...in 1955. From page 124-125 in the book "Model Railroading", written by Harry Zarchy, in the chapter "MAKING SCENERY", here's what is suggested for covering your window screen wire mountains...
"Ordinary asbestos furnace cement can also be used. Mix the powdered cement to a putty-like consistency, adding a little water at a time. Apply it to the screen with a putty knife, or your hands, modeling it at the same time as though it were clay. Do one small section at a time...Powdered asbestos is sometimes mixed with Portland cement or plaster of Paris to make a covering for wire screening."
Been a while since you could go down to your local hardware store and pick up a bag of asbestos powder...
Andy _____ uses a mixture of 20 parts asbestos powder, 2 parts plaster of paris, 1 parts paper hanger's wheat paste, 9 parts water (all by volume) to make tacky plaster that he applied to screen with wet fingers...
Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever: That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD: Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits: Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us. Wherefore thus saith the Holy One of Israel, Because ye despise this word, and trust in oppression and perverseness, and stay thereon: Therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant. And he shall break it as the breaking of the potters' vessel that is broken in pieces; he shall not spare: so that there shall not be found in the bursting of it a sherd to take fire from the hearth, or to take water withal out of the pit. For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.
Last night just after 10 PM I was on the computer reading messages and working on my NYC Freight Car research.
Then, my evening was turned up side down. Continental Flight 3407 from Newark to Buffalo crashed just over a mile from my home. Over 13 volunteer fire companies as well as State Police, Sheriffs and medical personnel (many of whom I know personally) responded, but there was little anyone could do. All aboard the plane perished. One person in the house on Long Street that was hit was killed. His wife and daughter escaped and were transported to a local hospital and will survive.
Our small community is in shock. We are heart broken over this tragedy. One of the workers in our hardware store lost a relative. A local widow whose husband died in the 9/11 tragedy was also on that plane. There are so many more whose lives will be broken. Our hearts and blessings go out to all the victims and their families and their friends.
I know we all spend a lot of time and effort in our hobbies and work and activities. But I will suggest to all to take extra time every day with your family and friends.
Never forget that, whatever your hobby, life is too fleeting to be so caught up in it that you miss the people standing next to you, sleeping next to you, or tugging at your shirt wanting to play.
Put the glue down and back away from the workbench...it'll wait.
As the son and brother of firefighters, I can't resist these. Boley makes a fantastic product for the money, the two red ones were purchased at Hobby Lobby for $3.99 each, an unbelievable price when compared to Busch, Wiking and Praline.
I hope to letter them for the three family fire companies eventually.
There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
Aye, I've succumbed to the prevailing wisdom that state sponsored vice, avarice and greed are good so long as the monies collected are used for our children's education---not.
It is a unique truck that I've never seen before, picked up for $2 at a local flea market. I'm still a sucker for cheap HO scale vehicles.
Come, Thou Fount of every blessing, Tune my heart to sing Thy grace; Streams of mercy, never ceasing, Call for songs of loudest praise. Teach me some melodious sonnet, Sung by flaming tongues above. Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it, Mount of Thy redeeming love.
Sorrowing I shall be in spirit, Till released from flesh and sin, Yet from what I do inherit, Here Thy praises I’ll begin; Here I raise my Ebenezer; Here by Thy great help I’ve come; And I hope, by Thy good pleasure, Safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger, Wandering from the fold of God; He, to rescue me from danger, Interposed His precious blood; How His kindness yet pursues me Mortal tongue can never tell, Clothed in flesh, till death shall loose me I cannot proclaim it well.
O to grace how great a debtor Daily I’m constrained to be! Let Thy goodness, like a fetter, Bind my wandering heart to Thee. Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love; Here’s my heart, O take and seal it, Seal it for Thy courts above.
O that day when freed from sinning, I shall see Thy lovely face; Clothed then in blood washed linen How I’ll sing Thy sovereign grace; Come, my Lord, no longer tarry, Take my ransomed soul away; Send thine angels now to carry Me to realms of endless day.
I tend to buy most of my figures as unpainted castings. This way I can modify them as I see fit so that there is no repetition in poses. The girl on the pier is a composite made from no less than three figures, the embracing couple is done with five. I make a plastic putty from the casting sprues by dissolving them in Testor's Plastic Glue. I apply lumps of it where I'd like to add hair or enhance features, allow it to harden about 24 hours, then carve it to shape and paint. My workbench can look like Frankenstein's lab at times...
...yes, it's modeling, I had to paint all my figures in my set...ended up painting them for the 'Skins and the Colts...well, at least as close to those teams as a 10-year-old could get.
It's gonna be a long, dry summer 'til the pigskin flies again...sigh...
“The wisdom of God appears in ordaining such contemptible and, in appearance, opposite means, to accomplish such glorious effects. The way is as wonderful as the work. That Christ dying on the cross, a reputed malefactor, should be made our everlasting righteousness; that descending to the grave, He should bring up a lost world to life and immortality, is so incredible to our narrow understandings that He saves us and astonishes us at once. In nothing is it more visible that the thoughts of God are far above our thoughts and His ways above our ways as heaven is above the earth (Isa 55:8). It is a secret in physic to compound the most noble remedies of things destructive to nature, and thereby, make one death victorious over another: but that eternal life should spring from death, glory from ignominy, blessedness from a curse, is so repugnant to human sense that to render the belief of it easy, it was foretold by many prophets, that when it came to pass, it might be looked on as the effect of God’s eternal counsels”(W. Bates, The Harmony of the Divine Attributes, 1680).
WARNING: A.W. Pink is not for the passive pew warmer.
"Except for the motor and eight helical gears, this 1:87 free-lance 4-12-12-6 locomotive was crafted entirely in 18-karat gold by R Damiano of Milan, Italy. The value of the gold alone is more than $2200; including some 3500 hours of construction, the builder values the model at $25,000. The design somewhat follows Union Pacific RR."
It's been 35 years, I wonder what ever became of it.
These ran all over the beach in the 80s where I used to live. All I did was strip the Postal markings, then open up a side service window. The loudspeakers were made from Tyco HO diesel horns. I drilled the centers for a pin to mount them, leaving a nubbin to represent the sound horn. I considered further decorations but felt they would look too cartoonish. Maybe I'll give other decorations a try later but, for now, my youngest LPBs** are happy to lap up all the ice cream they can get.
**Little Plastic Beings...yeah, I know...sad isn't it?...
A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
One of the hazards of doing a project is the effect it can have on previous work.
My N scale layout was given to me by a retired architect and the evidence of his craft is everywhere. The street are perfectly laid out as only an architect can, using various scenic items available to that trade. The buildings are not weathered and nicely assembled. While not accurate in every way---the sidewalks are a glaring example---it has a certain charm that I cannot in good conscience violate. In short, should this man or any of his relatives come by, I want them to recognize his work.
---But---
...it is now my layout and I am going to personalize it with some of my own additions, only with the idea that they don't take away from the original. I've added several light effects including traffic lights, working police flashers and welding effects.
With the pharmacy project completed, one thing that had to go was the wide sidewalks to either end of merchant's row as seen in the final picture of Feinstein's. I found that by moving both ends out, it gave me a space a little over an inch wide to drop a small shop in between. With that, a small pizzeria named after my two children was born, cobbled together from the scrap box with HO scale windows glued side by side and other scrap bits...
It still awaits paint and a sign but it definitely takes merchant's row in the right direction without compromising the layout builder's style. The narrower sidewalk looks much better and now the kids have a place named for them as well.
BTW...you ain't lived until you've heard the words, "Uh oh." in a child like voice, coming from the vicinity of your trains.
...I can't believe I finished one. My beloved did a fantastic job lifting the signage and scaling it down using Printshop and Gimp 2. More details on its construction can be found here...
And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto the LORD thy God, that we die not: for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask us a king. And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart; And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain. For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people. Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way: Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you. But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king.
Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law? They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood. But the LORD is my defence; and my God is the rock of my refuge. And he shall bring upon them their own iniquity, and shall cut them off in their own wickedness; yea, the LORD our God shall cut them off.
...this has been a welcome treat. I burned myself out sometime back on how-tos that greatly affected my desire to do modeling of any substance. I think I'm coming out of that funk...
...what do you think?
UPDATE: A fellow modeler rightly asks to see the base kit before my modifications. It is originally one of two that come in a kit from Model Power. I removed the front and right sides. Other than removing the small corner glue point on the right, there were no other modifications made to the basic kit.
As with most of my bashes, I go for what looks right and use few fixed measurements. If you're interested in doing something similar, I can give you a few basic dimensions to run with but that's about it. I hope this helps you along should you decide to do it yourself. You can follow it's progress in a more detailed manner over at the N Scale forum under sleeper33's "A tribute to MEDMAN (I was thinking)".
...in N scale. In honor of a modeler who recently passed away and spurred on by other efforts over at the N Scale forum, I plan on finishing out my recuperation by building a fairly close model of this pharmacy.
Dimensions don't need to be critical so long as anyone familiar with this location can see it at first glance and know what it is without prompting. I'll be using a Model Power hardware store as a base.
The keys to success will lie in reproducing the wall mural, roof line and color, I'm looking forward to this and will keep you posted.
(18) Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
(19) They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
(20) But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
(21) I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
(22) Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
(23) Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.
(24) Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.
(25) And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.
(26) These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.
(27) But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
(28) And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
(29) If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.
...which will leave me sidetracked for a few daze.
And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh. Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew which shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day: because he touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh in the sinew that shrank.
I always pray that moments like these represent a turning point or paradigm shift in my walk with the Lord. My most basic prayer has been, "Whatever it takes to make me yours." Like Jacob, I'm facing my biggest enemies and they are a result of my own folly. With mounting debt, a shady past and a very uncertain future, I am left begging and wrestling for a blessing for me and my family that I have no right to and, like Jacob, know it all too well.
My comfort is that God is wrestling with me...not against me, and that my scars will be a point of remembrance for me and my family that God has touched me yet I live.
I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith. Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people: Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay! Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for booties unto them? Because thou hast spoiled many nations, all the remnant of the people shall spoil thee; because of men's blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein. Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil! Thou hast consulted shame to thy house by cutting off many people, and hast sinned against thy soul. For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it. Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and stablisheth a city by iniquity! Behold, is it not of the LORD of hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity? For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness! Thou art filled with shame for glory: drink thou also, and let thy foreskin be uncovered: the cup of the LORD'S right hand shall be turned unto thee, and shameful spewing shall be on thy glory. For the violence of Lebanon shall cover thee, and the spoil of beasts, which made them afraid, because of men's blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein. What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols? Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach! Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it.
But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.
Slow progress I know but, I've never wanted to be ruled by a project anyway. I took the number boards and light lenses off of a wrecked unit and installed them on the end of my 'bash. The lights do not come drilled on a stock unit...
...but the extra work makes for a much better looking piece.
I still haven't decided whether I'm going to trim those cast on grabs and put on wire ones or not. I haven't found a suitable match for the paint and I'm not interested in mixing any colors.
---Yeah, I know...the slot...I'll get to it...eventually.
I had one of these back in the late 80s and I can testify that they were absolute beasts to build. There's something to be said for a kit that required a separate book published to assemble it.
To the chief Musician on Neginoth, A Psalm of David.Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer. O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah. But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto him. Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah. Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD. There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased. I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.
Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.---(Habakkuk 3:17-19)
...a correction from an earlier post. As found in the February 1990 Model Railroader magazine...
Interesting to note that the "Limited First Run" started a full year before this ad and that, though pictured, the Cotton Belt unit is not listed as one of the units available. ---Forsooth verily, let us run to Ebay with this gem and make untold tens of dollars on said rare find.---
This one has had its handrails touched up with white paint, a practice I don't normally recommend on anything made of Delrin as it does not take paint well. The plastic is normally found on truck side frames and is used for its slippery, Teflon-like properties.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.---(2 Peter 2:2-3)
MOORE -- Forty-seven years ago Herb Weiss married his high school sweetheart and began a new hobby that gave him the opportunity to be an architect, city planner and a railroad conductor.
Weiss, 67, bought a model train the day before his wedding. Since then, scale modeling has been a good way to relax after work. Now that he's retired, it's something fun to pass the time.
"He and the groomsmen sat on our living room floor and checked it out the night before we got married," said Judy Weiss, of her husband's train that he keeps on a shelf in the basement.
Herb Weiss started building tabletop models, and now his layout takes up most of their 20-foot-by-25-foot basement.
"My father said I was too old to play with trains," Weiss said of his father's reaction to his pre-wedding purchase. "I was old enough to get married, so I was able to play with trains if I wanted."
His dad died three years ago but got the chance to see how the hobby grew.
"He thought it was fine," Weiss said. "He realized that playing with trains probably wasn't the worst thing I could have done."
Weiss got his first locomotive as a kid about 60 years ago. It is also on a shelf in the basement. His current model has scenes symbolic of the town where he and Judy grew up - Sheboygan, Wis. He also has buildings and landscapes that remind him of Duluth, Minn., and Milwaukee.
Judy sometimes critiques what he does and offers tips, like how he could give rivers waves and a more realistic look by painting with popsicle sticks.
Weiss has at least 400 train cars and records information on each one that he purchases. He says models built today have more details, including sound, than his first trains. The prices have also increased over the years. He remembers spending $1.49 for a boxcar and now spends at least $35 for one.
Watching trains circle the track is only part of the fun for Weiss. Foam provides his city with grass, shrubs and treetops. He likes building the houses, hotels, factories and grain elevators that are part of the model. The buildings come in kits, and Weiss uses the parts to make his own detailed designs. He often builds models for friends, too.
"I really have to steer myself from buying more stuff," Weiss said. "That's why I like building kits for other people."
Weiss is part of a railroad group of 11 that meets monthly at each others' homes. The group has members from Tryon and Flat Rock, N.C., as well as Greenville and Greer.
Weiss also likes learning about railroad history wherever he and his wife travel, and he often looks for hobby shops when he's out of town.
"It's been on the top of his mind at all times," Judy Weiss said. "Trains have been involved with every vacation we've taken."
"She always knows where I am - by a railroad yard or in the basement," Weiss said.
We do not expect to see the world lifted up to become more and more absorbed into the Church, The union of the world with the Church was never the object of our religion. The object of Christ is to gather to himself a people from among men; it is not the lifting up of all, but the calling out of the some, the making of men to differ, the manifestation of his special and discriminating grace, the gathering together of a people whom he has formed for himself. In this process morality is promoted, men are civilised and improved, but this is only indirectly God’s object, and not his immediate end; the immediate end of the gospel being the salvation of the people whom he has ordained unto eternal life, and who, therefore, in due season arc led to believe in him. The world, to the end of the chapter, will be as much at enmity with true believers as ever it was. Because “ye are not of the world, therefore the world hateth you,” this will be as true when Christ shall come as at the present moment. Let us expect it; and when we meet with scorn and persecution, let us not be surprised as though some strange thing had happened unto us.---From a sermon entitled "Barabbas Preferred to Jesus," delivered October 16, 1864.
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Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
"It's not the parts of the Bible I don't understand that bother me, it's the parts I do understand."---Mark Twain
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.---(Proverbs 3:5-6)
Yesterday found me curled up, sobbing like a school girl as my gall bladder had a fit. Today finds me facing surgery in the next couple of weeks with no insurance and no finances to speak of.
But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap: And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.---(Malachi 3:2-3)
The refiner's fire was slowly heated up to force all impurities to the surface where they can be skimmed off. The refiner was finished when he could see his reflection in the molten metal. Fuller's soap was a whitening agent in processing wool, a process that included beating the wool and scrubbing with Fuller's earth, a concoction of urine and clay. In short, processes that folks like Joel Osteen and Rick Warren quietly step around but that are necessary if we wish to be brought before the Lord...
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.---(1 Peter 1:3-9)
I don't know how often I'll be posting over the next couple weeks. I do pray that neither I nor you dodge the refiner's fire or the Fuller's soap that may come this year...blessings, grace and peace to you and yours, Br'er Shaygetz
Personal... ---Yes, I am ordained, no, I choose not to operate in it at this time. My ordaining pastor has left the faith in a big way, leaving me to question the ordination's legitimacy.
---I used to write a political blog, which has left me with a nervous tick and an overwhelming desire to bite mainstream evangelical celebrity pastors and leaders on the ankle at first sight...really, really hard.
---Now you can say you know someone who's been kicked out of his home church. Yup,...a Baptist one...me...imagine that.
---I spent less than $160 on the hobby last year, a large percentage of which was for postage to get otherwise free stuff mailed to me.
Blog related... ---No advertisers or banner ads, thank you. Tax time is hard enough without the added burden of another income. If you want to make it to my "Vendor Endorsements for which I Receive No Compensation" menu, just be a good vendor, word gets to me eventually.
---The flag counter has given me a greater sense of responsibility with blog writing and, for me, the open door to the preaching of the Gospel to every tongue and nation. With that in mind, I will be making more resources available through the link menus to the right, one of the reasons that they have precedence over the modeling related ones.
---To close all doubt as to why I write this blog...
Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
I like how clear this picture of my Mamod TE1a came out and how the motion was frozen so well. Yes, it was propped on a block, but the desired effect worked.
Even the cloud cover fell into place on this shot of my Rivarossi 4-8-8-4 "Big Boy", though I'd have to question the authenticity of a Boston and Maine hopper following behind a Union Pacific engine...
Just a Believer who happens to model trains on a very tight budget, providing a place to showcase my own model work as well as the work of others, regardless of type. Considerations for posting are always welcome. Please check out the modeling links I've put together as well...
Less than God could not have borne your sin so as to put it away; but the infinitely glorious Son of God did actually stoop to become a sin-bearer. I wonder how I can talk of it as I do.
It is a truth scarcely to be declared in words. It wants flame and blood and tears with which to tell this story of an offended God, the Heaven-Maker and the Earth-Creator, stooping from his glory that he might save the reptiles which had dared to insult his honor and to rebel against his glory; and, becoming one of them, to suffer for them, that without violation of his law he might have pity upon the offending things — things so inconsiderable that if he had stamped them all out, as men burn a nest of wasps, there had been no loss to the universe. But he had pity on them, and became one of them, and bare their sins. Oh, love ye him; adore ye him; let your souls climb up to the right hand of the majesty above, this morning, and there bow down in lowliest reverence and adoring affection, that he, the God over all, whom you had offended, should his own self bear our sins.
Though thus God over all, he became a man like unto ourselves; a body was prepared for him, and that body, mark you, not prepared alone, and made like to man but not of man. No, he was not otherwise fashioned than ourselves, he came into the world as we also come, born of a woman, a child of a mother, to hang upon a woman’s breast; not merely like to man, but man, born in the pedigree of manhood, and so bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh, yet without a taint of sin. And he, in that double nature but united person, was Jesus, Son of God and Son of the Virgin; he it was who “bare our sins in his own body on the tree.”
From a sermon by Charles Haddon Spurgeon entitled "Death For Sin, And Death To Sin," delivered November 16, 1873.
Men, protect your daughters....
“Picture this: Some 17 year old snot nosed punk comes over to take out your daughter, and you say, 'No you aren't worthy of her.' (Immediately everyone is up in arms over your 'judgmental' and 'harsh' position, and for 'breaking your daughter’s heart.') Ok, so let's put it another way now: You have a beautiful, brand new $200,000 Ferrari Testarossa in front of your house, and a snot nosed 17 year old punk comes over to take it for a spin. Would you hand him the keys? See, what your problem is, is that you value a car more than your daughter. Men, protect your daughters!”
My sole purpose for this blog is to lift up the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him Crucified on a no nonsense, no ad platform showcasing my work and the work of other modelers, and to practice my hobby with the world behind me, the Cross before me and Kingdom of God in sight. All Scripture is quoted from the King James Version of the Bible as I have found on my own that there is none more faithful to the original languages. Unless otherwise noted, all text and photographs are mine. Old ads and product reviews are respectfully posted in good faith that any copyright privileges are not being infringed upon, with no intent to profit or disparage in any way and will be removed upon request of their respective holders.
I am not sponsored or endorsed by any hobby vendor or publisher, thus my faith as presented is my own and not to be inferred on them or on the owners and modelers presented in any way.
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Because life's lottery has unfairly distributed technical skills and knowledge among folks, leaving more than a few with the mechanical aptitude of a grape, and very few with the fortitude to take responsibility for their actions, you take your life, family and house into your own hands if you follow through with any technical advise offered on this blog.
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