new job,a different address. Changes, you can embrace them or you don't. Some you can control, some you can not. But changes will come, so prepare your mind to deal with them before they come. Some changes are good, they help us to become better, and look out side of ourselves. Changes don't always have to be bad. So use all changes to your advantage, to make you into what God wants you to become. Changes

Firefighting

Here is an old pic from way back in '02. This was a structure fire in Pendlton county. It all started with a teenage girl, and a candle. Be careful.

Formula One Racing

Formula One Racing does not get much attention in this country. I dont know if the reason is maybe Nascar. And it not being so "American". In the past for me if it wasn't American muscle, I didn't care about it. But I guess over time, I started thinking more global. I working for a corporation that is based in London,England, and prior to that a German corporation.

Other contributing factors have been movies that I have enjoyed,"Fast and Furious","Speed". I have come appreciate that there are other ways to go fast. Will F1 catch on this country? I don't know, I believe alot of people may think them a little snobby. But some of the snobbishness may be us. We live in a more global world.

In our culture there maybe other things in the future that becomes more of our culture. Such as World Cup soccer, or Rugby,Lacrosse. F1 racing is a great means of entertainment, but also we need to understand, this is cutting edge technology. And with this, we are starting to loss the edge. Just look at American campuses. There are more Chinese and Indian engineering students in our post graduate engineering universities than we could ever imagine.

F1 racing is great racing,and thru it and other means has opened my mind to other ways of looking at things. I still consider myself a good 'ol boy, but in a global world.

Southern Campbell Fire Department

***************************Tools of the Trade*************

Blue Angels

One of my fondest memories of my childhood was the time I met one of the pilots of the Navy's flight demonstration team,the Blue Angels. I dont remember how old I was, but I still remember the day. It was a gray day, and the Blue Angels were performing in the airshow at old Lunken field, in Cincinnati. I must have been a smaller child;because I remember how tall the pilot I met. He was in a perfectly pressed uniform,and he seemed to be 8 feet tall. I remember being made to feel like I was the coolest thing, this guy had met. I remember thinking I want to grow up to be just like him! I never grew to be a Blue Angel, but I have such a passion for aviation. I know that it started on that day. I still prefer the "Angels" over any other flight team, no matter that they all perform some of the same basic manuevers. The Angels will always hold a special place in my heart. They all stand as tall as the unnamed pilot I remember as a kid. I still follow where they are, an where they go.

So, Blue skys Blue Angels, fly safe!!!

Books & Travel

Sometimes in the nuttiness of life.There are the necessity of finding a quiet place and spend time with a good book.

One of my favorite places!

Thumprr

This isn't Thumprr, but someday!!!

Last night I met with some of the guys from my car club, Tri~State Chevelle at the Milford cruise in. Man, what a selection of cars!!! This is the place to show your ride. It doesn't matter what your preference. Old,new,vintage,exotic,rare,beater. When the weather is nice on Friday night in Cincinnti, this is the place to be.

"Lest We Forget"

This picture is on my daughter's blog. And it stirs me every time I see it. Let us remember 9/11 for what it really was.An attack by a cowardly enemy, who hides behind hate to further their cause.

"Lest We Forget".

I am a volunteer firefighter, so I know what it is to go into a building people are trying to get out of. There are people in our country who have forgotten an unseen enemy who brought destruction to our land. Let us remember those who died that day,and not dishonor their families and their loss.

Young Eagles

Gary Miller's Cessena 170

The thrill to take to the sky is so invigorating. A chance to see the world from a different perspective. I have flown in different type of aircraft. And there is always the rush of excitement when you leave the ground. In my excitement, I have shared my passion of flight with others thru various means to do so. One of those ways is the Young Eagles program. This is an introductory flight for kids 8-17 in connection with local EAA chapters in communities around the country. There is nothing like watching a little kid climb into plane, and put on the headsets. To see the look on their faces is to see the of excitement of Charles Lindbergh,Chuck Yeager,Amelia Earhart. To have had this opportunity as a kid, it would have been one of my dreams come true. But this dream did come later. Aviation, what rush!!! And the great people that makes this program work. From the pilots to the line worker making sure that everyone stays safe. The behind the scenes printing out certificates,and those selling t-shirts.


High Flight
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth and danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth Of sun-split clouds, — and done a hundred thingsYou have not dreamed of — wheeled and soared and swung High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung My eager craft through footless halls of air. . . .
Up, up the long, delirious burning blue I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace Where never lark, or ever eagle flew —And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod The high untrespassed sanctity of space,Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.
— John Gillespie Magee, Jr

JOY

In the hustle and bustle of life, we need to take time to let your mind relax and refresh. It is so easy to try to do "everything"and not do anything at all. On the way to work this morning, I heard a statement on the radio that was simple, but true. There are the important things, and the not so important things. But the statement to remember was "JOY". J stands for Jesus,which should be number one in our life, and O stands for others who should come before the last letter Y.Y is for yourself, not that you are not important, you are. But we should to please Him,and by loving your neighbors as ourselves. We are doing what we are suppose to be doing. So when we are buying bigger and better, are doing the right thing? Today's flip calender reading from Bill Hybels says, "Sometimes I disobey the Spirit's leading,choose for self, and pay the price of emptiness and disappointment. Sometime I take a headlong plunge for others and nearly burst with fulfillment and joy."

Blogging

To blog or not to blog, that is the question.

learning a new thing

Mental exercise is just like physical exercise. It is so important that we exercise our minds. If we don't exercise, we will get mentally obese. Co-workers with whom I have worked are so content to do the same thing day in and day out. They love the status Que. We need to get away from the comfort zones. We were not meant to do the same thing day after day. We are meant to make a difference. It could be our jobs, our families, our world. We are suppose to "expand our territory". We need to strap on a comfortable pair walking boots for the mind, read books we normally wouldn't read, see movies that you normally wouldn't watch, rest,pray.
But we need to exercise our minds to be engaged in the things God has purposed and plan for each and everyone of our life's. So learn something new today, you'll be glad you did. It will help you to stay mentally fit, and mentally young.