Again, up and had some biscuits again! Headed to Bob’s to see what was happening, to find Rich and Bob making breakfast there. Oh well, so much for my planning.
Just about everyone was there - except Bill and his clan. We hung around, chewed the fat and just did what we could to help get ready. I took a trip to Walmart with Doug, as he needed some things for his new house to get some of the things liveable (to hook up a toilet, shower curtain, and TP!)
Bill and Shirley finally came (along with Danny and Mindy.) It was perfect timing, because we were just ready to eat. Buffet style, and I waited till everyone was seated to get my picture.
After, we gathered a group shot outside - which was difficult as it was full sunshine and a huge group of people. So we tried 3 different places / positions.
The rest of the day was again, sitting around, eating pie and the like. I got the photos ready and distributed them around, and eventually headed back to Grandma’s.

Got up, grabbed a shower. Grandma baked some biscuits, so I felt obliged to eat a few!
I went over to Dwight’s for dinner - Josh, Teresa and the kids were over. I went over early, and we waited for Josh / Teresa to arrive (with 3 kids in car seats, such an endeavor does take some time.) Finally Renita called, and they were just 1 mile away. Dwight asked me to ask Russ, Matty and Anna over for dinner, which I did. They hadn’t eaten breakfast yet, and they made it just 10 minutes late (11:10).
So we ate.
After, I took off to pick up Mom / Dad at the airport. I drove down through Grayville, and made it to the airport with very little traffic. Evansville airport has a 15 minute parking just before the Arrivals section, so you can drop your car and walk in np. I did, and my folks were looking to rent a car - but it was only $75 a day, so they opted to opt out.
We drove to West Salem through Mt. Carmel and Friendsville - a route I’ve never taken before (the GPS w/ maps helped out!)
I dropped them off at Doug’s - and hung around a little as we decided what to do (as far as where to have Thanksgiving dinner and all that.) Doug’s house had no tables, or chairs, or fridge, or plates or a lot of other things! I think all in all it was decided to have it over at Bob’s.
So I left, to head back to Browns - and another supper at Dwight’s. This time with Josh, Chris and Elliot. This time my folks came over with the help of Bob’s truck.

Yesterday got up late and hung around in my room for the morning. Most of the Essex clan went to Moody’s church in downtown IL, but being as tired as I was, I opted out and rested (good choice!) They came back and we had lunch, hung around a bit, then I took off.
I drove about 4.5 hours and was tired enough to stop and sleep.

Today drove the rest of the way down to Southern Illinois, and it was a great day for that! Hung out w/ Grandma and Dwight, got a new Milwaukee catalogue and headed to Karleen’s for some internet action, and here I am.

Just a quick update - as I’m currently in Chicago (but only for a day.) Below are some images of the trip so far.
First I drove to Butte, MT, where I spent the night and picked up 2 riders (Roger and Renee). Friday I dropped them off in Northern Iowa, and spent the night. Then on Saturday (today) I drove the rest of the way to Chicago, were Andy and Marie are staying (w/ extended family) for a couple days.

Thats all for now - as I’m out of juice.

After a long day in the office, I’m sorry that I don’t have much profound wisdom or news to present to you. So, with that, I will offer a long-standing part of me that I learned back in 1998, by a friend by the name of James N.:

Esau Wood sawed wood. Oh, the wood that Wood would saw! One day, Esau Wood saw a wood saw that would saw wood like no other wood saw Wood ever saw saw wood. Of all the wood saws Wood ever saw saw wood, no other wood saw would saw wood like the wood saw Wood saw would saw wood. Now when Esau Wood saws wood, he saws wood with the wood saw that he saw saw wood.

Well, as a friend once told me, “John—if this is the worst thing that happens to you today, you’re going to be doing alright.” I like that phrase - because it does help put things in perspective. There are a lot worse things out there, I’m thankful for what I do have and what I don’t have at the same time! In fact, the day was just fine, but my attitude towards the day

is what needed adjustment.

But today was really good in once sense. I was able to finish formatting The Lamb in Russian, printed it out, and mailed it to the translator. She is leaving for Russia at the end of the month, so I’m thrilled to have it in her hands for the trip (it hasn’t made it quite yet - it’s still sitting in the ‘out box’.) But having that ready for her to take and use to ‘fine-tune’ it is just so cool. So, Portuguese is winding down, all that’s left is Dutch, German and Luxembourgish (2 of which are roughed in already.) Don’t get your hopes up too quickly - still a lot of work to do…

We purchased a couple equipment racks for the office here - one for the GS Server stuff, and the other for my video equipment. Now I have the job of setting that all up.

Oh, and it snowed today. Most of it’s melted off but it was fun while it lasted. Lloyd and I watched it for a while…

And just for grins, I did a rough count on my ‘to do’ list - and it’s up to 136 things…

I did. 7:10 am, so it was. Interestingly, I was able to register right there and vote (where back home I had to register at least 2 weeks early.) That was nice. And I’m thankful for the privilege it was to be able to vote. I’m sure many in this country are. I kept thinking of threats that we don’t really have to endure to make our voice heard.

It was discouraging in the sense that the definition of marriage was part of the cast. What I mean is, that it is something that is so obvious that it should never had been questioned enough to be put to vote. Just goes to show the slipping of society.

Today was tough, but made it this far. Managed to get The Lamb Portuguese changes implemented (some more work to do, but getting close.) That reminds me, I need to move the page numbers to another layer. (Just updated my ToDo list - that one gets be done 7 times!) On a good note, Lloyd was in doing the shipping. Yeah!

Also today, I received the new and improved Russian Lamb files. I need to get that formatted by the end of the month so it can be field-tested in Russia. Exciting to see that one come about too.

Today we had a pow-wow (sp?) on networking and equipment and backup solutions. It was good to go through, and I need to be better at that than I am. I don’t know what it is in me to say that it’s not that important, perhaps it’s just not wanting to take the productive time out of the day (you know- the part where I am awake) and use it in not being productive. One could argue that having a good backup is being productive, but that’s only true if (and that’s the big word)

things go sour. Not knowing forces the arm behind the back and makes you cry ‘Uncle’.
I’m not sure what the best solution is, but in trying to back up some files today, my DVD burner can’t make a copy w/ out errors, then my portable drive (used to back up on my

computer) quit half way through. Needless to say it was easy to just say forget it and go home. Which I did!
Well, TL needed a ride to his car (getting the snow tires put on) and after that it was supper time, so I went for that. Then I needed to stay and ‘oversee’ Noby and her friend when the rest of the fam went to a rewards banquet for Titus and his track team. It was good to stay home for one evening.
We watched ‘Over the Hedge’. I could comment on that—but will refrain at the moment.

1. The Messiah is from the Line of David.
2. To be able to verify that the Messiah is the true Messiah, you need verification that he is indeed from King David’s line.
3. No Jew alive today can trace their descendants to King David, because those records were destroyed in 70 AD when the Romans sacked Jerusalem. Those records were kept in the temple, which was burned and totally destroyed.
4. With no viable record today, the only option left is that Jesus is the Messiah.

While I don’t agree that this line of reasoning is the most compelling, it does make you stop and thing a bit. The most compelling argument is over 300 prophecies in the Old Testament pointing to the Messiah, which were fulfilled by Jesus.

I remember sitting in a Synagogue listening to one speak that the prophecies in the Old Testament “didn’t really mean what they said.” Let me ask, that if the text didn’t mean what it said (if God was unwilling to make it understandable), then who is the ‘ultimate authority’ to be able to let us know what it meant? Do we each get a shot at it?

If you need an outside source to say that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, then that outside source has become your final authority, not the Bible.

Scraping frost off the windshield is becoming a normal part of the day. Only 25 or so last night (-4 for you Canuks) and humidity enough to put a layer of frost makes for a beautiful morning, though it does add a few minutes to the work schedule. Until yesterday, where I took my back seat cover, and use it to cover the windshield. Worked like a charm, and might just become another evening ritual.

Long days again. Still packing books for all the orders that come in, then trying to get some of my projects whitteled down. Today (after shipping) I was able to get the fonts figured out for the Russian Lamb, get those sent out and even approved today. There is a slight delay in getting on that project - some notes were taken and sent to the translator to verify. Once I get that back, I’ll probably format it - hopefully before the end of the month so it can be tested in Russia for a couple months. This is all before the print stage, so don’t get your hopes up too soon!

Another project is working on The Lamb - but a DVD version. Finished off the Closed Captioning for the 10 lesson format, where the 5 day still has work to do before I can finalize it. Just found out tonight that I’ll have to re-work the audio on a section. No worries - part and parcel to the job!