Christmas in Tennessee

We really don't realize how good we have it.  My take away moment from this Christmas -- Rain.  Rain had never experienced Christmas before because they do not celebrate Christmas in Thailand.  He said this was the best Christmas ever.  How good is that?

Seriously, we went to church on Christmas Eve and had a short service with lots of music and communion.  It was really cool.  I just hope we can all appreciate what we really celebrate at Christmas, and that is Jesus's birth.  It was a wonderous thing that his parents faced such adversity and shame.  Mary was a wonderful servant of the Lord, and so was Joseph.  We have them to thank for bringing our Savior into the world.

Media Obsession with Celebrities v. the "Real" News

Unless you have lived under a rock the past few weeks, you surely know that Tiger Woods is in a heap of trouble. What looked at first to be a "tryst" with a New York "hostess" whose fiance ironically died in the 9/11 terrorist attacks, has turned into the sports story of the first decade of the 21st Century. The notoriously private Tiger Woods was exposed, and how exposed he was. He has cultivated a public persona of don't follow me, get your photo ops on the golf course and leave me and my family alone. His circle of friends guarded his privacy. Apparently, the prostitution businesses he frequented did as well. The first two girls, Rachel Uchetil and Jamie Grubbs, to "out" him either intentionally or not, both thought they were "special" to Tiger. Little did they know, they were nothing more than freebies, if that is accurate. Because he makes Elliot Spitzer look like a choir boy with one transgression. When Tiger first had his accident, I was like leave him alone, because there are obvious problems. But it isn't our business. Well, it still isn't our business, but it sure is a big mess in which we are all soaking up the details.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives passed a spending bill laden with almost a half a TRILLION dollars in ridiculous spending with nary a mention in the mainstream media. In other words, it is pork, or what I like to call, buy me and I will vote for you spending. It makes me sick. Why can't our country look at what our government is doing. Because it is totally taking advantage of us. Stand up and speak out! The health care reform, which Nancy Pelosi says she will "do anything" to pass before Christmas, is unconstitutional. The federal government cannot REQUIRE every US citizen (as well as the illegal immigrants) to purchase health insurance. They do not have the constitutional authority to do so. When a reporter asked Ms. Pelosi what constitutional authority there was for what the Congress was proposing, she said "seriously, seriously." Well, yeah, we are serious. Ms. Pelosi, Harry Reid and a lot of those in Congress live in dreamland, or make that the beltway. The government has totally lost touch with the American people. They do not care what we think or we want. What they want is power and big government. The health care reform bill does nothing to curb rising health care costs. I think it will make the costs rise even more. The government likes to vilify health insurance companies. But government run health care, i.e. Medicare and Medicaid is a lot worse than private insurance.

We need to have our voices heard. Remember when both parties tried to pass immigration legislation last summer. It had bi-partisan support. The American people did not support it. People called their Congressmen and Senators outraged. It did not pass. We need to do the same thing now. However, those that want this health care bill passed, don't care what we think. They want to have a segway into a single payor system where we all are covered by government provided health care. We don't want it. So stop them now.

Grand Circle Tour 2007

We visited Arches NP, Bryce Canyon NP, Zion NP and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon in May 2007, and it was beautiful. Just posting some pics.

Politics Never Ceases to Amaze Me

I am amazed that our President visited Capitol Hill today for some behind the door arm twisting (and vote buying). Didn't he say that politics "as usual" was out the door in his administration. There would be transparency and bi-partisanship. Where is that now? It is totally non-existent.

If you haven't realized it, this health care bill is nothing but a total government take over of the health care industry. Health care is expensive, but has any one looked at the costs of the development and research of innovative treatments. I don't want government health care, and I don't understand why I can't buy health insurance like I do my car insurance. My health insurance is tied to my employer, and if I don't have a job and have to buy health insurance it sucks.

The first thing about this "reform" is it is unconstitutional if some one would actually address that issue. But second, and most important, we CANNOT afford it as a country. Our country is wallowing in debt, spending money it doesn't have on "stimulus" after another to no avail. The first one under GWB was January 2008 with unemployment at 4.9%. Now, three or four stimulus deals later, unemployment is around 10% and our debt has increased over $1 trillon dollars.

Can some one please stop the bleeding? I want my country back.

It's Christmas Time in Tennessee!

We've been to Granny and Pa's, been shopping on Black Friday and volunteered at Fantasy of Trees. We've put up 2 Christmas trees and lots of decorations, and we still need to put lights outside on the deck. But we are making progress.

The most important thing to me right now is thinking about Mary, mother of Jesus. We've been discussing this at church, and no matter what time it is, now or 2,000 years ago, Mary must have faced shame. What do you say? You are pregnant with the Christ child although you are a virgin. Yeah, right. Who came to her rescue and believed her? Joseph, her future husband, and Elizabeth, her aunt, who was old and pregnant with John the Baptist. I've always loved the verses in Luke where Mary goes to Elizabeth. As soon as Mary enters, John the Baptist, in his momma's belly, "leaps" with joy. What a joy. Then follows Mary's song of gratefulness. In the midst of such adversity, she gives all the credit to God.

Not only does she bear and give birth to the Christ child, God in human flesh, she lives his life with him. We don't know much at all about his life, other than his minstry. I love the scenes from the Passion where she is remembering "unimportant" aspects of his life as he is walking to his death. I also enjoyed Anne Rice's novels on Jesus' young life and life just before his ministry. I really enjoyed her take on Jesus' first miracle -- turning water into wine at a wedding. The bride was one who loved Jesus.

Oh well, I guess I'm ready for Christmas, but I'm focused on making sure that we focus on Christ instead of the madness that we Americans have made it today. God Bless us all.

Thanksgiving

We are ready to go to Granny and Pa's for our traditional Thanksgiving. It changes each year a little, but the constant in the equation is food, lots of very good food. Last year, we gently asked Granny how she made her dressing. The result is a perfectly handwritten recipe that Isaraporn (Ploy) Kitcholwiwat scribed. It is awesome. The boys, especially Rain, think they need to stop eating to "store up" for tomorrow. I told them not to worry. Dinara has told them that the mashed potatoes are to die for, so we better peel and cook a big bag of potatoes.

So we are about to treat the boys to Granny and Pa's little house where they have lived since 1973. And have them experience turkey, ham, dressing, mashed potatoes, corn, green beans, turnip greens and turnips (if they are adventurous), pinto beans, cranberry salad, cranberry in a can, fruit salad, corn bread, rolls, chocolate cake, chocolate chess pie, and more. I think the German and the Thai kid will go back home thinking Thanksgiving in the USA rocks, at least in the Thompson household. Just wait for leftovers!

I hope every one has a wonderful, adventurous, and most importantly, safe Thanksgiving with their families. It is a time of thanks and a time of giving. It is a time of realizing what the people who came to this country over 400 years ago (I know we are a baby country) sacrificed a lot. We talked today at work about what would have happened or how our country would have developed if the pilgrims had landed at Myrtle Beach instead of Plymouth Rock. Oh my!

Discovering Old Photos -- Digital Style

About six months ago, I bought a Canon Canoscann which converts old photos and negatives to digital images. I was waiting for our desk to be done to install it. So desk is done -- yeah! And digital scan is now installed. Joe figured it out and scanned one of my favorite photos, from the negative no less.

It was taken at the Pepsi 400 on July 4, 1993. We had pit passes from a client, and I am known for my ability to get photos (and get autographs). I had this photo enlarged and took it back to the Daytona 500 in 1994 and got it autographed by Dale Earnhardt. It is framed downstairs, and it is one of my prized possessions. I had waited patiently behind pit wall during pre-race activities (for a long time) waiting in the same spot, waiting for that shot, I hoped. Dale Earnhardt noticed me (at least I hoped) and sure enough when he hopped in the car, he looked right at me, in that steely look, with his head barely above the window frame. If you notice the open face helmet, that was something he insisting on wearing. He said he couldn't race the same without the vision. Ultimately, it was that type of helmet and the impact of a head on into the turn 4 wall on the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500 that ended his life. Now, the drivers are in like cocoons, with wrap around seats and all sorts of protections that this accident led to in terms of innovations. Racin' just hasn't been the same since the day Dale Earnhardt died.

Enough

I'm reading a book called Enough - Discovering Joy Through Simplicity and Generosity. It is really good, and it really made me ponder what it means to be content. Adam Hamilton quoted Paul, when he wrote in Philippians 4:11-12, "I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances, I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need." Then, he makes four points to finding contentment. First, remember that it could be worse. Second, ask yourself "How long will this make me happy?" Third, develop a grateful heart. I think of Hallerin Hilton Hill whenever I think of this point, because he says every day, live this day like it could never be lived and be grateful. Gratitude is the key to abudant life. Fourth, ask yourself "Where does my soul find true satisfaction?" What does Paul follow with these thoughts? "I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13.

Yeah!! I figured out how to put photos on my blog. Now if I can figure out some more. We were getting ready for our open house at Baker Donelson's new offices. We were able to get a good number of Senator Baker's photos, working with Thompson Photo.

But we needed some photos that fit the conference room theme -- the Dogwood. I got home from church, and there was a light rain. The azaleas were at their peak, along with my lonely little Dogwood tree. So I got my camera and took some pretty good pics. I wish I had time to do more photo editing, and these photos only had a little bit.

Fall in East Tennessee

The weather this Fall has been absolutely amazing. I'm watching Rain and the puppies play in the yard, and it is about 68 degrees with clear blue skies. Almost all of the leaves are down, and we are winterizing the boats today and tomorrow. So that means the last boat rides (at least in our boats) for the year.

We had an interesting service at church today with lots of fellowship and the message talking about whether Facebook, texting and email met the definition of fellowship. It doesn't really, although it is a good way to keep abreast of each other. Fellowship is really together time -- face time.

I've got to figure this blog thing out, and I'm going to start posting more regularly. I just need some followers.

Getting Started

I think blogs are cool, so I wanted to start my own. I hope to be able to share things with people who I care about and give insight into those who don't know me. I think our lives, our liberty and our ability to pursue happiness are very important so that is where I got my title. Living on the edge.