Shamless(ful) Plug

So here's a cool new thing my brother Paul showed me! It's Goodsearch.com

For every search you make the NPO of your choice gets $.01. It may not seem like much, but how many searches do you make a day? Anyway I thought I would let you in on it and suggest a charity that is worthwhile - HDSA - the Huntinton's Disease Society of America. Many of you may remember that my mother died of the disease. This is a wonderful, easy way to help put a stop to it's further progression!

Give it a try!

Thanks too!


CLICK ME!

Hair, Food, and Soccer

This week has been crazy-nuts!!
Emily was on her Spring Break and we took time together all week. Then the youth group had our 30 hour famine! It was awesome! We fasted for 30 hours to raise money for the hungry. 29,000 children die each day due to hunger! We also did a haircut auction where I and 3 youth auctioned off our noggins and subsequent hair! Mine went for the cheapest at $38, but one of our youth, Nick, raised $325 from his locks! Great job!

The day after the famine I took church off and went with Emily down to Tampa to see the US Men's National Team (soccer) play Ecuador in a 3-1 win for the good guys! Landon Donovan had a hat-trick for the US! It was awesome.

If you'd like to take a look at the pictures of the auction or the soccer match (along with some worship scenes) please check out my online photo album!


http://picasaweb.google.com/IPRoss

Floridian Outdoors

Bingley, Em and I on another journey to the beach!

We also went hiking at a little piece of land just S of us bordering the St. Johns River. It's pretty nice as far as parks/forests go in FL. A good 5 miler under our belt, we were pretty tired when we were done, but it was really nice. Here's Bing and Em at the start!
A view from a little look-out tower; didn't think it would be so pine-tree-foresty.
Bing and Em on top of the tower. Aren't they cute?
Almost there, Bing was getting tired. Time for a breather and some water and apples.

A few pics of our "child"

This weekend our baby boy - Bingley went to a big show down in West Palm Beach, FL. Emily and he did great! He got 2pts (15 pts are needed to be a champion) and got special recognition in the puppy class, where he was second in the group stage! Here he is getting ready for the show:

Don't forget to "Show" (his command for stacking). He's looking good. Don't you like our blue grooming table?
Here is the breeder (middle, from Holland) with Bingley's sister who won the group in the next day's puppy class!
Just to let you know that it's not all work, here's a pic of Bingley (left), BeeDee (on top), and Jewel (below), all litter-mates. We recently poled about our next puppy - http://forum.oes.org/viewtopic.php?t=12665 - and surprisingly having a child won (maybe they forgot we already have a boy?)

Top 3 Most Recent Spiritual Realizations

Ok...here goes.

1. We shouldn't be "good" because we are obligated to. It's not about obeying the law because if you don't you'll feel guilty - being "good" or acting Christ-like is a product of Jesus' sacrifice for us. Follow me: If someone, say a friend of yours, threw themselves in front of a bus to save your life and died in the process what would you do? Wouldn't you do everything you could to honor the memory and the sacrifice of that person? The same holds true for Jesus. He threw himself in front of a bus for us. Shouldn't we be trying to honor his memory and sacrifice?

2. Life. Faith. Fight. "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night"

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Dylan Thomas

3. A song I wrote. It's not done. It's from Psalm 147

In my strength have I sought after life's delights,
"if only these idiots would listen to me!"
Yet, I have not the strength
to change the one life I have power over, my own.
Oh to echo Paul's sentiment,
"Why do I do the things I do not wish to do?"

But in God will I find true strength,
to expose every one of my weaknesses.
He will make me strong, he will rebuild me,
with him as my footings, my foundations;
I will hope to put my hope in him,
then will I be held in honor.