10 years ...

It's hard to believe that Kairou passed away 10 years ago. The pain of his loss lessens each year and the joy of heaven increases each year. Some things we may never know the reason for in this life except maybe the fact that we need to hold onto Christ tighter each day. The following quote from C.S. Lewis' "A Grief Observed" has always been a comfort to me ... He is reflecting on the loss of his wife who he loved and the pain it has caused him ...

“Getting over it so soon? But the words are ambiguous. To say the patient is getting over it after an operation for appendicitis is one thing; after he’s had his leg off is quite another. After that operation either the wounded stump heals or the man dies. If it heals, the fierce, continuous pain will stop. Presently he’ll get back his strength and be able to stump about on his wooden leg. He has ‘got over it.’ But he will probably have recurrent pains in the stump all his life, and perhaps pretty bad ones; and he will always be a one-legged man. There will be hardly any moment when he forgets it. Bathing, dressing, sitting down and getting up again, even lying in bed, will all be different. His whole way of life will be changed. All sorts of pleasures and activities that he once took for granted will have to be simply written off. Duties too. At present I am learning to get about on crutches. Perhaps I shall presently be given a wooden leg. But I shall never be a biped again.”

Misc blog trivia

Some interesting blog facts:
Since I started this blog back in December of 2005 (7 years ago - wow), the site has had over 20,000 hits or views. Recently we've averaged about 20 a day. You all must love seeing my babies as much as I enjoy it!

Operating System: 86% of you use windows, 9% macs, and the rest on unix or tablets.

Browser type: 46% use internet explorer, 39% firefox, 5% chrome and 5% safari

The page most viewed is from 11/1/10 with 128 views - Crossville Treehouse

Countries you are all from - US, Israel, Belgium, Spain, UK, Russia, Netherlands, France, Germany, Canada, China, Latvia and Luxembourg - I think the last 3 are where most of my spam hits come from!

Hang on - in another 7 years we'll be going into 2020 and my babies won't be babies!

Out of town

Greetings - I'm on the road by the time you read this. I leave at 6:30am to Louisville for a two day Christian leader's retreat at Southeast Christian Church. I'm going with 5 other men from church and looking forward to the classes and workshops.

Cindy is in Arkansas with Leslie for a few days and we both return this weekend - sorry no photos for a few days.

Quiet on the home front - it's been quiet at work with no bids for awhile - a pleasant change. Just working on contacting clients and drumming up future work. Paperwork never sleeps.

My truck and some deer got acquainted earlier this week - hope to get it into the body shop and repaired soon. I've never hit a deer and got two at once - my truck looks fine at first glance, but look closely and suddenly lots of dollars of work appear - oh well, no one (except the deer) were hurt. And even they didn't stick around to say 'sorry'.

Say prayers for Rachel and Darin if you would - we're coming up to 9 years of losing Kairou. Can't see a balloon drifting in the sky without remembering. Won't heaven be grand!

Well, gotta go - have a wonderful weekend - I love you all.

India update

Friends and Family,

We had a wonderful seminar with 60 students of the Bible Academy and 60 local pastors. We were able to hear and see all departments of the ministry. It was very difficult to leave the mission at Damoh and say goodbye.

We travelled by road and then train to the city of Bilaspur to see the Triball Children's Home about 3 hours into the forest. It was a very humbling and simple place that has many needs for the 600 kids. They welcomed us with singing and Scripture memorization. After some rest yesterday, we are traveling today to Raipur to visit a zoo and two churches for worship tomorrow.

Phil Smith

Latest India Update from CIA

Friends and Family,
Here is a quick update of 9/26, since we had no opportunity to email yesterday:  We spent the day shopping for a few souvenirs and visiting the Agra Fort.  The "Fort" is actually a huge complex of different palaces from various time periods.  Over the years, the gold and precious gems have all been stolen, but it was still easy to imagine how extravagantly Indian royalty has lived through the centuries.  We enjoyed the beauty of the place, but how much good could have been done with the money that was spent on luxury......
We also visited 2 carpet "factories" where we saw a demonstration of how beautiful hand-loomed cashmere carpets are made.... and, of course, sold.  (I'm not saying it was high-pressure sales - maybe just "guilt-pressure sales!)
We headed to the station to catch a 7:00 p.m. train (which ended up being a 7:30 train).  This sleeper car ride was an experience in itself.  A full description would amount to a book, so let me just say that the ladies were very grateful that there were both "Indian toilets" and "Western toilets" on the train.  When we arrived in Damoh at about 4:00 a.m. there at the station was a crowd of men from CICM who came out to greet us and to place garlands around our necks.  How humbling to have these gracious brothers come out at that hour to honor us!
9/27 Wow! What an awesome day here at the Mission.  We enjoyed a morning devotion time with the nursing school staff & students, the Bible college staff & students and the Mission administrators.  Then, we visited the Children's Home where we saw the facilities and the children in their classes.  What a stark contrast between these happy, polite, smiling children and those sad, destitute children we have been seeing on the streets of Delhi & Agra!  Indu shared with us the need for sponsors for the children in the program to help support needy children throughout central India.  These children are served through their local churches, and just $20 a month can mean the difference between life & death for them. Next we toured the Nursing College where we also saw the facilities & the polite, gracious staff & students.  It was obvious that the College is in need of more buildings, but they are certainly making the most of what they have.  After lunch, we met with Daniel, who heads up the publishing ministry here at CICM.  This small staff has produced an amazing number of high quality commentaries and other Christian books.  Through these publications so many people are being reached for the Lord!  Later in the afternoon, we met with Josh Howard and the students of the Bible College.  Josh shared with us the personal stories of several of the students.  We were moved by the way the Lord has touched each of their lives.
Today we saw the incredible impact this ministry is having in Central India.  God is moving in this country and people are turning to Jesus!  Praise the Lord!  Jai Masih Ki!!

Cindy Adams

A path unto my feet

A soldier in the civil war carried this very Bible in his pocket. I can imagine him seeking comfort in God's words within these pages while possibly wondering about his own fate. He probably felt closer to God in the trenches than we do in our pews at church.

It reminds me to pray for our soldiers, like Matt, who are overseas right now fighting for our freedoms. Take a moment and do likewise if you are able.

40,000

I had my 40,000th blog view today - of course, most are repeat viewers, but I truly appreciate your stopping by and checking out the family pictures and my random thoughts. I love my family and I love talking about them almost as much! Thanks again!!

Blog tip

Under each photos is a section called "Labels" and following that are some key words. If you click on that keyword, every post with the same label will appear.

For example, click on the word "Laura" and every post since I started this blog will come up.

Enjoy!

Snow!

Spent picture time shoveling driveway - thankfully two shovels so Cindy and I could both 'get 'er done!" Looks to be over 2" so far and coming down steady - brrrr. Love you all!

Grrr ...

I can't get online with my new computer - will keep trying. I've a photo all ready too!

We're to get freezing rain, sleet and snow starting around noon - interesting day ahead.

Stay safe and warm my friends!

Getting closer

I'm posting this on the new computer - now to move my photos and 7 years worth of stuff over. At least the new computer has 1.5 terabytes of storage - lots of room for a digital pack rat like me. Cindy won't let me do it in real life! Don't tell her I said that.

Well, two nights of working live nativity in our church and one last night tonight and we're free. We stood in the rain two hours last night - ponchos helped, but I was a wise man and didn't feel the part standing in freezing rain. Snow is projected to roll in today around noon so tonight should prove interesting - to say the least.

Be patient - getting closer to photos by the hour ...

New computer soon

My new computer has shipped and should arrive tomorrow. I hope to be back on schedule next week for photo postings.

Cindy returns tomorrow from Ohio - got to see Lincoln Aaron Adams via text photo this week. His sister Anna wasn't impressed.

Noema Irene Kleeman is doing well too - just weeks away. The first part of next year is going to be busy and exciting.

Hope your week was great - love you all!

Tips

Remember you can click on any photo to see it larger.

You can re-post pictures on Facebook, Twitter or just forward to someone as an email attachment by clicking one of the appropriate small boxes immediately under each photo.

At the end of each my daily posts are 'Labels' - if you click on a word listed there, 'Cookeville', for instance - it will show every photo with that label connected to it. A great way to see every photo of 'Anna' or one of the grandkids.

Enjoy!

Sunday quiz

So - I get pictures from my family all the time - so anyone claim this? I know who took it, where it was taken and the date.

So, what do you think? I imagine others have been here as well.

PS It is overseas and over a year ago.

We're home

Greetings - I'm having photo editor problems this morning so will work on getting you photos later this week. Had a safe trip to Lafayette (IN) and back home - no problems at all. Still dry out - we need some rain! A busy week coming up - this short week will fly by fast! Have a great week you all - love you.

30,000 hits

Sometime this weekend I'll have the 30,000th hit on this blog site. Over the past 51 months (over 4 years) you all will have looked at 1625 posts for an average of almost 20 views or hits a day.

Thanks you for watching my family grow up - we've had marriages, additions, moves and lots of changes but through it all God has been so good to us. He is faithful indeed.

Thanks for watching - the best is yet to come ....

Nashville

Good morning - no photo today - sorry. I'm sitting in a conference room in a Nashville hotel near the airport. Our company is hosting this for about 30 folks with 15 churches so I probably should pay attention. Have a great day - I love you all!

Back on line

Got my computer going - not sure if part of my graphic card fried or the monitor cable had died - but my monitor is up and going again. Had to use the VGA cable as the DVI cable side quit - hmmm. A picture to be posted soon.

Down time

Our main computer - with all of my photos on the hard drive, just had its graphics card die. Everything is backed up, but the graphic card drives the monitor so can't see to do anything on it. GRRRR! May not be able to post for awhile until this is figured out. Sorry!

A Contract!!

We just signed a contract on the house and faxed back to S.A. Hooray!!

Also - had our 180th showing today. 181 for tomorrow will probably be canceled.