Welcome Gideon John!

Gideon John Kauffman was born at Boone Hospital Center last Tuesday, December 7th.
It is very important that humanity know the weight of babies, boxers and wrestlers. So I must let you know that he weighed 7lbs and 7ozs. He is very alert and healthy. Both he and Mom are home now relaxing and resting. We thank the Lord for adding another blessing to our lives.

Lost in Wonder

Emerald Bay Lake Tahoe, California

"We have lost wonder when we should be lost in wonder. The wisdom literature in the Bible is devoted to nurturing our sense of wonder."
-William Brown, Wisdom's Wonder - The Biblical Theatre of Awe.

A Great Time

Several years ago during the Daniel/Maclin and other star era of Mizzou football, there was a slogan saying "It's a Great Time to be a Tiger." If that was a great time, this is a Super time to be a Tiger. I don't know what more to say about the upcoming game against Oklahoma other than I can't remember a bigger game.

Why is this game a bigger game than the two Big 12 championship games? Because I think we have a legitimate chance to win on Saturday. In the past, I knew going in for us to have a chance to beat Oklahoma we would have to have a few turnovers/calls go our way and a number of outstanding plays by Maclin. For this Saturday we have an offensive and defensive line that can win the battle. We probably (or most certainly) don't have quite the caliber of talent on the line, but we are close. Close enough to make it a game in the trenches. And we have a QB in Blaine Gabbert who is ready to "show up" for the biggest game of his career. And how about our recievers? What more can you ask for than some of those catches they made down at A&M last Saturday....

My Keys to a Mizzou Victory:
-Blaine Gabbert given enough time to make his throws.
-The defense just continues doing what they have been doing. They will have some points scored on them, but they harass and pressure all day long.

If these two things happen, I predict we win.

Camp Trip - Part II

Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place?
He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. Psalm 24:3-4

This is the second and final photo chronicle from Isaac's and my October camping trip. The Psalm above served as our passage for meditation on our trip. I have added something new this time in that you can listen to a tune while you look at the pics by clicking on the link below to "Clean Hands."




Arkansas River Trail, Downtown Little Rock. This was the first visit to Little Rock for both of us. Nice, very nice.




We met Nana and Papa Hagen for the final two days of the trip at Chickasaw State Park in Western Tennessee.



Father and Son




Isaac took these final two pics. Not bad for a five year old. Nana and Papa relaxing at the camp site.




Gas or charcoal??.....Neither, an open hickory flame. Dad grilling a whole cut up chicken and zucs, yellow squash, onion and tomatoes rolled in olive oil and grilled over hickory hauled from Excello.

Arkansas Camping Trip - Part I

Isaac and I took a father/son camping trip to Arkansas the first full week of October 2010. I'll post a photo chronicle in two installments. Click any image for an enlargement.

Chilling out and roasting mini marshmallows the first night at camp. Two marshmallows at a time - one for Isaac, one for Dad. Repeat.


Arkansas - The Natural State



The view of Bull Shoals - White River State Park from the visitor center. Our campground was around the bend of the White River in the distance. The White River is rather large, probably 100 feet wide in places, but is only 3-5 feet deep in the middle. It is crystal clear and has a rock bottom. The Jon boat was invented in these parts as it handles shallow spots very well. According to the locals, this is world class trout fishing at its finest.

Our campsite was beautiful. We stayed here two nights and could have stayed longer.

After a day of hiking a 2 3/4 mile Bluff Trail loop, biking tandem up a very long hill, playing fish bingo with the rangers, playing at two playgrounds, visiting a bird zoo and messing around the campground............It's time for some food! Ground chuck patties and grilled vegetables both cooked over an open hickory flame, fresh raspberries and tomatoes from our garden in Macon, MO. Afterwards some candybars, a warm fire and Jack London's "Call of the Wild."

"In the Heart"

Ever since my oldest son Isaac has been putting together sentences, he has used the phrase "I love you in the heart." It is a very sweet phrase that he just seemed to come up with one time. It has been four years now since he coined the term and it is now a phrase that we all use in the family, especially before bed time.

It was just recently that I was illuminated about the more serious undertones of "in the heart." I had just thought it was something sweet my little boy came up with and that it didn't really mean more love, because it was "in the heart." But let's consider a few divine words that deal with "the heart."

That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9 This scripture suggests that belief with your mind is not enough, but that the belief in Jesus' divinity is a "heart" thing.

"I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him." Mark 11:23. This suggests that faith in Jesus that comes from the heart is indeed of the supernatural type.

Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Proverbs 3:3. Wow, that is just a beautiful statement.

The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." Psalm 14:1a

It has become clear that not only in interpersonal relationships, but also in our relationship with God that there are deep theological undertones to "the heart." As Solomon says, "When you look into water, you see a likeness of your face. When you look into your heart, you see what you are really like."

Lift Jesus Higher

"I believe in justice: but I am not a preacher of the gospel of justice, but the Gospel of Christ who calls us to justice. I believe in love, but I am not a preacher of the gospel of love, but the Gospel of Christ who calls us to love. I am committed to peace, but I am not a preacher of the gospel of peace, but the Gospel of Christ who calls us to peace. I believe in the value of the simple life, but I am not the preacher of the simple life, but of the Gospel of Christ that calls us to the simple life. Let us beware of the ultimate plagiarism of borrowing some great concepts from Jesus then running off proclaiming these concepts and not sharing the Christ that empowers these concepts."

-Myron Augsburger