Taps

Reportedly, it all began in 1862 during the Civil War, when Union Army Captain Robert Ellicombe was with his men near Harrison 's Landing in Virginia . The Confederate Army was on the other side of the narrow strip of land.

During the night, Captain Ellicombe heard the moans of a soldier who lay severely wounded on the field. Not knowing if it was a Union or Confederate soldier, the Captain decided to risk his life and bring the stricken man back for medical attention. Crawling on his stomach through the gunfire, the Captain reached the stricken soldier and began pulling him toward his encampment.

When the Captain finally reached his own lines, he discovered it was actually a Confederate soldier, but the soldier was dead.

The Captain lit a lantern and suddenly caught his breath and went numb with shock. In the dim light, he saw the face of the soldier. It was his own son. The boy had been studying music in the South when the war broke out. Without telling his father, the boy enlisted in the Confederate Army.

The following morning, heartbroken, the father asked permission of his superiors to give his son a full military burial, despite his enemy status. His request was only partially granted.

The Captain had asked if he could have a group of Army band members play a funeral dirge for his son at the funeral.

The request was turned down since the soldier was a Confederate.

But, out of respect for the father, they did say they could give him only one musician.

The Captain chose a bugler. He asked the bugler to play a series of musical notes he had found on a piece of paper in the pocket of the dead youth's uniform.

This wish was granted.

The haunting melody, we now know as "Taps" ... used at military funerals was born.

The words are :
Day is done..
Gone the sun.
From the lakes.
From the hills.
From the sky.
All is well.
Safely rest.
God is nigh.
Fading light.
Dims the sight.
And a star.
Gems the sky.
Gleaming bright.
From afar.
Drawing nigh.
Falls the night.
Thanks and praise.
For our days.
Neath the sun.
Neath the stars.
Neath the sky.
As we go.
This we know.
God is nigh.

I received an email with this story in it. I got to looking around on the internet and I started finding all different ways Taps was originated. If this is not right, please forgive. However, just as you imagined, the email claimed this way to be true but this website says differently. Believe what you want, I still think that this is a cool story!

Shaped and Molded

O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.
Isaiah 64:8.





I have been thinking a lot lately about me being the clay. I don't feel worthy to be the clay that the Creator of the universe is using. I feel as though I am dry and crumbly. God is trying to mold a vase with my life and I want a bowl. Why don't I just give in and let God make that vase? Why do I think that my vessel will be better than His?



In what ways can I change to allow that vase to be made? My bowl would break during its lifetime. Although, I am sure that I could repair the bowl, if I went with letting God make a vase out of my life, I would be a strong vessel to put on God's shelf with all his other pottery! I can't wait for heaven when we get to see God's collection of beautiful pottery he has molded and shaped. Are you going to be one of the vessels found in his collection?

A blind man was flying...

...from Seattle to San Francisco. The plane had
a stop-over in Sacramento.

The flight attendant explained that there would be a delay, and if the
passengers wanted to get off the aircraft, the plane would re-board in one
hour. Everybody got off the plane except one gentleman who
was blind. Another man had noticed him as he walked by and could tell the
gentleman was blind because his Seeing Eye Dog lay quietly underneath the
seats in front of him throughout the entire flight.

He could also tell he had flown this very flight before because the pilot
approached him, and calling him by name, said, "Keith, we're in
Sacramento for an hour, would you like to get off and stretch
your legs?

"The blind man replied, "No thanks, but maybe my dog would like to stretch
his legs."

Picture this: All the people in the gate area came to a complete
standstill when they looked up and saw the pilot walk off the plane with a
Seeing Eye Dog! The pilot was even wearing sunglasses. People scattered.
They not only tried to change planes, but they were trying to change
airlines!

February 12

German police are investigating after a man says he bit into a chocolate bar -- and found a finger inside. Police say the finger has been handed over to forensic experts.

Uh, yeah, this is why chocolate should be avoided. *grin*

Some People....

...amaze me...wow...

DECATUR, Ill. -- How do you spell Scott Wiese?

In a few weeks, that'd be P-e-y-t-o-n M-a-n-n-i-n-g.

Wiese, a die-hard fan of the Chicago Bears, signed a pledge in front of a crowd at a Decatur bar last Friday night that if the Bears lost Sunday's Super Bowl, he'd change his name to that of the man who led the Indianapolis Colts to victory.

Final score: Colts 29, Bears 17.

So Tuesday, Wiese went to the Macon County Courts Facility and started the process of changing his name.

"I made the bet, and now I've got to keep it," the 26-year-old Wiese said.

Wiese will have to advertise his intention in the local newspaper -- the Herald & Review -- for several weeks and then have a judge give him the OK to become, legally anyway, Peyton Manning.

The men have little in common, Wiese acknowledges.

Manning is 30 years old, stands 6-foot-5 and has a contract with the Colts worth more than $100 million.

Wiese is 5-foot-11 and works at an office-supply store for somewhat less.

"I think I kind of represent all Bears fans," he said. "Not that I'm saying they're all idiots like me, but I represent their passion because I really care about my team, you know?"

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press

The week....

Today was very cold. I get the luxury of working outside in the afternoons and I get to know the cold pretty well. Some ask how I do it. My normal answer is, after awhile, I am so cold, I don't even feel it anymore. My hands have frostbite I think. Oh well...In all honesty, I like the cold. I get excited when I see that it is going to be cold and I LOVE SNOW! I just looked and saw that there is a snow advisory from 6am tomorrow morning until 6pm tomorrow night!! It is saying 3 to 5 inches....which I love!!!

I am taking a weather class this semester. I like it a lot. I am learning what the different numbers, lines, and marks on a weather map are. It is very cool because the weather is something that affects every single person in the world every day. It is cool being able to tell what to expect.

This weekend, I went to Belvidere to visit the Steffen residence. Nice place. Very cold. Good food. Small church. More good food. Still cold. Long drive home.

Tonight, BAM had all the guys over to his place. It was BAM, Moges, and me. Josh Steffen and JHod stopped in. Very poor turnout. Sorry BAM. Don't know what to tell you but thanks for having us.

The rest of the week looks full. Tomorrow, finish preparing speech. Work. Read Bible for recording. Wed, give my speech on the process of milk, ISU is coming for church...prolly going to be late. Thur, online homework, work, ISU for Bible Study. Friday, just school, work, and then going home! :D Hope everyone has a great week!!!

Punxsutawney Phil Prediction: An Early Spring

You heard it here first! :D

At 7:28 a.m. EST this morning, amateur weather prognosticator Phil the Groundhog did NOT see his shadow, meaning that there will be an early spring.

The early-spring proclamation was made in front of an estimated 15,000 onlookers waiting in 28 degrees temperatures in the sleepy Pennsylvania hamlet of Punxsutawney, home to the annual Feb. 2 event.

According to the records provided by local organizers, today is the first time since 1999 that Phil did NOT see his shadow. This is only the 15th times in the last 120 years this has occurred.

In years when the Groundhog does see his shadow, the legend says that there will be six more weeks of winter.

The tradition of Groundhog Day is believed to have evolved from a German celebration called Candlemas. In a tradition that now shadows the Groundhog tradition, if the sun made an appearance on the mid-winter day and a hedgehog casts a shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter.

The Candlemas tradition was brought to Pennsylvania and the rest of the U.S. by German settlers in the 18 th and early 19 th century.

Jenny Wyss.....

....this is for you! :D

Ummm....let's see...it has been forever but in a way, it kind of actually feels nice to be blogging again. As I opened my Bible to read, I read the verse that this blog is titled after, Psalms 18:2. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. As I read this, it really gave me comfort with my decision to go to Kansas State this coming fall. I feel that God will be going with me because he is my rock and my fortress.

Another thought I had while reading this verse is all the names mentioned for Christ in the Bible. This is a pretty long list but here goes....And He shall be called...

Advocate (1 John 2:1); Lamb of God (John 1:29); The Resurrection & the Life (John 11:25); Shepherd & Bishop of Souls (1 Peter 2:25); Judge (Acts 10:42); Lord of Lords (1 Timothy 6:15); Rock (1 Corinthians 10:4); Man of Sorrows (Isaiah 53:3); Master (Matthew 8:19); Head of the Church (Ephesians 5:23); Faithful & True Witness (Revelation 3:14); High Priest (Hebrews 6:20); The Door (John 10:9); Living Water (John 4:10); Bread of Life (John 6:35); Rose of Sharon (Song of Solomon 2:1); Messiah (Daniel 9:25); Alpha & Omega (revelation 22:13); True Vine (John 15:1); Teacher (John 3:2); Holy One (Mark 1:24); I Am (John 8:58); Mediator (1 Timothy 2:5); The Beloved (Ephesians 1:6); Son of God (Matthew 27:54); Savior (John 4:42); Good Shepherd (John 10:11); Branch (Isaiah 11:1); Light of the World (John 8:12); The Almighty (Revelation 1:8); Carpenter (Mark 6:3); Image of the Invisible God (Colossians 1:15); The Word (John 1:1); Bridegroom (Matthew 9:15); Chief Cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20); Servant (Matthew 12:18); Author & Finisher of Our Faith (Hebrews 12:2); Everlasting Father (Isaiah 9:6); Shiloh (Genesis 49:10); King of Kings (1 Timothy 6:15); Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5); Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6); Anchor (Hebrews 6:19); Only Begotten Son (John 3:16); Prophet (Matthew 21:11); Wonderful Counselor (Isaiah 9:6); Immanuel (Matthew 1:23); Son of Man (Matthew 20:28); Dayspring (Luke 1:78); The Amen (Revelation 3:14); King of the Jews (Mark 15:26); Redeemer (Job 19:25); Bright Morning Star (Revelation 22:16) The Way, the Truth, & the Life (John 14:6)

Jesus Christ

If you continue reading, verse 3 says, I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. I think of the song...

I WILL CALL UPON THE LORD

I will call upon the Lord
Who is worthy to be praised
So shall I be saved from my enemies

The Lord liveth, and blessed be the Rock
And let the God of my salvation be exalted
The Lord liveth, and blessed be the Rock
And let the God of my salvation be exalted

Jesus Christ, He died for me
And He took away my sin
I will live with Him for eternity

The Lord liveth, and blessed be the Rock
And let the God of my salvation be exalted
The Lord liveth, and blessed be the Rock
And let the God of my salvation be exalted.

I hope that you are falling on the rock for support no matter where your at in life, whether it be school, work, or whatever! Remember who is omnipotent!!!