~Rich Mullins
To me, this quote sums up David.....tough, brave, and willing to give life all he’s got to bring God glory. We’ve been friends with David’s family for 10 years now, and they are the most special family!! Whatever crazy scrapes we get into, they are always the heroes...be it delivering a baby horse being born early, moving hay, or driving 12 hours to bring us home when we can’t finish the end of a road trip.
David has grown so much in the time I've known him. Spiritually as well as outwardly. He is an amazing man, a deep thinker, has an outstanding sense of humor, and brings fun wherever he goes.
David, may God bless you so crazy much in the rest of your life. I personally can’t wait to see where you’re at in a few years :)
Love, your little sister
a.jpg)
LOVE,LOVE, LOVE them !!!! So much fun to see these. You did a great job Lisa! And...so did David and Noah....still cannot get over Noah all grown up......
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Mrs. G!!! It was a blast :)
DeleteEPIC! ^_^ Awesome photos, Lisa!! You're getting better at photography every day. :D I love the second last one; I think it's a very looking-ahead to what God's got down the road kinda photo. :)
ReplyDeleteHaha...thanks, Bushy!! I agree. Love that one :)
DeleteLove all the pictures...but as a British reader I'm a little confused about the guns in *every* picture. I know you're all into your guns, but please could an American explain to me what this is all about? Over here, gang members use them to shoot each other. And the occasional member of the royal family to shoot deer/peasants/pheasants.
ReplyDeleteI don't want to sound rude, but I just don't get it! Is that a thing in the US? Do you all just carry guns around like that? And seriously, do you not think it would be worth making them harder to get hold of to reduce the mortality rate from shootings? Me thinks this is a cultural difference, but I'd like to understand :) Happy to answer any questions about the UK in return...
Before I start, I have to warn you - you asked for it....
DeleteAnyway, let me explain. Since you are British, you probably know that our revolutionary war with you guys was about many things, but came to a head over the issue of guns. The British tried to seize an armory, and the armed american militia stopped them.
Guns are a sign of freedom, and one of the first things tyrants do is try to disarm citizens. So as for why Americans like guns, it is because it is partially a sign of our freedom - power, to protect, defend, and provide for ourselves, without any government to help us out.
About Gang members using them for violence, I absolutely agree - gang bangers use them for as much crime, if not more, here in america as they do over there in Britain. But we need to take a step back and look at things.
Here in the U.S, we have varying levels of gun restrictions. Where I live in Arizona, guns are plentiful, available for nigh on anybody to buy, anything from handguns with high-capacity magazines, to hunting rifles, to shotguns, to military style rifles - all available to the common people for sale.
In Washington D.C., it is vastly different. There, there is absolutely no guns allowed period. Not one. There are no exceptions and no private citizen is allowed to own or possess a firearm for any reason.
So, if things were kinda like you were talking about, meaning the more guns = more crime, less guns = less crime, we should see a nice safe capital and a ruggedly dangerous wild west right?
Actually, it's dead wrong. D.C., with its laws totally banning guns, has the highest *gun related* crime rate in the entire U.S. The absolute highest - #1 in the nation.
Arizona has a simply crawling rate of crime. Hardly any compared to D.C.
Why?
Because crooks look for easy targets. They go for people that are not likely to retaliate or fight back. A gun wielding population will have very little crime, because Criminals will have no idea who is packing a pistol and who isn't. It is much safer for them to go to a place where all the law-abiding citizens are disarmed, because everybody is an easy target. That is just the way criminals work.
Another example to remember is Chicago. There is absolutely no guns allowed there, and they have a simply staggering crime rate, due to criminals going to surrounding states where guns are allowed (and have lower crime rates), and bringing guns back in to Chicago where they proceed to shoot each-other up wit them. The average citizen doesn't have guns because they are illegal. Only the people who already do illegal things - criminals, have guns, and they have no opposition to keep them from doing their dirty deeds.
I want you to remember this phrase -
- When guns are outlawed, only outlaws have guns -
Honestly, that is why Britain has a high crime rate - the crooks know that nobody can pull a gun and stop them. They know that the cops wont be there for a few minutes - if they come at all - and they have a few minutes at the very least to pull as much lawlessness as they can manage.
I carry a gun for two reasons. One, to protect the lives of those who can't, and two, to protect my own life against those who who would try to take it.
The affect of carrying a gun in public is huge. Any potential criminals out there thinking about pulling a quick one in a minute, will have serious second thoughts, and will probably change their plans to a certain extent. The common man carrying a gun in public puts a visual damper on crime, and helps keep peace in the society.
Honestly, I enjoy firearms for their own sake, as well as bows, and all those type of things. They are something that I just enjoy. I hunt as well, so weapons are a large part of my life, of many varieties.
So, in summary, guns are not just an American thing - its a thing that brings peace, law, and order to an nation.
I hope that answers your questions. :)
P.S. The reason they are in every picture, is because I have a gun on me all the time. Its not a matter of having a *gun* in every *picture* - its merely pictures of *me* - and I carry guns.
DeleteRealized I hadn't quite answered that question, and thought I had best clear it up. :)