Week Rundown! (08/19/12 - 08/25/12)

Sunday:

This morning I had a sick kid on my van, and didn't know it until I was a few miles away from church... not fun! ;) Today was Promotion Sunday in the Sunday school classes, with many of the kids moving up. Malachi got a reward for saying Bible verses over the past months!

This afternoon, we took naps, played games on Wii, and  worked on some Lydia homework for in preparation for classes tomorrow. We attended evening services, then came home for bed.


Monday:

Lydia started classes for the fall semester. She was excited, but also a bit nervous over trying to keep from being stressed out.


Tuesday:

I picked Mysia up from school and she got to spend a few hours with me at work before we headed home. We played some games on the Wii this evening, and the kids also worked on picking up their rooms.


Wednesday:

This evening was a quick supper and then off to evening services at church.


Thursday:

Mysia got to spend a few hours with me at work before I headed home. After dinner the kids spent most of the evening coloring and drawing. Lydia made treats for our weekend away in Branson. My siblings and I had "Steppin' Out" practice in preparation for our singing on Saturday evening.


Friday:

After I arrived at work, some of my co-workers left for Silver Dollar City. KWFC has fans that we hand out at the beginning of the Southern Gospel Picnic festival. I got to stand by the Boatworks Theatre and heckle people to get a free fan until 3pm. Like last year, it was fun!

I hung around the park until Lydia and the kids showed up. We then let the kids ride some rides and ate a snack before leaving. We also bought Malachi a pop-gun. It was his prize for not wetting the bed in the middle of the night. Believe me... this was an epic accomplishment!

We spent the evening at Splash Country Inn... it was great!


Saturday:

Actually got to sleep in! We had stayed up so late swimming that we were all tired! We got up and went to breakfast and got to go for a quick swim before meeting up with Titus, Jordin and Lycia at Silver Dollar City. We rode rides and watched the dark clouds come in. We were able to take shelter before the downpour hit! We had lunch and got to visit while waiting for it to stop. The rides were closed but we got to go through "Grandfather's Mansion" before saying goodbye and heading back to the hotel.

The kids watched tv and rested. Lydia started into some homework, and I left for Crane to sing with my siblings at the Broiler Festival. I got to visit with friends and the singing turned out pretty good! I have more fun singing Southern Gospel music than just listening to it.....

When I arrived back at the hotel, the kids were ready to go back to the pool! So we swam until 11pm!!!!


~Matt

Criminalizing My Beliefs - Vol. 2

This is part two of my thoughts on the ordinance that has been talked about for Springfield City Council. Like always, my intent is to share my opinion in short posts to provoke thoughts in those reading (you). Which is, of course, one of the ideas of this blog... voice my thoughts and opinions!

Anyway, before I ramble on too much...

The addition to the ordinance is not a 'civil right', but a moral issue. I should not be allowed to discriminate someone for race, etc. However, if it's something that I think is morally wrong, then yes.

I'm a freelance graphic designer. If someone asks me to put together a poster for an event that promotes something that I believe is morally wrong, I should have the right to refuse service. If this ordinance passes, an individual can then sue me. I admit that it would have to be someone with an agenda to do me harm... but hey, everyone has enemies.

Some may argue that "Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity" is not a moral issue. Yes, it is. Those who believe in the Bible (and what it says), believe that homosexuality is a sin.  Why? Simple: it is defined as sin.

Here's a multi-thought to ponder...  how do you feel about lying? Do you like being lied to? Would you not agree that it is a moral issue? You can get fired for lying. No one can call it discrimination.

How is lying like homosexuality? Both are considered a sin, and an abomination. Now, if only Christians would take lying just a serious, we may have better politicians and wouldn't have to worry about issues like this- but that's a blog post for another time. If we actually believed what is called sin is sin, and lived by it, that would be easy.

Proponents for the change say that we now live in a 'modern civilized society' and not fall back to primitive thinking. However, they fail to see that putting laws in that criminalize moral issues is not civil. Look at other countries that have laws on moral issues. They wouldn't want them here in America. Adding "Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity" as a discrimination is doing just that.

Don't criminalize my beliefs!!!

~Matt




More info can be found here.

Criminalizing My Beliefs - Vol. 1 (UPDATED/EDITED)

UPDATE: Changes made to original post before published!

I had planned to make a several posts over the next few days on my personal thoughts about Council Bill 2012-226 being put forth to the Springfield City Council. Last night, I worked on the post for today... however, there have been some things happening today that has made me re-think some of my wording.

With that in mind, let me at least leave you with some quotes to get your minds working:

From the "Springfield News-Leader":

Councilman Tom Bieker said fear that the ordinance could fare poorly with voters is one reason he suggested sending it back to a committee or task force for further discussion.
“What I’m worried about is if this gets to the polls it will fail miserably … and we’ll take a 20-year step back,” he said.

Instead, Bieker said he plans to renew his call that a task force review the issue before bringing it back to council with possible revisions.

Bieker said he supports the ordinance but doesn’t think opponents had an opportunity to weigh in as it was drafted.

 From "@sgffreedom"

City Attorney Dan Wichmer just confirmed: If you act according to your personal religious beliefs in your business, you can be legitimately sued if this ordinance passes!

For more reading, you can visit: http://www.cobycullins.com/2012/08/council-bill-2012-226.html


There are so many thoughts on this matter, that I'm trying to compile them in a way that I can covey them in the best manner.

~Matt

Week Rundown! (08/12/12 - 08/18/12)

Sunday:

Today was special at church... it was Anniversary Sunday. Services were unique with the Dartts in concert! We had food and fellowship after the mornings services, then another full-concert with the Dartts. What a blessing it was to get to hear some of the great songs Tracy Dartt has written over the years.

We enjoyed the afternoon at home. We were tired so we took naps. Boy... it felt great, and we slept for several hours! We then read books, ate some snacks, and had some great family time!


Monday:

After work, Lydia went to Mysia's school and set things up for the PTA. I picked the kids up and headed over there so we could meet Mysia's teacher. It looks like she's going to have a great school year!

We spent most of the time with Lydia since she had to watch the PTA booth. The kids were given some candy, and Malachi had an allergic reaction! His claimed his neck tightened and his lips started to puff up. I found the wrapping to the candy. Come to find out, he's allergic to almonds. It's a relief to finally know what he's allergic to, and we're also glad that it was a small portion he had this time!

Back at home, we had a quick supper, and kids went to bed.


Tuesday:

For supper, Lydia made fish. Yum!

I continued a chapter of The Magician's Nephew with the kids. It's fun watching them as I read, they're really enjoying the story. Afterwards, they had showers and got ready for bed.


Wednesday:

Today was Mysia's first day of school as a 2nd grader! Wow... how time flies! I got the privilege to take her to school, she was excited. I took pictures and their posted on my facebook timeline.

A regular day. Lydia picked up the kids after work and I met them at home. We ate a quick supper and made it to church well before time for services to start! Wow! ;)


Thursday:

It was a busy day, trying to get things done. I came home with the kids a bit earlier than normal. Lydia had a doctor's appointment. The kids and I tried to straighten up the house before she arrived home. We ate hot dogs for supper and watched the storms roll into the area.

We attended the Springfield Cardinals game. It rained after we got there, so the baseball game was delayed for an hour. However, it cooled things down, and we were able to enjoy it. We left before the game finished because it was past the kids bedtime, and it was a school night.


Friday:

Today was a vacation day for Lydia and I, since we won't be able to have a get-a-way on our anniversary in a few weeks.

I woke up and took the kids to school and daycare. Then arrived back home for a late breakfast with Lydia before we headed out to Carthage to visit the Precious Moments Chapel. I had been over ten years since I had been there, and we had been wanting to go together since we've been married, but never did. The weather was perfect for the trip, and we enjoyed our time together. My mom (Granny) picked the kids up, and they spent the evening and night with her.

Lydia and I enjoyed supper together, had some Andy's Concrete Ice Cream, and came home to play games on the Wii. Yes... our romantic evening together was shooting each other on James Bond, 007 Goldeneye! We also played Mario Party 9 (her birthday gift).


Saturday:

Since the kids spent the night with Granny, Lydia and I got to sleep in!!! Yay! Once up, we got some housework done and worked on the yard work as well. The lawn needed mowed, but it was mostly weeds gone out of control since we've been so dry. We also went grocery shopping!

Oh... today is Lydia's birthday!

After picking up the kids, we came back home to finish some housework and get ready for supper. We had a little party for Lydia... hamburgers and ice cream! Paulette, Lycia, and Moses had come over to celebrate as well. We visited and played Mario Party on the Wii.


~Matt

Week Rundown! (08/05/12 - 08/011/12)

Sunday:

We were still in Columbia, visiting with my brother and his family. We woke up, had breakfast, and visited for a bit. We got dressed, and the kids played before church. We packed up our things, and said our goodbyes.

We met up with my friend Nathan and his family and attended morning services at their church. We then got to spend lunch with them before heading back to Springfield. It was a long three hours back, the kids and Lydia took naps for the first half of the trip then watched a movie before making to church in time.

Tonight was our Vacation Bible School Finale. There wasn't as many kids in attendance as throughout the week, but we still had a great turn-out. We were able to share with the congregation all that happened throughout the week. Afterwards, we had refreshments before heading home.

Once at home, we unpacked and went to bed.


Monday:

Today was the start of a week-long college class. She had to focus so that she could complete this course. The class is scheduled for the first part of the day, and then she goes to work.

This evening, after supper, I started reading "Magician's Nephew" by CS Lewis, since the kids loved the Narnia movies. I was able to read the first two chapters before they got ready for bed and I headed for quartet practice. When I came back home, the kids were asleep and Lydia was deep in study. I stayed up working on some projects until she was ready for bed.


Tuesday:

This morning was voting for the primaries. I voted and then discovered that Mysia left her backpack at the house, so we headed back. Lydia left and dropped off Malachi before voting. I dropped of Mysia at daycare and got a text from Lydia saying that I needed to return to the polls. There had been a disruptive woman in front of me when I had voted and I had failed to sign the paper when I took the ballot. They need me to return so that it would be correct on their records! :)

Lydia had class, work, and then several PTA meetings. Once I got off work, I picked up the kids, we ate a quick supper, and headed to my parents' house. We swam in their for a few hours, had some snacks, and then headed home. Mysia and Malachi then got showers and then went to bed. Lydia worked on studying while I watched the Olympics!


Wednesday:

This evening was church, and then it was home. The kids played around for a bit before bed, and then Lydia studied why I again watched the Olympics! Yay USA!


Thursday:

Once work was over, Lydia and I met at home with the kids and ate a quick supper. We then headed back over to my parents' to swim. The plan was for me to swim with the kids while Lydia studied. However, she spent most of the time visiting with my mom. After the swim, we visited some more while the kids ate a snack. Mysia spent the night and we brought Malachi back home with us. Lydia dove into her school book.


Friday:

Mysia got to spend the day with Granny and Grandma T. They went shopping for school clothes, etc. She was very happy with what she got! The kids spent the evening swimming while Lydia and I went out to eat with friends!


Saturday:

Abigail went with us to see the latest movie of VeggieTales... The Penniless Princess. It was good. Afterwards, we went shopping for groceries and school supplies.

For the afternoon, we ate ramen noodles for lunch and took naps while Lydia attended a baby shower of a friend. Then we met up with Meemaw/Paulette at Rib Crib for her birthday. We enjoyed dinner before going over to play miniature golf. We decided not to keep score, but had fun anyways!



~Matt

TECH: Springfield Gets Real-Time Traffic Data

I ran across something cool the other day. Last Tuesday, Springfield became one of 130 cities in the nation that got real-time traffic data on Google Maps. This special feature is available on the Google Maps website and smartphone apps, and allows you to see the flow of traffic on the city's main roads.

The idea is great, and perfect for those wanting to avoid heavy traffic. I can see drivers who are constantly making trips around town to benefit the most.

Yes, I think this is a neat feature, however... I encourage those who use it on their smartphone to do so when not driving! Perhaps at a stoplight, but for the safety of others on the road, I don't want you to be distracted while the vehicle is in motion.

Drive safely!!!

~Matt

Procrastination

Yes, I meant to make a post about this earlier but I kept putting it off.

Its true... I have a problem with procrastination. Especially when making blog posts. Its a fault I have.

I try not to procrastinate on other things. I have a "to-do list" that make every week. What doesn't get completed by the end of the week, gets put on the following week's list. Of course, each list gets things added to it every day. What may start out as a small list, may be huge by the week's end. When something is done, it gets crossed out.

The "to-do" sheet is actually two lists, work and home. The work list also gives me something to look back on so that I may know what I've been able to accomplish. It also shows that I'm not slacking off either.

I try not to procrastinate when it comes to doing projects and things for others. Unfortunately, I have a hard time remembering what people ask. So, if you've mentioned something to me, and I haven't gotten to it... send me a friendly reminder by text or email! It really helps!

~Matt

Potted Meat Soup

For those who get "grossed" out on reading certain things, this post may be one to avoid. Just a word of warning for those with a queasy stomach.

First off, permit me to point out that today was hectic. The morning started that way. I had went to bed late last night, and was in no hurry to wake up this morning. However, once I was up, it was rush, rush, rush...

Shower, dressed, kids ready, breakfast eaten... you get the idea.

Well, I also packed my lunch. It mainly consisted of tomatoes. One I had sliced for my sandwich I'd prepare at work, and a bag of cherry tomatoes to 'snack' on during my on-air shift later in the afternoon.

In my rush, I left them on counter. I dropped Mysia off and arrived at work before I realized I didn't have them with me. I texted Lydia, and she had found them and put them in the refrigerator before she had left the house.

Oh well. I'll just eat my sandwich without tomatoes and forget the snack.

Lunchtime came, and I found that I had brought in an extra tomato earlier in the week. I was so happy that I cut it, put it into a bowl and preceded to make my lunch.

Lately, I've been making potted meat sandwiches for lunch. Something simple and lite. (I'm trying to watch my weight)

I opened the can, put it in the bowl, added some whipped salad dressing, and stirred it together. I then reached over to where I put my bread....

Uh, oh.

Yup, I forgot to bring it as well!

Thus, "Potted Meat Soup":

It actually tasted good!

~Matt

Week Rundown! (07/29/12 - 08/04/12)

Sunday:

After morning services we took naps. Since there wasn't choir practice, and we had time before heading to church, we watched the "Voyage of Dawn Treader". It was a little violent at times, but the kids enjoyed it to the end. They were disappointed when I revealed to them that this was the last of the movie series. However, I did promise to read them the books within the next few weeks.

Evening services were cancelled due to the visitation of one of the ladies of our church.

Before heading home, we worked on decorating for Vacation Bible School.. bugs were everywhere!


Monday:

This evening was the start of Vacation Bible School at Hillside. After getting off work, we picked up the kids, met at home, ate a quick supper, packed up anything we needed, and headed to church. Since it was the first night, things were a bit hectic and chaotic. But it was worth it. I was the teacher of the 3&4 grade boys, they were energetic, but fun. Lydia had volunteered for nursery... she got to handle the babies! Both Mysia and Malachi enjoyed their classes, and were ready for the rest of the week.

The topic was "Courage and strength", and the biblical character was Joshua. Being one of the spies to determine whether the Israelites could defeat Canaan, he was ready. But the others (besides Caleb) said no. However, after 40 years of wandering the wilderness, he was able lead the Israelites after Moses to conquer the land!


Tuesday:

Today was pretty much the same as yesterday. VBS was a little more organized tonight though! LOL! My helper, Doug, taught the lesson for my class, and did a wonderful job. It's so great to have awesome help.

The topic was "Serving God", and the biblical character was Gideon. At first Gideon was uncertain of God's plan for his life, so he asked God to prove by the laying of the fleece. After recognizing God's power, he was willing to take up leadership with God backing him up. What a leader he was!


Wednesday:

Today, my boss took us employees to Chick-fil-A in support and show 'love' in contrast to the protest/boycott by others. We stood in a nice long line at the mall. The food was great, and we even met several of our listeners. They were very happy to see us! It was neat. After work, Lydia was able to stop by and pick up more chicken for us to eat on the way to VBS.

For VBS, the topic was "God's love", and the biblical characters were Naomi and Ruth. I was excited to tell this story since it's my favorite. Ruth had a love for her mother-in-law, and was willing to follow Naomi to Israel. Then Boaz showed his love for Ruth by being the kinsman-redeemer! A fantastic story.


Thursday:

Pretty much a normal day, and we hurried up with supper so that we could make it to church in time for VBS. Doug taught the lesson for my class today.

The topic was "God's transforming power", and the biblical character was Zacchaeus. A tax collector, and hated by everyone, he decided to see Jesus. However, no one was courteous to him, and he wasn't able to even get a glimpse of the Savior. Being short wasn't a help, so he scaled a tree to get a good view. Jesus walked by and then asked to go to Zacchaeus' house. There Zacchaeus trusted Christ and even promised to give back more to those whom he had wronged!


Friday:

The "last night" of VBS (until Sunday night for the Finale). Snacks were hot dogs!

The topic was "Salvation", and the biblical character was Saul of Tarsus. A devout religious man of the Old Testament, he was in charge of hunting down Christians and imprisoning or killing them. On the way to Damascus to get rid of more, he met Christ and was blinded. Changed, Paul was introduced to Ananias and became a great missionary. He also wrote a great portion of the New Testament.

After services were over, we helped take down the decorations. There was a lot to do, but enough helpers stayed behind to get the job done. We were able to stay for a bit, and others were able finish before 10.


Saturday:

We woke up after 4am and hit the road by 5. Our destination... Columbia, MO. We arrived at my brother Benjamin's house around 8. They were just waking up and we were able to have breakfast with them. The kids enjoyed the day with their cousins. We had a fantastic visit. We aslo to naps after lunch.. boy, that felt good.

They treated us to Orange Leaf, and we spent the entire day with them. Before supper, the cousins played in the sprinkler. By bedtime, they were worn out. We visited and played board games before going to bed.


~Matt