Wonderful Anticipation-The Miracle of Christmas

I have the great opportunity and responsibility of filling in for friend this month. He is the Pastor of Pike View Baptist Church in Hart co. Kentucky. It will be my first time to bring the message of Christmas to a congregation. Tomorrow, I will present a message of hope...the long awaited coming of the messiah to the little town of Bethlehem. For hundreds of years the jewish people had anticipated the coming of the messiah as foretold by their prophets. Yet, he would not come riding on a white horse and leading a saving army, instead he would be born in humble circumstance in a stable. Shepherds would be the first to hear the announcement given by angels on high. Days later, an old man, Simeon, would see first hand the child of hope that was revealed to him by the Holy Spirit.

So many people longed for the messiah to come...to free them from oppression...and yet He was not what many expected. The Lord of Hosts would heal and perform miracles and yet many would not believe. Our Savior would die on the cross and be raised from the dead in 3 days and yet many would not believe. 2000 years have passed and we wait again in wonderful anticipation for His second return. It is not slowness that hinders His return but a desire to see as many as possible come to know Him as their personal savior. There is still yet time for belief, but soon, He will come. It may not be tomorrow or next year or in 10 or 20. We must continue to wait, to anticipate His return and to be ready. Come Lord Jesus......."Behold, I am coming, quickly."

Too Long Coming

Wow..it has been too long since I posted to this blog. I have posted several on our studio website so be sure to look at those if you get a chance. Well, the liberal socialists seem to have a stronghold on our capital at the moment...trashing every conservative effort to make things right. To a certain extent, the Republicans are seeing the results of their straying from pure conservative ideals. On the other hand, the Democrats refuse to see that most Americans are moderate to center right on most if not all issues. The polls are reflecting America's distrust of Washington politics and assuredly, Democrat politics. Nancy Pelosi seems lost in LaLa land as she refers to common Americans as "Nazi's, Right Wing Terrorists, etc." Obama jets off to Copenhagen to make a bid for a corrupt Chicago mob to garner the Olympics only to be rebuffed soundly by the world Olympic committee. Meanwhile, more and more Americans lose their jobs and feel estranged from the government that should be helping them instead of making things worse.

The Health Care debate should be focusing on things like tort reform, interstate competition between insurance companies (allowing holders to buy out of state and transfer policies), availability of low cost insurance for catastrophic health issues, etc. Instead, the Dems want to cram this socialist universal health care down the throats of Americans that are already struggling.... Obama pledged that taxes wouldn't be raised not one dime for average Americans...good luck with that....hello massive taxes. This deficit spending is so out of control, our grandchildren will be in hock...

Of course, Marxists want the masses to be beholden to Big Brother Government. As for me, I'd prefer to hang on to my freedoms for as long as possible. Just give me a level playing field. Don't get me wrong...I care about the poor as much or more as anyone. If it was up to me, poor people would be able to get all the education they need to succeed and give them the opportunity to make something out of their lives....the Dems would prefer the poor to remain poor and in their debt...and make the rest of poor as well....

Socialism has been shown time after time to be a failed system...let's not go down that road.

Socialism...Communism....Not American

America is the land of the free, and with freedom comes responsibility and possibility. Freedom means you have the opportunity to succeed or fail. It is up to you...not the government. I don't need big brother watching over me, telling me how to live, how to run my business, catching me if I make a bad business decision. Neither should anyone else. Any business that consistently makes bad decisions should fail and rightly so. Success and the quest for success is the American story. The chance to make something out of your life from nothing is the American dream. Government intervention will only hinder the American Dream...Hey...just give me a level playing field and a fighting chance. Innovation and "stick to itiveness" thrive when given a chance. Risk and reward go hand in hand....that is if I have control over the risk in my life...Let me choose when to risk it and when not to....

However, when someone else risks my future, my money, and my prosperity foolishly then I have a complaint and all Americans should as well. The current administration is foolishly risking the future of this country so they can feather the nest of their supporters with a so called stimulus package that will affect the rest of us and our childrens for generations. It is time to put a stop to this socialist agenda and get America back to where she stands tall and proud, where success is created by entrepreneurs and average people doing their thing and striving for the American dream. Socialism and Communism are not American, let us hope that the purveyors of such will be firmly unseated and more true Americans voted into office se we can really turn this thing around.

Government Intrusion

The US Government has no business getting into business.  Intrusion into American businesses can only hurt business and as a result hurt employment.  This country was founded on principals of free enterprise and is one of the things that make this country great.  As a self employed person, I really just want the government to get out of my way.  Give me a level playing field so that I can compete and others have no unfair advantage and that is OK with me.  This idea of controlling GM, taking shares away from stockholders and giving over control to the unions is a very bad idea.  This is not the Socialist States of America.  Unions have essentially sucked the tit dry and now they are going to cannibalize the body that supports them...won't work.  Let forward looking businessmen take a shot at the helm without union and government interference and maybe GM has a chance.  As it is, it is a recipe for disaster.

The American taxpayer will be left holding the bag and paying for more government intrusion.  That is really Un-American in and of itsself.  I really believe that given the chance, Americans can design, build, and compete on the global level, but not with government interference.  We can come out of this recession smelling like a rose if the Government will let us.  Stabilize the banks, let prudence be our guide, live responsibly and ethically, and let good ol American ingenuity take over.  We can do this.  Socialism never has worked and never will.

Smoke on the Mountain

Suzann and I recently spent a couple of days down in the Smokies for some R&R.  It was great. The weather was iffy...rain and sun mix...but overall it was a good break.  Saw four bears with one mama and two cubs.  Wildflowers were blooming and streams were running clear and cold.  The rain and clouds gave the mountains their characteristic "smoke" as seen above.  Trouble is...I want more...so I am planning a little backpack trip very soon with my son.

The smoke on the mountain reminds me of the old saying:  Where there is smoke...there is fire.  And I think I am seeing some smoke on the horizon coming out of Washington.  What is really disturbing is the efforts of the far left to stifle free speech on radio in the disguise of "fairness".  The left-wingers can't find enough financial supporters to buy the time on their own or to make their radio shows profitable... so now they want to silence the traditional conservatives to allow room for their socialistic dogma and leftist propaganda.  

It's like the story of the frog being thrown into boiling water...he jumps right out...but put the frog into nice cool water and gradually raise the temp...the frog doesn't detect the change until it is too late and he is one dead boiled frog...Well, I don't want to be the boiled frog, so I am jumping now...hope you guys start jumping too.

Another thing that concerns me is the NAIS program that is being bandied about to place IDs on all livestock in America so that in the event you have an outbreak of something like Mad Cow Disease, the animal can be tracked...don't believe the rhetoric...Cattle farmers already have a good solution...it's called the old fashioned branding...Farmers do not need more government intervention and regulation...American beef is the healthiest on the planet...further regulation could seriously hurt the farmer...one of the things they are talking about is requiring documentation everytime the animal leaves the farm...how are the 4Hers and FFA kids going to be able to show their animals at the fair, etc.???? And how about other things like...horses...going on a trail ride??? Well...seems like to me we need less government intervention and not more.

Well that's it for now...keep watching that smoke on the mountain.

What you will do for your mother....

This is a Cat House...yes...a real Cat House but not the kind you might think.  My mother has adopted a bunch of cats that appeared at the studio a few years ago...Mama cat showed up then...well you can guess.  They have all been neutered now but they have to have a place to live you see.  So here it is and it is a rather nice Cat House.  Thanks to Chris Duvall for construction.   I hauled it over from Chris' house this morning and installed it on the back porch so Mom can get to it easily and provide food, water, and succor to the furry critters.  I am not really a cat fan but Mom has taken the little things under her wing and What Mama Wants...Mama Gets.

So I just hope the word doesn't get out that a new Cat House has opened up in Etown.

Offended and Disgusted

What really gripes me is the way liberals are badmouthing conservatives for standing up for the very things that we believe in...like small government, low taxes, personal responsibility, right to life, Christian Values, Family Values, traditional marriage, the second amendment and so it goes.

It seems to me that our constitution is very clear about certain things and that our elected politicians should pay heed to our constitution...After all...are they not sworn to protect and defend the constitution of the United States....to do otherwise amounts to outright treason.  The people that attended the recent Tea Parties are true patriots...they are not KOOKS or Redneck Racists.  Neither are they ignorant, uneducated, right wingers.  Our conservative beliefs reflect concern for our nation in a well thought out and intelligent manner.  I say the left leaning socialists are the ones that are the true danger to our nation.  

To be labelled a potential terrorist by Homeland Security is the height of socialist propaganda. Who are the real patriots and who are the real dangers here?  Our soldiers are all people of honor and love this country.  Our Tea Party protesters are honorable patriots.  Our NRA members love this country and love the constitution.  We don't deserve to be labelled a potential threat...unless of course you are referring to us defenders of freedom as a threat to things like communism, terrorism, socialism, etc.

Our forefathers fought and died to make this country free and prosperous...let's do all we can to keep it that way.

Time Marches On

It has been one busy month since I was able to post a blog...sorry....I will do better. No Pix this time but I am going to talk about such...

We have completed our Youth Salute photography for 2009. It was a great bunch of kids this year. Now comes the work, putting it all together and getting the displays back from the lab. We tried some new things, new backgrounds, new looks, etc. this year and everyone should really like what you see this time around.

Coming soon to McCoy's Image Studio will be the Young Achievers which is something like the Youth Salute for Elementary and Middle schoolers (4th and 7th graders) We are getting nominations now, photography this summer and fall, display will go up the first part of 2010 as the details will be worked out later.

Attended the TEA Party in Etown. Good showing of people. Hope DC gets the message although the detracters were pretty nasty in their comments. America needs to wake up about this whole taxation, spending, deficit and socialist bent....Freedom once taken away is very hard to return. Our founders did not intend for our government to be so overbearing...read your history and see for yourselves.

Well, I am going to sit in a blind tomorrow morning and call in some turkeys...hope to post some photos soon...until then God Bless you all and God Bless America.

The Fire-Premier Worship Event at FBC Hodgenville

March 21 will bring the first worship event to First Baptist in Hodgenville.  I have been wanting to do something along this line for some time now and have just now been able to pull some of it together.  The event is called The Fire.  The name comes from Acts 2 when a great rushing wind came upon the apostles and flames appeared above their heads.  The Holy Spirit entered into the world of Christian believers and 3000 people were saved that day.  It is my hope that this same Holy Spirit Fire will inhabit those in attendance and encourage them to become closer to God in their own walk and at the same time reach others who have no relationship with Jesus Christ.

Our first event and hopefully one that shall become a monthly will feature Andrew and Emily McCoy of Knoxville.  Andrew is my son and Emily is his wife.  They are currently at work on Masters degrees at UT in Knoxville.  Andrew in Jazz Guitar and Emily in Jazz Piano...composition, arranging, etc.  They were previously on the staff of Forerunner Music Academy in Kansas City.  This music school is a part of the International House of Prayer.  A&Em both played on the praise team in the 24/7 prayer room and Emily has led worship there and elsewhere.  Their new CD has just been released...The Song of Solomon...this is an instrumental compilation of tracks that correspond to chapters in The Song of Solomon.  

Emily will be leading worship for the first Fire and we hope to have both of them back for more.  I hope to recruit other musicians from the area to become the House Band.  The Fire will also be a venue for other Christian Artists...both musicians, songwriters, and visual artists.  I pray that the Lord is in this endeavor and makes it a success.  After all...he is the vine and we are the branches...apart from Him we can do nothing....

Worshipping in Spirit and Truth

The Worship Arts Conference held at Campbellsville University this last week was an enjoyment for me. Music was provided by John Mark McMillan, Rachael Hurt, and Charlie Hall. All great worship artists but all sonically different. It's really great to be able to get away for a couple of days and hear some good music and challenging speakers like Shane Claiborne and Steve Ayers. Dr. John Hurtgen and staff did a great job for their 3rd annual conference and I would not hesitate to encourage anyone who has an interest in worship music, art, etc. to attend next year. The quality of the speakers is number one and the music is outstanding...I just wish more people could participate...perhaps the word hasn't gotten out yet.

Worship in church is one of my pet peeves or something like that. Too many churches have such a lack of worship that literally no one truly enters into worship but instead drones through hymns by rote realizing hardly any, if at all, spiritual involvement. No wonder so many churches are declining when their level of worship is such that no one is inspired. How can anyone get excited about bringing others to Jesus when their church is at such a uninspired state. Why not let the God of creativity take over and bring about a new song...seems like I have heard something about singing a new song...yep...Psalms....and perhaps the old wineskins might need to be replaced in order to recieve the new wine that God is prepared to pour out on His church if the people are only willing to recieve...

I got to worship some this week and I am glad of it. The House was Rocked. A joyful noise was made unto the Lord....Why can't we have a little more of this on Sunday Mornings?

Survival

Thank God things are starting to get back to normal. We got power at home late last Saturday but there are still people in the county without. It will be days of work getting the mess cleaned up in our yard as there are still many downed limbs and branches over the whole lot. I won't have to worry about firewood for next winter for sure. My sense of time is all screwed up and I am having a hard time figuring out what day of the week it is...well, that will come around eventually.

They are saying that more bad weather is in the offing as high winds and possible tornadoes are in store for tomorrow. I have had enough of this....maybe we will escape more carnage, at least I am praying so. Kentucky has been hit pretty hard with the ice, we don't need another round of high winds to bring down more trees and limbs. Some areas around here look like tornado damage only more widespread.

Country boys can survive but we don't have to like it. We made it through the last bout and I suppose if we live through the next one we will continue to hang in there. We have a generator now, and enough gas to last for at least 12 hours. Firewood is getting short but I suppose I could find some more if needed. It may come down to living off the land...I have enough ammunition for the short term. Spring is on the way and we can plant a garden. Fish can be caught and dried. Jerky could be made and dried...hides tanned, moccasins sewn up...pemmican...well, I am getting too far out there now....11 days without power is enough for me...any more and I might get really crazy.

Ice Storm of 2009

We just got internet up and running after several days.  The ice storm hit here in KY and made things a real mess.  I was down in the bed with stomach flu or some such virus...an insidious attack that left me weak, queasy, and unable to do much at all for a few days.  It was quite surreal lying in bed hearing the trees exploding outside the house and occasionally bashing into the roof.  Suzann was in the basement and refused to come upstairs but sparingly.  We still have no power at home...nor will we for several days.  It looks like a war zone.

Kinda reminds me of old photos from the civil war where the cannons had shredded the tops of trees at Gettysburg.  In fact the loud cracking and popping sounded like gunfire and the ice falling like shrapnel all around.  I finally gained some strength to go outside and bring in more firewood.  Having no hard hat, I put on my 4wheeler helmet for protection...not much good it would have done if one of the trees came down on top of me.  Suzann and I were cooking on the coleman stove on the back screen porch when half of a big oak just snapped off and came crashing down not 20 feet away.  Now there is just a long stump sticking up.  

The power came back on at the studio in Etown so we ventured over there and have been staying the nights.  We come home during the days so that we can build a small fire in the wood furnace to keep the house from freezing.  And so it goes here in KY.  They say this is the worst power outtage in the states history and may take days if not weeks to repair.  It is definitely the worst ice storm I can remember in my 55 years.  Ice on branches over an inch thick.

Well, that's it for now.  Hopefully there will be sunshine and warmth in the near future...I am ready for it.

A Foggy Road Ahead

Every now and then life sends you down a trail that is spooky, unclear, uncertain, and maybe a little bit scary. Such is the way life is at the moment. The future remains foggy at best. About a year ago I was down Savannah way and came across this old historic line of live oaks over arching a long road. The trees were old and covered in Spanish Moss. You could not see the end of the drive but on it went. You could almost feel the spirit of the place reaching out to cover up it's bare bones laid open during the winter sleep.

I have felt that fog in recent weeks come slipping into the recesses of my mind as I try to comprehend the future that lays before me. God knows what is out there...really. I do not. Yet, I put my trust in Him to know the way and lead me where the vision fails and the trail becomes faint.

This weekend, Suzann and I attended the Ky Pro Photo Expo put on by the Ky Professional Photographers Association of which we are members. We haven't been active for many years but this year we decided to attend and try to get re-engergized a bit. Glad we did. We came back with lots of new ideas and things for the studio...HOLY COW...does software have to be so expensive....oh well...

I attended a couple of seminars that I especially liked...Darton Drake from Wisconsin was very interesting as well as Michelle Celantano from Phoenix...The two are very different in style but yet I brought back ideas from both. Things have changed so much in the photography industry in the last 5 years it is almost unreal...certainly...the path forward is foggy and overshadowed. I think that there will always be a need for a true professional but the overall industry is being diluted by ignorant newcomers that buy a digital camera and computer...hang out a sign proclaiming their profession...and whammo...instant photographer....caveat emptor. Don't be fooled by such.

Well...I shall prevail, one way or another so watch out, new things are on the horizon. Good Lord willing, the studio will be offering some new and interesting things in the coming months. Strange, wonderful things....A new way of seeing...A new way of understanding....Things that you can only get from me...and McCoy's Image Studio

Some people talk about having a "boutique studio". Well, I would say we are the original boutique studio. We have catered to more people, with more variety in clientele than anyone else...and we can prove it...just ask me sometime....30 years of experience counts for something and I challenge any newcomer to step up toe to toe with us see who can come out on top. You can fool some of the people some of the time but you can't fool all of the people all of the time. After 30 years, I don't fool anyone...never did...never had to.

Tell you what...if you are interested in a portrait session...family, child, etc....give us a call and mention this blog and I will give you an extra 8x10 with your order...how bout them apples.

Being Real

I have been thinking about being real today. That is authenticity. No smoke and mirrors. No mask. No fronts. Just plain old being real and truthful in who you are and how your relate to people. I know this is difficult if not impossible to completely real all of the time...but, something I strive for is to be real and honest as much as I possibly can. Sometimes, people don't even realize that they are acting in a dishonest manner...not so much as being dishonest in business matters...but being dishonest in how they present themselves. I think people sometimes create a false personna that they project in the presence of others and deep down they are not like that at all. Other times...people do that intentionally and purposefully because of what ever reason they have.

One thing that bugs me is people being real in worship. Some worship leaders come across as very authentic and others just leave me cold. I think that has something to do with the presence of the Holy Spirit both in their own lives and in the church service itsself. I can't stand fake people and they turn me off immediately. I hope people don't see me as fake because I try very hard to be real. When I play worship music...I try go to that place where I am in touch with God. Sometimes I can really feel His presence and sometimes it is just that still small voice and I struggle to make the connection. I wonder sometimes if some people ever make the connection. Being real is obscured by just doing what comes from habit...and that leads to lifeless and dishonest worship...at least in my way of thinking.

Reality sometimes is raw, offensive. Sometimes it may seem good to go to that fantasy land where unreality takes over and the real is covered up. But in the end you have a handful of nothing with only fake feelings, fake ideas, and a fake personna that others see truthfully and others may see as real while they go about leading their fake unreal lives.

I guess at some point you have to have a come to Jesus moment and open up your dishonest front and allow God to point out the hollowness in your own life. Realization of your hollowness can lead to growth and full dependance on God. After all, we are all sinners and come short of the glory of God. Yep...sinners. Hollow, fake shells of what is truly real. Now we see only dimly what is the truth of reality but one day, my faith says that I will know as I am known. Then REAL will have a true meaning.

So what is real anyway? I would hope that at the end of the day when it is all said and done that others will be able to point to me and say...He was the real thing. A little raw and rough around the edges but real...not some phony with a fake mask that changed depending on the crowd...but a real honest person that was open to all who crossed his path. Real. The Real McCoy...I think I have heard that somewhere before.

Free to Worship

I have been at church all morning working with a couple great brothers in the Lord.  We have been picking out worship music for our blended service at FBC in Hodgenville.  One of the big concerns is that we have to be concerned about "offending" some of our traditional leaning members.  That in and of itsself is offending to me.  What is wrong with having a variety of music styles prevalent in our worship so that all of our people may enter into worship in a manner that is meaningful to them.  Who says that only Hymns are worship and that God wants churches to sing only hymns to HIM.

It seems to me that those of us who happen to like contemporary praise music are very open to sharing the time with some hymns yet the other side wants to cram their style down our throats with no compromise.  They proudly proclaim their hymns and at the same time squelch the Spirit.  They smugly sit in their seats wanting to only hear "their" music...most of the time not even singing themselves...and damn us for wanting some life and authenticity in worship...

This really burns my chaps.  How in the world can our church move into meaningful worship, look ahead, reach out to the unchurched and lost in our community while there are those who are willing to dash the hopes of a whole segment of our church membership?  Who are they to dictate the manner in which I worship?  After all, we should be worshipping the one true God and especially in a manner that speaks the language of our heart.  I really think they are worshipping the hymns instead of God.

At least they should take a hard look at Psalms and see how David worshipped.  Something about making a joyful noise...harps, stringed instruments, lyre, cymbals...crashing cymbals...drums...well read it for yourself.  I prefer a little joy in my worship...not cold dead music that contains no spirit.  

Sorry about the rant.  God will have his way...one way or another.  Patience Grasshopper.

A Lotta Bull!

This is Tri Chex. He is a registered Texas Longhorn bull. He lives at our farm in Indiana and is happily engaged with a herd of Longhorn cows that he affectionately calls his own. He may look menacing but he is really just a big baby. His crowning jewels...aka horns..measure over 64 inches tip to tip and by all respects he is a lotta bull. As longhorns go he is not at the very top of his class because some of those guys have over 70 inch spreads but TChex is hanging in there because of his mass and body condition...

We like old Tri Chex. He is just happy doing his job...that is...making baby calves. We will soon see the fruit of his labor in the coming months. We are hoping for some very colorful and heavy horned offspring. We love to just watch our longhorns as they peacefully graze in the pasture. The little calves chasing each other and just loving life. Of course, we have another member of the herd that thinks she is a longhorn but in reality she is just an ass...er...donkey. Jedup loves the little calves too and hates coyotes....she will chase the critters down and promptly run them out of the field. Jedup is pregnant...and we are hoping for a cute little donkey this spring.

Life sometimes reveals a lotta bull and we have seen our share of it this year. I am praying that 2009 will have less bull and more sensible leadership in our country. It's one thing if you really are a bull and you have a job to do...but quite another if you are just spreading bull around...Instead of being the bull you might just be the ass....food for thought.