Timely Quotes

Read these and post a comment telling which one you think takes the prize. I have my favorite, but I'll post that in a couple of days...

If you don't read the newspaper you are uninformed; if you do read the newspaper you are misinformed.-Mark Twain

Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose yo u were a member of Congress.... But then I repeat myself.-Mark Twain

I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle.-Winston Churchill

A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.- George Bernard Shaw

A liberal is someone who feels a great debt to his fellow man, which debt he proposes to pay off with your money.-G. Gordon Liddy

Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner.-James Bovard, Civil Libertarian (1994)

Foreign aid might be defined as a transfer of money from poor people in rich countries to rich people in poor countries.-Douglas Casey

Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys.-P.J. O'Rourke, Civil Libertarian

Government is the great fiction, through which everybody endeavors to live at the expense of everybody else.-Frederic Bastiat, French Economist (1801-1850)

Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.-Ronald Reagan (1986)

I don't make jokes... I just watch the government and report the facts.-Will Rogers

If you think health care is expensive now, wait until you see what it costs when it's free!- P.J. O'Rourke

In general, the art of government consists of taking as much money as possible from one party of the citizens to give to the other.-Voltaire (1764)

Just because you do not take an interest in politicsdoesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you!-Pericles (430 B.C.)

No man's life, liberty, or property is safe while the legislature is in session.-Mark Twain (1866 )

Talk is cheap...except when Congress does it.-Unknown

The government is like a baby's alimentary canal: a happy appetite at one end and no responsibility at the other.-Ronald Reagan

The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of the blessings. The inherent blessing of socialism is the equal sharing of misery.-Winston Churchill

The only difference between a tax man and a taxidermist is that the taxidermist leaves the skin.-Mark Twain

The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools.-Herbert Spencer, English Philosopher (1820-1903)

There is no distinctly Native American criminal class...save Congress.-Mark Twain

What this country needs are more unemployed politicians.-Edward Langley, Artist (1928 - 1995)

A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have.-Thomas Jefferson

Grandson #4

Well here he is, the fourth grandson!

Baby Kotarski (the baby to be named later) weighed in at 7lbs., 9oz., measured 201/2" tall, making his entry to this world at 8:09pm EST on Monday, October 20, 2008.

Welcome!!!

Another example of sheer brilliance in the media

This old quote was recently dug up by a Canadian pastor with a great sense of humor...

Space News:
"I have just learned that we do have the film of the astronauts' breakfast, which should be coming up shortly."- Frank McGee of NBC News during the course of a Gemini space flight.

Effects of the "bailout"

Today I went to buy a toaster and was given a bank as a free gift!

In Honor of Aunt Teen

Early Sunday morning our precious Aunt Teen left her earthly home on Catawba Road and moved to heaven. I was blessed to be able to be with her in her final days, as well as days in the past which have built memories that I will always cherish. Like our last climb up the mountain three years ago - she at age 90. Aunt Teen is the last person I climbed the mountain with and funny thing is, Uncle Lum was the first one to take me up that mountain when I was a child.

I asked Aunt Teen, if she gets to heaven before I do, would she tell Uncle Lum I love him, and would she tell Mycol, Austin, and Jess I love them and miss them very much. She said yes, she would. Its so hard on this side to say good-bye, but as one of her nephews, John, said when he spoke with a guy who hadn't met her, "You better go in there now, if you ever wanted to meet a living Saint, now is your chance." I think that sums up pretty well the effect Aunt Teen has had on everyone.

Many years ago, her sister passed on after a bout with encephalitis. In the tragedy, the family grieved and Aunt Teen's mother prayed that God would provide some sign to be a comfort to them. The prayers of a mother were heard. Aunt Teen loved to tell of how the house suddenly filled with this heavenly music, indescribable, like nothing they could hear here on earth. I know Aunt Teen is hearing that lovely, heavenly music now. I imagine her dancing with her sisters, parents, brothers, and many others.

One time when I was visiting her, before Mike and I married, Mike called to say hello, and we chatted for awhile. Aunt Teen asked about him, and then she said, "You better cabbage on to him!" I laughed at the cute "Teen-ism" and asked where she got that. She said, "I don't know! I think I just made it up!" And she laughed her adorable Aunt Teen laugh and smiled her contagious Aunt Teen smile.

Well I did "cabbage on to him" as she encouraged, and today we celebrate two years together as husband and wife.

Mike came out to Virginia to be with us over the weekend, and I know Aunt Teen would be grateful for his support. We are all thankful that she left this world peacefully, and even though no one wanted to let go, she has left a legacy of love, kindness, and gentleness that sets an example for all of us.

Goings-on

We returned to Liberty last night (Wed.). No power, they say for 4-6 weeks, but with crews coming in from other states, working round the clock, who knows, maybe will be sooner. Thanks to so many people who have tried to call or send notes.... eventually we'll get with everyone but we're going to be really busy for awhile with clean-up.

The Liberty Airport took a huge hit. Hangars are gone and those who left airplanes there will return to find only twisted metal. We took pictures so when I can I'll get those up on the blog.

As far as the house goes, of course no power so we might not stay there very long, but the garage collapsed, and so far looks like a little damage to the house itself. My car was at the Liberty Airport and got some dings to it. Mike's car was at Hobby and seems to be fine. We've got lots and lots of trees all over the yard - all over Liberty County.

Meanwhile, if you haven't seen enough photos, here's a link: http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2008/09/the_short_but_eventful_life_of.html

Amid this, Myles has had some bouts with more health problems and tests are ongoing. More later when I have more definite info. As of Wed., 9/17, he was feeling well enough to go back to school. They're searching for the cause of the constant sinus infections and enlarged lymph nodes in his lungs. A broncosopy is scheduled that will hopefully tell more.

My attention now turns to my beloved Aunt Teen. I am going to Virginia to see her. She has cancer that has spread into her pancreas and will be discharged from the hospital soon to go home with hospice. This is going to be a really tough time. She has been there with me though so much.

Hurricane Ike

As I recall, in 2005 I posted during Hurricane Rita. We were at the lake house. This time Lynna and Rusty and a few other folks opted for the lake house again, Missy, Steven and the boys went to the house of some friends in Kingwood, Lillian and Corky were already on a trip to Nashville and then on to Virginia, but Mike and I wanted to get the airplane out of harm's way in case Hobby Airport took a hit. While taking it out, someone asked if we'd take another one as well, so we flew two airplanes, our Cheetah and a Tiger, westward. We stopped in Sonora, TX for the night only because another weather cell wouldn't let us get as far as Fort Stockton. A couple from Baytown and a couple from Houston landed immediately before and after us, so there were four airplanes landing at this small town within about four minutes.

The Baytown couple had a ranch in Sonora so they went there. The other Houston couple joined us over to the Comfort Inn and we each got a room there. There's not much to do in Sonora so the next day we all left for Las Cruces, NM, a much larger town with plenty to do. We had a great time with Sharen and Rainer. They are both engineers, he's from Austria. Sharen is retired from Exxon and she worked 18 months in Alaska back in 1989-90 on the Valdez spill. She said don't believe anything you read or heard from the media - she thinks they must have been on a different spill because whenever she read anything it was certainly not a report coming from where she was.

Anyway, I digress... we are in Las Cruces - it's Sunday a.m. - and we're planning to visit a church here and then decide where to go next. According to reports we are not supposed to return to Liberty just yet. You can see photos at www.i-dineout.com. Click on two different stories there for two sets of pix. One is titled, "Photos of Liberty and Dayton Saturday Afternoon" and the other is "Do NOT Return to Liberty at this Time".

A couple different people who stayed in town went by our house and said that as far as they could tell only the garage collapsed, but the house looked okay from the street.

Lynna said the lake house didn't fare as well though. More than half the roof was torn off, as well as damage to the ceiling fans on the deck, the boathouse, and water leaking in through the roof, through the walls, and lots of places. I guess even downstairs carpet is wet.

My car is at the Liberty Airport and I hear from a couple folks there that airport didn't hold up too well (no surprise). Apparently hangars and airplanes are in pieces strewn about the airport, as well as other debris. Not sure about my car. Mike's car is at Hobby. No word yet from anyone there, but it appears flight ops are back up and going there. However, last we checked, there is a TFR over the Gulf Coast until further notice. That means "no fly" for us (Temporary Flight Restriction).

I know power is out in Liberty as well as at the lake house. They're saying to expect the power to take weeks to restore in Liberty.

Don't know yet about my office. Its in a 14-story building so I'm wondering about the glass. Of course if we can't fly back into Houston yet... doesn't matter much.

We did leave the Cheetah in Sonora and only flew the Tiger out here to Las Cruces. A really nice guy who has a hangar there let us tuck the Cheetah in his hangar.

The weather's been great here and we hardly slept a wink Friday night because we were watching the Weather Channel all night.

Well, check out the photos on i-dineout.com. I figured I'd better get something posted for friends and family afar who might be wondering. We're all fine, just lotsa clean up awaits.

Cover of Flying Magazine

This just in!
Take a look at the cover of Flying magazine!!!
It's my very own "Sky Tamer"

An Undivided Mind

Psalm 86:11 is a Davidic prayer of lament and petition, probably better understood by missionaries today than by fat-cat Americans. But for the world we live in, spoiled as we are with amenities and all manner of materialism and attitude, this particular verse from this Psalm should hit us right between our jaded eyes.

11 Teach me Your way, LORD, and I will live by Your truth.
Give me an undivided mind to fear Your name.

Imagine if we had truly an undivided mind to fear His Name. Just imagine. No distractions from situations, conditions, misplaced importance on materialism, envy, deceit, gossip, anger, anxiety... no distractions from pain, whether we are the giver or receiver of it, past, present, and future.

My mom says she strives to keep her mind like a museum rather than an attic. She likes to think of honoring good memories and tossing out worthless junk; holding on to the things that uplift others and glorify God, and dismissing those that fail to.

We are spoiled, and that's an ugly word. Its one that bothers me when I hear adults refer to a child as "spoiled". What happens to food when it's spoiled? It becomes unedible; useless; worthless; even poison, and must be thrown out. It is adults more than children who are indeed spoiled to the point of being poison when our minds are divided and cease to fear His Name; spoiled from allowing division of the mind to worship creature comforts; spoiled in thinking that materialistic, outcome-based prayer honors the LORD.

About a year after the fire, when I had returned to work, I spent some time with a co-worker of mine. Bill is a paralegal here also, but his background is very different from mine. He came into this job after being let go from a university where he taught dead languages. He has a Ph.D. and was teaching ancient Hebrew, Greek, Latin. After answering several questions about translations of God's Word, he said to me, "I FEAR God! I truly fear Him! He IS Almighty!" Bill has a deeper understanding through studying original transcripts and cultures, and I figure he's someone who knows more than I do about the actual words of Christ as they were originally recorded and the accuracy of translation. He says when we really understand what the Scriptures say, we will fear God and we will know even deeper how much He loves us.

So even while we are spoiled, God offers us His Gift of Life through salvation through His Son. Contrary to new-age thought, there is only one way. And while we strive at times to have an undivided mind, we can be at peace when we have accepted the Gift of salvation: the Gift that pays (because we do not have it to pay) that makes up for the difference between being spoiled and being holy.

Our *new* airplane

Here's our *new-to-us* Grumman Cheetah. Its a 150 hp airplane, 4 seats. I like the sliding canopy as opposed to doors and I love the more sporty feel of the Cheetah compared to the Cessnas I've flown. This airplane is fun to fly! We purchased it from someone in Phoenix and the airplane had been in his family since new. His parents purchased it but never finished their training. So the son used it to get his pilot license. He's finished with it now and was ready to part with it. He's an auto mechanic and so he has kept the airplane in impeccable condition and all the records are very neatly arranged in binders. The airplane is clean and comfortable.

First Aerobatic Contest

Going to our first aerobatic contest back in May, Mike and I thought we were just going to watch. When we arrived in Giddings (TX), we learned that we could compete, using a Safety Pilot in the airplane if we wanted to. Debby Rihn-Harvey came in her national champion airplane, a CAP 232, and one of her flight school instructors brought a Decathlon, an aerobatic training airplane, for the competition. So most people were competing in Debby's Decathlon, using different Safety Pilots.

Mike flew in a Decathlon owned by Kevin Rullman, and I flew in Debby's Decathlon, with Jeff Stoltenberg, a surgeon from Brenham. Jeff and his wife, Lynne, are both aerobatic pilots - and you won't believe what Jeff did.... I'll tell you about it shortly.

In order to compete we had to join the International Aerobatic Club, and the local Houston Chapter, #25. Aw darn. :-)

This particular contest was called a "Two Design" contest, meaning that two different general aircraft design types could compete. One type was the Decathlon/Citabria/etc., and the other was Vans RV series and similar.

Then there were two levels of pilot skill competing that day (although there are higher levels); Primary (novice), and Sportsman (the next level up). Mike and I competed in the Primary class.

There was enough time in the day for each competitor to make two flights, and then the scores would be added together for a final. In Round One, I was in 5th place and Mike was in 6th. Round Two saw a flip-flop of that, as 4th and 5th. In the end, when the scores were totaled, I came out just 15 points ahead of Mike to finish 3rd place overall.

Debby Rihn-Harvey made us laugh when she came over to offer her congratulations and encouragement. She said, "You know, I finished third in my first contest too!" and then she turned to Mike and said, "Those darned women pilots!" with a huge grin on her face.

In aerobatic competitions such as these there is a box on the ground and you have to stay within the boundaries of that box. It's marked on the ground with bright orange markings at the corners and midpoints along the box. There are also altitude limits. We had to stay between 3,000'-5,000' or points would be deducted. (As a technical note, the FAA grants waivers for these aerobatic boxes to exist).

There are two types of routines, the Known and the Unknown. Pilots competing in the Primary category will only fly the Known routine. Unknown is for more advanced pilots. The Known routine is published by the IAC at the beginning of the year and is good for all year long. So you can practice, practice, practice to your little heart's content. The Unknown is handed out at a contest about 15 minutes before you go up to compete.

Still, neither Mike nor I had any opportunity to practice the Known routine because we didn't know we were going to compete until we got there that morning. Not bad for going up "cold".

So here's what we did flying the 2008 Known routine in the Primary category: take off and climb to about 4,000', come around lined up to enter the box, do a quick seatbelt check (we do a roll to check the seatbelts), rock the wings to let the three judges on the ground know we're ready, then get a short dive going to enter the box with some speed; aim for the center of the box and start the routine, which has six maneuvers.

The first maneuver is a simple 45-degree angle upward. Just shows the judges you can keep that attitude of the plane in a perfect 45-degree. Then put it in a stall, which goes into a spin. Nose down to the ground and do one complete turn in the spin and stop it exactly at the end of one turn. That's maneuver #2.

After breaking the spin, pull up and go into a half-cuban. Let's see, how do I describe that... okay, start a loop, so that you are pulling up, going upside down, then just as you reach a 45-degree angle coming back around you roll the airplane over right-side-up so that you're on a downward slope.

Then enter maneuver #4 immediately, which is a full loop, and when that's fully executed do a 180-degree turn with 60 degrees of bank. The final maneuver is a roll, and then exit the box.

You can see all these as a diagram, as well as the box, on our Chapter 25 website, http://www.geocities.com/rpetec/iac25/2008Knowns/sequences.htm
and you can see pictures from the Gulf Coast Regional Aerobatic Contest in Giddings at http://www.geocities.com/rpetec/iac25/Pictures/pictures.htm

Also, if you click on the "News and Results" page you'll see that my Safety Pilot, Jeff Stoltenburg, finished 2nd in the Primary RV contest. There were only two contenders. Remember I said I'd tell you more about that? This guy cracks me up. The Chapter was trying to get more RV pilots to join and compete so that's why they included that design category in the contest. Only one showed up, rather disappointing to the organizers. So Jeff decided hop in his G-200 (similar design) to give Luis, the lone RV pilot, some competition. However, he didn't want to win, so he did the entire routine backward and outside. Now that's a feat! Of course, he couldn't receive any points because that's not how the published routine goes, but the judges did give him 10 for overall performance, because it sure was a great show!

(Another technical note: "outside" means, for instance, when you do a loop, you, the pilot, are on the inside of the loop; he was outside, a whole different way to do that maneuver.)

So there you have it. I'm in one of the pictures, holding my little trophy with the two guys who placed first and second. Whomever wrote the captions accused me of being a "fierce competitor." Gee. Where'd they get that? ;-)

Do I have any readers left?

Hoo-boy! I bet most of my early readers have moved on, since I don't post much these days! Not that there's nothing noteworthy going on, quite the opposite! Just get bizzzeeeee!

Let's see, I have to update yall so much.... expecting grandson #4 in late October;

Entered my first aerobatic competition --- and placed third! 13-time U.S. aerobatic champ, Debby Rihn-Harvey was the chief judge and had some very nice, encouraging words when I received my 3rd place trophy;

Entered my first air race too! .... the 2008 Air Race Classic. I think this was officially the 32nd annual ARC, but it began in 1929 as the first all-woman transcontinental air race. Eventually it earned the name "Powder Puff Derby", from Will Rogers, who called it that after seeing the racers powdering their noses just before starting their engines.... anyway, Amelia Earhart was one of the early racers and organizers. So this year I entered. These days a team of two pilots is required, and must have either an instrument rating or 500 hours minimum. I met a racer who was looking for a partner, named Caroline Baldwin, from Silver City, NM. This was her fifth race. This year's race began in Bozeman, MT and ended in Mansfield, MA, with six stops in between at Miles City, MT, Aberdeen, SD, Mason City, IA, Decatur, IL, Frankfort, KY, Franklin, PA, and on to the final stop in Mansfield. I am going to have to do a separate post on this air race because there's a lot to it - all the pre- and post-race banquets, festivites, seminars, and other activities, and all the cool stuff about air racing, how to do a timing line, etc. We finished 18th of 33 race teams, which isn't bad but isn't what I hoped for. But I learned a lot and had a blast. We didn't race our Cheetah, we raced Caroline's Cherokee 180.

Meanwhile, we've just finished our first year as columists in the Liberty Gazette, a local weekly newspaper which features our column usually on page three, "The View From Up Here." I know, it's a dorky title, but all I could come up with suddenly.

Oh - and the Fly-In! We held this BBQ benefit fly-in for a local family and boy oh boy was it a huge success! Now there's another post all to itself! Just briefly, there's this local family, he's a state trooper, and they have a toddler-aged girl, and then were expecting twins. Well the twins came very early. Faith and Hope. Faith did not survive and Hope weighed one pound at birth. She spent several months at the hospital and was finally discharged last month, and is doing well. But the family obviously had lots of expenses not covered by insurance. So we did this fund-raiser. We had Boy Scouts serving BBQ that was cooked by cook teams including three area fire departments. The Liberty County Sheriff was a HUGE help with everything. The local radio station broadcast from the airport and we had a live and silent auction with all kinds of cool stuff. Okay, I'll have to update more on that one.

I am slowly getting to work on my commercial pilot certificate. There's this darned thing called work that gets in the way.... but I noticed it pays for the flying addiction so.... until I can earn a living flying.... :-)

If you've made it to the end of this post, congratulations! Rusty's been bugging me to update my blog. I just tend to run out of time.

Oh - the book. This takes way longer than I ever thought it would. I keep thinking we're almost finished. I really think we are though. I have been working with a graphic designer for the cover. We've decided to use Jessie's picture as the cover - I love it. And we've changed the title to, "When We Move to Heaven: A family love story". Once the cover design is finished I can submit it all, along with the manuscript, to the publisher and they'll take 60-90 days. I have a website going up that will probably be ready before then. It will be www.whenwemovetoheaven.com. But don't look for it now, it's not up yet.

I sure miss Brother Jim. I wish I'd been there the moment he met my family.

Love to yall.

Happy Easter

The Resurrection

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is a vital part of the gospel message, for a dead Christ can save nobody (1 Cor. 15:1-19). The empty tomb is proof that He is the Son of God (Rom. 1:4); that believers have a future inheritance (1 Pet. 1:3ff.); that we will once again meet Christians who have died (1 Thess. 4:14-18); that our Christian ministry is not in vain (1 Cor. 15:50-58); and that Jesus Christ will one day judge lost sinners (Acts 17:30-31). The early church bore witness of the resurrection of Jesus Christ (Acts 1:22; 4:2, 33), and so should we today.

Wiersbe, W. W. (1997, c1991). With the word Bible commentary (Mt 28:1). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

At our church this morning we were treated to a very effective silent re-enactment of Jesus meeting the two on the road, after he had risen. This re-enactment took place at the sunrise service while we sat outside, facing the sunrise, watching it from a distance as the pastor read the story while standing on a bridge. It felt like I was an observer there for real.

Then later during the regular service we were again treated to some a very special service. Several of our fellow church members performed a drama (you can see it, or maybe already have seen it before on GodTube). There were several original things as well which were presented at the special service this morning, including a very moving video featuring several other members of the church holding a mallet and spikes, or a crown of thorns, or whip. They put together probably 50-75 shots of different people as each one would hold up their hand and see they had a mallet in their hand, or one of the other things, and then look upward silently. There was music behind that video too. Anyway, this was a very moving performance, so here's a sample as performed by another church:

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=ee73e63418003b47d7d5


Celebrating the conquering of sin and death is indeed a Happy occasion.

Austin

Today I created a long line of traffic; Matchbox and Hot Wheels cars. I don't have as many cars as we used to, but the 19 I found embedded in the back seat of the Oldsmobile can make up a pretty good line of cars through the kitchen. You have to step over them if you want to go anywhere. That's the objective.

Eleven years ago at 12:08 pm Houston time, along the west-bound side of FM 1960 near Interstate 45, my precious baby boy was born in the front seat of Granny’s car-the Oldsmobile. He wouldn’t be here very long, but just long enough to leave some gifts of love. These sayings of his have brought many smiles to many faces, as have the thoughts of his wit and wisdom that often seemed way beyond his years. As you read these, if you remember others, please add them to the list and send them to me.

He said:

“The speed limit is five five, Mommy”

“Use your blinker, Mommy”

“Yayow” (yellow)

And "yight" (light) - Turn on the "yight". "I can say "L", I just don't yike to."

“Enger-gy bars”

“Shrum” (from)

“I’m MADE for the cold!”

Dinner prayers that ended, “Please bless this food so we can run real fast and jump real high.”

Mommy: “I love you all the way to God and back.”

Austin: “That’s too far because God is right here in my heart.”

On the way home from the steakhouse in Somerville: We had stopped off at Sonic for sweets Jessie had a chocolate shake and made the comment that she was cold and Austin's instant response was... "well you better turn that shake off"

We rode in the "all the way van," (and you have to say it with your arms stretched way out) so called because it was bigger than the "mall van" (small van).

He loved:

God and Jesus

His family

Family time

A little girl named Savannah

“doing fingers”

Riding bikes

Lining up Matchbox and Hot Wheels cars in a long line across the house

Eating meat

Donut holes from Shipley and watching the video of “The Donut Man,” a Christian children’s show;

Playing with Jessie

Cooking with Daddy

“Knock-down hugs”

The Taco Bell Dog

The Power Wheels riding toys he dubbed, "Vee-vo-wees"

A Jaci Velasquez song, "We can make a Difference," which he called the DoDo song because it starts out "do do do..." (hear the song at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQsr797-6_w)

Chocolate frozen mocha from Jitters, "Daddy's favorite coffee place"

Eating Tyson frozen chicken - frozen!

Wearing my work shoes

Reading the Bible Story Book

Blue’s Clues

Veggie Tales, singing the theme song and especially the end where they laugh, "Ha ha ha!"

Bob the Builder

Jay Jay the Jet Plane

Making things and drawing pictures for people

Jumping on the trampoline at Aunt Weba’s

Children’s bible school class and children’s choir

While playing hide and go seek, and couldn't find his sister… he resorted to tricking her:
"Jessie, Aunt Weba is here!!!"
He was successful in finding her because she came out to see her Aunt Weba

He never missed finding-and pointing out-a light bulb in need of changing, no matter where we were!

He didn't like bubble baths, or sand in his toes.

My niece, Misty, said:

Linda,

Just wanted to wish Austin a Happy Birthday!!

I am sure that the parties they have are much more then we can ever imagine throwing.

They (all of them) are missed by more people then we could count, and we will never even know. And because of them there are more believers.

From our friend, Richard:

Thank you for sharing with us a little bit of what this young man was like. Sharp young man. Just think how witty he will be when we see him again.

From my friend, Kathi:
Though I didn’t have the privilege of knowing him on this earth, I certainly feel that I have come to know him through the writing/editing of your book, and I SO look forward to meeting him face to face and sharing those “hundred sixty forty hundred ninety hundred sixty hundred hundred hundred nice days” with him!

From my friend, Marshall:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!
Too many times we forget little things that God uses to say “I love you!” This side of glory they may seem small, but in the light of eternity, they are gigantic!
Thank you for sharing some of your most precious memories and reminding me not to take for granted any moment with my “God-entrusted” children.
Blessed Birthday Austin! For you are now experiencing the sights, sounds, and touches our hearts long to know.

From my Sis, Diane:
I'll always remember his big eyes when he was a baby, and how he liked playing with the drinking straws at that eating place where the train brings the food to the table.

From our friend, Russ:
At this moment, Praise God, Austin and Jessie are fully developed as God's designed them to be. Our brother and sister in Christ. I look forward to soon seeing them with Mycol. They are in God's great family.

From our friend, Jean:

I remember a handsome young man who gave me the Veggie Tales characters on my birthday and insisted that I learn all their names… I did learn Junior’s name – because he is so like the loving, energetic, expressive, positive, and knowledgeable person that was Austin!
I mostly remember Austin and Jessie coming to the office on Timberway and always giving me the biggest hug - while catching me up on all the fun things that their DAD did with them while MOM was at work!
I know Austin is still doing all those fun things with JESUS
Every time I look over at the VEGGIE TALES group (in my office), I see Austin’s smile and hear him quizzing me on the names of each one of the VEGGIE TALES (I could never remember their names).
I’m saving my answers until I see him again; what a pleasure it will be to see the joy in his eyes as I rattle off the names!
Happy Birthday young man, I love you!

Mama Jean

And a special note to Austin:

Happy birthday, Austin Chad!
Your momma, Linda, sure loves you. She has shared your photo, your words, and a glimpse of your short life, here on earth, with us. And for that, we are deeply honored.
As I write this, I’m listening to a song about heaven and Jesus. How like God!
Please keep your momma in prayer as we move forward to share your family’s story with others who need to find the hope of Jesus in the pit of their pain.
Oh yeah, I got to hold your Matchbox U-haul truck. It is really cool!
Jesus loves you and so do those of us who know you through your Momma.
Love,
Ms. Jan

For the Birds!

Click on this link and you'll see, this is just for the birds!

http://birdloversonly.blogspot.com/2007/09/may-i-have-this-dance.html

If you haven't seen the news yet...

I'm excited to post this news! Our YouTube video made international aviation news today on AvWeb! After you click on this link below, scroll down to the section titled, "News from Around the Web" and you'll see "The New Grass Routes--YouTube Airport Videos" with a link to the video Mike and I put together.

http://www.avweb.com/eletter/archives/avflash/1006-full.html#196662

Ironically, if you also take the time to read the very next news item below ours, "On The Fly" you'll see an article you can click on about J. Clarke McNeace. Funny, funny, funny that it just so happens that McNease - code name "Otter" - is the pilot I flew with at Fighter Combat and the one who appears in our video where you see me doing some aerobatics! Otter has been named the country's first Master Certified Flight Instructor for Aerobatics. How cool is that, that these two news items appear right together? :)

Here's the direct link to the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wMuNy08xQQ

What we need....

...is more people like this!

"Cowboy Tours Country to Find Good News"

Read about rancher Bill Inman...

http://www.uncoveringamerica.com/the_journey

Jessie

There are many blog-worthy things that have been going on, including a wedding and a few birthdays. I'm behind on posting lots of that.

But today is a special day. Today, if my family were all together here on the earth we would be celebrating Jessie's 9th birthday. It is the first birthday of any of them that makes more birthdays we are separated than those I got to spend with them.

Today I spent more time on my knees than I have in awhile. Then I opened my bible...to 1Kings, and that triggered my memory about a time when Israel had no king... as told in the Book of Judges.... and one of those Judges, Deborah.... Jessie. So I read Judges 4-5 again, thinking of how I used to say to Mycol, "We should have named her Deborah!" Her confidence in the Lord has always reminded me of Deborah. I had asked God to give me strength for today. Judges 5 ends with
"So may all your enemies perish, O LORD!
But may they who love you be like the sun
when it rises in its strength."
Then the land had peace forty years.

Deborah was a strong leader. So was Jess. She couldn't pronounce the letter "L" but she was proud to be in the "Yord's Army."

I had something special I wanted to do today. About two years ago I signed up to sponsor two children through Compassion International. I requested a boy born in 1997 and a girl born in 1998. Yonas and Sisay are from different families, and live in different cities, but are both from Ethiopia. For the past two years they have written me letters, about quarterly I'd say. I was comfortable with sending money, heck, its even automatically deducted from my checking account so I really don't have to do anything! But the letters, well that was harder for me. So they have been going from the mailbox to the filing cabinet, unopened.

A couple of months ago Compassion sent out postcards that said, "It only takes a moment to write your child. Won't you please?" Crash. The conviction! How selfish of me to let that pain keep me from answering these little children who have taken the time to write me for the past two years! What have they been saying to me that I have ignored because it hurt too much?

I opened a letter from each of them and wrote back a generic but encouraging letter that Jesus loves them and I am glad they are going to church. It was the best I could do. Then I put that idea back in the cabinet again. Until last week.

Another letter came from Yonas. This time I opened up it within only days of receiving it. He talked about the Ethiopian Millenium Celebration they had and how tourists are coming from everywhere to celebrate. He wrote that one of the things they have been doing in their town to prepare is planting trees. Yep, planting trees....my mind went immediately to this past February when Mike planted the trees which grew from the seeds my kids had collected and given to our neighbor, who kept them until I was ready. Then Yonas asked, "Have you ever planted trees?" It hurt so much, yet I knew I had to start writing "my children".

So since it was only a week until Jessie's birthday, I decided that would be the special thing I would reserve in honor of my baby girl. I would write real heart-felt letters, more than just generic. I would tell them more about me and acknowledge all the things they've told me. I would thank them for the little drawings they do at the end of their letters. I opened up every letter that had been sitting in the filing cabinet and read each one. I read about Sisay's sister who passed away and that her mother is very sick. I read about the flood last year in Yonas's region that killed many people and animals and destroyed many homes. I read about what they like to do, run, play soccer. I read about what they like in school and how they help their parent(s) at home. And then I sat down and wrote. They had asked me for a picture so I sent them a picture of me with the grandsons. I acknowledged Sisay's pain in missing her sister and concern for her mother. Her mother had known nothing about prayer until Compassion came to the village. Now Sisay and her family pray together. How could I not respond?

I had told Mike last night that I was going to want some time alone to do something special, so he stayed busy on his computer while I was back in the bedroom praying, reading Judges, reading letters, and writing. Then when I finally emerged, I shared it all with him. He wept with me, and shared about his Compassion child in Indonesia, the third one now, as two previous had moved out of the service areas. He told me about how his heart aches for one of the ones who had moved because he moved to an area where the Tsunami hit. He's been a sponsor for about 12-13 years.

After we talked and I had shared all the stuff with him, I said, "Well I know I can't really mail these letters today because there's no mail service, but I wanted to write them today." His teary-eyed response came from that big heart I love so much - "But we can still go to the Post Office and put them in the mail today."

And so, that is today. I ask for the strength of the rising sun, in the hope that I will glorify God and honor my family.

Jessie's confidence in God is inspiring and convicting. So in honor of our baby girl,

(NIV)
Judges 4

Deborah

1 After Ehud died, the Israelites once again did evil in the eyes of the LORD. 2 So the LORD sold them into the hands of Jabin, a king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth Haggoyim. 3 Because he had nine hundred iron chariots and had cruelly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years, they cried to the LORD for help.

4 Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading ^[a] Israel at that time. 5 She held court under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites came to her to have their disputes decided. 6 She sent for Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, "The LORD, the God of Israel, commands you: 'Go, take with you ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun and lead the way to Mount Tabor. 7 I will lure Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his troops to the Kishon River and give him into your hands.' "

8 Barak said to her, "If you go with me, I will go; but if you don't go with me, I won't go."

9 "Very well," Deborah said, "I will go with you. But because of the way you are going about this, ^[b] the honor will not be yours, for the LORD will hand Sisera over to a woman." So Deborah went with Barak to Kedesh, 10 where he summoned Zebulun and Naphtali. Ten thousand men followed him, and Deborah also went with him.

11 Now Heber the Kenite had left the other Kenites, the descendants of Hobab, Moses' brother-in-law, ^[c] and pitched his tent by the great tree in Zaanannim near Kedesh.

12 When they told Sisera that Barak son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor, 13 Sisera gathered together his nine hundred iron chariots and all the men with him, from Harosheth Haggoyim to the Kishon River.

14 Then Deborah said to Barak, "Go! This is the day the LORD has given Sisera into your hands. Has not the LORD gone ahead of you?" So Barak went down Mount Tabor, followed by ten thousand men. 15 At Barak's advance, the LORD routed Sisera and all his chariots and army by the sword, and Sisera abandoned his chariot and fled on foot. 16 But Barak pursued the chariots and army as far as Harosheth Haggoyim. All the troops of Sisera fell by the sword; not a man was left.

17 Sisera, however, fled on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, because there were friendly relations between Jabin king of Hazor and the clan of Heber the Kenite.

18 Jael went out to meet Sisera and said to him, "Come, my Lord , come right in. Don't be afraid." So he entered her tent, and she put a covering over him.

19 "I'm thirsty," he said. "Please give me some water." She opened a skin of milk, gave him a drink, and covered him up.

20 "Stand in the doorway of the tent," he told her. "If someone comes by and asks you, 'Is anyone here?' say 'No.' "

21 But Jael, Heber's wife, picked up a tent peg and a hammer and went quietly to him while he lay fast asleep, exhausted. She drove the peg through his temple into the ground, and he died.

22 Barak came by in pursuit of Sisera, and Jael went out to meet him. "Come," she said, "I will show you the man you're looking for." So he went in with her, and there lay Sisera with the tent peg through his temple-dead.

23 On that day God subdued Jabin, the Canaanite king, before the Israelites. 24 And the hand of the Israelites grew stronger and stronger against Jabin, the Canaanite king, until they destroyed him.

Judges 5

The Song of Deborah

1 On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song:

2 "When the princes in Israel take the lead,
when the people willingly offer themselves—
praise the LORD!

3 "Hear this, you kings! Listen, you rulers!
I will sing to ^[d] the LORD, I will sing;
I will make music to ^[e] the LORD, the God of Israel.

4 "O LORD, when you went out from Seir,
when you marched from the land of Edom,
the earth shook, the heavens poured,
the clouds poured down water.

5 The mountains quaked before the LORD, the One of Sinai,
before the LORD, the God of Israel.

6 "In the days of Shamgar son of Anath,
in the days of Jael, the roads were abandoned;
travelers took to winding paths.

7 Village life ^[f] in Israel ceased,
ceased until I, ^[g] Deborah, arose,
arose a mother in Israel.

8 When they chose new gods,
war came to the city gates,
and not a shield or spear was seen
among forty thousand in Israel.

9 My heart is with Israel's princes,
with the willing volunteers among the people.
Praise the LORD!

10 "You who ride on white donkeys,
sitting on your saddle blankets,
and you who walk along the road,
consider 11 the voice of the singers ^[h] at the watering places.
They recite the righteous acts of the LORD,
the righteous acts of his warriors ^[i] in Israel.
"Then the people of the LORD
went down to the city gates.

12 'Wake up, wake up, Deborah!
Wake up, wake up, break out in song!
Arise, O Barak!
Take captive your captives, O son of Abinoam.'

13 "Then the men who were left
came down to the nobles;
the people of the LORD
came to me with the mighty.

14 Some came from Ephraim, whose roots were in Amalek;
Benjamin was with the people who followed you.
From Makir captains came down,
from Zebulun those who bear a commander's staff.

15 The princes of Issachar were with Deborah;
yes, Issachar was with Barak,
rushing after him into the valley.
In the districts of Reuben
there was much searching of heart.

16 Why did you stay among the campfires ^[j]
to hear the whistling for the flocks?
In the districts of Reuben
there was much searching of heart.

17 Gilead stayed beyond the Jordan.
And Dan, why did he linger by the ships?
Asher remained on the coast
and stayed in his coves.

18 The people of Zebulun risked their very lives;
so did Naphtali on the heights of the field.

19 "Kings came, they fought;
the kings of Canaan fought
at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo,
but they carried off no silver, no plunder.

20 From the heavens the stars fought,
from their courses they fought against Sisera.

21 The river Kishon swept them away,
the age-old river, the river Kishon.
March on, my soul; be strong!

22 Then thundered the horses' hoofs—
galloping, galloping go his mighty steeds.

23 'Curse Meroz,' said the angel of the LORD.
'Curse its people bitterly,
because they did not come to help the LORD,
to help the LORD against the mighty.'

24 "Most blessed of women be Jael,
the wife of Heber the Kenite,
most blessed of tent-dwelling women.

25 He asked for water, and she gave him milk;
in a bowl fit for nobles she brought him curdled milk.

26 Her hand reached for the tent peg,
her right hand for the workman's hammer.
She struck Sisera, she crushed his head,
she shattered and pierced his temple.

27 At her feet he sank,
he fell; there he lay.
At her feet he sank, he fell;
where he sank, there he fell-dead.

28 "Through the window peered Sisera's mother;
behind the lattice she cried out,
'Why is his chariot so long in coming?
Why is the clatter of his chariots delayed?'

29 The wisest of her ladies answer her;
indeed, she keeps saying to herself,

30 'Are they not finding and dividing the spoils:
a girl or two for each man,
colorful garments as plunder for Sisera,
colorful garments embroidered,
highly embroidered garments for my neck—
all this as plunder?'

31 "So may all your enemies perish, O LORD!
But may they who love you be like the sun
when it rises in its strength."
Then the land had peace forty years.

One Hero

My last post was about two heroes. Today is Wednesday, October 17, and Chief Warrant Officer Kevin Purtee will be the Grand Marshall, riding with the Clydesdales in the opening day parade for the 99th Annual Trinity Valley Expo, the largest single day event in this area. Yesterday Liberty, Texas, the United States, buried another heroic son.

Monday, October 15, as the motorcade crossed the line into the City of Liberty, KSHN radio owner Bill Buchanan quietly declared, "Marine Lance Corporal Jeremy Burris is home."

Mike and I were along the side of the street with flags where the motorcade carrying Jeremy's body and his family came in to town Monday afternoon. The Governor ordered all flags in Liberty County at half-mast and the mayors of Dayton and Liberty asked citizens to line the streets to honor Jeremy and to show his family the respect. The local radio station was broadcasting their progress as they made their way from Bush Intercontinental Airport to Liberty so everyone would know when they were near. The streets were lined with people and flags for miles. Even the radio guys couldn't keep from choking up and had a lot of trouble just being able to talk.

The motorcade went past the elementary school, where the children were all outside at the curb, among all the flags. After it passed us we walked a couple of blocks up to be at the funeral home and witnessed the family's arrival, the salutes of the Patriot Guard Riders, the Honor Guard, men from the VFW, our local police department, and many others. All watched silently, reverently as they removed the casket from the hearse and took it in, Jeremy's family following.

Soon the family was all inside and the crowd began to disperse, quietly. While the visitation this evening was open to anyone, I was not sure about whether I felt right about going. I don't know this family personally, yet Jeremy didn't know me either, and that didn't stop him from serving on my behalf, and paying the ultimate sacrifice - for me.

Mike and I were discussing going to the family visitation when Lynna, my sis in law, called. Lynna and Mike and I had plans to take Granny out for her birthday dinner this evening. But Granny and Grumps were planning to attend the visitation for the Burris family and would meet us afterward.

But they live about 45 miles from here in another town. How did they know the Burris family? Opry. It's big here. Liberty has an Opry on the professional scale of any of the best in the country - professional Opry singers perform here every Saturday night. My in-laws love Opry and go often. Jeremy Burris's mother's family founded the Liberty Opry. Jeremy's mother, Carla, still performs there often. In fact, several of her children have sung there and Jeremy was there on his last leave.

Although visitation was open to the public, knowing that Granny and Grumps would be there made it easier for me to go - just to thank them, even though they didn't know me. I remember how good it felt to me that total strangers took the time to come and see me after the fire. So why was I letting my self get ensnared in this "maybe-I-shouldn't-go-because-they-don't-know-me" garbage?! No, that kind of thinking was ridiculous. Their son served our country and it cost him his life. The least I could do was go and thank them.

Mike and I met Granny and Grumps at the funeral home and as we were standing in line to offer condolences Granny took my hand and said, "You do know that Carla came to our memorial service, don't you?"

No.... wow... I didn't know that.

In fact, as it turns out, Carla not only came to our family's memorial service, she also sang a song dedicated to Mycol and the kids in the next Opry, broadcast on the radio. That was January, 2003 and I was just now finding out about it.

When we got up to the family Granny introduced Mike and me and I had a chance to thank them, first for their son and for the sacrifice, and then for being there when I was in the place they are now. I was so glad we went.

**************

Yesterday, we attended Jeremy's funeral and burial as well. What a deeply committed Christian man he was. During the service the pastor referred to the thousands of citizens, many who did not know Jeremy or his family, who came out to pay tribute to a hero, to a son, a brother, and said, "This is America! It's not what you see in Hollywood - no! This is America!"

He went on to read an email from Jeremy's commanding officer to Jeremy's father, Brent Burris. The message conveyed a deep respect and described the difference in Jeremy - his witness, his passion for righteousness and for everything he does. Then he read Mr. Burris's response.

Jeremy's father wrote to this commanding officer that Jeremy had always wanted to be a Marine. When he was about eleven he wanted to fly a Harrier, but now that he drove a five-ton vehicle that was just fine - he loved what he was doing. The versatility and impressiveness of a Harrier is no comparison now to being swept up in the arms of Jesus. And even if he'd flown a fighter jet, the thrill of landing on a carrier could never compare to the moment Jeremy's feet landed on the golden streets of Heaven. Mr. Burris urged the officer and Jeremy's fellow soldiers to examine their lives, and to make a decision to follow Christ.

When the time came for the family to take Jeremy's body to the cemetary the route took the procession back through town, past the middle school and high school. Again, the streets were lined with people and flags. Liberty High School students stood holding a huge flag that spanned the width of the street and a sign that read, "LHS Honors Marine Lance Corporal Jeremy W. Burris." Another sign read, "Thank you Jeremy for your sacrifice." Fire trucks from seven different towns joined the motorcade. Huge cranes were extended, holding flags at two different intersections. Businesses closed, school children came out, people stood in reverence as the hearse and the family passed on their way to the cemetary.

Full military honors, the 21-gun salute, presentation of the flag to Jeremy's father with salute, orders read in military style by a Marine to award the Purple Heart handed to Jeremy's mother, presentations by a mothers of war group and the Patriot Guard Riders were followed by a dove release and then release of red, white and blue balloons.

Hundreds of people waited in line to give one more word of condolence and encouragement to Jeremy's brothers and sisters and to Mr. and Mrs. Burris. This was something the family could have kept private but they didn't. They chose instead to allow the entire community, and beyond, to come and grieve with them, to show support for them and appreciation for Jeremy's sacrifice. They could have demanded privacy, but they didn't. They knew how imporant this was to the community. Deeply saddened by the facts, I am most certainly not alone in my gratitude for the opportunity to show appreciation and support.

Two Heroes

Remember hearing a few months ago about the two helicopter pilots who rescued an injured soldier in Iraq? One of those pilots was from here - Liberty's neighboring town of Dayton, Texas.

Kevin Purtee has been honored many times since, including a declaration of a special day in his honor about a month or so ago. A couple of weeks ago there was a dedication of the flag and memorial to all U.S. Vets which was built at an intersection in Dayton. As part of the dedication ceremony, Kevin Purtee flew an Apache over the ceremony. This week he'll be the official Grand Marshall of the Trinity Valley Expo, along with the Clydesdales - a big deal in a small town.


Apache pilots save critically-wounded Soldier with unorthodox evacuation
By Staff Sgt. Lorin T. Smith36th Combat Aviation Brigade Public Affairs

Chief Warrant Officer-4 Kevin Purtee (left) and Chief Warrant Officer-2 Allen Crist, Company B, 1st Battalion, 149th Aviation Regiment (Attack), man the AH-64 helicopter they used to help save the life of a critically wounded Soldier. (U.S. Army photo by Capt. Randall Stillinger)

LOGISTICS SUPPORT AREA ANACONDA, Iraq (7/24/2007) – Two pilots from Company B, 1st Battalion, 149th Aviation Regiment (Attack), 36th Combat Aviation Brigade, risked their lives in an unorthodox casualty evacuation to transport a critically-wounded Soldier in an AH-64A helicopter during a firefight in Ramadi, Iraq, June 30.

Chief Warrant Officer-4 Kevin Purtee and Chief Warrant Officer-2 Allen Crist, two Apache helicopter aviators flying their last combat mission, are credited with assuring a Soldier of Company A, 1st Battalion, 77th Armor, of prompt medical care by their actions. The Soldier had been shot in the face and the arm, and needed to be evacuated from a raging battle near Donkey Island in Ramadi.

The pilots learned that more than 40 minutes had elapsed since the ground unit had called for the medical evacuation aircraft to transport wounded Soldiers to the hospital at Camp Ar Ramadi. Chief Purtee, from Houston, Texas, was the pilot, which is commonly referred to as the "back-seater. " Chief Crist, from Warrensburg, Mo., was the copilot/gunner, or "front-seater. " Chief Purtee asked Chief Crist if he felt comfortable giving up his seat for the critically-wounded Soldier for the quick flight back to the camp.

"Absolutely, " Chief Crist emphatically answered. Chief Purtee made the decision that to save the Soldier’s life, Chief Crist would fly on the wing of the aircraft on the way to the hospital.

Chief Crist and three other infantrymen lifted the wounded Soldier up into the Apache’s front seat. Chief Crist strapped him in.

"He was bandaged up, and blood was all over him," Chief Crist recalled.

Chief Crist then went to the left side of the aircraft and ran a tether to the aircraft and hooked it on his air warrior vest. He sat on the small wing of the Apache and placed his feet on a narrow walkway lining the fuselage. He knocked on the window to let Chief Purtee know that he was in position and ready for the flight.

Chief Purtee said that he felt more nervous than Chief Crist did during the flight.

"I had my copilot strapped to the side of the aircraft and a critically-wounded Soldier in the front seat, and we were leaving a very dangerous area," Chief Purtee said. "It wasn’t a long flight, but it felt like it took forever."

Chief Crist said flying outside the aircraft was similar to "sitting in the back of a truck going down the highway." The flight to Camp Ar Ramadi lasted just a few minutes. They reached the medical pad, and Chief Crist stayed with the wounded Soldier while medical personnel waited for the ambulance to move him to the hospital.

"I eventually had to get a guy at the pad to talk to him," Chief Crist recounted. "I knew we were going to go back out [to the battle in Ramadi], and I wanted to keep my head right."
Once the wounded Soldier had been safely removed from of the aircraft, the pilots climbed back in and flew back to the battle.

The next day, the crew found out that the Soldier had been moved to the hospital at LSA Anaconda, and they decided to visit him. His jaw had been wired shut, but medical staff gave him a pad to write on.

"Thank you," he wrote. "Sorry for messing up your helicopter."

The pilots learned the Soldier wanted to be a helicopter pilot and was planning to take the aviator test in a couple of weeks.

"We did a little recruiting to get him to join the Texas Army National Guard," Chief Purtee said. They gave him a Company B flight patch and took some photos.

Having a wounded Soldier in the cockpit while the copilot rides on the outside of the aircraft is unorthodox, but Chief Purtee said he would rather do that than watch another Soldier on the ground die.

"We have seen the tragedy of watching Soldiers on the ground waiting for MEDEVAC," Chief Purtee said. "There is no more hopeless feeling than watching the guys who need help not get it, and I’m tired of that, and that’s why we made our choice to go in and do what we did."

The two pilots said they didn’t see themselves as heroes. They said the real hero in this story was the Soldier who was shot while engaging the enemy.

************
Our Second Hero

Last Sunday afternoon in Iraq 22-year old Marine Lance Corporal Jeremy Burris rescued two of his buddies who had been hit by roadside bombs. He got them both to the Medevac helicopter and returned to his vehicle to retrieve some tools when he stepped on another IED they had not seen. He died instantly.

Jeremy is one of seven children, all homeschooled here in Liberty. A brother and a sister are also in the military - Army and Navy.

Arrangements have not been made yet because the family does not yet know when Jeremy's body will be returned to Liberty, but I bet when he is returned the streets will be lined with patriotic, thankful, heartbroken people, to bring him home.

Blast Kills Marine from Liberty
By: Paul S. Martinez, The Enterprise
10/10/2007

Lance Cpl. Jeremy W. Burris, 22, helped injured U.S. Marines out of a vehicle hit by an explosion, then fell victim to a second bomb.

The 10th area soldier to die in Iraq was described as man of great faith who always "lived what he talked."U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jeremy W. Burris, 22, of Liberty was killed in Iraq Monday, according to a Department of Defense news release. Burris was driving a patrol vehicle, accompanied by two other Marines, when they hit an explosive device hidden in the road. Burris was not injured as seriously in the initial blast, and he helped get the wounded Marines out of the damaged vehicle. Burris returned to the disabled vehicle to retrieve some equipment and detonated a second hidden explosive, killing him instantly, according to his father, Brent Burris.The incident occurred near the city of Al Qaim in the Al Anbar province of Iraq, near the Syrian border. Brent Burris said the military has not told him when the body will return to Southeast Texas, and no funeral arrangements have been made.His son was fulfilling a longtime desire to be a Marine, Brent Burris said.Jeremy Burris - the oldest of seven children, four brothers and two sisters - had lived in Liberty since the age of 12.He proclaimed on his MySpace page: "Born and raised in Texas and proud of it." Burris attended Cornerstone Church, a non-denominational church in Liberty. Cornerstone Church pastor Mike Glazener said Burris was a leader who influenced others."He was a precious young man who touched many lives," the pastor said.

Jeremy Burris enjoyed playing guitar and singing, he said on his MySpace page.He led the praise and worship sessions for the youth group at Cornerstone Church, and was one of the guitar players during the main services, Glazener said.Burris was homeschooled in Liberty. When he finished school, he went to Tacoma, Wash., to participate in a Christian discipleship program called "The Core."

He stayed in Washington state for almost two years before enlisting in the Marine Corps about 1½ years ago.Burris' MySpace page blog has a Sept. 7 entry titled "The Desert."In it, he writes about remaining strong in his faith in an environment not necessarily conducive to Christian morals - a U.S. Marine Corps unit in a war zone."When you're surrounded by aggressive, outgoing people it's hard to be bold, but I've never been ashamed of my faith," he stated in the blog."I don't go around preaching, but my faith comes out in the way I act and talk every day and everyone knows where I stand. In fact, my nickname around here is 'Jesus.' I'm kinda proud of that!"

Updated 10/09/2007 11:22:06 PM CDT
©The Beaumont Enterprise 2007