I learned my trade from one of the vilest people one could ever have the displeasure of working with. There was nothing sacred to Melvin and his vocabulary could peel the wallpaper off of a wall. Yet I owe my work ethic to him, rules I follow and pass on to my assistants---though not quite so colorfully...
1. Git yer own @#$%& tools and take care o' 'em @#$%& it!
2. Don't come here @#$%& drunk or high 'cuz I'll send yer dope smokin' hippy @#%%& back where ya come from!
3. What the @#$%& you mean comin' in at this hour?!
4. What kinda cluster @#$%& is this? Take it apart and do it again 'fore I dock yer @#$%&!
Great oogly moogly, how I learned the hard way not to tell him I had a girlfriend...
He more than likely owned a Model 9N, but this one is close enough, he used it all around the amusement park we worked at.
Some years later I ran into him and I could tell he remembered not only who I was, but how he treated me. He was looking to see how well I remembered but God had already done His work in my heart by that time and I was simply grateful to see that Mel was alive and doing OK. We had a good talk and the peace was made, enough for a good laugh or two.
I doubt he's even alive now, he looked pretty gaunt, the kind of look that only comes from cancer...
Being 49 is interesting, caught deep in the transition that gets to watch the next generation come up and make their way in the world while watching the generation that molded and shaped yours pass on the way of all man, sooner or later realizing that one day, you too may be the topic of someone's musings in a blog, remembered only in a trinket on a shelf.
Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise. This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.
So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.
One of the few times I watched a race all the way through...I see video of those last seconds from that time and still wonder at how a relatively minor wreck ended so badly for the Earnhardt family. Anyone who saw Davey Allison's massive endo in '92 would have to agree that crash magnitude has nothing to do with physical danger in racing.
The Matchbox truck is somewhat larger than HO scale and thus only looks good in a model setting surrounded by larger scenic elements, such as buildings and hills, away from figures and other closer to scale vehicles.
While I still pick up the occasional old school NASCAR item when it is close to HO size, watching racing itself lost its luster shortly after Dale's passing. The cars nowadays bear little resemblance to their real life counterparts and, quite frankly, look like they're all made by the same manufacturer, the only difference being the decals used to fake the headlights and grills.
I was working in a retail store when these two racers met their untimely deaths in 1993 and well remember the people flocking in to get models of their cars.
Alan Kulwicki had one of the finer looking paint schemes at the time, second only to Texaco's "Battlestar" paint in my eyes.
Davey Allison's Texaco "Battlestar" paint showed up several times after his death until Texaco got out of NASCAR racing.
Both of these trucks were offered with scale wheels or the more toy like racing wheels. They came as a carded set with the mini car or in a display box without the car. They look good with most HO trucks but scale out slightly smaller than true HO. These were picked up at a local flea market.
And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.
And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.
And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?
And he said unto them, What things?
And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.
Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.
And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
---Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left. And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, and saying, "Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross."
Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, "He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, 'I am the Son of God.'"
The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.
Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is to say, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"
Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, "This man calleth for Elias." And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. The rest said, "Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him."
Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
---And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus. And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight.
Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.
...and they were well worth the wait. Micro-Trains did an outstanding job on them and the black paint makes for an eye catching car in a consist.
It started out as an idea that many forums play with but only N Scale.org pulled it off that I know of. It is the fruit of four individuals including one who forked over some serious coin to make it a reality.
I rarely buy new cars and the final price came close to my upper limit on a locomotive purchase, much less a car. As a rule, I rarely have the funds for this kind of purchase, they just came around at a time when I could do it. In the end, the reason I purchased two of them was to show my appreciation to the guys who put it together, especially the one who put it all on the line with his own money. You don't often find someone who'll put out like that in a venture that could ultimately bite them in the hinder parts.
If you are interested in one (limit three), become a member and then place your order. It won't be too long before they'll go up in price so now's the time to do it.
Down here in hurricane country, this is your kitchen, so you jump at any and all discounts. In my case, I bought the base grill as a well weathered outdoor floor display, the monies saved went to all the trimmings.
My grilled salmon is revered by all, my name spoken in hushed, reverential tones by even the best local chefs. A drizzle of olive oil, some salt and pepper, grill it for three minutes on each side, then let it rest on a plate covered in heavy foil for 15 minutes...
Well, what do you offer your guests after a ops session---coffee and donuts?
For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Regularly sold on Ebay as N scale rolling stock, these and other cars in the series (as well as the infamous "dummy" GP60) were part of a premium offered to readers of Reader's Digest. Though never intended to run with N scale equipment, enterprising modelers have managed to power the locomotive using modified Atlas mechanisms. While not quite in the same league, I have modified several cars to run with my equipment, the two easiest posted here.
The 2 bay hopper only required the removal of four tabs located on either side of the king pin. Sifting through my junk box provided the necessary pins to mount Bachmann trucks to the car. The gon was even simpler, a damaged Atlas gon's floor was used in place of the stock one---a drop in fit. I will now be perusing yard sales and flea markets with a keener eye as I'd like to have a string of the hoppers and two or three of the piggy back flat w/ trailer that was offered.
Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.
...found some driver medallions and a stack---well, actually, I cannibalized my other Genoa, then swapped out the tenders, the later one having proper step and tender beam details that enhance the older engine. This leaves me with a locomotive I can bash into a Spartan or a yard goat rusting out its last days...
The stack was the hardest, they completely redesigned the whole assembly. But, with a little twiddling and a counter sunk mounting hole, all fits quite well. The tender was a drop in fit and contains the later, better running Rivarossi 5 pole motor. The medallions required a little trimming to work in. The only thing left to do is to install some finials on top of the cylinders. The flags will come from some graphics I was directed to on a wargamer site.
When I last owned one, it was the fall of 1977. I got really adventurous and replaced the drivers with a smaller diameter set from a Life-Like 0-4-0 Docksider. I then mounted a Kadee #5 on the tender beam and dressed it up with a Russian Blue boiler, Graphite smokebox, turquoise banding on the domes, American flags on the pilot and gold trim all over. Hey...it looked good to me...
And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
When I was growing up as a kid, one of these circled the Christmas tree. The thing that stood out was the turned brass fittings, something they later replaced with plastic castings. Even the flag holders on the pilot are able to hold .015" wire staffs, something I'll put on when I can find flags. This one was a recent gift from a friend, who knew I had been wanting to find one of these for awhile.
(21) Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not:
(22) Fear ye not me? saith the LORD: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?
(23) But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone.
(24) Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the LORD our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest.
(25) Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good things from you.
(26) For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men.
(27) As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich.
(28) They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge.
(29) Shall I not visit for these things? saith the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
(30) A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land;
(31) The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?
...in their almost as good blue and yellow scheme---a very distant "almost as good"--- Nothing quite compares to the classic "War bonnet" paint...except maybe Beano's two tone blue with gold pinstripes. Note the see-thru effect of the side grills and the flush mount windows, kudos to them for such an effort on upper low end equipment. It is also a fine and quiet runner. Yet another occupant of last weekend's flea market box lot...
...well...almost N scale. My primary MOS when I was in the reserves was POW/Corrections security. Thankfully, as RTO, I saw little floor duty.
We sponsor a prisoner I've known now for over 20 years. He's an "uncle" to my kids and it's been a joy to watch him grow in Christ over the years. Because the prison system he is in does not provide basics like underwear, shoes and toiletries and he does not have any family, we've been trusted by God to take care of his needs over the years with what He blesses us with.
We normally send him pictures that the kids have drawn for him. This time around, I put a picture together for him from my model work---"Uncle Bud goes for a bus ride". You can almost hear Axle Foley belting out "Roxanne" in the background...
When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
Here, there or in the air, buddy, it won't be long now.
...a four car set put out by Life-Like during the show of patriotism that swept the nation shortly after the events of 9/11.
There are so many things I could say about this set. No references to the events or victims are present anywhere on the cars...they could easily pass for a cheesy Bicentennial set from 30 years ago. The two reefers weren't even given brake wheels. Fans of Sean Hannity should like the "Let Freedom Ring" car, other than that, the only pluses I have found are that I paid less than twenty five cents a car, they're in mint condition and the doors on the box cars open.
"Well then, why did you buy them?"
I appreciate anything that makes Tyco look like high end workmanship...
To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of David.O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!
Another fantasy paint as the car is a Reading design that never made the Santa Fe railroad roster. Another piece found in a flea market box lot this past weekend.
...a fantasy paint job as none were ever owned by the Missouri, Kansas and Texas railroad. Only sixteen were ever built in real life, emphasizing an annoying ability on the part of model makers to pick an obscure prototype and run with it, even when others have already done it. This one was found in a flea market box lot this past weekend.
But ye that did cleave unto the LORD your God are alive every one of you this day. Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it. Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the LORD our God is in all things that we call upon him for? And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day? Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons...
This staring really hard thing might actually work...I couldn't get it to run at all before. Now I just stare really hard at them for three or four months with vile, threatening thoughts going through my mind and ...viola...they run like nothing ever happened...
...for those of you who, like me, have an autistic child. Written and illustrated by a young girl about her autistic little brother, this work is outstanding. Lulu's is to be commended for their service too.
...I've never showed these pictures on the blog before. They detail the construction of my layout storage area. It's done in 3/4" red oak plywood, birch and poplar and took about 30 hours to build. The layout is on 3' full extension slides, the storage drawer is on 2' slides.
It holds several hundred books and magazines, as well as my N and HO layouts. My beloved has free reign as to what the finish will be---my idea to make it look like a pallet of crates with "Not Fragile" stenciled all over it was shot down fairly quickly. I hope one day to carpet the top in a tight weave commercial grade pile so that I can use unitized track such as Kato or Bachmann EZ Track on top, changing the plan at a whim. The back gives me under layout access for maintenance.
Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it.
...slightly modified with a marque light purchased at a train show...
I did this for my club some time back, it was fairly easy to remove the circuitry from the jewelry it came in. Once out it was simply a matter of sizing up and centering the hole and printing up a sign.
O LORD, though our iniquities testify against us, do thou it for thy name's sake: for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against thee. O the hope of Israel, the saviour thereof in time of trouble, why shouldest thou be as a stranger in the land, and as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night? Why shouldest thou be as a man astonied, as a mighty man that cannot save? yet thou, O LORD, art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name; leave us not. Thus saith the LORD unto this people, Thus have they loved to wander, they have not refrained their feet, therefore the LORD doth not accept them; he will now remember their iniquity, and visit their sins. Then said the LORD unto me, Pray not for this people for their good. When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and an oblation, I will not accept them: but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence. Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, the prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place. Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.
>>> It is crazy weird to sit down to lunch with your beloved and the kidlets, only to have kinfolk call you up to say howdy---from the front lines half a world away.
>>> It takes the wind out of your socks to find out that said kinfolk's spouse is enjoying some extramarital activity whilst said kinfolk is away at the front lines half a world away.
>>> I plan to use an ice cream scoop to remove the heart of the next wingnut who preaches a milquetoast Gospel within my earshot to this generation.
The word of the LORD came again to me, saying, Son of man, when the land sinneth against me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out mine hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast from it: Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord GOD. If I cause noisome beasts to pass through the land, and they spoil it, so that it be desolate, that no man may pass through because of the beasts: Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters; they only shall be delivered, but the land shall be desolate. Or if I bring a sword upon that land, and say, Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off man and beast from it: Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they only shall be delivered themselves. Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my fury upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast: Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.
Oh, yeah...I was booted from my pastorate because I wasn't entertaining enough. You think?
I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.
Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.
Based on drawings of a locomotive that was never built, does that make the model a prototype?
Busy pulling 11 cars up a grade, you wouldn't think that I was trying to all but give this thing away for about 4 months. Bought with the cars in the train for $10 in a junk box lot, I cleaned and lubed it and set in on the track, where upon it buzzed gleefully for about half a lap---then stopped dead. I couldn't get another squeak out of it no matter what I did---pulled it apart 3 times---, it was stone cold dead. So it sat in a corner of my bench to be occasionally glared at really hard for four months.
One day last week I picked it up, put it on the track and off it went---no explanations or reasons---just up and went...and it's been running like a watch for dozens of laps ever since...sigh...
The blue one on the left is an early 80s issue that sold for about $1.98. The one on the right is their latest offering and retails for about $15.98---free if you hit the door prize at a local shoe like me. With see-thru roof walks, near scale grabs and magnetic knuckle couplers, one now gets what couldn't be had in expensive imported brass models not all that long ago. No wonder the younger modeler's eyes glaze over when I point out my "vintage" stuff..."Oh yeah, that's Br'er Shaygetz...[hushed tone] just smile and nod when he points out his clunky antique stuff...makes him feel important..."
Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things. Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast. They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.
Bowser has discontinued HO steam loco, turntable, Standard gauge and O gauge replacement wheel production.
We will continued to make our HO diesel locomotives, HO freight car, N freight cars, HO trolleys, Cal Scale, Selley and Cary detail parts
We have plans for many new products but, they do not include any steam locos in any scale.
Steam loco parts are still available but when our supply is exhausted I do not plan to restock.
Thank You for all your interest over the years.
Lee English, President
It's not a right of passage or anything but there's just no element of this hobby to compare the feeling of hammering out a steam locomotive from a box of castings, rivets and screws, then watching it buzz to life like an angry cicada...sigh...
Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited. Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.
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.
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