Highway Cleanup

Today, I joined several of my co-workers in cleaning up our company's adopted mile of the highway. I never knew a person could have fun picking up trash.

Ozark Bird Dogs

$50 Christmas Tree

Yesterday afternoon, here at work, they had a contest. We each had to take an 8"x12" piece of green paper, hold it behind our backs and rip it into the shape of a Christmas tree. Surprisingly, mine turned out the best, and I won a $50 gift card to Wal-Mart. Some of the others' looked more like deformed maple leaves. It was fun.

Only in Branson...

I just got back from a quick ice cream run to McDonald's where I spotted this hideous vehicle in the parking lot. I can't imagine being seen in something like this.

Family

A co-worker of mine sent this to me. Thought I would share...

F A M I L Y
I ran into a stranger as he passed by,
"Oh excuse me please" was my reply.
He said, "Please excuse me too;
I wasn't watching for you."
We were very polite, this stranger and I.
We went on our way and we said goodbye.
But at home a different story is told,
How we treat our loved ones, young and old.
Later that day, cooking the evening meal,
My son stood beside me very still.
When I turned, I nearly knocked him down.
"Move out of the way," I said with a frown.
He walked away, his little heart broken.
I didn't realize how harshly I'd spoken.
While I lay awake in bed,
God's still small voice came to me and said,
"While dealing with a stranger,
common courtesy you use,
but the family you love, you seem to abuse.
Go and look on the kitchen floor,
You'll find some flowers there by the door.
Those are the flowers he brought for you.
He picked them himself: pink, yellow and blue.
He stood very quietly not to spoil the surprise,
you never saw the tears that filled his little eyes."
By this time, I felt very small,
And now my tears began to fall.
I quietly went and knelt by his bed;
"Wake up, little one, wake up," I said.
"Are these the flowers you picked for me?"
He smiled, "I found 'em, out by the tree.
I picked 'em because they're pretty like you.
I knew you'd like 'em, especially the blue."
I said, "Son, I'm very sorry for the way I acted today;
I shouldn't have yelled at you that way."
He said, "Oh, Mom, that's okay.
I love you anyway."
I said, "Son, I love you too,
and I do like the flowers, especially the! blue."

FAMILY
Are you aware that if we died tomorrow, the company
that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of days.
But the family we left behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives. And come to think of it, we pour ourselves more into work than into our own family, an unwise investment indeed, don't you think?

A Thought for the Day

Some people are like slinkies --
not really good for anything
but they bring a smile to your face
when you push them down a flight of stairs.

Branson Convention Center

Branson Mayor Lou Schaefer, center, shakes hands Tuesday with Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel Manager Mark Hartman after they and several other officials broke ground on a 220,000-square foot, $50 million convention center. BDN photo by Cliff Sain (taken from Branson Daily News)

This is a part of the $300 million master-planned project that will be known as Branson Landing.

FSCH Alumni Banquet

Over the weekend, I journeyed to Fort Scott, KS to attend the Fort Scott Christian Heights Alumni banquet. I had been asked to sing a special song. I sang "My Life Is in Your Hands". It is a beautiful song written and performed by Kathy Troccoli. Courtney and her sister, Marla, sang a special titled "Born To Serve the Lord" (see photo). It was a pleasant evening. It was was also nice to visit friends in the area while there.

Dixie Stampede

Last night 16 of my co-workers and myself attended the Dixie Stampede dinner and show. As usual, it was awesome! Each person was given the pleasure of eating a whole, roasted cornish hen, corn on the cob, broccoli soup, potato wedge, barbecue pork, and an apple turner all with our bare hands. It was delicious! We sat on the north side with all the tour buses, which I think, made us lose in the tournaments. Oh well.... there's always next time.

Hokey Pokey

With all the sadness and trauma going on in the world at the moment, it is worth reflecting on the death of a very important person, which almost went unnoticed last week. Larry LaPrise, the man who wrote "The Hokey Pokey," died peacefully at age 93. The most traumatic part for his family was getting him into the coffin. They put his left leg in and then the trouble started.Shut up. You know it's funny.

A Knight's Tale

For the past 5 years I was in charge of the decorations at the annual benefit, "Country Store", for Fort Scott Christian Heights. I recently found these photos of our medieval theme 3 years ago. I hope you enjoy them. My committee and I had much fun getting everything ready.

Pink Day

Today is "Pink Day" here at Branson Getaways. I have never owned anything pink in my life. So, last night I made a mad dash to the outlet mall to see what I could find, cheap. I made my way around to several stores, such as Banana Republic, Ralph Lauren, Eddie Bauer, and at last, Old Navy, where I found the shirt. I am actually enjoying wearing it.

Michael English Concert

This past Saturday evening I was privileged to see Michael English in concert at the Calvary Baptist Church in Joplin, Missouri. He finished the concert with "I Bowed on My Knees and Cried Holy!" It was awesome! A southern gospel group, Signature Quartet, was also there. They did an excellent job as well.

Weight Problem?

" We all get heavier as we get older because, there's a lot more information in our heads."

A Visit from Friends

Brad and Bethany came to visit in Branson this weekend. We had a great time going out to eat, late, at Denny's, seeing the Hamner Barber show, eating out late, again, at Dominoes (location of the photo shoot), and just hanging out. It was nice having them around.

Branson Shows I Have Seen

Since moving to Branson and starting my new job with Branson Getaways, I have been able to visit several shows here in Branson. Here are just a few of my favorites.
Top to Bottom: Hamner Barber, Celebrate! America, Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat, Darren Romeo, Broadway, Red Hot & Blue!.

Magnificent 7

Last night I visited the Magnificent 7 show here in Branson. It is an awesome show! Visit it if you ever get the chance.
(www.bransonwhitehousetheatre.com)

Having Fun

Thought I would share a photo of my friend Ashley and me wearing our stylish new hats at work.

Over the Weekend

I know it's been awhile since I have posted anything. A lot has been happening; I just haven't blogged it.

This past weekend I went back to Fort Scott, Kansas to visit friends. I stayed with Brad and Bethany and had a blast, as always. On Saturday night, Bethany prepared a delicious meal of shrimp kabobs and fettucine alfredo. I could have eaten my weight in it. Sunday was filled with going to church, eating dinner, napping, and watching tv. On Monday I visited the school where I formerly taught for 6 years (www.fortscottchristianheights.com), and then worked a few hours at Sekan. I returned, safely, to Branson last night around 9:15 cst.

The pic is of Bethany eating lobster at her favorite restaurant here in Branson known as Whippersnappers.

Amazingly Simple Home Remedies

AMAZINGLY SIMPLE HOME REMEDIES
1. If you are choking on an ice cube, don't panic. Simply pour a cup of boiling water down your throat and presto. The blockage will be almost instantly removed.
2. Clumsy? Avoid cutting yourself while slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold them while you chop away.
3. Avoid arguments with the little woman about lifting the toilet seat by simply using the sink.
4. For high blood pressure sufferers: simply cut yourself and bleed for a few minutes, thus reducing the pressure in your veins. Remember to use a timer.
5. A mouse trap, placed on top of your alarm clock,will prevent you from rolling over and going back to sleep after you hit the snooze button.
6. If you have a bad cough, take a large dose of laxatives, then you will be afraid to cough.
7. Have a bad toothache? Smash your thumb with a hammer and you will forget about the toothache.
Sometimes, we just need to remember what the rules of life really are:
You only need two tools: WD-40 and Duct Tape. If it doesn't move and should, use the WD-40. If it shouldn't move and does, use the duct tape.
Remember:Everyone seems normal until you get to know them. Never pass up an opportunity to go to the bathroom. If you woke up breathing, congratulations! You get another chance. And finally, be really nice to your family and friends; you never
know when you might need them to empty your bedpan.