On the lighter side of Duck Ditch USA

I am happy to report that our little kingdom at the bottom of the hill on Mapleridge drive is getting cleaner one trailer at a time. Last week I finished power washing two more trailers. Atleast it was not freezing outside when I worked on those two. I have one more trailer to do and then my power washing activities for 2004 should be complete. Spring is finally in the air and trees and flowers are beginning to bloom. I can not wait for WINTER to be FINISHED. I have had enough of this cold weather and the high electric bills. I hope that we can enjoy some moderate weather where we can throw open the windows and doors and let our homes air out and do some serious cleaning. GULP... Scratch the last thought, that is too much work. LOL... Airing out the houses though is a good idea.

In the last two weeks I have done much better with regards to my average. My league average is back up to 130 after bowling a 165 average last week and a 145 average last night. Wahooooo! Our team is in 9th place and after last night hopefully we have moved up to 8th place. I bowled 142 in both my first and second games last night and if I could have done that all three games I would have gotten a patch. Oh well.... What were the odds in that happening?

My job search for a BETTER job is still ongoing. I am sending out resumes and applications but nothing is happening for now. It appears that all doors are being shut with regards to better employment. I am thankful for the job I do have but I NEED to find something better. Something that pays more and has benefits. I told someone the other day that I would rather wear the uniform of a security OFFICER than of a jail trustee because of not paying my child support. Atleast in this situation I have the keys to the building and can come and go as I please. LOL... I found out the other day that in South Carolina that the maximum that they incarcerate someone for failure to pay child support is 1 year. It is a good thing for those inmates that they dont live in Texas. In Texas they throw you under the jail until you pay up. I heard the other day that a man was 4.00 short on his child support payment and the judge put him in jail. The man was working two jobs and trying to get caught up on his payments and he wound up in jail anyway. Now that is justice for you. Not only was he out of work and lost his jobs probably but now he is getting even further behind on his responsibility to pay. How is that justice? How does that solve the problem? I can tell that I need to stop this paragraph right here. LOL....

In memory of Marlin Maddoux & Larry Burkett

I found out yesterday that radio talk show host Marlin Maddoux passed away on March 4, 2004. You can view his memorial page on the Internet at the following link. In Memory of Marlin Maddoux

I was so sad to hear this news. In the bible the apostle Paul says to be absent with the body is to be present with the Lord. When we die in Christ we graduate from this life into life eternal where we will spend eternity with Christ and worship and praise him for eternity. That is our Hope in that our redemption will come full circle and we will enjoy fellowship with our God forever. Nevertheless when someone that passes away that has made an impact on our lives like Marlin Maddoux it is natural to grieve for a period of time. Point of View is a Christian Radio Talk Show that has touched the lives of many people through the centuries. The following paragraphs can be found on the Point of View website about Marlin Maddoux and the show he hosted.

Marlin Maddoux is founder and president of International Christian Media and host of Point of View Radio Talk Show, as well as a noted journalist and author.

Point of View is a two-hour, issues-oriented talk radio program heard daily via satellite on more than 360 radio stations nationwide and around the world by shortwave. Maddoux, founder and host of the program for more than twenty years, covers from a conservative Christian perspective the full spectrum of issues and current events that affect our homes, beliefs, schools, government, churches and basic freedoms. In 1986, Maddoux was given the National Religious Broadcasters Award of Merit. In 1994 Christianity Today magazine called Point of View America's "most popular live Christian call-in show."

In 1985, Maddoux founded USA Radio Network, a for-profit company, which today is one of the nation's fastest-growing news radio networks with more than 1,300 affiliated radio stations across the nation. USA radio news is also carried worldwide on the Armed Forces Radio Service. USA Radio Network's broadcast center is in northwest Dallas; the network also has news stringers in 45 countries of the world. In 1994, the National Religious Broadcasters awarded the USA Radio Network its "Program Producer of the Year" Award.

Maddoux has been a frequent guest on national television and radio broadcasts including, "CBS Morning News," ABC's "Nightline," ABC's "Good Morning America," "CNN," "Focus on the Family," and many others. He has been an invited guest at the White House on several occasions, having met with both President Ronald Reagan and President George Bush. He is the author of several books, including America Betrayed, What Worries Parents Most, Free Speech or Propaganda? and A Christian Agenda: Game Plan for a New Era. His latest book is a novel, Seal of Gaia, published by Word. He is currently working on the sequel to Seal of Gaia.

Maddoux and his wife, Mary, have four grown children and ten grandchildren and reside near Dallas, Texas


Have you heard of Larry Burkett and Crown Financial Concepts? You can learn more about the ministry and life of Larry Burkett at the following link. Crown Financial Concepts The following paragraphs can be found on this website as well.

Larry Burkett

Following a long and courageous battle with cancer and heart disease, Larry Burkett completed his journey of serving the Lord Jesus Christ on this earth. Having battled cancer and heart attacks for the past several years, God called Larry into His presence at 3 am on July 4th.

To say that he will be missed is a huge understatement. Larry was truly loved by all those whose lives he touched; his family, his friends and his ministry partners. He lived a life of Christian kindness and genuine humility. He was always extraordinarily generous.

Steve Moore, Crown’s radio co-host who spent so much time with Larry, related something that revealed a great deal about Larry. He said that while answering callers’ questions during Crown’s Money Matters program, Larry’s compassion was so evident. Listeners could not see, but could feel, his concern and even his tears for them.

One of the central principles Larry taught is that we don’t really own things; we are simply stewards and managers of what God has entrusted to us. In Larry’s case, that included the ministry he founded.

In 1971, Larry gave his life to Jesus Christ and committed to follow wherever the Lord would lead and to boldly teach the life-changing truths of Scripture. And he did this with all his might.

Needless to say both of these men have done their part to reach out and touch the body of Christ in a special way through the ministries that God entrusted to them. They have certainly touched my life on many occasions and I join the rest of the body of Christ in honoring their lives and their obedience to the calling of Christ on their lives.
Join me as we pray for the continuance of each ministry as well as their families that have been left behind here on earth. We all know that we will be reunited one day on that glorious day when we leave this earth and re join our loved ones when the roll is called up yonder and we SHALL be THERE.

God bless