The Tree Fort Blog

Tomorrow, my family and I are leaving on a trip to San Antonio, Texas, to attend the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival. Please pray that we will have safe travels, and that we will arrive home safely.

Avoid cutting yourself when slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold them while you chop.

For high blood pressure sufferers: simply cut yourself and bleed for a few minutes, thus reducing the pressure in your veins. Remember to use a timer.

A mouse trap, placed on top of your alarm clock, will prevent you from rolling over and going back to sleep after you hit the snooze button.

You only need two tools in life - WD-40 and duct tape. If it doesn’t move and should, use the WD-40. If it shouldn’t move and does, use the duct tape.

Remember:
Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.

If you can’t fix it with a hammer, you’ve got an electrical problem.

Yes, yes. I know. It’s been 2009 for two days now. But hey, better late than never!

As I lay in bed last night, I was thinking about this past year, and everything I had done in it. Honestly, it wasn’t too much. This fact challenge me to do more in 2009. It challenged me to help the folks that need my help (and there are quite a few that I know I could help). To be a witness to the lost all around me. To let my light shine – “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16). So many things that could be done, why not do them? It takes looking to the Lord, rather than looking to myself.

How about you? Will you join me and “let your light shine in 2009″?

Christmas begins around the first of December with an office party and ends when you finally realize what you spent, around April fifteenth of the next year.
– P.J. O’Rourke

Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King;
Peace on earth, and mercy mild–
God and sinners reconciled!”
Joyful, all ye nations, rise,
Join the triumph of the skies;
With th’an-gelic hosts proclaim,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem.”

Christ, by highest heav’n adored,
Christ, the everlasting Lord;
Late in time behold Him come,
Offspring of a virgin’s womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see,
Hail th’incarnate Deity!
Pleased as man with men to dwell,
Jesus, our Emmanuel.

Hail, the heav’n-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings,
Ris’n with healing in His wings.
Mild he lays His glory by.
Born that man no more may die.
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.

Come, Desire of Nations, come!
Fix in us Thy humble home;
Rise, the woman’s conq’ring seed,
Bruise in us the serpent’s head.
Adam’s likeness now efface,
Stamp Thine image in its place;
Second Adam from above,
Reinstate us in Thy love.

We had about 6 inches of snow. It’s very pretty!

I started practicing 3 point turns yesterday. Back up – crank the wheel – pull into the correct lane – drive. Simple enough, eh? Not really. Let me explain. I started off by turning left into an alley, and starting backing. The only problem was the way that I turned into the alley – there was a telephone pole to my direct left, so I couldn’t start turning immediately… I pulled into the wrong lane. I practiced, and practiced, and practiced, but kept making the same or similar mistake.

I’d turn right into the alley think that I could back into the far lane fine. Not so. I’d end up backing into someone’s yard instead of the lane. Time after time, I’d make the same mistake.

Mr. Langdon advised me, “When you are backing up, crank the wheel sooner than you think necessary. So soon that you think you’ll go into the ditch.” I tried it. I cranked so soon that I new for certain that I would go in the ditch… but I kept cranking. Sure enough, I pulled perfectly into my own lane. I couldn’t have done better.