...I understand that there are those who do not wish to pay their customs fees and duties, while at the same time supping at the trough of their respective governments. I also understand that there are those out there who are willing to help them not render unto Caesar their due taxes, tariffs and other fees.
I am neither.
It wasn't a gift, it didn't cost less than $20...pay your taxes, period.
And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute? He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers? Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free. Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.---(Matthew 17:24-27)
Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk. And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men. Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.---(Matthew 22:15-21)
Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil.
Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.---(Romans 13:1-8)
Been selling off some of my models to meet the bills, being a salaried employee also means having to wait some time before that first check comes. There are no regrets, having long ago accepted what Corrie Ten Boom said about material things;
"Hold everything in your hands lightly, otherwise it hurts when God pries your fingers open."
Besides, it's makes it easier to see the models that do have greater sentimental value and would be lost in the pile of lesser ones...
The prophet in his day is fully accepted of God and totally rejected by men.
Years back, Dr. Gregory Mantle was right when he said, "No man can be fully accepted until he is totally rejected." The prophet of the Lord is aware of both these experiences. They are his "brand name."
The group, challenged by the prophet because they are smug and comfortably insulated from a perishing world in their warm but untested theology, is not likely to vote him "Man of the year" when he refers to them as habituates of the synagogue of Satan!
The prophet comes to set up that which is upset. His work is to call into line those who are out of line! He is unpopular because he opposes the popular in morality and spirituality. In a day of faceless politicians and voiceless preachers, there is not a more urgent national need than that we cry to God for a prophet! The function of the prophet, as Austin-Sparks once said, "has almost always been that of recovery."
The prophet is God's detective seeking for a lost treasure. The degree of his effectiveness is determined by his measure of unpopularity. Compromise is not known to him.
-He has no price tags. -He is totally "otherworldly." -He is unquestionably controversial and unpardonably hostile. -He marches to another drummer! -He breathes the rarefied air of inspiration. -He is a "seer" who comes to lead the blind. -He lives in the heights of God and comes into the valley with a "thus saith the Lord." -He shares some of the foreknowledge of God and so is aware of impending judgment. -He lives in "splendid isolation." -He is forthright and outright, but he claims no birthright. -His message is "repent, be reconciled to God or else...!" -His prophecies are parried. -His truth brings torment, but his voice is never void. -He is the villain of today and the hero of tomorrow. -He is excommunicated while alive and exalted when dead! -He is dishonored with epithets when breathing and honored with epitaphs when dead. -He is a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, but few "make the grade" in his class. -He is friendless while living and famous when dead. -He is against the establishment in ministry; then he is established as a saint by posterity. -He eats daily the bread of affliction while he ministers, but he feeds the Bread of Life to those who listen. -He walks before men for days but has walked before God for years. -He is a scourge to the nation before he is scourged by the nation. -He announces, pronounces, and denounces! -He has a heart like a volcano and his words are as fire. -He talks to men about God. -He carries the lamp of truth amongst heretics while he is lampooned by men. -He faces God before he faces men, but he is self-effacing. -He hides with God in the secret place, but he has nothing to hide in the marketplace. -He is naturally sensitive but supernaturally spiritual. -He has passion, purpose and pugnacity. -He is ordained of God but disdained by men.
Our national need at this hour is not that the dollar recover its strength, or that we save face over the Watergate affair, or that we find the answer to the ecology problem. We need a God-sent prophet!
I am bombarded with talk or letters about the coming shortages in our national life: bread, fuel, energy. I read between the lines from people not practiced in scaring folk. They feel that the "seven years of plenty" are over for us. The "seven years of famine" are ahead. But the greatest famine of all in this nation at this given moment is a FAMINE OF THE HEARING OF THE WORDS OF GOD (Amos 8:11).
Millions have been spent on evangelism in the last twenty-five years. Hundreds of gospel messages streak through the air over the nation every day. Crusades have been held; healing meetings have made a vital contribution. "Come-outers" have "come out" and settled, too, without a nation-shaking revival. Organizers we have. Skilled preachers abound. Multi-million dollar Christian organizations straddle the nation. BUT where, oh where, is the prophet? Where are the incandescent men fresh from the holy place? Where is the Moses to plead in fasting before the holiness of the Lord for our moldy morality, our political perfidy, and sour and sick spirituality?
GOD'S MEN ARE IN HIDING UNTIL THE DAY OF THEIR SHOWINGFORTH.
They will come. The prophet is violated during his ministry, but he is vindicated by history.
There is a terrible vacuum in evangelical Christianity today. The missing person in our ranks is the prophet. The man with a terrible earnestness. The man totally otherworldly. The man rejected by other men, even other good men, because they consider him too austere, too severely committed, too negative and unsociable.
-Let him be as plain as John the Baptist. -Let him for a season be a voice crying in the wilderness of modern theology and stagnant "churchianity." -Let him be as selfless as Paul the apostle. -Let him, too, say and live, "This ONE thing I do." -Let him reject ecclesiastical favors. -Let him be self-abasing, non self-seeking, non self-projecting, non self- righteous, non self-glorying, non self-promoting. -Let him say nothing that will draw men to himself but only that which will move men to God. -Let him come daily from the throne room of a holy God, the place where he has received the order of the day. -Let him, under God, unstop the ears of the millions who are deaf through the clatter of shekels milked from this hour of material mesmerism. -Let him cry with a voice this century has not heard because he has seen a vision no man in this century has seen.
God send us this Moses to lead us from the wilderness of crass materialism, where the rattlesnakes of lust bite us and where enlightened men, totally blind spiritually, lead us to an ever-nearing Armageddon.
Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed; To turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless!
And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory?
While they are not a true operating coupler and should be reserved for service in consists that are not regularly broken up, they are an attractive, low cost, fairly easy to install alternative to those rather huge but faithful Rapido type couplers that have been around for over 40 years. Their short coming is that they have to be lifted over each other for coupling/uncoupling, making them impractical for regular switching of cars. For the money though, the improvement on looks is hard to beat, as evidenced by the pilots of these two Bachmann DD40AXs...
I used to be in the Christian Music industry and one thing I can attest to is that they only get two out of three right...it is music and it is an industry but it certainly works hard to be anything but Christian. In light of my experience I rarely jump on a new group's band wagon and, in this case, am only posting the one video as it is a powerful, bare knuckles picture of the Prince of the power of the air.
Their other song is typically veiled, with no direct references to God, Jesus or the exclusiveness of the Gospel Message. How well I remember a Stryper tune that could just as easily be sung to a prom queen in the backseat of her date's car. As with other groups in the past, I'll wait this out to see what kind of fruit falls from the tree, before I go recommending them to anyone.
The sad truth is that most Christians are as celebrity oriented as their unsaved neighbor...the mere mention of God and the fact that the music doesn't contain a vocabulary that could peel wallpaper seem to be the only qualifications for CCM sainthood nowadays.
O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!
I received a formal offer on the job I've been posting about lately...salaried positions being a new thing to me, I never knew they had to be formally offered. A true Joseph moment, I've gone from being under 3 managers to supervising over 150 people, half of them managers themselves.
DUDE!!!!...I can't believe I'm shopping for a briefcase...
A company car is included...an Accord or Civic most likely, not a private railroad car or limo...sigh...but hey, they pay for the gas and the upkeep.
I wonder how fast an Accord goes on the Interstate?
I suspect they'd take a dim view of me having runners go ahead of my chariot shouting, "Bow the knee, bow the knee...!"
I wonder what an $8 cup of coffee tastes like...and just what is a triple latte mocha with a shot of caramel anyway?
The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand. I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.
Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore. For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever. The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment. The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.
The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him. The LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.
Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it. I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.
Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace. But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off. But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble. And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.
Picked these up just before the move...yes, they have their problems but, they do run and they do have the correct see-thru walk thru in the center of the long hood---and---their gears aren't cracked, an amazing thing when you figure the plastic used was so bad they could crack sitting in the box on the hobby shop shelf. And I happen to like the "stoopid blinky LED" on the roof of the cab...
And as he spake, a certain Pharisee besought him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat down to meat. And when the Pharisee saw it, he marvelled that he had not first washed before dinner.
And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness. Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also? But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you.
But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them.
Then answered one of the lawyers, and said unto him, Master, thus saying thou reproachest us also. And he said, Woe unto you also, ye lawyers! for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers.
Woe unto you! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres. Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute: That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.
Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.
My property flew 4 American flags along the highway out front. Every 4-6 months, I'd pull down the tattered remains of the old ones and replace them with new, as carefully as I could through the tangle of the oleander bushes. Then I'd gently fold them and put them in a box, planning on one day taking them to a local scout troop, where they could be properly handled one last time.
As time past, the box grew quite full, the running of the property and the ease of forgetting such things in the warp and woof of life standing in the way, 'til finally, after 8 years, the box was overflowing.
How many times I was told to shut up the God talk or get fired because a resident was offended---from a conversation they had no part in anyway?
How many times had I been told that I had no equal footing in the town square because of my faith?
How many times did I hold that box over the dumpster, trying to convince myself that it just didn't matter any more?
Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming? Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight, O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming? And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep, Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes, What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep, As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses? Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam, In full glory reflected now shines in the stream: 'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
And where is that band who so vauntingly swore That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion, A home and a country should leave us no more! Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution. No refuge could save the hireling and slave From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave: And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand Between their loved home and the war's desolation! Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation. Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, And this be our motto: "In God is our trust." And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
Ah, soul, here is another part of thy misery, that thou hast destroyed thyself, but thou canst not save thyself; thou hast woven the net, thou hast made it fast and firm, but thou canst not tear it in pieces. But there is One who can, there is One upon whom the Spirit of the Lord descended that he might loose the prisoner. There is a heart that feels for thee in heaven, and there is One mighty to save, who can rescue thee.
Breathe that prayer, “O set me free, thou Liberator of captive souls;” breathe the prayer now, and believe that he can deliver thee, and thou shalt yet, captive as thou art, go free, and this shall be thy ransom price, his precious blood; and this shall be the privilege of thy ransomed life, to love and praise him who hath redeemed thee from going down into the pit.
Great for when you're working on a model with many delicate detail parts...take an old towel, roll it up on both ends towards the middle, flip it then push down the center for a perfect work cradle...
A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the righteous.
The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever. They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.
But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.
The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth. For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off.
The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand. I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.
Deuteronomy 8:5-20
Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee. Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him.
For the LORD thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills; A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey; A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass. When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee.
Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day: Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint; Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end; And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.
But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day. And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish. As the nations which the LORD destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the LORD your God.
I find it interesting that, in all the retooling of the mechanism, Model Power retained the original lighting arrangement with all the exposed wiring, both on the front and rear headlight,---even amplifying it somewhat with shrink tubing---something that hasn't really been acceptable on a model since the 1960s...
My one guess would be that they wanted to retain the charm of the original and simply upgrade the mechanism to today's DCC demands. That is something I can live with as I've always wanted one and it is a very smooth, albeit very fast, mechanism with a flywheel and flat can motor. I can remember even as a teenager wondering why Mantua never made a real effort at hiding the wires.
I've since corrected the broken air reservoir tank piping, just between the two engines---but---can you find my other mistake?
HINT: When photographing a subject, one must ensure that said subject is correctly posed...
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
The model is finished...welll...mostly, there's some wiring to clean up---it was set up for DCC and I'm an old school DC powered modeler---and the boiler sits slightly to the left coming out of a curve. That doesn't affect its operation but it is a minor cosmetic issue that I figure may be related to the fall it took. The frame isn't bent or anything like that, it swings to and fro just fine, it just likes to settle just to the left coming out of a curve. The forward engine is only held in place by a drawbar between it and the rear engine, and a flexible tube between the front and rear gear boxes. Therefore, the tube itself could be the culprit as it is not a flexible as it could be. I have a line into NorthWest Short Line for replacement universals that should straighten this out.
I successfully reseated the loose driver by cleaning the axle and hole with denatured alcohol, then scoring the surfaces with an Xacto knife to give it some tooth for the JB Weld to grab. If you do this, make sure you understand that the quartering of the driver is critical...a variation of more than a degree or two can hinder the operation of the valve gear and, once hardened, JB Weld is NOT forgiving---it will not come loose...
It runs flawlessly in both forward and reverse, clock-wise and counter clock-wise on my test bench...
All in all a deeply satisfying project that takes me further away from the RTR, plug and play drone I had become all those years ago. A picture of the finished locomotive is on the way...
I finally found the round tuit necessary to finish this little beastie. It took about 8 hours and required that I reassemble it without the benefit of an instruction sheet. It was given to me for the price of postage on the condition that I don't part it out over Ebay...no way that was going to happen as I've wanted to own one since I was 14.
The valve gear shown were incredibly mangled but straightened out easily with a pair of pliers. The only real damage was a broken crankpin that I managed to cobble together from a jar of small screws and a small bushing. Here is a video of the first test run on the bench after I fixed the crankpin...
The only problem I'm having right now is that the geared driver on the rear engine managed to break lose in the fall and goes out of quarter easily...I'll see if JB Weld will fix that. All in all a very nice runner with amazing pull for such a small motor---you'll notice that the flexible coupling mysteriously shortened itself between Pic 2 and Pic 3...that's because the motor rung it in half when the driver locked, before I could cut the power.
Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
Forgot to post these, there were 3 live steam 45mm gauge engines running and my table, on which I featured my Wilesco D10, my marine engine (running off of a compressor) and my Mamod TE1A...
The tea kettle is for preheating my water for faster steam-ups. All in all a very successful first show, I can hardly wait for Diamondhead in January...
Nostalgia can make you get excited over some pretty goofy stuff you may find in a box lot, I haven't seen a 7-11 since I moved away from Maryland...back in the '80s, I used to live off of their 1/2 pound chili and cheese burgers, fresh from the microwave and washed down with a Big Gulp when I was in construction...num num...
Blessed is the man...in whose spirit there is no guile.
Thank you...I really did sense a different life was awaiting us here...at least job wise. I'm 50 years old now and my body simply can't handle the physical demands of the work I know how to do. Schooling is still an option but again, at age 50, to do what? I've tried and failed to set up my own business and, with each passing year, the regulations, licensing, tax and legal issues only increase and I am obligated before God to follow every one of them, I don't have the fight left to plow through any of that any longer.
Pastoring a church is out as I am not up for the control our tax laws place on the pulpit---and---I don't have a very high regard for the folks in the pews...you have to love the sheep to serve them and, quite frankly, I don't right now...think Jonah 4:5.
Some time ago I also had to face the awful truth that, the only reason I pursued the ministry to begin with was so that I could get out of the bull work that I do for a living---not a good reason to take the pulpit and, I can't honestly say that it wouldn't be the overriding reason to say yes to it should it be offered in the future.
I'm currently waiting for an appointment for an interview for a job doing...drum roll please...apartment maintenance---again. At least I can console myself in that, 1. I'm no longer living on the property so my life and that of my family will be our own, if expressing my faith costs me my job, it'll be nothing to toss my tool bags in the car, kick the dust off my shoes and drive off into the sunset....and 2. I'll be a tech and not a supervisor---let someone else catch the spears, coddle and stroke the owner and management and juggle the budgets for awhile, thank you very much.
No, I'm not your average American pew warmer. I don't start my week with an '80s 'do and Pepsodent teeth saying, "This is my Bible: I am what it says I am; I have what it says I have; I can do what it says I can do. Today, I will be taught the Word of God. I'll boldly confess. My mind is alert; my heart is receptive; I will never be the same. I am about to receive the incorruptible, indestructible, ever-living Seed of the Word of God. I'll never be the same - never, never, never! I'll never be the same, in Jesus' Name." The last thing I want to do is spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ through a medium like models...it smacks of everything I despise in the Church in my country today,---focus group faith, i.e. Christian bikers, Christian surfers, Christian left-handed albinos, blah, blah, blah...but...here I am.
I covet the prayers of those who are moved to pray for me and my family...know that they are greatly appreciated.
My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.
Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah. Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity. Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.
I really had better hopes for our new home...a feeling that this time, things were going to be different. Now I wake up feeling like I spent the day before being a tackling dummy for the Baltimore Ravens defensive line. How did Joseph do it...every morning waking up to the light of day shining through the bars of his cell? Unlike him though, I'm guilty of every charge laid against me.
Is it just me? In churches across this land on Mother's Day, orchids are handed out and the grand virtues of mothers are spilled out from the pulpit, raising them up on a pedestal that culminates in a dinner at Cocodrie's. On Father's Day, we guys get a cheap ball point pen and are smacked around to work on some particular character flaw that has plagued us since the Garden...then we get to cook our own dinner over a flaming pyre in the backyard...sigh...
My enjoyment of model trains goes back to a TYCO trolley followed by an AHM/Pocher 4-4-0 "Genoa" that my father would have running around our Christmas tree every year. In the end, I was their demise, the trolley when I used it with our Hotwheels cars in the playground at school, the Genoa to my many ventures into weathering and detailing in my early daze in the hobby. These are the replacements I've picked up since...
The blessing I have on Sunday is that our Bible study group doesn't follow fashion trends, we got to stay home and be family***---followed by a 1/2 pound bacon cheeseburger smothered in grilled onions on a fresh baked roll and a chocolate shake at a favorite local eatery...urp
***Yes, my beloved got her dinner on her day at an appropriately haute cuisine type eatery---with French names for the entries and 2 digit prices with no decimal points in them on the menu...eeek...
...a neat find in that box lot I picked up last week.
No one really knows what the "C&FW" stood for, though it's interesting to note that the show's engineers were named Charley, Floyd and later Wendell. These were part of a 3 car set with a TYCO "Dixie Belle" Ten-Wheeler...
But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods. But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
In the mid 1960s, Mantua/TYCO put out a dual motored version of their F9 diesel model. A honest effort, it still could not compete with Irv Athearn's beloved creations, which were cheaper and much more reliable. The concept simply took a balky mechanism with not enough electrical pickup and no way to disassemble it for maintenance, and stuffed it under the hood with another balky mechanism with not enough electrical pickup and no way to disassemble it for maintenance.
Information is scant, there are few of these around, the coveted ones being those that were offered to dealers and sported a clear see-thru shell, so that you could see the balky mechanisms with not enough electrical pickup and no way to disassemble them for maintenance at work. Mine came in a box lot I picked up at a local club open house last weekend. That it's a War Bonnet F9 with very little wear on its paint is sweet enough for me.
Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
I saw this old school marvel a couple of weeks ago at the invitation of its owner. The layout is 35 years old and runs on basic DC using block and cab control. It features handlaid Code 100 nickle silver rail. This weekend I've been invited to an operation session using vintage (30-40 year old) locomotives.
I took this shot at my first visit...I hope to take a few more as we run the vintage steam.
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Wherever I work, if they have a race car, I'll get a model of it---especially if it's clearance priced with an added employee discount...
Yesterday was my first---and last day there. I had to face what men have had to face since Adam and Eve were first booted out of the Garden, namely, a body subject to the effects of aging. I simply couldn't live up to the physical demands of the job.
In any one situation, I am plenty brute enough to lift engine blocks and small environmentally friendly cars. However, the constant repetition involved in unloading truckloads of canoes, outdoor smokers and a near endless stream of boxes and repacks very nearly put me in the hospital yesterday (no kidding) and, had me bawling like a school girl at 4 o'clock this morning trying to loosen up my back and joints for another go at it.
This morning I had to humble myself before my supervisors and take myself out of the game, before pride put me in the hospital---or---they were forced to take me out of the game themselves. I now have some understanding as to why older football players tend to stay on a season or two longer than they should.
Unlike Brett Farve though, I don't have Sears ad revenue to fall back on, so the hunt for work continues next week...after a weekend of recuperation.
...is an informal club that meets once a week in a building owned by a club member. It is an impressive double stack layout that is built to represent the state of Louisiana. Visitors are welcome as well. It was nice to see a layout big enough to give a sense of distance and industries big enough to justify the car traffic to and from them. They are currently putting the finishing touches on a working signal system and Centralized Traffic Control.
Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.
And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
...drain the boiler completely as it helps to avoid a nasty little thing called "boiler dezincification", a process where the zinc chemically separates itself from the brass, causing pinhole leaks. I use a modified marinade injector that seems to reach most of the excess water...
...I just cut off the point past the side ports on the needle. Then (as I have been so well taught at the Mamod forum), I leave the safety valve and whistle off until the inside is dry.
...gave me a opportunity to own a retro TYCO SD24 "Torpedo Boat", so called because of the noticeable air tanks on the roof...
A common practice in lower end model trains is the passing down of tooling from one company to another, most often through bankruptcy. "The best way to make a small fortune in model trains is to start with a large one." is a time tested adage in the business.
This set is made for the shelf queen collector market. The locomotive is all wheel drive, but only 8 wheel pickup and is impossibly light, depending entirely on the traction tires to pull the load. The cars are classic Rivarossi heavyweights that desperately need added weight, better couplers and good replacement wheelsets. Small details are left to the owner to apply. I give it very good marks for its paint scheme and extreme high praises for its resiliency---because it tracks so poorly, it took a header off of my layout, falling 4 and a half feet to the floor...interestingly, the only time the couplers held between all four cars...go figure. The locomotive popped apart like a school girl at a Jonas Brothers concert, but was easily reassembled. The train shows no signs of the fall, not even a scuff.
The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.
I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.
Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore. For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.---(Psalm 37:23-29)
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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