tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73248678083476928812024-02-06T20:15:00.147-06:00the backporch viewStephen Raubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12993406062663689570noreply@blogger.comBlogger139125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7324867808347692881.post-63366273518335068802010-09-09T09:44:00.003-05:002010-09-09T09:54:06.548-05:00New church sign!<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Well, there wasn't really anything wrong with the old one.... (well, except somebody'd shot a hole clean through it!) Anyways, insurance came to the rescue and helped us get this new one!</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br />(Photos and movable character ideas courtesy of Stephen Raub)</span> :)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpOJUJJzqkem_cVjAd3kQL-5EgYbEcQbYhmhIVZ4hlqyj9q1DycwT-8vXk7fLus0XQcs7ijLEqZeahZHDxwylcZVo87qVJBElFGYWHHa0xHRr87OXRilVDk2_Uc_F3P8t5E0qJVT2z_Qw/s1600/0907001656a.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpOJUJJzqkem_cVjAd3kQL-5EgYbEcQbYhmhIVZ4hlqyj9q1DycwT-8vXk7fLus0XQcs7ijLEqZeahZHDxwylcZVo87qVJBElFGYWHHa0xHRr87OXRilVDk2_Uc_F3P8t5E0qJVT2z_Qw/s400/0907001656a.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514925085118940754" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYsR6gSf04rVZiWBbtSesJPe9SYZnaI5l5cw2iaV6Hg9egexn9trWR0hjZd1mtIUUGsTVQbBT6-VNWDhM1i6iXcnMs0M3gsweBw0nmkj-BmbGBFclXp0csGbQrN0Arqxkb0-YkiT6-VY0/s1600/0907001656.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYsR6gSf04rVZiWBbtSesJPe9SYZnaI5l5cw2iaV6Hg9egexn9trWR0hjZd1mtIUUGsTVQbBT6-VNWDhM1i6iXcnMs0M3gsweBw0nmkj-BmbGBFclXp0csGbQrN0Arqxkb0-YkiT6-VY0/s400/0907001656.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514925076650274194" border="0" /></a>Stephen Raubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12993406062663689570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7324867808347692881.post-22603081496928974422010-08-23T10:28:00.001-05:002010-08-23T10:32:50.702-05:00Junior Camp 2010 - Misfit Pirates!<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Here's a portion of a skit video from Pleasant View Baptist Church's Junior camp- themed the Old Ship of Zion! Starring: (in the order of appearance) Caleb Waycaster as Captain Courageous, Lee Wynn as Prankster the Pirate, Pastor Stacy Shiflett as First Mate 'Lick the Plank' Nate, Anthony James as Stump the Sailor, and Derek Gazaway as Captain Cook. Enjoy!</span><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><object style="height: 344px; width: 425px;"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/k7z9kJmwfFk"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/k7z9kJmwfFk" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Stephen Raubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12993406062663689570noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7324867808347692881.post-18644110024832290532010-07-10T19:06:00.002-05:002010-07-10T20:28:48.030-05:00Kids for Christ<div style="text-align: justify; font-family: trebuchet ms;">Just sitting down on a beautiful Saturday evening and putting down a few of these thoughts about this weekend. We got a bus! The first ever bus ministry here at <a href="http://pleasantview.org">Pleasant View Baptist Church</a>. From bus calling today, we've got plenty of riders lined up and ready to go! So excited about what God is doing through us! It's all because of Him.<br /><br />Well, first of all, I'm excited that one day, I might be walking down the street, and get stopped by a middle aged man who shakes my hand and says, "You brought me to church on that little yellow bus. And now I'm a pastor. Thank you so much for doing that for me." I may take a missions trip to the Philippines and meet a missionary's wife and she might say, "Thank you so much for taking me to church on that bus every Sunday morning." Awesome thought, huh?<br /><br />Like our bus captain says, I want to see the church auditorium filled with snot-nosed kids running around in blue jeans, baseball caps and rock-n-roll t-shirts. I want to love them just the way they are. Because I want to see all that potential realized in every one of their lives! Just think of the impact it could make in our community!<br /><br />I'm thinking about Gaven, not even eight years old yet, and he's already brought more visitors to church than I have this year. And I'm thinking about little 'Bam'... the kid that knows everybody in town and is a better 'inviter-to-churcher' than I am. I want to see them in them grow up here. In church. <br /><br />Yes, yes, yes, it takes up almost half of my Saturday and half of my Sunday. But who said they were 'my days' anyway? Besides, it's more enjoyable and far more satisfying to me than anything else I've done on a weekend to date. <br /><br /> I say bring it on! Bring on the blue jeans. Bring on the ball caps. Bring on the rock t-shirts. I want to see that little bus filled with kids for Christ!<br /><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIPOGWH_vL1q5bOYtFGoX1MVIZ4sQScQvBppvFuULmYdaxwMnVZZZFpVk94sRLGSr-NmHzpfNEmbs5Qf56pyhkR-oXBKEZgKdC4KYA_wgn2_W3GFcghfzc6xygkKnTo3eCUQq7UDdx1D4/s1600/IMG_0711.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIPOGWH_vL1q5bOYtFGoX1MVIZ4sQScQvBppvFuULmYdaxwMnVZZZFpVk94sRLGSr-NmHzpfNEmbs5Qf56pyhkR-oXBKEZgKdC4KYA_wgn2_W3GFcghfzc6xygkKnTo3eCUQq7UDdx1D4/s400/IMG_0711.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492434451932199266" border="0" /></a>Stephen Raubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12993406062663689570noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7324867808347692881.post-48242656088235992862010-05-14T16:01:00.001-05:002010-05-14T16:03:41.542-05:00God Leads His Dear Children Along - Ellie Lewis<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">A great song sung at Vernon Baptist Church in Tunkhannock PA by a friend of mine's mother. Her daughter Kristi is accompanying her on the piano. Enjoy!</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><object style="height: 344px; width: 425px;"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ySu7tZTT0RE"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ySu7tZTT0RE" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Stephen Raubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12993406062663689570noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7324867808347692881.post-78102229809969936272010-05-12T12:31:00.001-05:002010-05-12T12:32:45.650-05:00Follow me on twitter!<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Get fast updates on what I'm up to!</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://twitter.com/stephenraub">http://twitter.com/stephenraub</a>Stephen Raubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12993406062663689570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7324867808347692881.post-14929439435043732392010-05-11T18:28:00.003-05:002010-05-11T18:38:30.329-05:00What's up!<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Hey Ya'll! Its been a while! I've been, as everyone else has been lately, extremely busy, and being tied up is, for me, a good thing. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Right now I am in Taylors, South Carolina going to <a href="http://pleasantview.org">Pleasant View Baptist Church</a>! They've been very gracious to let me stay with some folks in the church while I teach in the Christian School, work with the boys in the boys home, or just be an elbow-grease lackey! <a href="http://www.pleasantview.org/component/option,com_jd-wp/Itemid,61/">Pastor Stacy Shiflett</a> is a blessing to be with. It's been an exciting spring!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I'm praying about where God would like me to be for the next little while, so if you think about it, pray that God would give me wisdom & discernment to recognize his will. Don't want to miss out on the next cool thing that God has for me!</span></div>Stephen Raubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12993406062663689570noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7324867808347692881.post-35486677177018077852010-04-17T11:37:00.003-05:002010-04-17T11:42:01.186-05:00Moving a shed<span class="watch-expander-head-content" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> <span>Working with some folks at Pleasant View Baptist Church to get ready for camp meeting in June!</span></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/xAsYfPuS6p8&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_detailpage&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/xAsYfPuS6p8&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_detailpage&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="480" height="290"></embed></object>Stephen Raubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12993406062663689570noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7324867808347692881.post-44354975911177427702010-04-17T11:24:00.002-05:002010-04-17T11:33:50.460-05:00awesome backporch view<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Beautiful, huh? This is just a little bit of the view from the porch of a house that we were staining the decks of...</span><br /></div><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZrI7B37NAAHlrgrgxV3amrsDKUllzUViCOx9jgBJEnkpVoU1dXciUHxyuYHwyap9aGzvkVNAYP0PSxtG6zd7_yobyV39UGNr9KKB5lFMSsahUQ6SKoPfpxZG3x80416N91pKomwtj0Ic/s1600/0414001349.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 108px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZrI7B37NAAHlrgrgxV3amrsDKUllzUViCOx9jgBJEnkpVoU1dXciUHxyuYHwyap9aGzvkVNAYP0PSxtG6zd7_yobyV39UGNr9KKB5lFMSsahUQ6SKoPfpxZG3x80416N91pKomwtj0Ic/s400/0414001349.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461144873428705618" border="0" /></a>Stephen Raubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12993406062663689570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7324867808347692881.post-88128707896785396782010-04-05T18:30:00.005-05:002010-04-05T20:32:54.943-05:00Sunday, April 5th, 2010<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Here's a video from Easter Sunday that I took of the bus kids at Central Baptist Church of Hattiesburg, Mississippi doing their Easter egg hunt! Enjoy!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><object style="height: 344px; width: 425px" width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/E2DnT3woBg0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/E2DnT3woBg0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Stephen Raubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12993406062663689570noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7324867808347692881.post-48326503794252145692010-03-09T16:56:00.002-06:002010-03-09T17:03:41.201-06:00Pics from Bayou Drive Baptist<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Just thought I'd put a few pics from my stay in the Houston Area... most are from the winter revival. Enjoy!</span><br /><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglc87KYPLH0NHnRBOg0MAqiyzghVXM60TDRUWmrDE_zXIC5RbWxtZaAuzUMKTA2zIrOLf00zelKCvGF9mctLCpmHQLcSf1UXFMejG9gUMfyqe2DL3ihcaX0zDkvBQ5k1ZYGtg6DBxVABE/s1600-h/0125001920.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglc87KYPLH0NHnRBOg0MAqiyzghVXM60TDRUWmrDE_zXIC5RbWxtZaAuzUMKTA2zIrOLf00zelKCvGF9mctLCpmHQLcSf1UXFMejG9gUMfyqe2DL3ihcaX0zDkvBQ5k1ZYGtg6DBxVABE/s400/0125001920.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446772230569084914" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUN_tev4nFn68EveVvA330dw9YwDwlOC2mcHwS38rQV6o_SbvgS0H2Mc1PfaHHYnOe-89mhRMaqxKUH_ZDGyiT-a29Gh2Fli33YS3hg_02ijHMnp8F1NxZqHYV-YI2KR6RoiOlxNXAxTs/s1600-h/0127002039.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUN_tev4nFn68EveVvA330dw9YwDwlOC2mcHwS38rQV6o_SbvgS0H2Mc1PfaHHYnOe-89mhRMaqxKUH_ZDGyiT-a29Gh2Fli33YS3hg_02ijHMnp8F1NxZqHYV-YI2KR6RoiOlxNXAxTs/s400/0127002039.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446772225916900786" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Ixn8ZD8SwUp4ARDW9tm0LKnLZy65g8hY6sXUx3vQj6DfcVaUptiih_gs8kJxm-lzM8gVb5cQQEIlRuYZuyjZCfBJ7oXowF8HG_jybOI6gUIqm_jB-Uqdiu3xj83SPYfNV8h1De9xPU8/s1600-h/0129002052.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Ixn8ZD8SwUp4ARDW9tm0LKnLZy65g8hY6sXUx3vQj6DfcVaUptiih_gs8kJxm-lzM8gVb5cQQEIlRuYZuyjZCfBJ7oXowF8HG_jybOI6gUIqm_jB-Uqdiu3xj83SPYfNV8h1De9xPU8/s400/0129002052.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446772215983460402" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgStYWUNAYLbfe_GkTBAvqt6edVsCxz7WhRB0iE110QnHi9YaVYUn8_SGhEuyGnfICTUtteeJ3S0r_BjNnnD9wJNfRhlM_vVjYagfKn3BG6aWR6nxTQUpgSyZwTXeTlrcdJgbnnvTZH1yA/s1600-h/0131001854.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgStYWUNAYLbfe_GkTBAvqt6edVsCxz7WhRB0iE110QnHi9YaVYUn8_SGhEuyGnfICTUtteeJ3S0r_BjNnnD9wJNfRhlM_vVjYagfKn3BG6aWR6nxTQUpgSyZwTXeTlrcdJgbnnvTZH1yA/s400/0131001854.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446772208789854098" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNdmUA1wR5_iKVcbiYQP57k9VZ1bMbV0YD4yXbDr_snluHrqJUvF8MIV1ymDFyppPo7I9Cp90fjNeg3MVeoooNnq4jQSppKQ_MaoFWobZhjQB6_jIkaOmAgbthm6HIAfSs2iBKGDPK71E/s1600-h/0222001544.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNdmUA1wR5_iKVcbiYQP57k9VZ1bMbV0YD4yXbDr_snluHrqJUvF8MIV1ymDFyppPo7I9Cp90fjNeg3MVeoooNnq4jQSppKQ_MaoFWobZhjQB6_jIkaOmAgbthm6HIAfSs2iBKGDPK71E/s400/0222001544.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446772202920921602" border="0" /></a>Stephen Raubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12993406062663689570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7324867808347692881.post-30801143156944109462010-02-26T08:36:00.002-06:002010-02-26T08:46:34.286-06:00Pastor's Training School<div style="text-align: center; font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br />Just got done with doing a pastor's conference here in Houston. Staying busy, praise the Lord! I'll try 2 post more later.<br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY-ETCMQ2I4Zzo5FSZamPcNHaIJx0lvd0VcOZCVQUPndD2NrEYsKgFE5eNk5HQ7w5hLMHXcjkSQ-9MfWd8zK1JvcebvioBaEPBkEcmKfjTt9x7kljlIa3RM-YuQqzB3R7DRhJa99FHEwI/s1600-h/Pastors+Training+School+2010+Class+Photo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY-ETCMQ2I4Zzo5FSZamPcNHaIJx0lvd0VcOZCVQUPndD2NrEYsKgFE5eNk5HQ7w5hLMHXcjkSQ-9MfWd8zK1JvcebvioBaEPBkEcmKfjTt9x7kljlIa3RM-YuQqzB3R7DRhJa99FHEwI/s400/Pastors+Training+School+2010+Class+Photo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442561293673387362" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Let God Be Magnified!</span><br /></div>Stephen Raubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12993406062663689570noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7324867808347692881.post-57186710913521826412010-01-25T13:50:00.003-06:002010-01-25T13:57:50.765-06:00What's happening with you, Stephen?<div style="text-align: justify; font-family: trebuchet ms;">Ah, the question of the hour. I am (1) busy, (2) in Houston, (3) involved in pastoral internship at <a href="http://bayoubaptist.com/">Bayou Drive Baptist Church</a>! I'm truly sorry about the radio silence... I'll try to post pics and such as I have the time. Definitely enjoying myself! I'll be here Lord willing until around the beginning of March, so I'll may be hit and miss until then... but thanks for stopping by the blog! Slip me a comment and let me know what's happening, eh?<br /></div>Stephen Raubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12993406062663689570noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7324867808347692881.post-80605262427788075362010-01-03T20:53:00.002-06:002010-01-03T20:57:32.004-06:00the old man<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Here's a little something to brighten up your day... be glad I'm not turning 50 in a few days!</span><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrJoGS_VzSd21NEkSKbQHl6IYnFhR691L02SPFg2NNM-5QFdnAo1R2DUzN5iXbtDt3ySBUQUWZiHE4Wee3ZaWpq2VAE_kREl0RmWyNM-sdzQvFcAKzrpN4lCgDcd9kAPYDImqyNEK2nKU/s1600-h/IMG_1453.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrJoGS_VzSd21NEkSKbQHl6IYnFhR691L02SPFg2NNM-5QFdnAo1R2DUzN5iXbtDt3ySBUQUWZiHE4Wee3ZaWpq2VAE_kREl0RmWyNM-sdzQvFcAKzrpN4lCgDcd9kAPYDImqyNEK2nKU/s400/IMG_1453.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422712761557227922" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCSlEj5DTlYZO4bM1dDYxcejhwSC4ZdHPTHhu21GBHaMB3z8o7oe7vQlHvsdwP7OKhl6vhzfpcHa9Uij5qfcfmY_SyK34FFkPTHvNnP5k3dwG3g6vyiY6UKh1Z0VcVFewcFeq2-mtnhLc/s1600-h/IMG_14532.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCSlEj5DTlYZO4bM1dDYxcejhwSC4ZdHPTHhu21GBHaMB3z8o7oe7vQlHvsdwP7OKhl6vhzfpcHa9Uij5qfcfmY_SyK34FFkPTHvNnP5k3dwG3g6vyiY6UKh1Z0VcVFewcFeq2-mtnhLc/s400/IMG_14532.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422712755607219922" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /></div>Stephen Raubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12993406062663689570noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7324867808347692881.post-75579403338414120922009-12-31T10:59:00.001-06:002009-12-31T11:07:56.355-06:00Skyscraper Steve<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggAdpRqMYuiLprIKwi19MiblreNLn4xaiQJFrk1MjoRfXs3x4ewn2hmjd3l826ErK1xi4NPQRX9Rde270iJHhrdImNAGUR5AA4Azw2htsicLs0J_Ozo4KqtRWScH0TJhX4eAUERf6E5zo/s1600-h/Skyscraper+steve.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 224px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggAdpRqMYuiLprIKwi19MiblreNLn4xaiQJFrk1MjoRfXs3x4ewn2hmjd3l826ErK1xi4NPQRX9Rde270iJHhrdImNAGUR5AA4Azw2htsicLs0J_Ozo4KqtRWScH0TJhX4eAUERf6E5zo/s400/Skyscraper+steve.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421446950439506242" border="0" /></a>Stephen Raubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12993406062663689570noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7324867808347692881.post-24866099664134220072009-12-30T10:11:00.005-06:002009-12-30T10:16:05.145-06:00Here's a cool graphic<div style="text-align: center; font-family: trebuchet ms;">that <a href="http://mydelightfuldiary.blogspot.com/">Sharon</a> made a few days ago... love the perspective...<br /></div><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikSzRctsGKwZwcFOybUjUmISrVG_95fxS7ez6VCltsG1uIXOog85zXPyevGSMhqqbeDIaZAI1JBd_za9IIXozd8VwIe-URH1DWwle__tZlBCu5_U_2FqAM-rNr19EAvX_f-XM-H1eU1_U/s1600-h/Milk+Nose+Quote+by+S.R..jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 111px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikSzRctsGKwZwcFOybUjUmISrVG_95fxS7ez6VCltsG1uIXOog85zXPyevGSMhqqbeDIaZAI1JBd_za9IIXozd8VwIe-URH1DWwle__tZlBCu5_U_2FqAM-rNr19EAvX_f-XM-H1eU1_U/s400/Milk+Nose+Quote+by+S.R..jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421062789910819234" border="0" /></a>Stephen Raubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12993406062663689570noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7324867808347692881.post-31331340814956667942009-12-26T17:32:00.005-06:002009-12-26T17:50:11.486-06:00Merry Christmas Ya'll!<div style="text-align: justify; font-family: trebuchet ms;">A belated Holiday greeting to everybody out there, and hope you all enjoyed yours immensely. I sure did! We're here in Harrisburg, PA, to visit with family & friends over Christmas and new years day. God is good; the whole family was here for Christmas.<br /><br />But not anymore! Jon flew out to visit folks in Michigan for a couple of weeks just this afternoon. And I'm flying down to Houston before long to begin pastor internship at <a href="http://www.bayoubaptist.com/">Bayou Drive Baptist Church</a>! Wherever the Lord moves us, he seems to have plenty for us to do... we'll not be letting the dust settle, that's for sure.<br /><br />I sure am blessed this Christmas, but then again, aren't we all?</div>Stephen Raubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12993406062663689570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7324867808347692881.post-57153971736785258052009-12-17T21:28:00.004-06:002009-12-17T21:36:50.600-06:00Paris Mountain State Park...<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">...is a great spot to take pictures! Enjoy!</span><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitdw_zfP2ENzsNXqxRnp4DN99istK1_rL09_lnJTOSTPYq-UYHePLkdMkEloOExPjuGyuaZpNiUpTHZH56HzUh_S3Dg0q0-IhcbsiRw1es36BuSyxDn6YUyYFoZPT60JMLoDJilsNU1Jc/s1600-h/IMG_0032.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitdw_zfP2ENzsNXqxRnp4DN99istK1_rL09_lnJTOSTPYq-UYHePLkdMkEloOExPjuGyuaZpNiUpTHZH56HzUh_S3Dg0q0-IhcbsiRw1es36BuSyxDn6YUyYFoZPT60JMLoDJilsNU1Jc/s400/IMG_0032.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416414296514217954" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjtt2YfbrQyufL9IIpKPIEkEfUsgxlB5FW-kKHLvefwbha84ySRjexEDPBlxejrBrCGhbxVYT5F66XFaZoyulqHumsldPlrs3_Nsc2QfomEb-UU60hjCcDWB1rPOc_Kx3e69kq3n6XN9E/s1600-h/IMG_0042.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjtt2YfbrQyufL9IIpKPIEkEfUsgxlB5FW-kKHLvefwbha84ySRjexEDPBlxejrBrCGhbxVYT5F66XFaZoyulqHumsldPlrs3_Nsc2QfomEb-UU60hjCcDWB1rPOc_Kx3e69kq3n6XN9E/s400/IMG_0042.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416413849421931714" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuZZiSd23wihAhD2L3BW6NOKDw_eBCyXSCCYYsa9mid7b9x98k99GND-P7MLg9wEftXqPadegMAUZg3mD__l-6U5ibLv73liGzHq_D56x4WQWdV4J419yrK67ulTWwTdirD7vAyr7W17o/s1600-h/IMG_0059.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuZZiSd23wihAhD2L3BW6NOKDw_eBCyXSCCYYsa9mid7b9x98k99GND-P7MLg9wEftXqPadegMAUZg3mD__l-6U5ibLv73liGzHq_D56x4WQWdV4J419yrK67ulTWwTdirD7vAyr7W17o/s400/IMG_0059.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416413843742854338" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCJNGjZ6rmImhbkIyT-X41D6o32YRD-3kRRqx1gC4OI07hJp8kPy7GuQt8p4BZGHFD3ZoNEVvKQ0K45gbvPnCnzOUvO6KNAJ1q2a3jAql6YB6Bom-Mh6d3pWd4oBctTtpQw2onjT6pOEY/s1600-h/IMG_0095.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 291px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCJNGjZ6rmImhbkIyT-X41D6o32YRD-3kRRqx1gC4OI07hJp8kPy7GuQt8p4BZGHFD3ZoNEVvKQ0K45gbvPnCnzOUvO6KNAJ1q2a3jAql6YB6Bom-Mh6d3pWd4oBctTtpQw2onjT6pOEY/s400/IMG_0095.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416413838903576002" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZJK5qqMt3O4wUehajVMM4jUtJvhB-gX_outQ4W7XdNm5zTFmoNL3QD00-3GStKzsshwOPVt0lq_tGtke4zD8Ycz5M7oiUeupw8nMuCOlDFAMF2msk65srJ-mJlJALE6ZjQv6e79wI4K0/s1600-h/IMG_0124.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZJK5qqMt3O4wUehajVMM4jUtJvhB-gX_outQ4W7XdNm5zTFmoNL3QD00-3GStKzsshwOPVt0lq_tGtke4zD8Ycz5M7oiUeupw8nMuCOlDFAMF2msk65srJ-mJlJALE6ZjQv6e79wI4K0/s400/IMG_0124.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416413833322775026" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMlQtFtEGsgGWzGr3jOa9WJvlkMUArW52TxF5sSPdWsEcboJmAyvN-SyMmxQzNTdBiqaI_cGOwoo4PbQwxpWn0sERyHYzKZekcXVqW4TzYLPInh8vvhNpqIr3fKkefIZ8uB-sqY_Iv7Cc/s1600-h/IMG_0135.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMlQtFtEGsgGWzGr3jOa9WJvlkMUArW52TxF5sSPdWsEcboJmAyvN-SyMmxQzNTdBiqaI_cGOwoo4PbQwxpWn0sERyHYzKZekcXVqW4TzYLPInh8vvhNpqIr3fKkefIZ8uB-sqY_Iv7Cc/s400/IMG_0135.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416413827958906786" border="0" /></a>Stephen Raubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12993406062663689570noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7324867808347692881.post-66828906488694968102009-12-15T12:03:00.005-06:002009-12-15T13:15:09.267-06:00to the Bayou and back<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Just got back from Houston, Texas! Pastor Shawn Nichols, of Bayou Drive Baptist Church, flew me down for the weekend to candidate for a short term pastoral internship.</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> The flight down was uneventful, and got set up on Saturday for the Lord's Day. The morning services went well, Pastor Shawn preached on Mary's song out of Luke 1. It was a great message! Then they had good old fashioned food and fellowship after the service, then for the 'interrogation and torture' session with the men of the church. :)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Starting at 2:00PM and running all the way up to the evening service, we exchanged questions and answers regarding our specific beliefs and standards. It was great to help keep things fresh in your mind about what you believe! And it all went well. In the evening service, I preached a message entitled, "</span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.bayoubaptist.com/audio/weekly/12-13-09-P-H-A_Passion_For_God.mp3">A passion for God</a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">", out of Psalm 42:1. As I expected I was more nervous about preaching than I was about answering questions! </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">But God is good. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">On Monday, I was dropped off at the airport at 2PM, and because a series of mishaps, gate changes, terminal changes, airline changes, and departure time changes, wheels didn't leave the ground until about 10:30PM. Crazy. But I'm thankful to be back with my family here in Greenville, SC. I'll keep ya'll updated on the status of the Internship as things unfold. LGBM!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiujHhyqMlRW-JdK_-1qM_BbadPJJbU5TEHQLRrHzGQfhZjJ4dP361sqhWRN2ANPD0Ye60MG-BnaI5b3BxTRz_FtHyMZJQ0I84p7YiN1eqsdD6egNoX4bLw5JQsJt8IC4Upyw6GlYbX0Us/s1600-h/IMG_0014.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiujHhyqMlRW-JdK_-1qM_BbadPJJbU5TEHQLRrHzGQfhZjJ4dP361sqhWRN2ANPD0Ye60MG-BnaI5b3BxTRz_FtHyMZJQ0I84p7YiN1eqsdD6egNoX4bLw5JQsJt8IC4Upyw6GlYbX0Us/s400/IMG_0014.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415543166887788850" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Stephen Raubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12993406062663689570noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7324867808347692881.post-23648581570322154382009-11-30T21:37:00.000-06:002009-11-30T21:38:44.810-06:002 choices<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVb9ikSVkuKut7moIxB02gknUaCs3XXS4yyc_p25Yiy9rZW-kMU5g9cC4cYtJX-30H0snZmGG-7x0dHGDRTPofmPjju0ARxdyP5RHx1-9zL59QwSlJiaCFRCk159RBWR8G3_CCAqLPgBs/s1600/2+choices.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVb9ikSVkuKut7moIxB02gknUaCs3XXS4yyc_p25Yiy9rZW-kMU5g9cC4cYtJX-30H0snZmGG-7x0dHGDRTPofmPjju0ARxdyP5RHx1-9zL59QwSlJiaCFRCk159RBWR8G3_CCAqLPgBs/s400/2+choices.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410106928944322914" /></a>Stephen Raubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12993406062663689570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7324867808347692881.post-18726574400268492762009-11-26T09:36:00.006-06:002009-11-26T10:01:10.905-06:00A Marine's thanksgiving note<span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-style: italic; line-height: 17px; font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; line-height: 16px; "><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-position: initial initial; font-size:12px;"><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background- background-position: initial initial; font-size:12px;color:transparent;"></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">This morning I ran across these thoughts from A U.S marine, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Staff Sgt. Mark A. Wojciechowski,</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> concerning the Holiday that we call thanksgiving.</span></span></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "></p></span></div><blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; line-height: 16px; "><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background- color:transparent;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Thanksgiving often passes to some as another holiday: a day of food, family and football, with little more than just tradition and routine setting the tone. To some, it reminds them of the "American Heritage," the whole pilgrims came, made peace with the Indians, shared a harvest together -- and we still celebrate that today.</span></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background- color:transparent;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Thanksgiving is also, to most, a time to give thanks to the Lord, from which all things are made possible and whom without, there would be nothing to be thankful or unthankful for.</span></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background- color:transparent;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Perhaps it is now, [as] I am growing older and have a newfound respect for simpler and less tangible things, or the fact that I am unable to be where I would like to be sometimes, [that] I can describe what Thanksgiving means to me.</span></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background- color:transparent;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Obviously, Thanksgiving means being thankful for the things you have, but what does that include? I am thankful for being blessed with a wonderful family, a family that supports me in every way and is always there for me, even though I try not to need them as much as I probably should. I am thankful for health and well-being, not only my own, but the health and well-being of those around me which I love.</span></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background- color:transparent;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I am thankful for the society we live in and the comforts we take for granted each and every day. Although many will think our system is far from perfect, at least we can rest our heads each night without even so much as a remote worry of bombs being dropped, bullets being shot or poverty in our future.</span></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background- color:transparent;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Of all of the things I am thankful for, none of them would be as rich as they are without giving proper thanks to all of those who have given the ultimate sacrifice, in wars past and present, to give me the liberty and freedom.</span></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background- color:transparent;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Even though I am serving in the military and will be spending this holiday away from my home and my family, I am thankful for all of my brethren -- the troops that are currently serving in harm's way. Not only are they away from their families, but they won't even have the pleasure of safety or rest this holiday weekend.</span></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background- color:transparent;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I hope you have a happy and safe holiday. After all, I think being together is one of the things people overlook. It doesn't mean as much until you can't have it.</span></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background- color:transparent;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">As for me, my holiday will be just fine. I will be surrounded by a great group of guys, which I have come to love as brothers.</span></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background- color:transparent;"></span></span></p></span></div><div></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Staff Sgt. Mark A. Wojciechowski ("Tony Wojo"), was killed in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, on April 30, 2009.</span></span></div></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 17px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 17px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><i><img src="http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2009/0508/espn_usmcwoj_200.jpg" alt="Mark A. " /></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>Stephen Raubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12993406062663689570noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7324867808347692881.post-1591209921311537052009-11-23T20:04:00.003-06:002009-11-23T20:15:49.275-06:00A Declaration of Freedom<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Hey guys, this is something that you should check out. It's called the Manhattan Declaration, and it's really good. Check out this stuff from the last paragraph; it pretty much sums it all up!</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">"Because we honor justice and the common good, we will not comply with any edict that purports to compel our institutions to participate in abortions, embryo-destructive research, assisted suicide and euthanasia, or any other anti-life act; nor will we bend to any rule purporting to force us to bless immoral sexual partnerships, treat them as marriages or the equivalent, or refrain from proclaiming the truth, as we know it, about morality and immorality and marriage and the family. We will fully and ungrudgingly render to Caesar what is Caesar's. But under no circumstances will we render to Caesar what is God's."<br /></blockquote></div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Follow the link to go to the website where you can read the whole thing, and then sign it. It's the first really strong stand for christian morals anybody has taken around here in America in a long while.</span><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://manhattandeclaration.org"><br />manhattandeclaration.org</a><br /><br />Pass it along!<br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Stephen Raubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12993406062663689570noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7324867808347692881.post-10320985653830165752009-11-20T17:57:00.003-06:002009-11-20T18:18:32.590-06:00Fishing tales<div style="text-align: justify; font-family: trebuchet ms;">Yep, that's right, fishing. Never would have thought it, huh? Yeah right, ME? Do the fishing thing? OK, <span style="font-style: italic;">I </span>didn't fish, but I was around fishermen, assisting in landing their prize(s).<br /><br />Thursday night. We want to get involved in as much of the action as we can, so we go with Grace Baptist church to do some visitation. And guess what? Before the night is over, we're seeing 3 people bow their heads. Pray the sinners prayer. And be born again into the family of God. SWEEEEEEEEEEEET! Some awesome fishing story, I tell ya.<br /><br />OK, so then, since we're near the ocean, and we hear they got fish in there, we get little bro Jason rigged up with a pole and some bait, and we're off the pier. And before we know it, he's hauled in a shark! OK, so it was 21 or so inches long, but until you can catch one PERIOD, we'll laud him for his achievement. And no, it didn't bite our heads off. <br /><br />OK, so I like fishing. On the lake, on the river, on the coast, it's awesome. But as much as I enjoy the feel of a fighter on the end of my line, I'll trade it for fishing for men, any day of the week!<br /><br />Just can't beat it.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxgFkLYLjh4qwfiTw0nomTqoIp5jP52VK1EpJGQWperp7ZgKz8OfnKhdK33BI0ukof8qUl7O-jA8aFAqNq3jiKXz_OYsu0Cc7aQWlmSR2-GwAK3aPI9N8byaz222UPxkVsMXWZ5iOojVQ/s1600/111909_1714%5B00%5D.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxgFkLYLjh4qwfiTw0nomTqoIp5jP52VK1EpJGQWperp7ZgKz8OfnKhdK33BI0ukof8qUl7O-jA8aFAqNq3jiKXz_OYsu0Cc7aQWlmSR2-GwAK3aPI9N8byaz222UPxkVsMXWZ5iOojVQ/s320/111909_1714%5B00%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406344368247455250" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div>Stephen Raubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12993406062663689570noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7324867808347692881.post-86498668305038599022009-11-19T10:16:00.005-06:002009-11-19T10:43:56.524-06:00Aviation Wednesday<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Yesterday was a cool aviation themed day! A brother in the church that we're staying with took Jon and I to see the Harrier jump jets at MCAS Cherry Point. Very cool. Then later, on the way to church, we stopped in by invitation to see a former bush pilot friend of ours' airport that he uses for missionary aviation support. Had dinner with he and his wife, and a few other aviation missionaries that were with him, then to church! Pretty sweet day! </span><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUR4g530IuZRUfCA3igpIv_iA36a4VQFHzoTXrx2EozpzuerqgJh4LHu9SEyX29gS5XGTidpyjvXJfeErHgasCI_fZSfkJ0lEd6k3XNnz0eDr-O23twHK0xG-8JpVJTWr45NMbQ5gvR-k/s1600/111809_1454%5B00%5D.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUR4g530IuZRUfCA3igpIv_iA36a4VQFHzoTXrx2EozpzuerqgJh4LHu9SEyX29gS5XGTidpyjvXJfeErHgasCI_fZSfkJ0lEd6k3XNnz0eDr-O23twHK0xG-8JpVJTWr45NMbQ5gvR-k/s400/111809_1454%5B00%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405851474770228978" border="0" /></a><br />Harriers on the tarmac<br /><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzQK8TEot0dbhMeefGF8MiCGq2ptp1TcaH1daes4CNJu6n2A5MzYYfsPfjaIpWZyQGfJZdo8_u5tY9ceMk9Rco3HcxjksuRttzjUf9v8-4vhRZcdOZX3nQgrn2J5Yy1IdSNHN0UN_mJ4Q/s1600/IMG_3970.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzQK8TEot0dbhMeefGF8MiCGq2ptp1TcaH1daes4CNJu6n2A5MzYYfsPfjaIpWZyQGfJZdo8_u5tY9ceMk9Rco3HcxjksuRttzjUf9v8-4vhRZcdOZX3nQgrn2J5Yy1IdSNHN0UN_mJ4Q/s400/IMG_3970.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405850884732231602" border="0" /></a><br />One of the planes that the brother (who is a aircraft mechanic) is currently working on<br /><br /></div><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiV6bj8tvelWbMMmFAf8CfHcaicRGm0qUsi1JfjTU841skdV_cnaWXvCKaYgxXfjS99jy0PtKz1xxky43SDGikIx2Odw3ROJXO1NTAVgTeWzBNOEWhJn656h5-34DX7JW6wySxOFfeCio/s1600/IMG_3972.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiV6bj8tvelWbMMmFAf8CfHcaicRGm0qUsi1JfjTU841skdV_cnaWXvCKaYgxXfjS99jy0PtKz1xxky43SDGikIx2Odw3ROJXO1NTAVgTeWzBNOEWhJn656h5-34DX7JW6wySxOFfeCio/s400/IMG_3972.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405850880984251026" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-family: trebuchet ms;">Awesome to see 'em up close and personal<br /><br /><br /></div><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUrJfnNbKnxeYUh4NezcJTlgNDOU9D1UtY7ISKAunF44TpKMReJ8_A36FfU2jh7WU6CuNTRTo5AZ2BZxY5IUpW-qlJmKFMFrbBm2cM4rl_iJZoS_1eULEoms93ELrfdhyphenhyphen5wpx6RiiGKnc/s1600/IMG_3975.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUrJfnNbKnxeYUh4NezcJTlgNDOU9D1UtY7ISKAunF44TpKMReJ8_A36FfU2jh7WU6CuNTRTo5AZ2BZxY5IUpW-qlJmKFMFrbBm2cM4rl_iJZoS_1eULEoms93ELrfdhyphenhyphen5wpx6RiiGKnc/s400/IMG_3975.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405849974391183170" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-family: trebuchet ms;">The missionary aviation station<br /><br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhhOWQ-ZOq5Yga3E1Wf9uYXZkGuDrD5rplez3b_jC5ELV8MjSRToArFKYKbcbabjMSHpPW4u0P82RQSkOg6u0bJbf1UCIwEjyPiFPhIo6gk36e9EKw5TSonDtqnvOyKcBEs-8gBoYtNmE/s1600/IMG_3979.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhhOWQ-ZOq5Yga3E1Wf9uYXZkGuDrD5rplez3b_jC5ELV8MjSRToArFKYKbcbabjMSHpPW4u0P82RQSkOg6u0bJbf1UCIwEjyPiFPhIo6gk36e9EKw5TSonDtqnvOyKcBEs-8gBoYtNmE/s400/IMG_3979.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405849974040330306" border="0" /></a><br />inside the hanger? a Cessna 206 and a 152<br /><br /></div><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2j8FGCflGfLPkKN7FPpcayZ1MaBL4g1vuDr5pLxF35oGr9Bx_TtYGovDI-euyUP_tMy-u4gbVHKxj0uYBfOOWnauHV7xkCuP-Raf8n7J_XlgezfAFRdD8PH1E51nYxa23hTLQcjoBpJI/s1600/IMG_3980.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2j8FGCflGfLPkKN7FPpcayZ1MaBL4g1vuDr5pLxF35oGr9Bx_TtYGovDI-euyUP_tMy-u4gbVHKxj0uYBfOOWnauHV7xkCuP-Raf8n7J_XlgezfAFRdD8PH1E51nYxa23hTLQcjoBpJI/s400/IMG_3980.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405849965505022818" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-family: trebuchet ms;">an 1800 ft. runway is no problem... for a bush pilot...<br /><br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsHwflIIyngt41HhbVSMLvr_JvotKH9bAYrt-Dvo_7-5hyMh6qs6ShNcdig_yqf0i9q69v6Kz1yrmpmvuGP4q3Pr8vUs4O_Tcw2JgSLwvaBTiQl41OlkA60U2XsrIF_i6CpNbOdlYnsAs/s1600/IMG_3981.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsHwflIIyngt41HhbVSMLvr_JvotKH9bAYrt-Dvo_7-5hyMh6qs6ShNcdig_yqf0i9q69v6Kz1yrmpmvuGP4q3Pr8vUs4O_Tcw2JgSLwvaBTiQl41OlkA60U2XsrIF_i6CpNbOdlYnsAs/s400/IMG_3981.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405849961065483170" border="0" /></a><br />Here's Dad talking to a WWII vet, who just happens to be the recipient of both the Purple Heart and the Navy Cross<br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6pFW7yS9tS6rlS6HsM2kDIkN0LnwQeoF8SklWUPIoXD3OXDZajed2J1TBqxWpjX6_yCEkVAr6uIS_dfo5naccU4O0HS9mSM0yaeG9i82Mam6QzLNNXGwqZZUSQIka7xwXKNJ50rvEdAY/s1600/IMG_3984.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6pFW7yS9tS6rlS6HsM2kDIkN0LnwQeoF8SklWUPIoXD3OXDZajed2J1TBqxWpjX6_yCEkVAr6uIS_dfo5naccU4O0HS9mSM0yaeG9i82Mam6QzLNNXGwqZZUSQIka7xwXKNJ50rvEdAY/s400/IMG_3984.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405849957849189778" border="0" /></a><br />Two veteran bush pilots, Jack Hunt and Mark Robertson.<br /></div>Stephen Raubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12993406062663689570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7324867808347692881.post-12450929892578851562009-11-17T15:29:00.007-06:002009-11-17T20:43:52.443-06:00Family time on the coast<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This week we're on the east end on North Carolina. And with the weather being this nice, how can you resist a trip to the shore?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">If nothing else, the pictures are nice...</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJvxSM8xxnItAigVL9HSit78aI9IaY0lgZzH0rmqsSzQ-MoAcZXQFXSQOn6iN5Qoq8DrImIpKgtst1gWCpDoVaCboiF4AfbzS7wWZARPn5YaBBMqMqCnlig9v6HzFAbSxkHYrte035CCc/s1600/IMG_3849(2)"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJvxSM8xxnItAigVL9HSit78aI9IaY0lgZzH0rmqsSzQ-MoAcZXQFXSQOn6iN5Qoq8DrImIpKgtst1gWCpDoVaCboiF4AfbzS7wWZARPn5YaBBMqMqCnlig9v6HzFAbSxkHYrte035CCc/s400/IMG_3849(2)" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405189381714156146" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKVXfpaYoA1JSbJH5_LBE9YCbKzbu8-foQLSbR0XfijthJHryZRXBrLgJlLHBFVPKdTT_2r5bRrSxKlKhMur2uJMf_7pwStjwbWfSYDM8HVo0qbTT6x_O5-ATbahv38ArfKwbH43E_gVo/s1600/IMG_3856.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKVXfpaYoA1JSbJH5_LBE9YCbKzbu8-foQLSbR0XfijthJHryZRXBrLgJlLHBFVPKdTT_2r5bRrSxKlKhMur2uJMf_7pwStjwbWfSYDM8HVo0qbTT6x_O5-ATbahv38ArfKwbH43E_gVo/s400/IMG_3856.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405188666525374050" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioGJ2xze9HKaT3goIr-aZOtOCYMWzI7R214sKxIe0m5sjO4Huo7p8AKl0lS_3amyzXsFAo572-qNSrKaNhebEJh30mZAgkZNyRAI5XOJz7PdrnKE5pYIPN47GjEe85mJ2JbekBsM1EJpE/s1600/IMG_3851.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioGJ2xze9HKaT3goIr-aZOtOCYMWzI7R214sKxIe0m5sjO4Huo7p8AKl0lS_3amyzXsFAo572-qNSrKaNhebEJh30mZAgkZNyRAI5XOJz7PdrnKE5pYIPN47GjEe85mJ2JbekBsM1EJpE/s400/IMG_3851.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405188662427606466" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtnA4Q9IgOpA9Ik97zK349d_QK_z9aJrgLtrAmxir883KdFMUT2L6T4H7cd_V1NqdbOogjPs1B3kqlHxYumFdn_3DdZeY5RT9c7xtWP7Wc3AULyj81wB7lClGCVX-RKhuzuwwDq8chh0g/s1600/IMG_3822(2).jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtnA4Q9IgOpA9Ik97zK349d_QK_z9aJrgLtrAmxir883KdFMUT2L6T4H7cd_V1NqdbOogjPs1B3kqlHxYumFdn_3DdZeY5RT9c7xtWP7Wc3AULyj81wB7lClGCVX-RKhuzuwwDq8chh0g/s400/IMG_3822(2).jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405252507659151106" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyNpxH6dmaiz_r7JOql4nT2UjmTiAwk19bSWgge8ZhnIMAnblIiZWCcJkBenT5q5LnbWI9CAAZ7Df4UIPmkkKf79nqT0QjIEN1AP7gDwEi8gMHBCYxuywvK06-4VDqx2bODLESz-FSmDk/s1600/IMG_3899.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyNpxH6dmaiz_r7JOql4nT2UjmTiAwk19bSWgge8ZhnIMAnblIiZWCcJkBenT5q5LnbWI9CAAZ7Df4UIPmkkKf79nqT0QjIEN1AP7gDwEi8gMHBCYxuywvK06-4VDqx2bODLESz-FSmDk/s400/IMG_3899.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405188649760668946" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">But, thankfully, they were not the only source of enjoyment. Sure do have fun with the family... :)</span>Stephen Raubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12993406062663689570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7324867808347692881.post-830007433042588052009-11-12T15:07:00.005-06:002009-11-12T15:11:11.615-06:00Question<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Which is your most favorite picture on </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >thebackporchview</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">? Feel free to browse around, check out the archives, then let me know what you think!</span>Stephen Raubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12993406062663689570noreply@blogger.com3