Look what I found!

In other news: Who else is really jazzed about the New Executive Order that had to be made due to the state of emergency in the U.S., which wisely gives the Secretary of the Treasury the authority to take all our stuff if we do, or may do in the future, anything that undermines the Iraq War?

I know I'm certainly excited about it.

Still busy

Hello everyone,

We remain quite busy at our new house, making it our own. Cutting down trees and bushes (no bustles in my hedgerows), digging out stumps, getting down and dirty.

Besides that, I've been trying to concentrate more on my upcoming black belt test (September). My body is very tired of the high rep work (pushups, situps tricep dips, etc.), and I'll be glad when this is done.

I've been reading John Fairly's Humble Attempt in Defense of Reformation Principles; Particularly on the Head of the Civil Magistrate, but it's going slow, as I seem to have less and less time for reading nowadays.

Here's a pic of all the kids in our old kitchen, just a little before we moved:

Well, it looks like the folder on my computer that had the last pics we took at the old house, including the pics of our friends helping us move, is empty. So, now I'm sad that my pictures are lost.

I'm done posting now.

What's been going on...

Ok, friends (and foes who read what I write for bad reasons), here's an update on what's been going on.

We moved. After living in the city for my whole life, I finally made it to the suburbs. Not too shabby for a guy with a wife and seven kids, on one meager salary! The sights and sounds are certainly a pleasant change. No more loud booming pounding music, with lyrics in another language, blasting from the cars on the street straight into my living room. Now I can hear birds. The cardinals and the gold finches that frequent my new back yard (which is about 5 or 6 times the size of my old back yard), are colorful, pleasant, and very much welcome to share my land. The past owners went a tad bit landscaping-crazy, kind of a "gardens gone wild" thing. So, there's a lot of work to be done. Oh, the wonders and amazement of the chainsaw! I'll tell you what though... it's fun and rewarding to work my land. I thank and praise God for giving us the opportunity to better our earthly estate like this.

I've been busy, and I'm very tired lately. And I haven't had much time to be online (not to mention the fact that my internet service provider took their good old time getting me hooked up at the new place), but we're doing well, and things have been good.

In other news: I got word that my grandmother was in the hospital, but by the time I got in to visit here, she was gone. No, not dead. Just transferred to long term nursing care. Poor grandma. Alzheimer's is a terrible thing... it's like losing your loved one before you lose your loved one. Know what I mean?

An Encouragement from Our Lord

"Be not afraid, only believe." --Mark 5:36.

I'M ALIVE!

i just live somewhere else now.

Public School House Rock

Gettting Ready

This is it. We're getting ready to move, THIS WEEK!

I'm ready for a fresh start in a new home, where we can build new memories. And I'm ready for life to get back to normal soon.

Our Effort and God's Work.

I am utterly without the power of obedience, O God, but let me not on that account withhold the effort; let me be ever trying that in the very endeavour strength may be given to me. Neither, although thus a fellow-worker with God, let me presumptiously share with Him the honour of my salvation. He works to will as well as to do: He inspires the effort, as well as execution. Therefore, Heavenly Father, to Thee be all the glory -- Thou beginnest the good work. Carry it onward to perfection; turn me and I shall be turned. And yet let me not forget that Thy grace worketh in me, not as in a passive and lifeless machine, but as in a purposing, willing, ever-doing creature; and in this capacity let me know that I cannot begin too early the participation which belongs to me in the great work of my christianization. More especially it is of importance that, like the man with the withered hand, I should put forth the conatus, even though I should yet be without strength. And who knows but that the strength has been already given, would I only set it in exercise? Let me, therefore, in the language of Paul to Timothy, stir up the gift that is in me; let all that is in me, be it great or little, be stirred up to bless His holy name, and obey His holy will.

--Thomas Chalmers, Sabbath Scripture Readings (on Mark chapter III).

Ashi Barai

I'm on a bit of a "kick" lately. Getting ready for Shawn's visit, I suppose! My apologies to my readers who care not for these things.

Ashi Barai, the basic foot sweep.

How to do Ashi Barai, nice and slow:


Again, how to do Ashi Barai, this time with some verbal instruction (sometime called Ashi Harai):


Faster:


One more time, this time from a Karate guy rather than Judo:


Against a resisting opponent (Judo match):


This guy finally lands one after many attempts:


A few nicely done Ashi Barai:


Devastating dudes with Ashi Barai, the Karate way:


Careful now, Sensei Murase has an answer for Ashi Barai!

Kusanku

Kusanku/Kushanku Kata in some of its various forms --

Wado Ryu:


Shorin Ryu:


Matsubayashi Ryu:


Shito Ryu:


Isshin Ryu:

Blessed are the Merciful

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

Those are the merciful, who are piously and charitably inclined to pity, help, and succour persons in misery. A man may be truly merciful, who has not wherewithal to be bountiful or liberal; and then God accepts the willing mind. We must not only bear our own afflictions patiently, but we must, by Christian sympathy, partake of the afflictions of our brethren; pity must be shown (Job vi. 14), and bowels of mercy put on (Col. iii. 12); and, being put on, they must put forth themselves in contributing all we can for the assistance of those who are any way in misery. We must have compassion on the souls of others, and help them; pity the ignorant, and instruct them; the careless, and warn them; those who are in a state of sin, and snatch them as brands out of the burning. We must have compassion on those who are melancholy and in sorrow, and comfort them (Job xvi. 5); on those whom we have advantage against, and not be rigorous and severe with them; on those who are in want, and supply them; which if we refuse to do, whatever we pretend, we shut up the bowels of our compassion, James ii. 15, 16; 1 John iii. 17. Draw out thy soul by dealing thy bread to the hungry, Isa. lviii. 7, 10. Nay, a good man is merciful to his beast.

Now as to the merciful. 1. They are blessed; so it was said in the Old Testament; Blessed is he that considers the poor, Ps. xli. 1. Herein they resemble God, whose goodness is his glory; in being merciful as he is merciful, we are, in our measure, perfect as he is perfect. It is an evidence of love to God; it will be a satisfaction to ourselves, to be any way instrumental for the benefit of others. One of the purest and most refined delights in this world, is that of doing good. In this word, Blessed are the merciful, is included that saying of Christ, which otherwise we find not in the gospels, It is more blessed to give than to receive, Acts xx. 35. 2. They shall obtain mercy; mercy with men, when they need it; he that watereth, shall be watered also himself (we know not how soon we may stand in need of kindness, and therefore should be kind); but especially mercy with God, for with the merciful he will show himself merciful, Ps. xviii. 25. The most merciful and charitable cannot pretend to merit, but must fly to mercy. The merciful shall find with God sparing mercy (ch. vi. 14), supplying mercy (Prov. xix. 17), sustaining mercy (Ps. xli. 2), mercy in that day (2 Tim. i. 18); may, they shall inherit the kingdom prepared for them (ch. xxv. 34, 35); whereas they shall have judgment without mercy (which can be nothing short of hell-fire) who have shown no mercy.

-- Matthew Henry, Commentary upon Matthew 5:7.

To Serve and Protect...

Ok, I just found out a bit ago that the police have seized the license plate off of my car... at 1:30 am Lord's Day morning (like they have nothing better to do than drive around looking at license plates from law abiding citizens), because I was not able to produce evidence that the plate has been transferred to this particular vehicle (well, sorry I wasn't sitting in my car parked in front of my house with the paperwork in my hand at 1:30 am!). I called the police station to get my license back, and they told me I have to go get it from the cop that stole it, at 11pm tonight when he reports for duty. I said, "So let me get this straight, you take my plate, and I have to come get it back at a time when I should be in bed?" I was told to save my hostility for the actual officer who perpetrated on me. I feel sick to my stomach!

Yeah, a tea party would hit the spot about now.

Sorry about the rant... I needed to blow some steam. I'll post something more Lord's Day appropriate in a little while.

When's the Next "Tea Party?"

It's been a LOOOOOOONG time since the Boston Tea Party, and I'm ready for another one. Let me know when it's going down, because I'm in.

Item #1. A gas station owner is selling discounted gas to senior citizens, and the State requires him to raise the price!

Item #2. You would think that "Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms" would be a fantastic convenience store for your one stop shopping, but NO, it's a government agency that has terrorized citizens, harmed and put children in harm's way, shot and stomped on family pets, shot residents while forcefully entering the home or otherwise invading legally owned property -- including shooting an unarmed woman in the head while she held her baby, and shooting a startled woman while she lay in her bed because she made the mistake of picking up her legally owned firearm when these stormtroopers kicked her doors in, etc., etc.

Item #3. April 30th was "Tax Freedom Day," that is, the day of the year when the average American's paycheck stops paying for taxes. Did you understand that? Up until April 30th, on average, all of the money you earned will be taken by the government! That's one third of the year! Would someone please tell me when this becomes absolute theft? Obviously people don't seem too concerned that one third of their income (on average) is taken from them. Well, what percentage is unacceptable? 40%? 50%? Render unto Caesar whatsoever he listeth?

Anyway, if anyone's planning a tea party, I'm in. 2 lumps, please.

Chalmers on the Sinful Demands of Rulers in His Day

Nothing short of unqualified Erastianism will please our rulers. If I stop short of that, and repent of the concessions I may have made, they would glory in the destruction I had brought upon my character -- while to the uttermost they would avail themselves of all that I had surrendered into their hands. I pray for guidance and firmness, O Lord.

Thomas Chalmers, Sabbath Scripture Readings, on Matthew 27.

Might be quiet for a while...

You'll have to forgive me if I'm quite around here, and online in general, over the next few... well, however long it takes. What started out as just looking around at the possibility of getting a new house, has rather rapidly become actually listing our house tonight, because we're going to meet with a seller tomorrow about signing an offer contract! We are very likely going to be buying a house before we sell our old house, which is a little bit stressful. We have alot to do around here, and alot to think about, in order to get this done. So, you may or may not hear from me for a while.

Yes, we actually found a house we can fit in, in our price range, in a great neighborhood, so we need to get this done ASAP.

We thank God for all of this, and ask for your prayers too!

Gun Free Zone

I didn't mention anything about the VA Tech massacre on this blog until now. I hesitate to mention anything for a few reasons, not the least of which is that when something tragic happens, it seems that just staying quiet a while is the wise thing to do. Too many people who think they can figure everything out tend to mouth off as soon as something happens. I chose to wait until I mouth off!

Two things make me sick. First, where have all the cowboys gone? How many tragedies have to happen before sissified America learns to get up from your cowarding crouch and FIGHT? So a punk with two PLINKING GUNS (.22 and 9mm!!!!) walks up and down the aisles and hallways popping people (3x per dead person, I read somewhere), having to stop and reload after his ten clip ran out each time, AND NO ONE BUM RUSHES HIM? I understand initial shock, I understand that it's easy to pretend that I would be the brave one in such an awful situation like that, but COME ON!

The other day my kids were playing sword fight at a playground, and a lady told my wife that her grandson is not allowed to play that (in a tone implying that my kids ought not to be playing such a violent game either). Yeah... WELL THEY GOTTA LEARN HOW TO SWORD FIGHT SOMEWHERE, LADY! What would she think about me taking the kids in the basement for target practice? Quit raising sissies, because this is a dangerous world, and I may need to count on my neighbors' help someday. Which leads me to the second issue on my mind...

"Gun Free Zones" -- rather, "Fish in a Barrel Zones."



I would hope that this would be a wake-up call, but I know my country sleeps deeply. The VA TECH case is amazing to me in that 1). The punk waited the legal time period to purchase his weapons. 2). The punk did not buy any illegal "assault weapons," just two plinking guns. 3). He had no "high capacity magazines," just a whole bunch of smaller ones. 4). He ignored the "Gun Free Zone" signs, and that little law against murder. 5). He proceeded to pick off helpless victims who obeyed the "Gun Free Zone" law. NO LAW AGAINST MURDER, NO LAW AGAINST GUNS, STOPPED THIS PURPOSEFUL RAMPAGE. And no law could have. "Gun Free Zones" only assure the assailant that there will be limited to no resistance during his murder spree. Nice, really nice. Well, you can take your "Gun Free Zones" and roll them up nice and tight because I ain't having it. Disarming innocent people does not protect innocent people. I'm taking steps to assure that I will not be "Gun Free" much at all from now on. One or two law abiding citizens with their handguns could have stopped this murderous punk in his tracks. But alas, Larry Hincker, a VA Tech representative, just about one year ago, commenting on a House Bill that was "shot down" which would allow concealed carry on college campuses, told us, "I'm sure the university community is appreciative of the General Assembly's actions because this will help parents, students, faculty and visitors feel safe on our campus." Those words sound like cruel mockery now. "Gun Free" laws which prohibit law abiding citizens from capably defending themselves are essentially saying:



I leave you with a link to a rant by Ted "Got you in a Strangle Hold" Nugent, on Gun Free Zones.

Kids Done Us Proud

There was a locally hosted Karate Tournament this past Saturday, and the kids had some good results in their first taste of a big tournament (there were folks from New York, Delaware, Maryland, and different parts of Pennsylvania). Daniel won first place for sparring (thanks to his sidekick), and third place for demonstrating his basic techniques. Conner and Calle took first and second place respectively in sparring, facing each other in the final match (Calle was the only one of Conner's opponents to score even one point on him, the final score was 3-2). And Cole took fourth place for his Wansu Kata, in one of the biggest divisions in the whole tournament!

Good job, kids!

Christian Communion Extended to All Christians

To all, to whom, in the judgment of charity, we may apply the name of Christian, we ought to extend our Christian communion.

With all such, we ought, as we may have opportunity, to pray and converse about religious things. Joint craving of Heaven’s blessing on the food of our table — praising God in company — united thanksgiving for the mercies of the bountiful Giver of all good, is the indispensable duty of all who name the name of Jesus, when in the course of Providence and opportunity is afforded, for such private and Christian communion. All real Christians love one another. They all love Christ, and cannot but love all who bear his image. And this is the characteristic mark of all who love him—they have his Father’s name written in their foreheads. All such will delight to mingle their voices, their hearts and affections, in religious exercises. They will speak of Christ—of the wonders of his love, and the wonders of his grace, with pleasure and delight. They will join in his praises. They will talk together in recommending him more and more. The theme is inexhaustible. They will unite in addressing him, for they love prayer, and they have one heart. One spirit actuates them.

--John Black (from a Sermon on Church Fellowship preached at the Opening of the Synod of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, May 16th 1816.

As someone who identifies with the Reformed Presbyterian Church, and who believes in and endeavors to uphold her principles, I must confess that I have not seen a whole lot of good stuff on this subject of Christian Communion from Covenanter camps around today. Much is produced in defense of maintaining a separate ecclesiastical standing -- which is indeed important too -- but given that so many today perceive Reformed Presbyterians as being overly condemning of believers in other denominations, unloving towards Christians in other churches, unwilling to have "familiar fellowship" with the brethren associated with other branches of the Visible Church, it sure would be nice to see some emphasis on the love and brotherhood we share will all who credibly profess the Name of Jesus Christ.

Let me say this as simply as I can: I LOVE ALL THE BRETHREN (Lord, enlarge my heart for thy people, and help thou my want of love)!

Just between you and me...

I'm going to let you in on a little secret. I have an experiment going on. You might think I'm weird, or strange, or even dirty!

I stopped washing my hair... two weeks ago! I've been thoroughly rinsing my hair in the shower, but no soap or shampoo has touched my hair in about two weeks now. I don't plan on ever using shampoo again!

I read an article by a guy who says he stopped using shampoo 10 years ago, and his theory is that if stop stripping your hair of your natural oils, you will stop making excess oils. I'm only two weeks in, but I think this guy is on to something. The first couple days were a little greasy, but ever since my hair has been soft, workable, pleasant smelling, and the chicks really dig it.

So, are you up to taking the no shampoo challenge?

Building air-castle upon air-castle!

He who goes about whining all day long about some
imaginary drawbacks in the sphere which Providence
has assigned him—when all the while he is situated
so much better than thousands around—is a suicide
of his own happiness! He is also impeaching the
faithfulness of the Supreme Ordainer and Disposer.

One half of life's enjoyment is eaten out by this sinful
craving after what cannot be obtained—the desire for
something supposed to be better. Yes, but when "the
better" is reached, there is the yearning for an imagined
"better" still. This is building air-castle upon air-castle!

If in these days there be one household demon more
than another which needs to be exorcised —it is the
demon of discontent!

Oh, for the spirit of Paul—poor and lonely prisoner in
Rome as he was—an apparent bankrupt in all that the
world deems wealth and affluence—yet who could make
this entry in his letter to his Philippian friends—"I have
learned to be content whatever the circumstances.
At the moment I have all I need—more than I need!"

--John MacDuff. Thoughts for the Quiet Hour, 1895.