Lisa and I started the day by getting up early enough to spend a little morning time on the porch. I had my cup of coffee and Lisa had her diet Coke. It was a nice morning with plenty of doves, mocking birds and other types of birds serenading us. After Lisa headed inside I stayed on the porch with a book. After a little while we all headed to worship services at Bethel.

Worship was good. After church we came home and Lisa made chilli and hot dogs for lunch. I again returned to the porch. Birds were still singing, there was a lot of thunder and a soft rain. On the porch with me was Oakly (Christian's lab), a class of Pinot Noir and a book by Michael Behe. I read for a while, sipped my wine and then to a short nap while it rained. 

This evening, I helped Lisa in the kitchen and now I'm watching Future Weapons (my favourite TV show) and sipping another glass of wine.

Coram Deo,

Kenith

I spent this week on doing union business, so I've been out of the refinery. Any time I am off my normal shift work, I loose money, but this is important business and I hope it pays off.

It's been a long week, and I'm glad to make it to the weekend. My son and I went to the movie this evening. We saw Terminator. It was good. Now I'm home and ready to go to bed.

Later,

Kenith

I'm off my shift this week on union business. I am not sure how long I will be off-shift, but for now I am working Monday-Friday and will be off weekends. I do like my shift work, so I hope this assignment will be complete in short order.

Kenith

This morning we went to worship at Bethel. The Lord has blessed Bethel with a wonderful pastor, Steve Wright. He is not a man with a very out going personality. He is, by nature a bit shy, but he is a talented preacher and a caring and loving pastor who is truly concerned about the flock that God has placed him over.

His sermon today was a continuation of a series that he has been going through about worship. Two Sundays ago he

 preached on the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper (i.e. Eucharist), which we celebrate weekly. We are an Evangelical, Protestant congregation that drinks wine during the Supper (just like all Protestants and other Christians before 1864). 

In the South, Baptist are the great majority of Christians and many of our members have Baptist backgrounds. American Baptists are well know for their strong stance against all consumption of alcohol, and since we serve wine (i.e. an alcoholic beverage) at Communion, it is good that the pastor is speaking about wine the way wine is treated in the Bible. Last week he spoke on wine in the Old Testament and this Sunday he spoke on wine in the New Testament. Both sermons have been GREAT.

You can find them here.

Coram Deo,

Kenith

We had a good week. I was off from work on Thursday and Friday and my Paw-in-law and I went fishing at my Sister's pond on Friday . I caught a 6 or 7 small bass, and he mopped up on bluegill. I through my fish back, but I cleaned the perch and fried them for supper on Friday evening.

On Saturday the boys and I retuned to Longville to visit my folks. My brother, Terry, my bro-in-law, Brian, and my youngest son all did a little fishing. We caught a few bass.

I also picked up my canoe, which had been damaged by Hurricane Rita (I know, that is a good while back). I had assumed that it was totalled, but have never looked at it closely until a few months ago. It has a gash in it, and a buddy at work told me that he thinks he can repair it. So now it is loaded in the bed of a truck and I will bring it to him this week.

While in Longville, I checked out my brothers fiberglass pirogue. I like it. The question is do I want to get a pirogue or a kayak.

At this moment, I am on the porch with a cup of coffee, I'm already dressed for Church, there is soft rain, a nice breeze, and a mocking bird (along with other types) are singing for me as I type. 

Coram Deo,

Kenith

Here are some pictures from last week when Christian and Jessica were home on leave from the Navy.

Friday was JB and Christian's last day in Louisianan, so Lisa and I checked the boys out of school a little early, and we all went to Sam Houston Jones State Park for the day. We hung out, fed the ducks, played chase and just enjoyed nature.

Friday evening Sean and his girlfriend, Sarah, came over to see Christian and Jessica. Sean, who is in the Air Force, has not seen Christian in a couple of years, and it was good that he could come here from Shreveport to see his cousin. After the visit with Sean and Sarah, JB and Christian went out to eat.

Saturday morning Lisa and I were up a little after 3 AM. Christian and Jessica had to be at the airport at Lafayette for 5, so that they could catch their flights. Christian flew to JFK airport. He spent the night in New York and caught a flight to Tokyo this morning.

JB flew to San Diego. She is stationed on the Nimitz which is home ported at North Island Naval Air Station (which is were I was stationed long ago when I was in the Navy).

Lisa and I were home from the airport a little after 6 AM and went back to bed. Last night we took the boys to see the Star Trek movie.

This morning we worshipped at Bethel. Pastor Steve preached on wine, as a follow up on his sermon on the Lord's Supper last week. It is a sermon that all evangelicals that believe in abstinence needs to hear.

Happy Mother's Day,

Kenith

Yesterday, was spent around the house with family. Lisa cooked a couple of shrimp dishes. We had some nice size boiled shrimp, which were Cajun spicy (Zatarains) and very good. She also cooked shrimp scampi and angel hair pasta. 

JB, Christian and our youngest son played Risk for a few hours. Morgan and Danny came over and ate with us. Just a normal day at the house.

Kenith

Ps:  Notice my daughter-in-laws shirt. This young lady from a smal town in PA will be a saying Geaux Tigers in no time.

Christian, Jessica, Morgan and I went to Longville yesterday. I fished they did some fishing and visiting with my sister. After spending a few hours in Longville, we brought Morgan to her in-laws in DeQuincy. Her in-laws have miniature donkeys, one of which just had a colt. It was cute. They have a number of birds, a horse, dogs and a dozen or more donkeys. 

That evening Christian and JB went out to eat and MK came came over with a couple of bottles of wine and a lot of computer stuff. He visited with Lisa and me. I downloaded stuff, we talked and drank wine then Christian and Jessica returned. Neither of the ladies would try the wine, which is good, because both bottles were excellent. MK does not drink mediocre wines, which is good anytime he brings a bottle

 over.

Today, was a good day. I mostly hung around the house and finished Max Hastings' Overlord. I also went to the gym to watch Christian and Paul S. spar a few rounds. I took photographs, so I will post some tomorrow or the next day.

Christian, JB and my youngest son played Risk until it was his bed time. Then Woody came over with a bottle of Makers Mark and we sat around the table talked and sipped a little bourbon. Now everyone has gone home or to bed, and I am going to do the same.

In Christ,

Kenith

Woke this morning, watched a little news and ate breakfast, then I went to the porch with coffee and my book (Overlord: D-Day and the Battle for Normandy, 1944 ). I read, and drank coffee while the birds sang their morning songs for me. I wish I could start every morning this way.

I've been reading Overlord (by Max Hastings) off and on, along with a number of other books, for a while. It's the second book by Hastings that I've read and is very good. MK resently read Hasting's is Retribution: The Battle for Japan, 1944-45 and he raved about it. The firt of Hasting books that I read was Armageddon: The Battle for Germany 1944-45. It is one of the best books on WWII that I've ever read.

JB, Morgan, Christian and I may go to Longville shortly. I don't know. We will see how the day progresses.

Later,

Kenith

I worked graveyards last night and when my shift was over I then started vacation at 5:30 this morning when I walked out of the refinery. I then went to bed and slept until 9:30. I then got up and got ready to attend worship services at Bethel.

It was great, because our whole family was there this morning. Morgan and Danny, Jessica and Christian along with Lisa, the boys and me. Pastor Steve had a good sermon on worship. I preached on the sacrament of the Lord's Supper.

This inspired me to write on the subject on my As I See It blog. It is a bit tongue-in-check.

After church we went to eat and then came home. Lisa took a nap, the kids did their thing and I went to the porch with a book, read for a while and took a nap there myself.

Now I'm going to bed and watching the Military Channel.

Coram Deo,
Kenith

I spent most of the day hanging out with Christian, JB (i.e. Jessica) and Mo (i.e. Morgan). Christian and Jessica bought the boys a Wii. He said it was for Christmas and both their birthdays.

I Wii boxed with him. It is interesting. He won the bout in the second round by KO. I will have to do some training and then ask for a re-match. After Wii boxing, I had to pick the boys up at school.

Christian went to meet Paul. They plan to spare for real. Lisa, Mo and JB went for a ladies outing, that is a pedicure and supper (or the other way around). I threw the football with boys in the yard for a while, and we ate left over gumbo this evening. Now, they are back on the Wii and I am watching the President's news conference and writing on the blog.

Later,
Kenith

Lisa, Morgan and I drove Lafayette to pickup Christian and Jessica at the airport. On the way there the three of us had a sing-a-long with Marty Robbins' songs all the way from Lake Charles to Lafayette (I have marty Robbins on my iPod, which was plugged into my truck radio).

We picked up Jessica and Christian. They look great and it is awesome to have them both here. Lisa's gumbo is awesome tonight, a number of Christian's cousins and their spouses came to eat and visit.

We have the Jessica and Christian here for a more than a week.

Later,
Kenith

Last night MK came over and we opened a couple of nice wines. The first was a meritage and the second a zinfandel. The meritage was good, but the zinfandel was awesome.

Today the boys and I went to Longville to visit with my family. We had to head back home early because we were invited to a crawfish boil at my co-worker Walt's house. I was the only one to go to Walt's, mostly because Lisa worked late, so that she can be off when Jessica and Christian arrive on Tuesday.

Walt boiled crawfish and crabs. It was all SOOO good. I had Same Adam's Summer Brew to go with the food. There was a good turnout. A good number of my friends from work were at Walt's. A number of the guys brought their wife and kids.

After a few hours of feasting I came home, having eaten my fill of crabs and crawfish.

Later,
Kenith

I worked days shift since Monday. It was not a busy set of daylights, but I am glad that its over.

Today was a very good day. It was our monthly Rescue Team Training day and we had a good day of training. We set up three stations. Two were for repelling. One repel station was a straight repelling with no obstacles. The second station was more of an obstacle course with pipes and other items that we had to get around. The third station was one were we put a patient on a miller board, packaged him in a basket, and then raised and lowered him on ropes using mechanical advantage.

For lunch the team went to Chamblee's Buffet in Sulphur. I had ocra, mustard greens, yellow squash, chicken and fried fish. It was all sooooo good.

Later,
Kenith

My vacation ended today, a day early. My own shift begins tomorrow.

Yesterday, we worshipped at Bethel. We had a missionary from Peru Mission, Wes Baker. During Sunday School he gave us an overview of what they are doing in Peru. Wes preached the sermon and after dinner he spoke on St. Augustine's City of God. It was all very good and quiet fascinating. I was very glad I could attend.

Sunday afternoon, Lisa and I went to a crawfish boil at Big Woody and Marys house. Woody cooked them perfectly and had the spices just right (smokin hot). There was a abundance of cold beer (a must with crawfish.

*****Our son Christian has returned from the Middle East. He is in Pennsylvania with his wife's people. We are very excited because he and Jess will be here next Tuesday.*****

Coram Deo,

Kenith

Monday, the boys, my Paw-in-law and I went to Longville. A took one of the boys to my parents house then the rest of us went fishing. My brother Terry told em before we started that I always picked the worse days to try and fish.

He was right. I caught one bass and we all missed a few more, but that is it. I'm planning to try again tomorrow.

I started Tuesday by going to the funeral of Billy Clark. He was one of the people responsible for starting Bethel Presbyterian Church (PCA). Billy was also a Ruling Elder Bethel for many years.

Last night the boys and I started a game of Risk on the porch. We were not able to finish last night, so we left it set up and finished it this afternoon. We could not finish it this morning, because I went to another funeral. This time it was for family.

Later,
Kenith

Yesterday was spent around the house. We worked on projects and cleaned some. We played in the yard with the boys and the dog. Lisa and went dancing for about an a little while. We made it home before 11.

This morning Lisa and I got up early and fixed Eggs Benedict for breakfast. After breakfast we got ready for church. Then we went to Bethel where we met Morgan and Danny and Elisabeth was there with the baby (Woody had to wrk). After worship services we cam home, Morgan and Danny joined us.

We had a Resurrection Day feast. Lisa had prepared a roast and gravy, mash potatos, rice, greenbeans with bacon, corn, garlic bread, candied apples and fudge. I opened a nice Pinot Noir to go with the meal. YUMM.

After feasting we went out on the porch, played fetch with the dog, drank wine and played pâque with boiled eggs. Pâques is the French name for Easter, but the game paque is a traditional game played played by Cajuns on Pâques (Easter) were we tap pointy end of two eggs. If your eg cracks you loose.

It's been a good, though stormy, day.

Coram Deo,
Kenith

I drove to Grapevine, Tx (near Dallas/Fort Worth airport) on Tuesday. The refinery sent eight people (four salaried and four hourly) to the region VI VPPPA annual conference. The conference was held at the Gaylord Texan. The conference was good. I heard and some some things that I believe we can take back to the refinery.

On the way up there, I drove a rental and two guys road with me. We left for home Thursday evening. Most of the others stayed to attend the events on Friday. In my group, I drove home, and we arrived back at the refinery a little before 11 pm.

Yesterday, I stayed home and helped with things around the house. That is what I plan to do again today.

Later,
Kenith

I worked another 84 hour work week at the refinery this last week. I hope this will be my last week of seven, twelve hour day week for a while. It makes for a nice check, but it is hard on the family and it is hard on me as well.

On my way home, I passed by Popeye's and picked up some chicken for supper. I just finished eating. I am going to pop the top on one or two on some Abita Amber beers and relax for a few hours.

Tomorrow I start a new workweek and it will be a 40 hour week, because I'm on special assignment. I will be on vacation the week after this one.

On my days off I hope to bring the boys fishing a a couple of times and do some outside activities with them, on top of the honey-do's that Lisa has lined up for me. I've worked a lot these last couple of months, so the honey-do's are beginning to pile up.

I also plan to read my North Louisiana blog friend, Opinionated Catholic's, anti-secession post on his blog and (hopefully) write a response to it.

I'm about finished with a beer. I am going to close out this post finish my beer open another and chill.

Coram Deo,
Kenith