December 2008

If you know anything about the McPhersons, you know that from about middle of November on, we are in full Christmas mode. The entire month has seemed like a holiday with parties, family and friends. We had the most amazing party weekend with a huge turn out the 2009 McPherson Christmas Ball. The following day, the girls and boys both hosted separate parties. Everyone had a blast, there was food, singing and dancing. From there it Polar Express week. The kids really have a great time being in the Christmas production that the Crossing puts on. It went off wonderful. Then we had a great little private dinner with some close friends... really special time with good friends. (we are thankful for friends to share life with). Then we were off, first to floyd, AR for some short time with the Pikers and then to ATL to spend Christmas with my family. It was so cool to be here this year. The kids have had a blast and we have been able to spend some great time with all of the family. Very awesome to see Jeremy, Sue and family as well as Mendi and Dave and the kids. Our 7 really like to get together. (perhaps they should travel to AR?) We have shopped, stayed up late and slept in, gone on dates, goofed around all week and now we must begin thinking about going home. What a great december.

December in Mena

We have just had the greatest McPherson Christmas Ball ever. It was so much fun. Now we are involved in all sorts of craziness and the churches production of the Polar Express for the whole weekend. Should be great!

Nashville Trip and Thanksgiving

Jennifer and I have just had a wonderful time at the Youth Specialties National Youth Workers Convention in Nashville, TN. As always we learned alot and we challenged. Best of all we really enjoyed ourselves and had the best time being off together. Here are some pics from the event. Now we are in Searcy, hanging with family and getting ready for the big thanksgiving bash. Looking forward to the Christmas Ball next week.

great weekend

This weekend was really fun. First of all, it was the first weekend in a long time that we didn't have alot to do. That was great. The kids had friends over on friday and we had a house full. That didn't matter because it was really a good night. There was some indian leg wrestling and a few laughs.

On Saturday, we chilled and worked some on the plans for the Christmas Ball. (set up the website...http://www.blogger.com/www.mcphersonchristmasball.blogspot.com). That evening we went with friends to Raspberry Manor for a birthday dinner. Very laid back and very cool. Here are some pics from this weekend.

Fastlane Rally & Into November

After the Changing of the Colors Rally, we had a very exciting week with all of our CMA friends and leaders from the countries that make up CMA International. Translation: A week of meetings. But it was very good to hang with some old friends, mainly Ramon and Natalie Changuion from South Africa. We were able to make some new friends as well and also greatly enjoyed having Judy here at the house with us.
From that week, we headed straight into preparations for the Fastlane Rally, Carving the Ouachitas IV. This is a great event that features mainly incredible riding. I learned alot in the off-road riding school for two days and then enjoyed riding the KLR. I also spent Saturday in Wolf Pen Gap on an ATV. All in all a very cool weekend and we also had some time to spend with some friends and that is always great. In the middle of all that was halloween. And the kids really had some fun, we did some trick or treating and had a good time.
One thing that I always look so forward to is spending a week on sabbatical in the beginning of November. I have been very blessed to be able to do this for the past few years. It is always such an important time. This year was no different, except that I spent my sabbatical at home with the kids and jen took off and spent the week alone, just relaxing and reflecting. By the weekend we were dying to see each other, but both of us really enjoyed our week.
Now fall is here, the leaves and weather have changed and we are working, going to school, hanging with friends, and getting prepped to head to Nashville next week for a conference.

New Muzzleloader Shirts

We have had a few Muzzleloader shirts over the past few years, but we have recently come out with a new shirt. Here is a picture of Abby wearing it. My friend and bass player extrodinaire has agreed to print more of the shirts as we need them. If any friends want Muzzleloader shirts, please leave a comment or send me an email (jerod@cmausa.org). The cost is simply $10. We can do kids sizes or adults, just let me know.

Changing of the Colors Rally 2008

We have just finished up with a great week of fun here on Iron Mountain. We had a great leadership meeting for all of the state leadership across the United States. It is always a joy to hang out with friends that we have made in all of our travels. We were able to spend a good amount of time with our CMA Youth Movement Leaders that were able to attend.

The student events at the rally were awesome. There were good crowds and the teens that were there really had many moments to connect with Christ. We witnessed some really cool things. Here are a few pictures from the event.

Muzzleloader played with the students and then for all of CMA at the CMA Family Service. It was alot of fun and we caught some good pictures. (Ashley George put together some photos that she took as well.)

This week were are involved in CMA's International Leadership Meeting with around 70 leaders from the different countries where CMA is active.

We are very much looking forward to the fall and to all the fun that it will bring. It won't be anytime until the holidays, plays, hanging with family and of course, the McPherson Christmas Ball.

Having fun, enjoying life

Over the past few weeks we have been really having a good time going to the boys football games and doing all of our other home town things. Both Zeke and Joby are very busy with youth group and jr. high football. They have been having games 2 nights a week and half of them are over an hour away. Last night, I rode the bike out to Zeke's game, which they won 15-14, and when it was over we rode back home together. Got back late, but it was a very cool time. Also Abby and I had a special lunch yesterday at the local chinese restaurant. Everything is moving ahead and we are all looking forward to the Colors Rally coming up in October. If we could just get the Razorbacks to win...

Labor Day Fun and Back to Work

We really had a great weekend. It was fun to go to Floyd and hang with Jennifer's parents and family. We always have a great time, lots of playing games, cooking and chilling out. It was also special to spend Sunday Afternoon with her grandparents and the evening at their church. Here are some pics of the typical holiday do nothing exercises...playing cards and laughing.

No Borders Trip and Finally Back Home

Recently returned from a long ride and a good trip, but have never been happier to be back home. As mentioned in the earlier post, we rode a long way to the town of International Falls, Minnesota on the Canadian Border. It was a very good ride with really nice weather on my new KLR. The CMA No Border Rally was a good event and was good to see some old friends. Mike Holder and I hung out for most of the event and really had some good laughs. Here are some pics from the CMA Parade in downtown International Falls.

While I was gone Jen and the kids started school and had some good times as well. Here is a pic of Jen holding Eden (Mika and Jeremy's newest). Also the girls had a great time at Bethany's (one of their friends birthday tea party).

The ride home was one of those days that you won't forget. I woke up a little before 5 and decided to get rolling. The night before I had made my arrangements to leave by myself. I was on the road by 5:30. When I left it was 40 degrees and I had not planned for that cold of a ride. I rode for more than an hour to the first little town and stopped at a McDonald's for coffee. I sat there in that McDonald's in full gear and held onto a cup of coffee completely shaking. But I didn't sit long, and I kept rolling and once it warmed up a little, I really made good time. By late afternoon, I was in Kansas City and contemplating going all the way home. I hadn't stopped too much and the weather was great and so I kept rolling. By dark, I was in Neosho Missouri and within 200 miles of home. So I decided to go all the way home. I made 1100 miles in one day, and slept in my own bed that night. I had alot to come home to.

There are also some pics here from a recent chapter meeting in McAlester Oklahoma. The Dipsticks are a Youth Movement Chapter for CMA and are doing a great job in involving students in ministry.

Riding...

Spent the entire day from sun up to sun down with my head inside my helmet. On my way to the CMA No Borders Rally in International Falls, Minnesota. The weather was fantastic and we made great time. There is something special about all that time alone with your own thoughts. I thought about everything that is going on in our family, with our friends and with our work. Best of all, I always feel like I can hear the voice of God inside that smelly old Icon. Anyway, lots more riding this week and lots more time alone. I miss my jenny and my family so bad.

Back from the Dead!

I am a very bad person. I have not blogged since March. I am so terribly sorry. Perhaps you can leave a comment and suggest a suitable penance for someone as horribly lax as I have been.

Anyway, here are a bunch of pics from the summer travels. We have really had such a great time with the family traveling. The summer started with a very fun weekend at Jen's Mom and Dad's for a family reunion. From there it was hurry home for the CMA National Rally on Iron Mountain. It was absolutely incredible. It was a great week of ministry and fun. (As well as alot of work). In a very interesting few days, I located and went to get a new 2008 Kawasaki KLR 650. (A bike that I have been enjoying ever since.) After that, we had a week of meetings and a memorable summer send-off/birthday party for my friend, Jeremy. (There are no pictures available from this party.)

Then it was off to the races. We headed up to North Dakota and stopped along the way to visit some friends and CMA leaders in Sterling, Kansas. Once in North Dakota we enjoyed ourselves at the North Dakota State Rally and in the small town of Garrison, known for the world record walleye. We have many friends from this state and the rally was a great time to see them again.

From North Dakota, we beat it over to Boise, Idaho, where I had some finishing pieces put on the bike. CMA member and friend Tim Barnard, owner of Happy Trails did a great job on the bike, if you are ever in Boise, or need anything for your Dual Sport, Happy Trails is the place. From there, we shot over to Logan, Utah. It was an incredible ride. Very beautiful. In Logan, we spent a few days and hung out at the CMA Tri-States State Rally. The whole family had some fun.

When we left Logan, My Mom and Dad had flown to meet us in West Yellowstone, MT. We spent most of a week together in Big Sky Montana and visited Yellowstone and Bozeman. It was so fun. The majority of the pictures in this slide show are from these few days. It was great to be able to be with family and spend a few minutes relaxing. Made me really want to come back and go skiing sometime soon.

From Montana, it was on to Wyoming. On our way to the Wyoming State Rally in Douglas, WY, we spent a great night in Cody, Wyoming. It was a really neat western town and we had a good time walking the streets that night. The Wyoming State Rally was also fun, the town had an IHOP so we were happy to get a late night pancake or two. While at this rally our friends Hiram and Sharon introduced us to a very interesting little book. The Shack, was a quick but moving read and we have both been talking about it for a while now.

After we left Wyoming we headed down to Denver to spend a few days goofing off. We really loved it there even though we had a small repair on the Van. While in Denver we found the best malls, the best food, and even the best waterpark. Loads of fun in a pretty neat city. After leaving Denver, we drove through some of the most amazing roads we have ever seen toward Gunnison Colorado. The Rockies we simply amazing. When we arrived at Gunnison, we spent some fun times with friends John and Holly and their girls. I also had the fun of going on a sweet Dual Sport ride in the Rockies all around Gunnison and Crested Butte.

From Colorado, we beat it back home. The boys had to get physicals for the start of football practice and I had to get over to the AMA Amateur Nationals at Loretta Lynn's. The races were great as usually, even though there were some tragic accidents while we were there. CMA did a great job being present and serving at the event. I am always amazed at the things that God has me involved in. Very cool and often very different.

Once we were all home together, we spent a week doing some long overdue spring cleaning. It was great to clear out alot of the clutter. That week finished with our very own tradition of "Kin Thegither" (Family Together). We once again went to the mattresses and had a really fun time together.

As I write this, we are back in the groove of life. Football practices, work and of course lots of playing and goofing around. Please write and comment and let me know how you are doing.

Getting Ready for Summer

As we went through the spring and early summer, we really had some great times. Of course we were incredibly busy with baseball, church and work, but we managed to have some great times.

There were some very fun events including Don and Mary's dance, which we really enjoyed. Any occassion to go out and do some karaoke is always a good night out. We also hung with friends alot, did some great cooking and had probably too many laughs.

We made a quick visit to ATL in June and had a blast. We went to Six Flags with Mom and Dad and we all had so much fun riding rides. We also took in a Braves game with our cousins. The boys had so much fun together and did some pretty cool dancing. Mendi's church choir sang the national anthem and they were on the jumbotron. It was really cool.

Here are some cool pics from this timeframe.

Snow Days

We have really had a great time. It ended up that our thursday evening snow storm got us out of school and work Friday. It was great to have that day off. Here are some pics from around the house over the weekend. There is also a little video of some of the fun from outside.

Snow Day and More Work

We were absolutely blown away when out of the blue we got to take a snow day yesterday. What an amazing gift. We enjoyed it to the fullest and at the end of day really believed that we are tasting and seeing how good God has been to us. In fact, God allowed me to have some insight into my own soul, an ephiphany if you will. For this I am very thankful. I would really like to know myself or at least be aquainted with the true self that God sees. I am so very grateful for life and for the strength to live it. Can't wait to see what the next few days brings.

We are head down working on a number of different projects from work and church and aslo kicking into baseball seasons. Right now at our church, The Crossing, the band is going to be involved in some cool events for the Sundays of Palm Sunday and Easter. Here are some promos for those weeks. check em out!

Pictures from the Caribbean

We have just returned from the most amazing voyage. Last week was spent sailing in the Caribbean aboard the Carnival Conquest. We have had some very great memories in our marriage, but this week, outside of the honeymoon, may head the list. We absolutely had the most fun ever. Here are many pictures. (If they don't start automatically, try refreshing the page.)

One of the fun activities that we enjoy so much is karaoke. We really have a good time singing loud and off key, and apparently many others do too. Jen and I and our friend Susan were in a show where we had to sing with the band and wear costumes. It was really fun and a cool experience. Check out a little bit of the video here.

We have made it home and are now back to the normal fun. Baseball is starting and everything is in full swing at church and work. We are having a great year so far and are looking forward to the rest of it.

2008 Starts with a Bang!

It has been a couple of months since I have posted. During this time we have had such an amazing time. Christmas and New Year was awesome and we have had an incredible January. In these shots are pics from the huge play that the whole family was in during december, some shots from Christmas time and then some various shots from around the house during January. Last weekend we had our special Kin Thegither weekend and it was very fun. After going on a long hike together we decided that we would try to take some family pics, so we drug our old bench out into a field and took these shots. They turned out pretty cool.

Jen and I are only a few days away from our 15th year anniversary trip...a cruise. We cannot hardly contain the excitement. We are planning the trip of a lifetime.