August 2009 Father & Son Retreat

Buddy is reading Hot Air Henry.

We had just entered Utah around 12:30 at night.

There was evidently an electrical problem with the diesel carrying cars.

We heard a loud "BOOM" as the gasoline tank of each car ignited.

The surrounding hillside brush caught on fire.

Dad was reading The Paper Aristocracy, a book on economics.

"When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him? For You have made him a little lower than the angels, And You have crowned him with glory and honor. You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet..." Psalm 8:3-6

"The heavens declare the glory of God;

And the firmament shows His handiwork. Ps 19:1

Doug's Texan Look


We had delightful conversations with fathers and sons.

"Give ear, O my people, to my law; Incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old,

Which we have heard and known, And our fathers have told us.

We will not hide them from their children,

Telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD,

And His strength and His wonderful works that He has done." Psalms 78:1-4

"Rebuke the beasts that dwell among the reeds,

the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples.

Trample under foot those who lust after tribute;

scatter the peoples who delight in war." ~Psalms 68:30

Doug told us that there is not much he remembers of his university training.

He does not plan to send his sons to there,

rather to spend that money to help them set up a business.

We enjoyed Doug Phillips.

Phillips and Seppi Men

Back Row: Justice, Lance, David,

Doug, Victor, Joshua

Front Row: Jodavid, Providence, Howard Honor

It was an honor to be around men who speak hope and vision to us.

Bill Potter is a world-class historian.

He told us about the Battle of Franklin.

A Lesson in Skinning from Mr. Einarsen

Throwing Tomahawks

Talking to Glenn Tyler who organizes "The Day at the Capitol" for CHEC

Discussing Mormonism with Stephen Vaughn

As a young man, Douglas MacArthur's father, Arthur

who fought for the North in the War Between the States,

would send him books on the Northern Generals,

and his mother, a lady of the south,

would send him books on the Southern generals.

Her brothers, who were officers in the army of the South,

boycotted the wedding [of Douglas McArthur's parents].

Fathers & Sons

"Those who cast the vision, sing the songs,

and mount the army, define the culture." ~Doug Phillips

Bill Potter with us

Stephen Vaughn taught apologetics
and how to debate Mormons.

Since 1830 their Book of Mormon

has been updated over 3,913 times.

Artistic Dining

We were honored to be served by about twenty helpful,

cheerful young ladies.

A Boxing Illustration

James Jamison III and his three sons

It was beautiful to see so many fathers

who love God and love their sons.

Kevin Swanson is a dynamic speaker.

He was the executive director of Christian Home Educators of Colorado.

He has a dynamic daily radio show, Generations with Vision.

We love to download and listen to it while working.

"Watch ye, stand fast in the faith,

Quit you like Men, be strong." I Corinthians 16:13

Engineer James Jamison III with his three sons:

Spencer, Noah and Justus
He taught the father and son pushups.

Doug Phillips challanged the fathers and sons to set exercise goals and surpass them.

During breaks, he invited them to all get down and do pushups.

Go as far as you can, then do five more.

“It is good to give thanks to the LORD,

And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;

To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning,

And Your faithfulness every night, On an instrument of ten strings,

On the lute, And on the harp, With harmonious sound.

For You, LORD, have made me glad through Your work;

I will triumph in the works of Your hands.

O LORD, how great are Your works! Your thoughts are very deep.

Psalms 92:1-4

A senseless man does not know,

Nor does a fool understand this.

When the wicked spring up like grass,

And when all the workers of iniquity flourish,

It is that they may be destroyed forever.

But You, LORD, are on high forevermore.” Psalms 92:5-8

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;

I will guide you with My eye." Psalms 32:8

"The LORD upholds all who fall,

and raises up all who are bowed down."

~Psalms 145:14

"The fear of man brings a snare,

but whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe.

Many seek the ruler’s favor,

but justice for man comes from the LORD.

An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous,

and he who is upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked."

~Proverbs 29:25-27

“The LORD is righteous in all His ways, Gracious in all His works.

The LORD is near to all who call upon Him,

To all who call upon Him in truth.

He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;

He also will hear their cry and save them.”

~Psalm 145:17-19

"God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed,

And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;

Though its waters roar and be troubled,

Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah" ~Psalm 46:1-3

"The LORD preserves all who love Him,

But all the wicked He will destroy.

My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD,

And all flesh shall bless His holy name Forever and ever."

~Psalms 145:20-21

"Your righteousness is like the great mountains;

Your judgments are a great deep;

O LORD, You preserve man and beast." ~Ps 36:6

"Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts,

And I will declare Your greatness.

They shall utter the memory of Your great goodness,

and shall sing of Your righteousness.

The LORD is gracious and full of compassion,

Slow to anger and great in mercy. The LORD is good to all,

And His tender mercies are over all His works.

All Your works shall praise You, O LORD,

and Your saints shall bless You.

They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom,

And talk of Your power, to make known to the

sons of men His mighty acts, And the glorious majesty of His kingdom.

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,

And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.

The LORD is faithful in all His words,

and holy in all His works." ~Psalm 145:6-13

"Before the mountains were brought forth,

Or ever You had formed the earth and the world,

Even from everlasting to everlasting,

You are God." ~Psalms 90:2

"I highly recommend The Second Mayflower.

It is filled with vision, history,

and it equips the coming generation with outrageous optimism

to take down every lofty thing

that exalts itself against the knowledge of God."

~Lance Seppi

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,

The people He has chosen as His own inheritance.

Psalm 33:12

Brothers!

Three Man Water Slingshot from Vision Forum

Launch!

The Pakistani Throwing Knife from Vision Forum

For You will light my lamp;

The LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.

For by You I can run against a troop,

By my God I can leap over a wall. Psalms 18:28-29

“It is God who avenges me, And subdues the peoples under me;

He delivers me from my enemies.

You also lift me up above those who rise against me;

You have delivered me from the violent man.

Therefore I will give thanks to You, O LORD, among the Gentiles,

And sing praises to Your name.” ~Psalms 18:47