Very Ironic...look closely

Eat Fresh!

THEY'RE WORTH MILLIONS....REALLY

Have you ever been so stressed in your job that your heart races...you feel like your head is spinning and you just don't know if you can make it through another day? What kind of jobs have you had? What industries? Me? Beer distributor, ministry and radio. You won't see those words in the same sentence again for awhile. I used to tell the people that worked for me, when I sensed their blood pressure rising, "Hey...we're not doing brain surgery here....ain't nobody dying on the operating table." The nice thing is....you can say that when you're working in beer and radio and for the most part...ministry. Have you ever watched the Discovery Health Channel? Mary is fascinated by it and convinced me to watch one night. "I can't watch...too much blood...it gives me the creeps." Once I got past how it made "me" feel, I saw the miracles. It totally reinforced what I had been saying to the people I have supervised and to what I tell myself in order to keep things in perspective. 'What? The commmercial didn't start on time? What, we didn't get the beer there on time? What, someone is mad at us because the music was too loud?" Are you kidding me? "That" caused my blood pressure to rise? Watch the Discovery Health Channel one night. Recently, we saw a team of surgeons stand on their feet for more than 14 hours and reconstruct a 14 year old's chest after an accident with a fence post took out half his chest. We saw another surgeon re-attach a guy's head that was hanging on "by a thread." He met with the family before the extensive operation and explained how he would do it before he did it. "Months" later, "the patient" the husband, the father, the son....went back to work in the family business. His family was unbelievably thankful to say the least! Thrilled they had been given more time together. The patient....thankful for the second chance. The doctor....just another day on the job. We saw these "patients" walk away from these type of injuries that would have killed them just 5 years ago. They walked away and were able to start their lives over. Does that register with you? Can you imagine holding a scalpel in your hand and cut into someone's chest, brain or body? I can't. I'm lucky to carve the turkey on Thanksgiving in an organized manner. I have had the utmost respect for surgeons my whole life. They absolutely fascinate me!! You want to talk about courage and persistence? You go through years of schooling, residency and then years of on the job experiences with people's lives in your hands and tell me that's not courage. "THEY'RE WORTH MILLIONS!" They keep people alive and they give people second chances at life. You know what surgeons who save lives worry about? Getting sued. You know what Paris Hilton worries about? Me neither....but the pay sure doesn't = the results.

Life Is A Book

I encourage you. Look for the beginnings and the endings; look for the lessons in each chapter. It’s a big book. The lessons are there. But, you have to slow down, you have to look for them and you have to pull them out. You have to look deep within to find them. Each chapter has a beginning and it has an end. What am I learning? In that last chapter…what was it? What was that all about? Who are the players? What do you want from me? The chapters never start and end when we think they will. We never know what lies ahead. But are we teachable? Are we patient enough to learn? We have to dig to see the lessons. We have to identify them and understand them in order to learn from them. For the most part, the chapter entitled “Raising Kids” is over for us. But, my have we been blessed! Not sure why; other than God’s grace. But we have been blessed. Our kids know, love and trust God. What more could a parent ask? But gone are the days of going to ballgames, school/church programs and playing basketball games in the back yard. Gone are the days of fishing in Clear Creek. Gone are the days of coming home from a day’s work and having the day’s “crap” erased by a hug and a smile from a kid. We’re in a new chapter now and it’s OK. That last chapter…. an incredible chapter! Thank you Lord. But a new chapter has arrived and it’s entitled; ”I Love My Wife More Than Ever” and it’s a great chapter too. Our focus may change from one chapter to another. God changes your focus, if you’ll let Him. Twenty-eight years and we reached the societal cliché called “empty nesters” and guess what…. it’s OK. I am thankful for my wife!
God is the author…. He is writing the book. As much as I want to look ahead, I am learning to trust God, the author of our lives.
How about you? What is the title of the chapter you're in?

See If You Can Find Justin

Welcome Home Bud!

Tiger's New Yacht

OK...I'll Bite

Isn't the media great at hooking us? We're just like a bunch of fish waiting to bite on their bait...the next tease. "Tune in...coming up....you won't want to miss this." The latest tease is from CBS's "The Survivor." This season of Survivor will be pitting Asians, Hispanics, Blacks and Whites against each other by placing them in competing tribes. Ok, you got me hooked. I just want to see the Asians win the "put together the puzzle challenge", the Hispanics win the "climbing over the fence challenge", the Blacks win the "jumping challenge" and the Whites win the....win the.....Ok, it just wouldn't be right for the White People to win. I predict huge ratings that will rival Survivor's first season featuring the gay, tax evading, exhibitionist fat guy named Richard. I also predict that we have been hooked with a "come watch the train wreck" mentatlity. But...in the end, as always...political correctness will prevail as all 4 tribes hold hands and sing "We Are the World" around the campfire.

NBC....

Why do major networks keep chipping away at anything that stands for America? Here is a picture of the Today Show on the 4th of July interviewing a "German chef" talking about what's wrong with American hotdogs. Dang! We can't even do hotdogs right!

Around The Fire

Lyndsey and Andrew gave us a "fire pit" as a gift and we recently enjoyed a backyard fire.

4th of July!

DISCLAIMER: We... (The Wests) are extremely upset with the Stuff On My Cat website people. We have submitted numerous pictures of our cat Allie with stuff on her and despite the fact that our submissions were hands down better than other photos submitted....THEY HAVE NEVER POSTED ONE OF OUR PICTURES!

GREAT WEBSITE

THE TWILIGHT ZONE....

I LOVE IT

My Sister and Tony Dungy

As I have watched the media's coverage of Tony Dungy's son's tragic and unexpected death, I can't help but think of my sister Kay and her husband Jeff. They demonstrated the greatest example of grace and forgiveness I will probably ever see three years ago when they asked the court for lenience for the 20 year old girl who was drunk and behind the wheel and ran over and killed their son Scott as he was standing in his driveway. He was a senior at North Carolina State with 1 semester left and his whole life in front of him. I have never been more proud of anyone as I am of my sister and the way in which she has handled Scott's death. I don't tell her often enough because it's a tough subject to bring up. Sometimes it's just easier for me to talk about the weather. But, she is active in MADD, has spoken to students in schools and told the young lady who killed Scott that she forgives her in the hope the young lady could piece her life together. I don't know how Kay, Jeff and James' parents feel. But I am greatly impressed in how they have demonstrated their faith. Paul Attner of Sporting News had this to say about Tony Dungy.

"Tony will be strong because he is a man of great faith. Too often those in athletics flaunt their faith but truly lack conviction. Dungy is not one of those men. His faith is shown through how he treats others, fairly, with dignity, with unending class, how he conducts his life, with great ethics and with great courage of his convictions. He has such a pleasant nature, a serenity that few in his business reflect."

At the funeral for his 18 year old son, Mr. Dungy recalled Thanksgiving, which was the last time he saw James as the teen rushed off to the airport.

“I said, ‘I’ll see you later.’ I didn’t get to hug him. I knew I’d see him again pretty soon, so it didn’t really bother me very much,” Dungy said.

“We talked on the phone a lot the last few days. We’re always talking about what was going to happen. The last few days he was saying — as the guys on the team know he would — he was saying: ’Dad, we’re going to the Super Bowl, and when we do, will I be on the field?”’

Dungy nearly broke down again, then finished his thought amid applause.

“And I said: ‘Yeah, man. You know the hard part is getting there, but if we do, you know you’re going to be on the field.’ ... But I never got to hug him again. That’s one thing I’ll always think about and always remind people to do: Hug ’em every chance you get.”

Thank you Kay & Jeff and Tony Dungy for teaching us what it truly means to live lives of faith. Below are Kay's comments after seeing this first blog entry.

"You flatter us more than we deserve. You know that it has been God who has had us in such a tight hug these past few years to bolter our strength when it falters. Remember, Scott was not ours to lose. God only loaned him to us for awhile. I'm just so grateful for all the I was blessed enough to learn from him and from all the angels such as yourself and Mary and especially Jeff. Thank you all. I am truly blessed that Scott will never know this kind of pain. I love you. Hug Mary for me! I'm so glad she was born!! Kay

Lesson From My Dad - Paul West

See the ring attached to the key chain. It belonged to my Dad who died 20 years ago. It's a reminder I always carry with me and can put my hand on whenever I want. It's a reminder that life is short; lighten up. My Dad was a cut up and a practical joker who enjoyed living. Thanks for the lesson Dad. Thanks for the sense of humor. It's been a "key" in my life.

Those Were The Days....

TO ALL THE KIDS
WHO SURVIVED the 1930's 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's !!
First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they were pregnant.
They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes.
Then after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-based paints.
We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking. As infants & children, we would ride in cars with no car seats, booster seats, seat belts or air bags. Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day was always a special treat. We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle. We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this.
We ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter and drank koolade made with sugar, but we weren't overweight because . .
WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!
We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on.
No one was able to reach us all day
And we were O.K.
We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride down
the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.
We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 150 channels on cable, no video movies or DVD's, no surround-sound or CD's, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet or chat rooms..........
WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!
We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no
lawsuits from these accidents.
We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever.
We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays; made up games with sticks and tennis balls and, although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes.
We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang
the bell, or just walked in and talked to them!
Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!!
The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of.
They actually sided with the law!
These generations have produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever!
The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.
We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned
HOW TO DEAL WITH IT ALL!
If YOU are one of them . . . CONGRATULATIONS!
(Author Unknown)

New Blockbuster Movies - But None Compare....

Great Article

I thought this article was an excellent anlaogy of the media's coverage of the war.
http://carolinajournal.com/mediamangle/display_story.html?id=2959

Ahhh....pictures of Fall in Florida

When TV Was Great!

http://www.tvland.com/theme_songs/

Mourning Dove on the Nest (Photo MWest)