This year hasn’t been so good as 2006. That year I saw so many different types and colors of dragonflies and damselflies, it was amazing. Hopefully they come back in equal numbers sometimes soon; they’re pretty interesting to watch!
According to the Pride of Dakota website, you can contact the manufacturer of these birdhouses by clicking on the email address listed here. Tell them where you saw this picture of his work!
I just got done spoon-feeding Jonathan tonight, as one does with such a little baby, and it reminded me of a story I heard this weekend.
Click on the dreaded Windows icon to hear two brief examples of consolation.
I know, I am no huge fan of Microsoft or Windows. If you have a Mac and want to listen to it, simply click here to download the components to play Windows Media files in the Quicktime Player on your Mac (free). I use them to listen to ASX, WMV, and WMA files on my liquid-cooled, quad-core G5 Mac at work. They are fantastic, and they are free.
Back to the audio. Touching stuff, huh? As a relatively new daddy I was floored by these two stories. They were spoken by a missionary to the Pacific who visited our church this weekend. I’d love to give him direct credit, but some of these guys take a risks being in the field, often political and sometimes physical. Putting their names on the Internet can sometimes cause unintended harm and I’d hate to do so.
Hopefully by electronically enabling you to hear this man’s words, which moved me as I struggle to be a good daddy and provide my little boys with blessed memories, I can pass along some of that consolation he was talking about.
My sources tell me that someone called KFYR-TV after their newscast to complain that he was the last guy across. That would have to have been either the person behind me in the white car, or the last person to come across from the Mandan side (before I did my u-turn). In any case, nobody came across from the Bismarck side after the white car and I, and nobody came across from the Mandan side after I did. I know because I sat at the red light on the east end of the bridge for what seemed forever, since I was wearing leather riding gear and was very hot. Nobody came up behind me. Sorry, whoever you are…the reports are accurate.
Just as I got to drive on the Expressway Bridge shortly after it opened (I had my permit, my mom let me drive) I got to ride on this bridge right before it closed. I know, it’s odd to be so sentimental about local landmarks…but what can I say? I love Bismarck-Mandan. I always have. That’s why I started this website in the first place. I’m just thankful that I have a camera and can run around after things like this. It’s cool to document Bismarck-Mandan history and provide a viewpoint for the record.
By the way, I noted again today that Brad Feldman seems to have the same sort of sentimentality for our town. I really like his Around Town segments on KX news, as well as his knack for local information. I could tell from the tone of his report on the bridge closing on tonight’s news. It’s cool to see someone who has a love of their community and what’s going on here. Hopefully people who read my ramblings here will catch that sentimentality, then things like this bridge closing will seem a little more significant.
Ressler Subaru will headline the Nov. 10 event as a major sponsor. “We are proud to support the GLBT community, especially through an event like Dakota Divas in Drag,” said Dot Frank, marketing director for Ressler Chevrolet-Subaru. “Subaru means unite and we hope that this event and our dealership do just that: provide a venue for people to socialize without hesitation, limitation or fear.”
In addition to underwriting the show, Ressler Subaru will present the all-new 2008 Tribeca at the event. Product literature and door prize items also will be featured as part of their display. “We’re fortunate that our manufacturer is favorable toward the GLBT community. Subaru of America has stepped up to help us sponsor this show,” commented Frank.
For that reason I recommend two things: First, that you not buy a vehicle from Ressler Chevrolet or Ressler Subaru. Second, I recommend against purchasing a Subaru altogether. These two companies are working together to actively promote sin in our community. If they’re so proud of themselves, I challenge Dave Ressler to order these plates for the vehicles on his lot:
Update: according to the April 2008 issue of City Magazine, the Ressler Chevrolet and Subaru dealerships were purchased by Bob Kupper, who’s also General Manager of the dealerships.
Here’s where I want to clarify something about homosexuality and sin. Homosexuality is not the only abomination the Bible talks about. There are others that all of us are probably guilty of at one time or another: lying, pride, mischief, theft, adultery…things that are not so disgusting to man in their physical manifestation, but are on equal footing with homosexuality in God’s eyes. Sin is sin, period. Lest any Christians out there start thinking they’re any better than the queers*, they’d better read their Bibles more closely. The Bible says that “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)…so don’t anyone start getting self-righteous.
Having said that, you don’t have Liars’ Pride weekend, Adulterers Cruises on the riverboat, or any Thieves’ Rights parades going on, do you? The whole “Gay Pride” isn’t just about sin, it’s about people defining themselves by, and reveling in, their sin. Look at Romans 1:22-32, for instance:
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
I can already sense the term “hate speech” coming up, and the lefties emailing me telling me how I’m so angry and hateful. No, this post isn’t about anger or hate; it’s not about me thinking I or any other Christian are better than any of the queers*. It’s about showing the truth about God’s word. You guys wanna have a “Pride Fest” and champion your sin, that’s your right. But don’t get all worked up when someone shows you out of the Bible that you’re dead wrong. My hope would be that these folks would read the Bible, see that they (like me, you, or any other person) need to be born again and turn from their sin. I’d love to see them get saved and meet ’em in heaven some day. How hateful is that?
*Don’t get on my case for using the term “queer”, either…until TV shows like “Queer as Folk” or “Queer Eye…” get new titles, or the Pride Fest folks stop calling their ride on the Lewis & Clark Riverboat the “Fruit Float.” I’m using their own terminology. And it is queer, after all.
I took a little video with my phone, too. The quality isn’t very good, but it shows what was bearing down on us as we walked along the path from the sandbar to Sertoma Park:
After we got back to our truck and watched what to us was a “non-event” pass over our heads, we went to TCBY and got some treats, then parked on the east end of town to eat and watch a glorious double rainbow form. Then we found ourselves unable to be away from the boys any longer and went to pick them up. Ah, family life.
I post an occasional “Luke Graner love fest” on here because he’s my friend, co-worker, and he helped me with my animated Flash banner at the top of this site. Oh yeah, I’ve loved his music going all the way back to the Curious Yello days. Today Luke played some of my favorites, and I was able to show my appreciation by grabbing some pictures.
This was the one event that could draw me to the Urban Harvest. I just don’t get anything from the whole “hippie vibe” I suppose; I’m not into the jewelry or new age stuff, and I think buying tie-dye items that someone else made is so contrary to the idea of tie-dyeing in the first place. Hey, I think I just stumbled upon something that a true “hippie” might agree with!