Once upon a time........

Spring Fling

2009-05-13T20:57:00.001-05:00

You've got a Friend

2008-11-05T10:35:00.001-06:00

On our most current trip to Smith Lake, Rosie ran into a little friend...or a little friend ran into Rosie.

Time for a shave....

2008-08-19T16:56:00.000-05:00

Well, poor Rosie Rae.. I found several burrs in her beard, poor puppy. I am going to post a before beard trim and after, for your viewing enjoyment.

Bath Time

2008-08-19T13:55:00.000-05:00

Well, we decided yesterday to give poor Rosie Rae a bath.. above you will see what the poor little thing looks like wet, then you can clearly see once she dries...it's time for a SHAVE!!
Once we complete that task i'll upload a picture of our beautiful little beast.

The Hobo Code

2008-08-18T13:20:00.001-05:00

As inscribed in the Annual Convention Congress of the Hoboes of America held on August 8, 1894 at the Hotel Alden, 917 Market St., Chicago Illinois;

1.-Decide your own life, don't let another person run or rule you.
2.-When in town, always respect the local law and officials, and try to be a gentleman at all times. 3.-Don't take advantage of someone who is in a vulnerable situation, locals or other hobos.
4.-Always try to find work, even if temporary, and always seek out jobs nobody wants. By doing so you not only help a business along, but insure employment should you return to that town again.
5.-When no employment is available, make your own work by using your added talents at crafts. 6.-Do not allow yourself to become a stupid drunk and set a bad example for locals treatment of other hobos.
7.-When jungling in town, respect handouts, do not wear them out, another hobo will be coming along who will need them as bad, if not worse than you.
8.-Always respect nature, do not leave garbage where you are jungling.
9.-If in a community jungle, always pitch in and help.
10.-Try to stay clean, and boil up wherever possible.
11.-When traveling, ride your train respectfully, take no personal chances, cause no problems with the operating crew or host railroad, act like an extra crew member.
12.-Do not cause problems in a train yard, Another hobo will be coming along who will need passage thru that yard.
13.-Do not allow other hobos to molest children, expose to authorities all molesters, they are the worst garbage to infest any society.
14.-Help all runaway children, and try to induce them to return home.
15.-Help your fellow hobos whenever and wherever needed, you may need their help someday.
16.-If present at a hobo court and you have testimony, give it, whether for or against the accused, your voice counts!

A few of the visitors this year....

2008-08-18T13:11:00.000-05:00

The first photo is Ladybug, the 2nd photo shows the crowns that the two lucky winners that are crowned king & queen..the 3rd photo is showing a wedding that was held for two hobos. This year the king and queen were Tuck and Charlotte.

Mulligan Stew

2008-08-18T13:05:00.001-05:00

The town of Britt yearly opens its arms to the Hobo Convention, if you are ever in town during this celebration you are sure to enjoy this tasty stew...

Britt's Mulligan Stew
Twenty stew pots are used.
They hold a total of:
450 lbs. beef
900 lbs. potatoes
250 lbs. carrots
35 lbs. green-red peppers
300 lbs. cabbage
100 lbs. turnips
10 lbs. parsnips
150 lbs. tomatoes
20 lbs. chili pepper
25 lbs. rice
60 lbs. celery
1 lb. bay leaves
24 gal. mixed vegetables
10 lb. kitchen bouquet flavoring
About 400 loaves of bread are served.
The finished stew fills about 5,000 8-oz cups.
Mulligan of Happiness
Take a large bowl, fill it with sunshine. Add a bit of patience, faith and kindness. Sift a cup of romance with a teaspoon of sympathy, a teaspoon of forgiveness, moisten with a teardrop, adding tolerance, friendship along with ambition. Mix well with stardust, fold in imagination, place in a heavenly blue pan, bake well with the light of God's candle. Serve every day and it will bring you a mulligan of Happiness.

Hobo Symbols

2008-08-18T13:02:00.000-05:00

Hobo Logo

2008-08-18T12:58:00.001-05:00

The Britt hobo logo was first used in the 1900 convention announcements and advertising. The figure used in the ad has been changed very little over the years and is now found around town on school letterheads, the city's watertower, on the highway welcome sign, as well as on restaurant menus.
The "Britt hobo" is thought to be Tourist Union 63 President Onion Cotton. Onion Cotton is the hobo who agreed to bring the convention to Britt in 1900.
A heavy coat was home for this 1900 hobo and the only way to keep under garments clean.
A bindle stick and personalized head gear are appropriate for the logo hobo and are typical of the 1990 hobos. Hobos over the years have been known on sight by their hats and walking sticks.
Tied to the bindle stick is a grub box and a tomato can. The hobo carries a tube in his other hand, most likely this is a rolled up convention announcement. Some reproductions over the years have turned the tube into a beer can, but it is unlikely that the 1900 hobo carried a beer, as beer in cans weren't yet manufactured.
The symbols under the Britt Hobo are a draw pin and a link coupler, the fixtures used to hook early railroad cars together. They are symbolic of the Tourist Union and of the Britt conventions - a linking up, forming a union, a coming together.
Hobos had their own symbol code to communicate with one another. The symbols were used to point out good camp sites, good water sources, a kind person, travel directions or the authorities.

Britt, Iowa

2008-08-18T12:38:00.000-05:00

I wanted to share with you a few pictures from Britt, Iowa. Britt is home to the National Hobo Convention held yearly in August.

Here is a little tale of how the Hobo Convention came to be.....

This friendship began with the aspirations of three Britt men, Thomas A. Way, T.A. Potter, and W.E. Bradford, in 1900. Their desire was to gain some attention for the small Iowa town to "do something different to show the world that Britt was a lively little town capable of doing anything that larger cities could do."
Way and Potter read a report in the Chicago paper that Tourists Union No. 63 had elected as officers Onion Cotton, of Danville, Illinois and Grand Head Pipe Charles F. Noe, of Sycamore, Illinois. They wrote to Noe and invited him to bring the Hobo Convention to Britt in 1900. Noe wrote them that he would come out to Britt and look the ground over, providing Way and Potter would defray his carfare and expenses. They agreed.
It was an autumn day in 1899 that Noe arrived at the Milwaukee depot and was met by Way and Potter. They wined and dined the Grand Head Pipe, then called in an attorney, W.E. Bradford, to guide the proceedings and see that they were legal. They also invited Phil Reed, a newspaper man connected with the Britt News. The four men must have guaranteed that the Hobo Convention would go over big in Britt, for Noe agreed to bring the convention to Britt in 1900 and the 22nd day of August was set as the date.
Bailey of Britt, a nationally known humorist and an ardent conventioneer, assumed the publicity end of the promotion, and various other men took responsible positions on the committees. The novelty of the convention appealed to newspaper reporters everywhere, and everyone talked it up, taking the matter as a joke - except the promoters.

Movin' on......

Movin' on, movin' on, movin' on...the stream engines beckoned as they built up momentum heading towards a new horizon, towards an adventure.
Many a man heard that call, when the rules become too hard to take. This man, born to dream not conform, that man without a job and out of luck - they heard the call, movin' on...movin' on. The solders drawn from home and done with war were often lured to travel by the train's call.
Movin' on made some men famous, caused others to lose their lives. Movin' on set some men free while binding them to a brotherhood stronger than roots, the brotherhood of the hobos.
Hobos they're called, a word with as many possible origins as there are reasons to join the fraternity. The Latin words homo bonus mean "good man" and could have been coined to make the term hobo. Some say that soldiers returning from the Civil War would be asked where they were headed and they replied "homeward bound". Migratory agricultural workers of the eighteenth century were referred to as "hoe boys", and since hobos worked as they traveled, it was concluded they were the original 'boes.
Ask a veteran hobo at a convention jungle what a hobo is and you'll receive a definite answer. The hobo is a migratory worker, some with a special skill or trade, others ready to work at any task, but always willing to work to make his way.
The tramp, they'll tell you, is a traveling non-worker, moving from town to town, but never willing to work for the handouts that he begs for. A bum is the lowest class, too lazy to roam around and never works.
Misunderstood and mistreated, the wandering hobos have come to find understanding and friendship in the town of Britt, Iowa

algona alley

2008-08-18T12:27:00.000-05:00

calm before the storm...

2008-08-14T09:56:00.000-05:00

I wish you could have seen the sky just before taking these photos, it was so brilliant orange..i've never seen it such an odd color. Unfortunately, by the time we reached the lake the sky was BLACK.

beautiful.......

2008-08-03T19:32:00.000-05:00

Smith Lake, Algona, Iowa...

2008-08-03T17:35:00.001-05:00

It's a wonderful world....

2008-08-03T16:33:00.000-05:00

I wanted to share a few photos Jessica took last night at Smith Lake.

as the corn grows.....

2008-07-26T18:45:00.000-05:00

then and now....

2008-07-26T14:14:00.000-05:00

Okay, to celebrate 47 years - I thought we could all use a laugh. All I can say is... "the cheeks still look the same"..lol

around town....

2008-07-26T13:07:00.000-05:00

I have been wanting to take you on a trip around town, i'll start with one of our water towers, Jess says this tower reminds her of the one in a movie "Sweet Home Alabama" I'm not sure about that, will have to watch the movie to find out. I'll upload more photos in a bit, hope you enjoy "Mayberry U.S.A."

queen bee

2008-07-26T13:05:00.001-05:00

couldn't resist this photo of rosie rae - she looks ever so regal?

Farmers Market

2008-07-26T12:56:00.001-05:00

Rick ventured out this morning to the Algona Farmer's Market, coming back with a few treats for the family.. he ran into a lady who is on the editorial board who happens to have a farm where these delightful squash were harvested.. he also found the cute little old woman who we visited with last week at the market, she had red potatoes, which happen to be my favorite..note my nick name "taterpig"

New Table

2008-07-19T20:14:00.000-05:00

Well, it's official, we have a table. We have decided to use our old chairs until we can find "the perfect chair" to accompany our new table..we bought a bench seat, which will be quite handy when we have guests for supper.

love seat & chair

2008-07-19T20:10:00.000-05:00

Well, this is the chair we have decided to purchase for our "little" livingroom, we also ordered a loveseat to match, both items will be delivered on July 30th, we are getting so excited to finally have furniture in our home!!

A pug love story....

2008-03-02T13:08:00.001-06:00

Rosie Rae has her sights on our next door neighbor "Duke" the two of them meet at the fence daily to exchange glances and a few "snorts" they now have started digging a hole - sometimes when "Duke" puts his foot under the fence - Rosie Rae jumps for joy..

I keep forgetting...

2008-03-02T13:05:00.000-06:00

A day at the zoo.....

2008-03-02T12:50:00.000-06:00

Well, we decided to take advantage of a FREE day at the zoo..Monday, February 25th the entrance fee was FREE...so, we drove to Oklahoma City to the zoo..what fun!! It was nice being together as a family, walking in the crisp winter air..hope you enjoy a few photos.

Estella Florine

2008-03-02T12:47:00.000-06:00

I love and miss you mommy....

Proverbs 3:5-6

2008-03-02T12:24:00.000-06:00

Trust in the Lord with all your heart.
And lean not on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.

Leaning is putting your whole weight on something, resting on and trusting in that person or thing. When we have an important decision to make, we sometimes feel that we can't trust anyone - not even God. But God knows what is best for us. He is a better judge of what we want than even we are! We must trust him completely in every choice we make. We must not be wise in our own eyes. We should always be willing to listen to and be corrected by God's Word. Bring your decisions to God in prayer, no matter how big or small the issue, use the Bible as your guide and then listen for God's leading in your life. He will make your paths straight by guiding and protecting you.

Mighty to Save

2008-03-02T12:20:00.000-06:00

Everyone needs compassion
Love that's never failing
Let mercy fall on me
Everyone needs forgiveness
The kindness of a Savior
The hope of nations

Savior, He can move the mountains
My God is mighty to save
He is mighty to save
Forever, Author of Salvation
He rose and conquered the grave
Jesus conquered the grave

So take as You find me
All my fears and failures
Fill my life again
I give my life to follow
Everything I believe in
Now I surrender

Shine your light
And let the whole world see
We're singing
For the glory of the risen King, Jesus

beautiful

2008-03-02T12:18:00.001-06:00

Jessica standing under the cross at Lifechurch.tv campus

Something to think about

2007-11-18T15:53:00.000-06:00

Not all obstacles were put in your way to challenge you, some were simply put there to redirect you..

Happy Thanksgiving

2007-11-18T15:52:00.000-06:00

Let your roots grow down into him

And draw up nourishment from him,

So you will grow in faith,

Strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught.

Let your lives overflow

With thanksgiving for all he has done.

---Colossians 2:7

we're off for 10 days.........

2007-11-18T10:38:00.000-06:00

Well, we're leaving in the morning for Northern California.. I am trusting the Lord will protect us on our adventure. He knows I am frightened to fly.. but, I am choosing to give the flight over to Him.. We are looking forward to the chance to reconnect with family and friends, plus get our toes wet in the Pacific Ocean.. We shall be back November 29th - Catch ya on the flip side.

New website

2007-11-11T23:41:00.000-06:00

LifeChurch.tv has a new website available for those interested in studying the Bible.. I really think yall should go check it out..

www.youversion.com

The History of The Bible

2007-11-11T23:23:00.000-06:00

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word. Psalms 119:16

shakach (shaw-kakh'); to lay aside, to forget, to take for granted or neglect.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. John 1: 1-2

HISTORY TIMELINE

1400-1500 BC: God wrote the 10 Commandments in ancient Hebrew on stone.

500 BC: 39 books that make up the Old Testament were completed and preserved in Hebrew on scrolls.

First Century AD: New Testament had been completed and was preserved in Greek on Papyrus.

393 AD: Synod of Hippo officially approved the New Testament for the entire Church.

500 AD: Bible had been translated into over 500 languages.

600 AD: Bible was restricted to only Latin. All other versions were considered illegal.

400-1400 AD: This period is known as the "Dark Ages."

500's-1300's: Secret Bible society made up of the "Culdees" continued to study God's word.

1380: John Wycliffe (often called the Morningstar of the Reformation) translated the Bible into English.

1415: John Hus was burned at the stake for his stance for the Bible. Wycliffe's bibles were used to start the fire.

1517: Martin Luther nailed his famous 95 Thesis on the church door at the church in Wittenberg.

1526: William Tyndale printed the first English Bible.

1536: Tyndale was incarcerated before he was strangled and burned at the stake. Before dying, Tyndale prayed, "Oh Lord open the King of England's eyes."

1539: King Henry VIII finally allowed (and even funded) the printing of an English Bible.

DO NOT NEGLECT GOD'S WORD

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God. and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:1-2, 14

I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word. Psalms 119:16

2007-11-05T00:19:00.000-06:00

'Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.' Romans 12:2

2007-11-02T20:06:00.000-05:00

Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Love will last forever.
1 Cor. 13:7

2007-11-02T20:04:00.000-05:00

Watchful Eye

2007-11-02T20:00:00.000-05:00

Malachi 3:3 says: "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver" This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study. That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver. As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities. The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: "He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver." She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined. The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed. The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?" He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it." If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.

The 7-Ups...

2007-10-24T22:56:00.000-05:00

Wake Up
Decide to have a good day.
"This is the day the Lord hath made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it."
Psalms 118:24

Dress Up
The best way to dress up is to put on a smile.
A smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.
"The Lord does not look at the things man looks at.
Man looks at outward appearance,
but the Lord looks at the heart."
I Samuel 16:7

Hush Up
Say nice things and learn to listen.
God gave us two ears and one mouth,
so He must have meant for us to do twice as much listening as talking.

"He who guards his lips guards his soul."
Proverbs 13:3

Stand Up. . . for what you believe in.
Stand for something or you will fall for anything.
"Let us not be weary in doing good; for at the proper time,
we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good..."
Galatians 6:9-10

Look Up
. . to the Lord
"I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me".
Philippians 4:13

Reach Up
. . for something higher.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and lean not unto your own understanding.
In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path."
Proverbs 3:5-6

Lift Up
. your Prayers.
"Do not worry about anything; instead
PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING."
Philippians 4:6

A Thought...
If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it.
If He had a wallet, your photo would be in it.
He sends you flowers every spring, and a sunrise every morning.
Whenever you want to talk, He'll listen.
He could live anywhere in the universe, and He chose your heart.
What about the Christmas gift He sent you in Bethlehem;
not to mention that Friday at Calvary.
Face it, He loves you very much!

Remember....God answers KNEE-mail

Divine Romance

2007-10-17T23:26:00.000-05:00

The fullness of Your grace is here with me
The richness of Your beauty’s all I see
The brightness of Your glory has arrived
In Your presence God, I’m completely satisfied

For You I sing I dance
Rejoice in this divine romance
Lift my heart and my hands
To show my love, to show my love

A deep deep flood, an Ocean flows from You
Of deep deep love, yeah it’s filling up the room
Your innocent blood, has washed my guilty life
In Your presence God I’m completely satisfied

I can't even begin to tell you how much I love this song..Phil Wickham is the artist, do yourself a favor and listen and soak in this song.

Freedom to worship

2007-10-17T22:59:00.000-05:00

We are free in Christ, yet we must not abuse our Christian freedom by being inconsiderate and insensitive to others. We must never encourage others to do wrong because of something we have done. Let love guide your behaviour.

We are free to worship, everything we do to worship God should be done in a manner worthy of his high honor. We should make sure our worship is to glorify Him as not to bring focus on ourselves. We should never criticize fellow Christians whose worship is different than our own. More important than how we worship is THAT we worship Christ. Don't let anyone judge you. You are responsible to Christ.

Joy

2007-10-15T20:50:00.000-05:00

As believers we can have profound contentment, serenity and peace no matter what happens in our lives. This joy comes from knowing Christ personally and from depending on his strength other than our own. We can have joy, even in the hard times of our lives. Joy doesn't come from outward experiences but from inward strength as Christians. We must remember not to rely on what we have or what we experience to give us joy, but to remember we experience joy from Christ within us.

Where God wants me.....

2007-10-15T00:18:00.000-05:00

1 Cor. 7:17 But as God has distributed to each one, as the Lord has called each one, so let him walk. NKJ

1 Cor. 7:17 You must accept whatever situation the Lord has put you in, and continue on as you were when God first called you. NLT

.....Paul was writing to say that people should be Christians where they are, if you became a Christian after marriage, and your spouse is not a believer, remember that you don't have to be married to a Christian to live for Christ. Don't assume you are in the wrong place, or stuck with the wrong person. You may be just where God wants you!!

From the Inside Out

2007-10-15T00:15:00.000-05:00

A thousand times I've failed
Still Your mercy remains And should I stumble again
I'm caught in Your grace
Everlasting
Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending
Your glory goes beyond all fame

Your will above all else
My purpose remains
The art of losing myself
In bringing You praise
Everlasting
Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending
Your glory goes beyond all fame

In my heart and my soul
Lord I give You control
Consume me from the inside out
Lord let justice and praise
Become my embrace
To love you from the inside out

Everlasting
Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending
Your glory goes beyond all fame
And the cry of my heart
Is to bring You praise
From the inside out
Lord my soul cries out

So....This song touches my heart.

Spiritual Warfare

2007-10-14T23:51:00.000-05:00

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world.
2 Corinthians 10:3-4

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Ephesians 6 10-12

WHAT YOU SEE IS NOT ALL THERE IS

YOU ARE NOT ALONE IN YOUR BATTLES
When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. "Oh, my lord, what shall we do?" the servant asked. "Don't be afraid," the prophet answered. "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them." And Elisha prayed, "OH LORD, open his eyes so he may see." Then the LORD opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
2 Kings 6:15-17

YOUR PRAYERS ARE FAR MORE POWERFUL THAN YOU KNOW
"Don't be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer. But for twenty-one days the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then Michael, one of the archangels, came to help me, and I left him there with the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia. Now I am here to explain what will happen to your people in the future, for this vision concerns a time yet to come."
Daniel 10:12-14

WHAT DOES THE DEVIL DO?

HE BLINDS THE MINDS OF UNBELIEVERS.
The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers....
2 Corinthians 4:4

HE STEALS GOD'S WORD FROM YOU.
"When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart."
Matthew 13:19

HE SETS TRAPS TO ENSNARE YOU.
...and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil who has taken them captive to do his will.
2 Timothy 2:26

HE FIGHTS TO STOP YOU.
For we wanted to come to you-certainly I, Paul, did, again and again - but Satan stopped us.
1 Thessalonians 2:18

HE PLANS TO DESTROY YOU.
Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
1 Peter 5:8

THE SPIRITUAL BATTLE
Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
Ephesians 6 13-18

WE DO NOT FIGHT FOR VICTORY. WE FIGHT FROM VICTORY
You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
1 John 4:4