Boys Caught Reading the Bible

It was sweet surprise to stop by the boy's room and see

Jodavid & Victor reading scripture.

Psalm 19:7-14

The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul;

The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;

The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart;

The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;

The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever;

The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.

More to be desired are they than gold,

Yea, than much fine gold;

Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

Moreover by them your servant is warned,

And in keeping them there is great reward.

Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults.

Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins;

Let them not have dominion over me.

Then I shall be blameless,

And I shall be innocent of great transgression.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

Be acceptable in Your sight,

O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.

Washington's Culture Of Deception

A bomb exploded inside Washington, D.C., this week, and, no, it was not the work of a Middle Eastern terrorist. It was the work of former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan. He, perhaps more than anyone else, was the face of President Bush's White House. He faithfully served President George W. Bush for close to a decade and served as Bush's Press Secretary for some three years, resigning on April 19, 2006. He was also regarded as one of the most loyal and tight-lipped of the Bush insiders. However, his new book, "What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Deception" has exploded in the face of what history will probably regard as one of the most deceptive and manipulative Presidential administrations in American government...

In a chapter titled "Selling the War," McClellan says the administration repeatedly "shaded the truth." He also stated, "In the permanent campaign era, it was all about manipulating sources of public opinion to the president's advantage." In what might be the most disturbing statement in the book (at least among those that were released by press reports), McClellan said, "What I do know is that war should only be waged when necessary, and the Iraq war was not necessary."

So begins Washington's Culture Of Deception by Chuck Baldwin

Lance's 2007 Reading:

The open scripture on the left wasn't on his stack,

but it is part of Lance's everyday reading.

This photo was taken Jan. 11, 2008. He's working on another stack this year. He also read John J. Dwyer's great text book, The War Between the States America's Uncivil War. His focus was that war. This year his focus has turned to theology.

The House that a 16-year-old is building.

What are your boys doing today? Plugged into a video game? Watching television? Hanging out with fellow teenagers?

He was only thirteen years old when he approached his father with a vision to build his very own home on the family property. Earlier that year his father had called for a father and son conference. The mission: Come up with a five year game plan to help his son David redeem the time for the glory of God.

Now, after years of listening to his father encourage him to redeem the time and prepare for his future marriage and life work, something took. David decided that there was no time like the present—to build his very own house!

But that was not all. David made it clear that his mission was to build the home. This would mean that when God sent him the woman of his dreams, David would be ready to take action, to provide for her and to have a family. The decision to build a home meant tough choices. And David acknowledged that he was making a conscious choice to forgo teenage years of a dating culture, team sports, and entertainment, in exchange for making sacrifices for a woman and a future that would be years away.

So David went about the business of personally studying the building codes, of meeting with the county planning department, and of learning the nuts and bolts of putting together a great architectural plan. David wanted to take the bull by the horns and learn and lead every aspect of the project. And after some thought, his father let him do just that.

One of the benefits of the sweat and effort is that the project has forced David to think very specifically about his duties as a man, and the way he hopes to express love for the future family he hopes God will give him. This means thinking about the size of the closet his wife will need, anticipating the number of bathrooms necessary for a growing family and a home given to hospitality.

David is now sixteen, and the vision of a home is quickly becoming a reality. With a little help from his friends, and three years of perspiration, savings, hard work, and planning, David’s dream home is inching ever closer to completion.

Standing before this amazing structure built by the hands of a sixteen-year-old boy, three things came to my mind. First, fathers have a duty to encourage their boys to invest their time wisely. Dads will either guide their sons to make noble time investments, or sons will squander the precious years of their youth on the activities that will mean precious little to them in twenty years. Second, boys need to make choices. They can invest their time in worldly folly or godly dominion. Both choices tend to yield dividends—but not of equal value. Third, the power of a positive example is stunning. I could not but help to thrill as I watched my own boys start to dream big dreams as one of their dear friends and peers proved that his dream was attainable.

Down with the game boys, up with the sheet rock! May God give us boys of decisive manly action who will someday be fathers of faith and fortitude.

~ from Doug's Blog ~ This is the House that David Built

Psalm 22

27 All the ends of the world Shall remember and turn to the LORD, And all the families of the nations Shall worship before You.

28 For the kingdom is the LORD’S, And He rules over the nations.

29 All the prosperous of the earth Shall eat and worship; All those who go down to the dust Shall bow before Him, Even he who cannot keep himself alive.

30 A posterity shall serve Him. It will be recounted of the Lord to the next generation,

31 They will come and declare His righteousness to a people who will be born, That He has done this.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Three things I noticed in this passage;

Directly after the great declaration of “All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the LORD,” it identifies these people as family units!

Verse 28 declares that Christ is ruling and reigning over the nations now. He does not rule from a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem in order to have Lordship over the earth.

The Scripture declares the glory of homeschooling and multigenerational faithfulness to teach the every word of God to the children He gives us.

Wait in Faith on the LORD

"Wait in faith on the LORD; be of good courage,

and He shall strengthen your heart;

wait, I say, on the LORD!"

Psalm 27:14

"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts,

to which also you were called in one body;

and be thankful."

Colossians 3:15

Underneath the Door

Pain is the pen that writes the songs

And they call us forth

To dance

- Michael Card

Chris Ortiz on Culture Conformity

I was radically saved during the early 80s from sheer atheism. I had long hair and played in a heavy metal band. I looked the part of the subculture of those days. Long story short, I gave it all to Christ on a chilly November evening and attended my Christian service in a Baptist church in Dallas, Texas. I looked like a freak. My hair was nearly to my stomach, teased out, and I had nothing but "rock" clothes to wear. Guess what? NOBODY in that Southern Baptist Church looked like me.

I got there early, and the first man that greeted me was an older deacon with a pot belly named Bennie Bell. He came right over to me, gave me a hearty greeting--which surprised me--and then guided me to the front pew of the sanctuary. I had planned to sit in the back, for obvious reasons. I was bombarded with Baptist blessings as nearly every person came to see this strange sight...
Folks, the power of God is in the faithful preaching of the gospel, not in hair gel and contemporary praise bands. I loved my first pastor. He was a PhD, and somewhere in his late 50s, but I hung on his every word. He looked nothing like me. Outside of Christ and His Word, we had nothing in common.
In conclusion, Driscoll and Co. could learn a great deal from leaders like Ron Paul. Here's a conservative, suit-wearing, grey-haired, wrinkled, soft-spoken politician, but he's all the rage with young people of every ilk. Dr. Paul isn't trying to conform to culture. He isn't sporting sunglasses and playing the saxophone on Late Night television. When he's not campaigning, he's in Washington taking on the Chairman of the Federal Reserve, or making his case at a freedom rally. Ron Paul lives by conviction, not conformity, and young postmoderns love him for it. http://www.chalcedon.edu/blog/2008/05/resistant-sectarian-reformed-folks.php

Chuch Baldwin on...

Border Issues...

and the military.

First girl in the family in 50 years

Doug's Blog ~ Mercy Elisabeth Wean

daughter to Joshua (Vision Forum’s CFO) and Sarah Wean.

Joshua and Sarah are the editors of the book To Have and To Hold.

Continuing the Reformation

Chuck Baldwin for President 2008

In Chuck Baldwin's Internet news column, he endorsed the 2008 candidacy of Texas Congressman Ron Paul for the Republican nomination, and spoke out against Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee and John McCain.

The Constitution Party with its founder, Howard Phillips, chose Chuck Baldwin as its candidate for president. Chuck stands fully with the Constitution Party platform which supports the right to life and the right to keep and bear arms. The party opposes the military draft and any type of constitutional convention. It calls for the repeal of the Federal Reserve Act and the "anchor baby" loophole used to provide legal status within our nation for boarder crossers. It seeks abolition of the Department of Education and Energy; withdrawal from the United Nations, NATO, NAFTA, and the WTO; termination of all foreign aid and all tax-supported benefits for illegal immigrants; phasing out of the Social Security system; and ending the practice of sending military forces into battle without a congressional declaration of war. Believing that reducing the size of government to constitutional limits would enormously cut government's monetary needs, the platform calls for the abolition of the Internal Revenue Service and repeal of the income-tax amendment. ~ from John McManus' TNA article

Constitution Party Chooses Baldwin

We're glad to be working on the same campaign.

Although Senator McCain has been the Republican Party's presumptive presidential nominee since early March, Congressman Ron Paul has continued his campaign for president as a means for spreading the message of liberty, and voters continue to proclaim and support that message. In the April 22 Pennsylvania Republican primary, Paul got 16 percent of the vote, his highest percentage in a primary to date. The message is also making Ron Paul a best-selling author. His new book, The Revolution: A Manifesto, ranked seventh on the New York Times best-seller list and then rose to number one the following week. He dedicated his book to his supporters. "I have never been more humbled and honored than by your selfless devotion to freedom and the Constitution...The American Revolutionaries did the impossible. So can we." ~ taken from

Ron Paul Fights On

Our Grandsons ~ Jonathan & Joseph

Ron Paul & Art Robinson

Justin & Melissa (Keen) Turley Wedding

Melissa & Justin

http://www.justinturley.com/

This was a regal wedding, with 700 guests.

Melissa is the truck driver's daughter in Return of the Daughters.

She is the Planner & Coordinator for the annual

Vision Forum Father-Daughter Retreats.

Justin is a graphics designer for Vision Forum.

You may recognize him on our May 13 post First Landing Day.

He is in the helmet, planting the cross.

A man should rejoice in his own works. Ec 3:22

To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven:

A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted;

A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break down, And a time to build up;

A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to gain, And a time to lose; A time to keep, And a time to throw away;

A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak;

A time to love, And a time to hate; A time of war, And a time of peace.

What profit has the worker from that in which he labors?

I have seen the God–given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied.

He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.

I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives,

and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor––it is the gift of God.

I know that whatever God does, It shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, And nothing taken from it. God does it, that men should fear before Him.

Relatives Gather to Remember Life is Brief

Naomi Katherine Adams was born August 15, 1917 in Alto New Mexico, the thirteenth of 16 children [4 sons and 12 daughters] born to James Sampson Bailey and Mary Ann (Jones) Bailey.

Naomi married Richard Charlie Adams on Oct. 12, 1935 and had four children:

Ira Lee Adams 1936

Virginia Ann (Adams) White 1939

Twins: Valter Glynn Adams 1947

Flora Lynn [Adams] Brisendine 1947

Naomi went home to Heaven May 14, 2008

Melody, Helen Crider, Fama Nelson

Stephen & Lenora Stoops

Dinah, Esther, Tim Adams-Valter's son from New Mexico, Melody

Philip & Susan Crary

James & Linda Gadbury, Oscar Jr. Bailey, Frank Bailey

Valter Adams & his sweet wife

Lenora Stoops & Aunt Virginia Bailey

Virginia Dare Bailey born in 1914

is the oldest of the four living sisters

and the only one who never married

Joe & Helen Crider

Oscar Bailey Jr., Samuel Stoops, James Freeman

James Freeman born in 1923 is the oldest grandchild

and Samuel Stoops born in 1959 the youngest grandchild

of James Sampson Bailey 1861-1951

& Mary Ann (Jones) Bailey's 1881-1974

Lance, Joel Stoops, Regina, Dinah

Jimmy & Goldie Freeman, Mary June McCormick

Oscar Jr. & Linda Bailey

Marcelino & Pearl Salazar

Jodavid & Jonathan

Mary, Samuel, Esther

Regina & her Grandma Mary Stoops

Naomi spent her Sundays with her sister Mary.

Trampoline Arrival

5:17 AM She's my doll.

5:18AM Serious readers

waiting for everyone to gather for devotions.

12:12 PM Jodavid mowing west side of orchard

Jodavid got his lessons done early and was out,

not noticing the UPS truck.

12:14 PM Victor setting up trampoline

The trampoline arrived shortly before noon in five boxes.

It didn't take Victor and Melody long to get it up.

First they formed the big ring of several curved segments,

set these in the air with a ladder at one end and forklift at the other.

It was ready for the stands underneath.

12:55 PM This was a BIG surprise for him.

Jodavid just couldn't believe it!

He was in shock for a few minutes before getting on to jump.

12:55 PM YES!

12:58 PM

4:10 PM

4:31 PM
Getting the poles and net up was a bigger project.

This took till about five PM.

The day was hot, so Victor & Jodavid didn't mind getting a little wet

as I sprayed off the trampoline while we three jumped together

Regina at 5:38PM

We had a lot of fun jumping!

Dinah and I slept on it overnight

in the plesant night air.

Dinah's Newly Hatched Queens

Jodavid's 11th Birthday

Happy Birthday Jodavid!

We woke Jodavid singing "A Happy Birthday to you."

We told Jodavid memories of the time of his birth. Just days before his birth Mother kissed us good-night and said, "If it is a boy we will call him Jodavid." Our brothers were praying for a boy. They kissed mommy and they kissed her dress over her tummy saying "Good night, Jodavid!"

When mother had contractions in the night, we dressed quickly. Mother curled her hair before going to the hospital. Regina said we had no time because mother was walking very slowly and asked her to tie her shoes. We all got in our "tin can van" and headed toward our preferred Doctor Marconi about half an hour away. Lance (9 1/2 years) from the back of the van yelled "Mom don't push!" then said, "How come he's crying when he's not out yet?" Mother said "He's out yet."

We stopped at a closer hospital. About five nurses came out put baby and the placenta on a cart and took him into the elevator.

We gave Jodavid a new large print bible for his birthday,

then read the scripture together-all reading from the same translation.

Jodavid picked a big bowl of cherries for our breakfast.

Daddy stayed back to work on cum folders.

He had been working days-teaching

and nights-moving bees for the past week.

We visited the Wooten's church about 10 miles away and were blessed by the teaching of a young homeschooled seminary student named Reed (in the white tie below). His passion and ambition for knowing God's word is encouraging.

We thank God for the Wooten family. Mrs. Wooten made a delicious dinner for all those who came to church special for Reed's going away for nine months to India, the Philippines and Peru.

Reed, a ministerial student, will soon be leaving to India to help a missionary and preach the gospel. We pray the Lord will do great things through him.

And, through the word of Jesus Christ the Kingdom of God will grow:
"Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David, and over his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and for evermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this." Isa 9:7

Mr.Wooten, in the center of the picture above,

mentored our brothers in beekeeping

and is now guiding me in queen bee rearing.

His kindness will not be forgotten.

A birthday party for Jodavid!

Jodavid wanted to go mow the orchard, but settled for more

Cherry Picking

Victor is the life of the party playing the "Inventors" game.

Beginner Precision Rifle

Finding the Range

Pete, Dinah, Luke on Pete's California Farmland

Scope Instruction

On Target?

"Good shooting is all between the ears," Ed on mental discipline.

Ed kindly gives us goat's milk each week ,

Which Dinah loves to make kefir and yogurt with.