i believe children are the future

every now and then

i feel the need to post an image like this

to do my own little part

in sharing with who ever visits my meager blog

what the media chooses not to show you

it's not hard to find

but you are going to have to dig for yourself

can't count on politicians journalist or anchormen

to give you something other than spin

i happened upon this picture

and it's more disturbing

than that of a horror movie

chucky

children of the corn

or the shining

there are so many more images like it

like the x-files said

the truth is out there

it's not always delivered to your front door

and it isn't always pleasant

check it out

What do you think of my new tattoo? I got it to celebrate the success of my new PhotoShop diet.

thinking of Tommy today

Tommy Puckett's mom died yesterday. I've been thinking about his family today. Keep them in your prayers. I dug up a poem that I wrote about Tommy at my old Tripod blog. Thought I'd repost it today.

i found an old friend

in a familiar face

his cup is full

for God and man

an uncommon man

who prays without ceasing

and I know that God listens

and loves each prayer

that is spoken softly

humbly

yet always boldly

i perceive him

as a selfless quiet man

who walks each day reflecting

the great grace given

and always returning

darkness fear men like this

one whose sword is ever near

eyes always clear

seeking the kingdom

finding it always

because God loves that heart

his light burning

as well as the conversation

the more i am around my friend Tommy

the more i agree with God

i love this fellow too

David B. Finlayson

January 11, 2006

that day

james earl thompson

jim thompson was a dear friend

years will never change that

i will always miss this good man

his death left a hole in my life

i miss his servant heart

his presence

his laughter

i tell my friends i love them often

one never knows when we'll lose a compadre'

i didn't see jim's death coming

i didn't get to say goodbye

so know

next time i tell you i love you

know that i really do

and i value you

each moment we have in the here in now

these bonds

these familiar faces

my brothers in arms

sisters too

i am so blessed to have you around

so blessed to know you

last consequence

i found myself

alone among millions

tormented and forgotten

marked by my unforgiven sins

and never broken will

at the mercy of the merciless

into the deep

where the eternal language are screams

the beast torture man

upon the fiery shores

simply because we are each the bitter reminder

of the Creator

simply because we were made in the likeness of Him

and yet without His Spirit

we are each alone and isolated

nothing but pain

nothing but remorse

it only took the first moment there to realize

how all eternity will be spent

salvation will never come my way again

i refused Him all my life there

but now

i'm crying out to a God that will not have me

a Savior who will never come

weeping at the fiery edge

made in the image of God

knowing i will never die

or completely burn

guess who i am voting for

Last night I watched Fred Thompson throw his hat into the ring during the Jay Leno show. Finally...a Republican candidate who is truly a conservative. I've watched this guy for a long time and I am all about him.

Go check him out. Fred's image above is linked to his site.

about Carl

It's been well over twenty years ago that my brother in-law, Dan Noojin, asked me to help him move his parents. Max and Sue Noojin had purchased a house on Noccalula Mountain and needed a hand. During the move, I noticed a framed photograph on the wall of a young man that I didn't recognize. He had definite Noojin characteristics about him. I asked who it was and Dan stopped what he was doing and looked at me with a serious look on his face.

He said, "That's my older brother Carl."

"How come I've never met him?" I asked

"He died in Vietnam, we don't talk about it much."

I felt the sadness that any one would from hearing of such a loss. We quietly went back to work that day and I didn't mention Carl's name again for about five or six years. I don't remember what Dan and I were talking about at the time, we'd cover all kinds of ground back then. Perhaps we just came to a place in a conversation where I felt it okay to ask about Carl.

Dan smiled, "There's no Carl, David. That picture on the wall was of me back in 1969." That is typical Dan Noojin. He waited years for me to finally step into it. The longer the sweeter I guess.

Earlier in the week my mom brought a picture to the office. She said that it was from Dan. There it was, the picture of "Carl" that had started it all. It was signed at the top, To David, From Carl. "I'm not dead yet...I'm feeling much better." I took the photograph, scanned it, and PhotoShopped a Marine Blues onto the Dan's fourteen year old image...hence the Lt. Dan from previous post.

I don't know why, but somehow I am relieved by Carl's note that he is okay...that he made it back from Nam. It must have to do with thinking that there really was a Carl for so long and that the Noojin family had silently suffered such a loss. All those years I thought Carl was a real person and it's nice hearing from him even if he never was. So in a strange way, I am glad he's not dead and that he's feeling much better.

I wonder what he looks like these days?

a story soon to tell

i have a story to tell about this photo

i'll tell it to you soon

when i have time to blog again

maybe tomorrow

the clan farquharson

when it comes to genealogy

we have so little

much of what we have to go on

is from the yellowing pages of family Bibles

if you can find one

i am curious about my grandfather

and his father

his father's father

i am curious about them all

i know my love reaches back further than i imagine

i know little about them

i know only what little was told to me about my dad's dad

he died before i was born

and i've only a few stories

a few glimpses back

i tell my children about their grandfather

i have only a few stories of his youth

a few glimpses through my eyes

my memories

the past becomes forgotten

all we have left are stories

names and dates etched in stone

i know they were much more than that

when they were here

when it was there time to be

so little is left now

when i die

what will be left here of me

just stories and a stone

descendants

that i hope will grow to know

love and worship their Heavenly Father

to make contact with the eternal things

while it's their time to be

when i am long gone

cold and bones

forgotten

one day

i will move to a higher hill

a greater perspective

see my path

my father's path

and his before him

we can watch together

and talk about the life we had

and how God brought us through each moment

the days of faith

the days of hope

before we came to that final place

He prepared for us there

family and family before

we will all dine together

in the same time and space

with all questions answered

we will no longer have to wonder

but rather smile across the table

see my fathers with my own eyes

live out eternity in each other's presence

there is a low ceiling to genealogy here

trails end and grown over

the earth buries the past all too quickly

the clouds and deep blue distance

limit our view of heaven

one day

one day