Been weeks I know...

It has been weeks since I posted & truly I have not missed it. I do love blogs and blogging, I just needed some time away after my seven weeks in New Orleans. Business has been good and the family is great. The honey bees have been working hard & I look forward to honey harvest in a few weeks.

I am starting a kitchen renovation in Durham on Monday. Kevin Osborne & I have a challenging 10 days to complete the project while the clients are out of town. I am dependent on suppliers for the cabinets and flooring, so part of the time will be "hurry up and wait" for delivery trucks. Here are a few before photos:

Shelley & I spent most of the weekend with four other home schooling couples in a planning retreat for Lighthouse Christain Homeschool Association. It was good spending time with other home schooling moms & dads and planning a year of events and strategies for the folks in and around Wake Forest, NC.

One reason I Twitter...

Len Sweet captures the essence of why I am a tweet in his latest podcast.

Random Nothingness

It has been a busy week here. On top of that, the last two posts were so meaningful to me that anything else I can add at the moment would seem trite, and all of you that know me know I am not trite or sarcastic or shallow in any way;-)

At our faith community this morning we are going to view a video by Louie Giglio, "How Great is Our God", it is worth the 40mins.



OnePlusYou Quizzes and Widgets
I've been telling people for several years that this blog is good for the whole family.
Here is proof, there is no cussing on this blog. All of my fundy friends can come and hang out here. They will not hear the Lord's name taken in vain or any other such sinful talk on this blog. Now, for all the blogs in my Blogcase, watch out, they cuss like Australian sailors and probably need Jesus. Pray for them!

• I can still hear my father's voice in the back of my head,"Can't never gets you anywhere". "I can't", just does not cut it with my dad. Bethany could have easily spoken those words and no one would have blamed her. Not only did she surf again...she has gone pro.
• Sobering words by Buzz Aldrin
  

Post 301...friends, romans, countrymen...

I discovered blogging around 2001. I soon experimented with team blogging, which was fun as long as the topic was not to narrow. A narrow topic ended up with a blog that soon ran out of steam. I then attempted a congregational blog, asking each member to contribute a post in a rolling, rambling conversation. A few folks posted consistently, for a while...those same few folks are blogging still and there blogs appear in my friends and family side bar.

All the while I had WoodShavings, this place where I would leave my thoughts and ideas. Around 2003, this blog became almost exclusive full of my anger and feelings after a church slip. I wrote for several months and then let the whole mess sit for a year. After that time, I came back to WoodShavings and my lovely wife spoke words of great wisdom to me, "Delete it, delete all of it.", simple words I followed and here we are 302 posts later. Much of what is here is total drivel, but if you look, you might find a gem or two along the way.

In celebration, I have decided to list in no particular order the blogs I read on a regular basis. Most are in my RSS feed, but I prefer to click on each link from my blog list or bookmarks...that for me is a reading ritual. It is a time to think, ponder and grow as I click and read.

The Creativity Exchange

Dad's Tomato Garden Journal

Seth Godin

Cupcakes Take the Cake

Bible Belt Blogger

Bill Kinnon

Brad Boydston

Cerulean Sanctum

Dr. Dave Black

Milton Brasher-Cunningham

Internet Monk

Jesus Creed

Jon Birch

Kamp Krusty

YS Marko

Mike Morrell

Naked Pastor

Real Live Preacher

RobbyMac

Paul Soupiset

Tall Skinny Kiwi

Wes Roberts

These are blogs I click to almost everyday...even if they do not have a new post. I usually click through my family and friends list everyday. Some of the writers here I will meet, some are my friends, some I look forward to meeting someday and a very few are my spiritual family members. All of them accompany me on my journey toward my heavenly home.

Animals, ya gotta love 'em....

Real Live preacher has a great post on animals....

List of things all GOOD Christians should do and be and think

Brant Hansen has done it again. He has crafted another brilliant blog post at Letters from Kamp Krusty.

Wisdom...no really.

My family and I have been involved in homeschooling for over 16 years. In that time we have heard many folks talk about "sheltering" their kids. I read a great one from The Krusty Sage...I hope you will enjoy.

I am naked, are you?

If you are brave, read what Naked Pastor is thinking. He has said in a few paragraphs what I have been thinking, feeling and coming to believe for over 15 years. I have been called a radical/rebel by many. I now wrap myself in that description and ask that you join me. Join me in pursuit of a radical life and a rebellious family of faith.

Busy for a Friday...

Off to teach an American Government class today and then on to check on several construction projects. The weather has been temperate for January thus, it has been great to be outside. For those who love honey, I am working hard to planning for the spring honey flow. If all goes well, we should have an additional half a million bees flying before April.

Sick, work, another day

The family and I have battling a virus that is devastating. The last couple of days we have been sharing the love and the kleenex. I am back to 85% this morning and hope to be back to normal the next day or so. In the meantime, check out the guys who are working hard in porn.

The Dirty Movies Critic

One of my close friends Larry has started a new blog. It is sarcastic, cutting and biting with it's commentary on movies and American culture. You will laugh, you will winch, you may even be disgusted. It is an awesome blog. Take a moment and read The Dirty Movie Critic.

A fun time was had by all.

I met a blog friend last night...in the flesh. I also met his friend Jay, who I now consider to be my new friend. I will take the memories of the evening with me for weeks.

Milton writes about the event here.

Cool things happen among friends.

My friend Lisa Samson is a novelist. She has the opportunity to tell stories and have them published. She is good at what she does. This can be clearly seen by the fact that Publishers Weekly voted one of her books in the top 150 for 2007. She recently co-authored a book with her husband Will. Justice in the Burbs is a great book and you should read it.

Lisa contacted me last week with a request. She wanted to interview me and post the conversation on her blog for this week. I thank her deeply for the honor she has shown me and my family by the gesture. I hope the story of God in our lives will cause all of us to take one more step into the mystery of God's Kingdom. Take a look at the interview here.

Welcome Youth Workers!!!

Thanks to Gman, I found out my blog somehow ended up in a YS Update. If you are visiting because of that link, blessings2u for coming. If you are a youth worker blessings2u4whoUR!!


You are tilling hard ground.

The sun is hot.

Your hands are blistered.

You are tired.

Keep tilling.

After you till the soil for days.

Turn the soil over.

And do it again.

Cut in rows.

Plant seeds.

Plant seeds.

Plant seeds

Plant seeds.

Water them well.

The garden is planted.

The work has been long.

You are tired.

You may leave this garden.

You may not see the crop.

You may not feast of the bounty.

But it will be there.

Just to prove this is true, read this post from a few years ago.

Hot & busy...

Hot, that is the main word for things on the east coast at the moment. To beat the heat we have been stepping out on job sites at about 6am, working until 1pm and running for a cool spot. We return to work around 4-5pm and work until darkness and exhaustion kick in. Lots of work and heat at the moment, but all is well.

I am still working on Sweet Lie posts..see ya later!

Little girl reviewing books

Katy posted her first book review at her blog Messy Hands and Dog Ears. She has reviewed the emergent classic Blue Like Jazz. Take a look and leave a comment.

Cheers, good beer, Kingdom living...

Milton kinda sums up my feelings regarding church...

Brant finds a great quote by Dr. Peterson...

Towards Hope chimes in on the altar call...

This is a bad day...

The "gospel"

It is a simple question full of christian cliche'...."What is the gospel?". It is THE question I have been wrestling with for almost ten years. I am not sure I have the answer, nor am I sure I ever will. My hope and prayer is the answer to the question will be a life lived well by me and my friends.

Here are Larry's thoughts on the question.


"It is no use walking anywhere to preach unless our walking is our preaching."
Saint Francis Of Assisi
Italian monk & saint (1181 - 1226)

It has been a busy week here in Granville County. The weather has been good, so work has dominated the days. Nights have been busy with the family: our oldest daughter graduates from HS this month, so plans for ceremonies, parties and invitations have been the priority. We are also taking care of animals and house for friends on a spring family holiday. In the midst of all this, life goes on. The death of Jerry Falwell has highlighted the thoughts of many american christians.
Will Samson has a great post at willzhead, take a look and let me know what you think.

Another view by Dan Edelen.

A different take by NoVa Dad.

BibleBeltBlogger chimes in.

iMonk does a good job of explaining the struggle many of us have, we are attempting to synthesize the gospel message of the NT with the culture where God has placed us. iMonk's article, Gospel Relevance=Gospel Application will be a good read.

Dan Edelen over at Cerulean Sanctum has a great post on Easter. Read Our Triumphant Holy Week, it will move the heart to worship and relax.