Christmas Sunday - Thoburn UMC

This audio clip is from our brass ensemble, recorded a couple of years ago. We play this arrangement of O Holy Night each year. Beautiful. Great people in this ensemble. Thanks to them for the fun and the opportunity to keep playing music!

2009

Merry Christmas from the Perkins Family
St. Clairsville, OH


We hope that 2009 brought you a bounty of experiences and that the good have outnumbered the bad. This year has been another wonderful phase in the Perkins family.


Mike and Mary continue to enjoy this crazy experience called parenting. Our children enrich our lives, keep our calendars maxed out, and lead us to new adventures and occasional dilemmas that strengthen our resolve, brighten our future, and warm our hearts. In economic times that are challenging to most, we’ve felt that pain. The banking world has become an ever-changing and ever-frustrating experience, but Mike continues to be challenged in his job with WesBanco. The Starbuck’s in the Ohio Valley Mall was closed suddenly last month but fortunately Mary was able to move to the nearby drive-thru Starbucks without too much turbulence. We were able to sneak in a short trip to Chicago but the family vacation was at home this past summer.

Brittany completed her freshman year at West Virginia Wesleyan and is now already halfway through her sophomore year. She continues to participate in the flute ensemble and recently entertained us with their Fall recital. She continues to enjoy her choice of major – teaching – and has enjoyed working with the children at the Buckhannon Child Development Center. Brittany also found time to join a sorority, Alpha Gamma Delta, and the music honorary, Sigma Alpha Iota. That’s all Greek to me.

Kelsey is in her sophomore year of high school and continues to enjoy music in many ways, through playing tenor drums in the high school band, and continuing her involvement in Elements Indoor Performance Ensemble. Kelsey is an honor roll student and has participated in swimming and softball this past year. Kelsey is also learning to drive, obtaining her permit and anxiously awaiting her birthday in February to take the test for her license. (AAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!)

Aaron rejoined scouts this year and is currently a Tenderfoot rank in the Boy Scouts. He continues to thrive in all things athletic including cross country this year, along with basketball, baseball and soccer. Aaron participated in Destination Imagination and his team advanced from the regional to the state tournament. Aaron was on the principles list this past 9 weeks and enjoys playing drums in the 7th grade band. Aaron is participating in the confirmation class at Thoburn and will become a member in 2010.

Christian is also a Tenderfoot rank in the Boy Scouts and has played basketball, football, baseball, and soccer this year. Christian also participated in Destination Imagination this year and his team also advanced from the regional to the state tournament. Christian is on the honor roll and is playing drums in the 6th grade band.


and Happy New Year!

things i am thankful for

the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit...my incredible family...teaching confirmation class...leading two teams in destination imagination...Mary; a wife with a spirit and love that is a treasure to behold...Brittany; leader of the family; trailblazer; big heart...Kelsey; indecisive and yet certain; steadfast; great spirit...Aaron; athletic; compassionate; stranger to no one...Christian; outdoorsman, builder, youngest yet wise beyond his years...pets! muffin, max, maya, turtles, fish, the occasional spider...work-challenging job-challenging industry...church-Thoburn United Methodist...St. Clairsville...Clarksburg...Reedsville...Buckhannon...West Virginia Wesleyan College...Dean Ruhlow...Charles and Sandra Presar...Dennis and Karen Christilles...Kenny Rittenhouse...jazz ensemble and all those involved...church brass!...John Buchanan and family...Pops-what a wonderful father! and Mom-an angel that was taken from us much too soon...Dewayne, Ginnie; your example of lives led in service...Doug, Leslie...Gary, Paul, Amy, Andy, Stephen, Matt...Mike, Sarah, Sam...extended families of all of those just mentioned...Trevor, Jennifer, Charles...facebook...twitter...reconnections from high school, college, etc...America...trumpet...for all the people that have paid me the ultimate respect by pausing to listen to my soul...Boy Scouts...pizza...forgiveness without forgetfulness...John Christian...safety...faith, hope and love...and the greatest is love :)

EPIC SUCCESS

what a great combination...family...cold pizza...world series...(did i mention both boys are already asleep!?)

love my life. muchly.

time to fix my demons. mend my ways. time to prepare for epic success!

Just Me

Love Twitter.

Love Facebook.

Love Blogger.

But more than all that, you can't do better than face to face, eye to eye.

Just me.

an abundance of experiences and emotions

it has been a very busy and blessed past few days. all of our days are busy right now, thankfully, but the combination of experiences and emotions the past few has been especially enlightening and enjoyable (maybe that isn't the right word since there is some sadness sprinkled in).

all 6 of us climbed in to the truck on Sunday morning and headed to Squirrel Hill PA to visit with Andy and Amy. this was our first visit to their first home and the majesty of that moment was not lost on me. there is no way to fully capture the relationship and emotional bond i have had with Amy over the years but to say she is like a daughter to me probably at least begins to paint the picture well. she has led me, as children often do, through some of the happiest times and pulled me out of some of the saddest. i credit her with a significant role in my life and in making it the wonderful existence i currently relish.

and now Amy has found such a beautiful young man in Andy. truly wonderful. their home is perfect for them. location is excellent, look and feel of the place is just right. a game of Uno, some memories etched in our gray matter, and off we went to PNC Park to share some time watching the Pirates lose.

the significance of Andy and Amy off on their own was powerful. rewarding. overwhelming.

my brother and dad were also at the Pirates game and we had an enjoyable time. we were able to visit some, and Doug spend some one on one time with Aaron and Christian which I always enjoy. so many of my family memories center around athletic or musical events, with us participating or just attending. any time I attend a game or concert now, the memories flood back in. i'm blessed.

we decided somewhat spontaneously to go back to Pittsburgh and the Zoo and Aquarium on Monday. the kids traveled well and we had a blast. again it was fun just to see our family, today, enjoying the Zoo and remember all the memories we've share there. we talked about the kid's trips with their classes and different things that had occurred. i talked about my memories of going to the Pittsburgh Zoo when i was in grade school. the boys were excited about getting to the kid's kingdom but soon realized they had mostly outgrown it. that was a satisfying and also sad experience. Brittany was so excited about the acquarium and it was like seeing her as a toddler again. Kelsey loves the elephants and they were stunning to see. we got to see some baby elephants...just magical. it was a truly remarkable day with my incredible wife and most wonderful family. i'm blessed.

i learned Tuesday that Doug's friend Lance Wagner was failing fast. we knew this was coming but knowing doesn't blunt the pain. Doug called me last night to let me know Lance had died and we talked about some of the memories we shared about Lance and how he had added to the fabric of our lives. it always hurts me so deeply to hear my brother in pain. he is always a rock for me, and when i see his fragility it serves as a stunning metaphor for how fragile we all are. how fragile life is. so much emotion. so much wonder. i'm blessed.

thank you Lord for the diversity, the chaos, the calm, the abundance of experiences and emotions.

GO GO!

man in the mirror

it is amazing to think back on Michael Jackson and the impact he had on our lives...and i think it is also remarkable to think that the last meaningful impact was easily 15 to 20 years ago. i love so much of his music, but the lyrics to "man in the mirror" make it the song that resonates most with me. RIP MJ.

I'm Gonna Make A Change,
For Once In My Life
It's Gonna Feel Real Good,
Gonna Make A Difference
Gonna Make It Right . . .

As I, Turn Up The Collar On
MyFavourite Winter Coat
This Wind Is Blowin' My Mind
I See The Kids In The Street,
With Not Enough To Eat
Who Am I, To Be Blind?
Pretending Not To See Their Needs

A Summer's Disregard,
A Broken Bottle Top
And A One Man's Soul
They Follow Each Other OnThe Wind Ya' Know'
Cause They Got NowhereTo Go
That's Why I Want You ToKnow

I'm Starting With The Man InThe Mirror
I'm Asking Him To Change His Ways
And No Message Could Have Been Any Clearer
If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place
Take A Look At Yourself, And Then Make A Change

I've Been A Victim Of A Selfish Kind Of Love
It's Time That I Realize
That There Are Some With No Home,
Not A Nickel To Loan
Could It Be Really Me,
Pretending That They're Not Alone?
A Willow Deeply Scarred, Somebody's Broken Heart
And A Washed-Out Dream

They Follow The Pattern Of The Wind, Ya' See
Cause They Got No Place To Be
That's Why I'm Starting With Me

goliaths

i've been thinking on the two 'goliaths' in my life, and how i might deal with them. just what can i use to bring these monsters down?

- financial -- i know that everyone seems to deal with financial issues, but it seems that i have been dealing with this spektor since 1984. now there are college costs. it seems that even just going to a movie or buying a new pair of pants blows up the budget. i am struggling to find out how i might slay this demon.

- my weight -- this is one that i should be able to solve myself. it seems like i have been overweight since 2nd grade. i have to find a sustainable solution.

i will be praying on my goliaths and how i can choose to overcome them. i am confident that their future demise depends completely on prayer and my determination.

music to live by

great weekend...busy as usual...baseball games, birthday (Brittany's) and a trip to PNC Park. much fun with my dad and brother...and doug brought me some cd's i had requested...i thought i was getting 2-4, i got like 50! great tunes, great times.

many of the songs were older country songs that are not only favorites, but bring with them so many memories. remembering when you heard that song, what was happening in the house / car / etc. when you were listening to it, what the words meant then versus now, what a wonderful way to reminisce. i am blessed. i have a wonderful family and my father and brother are truly the best ever. i miss my mom but get to revisit her each day.

music to live by

spirograph

what a beautiful weekend we've had

do you remember spyrograph? you pick out a big wheel and a little wheel, get a pen, some paper, put the little wheel in the big wheel, put the pen in a hole and let it go. around and around; random designs and then when all is done you've created a fairly amazing design. beautiful.

this weekend was testimony to the randomness (is it really random?) of this world, the beauty of love, and the grace God brings to our lives...

amy and andy had the most beautiful wedding ceremony! it is so difficult to arrange an event like this and have it show the personalities of the bride and groom...this one was perfect. and the entire day became an affirmation of not only their lives, but everyone who attended.

i know that the interconnection, the randomness (is it really random?) of life events was all brought back crystal clear to me this weekend:
-- when we arrived at the church, someone kept repeating "mike, mike, mike, mike..." while i was talking... i finally looked over and it was Mark and Lora Rohrbough! they taught Mary and I in Sunday School 25 years ago! our paths have crossed many times with stephen and amy having attended high school in Bridgeport where Mark and Lora live. they were at the wedding because the groom grew up on their street and was great friends of the family! it was so fantastic catching up with them. i fully believe that their presence in my life while i was in high school significantly impacted me and continues to shape me. truly blessed
-- the wedding was absolutely beauiful. a triumph of reality. everything was real, not stuffy or over produced or over rehearsed. it was all amy and andy. beautiful. truly blessed
-- at the reception i met Tim Dewitt...a name i've known forever but don't remember ever meeting him...i knew him as my room-mates trumpet teacher...my room-mate from college, Kenny Rittenhouse who is now a professional jazz player in Washington DC. so i was able to talk to Tim Dewitt and discuss many names from the past...Kenny Rittenhouse, John Christian, John Clark...amazing. truly blessed
-- one of the staff that was working at the reception (at the Charlestown Town Center) looked familiar to me so I asked her where I might know her from...i said i was from wheeling / st. clairsville...her dad had been major of wheeling and she used to work at the restaurant right beside the building i work in...small small world. truly blessed
-- the reception was wonderful. dancing...great moments between the bride and groom, the bride and father, toasts from family members, affirmation. affirmation. affirmation. truly blessed
-- and our car problems that we experienced on the way down...Sarah and Mike helping us out as they did...gracious...wonderful. truly blessed

thank you God

blessings

i started reading Michael J Fox's book yesterday. it is title 'always looking up' and is shaping up to be a remarkable read. his early in comments about parkinson's disease presenting him with opportunities is amazing to consider. think of how each of us (no offense) is wasting the bounty of blessings we are provided! the book is divided into four categories....work....politics (civic responsibilites)...family....faith. interesting just to contemplate the blessings in those categories and where we could be doing more. i have been challenged!

Passage

My wife and I watched the final episode of ER last night. Tremendous! What a great show. And we have so many interwoven moments of our lives that we attached to the show, the Thursday nights, the storylines, the characters. Thank you to all that made ER a reality.

Kelsey Aaron and Christian watched the finale with us just to share the moment. When it was over Aaron said that they couldn't just leave it like that and never have another show. It was too good.

The final segment with all the doctors, interns, nurses, etc. gathered to greet the emergency cars as they came in, the triage and action that ensued, then Dr. Carter asking Dr. Green (Rachel) if she was coming to help...just perfect. My wife and I both vividly remember Rachel's father Mark asking Carter that same question many many years ago.

ER captured the moment, lightening in a bottle, and kept it going for many many years.

Thanks.

Would you eat here?

Destination = Imagination

Wow! We spent Saturday at the Region 17 Destination Imagination tournament in Byesville (Meadowbrook High School). Kids are so amazing! Our teams (Aaron's and Christian's) both won 1st place! Now we are off to the State Tournament on April 25th!

Odyssey of Sadness

Is it appropriate to be sad for a van?

Our van has been declared a total loss from the accident on 2-11-2009. And I am sad. We have experienced many memories as a family in that wonderful machine.

Time to turn the page to new memories I guess.

Thank you "Van-Go" for the security, dependability and comfort you gave us. You gave the ultimate sacrifice, your own existence, to protect me and my family. And I thank you.

Forced Refocus

It is amazing how a second can change your perspective.

I guess we all have these 'seconds' but I thought I would memorialize mine.

Yesterday afternoon I took a late lunch to pick up Aaron and Christian from the Middle School and take them home. Given that the weather was bad (thunderstorm and tornado warnings) with high winds Mary and I decided that I would take them to the mall to hang out with her while she worked at Starbucks.

As we left the school parking lot I reminded the boys that they should put their seat belts on (Thank God!).

We turned off of Route 40 to go down the hill towards the mall. At the second light, which was green, an oncoming van turned left to enter the interstate on-ramp without yielding to us. I attempted to brake and thought we might get stopped but apparently cinders on the road or just sliding caused us to impact the passenger side of the vehicle. The airbags deployed and the car began filling with smoke. I apparently turned off the engine immediately and checked on the boys. They were both okay. I asked them to step outside of the vehicle but not to leave the side of the van (due to us being in a very busy intersection). Aaron had to kick open the passenger door to get out. I went around the van and got the boys and we walked to the road-side. I then returned to the other vehicle to ask the driver if she was okay. She stated she was but that her leg (left I believe) was hurting her. At this point a fantastic good Samaritan approached me and asked if she need to call the police. I asked her to do so. I then asked the other drive to turn off her vehicle as the noise of the engine was getting progressively worse. She did.

I heard someone say "Mr. Perkins" and turned to see Diane Slavic. She asked if she could get the boys somewhere. What a blessing. She took them on to the mall to meet up with Mary. Afterwards I thought I probably should have had them observed by the emergency personnel but at the time I thought getting them away from the traffic in the intersection was best.

I then called Mary and let her know what was going on.

At this point the emergency personnel began arriving. I knew two of the first responders (Mr. Saffel and Mr. Summers). The person who worked with me convinced me to go to the hospital for evaluation and before I knew it I was on the road in the emergency car. My hands were badly bruised (no breaks though per the x-rays) and my knees were banged up on the dashboard. Overall, I am fine.

The oddest part of this was being taken away from the scene having only provided my name and phone # to the emergency personnel. When Mary joined me at the hospital (what an incredible loving wife) I couldn't tell her who else was involved in the accident, how she was, where the van was, anything. Crazy. Today I'm trying to piece all that together. I found the van (pictures below) and I am playing phone tag with the State Police Officer who is investigating the crash.

Oi.

Thank God for the many angels I encountered today. Thank God for the health of my children and the other driver. Thank God for my caring wife. Thank God.

Cavaliers

What a great time in Cleveland yesterday! A great game between the Cavaliers and the Lakers. The stars didn't show up too much (Lebron was ineffective; Kobe had the flu) but it was still a good time with family and friends.

full house

it sure is nice to have Brittany home for the weekend! she will be in town through Monday morning and we are going to the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers game on Sunday. It should be a great time!

this past week has been phone day in the Perkins' family. four new phones!

Super Day

What an amazing game yesterday. It is certainly fun to be a Steelers fan, and to have grown up a Steelers fan through their incredible 70's teams, and now see their success again. It was also fun to share the day with friends and family. Great great day.

President Obama’s Inaugural Address

January 20, 2009

My fellow citizens:

I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.
Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America’s decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met.
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.

For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.

For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.

Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.
For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act - not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology’s wonders to raise health care’s quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.

What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public’s dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control - and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart - not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.

As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience’s sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort - even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.

For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world’s resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.

For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter’s courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent’s willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

This is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America’s birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

“Let it be told to the future world…that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive…that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it].”

America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children’s children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God’s grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

(The image above is one that impacted me immediately after the terrorist attacks on 9-11-2001. I watched the inauguration with exhilaration that our country is more unified today that I have seen it for some time. There is a sense of hope. As we rallied together post 9-11 to recover from a tragic event, let us rally together now with a singular purpose to face our common dangers!)

Shared Memories

That is what it is all about. Shared memories.

A song from the late '70's / early '80's booms from the massive amps and two brothers once again play the solo on air guitar. Every note. Every move by the guitarist mirrored. The lights come up...10,000+ people are doing the same. Excellent.

What a great time!

another annual circle to my tree of life

Another birthday...it is so good to be alive!

I am thankful for all that surrounds me at this moment. And am looking forward to the WVU Connecticut game tonight! Go Mountaineers!