Thanksgiving this past week was a special time for us. We spent Wednesday down in Fayette with Lisa's side of the family, then hosted Thanksgiving day at our house. Lisa's parents came back up for it, as did my mom & dad, and several family friends, including our own Mr. Mitch from RockiTown. We had a full house, with TONS of food! We ate, ate, & ate, then watched some football (naturally), before some folks had to head for home. Later on, several of us loaded up and went to Dave & Busters, blowing some $ on video games and stuff. In all, we had a lively, food-filled, great time with family & friends. I am so thankful to my Father for His many, many gifts in my life, especially for the people that mean so much to me. Possessions & things come and go in our lives, but the relationships are what stand the test of time, especially when they are founded in Jesus Christ- that means we will have each other forever. And for that, I am most thankful.
Rob

I spent the day today raking and blowing leaves. We have lots of trees on our property, a mix of pine and various hardwoods. Across the fall, the hardwoods display brilliant colors of every variety. Its spectacular! Yet ultimately, these colors fade and fall- leaving wrinkled, rotting piles all around. So after the beautiful colors comes the long cleanup- blowing, raking, piling, burning. Its kind of depressing, actually- the colors are gone, and there's nothing anyone can do about it. And yet I know there are things that will never fade- God's Word, His love, His presence, His gifts in my life. And I know the things to come will never fade, fall, or decay. I know my Heavenly Father will fill and fulfill all our heart's desires and longings in His time, in His way.
Winter's coming, but it won't last, either. So I'll "rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him."
Rob
"The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of the Lord endures forever." 1 Peter 1:24

Today I took a ride with several Spirit Riders friends out to Comer, Ga., to the Watson Mill Bridge. This is one of the oldest covered bridges in the state, and was featured in the movie, "The Bridges of Madison County." It was built in the late 1800's, and was restored about 30 years ago. I always enjoy historical places, and this bridge trip was very enjoyable. With the leaves falling off the trees, and the weather getting colder, its time to get out and enjoy the sights and sounds while you can.
Rob

As You Vote- Count the Cost
As Americans go to the polls this Tuesday, we have much to consider. We must decide what kind of America we want to leave for our children.
We face a global threat unlike any we have ever faced before. How we respond to this threat may well determine our future. There are radicals in the world who hate us deeply, and want to conquer or destroy us. They do not want to dialogue with us- they want to destroy us.
So, what will our policy be? How will we respond long-term? Will we be led by those who believe America is at fault, that we must somehow appease and make amends, that our own soldiers are war-mongers and imbeciles? Will we grant leadership to those who would have us pull out of the battlefields we are on, abandoning our ideals and those we fight alongside? Or will we see that our lives & freedoms are worth fighting for, no matter the cost or duration?
What if, in WWII, we had pulled out of Normandy after D-Day, following the thousands of casualties of the first few days? Or if we had withdrawn from Luzon, Iwo Jima, or Okinawa, with the tens of thousands of casualties in those battles alone? What would a world have looked like under the rule of Nazism, Fascism, & Imperialism? Now, what would a world look like cowering under the fear of radical Islam & terrorism? Do we want a world under the influence of "Sharia"? There are those in the world that do...
So- who should lead us- those who say the cost is too high, the cause wrong, and that we are "stuck in Iraq"? Or will we be led by those who hold the conviction that we must "stay the course", no matter the cost?
I say we are fighting for our lives against those who would take it, and I say its better to fight the enemy in his back yard, rather than our back yards.
Some things to think about. Now go vote.
Rob