More Fun in Missouri

Sophie likes tubing.

Waiting in line for the Wildcat Rollercoaster in Branson with Scott's niece Stephanie and sister Lisa.

Anna hams it up on skis.

While Sophie and me chase her on the wave runner.

Training Young Obsessive Skiers

This is how it all got started. When I was 6 years old, my dad threw me in a Missouri lake on a hot July day and my obsession with skiing began. It wasn't until I was 12 that I started skiing on snow. As you can see, my kids are growing up in a similar manner.

Anna crossing the wake and getting a little air.

Sophie turning with her typical intensity.

Rock Climbing and Bull Riding

Since our visit last summer, Anna has made it her goal to train as a rock climber and make it to the top of the most difficult wall at Mike's Fun Place on Main Street in Red River. Here she is accomplishing that goal!

Here is Anna and Ben Franklin on her prize money. She won $100 for climbing the wall in 53 seconds. Way to go, Anna!

In other news:

Sophie took a wild ride on Pepe the Bull. Ride 'em, cowgirl!

Not to be outdone by my daughters, I took a spin on Pepe, too. But after a quick spill, it was obvious to all that I had been outdone by my daughters. Time for another nap.

Book Review: Mornings on Horseback

I'm not sure what exactly got me interested in Theodore Roosevelt this summer. Perhaps it was seeing Robin Williams play a wax-museum version of his character in Night at the Museum with Ben Stiller. Perhaps it was standing below Mt. Rushmore a few weeks ago, looking up at what my girls now call "the heads" (thanks, Sanchez family) and thinking that I know less about President Roosevelt than the other three heads. Perhaps it was a common appreciation for the wilderness that drew me to TR. Whatever it was, I'm glad that I have now finished my third biography by David McCullough.

One might accuse McCullough of venturing a bit too far into the realm of developmental psychology at times, but I can put up with a little of that in my summer reading. Like so many other readers of this book, I fell in love with Teddy's family. Lively, principled, extremely wealthy, popular and often beset with tragedy and suffering, the Roosevelts were a unique clan. There are a number of parallels between the Roosevelt's Victorian-era political family dynasty and the Bush's postmodern-era political family dynasty, and the contrasts are even more striking, but I don't want to pick any fights so I'll stop there.

An extraordinary transformation takes place in this book: Asthmatic and squeaky little boy Teedie becomes one of the most lively and strong-willed leaders our country has ever known. If you want to learn about Roosevelt's presidency, find another book instead. This one is all about the family that raised Teddy Roosevelt and loved him throughout his life. It is a story of a family that has almost as many problems as it has dollars in the bank. Sometimes the Roosevelt's lifestyle leaves me feeling a bit distanced from them. But when they face sickness and death and family problems and failures in business and politics, I find that they are people I can relate to as well.

I loved this quote from TR on the democratic process: "It may be that the voice of the people is the voice of God in fifty-one cases out of a hundred; but in the remaining forty-nine it quite as likely to be the voice of the devil, or, what is still worse, the voice of a fool." [313] But Roosevelt's life goes on to show that while certainly thinks that our political system has its problems, he also believes that it is the best of all the fallen human options we can choose from.

I particularly enjoyed reading Teddy's pre-presidential 4th of July speech to the citizens of Dickenson, North Dakota. It is a classic example of the kind of political speeches I would like to hear more of today...speeches that are short and that talk about virtue, righteousness and justice.

Teddy Roosevelt impacted our country in so many ways, but perhaps his most significant contribution was turning the White House into a "bully pulpit." When asked how he had mastered "feeling the pulse" of the American people, his response was "I don't know the way the people do feel...I only know how they ought to feel." [364]

Sometimes guys like me get a bit discouraged about where they are in life. Reading the stories of men like Teddy Roosevelt and seeing how God changes men over time offers us all a lot of hope. Hurrah!

Happy 4th of July!

Red, White & Blue at the Red River Community House. Red=Anna, White=Sophia, Blue=Lillian

What a day! A parade, egg tossing, an ice cream party, thunderstorms, pizza and fireworks...whew! It's time to go to bed.

Swinging with Cousins

We are now in Red River, New Mexico at Meg's parents' mountain place. We are enjoying the July 4th Week with Meg's Mom & Dad and Meg's sister Alison, her husband Jeff, and the girls cousins Lillian (4, next to Anna) and Josh (almost 2, being held by Lillie) and Baby #3 now growing inside Alison! Though you can't see the Red River in this photo, it is through the willows behind the kids and I am listening to it with my window open as I type this. Tomorrow: The 60th Annual Red River Fourth of July Parade.

A Prayer From "The Valley Of Vision" Prayer Book

Privileges ::

O Lord God,
Teach me to know that grace precedes, accompanies, and follows my salvation, that it sustains the redeemed soul, that not one link of its chain can ever break.
From Calvary's cross wave upon wave of grace reaches me, deals with my sin, washes me clean, renews my heart, strengthens my will, draws out my affection, kindles a flame in my soul, rules throughout my inner man, consecrates my every thought, word, work, teaches me thy immesurable love.
How great are my privileges in Christ Jesus!
Without him I stand far off, a stranger, an outcast; in him I draw near and touch his kingly sceptre.
Without him I dare not lift up my guilty eyes; in him I gaze upon my Father-God and Friend.
Without him I hide my lips in trembling shame; in him I open my mouth in petition and praise. Without him all is wrath and consuming fire; in him all is love, and the repose of my soul.
Without him is gaping hell below me, and eternal anguish; in him its gates are barred to me by his precious blood.
Without him darkness spreads its horrors in front; in him an eternity of glory is my boundless horizon.
Without him all within me is terror and dismay; in him every accusation is charmed into joy and peace.
Without him all things external call for my condemnation; in him they minister to my comfort, and are to be enjoyed with thanksgiving.
Praise be to thee for grace, and for the unspeakable gift of Jesus.

Amen!