Should You Go to College?

Howdy, boys...  HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Isaac... I look forward to meeting you one day.

Today I wanted to encourage all of you boys to begin thinking about what you want to do when you grow up. Don't let someone push you into something THEY think would be right for you. You need to follow your heart and do something that you love. I know that several years ago when I was still allowed to talk to Ethan and Caleb, Ethan LOVED working with his hands and building things. If that is still true I would tell Ethan to continue down that road and become the very best builder that there is anywhere!

I know if I could turn back the clock, I wouldn't have gone to college... knowing what I know now, I'd go down to the Tennessee River, hire on to one of the river tugboats that push barges up and down the river and work my way up to becoming the captain of one. Here is a video of what a river tugboat looks like.


I don't want to discourage you from going to college... there are some professions like your Mommy becoming a registered nurse that require a college education... but things are changing and in my opinion not going to college should be considered. If you do decide to go the college route, please don't go into debt to pay for it. Debt is a horrible thing and should be avoided at all costs. "The borrower is the slave of the lender." Paying off college debt can take years and can actually be impossible if you choose a career that requires a degree but doesn't pay much when you finish your schooling.

Becoming an expert at whatever you love can cost nothing and provide you with an excellent opportunity to make lots of money. There is a story about a company that had a machine that broke down and they had to get it fixed or they would lose hundreds of thousands of dollars everyday. They called a fellow who was known to be the world's expert on this particular machine to help them locate the problem. When the expert arrived, he listened to the clank-clank-clank of the machine. After about a minute he walked over to the machine, took out a black magic marker and drew an "X" on the side of the machine. "You've got to change the bearing right behind that "X" and it will run just fine again... that will be $20,000 please." "How can you justify charging $20,000 you have only been here for 5 minutes? Please break down your charges for us." "Well, drawing the "X" was $5... knowing where to draw the "X" was $19,995." He was an expert and commanded expert fees for his knowledge. Become the very best at whatever you love doing and you'll make lots of money.

Here are some videos that discuss some of the downfalls of attending college. Remember, some professions require a college education but many things don't and you would be better off becoming that expert I talked about. I have read that if you devote just an hour a day learning something about your chosen profession, in 5 years you'll be an expert.

I love you boys,
Granddaddy

Tell Your Children Not to Go to College

Wanting to be with you

I saw this family picture that your Aunt Amanda put on Facebook and it broke my heart because I would have so loved to be there with you.

I would love to hear about your Christmas and to learn about what you all are doing.

I just watched this video and this lady has successfully done what I always try to do and that is to look for a silver lining in every cloud. Even in the worst situation - because God has you right where he wants you - surely there is something good that can come from what you're facing... something you can learn... someone you are ordained to meet... something good... something from God.

I'm going through some pretty bad things with my enlarged prostrate but even there I have experienced a blessing because my doctor showed me something I can do to get a good night's sleep for a change and that is wonderful. It's a silver lining in my cloud and there will always be one for you too... you just have to purposely look for it and when you find it rejoice.

God is on the throne, has something special for you and won't give you more than you can handle... it's a promise from Him. You may not understand what I am saying here or what this brave lady has been through but when you're older you will.


I love you sweet little boys,

Granddaddy

Merry Christmas, boys!

Merry Christmas, boys!

While I am writing this you and your family are celebrating Jesus' birth at your Dad's parent's house. I bet you all are having a wonderful time opening gifts, playing with new toys and eating lots of Christmas goodies.

I'd love to know what Santa brought you and to learn what is going on in your live. I understand that you are raising chickens like I'm planning to do in the spring. In fact, I was out this afternoon planning the coop. It would be nice to have Ethan and his helper Caleb here to help me build the building for my feathered ladies. We love eggs and having a steady supply of our own will be great. Several years ago we raised some ducks and ate their eggs but I prefer chicken eggs for eating on a daily basis. Remember eggs are one of the near perfect foods. Don't let anyone tell you that they're not good for you. I've been eating as many as 4 eggs/day for years and my blood work is perfect.

Just so you'll know I have been having some prostrate problems (only boys have a prostrate gland... girls don't) and surgery is pending. I don't know when you'll learn of my upcoming operation but please pray for me and my complete recovery. What I'm going through is definitely not a lot of fun and I'm looking forward to getting the problem fixed.

Well, I'll go for now and leave you with this video. I hope your Mommy is planning to homeschool you boys and that she agrees with the premise that this young man is putting forth and imparts some of his wisdom and knowledge to you. Beyond Salvation and health I pray that each of you will be happy.

This is the video he referred to early in his presentation:

I love you,
Granddaddy

Duck Dynasty's witness for Jesus

As you may know Duck Dynasty is one of the biggest shows on TV right now. Phil Robertson, the patriarch of the family, is my age and to my way of thinking really has his head screwed on straight. Rather than play college football and go on to the pros like his backup quarterback (Terry Bradshaw) did, Phil decided to do what he loved best... hunt ducks and be in the woods as much as possible (in another post I'll discuss in more depth how I feel about his decision). Along the way he came to know Jesus and ever since has lived for Him and raised his family to love Him. Now with their TV show the Robertson family gets to witness to 12 million viewers every week about Jesus... it's POWERFUL. I hope you enjoy what they have to say in this video:



I love you boys,

Your Granddaddy

PS. Boys, here's a video of a model railroad in Germany that you'll enjoy:

Songs from the 1940s

Hey, boys... I've just got a minute but I thought you'd like to see a couple of acts from the 1940s when my Mama and Daddy were in her twenties... it was during World War II. These are pretty typical songs for the time but the Ross Sisters' agility is amazing! I hope you enjoy them.





I love you guys... I plan to do my first personal video for you soon.

Granddaddy

This is where I live

Good morning, boys. Someone just sent me this video about Grundy County, Tennessee. I live just a few miles from Grundy County where our Piggly Wiggly grocery store, CVS pharmacy, etc. are located. I thought you'd like to see where I live and how beautiful the area is:



I really liked the pictures of you boys taking apart that gizmo (?)... I bet that was fun especially since I know Ethan loves to work with his hands and Caleb likes doing things with his big brother.

I've been thinking about you boys and since I can't see you, I thought I'd start making short videos that detail interesting things I've experienced in my life. We made a video of my Daddy before he died (it's been misplaced for now but I hope it can be found?) where we asked him questions about his life and work. He's been gone for over 14 years now so it will be a wonderful record of his life for those who loved him. When it's found, I'll send y'all a copy of it.

That's all I have for now... I hope you boys have a wonderful productive day!

I love you little guys and pray for you several times every day,

Your Granddaddy

Sugar Plum Fairy

Howdy, boys... I haven't posted to your blog in over a month... but it's not because I'm not thinking and praying for my little men because I pray for you several times a day.

On a more positive note I found this video this morning. The sound these people get out of glasses of water is pretty amazing. Here is the video and the explanation of their performance:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdoTdG_VNV4

Little did the musicians know, but when their fingertips generated sound by touching those glass rims for the first time, it was what would turn out to be the beginning of a long and earnest adventure. These two musicians, players of the traditional instruments the violin and the trumpet, could not have suspected the path that lay before them. They began to master the glass harp, amazed by its technical and expressional possibilities. The biggest glass harp in the world, its range covers nearly 5 octaves. The phenomenal sound of the glass cups caught these musicians' imagination so much that they quit the Baltic Philharmonic Orchestra in Gdansk. Their passion and unremitting work resulted in the growing popularity of their concert performances. Today they have an extraordinarily wide repertoire and their very own loyal fan base. They perform both solo concerts and concerts with additional musicians. They've performed with string quartets, various chamber ensembles, even symphony orchestras, including The Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra and Sinfonia Varsovia. They have had several world premieres of musical works composed especially for them. They have also made numerous recordings for radio, tv and theatre productions. 

I hope you boys enjoyed this video. Your Dad can probably show you how the sound is made by putting some water in a wine glass and rubbing the lip of the glass.

I love you and pray that the Lord will heap blessings on you and your family,
Granddaddy

PS. I remembered this dog video and knew y'all would love it!

Happy Birthday, Caleb!

Here's a video you might enjoy?… I love hummingbirds… I have a feeder just outside my window so I get to watch them all day. I don't know how anyone can watch a hummer and say that there isn't a God.

I love you,
Your Granddaddy
PS. I pray for you and your brothers everyday.

One smart bear

Good morning, boys... I hope you and your family are doing well. A friend sent me this video today about a Russian bear. He's smart and unbelievably gentle. I hope you enjoy it:
I continue to pray for my three little boys everyday.
I love you,
Granddaddy

Your cousin Oliver is going to be a rock star!

This is a video your aunt Kitty sent me of Oliver dancing... he's definitely a beautiful boy. I'd sure like to see y'all in some videos to chronicle your growing up.
I love you guys and pray for you daily,
Granddaddy

There ain't nothing like a puppy!

This is such a good video with an awesome message I just had to post it again for you boys... "there ain't nothing like a dog unless it's a puppy."

I love you, boys,
Granddaddy

I hope you boys can get a dog real soon!

I trust you and your family are doing well! We're doing fine here. I can't wait to take some pictures of our garden to show you how well it's doing... especially our tomatoes, squash and sweet potatoes.

Alexis just went through her second back/neck surgery last Monday but she's recovering pretty well. Her doctor is a very skilled Christian neurosurgeon who even prays for his patients before surgery. Alexis' Mother will be 92 in August and we have been taking care of her for 18 months. It's getting harder and harder because she's getting weaker and weaker. It's especially hard on Alexis but it's God's way to honor your father and mother. I took care of my Mama for over two years before she died. It was a real blessing for me to be able to do that. She frequently thanked me for keeping her out of a nursing home which made it all worthwhile.

Well, I'll sign off for now...
I love you dearly,
Granddaddy

Life is like coffee

Boys, my brother Chris, your great uncle, sent me this video and it has a profound message... I hope you enjoy the sentiment and live it throughout your life with Jesus. 

I love you little guys,
Granddaddy

Lord, bless my little grandsons and their family... in Jesus Name I pray.

Your Granddaddy has been an activist for 40 years

Good morning, boys, today I'm sad to report to you that our country - at one time the greatest experiment in liberty the world has ever known - is in its death throes and may not survive. The current President is working overtime to destroy the Constitution and the Bill of Rights (these rights are given to ALL men by God NOT granted at the whim of government as Washington would have you believe). One of the most important of the Bill of Rights is the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (2nd Amendment), to wit:

A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.

The rights enumerated in the Constitution come from God NOT from government and, therefore, all Americans have the right to own and carry any firearm they want to protect their family from criminals, to hunt, to shoot skeet and to target practice. But the main reason our brilliant Founding Fathers included this right in the Bill of Rights was so citizens could protect themselves from tyrannical government... a government like our federal government has evolved into. A population that is unarmed is enslaved.

Last Saturday I attended a rally in support of the 2nd Amendment and was allowed to speak for a few minutes. I thought you might like to hear what I had to say?



I love you boys and sincerely pray that we won't lose our country so you can live free,
Granddaddy

Acts of Kindness

Good morning, boys. I just ran across this video and thought of you three little guys. When I was younger - before I went to high school at St Andrews - I was an Eagle Scout. Scouts were known for helping people especially little old ladies when they needed assistance crossing a street... Scouts helping old ladies cross the street was almost a cliche'. Happily, many people all over the world have good hearts and "help old ladies" cross streets. In Russia there are many cars that have dash cams and that is how so many of these good deeds were caught on camera. I'm confident because you all know Jesus that during your lives you will do many kind things for others without expecting anything in return. Click here to see the video:

 
I just found another video (below) that shows an act of kindness towards an abused little dog. I can't stand seeing an animal being mistreated especially dogs because I love them so much. God created them to teach us many of His ways including unconditional love. On occasion when I've seen a dog being abused, I stopped and called the police to confront the owner. Animal abuse is and should be a crime punishable by prison time.

I do hope you boys can get a dog soon... other than the birth of my grandsons nothing has brought me as much joy as having and loving a dog... no matter what you give them they are completely satisfied... they just want to be with you. I still thank the Lord at least once a week for blessing me with Baxter for 9 1/2 years. Can you see the love in his eyes in this picture as he looks up at me? All he wanted was to be with Dave. Thankfully, I was with him when he died and had spent several hours just before the Lord took him home hugging his neck and telling him how much I loved him (we knew he was dying). That was over three years ago and I still miss my sweet, big boy (Baxter weighed 120 pounds).



This is a video about a couple who rescued a terrified little dog who had been dumped by her owner. She was blind and very afraid. Notice the transformation she makes just by having a family and being loved by her humans. Click here to see the video.

 
I love you boys... PLEASE give my Birthday Wishes to Isaac .
Granddaddy

PS. Here's another fun video. Click here to see the video:

What incredibly BEAUTIFUL birds

Good morning, boys... here is a video about exotic birds who live in a rain forest in the south Pacific. I think you might enjoy watching it. Like the hummingbirds I love these incredibly beautiful birds declare to the world the GLORY of our God. Click here to see the video or on the image of the bird.



I hope my little boys have a wonderful day today and that you are praying for your Granddaddy... I'm pray for you and your family every morning.

Granddaddy

Ethan, Caleb and Isaac say,

Here's a really neat way to garden

Hey, boys,
I suspect it will be a number of years before you guys will consider putting in a garden (although maybe you and your Dad could begin to experiment with gardening?) but I wanted you to have a record of this link so you could refer to it in the future. Someone blessed me with this free video early last fall so I started getting ready then for this year's garden. This fellow's use of wood chips is producing an absolutely incredible garden for him - year after year - with NO watering, NO fertilizer, NO pesticides and minimal weeding. Obviously you have to start getting ready ahead of time to utilize this gardening method because the wood chips have to begin to compost. Consider "passing the video forward" to a gardener you know in the future.


I love you boys and pray for you everyday,
Granddaddy
PS. Lord please bless my little grandsons and their family... in Jesus precious Name... AMEN and AMEN!
PSS. I'll keep you boys posted on the progress of my garden.

This dance will make you crosseyed

Hey, boys... here's a fun dance that will make you crosseyed:
I love you little guys... I pray for you every day,
Granddaddy
PS. Remember what Jesus said, "do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

It's a beautiful spring day here in Tennessee...

I hope you boys are doing well! It's a beautiful spring day here in Tennessee... spring and fall are my two favorite seasons... green in the spring ("Tennessee put the double 'e' in green") and the beautiful colors in the fall.

We're going to start putting in our garden this afternoon (tomatoes, sweet potatoes, peppers, yellow squash, cantaloupe, water melons, cucumbers & green beans). For the past 4 years we have used raised beds and didn't have much success so we're going to try the method suggested in this video. I'm even thinking about raising some chickens since I like to eat eggs so much.

A friend from the Naval Academy sent me this video of this little girl singing... she's got an absolutely beautiful voice and I thought y'all would like to hear her:


I love you guys,
Granddaddy

Half time at the Naval Academy

I thought you boys would like to see this incredible half time show at the Naval Academy where I went to college (1964-1968). These girls have put together a wonderful production and should be commended for their efforts. There is no telling how many hours of practice was required for them to get this polished. I hope you enjoy their performance as much as I did.
I love you little boys and pray mighty blessings on you and your family,
Granddaddy