Last Gripe of 2008...(Thanks Steve!!)

Check out this story...

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2008/12/zune-30-shutdow.html

I got the idea from Steve's blog here. I am the proud owner of two 30GB Zune media players. I know, I know, should've bought an Ipod, but I didn't. Here's my story. I am getting things together for our youth group's New Year's party and I go to plug in my Zune and lo, and behold, it freezes up! Me thinks, hmmm....I need to reboot this crazy thing. So I try without success to reboot the Zune....it is frozen on the startup screen!! So, me thinks maybe there are some other upset Zune customers and I do a Google search on "frozen Zune" and walla! Looks like it's Zunepocalypse!!! All Zune 30 GB's are freezing up across the world!! Possible cause: Zune's internal clock is not programmed for a leap year & blitzes out. Possible solutions so far: Crack the unit open, voiding any possible warranty and disconnect the battery and reconnect & reassemble. I tell you, I am gonna crack this thing open......but I highly doubt thet there will be any reassembling because of mass structural failure of the external casing!!!! Ok, in English....It's time for Susie Sledgehammer!!!!!
It's crazy. Oh well, time to get an Ipod.
I, like Steve, am ready to do some major destruction on stupid consumer products!!

Edit......1-4-2009.....I fired the Zune up this morning and walla!!!! It works!!!!! I guess that in Microsoft's brilliance they forgot to program a leap year into the Zune so it did a Y2K-ish thing....froze up on the 366th day of the year!! Go figure!! I'm still in the market for an Ipod after I get all my Christmas bills paid lol.....

Outlaw Chaser Randy Hicks...

I just spoke with Lanny Dean, and he old me that Randy was involved in a bad accident today. Randy has cuts & bruises, but should be ok.

Lanny told me that Randy was out driving and swerved to miss a deer at 70MPH and hit the ditch head on! I can imagine that Randy and his family & friends are thankful that the outcome was not worse. Randy refused treatment at the scene but his family is watching him closely and if there are any signs of internal injuries then they will take him immediately to the hospital.

Let's all band together and pray for ol' Randy. Hopefully he will be ok and out on the road chasin' those naders very soon!

Merry Christmas!!

Well, in the politically correct world we live in, I just thought I'd say MERRY CHRISTMAS!! Not to offend anyone, I just announce my beliefs just like the atheist, muslim, or anyone else is allowed to. NO, I can't prove that Jesus was born on December 25, but I know that He was born, why He came, and what He did. It really is a simple message, just believe in Him...just believe....
It's a matter of faith...
Merry Christmas!!


It's my blog and you can read it if you want to....if you don't, please move on:-)

Big companies spell T-R-O-U-B-L-E

Well, I had a stressful day. After lunch, I saw a bunch of "suits" in my bosses (sp?) office. That usually isn't good. Turns out, my compay proceeded to feed the employees at our north dealership a huge Christmas dinner, then take them out and announce that they are shutting down the dealership!! Some Christmas present, huh? Where I work is a parts warehouse and they say that we are ok and not to worry. We are kind of a different operation because we don't sell cars, only wholesale parts and ship them out nation-wide.

I understand why they have to shut the dealership down, but I don't like it. Sure all the execs involved from Ford Motor Company down to the dealer levels have made some bad decisions, but it's always the little guy that suffers, no matter what. Well, I know at least 75 employees that will have a blue Christmas...

I have played the big company game, and I don't like it. Short of buying my own business or going into ministry full time, I guess they have me exactly where they want me--uncertain! Well, I am one up on them.....I know where I'm going, and I know Who is gonna take care of me----the Lord!!!

60 degree drop in one day!!!

Looking east, you can see the cold front about 2 hours after it passed over. It was 75 degrees at 2pm Sunday and 15 degrees this morning! Talk about old man winter! I hate cold weather. At least I got to shoot a little vid for the station this morning as it was slick! We had sleet storms last night, complete with thunder and lightning! Pretty cool, eh?

Yuck!!

Ok, I'll spare you the details of my latest experience....stomach flu....yuck!!

I am back among the living, and feeling much better. I hear that there are multiple "bugs" going around so be careful everyone!

In other news......looks like a massive cold front on the way Sunday afternoon/evening followed ny multiple rounds of "wintry precip" which means...look out!! Maybe another ice storm in the making???? Anyway, everyone make sure you have plenty of stuff on hand just in case!! I know I'll be going to the store this weekend to stock up!

Random thoughts.....

I don't know what to write, but it's been too long since my last update so here goes some run-on sentences, poor grammar, random thoughts, and whatever else I can throw in to this ol' blog so get ready all my readers! (thanks mom!)-----and thanks, Heidi:)
Well, to start off, my friend Mike is doing ok. He takes chemo once every two weeks and the rest of the time he tries not to be too sick. Thanks to all who helped Mike throughout his very hard journey. He has only five more of these treatments to go!! Please keep him in your prayers!

I read today that two teenagers died in a crash in Pawnee County last night. You all know the burden that I have for kids and for them to stay out of trouble. Alcohol was involved and led to two needless deaths. Now 2 different families will have a very dark Christmas thanks to alcohol abuse.

Busy times are coming! The youth at church are working on a Christmas float for the Claremore Christmas parade! Come by & watch us in the parade this Saturday on main street.....starts at 6pm.

Lastly, stay tuned for a chaser get together/gathering...whatever you want to call it coming in January! I have to find a place to have it, but I wanna get chasers together to relieve a severe case of SDS:) we'll have food, soft drinks, and chasers are encouraged to bring their videos from the past to brag on!!!!

Ok, time for a rant...

http://www.newson6.com/Global/story.asp?S=9386164

Read this article...and PLEASE pay attention to the part that states that the children involved in the accident had lost their mother "some time ago" and the grandmother was taking care of them. Well, thanks to a total idiot that decided to get loopy and then drive around, the kids have a new tragedy on their hands, that's if the little girl survives.
This lady blew a .12 and had been reported to our boys in blue well before this tragedy but communication evidently broke down between the 911 dispatcher & the units on the streets. Now I appreciate our police and totally respect them--that's not my beef. My problem is two-fold, 1. this lady should not have been on the streets to begin with. 2. I have called 911 on SEVERAL occasions only to be switched multiple times, put on hold, even hung up on! Reports show that several folks called this lady in as she went from hwy 169 to the BA to hwy 75, more than enough time to have avoided this tragedy. It's not the police that need fixing, it's the system of receiving & dispatching these urgent calls for help that needs a 911 call itself....and FAST!!
How many more people will have to die? How many more kids will grow up without a mommy or daddy? FIX THE SYSTEM, TULSA!!

Now to the real issue, drinking & driving. I implore...no...I beg you...if you drink, do us all a favor and get someone to drive you home...please!!! Now if you have known me for a while, you know that I am a recovered alcoholic(yes, I said recovered, ask me about it sometime). So believe me when I say that I am not perfect, and I have been in this position(drinking & driving), albeit not for the last 9 years. I am totally ashamed of it but I know when you think that you've had a few & think you can handle it, but it only takes one screw up and your life is changed forever, not to mention the innocent bystanders. Please don't do it!!!

Sorry for the rant, but I feel terrible for these kids.

A little change...

Good morning,
I have made some changes to the ol' blog layout. I have included some more storm chaser links and they will list in order of their latest updates! I will add to that list as time goes by. Also I have put a link on so you can subscribe to my blog, and a google ad at the bottom. Check it out & let me know what you think!!

I press towards the Mark.....

You know, I didn't want to get out of bed this morning. We all have had this feeling, that the weight of our little world is too much. What makes us go on? For me, the Lord kindly reminds me that, while I have my own problems, things could be worse. From my best friend fighting cancer, to another friend whose marriage is not going well, to elder friends that have endured pain that I cannot comprehend. When I put things into this perspective, I actually am very blessed. Just think, if I'd have stayed in bed today, then I would not have been able to shoot this gorgeous sunrise!! It's all in the way you look at things...

Fireproof, the movie....go see it!!

Good evening everyone,
I just got back from seeing the movie Fireproof. WOW! What a truly inspiring movie. I believe that God inspired this movie to be seen by everyone! I highly recommend this movie to anyone and if it doesn't change your life or the way that you look at things, then I'll buy you a Coke! IT'S THAT GOOD!!
From friends that are having marriage troubles, to folks that think that they have "it" all together, there is something in this movie for you!! Go see it.....it's worth the investment!!

I am thinking of taking our youth group to see it and whoever would like to come with us, let me know. It will probably either be Thursday at 6:45pm, or a Sunday matinee (after church, of course!) I will let you know more later. I just wanted to get the word out that this is a great movie filled with Godly principles.

Update on Mike...

I just waned to give you an update on my best friend Mike....
Mike has started back to work on a limited basis, and also started his chemo last week. Please continue to keep Mike in your thoughts & prayers as this is heavy duty chemo. He has to take this for 19 more weeks. It has been and continues to be a very heavy time for Mike and his fiancee Sally. Sally has been there for Mike in his greatest time of need. To Sally I say thank you for coming into Mike's life just in time to rescue him. You have been awesome and I pray that you two have a very happy life together. To Mike I say, hang in there, bro...you have lots of friends praying & rooting for ya! We'll get through this soon!! To all of our friends let me say a very sincere thank you for supporting our fund raising efforts for Mike, and especially thanks for your prayers during these difficult times. Please continue praying....

Texting while driving....

http://www.kjrh.com/content/news/2viewgc/story.aspx?content_id=bbe07972-f537-4632-bd28-4fa466e88833

My old Alma Mater is trying to do something about this "epidemic". Kids are already distracted enough trying to gain experience driving---they don't need to even have their phones on while driving!! Please keep your kids safe if they are driving!!!!

Pics from my chase!

Here's just a few quick shots from my chase yesterday near Perkins, Ok.

Chase today?

Ok.....I am stupid if I don't chase today....in my backyard......cheap gas....etc. Storm speeds will be a problem, tho and the sunset at 5:45 will hinder my chances. SPC mentions possibility of strong long lived tornadoes though, so everyone watch the weather today & tonight!!!

It's over!!!!

Well, friends, the hateful, crooked politicians that run this fine country can buy air time & take jabs at their opponents no more (at least for now)...As for me, I kinda wish both political parties could rewind about a year and try again. The biased media have championed their obvious choice for Nobama. I mean, at the top of all the network newscasts they have spent about 75% of the time touting Nobama and 25% slamming McCain.

I fear what will happen in the next four years if the new Pres is Nobama. I pray for the greatest nation in the world. Whatever the outcome, all I can do is cast my vote today and pray for God's wisdom for all voters...

Please continue to pray for Mike....he started back to work on a limited schedule last week but also started his heavy dose chemo yesterday. I hate cancer.

State of "normalcy"?

Webster says normalcy is the state of being normal. What is normal?
It seems like things are returning to "normal". The fundraisers for my best friend Mike are over (for now--and have been VERY successful), kids are in school, TJ has a new truck, gas prices are at $2.03, I still have a job, a family, my faith, my church, my hobbies, so it seems like things are getting back to "normal". Again, I ask, what is normal?

I get up early, kiss my wife goodbye as she leaves for work, say my prayers, read my Bible a bit, then leave so I can race other people to work just to make a buck. That same buck gets split so many ways.....mortgage, Uncle Sam, car payment, insurance, utilities, yada yada yada. Then I race home to find more ways to split the buck that I made until it's totally gone, and then I go to bed...

Everyone says that things will get back to normal after the big election. Like my vote for President actually means anything to anyone but me, I still will cast my ballot next Tuesday. I believe that we should all vote, and we do make a difference in the smaller races, but the Presidential race has long been decided, IMO. Again, what is normal?

Pontius Pilate while questioning Jesus before His crucifixion asked Jesus "What is Truth"? but wait a minute, the Truth was standing before him. I think possibly Pilate knew the Truth, but was afraid to stand up for the Truth. I just had a fella in my office telling me a dirty joke. This may not bother some of you, but to me, it's an insult to my Jesus and what He stands for. Did he think he did anything wrong? Not in his mind. He thought it was funny. Did I laugh? I can honestly say no. I simply said "That's disgusting" & turned away, but did I stand up for Jesus?

BTW....Mike has returned to work!! He is working a limited schedule, and is doing well. He starts a 16 week regiment of heavy duty chemo soon, so please keep him in your prayers!!

101st post...

Looks like a rainy day today! The other day Dan had a 100% chance of rain for Wednesday. Well, looks like his forecast verified! We can use the rain & it should make for a very pretty fall here in NE Oklahoma in the next couple of weeks.

Our benefit garage sale went very well.....we raised over $1,700.00 for Mike and this will help him greatly! Thanks to all who were involved!! This year has really been a heavy time for me, but especially for Mike. I am looking forward to the day when his doctor declares him cancer free!! And then I will shave my playoff beard!! YAY!!!

I spoke with Lanny Dean earlier & he and I want to organize a chaser gathering, so stay tuned for an announcement about a gathering sometime in November, just to hang out & visit about the perils of chasing, share videos & pics, & have a little fun...

Good afternoon,
Mike is doing well--resting a lot at home. He will get the staples removed this week. He is still in quite a bit of pain so please continue to pray for him. Please pray for Mike's financial situation as he has learned that he may have to start over on his medical deductibles. He was informed by his workplace that his deductible runs from September to September, meaning that he may have to start over paying his deductibles.

Our benefit garage sale is this Friday & Saturday for Mike!! Helen Underwood and Jerrie Walden, along with several others have volunteered countless hours sorting, pricing, and organizing this huge event. To them, I say THANK YOU!! And to those of you that we'll see Friday & Saturday, THANK YOU!! All proceeds from the sale go straight to help Mike with his medical bills. Also, if you would just like to donate to Mike, please let me know.

Also...our On The Edge youth group will be having a "Cram Nite" (youth gathering) this Friday at 7:00pm. We will have dinner, fun-n-games, and a message from God's Word. If you have youth-age kids (7th thru 12th grade), they are invited!!

sunrise this morning....

This was the view from Verdigris this morning....absolutely breathtaking!!

The good Samaritan.....

In our youth lesson last night we talked about the good Samaritan and how we can be like him. You know, after Jesus told the story, he commanded us to "go and do likewise". What kind of good Samaritan opportunities do you come across, and how do you react? That was the question that I posed to the kids. Do we simply pass by on the other side of the street like the Priest & the Levite did? Or do we stop being busybodies long enough to help out a friend, brother, or neighbor? I hope we choose the latter but too many times we don't. It's a simple choice, and easy to say in church, but what does our lives show? That is what He is looking for....

Mike is at home!!!!

Praise the Lord, Mike is home!! I am so glad that everything has went so well concerning his surgery & recovery, I just know that he has had a Helping Hand, if you catch my drift...

He is resting and still has a long way to go, so don't stop praying.

Here is a picture of Mike so you can put a face with the name!

Thank you all again! Mike is very blessed with many friends!!

Great news!!!!!

Sally, Mike's fiancee just called with some awesome news!! Mike is doing really well. The doc says that he has NEVER had anyone recover so fast from this type of surgery! He may even get to go home tomorrow!! He walked three times yesterday and gets to eat a little real food today!! I can't thank everyone enough for your thoughts & prayers for Mike. Please continue to pray for him and for our fundraiser car wash on October 17th & 18th at the Verdigris car wash at Highway 66 and Gordon Road...if you have any donations, please let me know.

Utica Square..

Well, after I visited Mike in the hospital last night, I walked over to the edge of the St. John's parking garage and just stood there for a while, talking to God. It was a beautiful night, my friend was doing well, and it was one of those moments, you know, where you just reflect on things for a while. As I thanked God for all of my good friends, and prayed for some, I watched people going up and down the rough Tulsa street. I saw lots of cars, and an ambulance. I wondered who was in the ambulance & why. I felt sorry for whoever was in there and his/her family, and said a prayer for them. Then I just marvelled at the beautiful evening...

Update on Mike...

Good news! I just learned that Mike was able to get up & walk around a while today! He is pretty sore now, though. Please keep him in your prayers!

Update on Mike...

First of all, let me say thank you to all of you that have had your thoughts and prayers with Mike. He is in his own room as of Friday night about 10:00pm, and resting. Mike is still in a lot of pain, but when the doc checked on him yesterday he was very confident that Mike is doing very well considering the major surgery that he has just endured. They are considering sitting him up today. Once again, thank you for everything. It's a huge blessing to know that people are praying for him that he has never met. THANK YOU!! ...and don't stop.

Mike in recovery...

Mike's surgery went well....doctor just came and told us that he feels very confident that he got all of the cancer and he also is very confident that his other organs are healthy and well. Mike will have a long recovery, but with your prayers and God's healing hand he's gonna be just fine!!!!
Thank all of you for your prayers & support!!
GOD IS AWESOME!!
more later....

surgery...

...still in the O.R. as of 5:15pm CDT...

surgery...

Mike is in surgery now. Please pray for him! I will update as soon as I know anything...

Today is the day!!

Well, today is the day. I am excited, anxious, worried, and happy all at the same time. Keep Mike in your prayers and I will update as soon as I can!
Thank you
Jeff

1 more day...

Well, just one more day until Mike's surgery. His check in time was just moved to 10:00am from 9:00am. Tomorrow's the big day! I am still praying for a miracle! I will keep everyone updated as I get more info. Thanks for your prayers!!

Uncle Jeff!?!?

Well, I just got the news about my "widdl brudder" gonna have a baby!! Well, he's not, but his wife, Artie is. I am so excited about the first new Smith in quite a few years, and their first child!! Dave is like thinking "wow, a kid! That's pretty cool!" Congrats Dave & Artie, and I get to take the first baby picture of my new niece or nephew! Babies are God's greatest gift, besides Jesus. I'm looking forward to spoiling this little child, let me tell you!!

OK, 2 more days till Mike's surgery. I'm still praying that they will go in there and find nothing!! The doctors will be astonished, and I will tell them " Hey guys I got this little Book that explains it all"....

3 more days....

Some look forward to Fridays. I do as well. I am anxiously awaiting Friday. You see, that's the day of Mike's surgery. I know he's not looking forward to it, and I totally understand, but I want to see my friend declared cancer free and the sooner the better. I'm tired of seeing him hurting, and I often wonder why our loving Lord lets cancer run so rampant. Maybe it's to remind us that life is ever so delicate, and we all need to cherish this gift more than we do. Maybe He wants us to spend more time with our families. Maybe He just wants us to do Matthew 6:33......Seek first His righteousness, & His Kingdom, and wait for Him to do the rest....I dunno, but it's not good to watch someone suffer with cancer--especially when it's your best friend and his pain is your pain...
We are still getting things together for the big garage sale. If you have anything to donate, let me know, as all of the proceeds will go directly to Mike to help with his medical expenses. A big shout out to Jerri Walden & Helen Underwood & gang for organizing this!!!! Thank you ladies!!!
Well, that's all I got for now, I will keep you up to date as Mike goes in Friday...

Award winning pics...

4th place... 3rd place...

Update on things....

Well, I have a lot to write about...so get ready for a long post, complete with frequently changing subjects, and lots of run on sentences!
First of all, an update on my friend Mike. He is doing ok, and he is scheduled for surgery on October 3. Please pray for him and for a speedy recovery. I will update you on his progress as time permits. We raised over $800.00 for him last Friday at Adams Creek Racing Complex!! I still am amazed at how generous people are. You see, hardly anyone at the race track knew Mike, until Friday. Thanks to Bryan & Necie Rainbolt, the track owners for hosting this event!! The playoff beards are in week 13, and looking pretty scraggly!! (is scraggly a word?)

We have another fundraiser for Mike scheduled on October 17-18. It will be a huge garage sale help at the Verdigris car wash at Hwy 66 & Gordon Rd. Come on out & buy lots of stuff!! Special thanks to Jerri Walden & Helen Underwood for helping us out on this project!!

Ok, on to other things.....
I just spoke with good friend & fellow storm chaser Lanny Dean. We talked about the possibility of doing some sort of storm chaser get together which has been in the back of my mind for a while. Lanny bagged (saw) 37 tornadoes this season!! He asked me how many I caught and I said.....ummm......errr......well.......2! I bagged two tornadoes in central Oklahoma on May 24. I did get to see a lot of tornado damage on 2 different Mission of Compassion trips, and that was enough for me. I have updated my links to include Lanny's blog and his storm chase tour website. For those of you that have said that you want to go chasing with me, if you really want to see tornadoes, book a tour with Lanny. He will get you to the "action", but hang on--it will be a wild ride!!

And finally I will try to post more pictures....I had several in the Rogers County Fair and took third & fourth place in professional photography!!

Miracles...

Well, the car wash was awesome!! It all started with rain moving in from the west and my asking God what He was doing. Did He want to wash the cars? apparently so but then the rain stopped & the sun came out. At the cars rolled in to get a wash, people were asking what we were raising money for. One generous fellow said that his wife was battling brain cancer & I heard several other stories about how God has walked with them during bouts with cancer. The day really was a big encouragement to Mike and I. Please continue to pray for him and feel free to post comments about how God has walked with you during hard times...

Car wash benefit for Mike coming Saturday!!

Well, Saturday is almost upon us, and so is the benefit car wash for Mike Borrell. Mike is doing pretty well, and is facing major cancer surgery sometime in October that will keep him off work for several weeks without any income. He does have insurance which is a big help in this situation, but as we all know, insurance does not pay everything.

Here’s the scoop. On The Edge youth group will meet at the church at 8:15 for doughnuts! We will have coolers loaded with water, and will take some folding chairs. I could use a couple of buckets, sponges, and car wash soap if someone can help me out w/ these items. Also we will need an EZ-up for shade. We will start the car wash at 9:00am and run it until 1-ish, depending on how things are going. We also have help coming from kids from Youth at Heart, and Woodlake Assembly of God. Thanx guys!!

So, everyone be sure & get your cars dirty and come on out & get ‘em washed for a great cause!! ALL proceeds will go directly to Mike, who is a ministry partner & best friend. Someday I will share a testimony of how big of a role Mike played in my coming to know the Lord, and how he has been a true friend throughout the years.

I will share more info on future events we have planned such as the Sept. 19th benefit race and the community garage sale on Oct. 17-18th as those dates get closer.

Playoff beard week 9...

Man I sure wish I could shave this ugly thing! The kids from the youth group say that it makes me look old!!!! AAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHH!! I don't need any help looking old!

Mike is doing ok, his treatments have been over for a week now. He's in good spirits and he knows that his Maker is gonna see him through this. Our fundraisers for Mike are coming up fast! Here's a rundown:
This Saturday 5-8pm at Northpark Trinity Baptist church in Claremore. We will be taking donations in exchange for dunk tank "throws" ...

Next Saturday, Sept 6th at the new QT we are having a car wash. There will be kids there from On The Edge, Woodlake's youth ministry, and Youth at Heart from Comanche Park in Tulsa!! Come on out & get your car "professionally" washed & donate to a good cause!! All proceeds will go to help Mike through this tough time.

Friday Sept. 19th we will have a benefit r/c car race at Adams Creek Raceway starting at 7:00pm. If you race, c'mon out! If you just want to watch, it's free and we will be auctioning off a life sized Dale Jr cardboard cutout donated by a fellow racer. again, all proceeds going to help Mike with his medical expenses.

When Mike is told that he is free from cancer, we will shave our playoff beards--looking forward to that day!! Keep praying!!

Help for my friend...

Well, as most of you know, I am planning some activities to help offset some of Mike's medical expenses. For those that don't know what's going on, Mike is my best friend and partner in inner-city ministry and has been taking treatments for cancer. Mike is doing well, and he will be facing surgery sometime in September. Mike will be off work for some time and already the medical bills are piling up, so myself and other friends have come up with some ideas to help out...

The first of many activities will be a car wash held Saturday, September 6th at the new QT in Verdigris at the intersection on HWY 66 & Gordon Road. Several folks have volunteered to help, including some kids from On The Edge youth and some kids from Youth at Heart from Comanche Park Apartments (where we have spent time sharing Jesus with the kids) and many others. What I need from all of you is to bring your cars to wash & tell others about this event. This has the potential to substantially help Mike out with his expenses.

Also in the plans is a huge garage sale. I will be collecting items in the ol' yellow truck to store them. We will have the sale when it cools down a bit, probably in late September. If you have anything you could donate, please contact me...

I am working on other activities as well, and will keep you up to date! Thanks for all your prayers & help for Mike!!

God bless,
Jeff Smith

Playoff beard week 4....

Keep praying for Mike. I know God is working in his life...

Playoff beard?

Well, I first heard of the "playoff beard" a few days ago. Since then, I have gotten pretty scraggly looking. Hockey players will not shave during the playoffs until they either win or lose the championship. Mike said that he's growing a "playoff beard" to signify his battle, and will shave after his cancer is gone, so, I said I will do likewise in his support!

Cancer really does suck

Well, my friend is starting an aggressive treatment for his cancer today. He has been in severe pain, lost a lot of sleep, and is just plain exhausted. Please pray for him. I know that he will emerge from this and it's not terminal, but still he is going through a lot....more than I could ever imagine. I also know that God can totally heal him, if He chooses. It's the fight of his life, and I am rooting for him like never before. Come on & join with me & help battle this ugly disease. I have some ideas for ways to help him, but I don't want to reveal them until I have more concrete plans.......
Help me stand in the gap for Mike.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot...today is my birthday. Happy birthday me, huh?

Religion, God, and good friends...

I feel that I haven't spoke about my faith enough on my blog....
I know that God loves us, and He cares about our well being. He even cares so much that He sent His Son to take our place because of our sins. The Bible says that He even knows how many hairs we have on our head. Now for the 64,000 question, if He loves us so, then why do we suffer? Why do we hurt? Well, there are many opinions, but what is the real answer? What does the Bible say about it?

The Bible says that disease and pain came into the world when sin entered via Adam & Eve's eating of the forbidden fruit, plain & simple. Ok, some people, including the Pharisees that Jesus always rebuked, say that if you are sick, it's because of sin in your life. Some even say that if you are sick that there has to be a lack of faith on your part. I call baloney on that. I have a friend that has become sick with a disease that I would like to think that doesn't exist, and I tell you, he's one of the most passionate people for the Lord that I have ever known. I am not sure why he is sick, but I know & trust in a God that can heal him, if He so chooses. It's not because of sin, not because of a lack of faith, but just a very bad deal. Believe me, I have been praying probably harder than I ever have in my life these past few weeks. My friend has had four really bad things happen to him in the past year, but has he lost faith in his God? No. Has he questioned why he is going through this dark valley? I am sure he has, and I have as well. Is God mad at us for questioning Him? I don't think so.....I think that He understands our questions and however and whenever He chooses to answer, His reasons will become plain.....

Go & see Julie Chin!!

My good friend Julie Chin works with special needs kids and she will be at a fundraiser at El Chico's this Monday....
here is info...
http://community.kjrh.com/blogs/juliesblog/archive/2008/06/25/3142139.aspx?CommentPosted=true#commentmessage

Thanx Julie for all your hard work with kids!

6-5-08 bow echo/possible tornado event..and rant...

TO: stormrider1970@sbcglobal.netFM: NWS TULSA OPERATIONSRE: RE: TORNADO WARNING for ROGERS OK. CountyTORNADO WARNING Issued 1207 AM CDT FRI JUN 6 2008Area* TORNADO WARNING FOR... SOUTHERN ROGERS COUNTY IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA TULSA COUNTY IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA NORTHWESTERN WAGONER COUNTY IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMAExpire Time* UNTIL 1245 AM CDTDescription* AT 1203 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 3 MILES WEST OF BROKEN ARROW...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 66 MPH. NUMEROUS FUNNEL SIGHTINGS AND POWER FLASHES HAVE BEEN REPORTED.Cities and Calls to Action* SOME LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...TULSA... CATOOSA...VERDIGRIS...INOLA...TIAWAH AND CLAREMORE.IF YOU ARE NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM...TAKE COVER NOW! IF NO UNDERGROUND SHELTER IS AVAILABLE MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THELOWEST FLOOR. MOBILE HOMES AND VEHICLES SHOULD BE ABANDONED FOR MORESUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. AVOID WINDOWS!

This is the e-mail text I recieve of severe weather warnings issued by NWS TULSA from last night....

...notice the time on the tornado warning. I was out chasing in between Claremore & Verdigris at this time. I tried to raise the Rogers County EOC vis ham radio at 12:25am and nobody answered. As I approached the I-44 turnpike gate in Claremore at 12:38am, I heard the sirens sounding BUT THE STORM WAS WELL EAST OF CLAREMORE AT THAT TIME!! My brother, who lives in Claremore, called at 12:38am and asked what was up w/ the sirens. I informed him of the situation and the fact that Claremore was in the clear, and asked him how long the sirens had been going off and he said "ABOUT THREE MINUTES"!!

So, let me see, the tornado warning was issued at 12:07am, nobody in the Rogers County EOC at 12:25am, sirens sounded at 12:35am AFTER THE DANGER HAD PASSED!!!!!! What kind of public service is that??

I apologize for my tone, but I believe the EOC should be questioned about this because this has been an ongoing problem as long as I have been spotting.chasing. thankfully I don't think a tornado touched down as I didn't see much damage but what if there had been a tornado bearing down on Claremore?? How much warning would those folks have had??

Devstation.....

Well, after our relief mission to SW Missouri & NE Oklahoma, I had to take a couple of days to soak everything in. From standing at the corner of Hwy 43 & Iris Rd., where 12 people lost their lives including a fireman/storm spotter (see pic #2), to helping clean a field for a widow that lost her whole farm (see pic #1), to seeing the total annihilation of a small community already plagued by tragedy (see pic 3 & 4), I just have a couple of thoughts to share.....

The pic with the flag was at the Racine Fire Dept. flying at half staff in memory of the one who saved several. To him, I say thank you.

The close up of the shed with the mud caked on it was from the widow's farm just off Hwy 43. We, along with several other teams, combed the fields sorting wood from metal, finding all sorts of things. We found small pieces of a home computer, countless splintered 2 X 4 studs, clothes, very small bits of roofing shingles, PVC pipe, tin, electric line that went from their pole into their house, etc. We even found a Polaroid of two toddlers that came from who knows where--I will try to get that back to it's rightful owner.

The main thought that kept going through my mind while I was picking up was that these bits & pieces were this lady's home and her livelihood. It was hard to keep from losing it...to her, I say I am sorry.

The other two pics are from Picher--words can't describe....

Relief mission to NE Oklahome & SW Missouri....

Here is an e-mail that I sent out last night....just to keep you up to date on things.....

Good evening,
After talking to several folks today, it looks like the mission is a go! The scenes that I have heard of are terrible. This mission is going to have a little extra meaning to me. I read where a storm spotter/fireman lost his life while out watching the storm in southwest Missouri. Before you think anything about him as far as being crazy to go out & watch storms, the story that I heard is that when he arrived at his assigned intersection, there were several cars with people panicking and one fellow even changing a flat tire. He warned the people to leave immediately but the tornado caught up to him and swept his vehicle away, critically injuring him. He passed away today. He saved several lives that day and paid the ultimate sacrifice and left behind a two year old baby girl.

I have had a few donations but we still need much more. We need things like diapers, baby food/formula, cleaning supplies, personal hygiene items, gloves, and possibly water. I am holding out hope for another big donation of water. You can drop off items at New Life Baptist Church--but call me first so I can make sure somebody will be there to accept your donations and thank you!!

The plan as of now is to leave early Saturday morning and return Saturday evening. After delivering our donations, we will hopefully spend time either volunteering in a shelter or helping folks clean up. Our destination will be Picher and to go into southwest Missouri and then back home. I have yet to make any solid contacts in these areas but I know that I will. I have heard of several churches open as shelters in & around the Seneca, Mo area. I also know that it's unlikely that Picher will rebuild, but that actually makes the pain that these folks are going through worse and they need to see the hope & love that we can share with them. They will need these supplies, especially water they can drink while picking up what is left of their belongings and lives.

If you would like to help either donate items or to go with us, please call me at 918-808-4683. It would be a blessing to see us carpool up there with 20 or so people like when we went to Coffeyville last year!

Thank you and God bless,
Jeff Smith Children & youth director
New Life Baptist Church
Verdigris, Oklahoma

Deadly tornado outbreak in Oklahoma, Missouri

Here is a graphic from the Storm Prediction Center that depicts all of the storm reports from yesterday.

May 10, 2008 will long be remembered as another very bad tornado outbreak. As of this writing, over 20 people have died in this tragedy, including infants. I really have no explanation why I didn't chase yesterday, but I didn't. I called and apologized to my station, as I feel that I let them down.

The ministry that I head up, Mission of Compassion, is already making plans to go either to Picher, or into southwest Missouri, where there is total devastation. we will be gathering supplies to be distributed to folks that have lost their homes like water, diapers, food, hygiene items, etc. As I woke up this morning I cried and cried because of this tragedy. I have to help, it's my calling to comfort those in need.

I know that the Red Cross is already on scene, but there are always places that the Lord provides for us to deliver these badly needed supplies, mostly at different churches throughout the affected area.

If you are interested in helping with this effort, please contact me through my e-mail address: ontheedgeyouth@sbcglobal.net ,and I will contact you with options... more later...

Tornadoes in Oklahoma!

No, this is NOT video of a tornado. If you look close, you should be able to make out the base of the storm. It put down a wall cloud for a few minutes, but that's all it could muster. This storm was tornadic in the OKC area earlier, and being the tail-end Charlie, I felt like it had potential. So, after conferring with George Flickinger, I drove southwest on I-44 as fast as I could. I did have that feeling in my gut that the north storm would be the one to be on but by that time, I was already committed and would have to punch the core of this monster after dark--not my favorite thing to do. So I followed this storm as it weakend and eventually died out west of Tulsa. I called it a night and got home about 11:00pm. with the head cold that I have, I decided that was it for me & hit the sack (with the scanner next to me) and I heard the tornado warning for Mayes county just to my east and thought.......nope, I won't do it. Turns out, Mayes county had a tornado about 2:30am on the leading edge of the squall line. Missed two in one day. I was glad that there were no fatalities in Oklahoma but as I type this, my heart is going out to our neighbors in Arkansas---6 confirmed fatalities so far today--and it's only 12:30pm!! Please pray for them as I pray for them and pray about another Mission of Compassion....

God bless.

Tulsa under the gun....so to speak...

Well, everyone be on your toes. it's looking like Tulsa will see some severe weather tonight! The main questions regarding storms firing off the dryline is the moisture and the cap strength. With dewpoint at 60f at 10:30am, I don't see dews being a problem unless they mix out in the afternoon. Then we have to worry about the cap, but with a little mid-level cooling, maybe a couple of storms can fire. If they fire off the dryline which should be at about I-35 this afternoon, they have a decent chance of producing all modes of severe weather, including tornadoes. More than likely, storms will also develop southward along the cold front/dryline late tonight and keep us all awake. These storms also will have significant severe weather potential. Time will tell. Regardless, everyone keep an eye on the sky....and also stay tuned to 2News. Dan and the whole crew will be there and be keeping us all safe!
Jeff

Lookin up!!

Well, I am feeling better. The Lord has lifted my spirits. It always seems to come with music. I love praise & worship music.
On to other news, I hope everyone will have their eyes on the sky Thursday afternoon & evening--it has potential to be a big tornado day here in NE Oklahoma. I will be out chasing after work. May 1st just may be a day to remember....hope not.

depression...

Been a while. Sorry. I have been busy with work, church, R/C car racing, being a dad, and depression. Yes, I admit, I have been battling with the ugly monster called depression. No, I haven’t been to a doctor about it, because he would just tell me to go for a walk, I haven’t even told my friends about it, but I thought that I needed to focus on asking for help from my Maker, and I’ve been talking to Him…..

Symptoms? I wrote back in January about the most depressing time of year and it has been a long four months. I guess it all started during the big December ice storm when I was without electricity for 10 days and it has been building ever since. I have a constant feeling of just being overwhelmed with all the duties & responsibilities that I have and keep feeling that I am sometimes being held together by these duties & responsibilities. I feel that if I slow down like several have told me then I will really get depressed. So, I just keep on keepin’ on…I sometimes don’t even feel like taking pictures anymore, and photography is one of my favorite things to do!! I just love it when God paints a beautiful sunrise and I love to capture it with photo, but that passion seems to be fading. I know that God is here with me, sometimes carrying me through this junk. By the way, for those that think that God is a myth, or a curse word, then I beg to differ with you. God is real, and He does love you, and He wants simply to spend time with His children. Did you ever have that special puppy, or kitten, that you just loved so much that it drove your every thought and action? That my friends, is how God thinks of us. Not as pets, but as His beloved children. That’s not my thinking, that’s what the Bible says…. Just read it…

…sorry to dump on all of my faithful readers, but maybe you could just say a prayer for me whenever you talk to the Lord. I am not in any danger. I would never consider doing anything stupid. I just am feelin’ a little low right now. I’ll be okay, especially with the Lord’s help and with your prayers & encouragement….thanks.
Jeff

stormy couple of weeks...

well, it's been a busy storm season so far! I have logged approx 1,500 miles in the past two weeks! The next two days promise to be very stormy! The SPC has hoisted moderate severe weather risks for areas from Texas into Illinois! A moderate risk usually means that tornadoes, large hail, and strong winds will be seen in the risk area. There is talk about upgrading areas to a high risk for tomorrow in parts of Arkansas. I will be praying for Arkansas. They do not need any more severe weather. Heidi & gang--be on your toes!! Below are severe probabilities from NWS Tulsa for this evening, and tomorrow, respectively.

Meso lapse..

I sped this up to 8x. Near Colony, northwest of Cordell, Oklahoma. Time was approx. 7:30pm. We broke off these two sups just west of OKC around midnight thinking that we needed to get back towards Tulsa. I thought that they looked like junk at the time, little did we know that an hour later that storm would put down an EF-1 tornado in OKC!! I made a joke about going home to sleep a couple of hours, then get up early and intercept the same two supercells in our area! We all laughed at that, but you know what? That's EXACTLY what I did. I was on a tornado warned storm in NW Rogers County at 7:30am Monday morning!!! I'm pretty sure that this was the same storm that we were on west of OKC!! What a crazy couple of days.

On another note, I am heartbroken over the two year old child that died because of flood waters. I wish that folks would realize the dangers of driving over a flooded road. I know that child is with Jesus now, but the lady that was driving the car (not sure that she was the mother) will have to live with that decision for the rest of her life. PLEASE DO NOT DRIVE INTO A FLOODED ROADWAY!!!! YOU DON'T KNOW HOW DEEP THE WATER IS!!

Nice LP near Colony, Okla.

Well, 850 miles, no tornadoes, but a nice mesocyclone w/wall cloud trying to put down a tornado, but a storm just to the SW of this one was robbing the moisture.....maybe next time...

Severe storm potential today through Monday...

This is a graphic put out by the National Weather Service in Tulsa. It depicts forecasted severe weather potential for their warning area, A.K.A. Green Country, for Monday, March 31. I don't think that I have seen a 60% probability of severe weather forecasted this far out. All I can say is, if you are a trained spotter or chaser, get your gear ready! If you aren't, please stay close to TV (channel 2 has the best coverage..and yes, I do chase for them!!) or radio and keep yourself abreast of the changing weather situation. This may be a significant severe weather event!!
Oh yeah....and get yourself a weather radio. They are about 20.00 and you can program them to alert you if there is a warning in your county while you sleep.....go on....get one!! (Wally world has them)

Flooding in Arkansas...

My good friend Heidi Farrar shot these pics from Izard County Arkansas yesterday. This is the same area that we went to to take relief supplies after a devastating tornado outbreak killed over 50 people in three states back in February. Please pray for all of our flood victims as I had just a little water come into my garage but there was no harm done.....

rain, rain, go away...

Got a little over 3 inches at my house in Verdigris, much more to my south & east. Also much more over at my neighbor's house in Izard County, Arkansas (see next post)..

I shot this video at 31st st & Mingo creek in Tulsa.

Finally the sun came out today!!

Storm season begins...

Well, we are officially in storm season. We had heavy rain, and a little hail in Tulsa. Also, a tornado was reported in southeast Oklahoma, near Antlers. Fortunately there were no injuries.

We are in the middle of an active pattern now. Storms are expected today, Monday, Tuesday, and possibly into Wednesday. Be sure to watch KJRH and stay up to date on the weather.

...also storms may come through at night as we are sleeping, so I would strongly suggest going to Wally-World and buying yourself a NOAA weather radio. They are simple to set alarms county by county so you can set it to go off only in your county. Mine cost 12 bucks!

Lucky, in the snow....

This is my dog Lucky. Lucky likes everyone, but he doesn't like snow. I shot this the other night while it was snowing.....
Well, here in NE Okla we have dodged another bullet. South & East of me folks are gettin' hammered with hopefully the last winter storm o' the season:)

A bit o' snow....

here's a little vid that I shot Monday night during the "big snow"....

I got a dusting and about 30 miles to my south got 8 inches!!

Stormy Sunday...

Well, it looks like storms today! The greatest severe potential looks like SW Okla. I will probably be out in this taking pictures in the rain! Oh yeah, then snow on Monday! Potential for a big snow here in March! Gotta love Oklahoma!!

Gary Shore passes away..

For those of you who have been in the Green Country area for a while will remember Gary Shore. Gary was chief meteorologist at KJRH in Tulsa for many years. Gary passed away Monday, February 25, 2008.

If memory serves me correctly, Gary was the first in Tulsa with Doppler radar. I remember his coverage of the Mannford tornado on a Sunday morning in April, 1984. Who knows how many lives that he saved on that day alone....
You know, a lot of folks are hard on TV mets. I think that is crazy. Those folks work their tails off trying to keep people safe, fending off mean & threatening phone calls & emails after a six hour or longer "marathon" on the air live when we have active tornado warnings(KEEPING PEOPLE SAFE), and do their absolute best at making the weather interesting during the ol' dog days of summer when even I could do the forecast (Hot, dry, and humid).....Usually if your favorite episode of E.R. or C.S.I. have been interrupted, the station will re-broadcast in the wee hours the next morning (teaching us to learn how to work our DVR machines), so they actually should get kickbacks for advertising DVRs and promoting them on air...

Here is a tribute to Gary on KJRH's website:
http://www.kjrh.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=f808297f-265b-4920-b086-626154e555cb

Hat's off to Gary, who will never again have to worry about bad weather.

Help in a time of crisis...

This, my freinds, is what we do.......

edit...let me clear up that statement. We did not have anything to do with the awesome warehouse that was at the Izard County Fairgrounds, we simply brought some Gatorade, Propel, and energy drink and dropped it off here. The drinks were donated by Gatorade and Victory Christian Center. we just simply took it to the hardest hit area so they could distribute it as needed. I will try to post a list of donors soon. It was an unforgettable experience. Please pray for the victims of the storms.

Damage video from Izard County Arkansas

More after I get a bit of sleep....

Monster wedge

Here's a pic of the tornao.....

EF-4, 124 mile damage path, the longest path since 1950.

We are in Melbourne/Zion area tonight....

More later

More ideas for supplies....

I know we cannot do some of this, but I think we can maybe do batteries?
A link is here

Damage pictures from Arkansas....

Here's a link to KAIT in Jonesboro, Ark. & they have 147 pictures sent in and other info on the tornodoes. It looks as though we are dealing with at least EF-4 damage.
Here is the link:
http://www.kait8.com/global/Story.asp?s=7827423

Here is the PNS from Little Rock NWS:
http://www.srh.weather.gov/lzk/cgi-bin/wxs1.php?pil=PNSMAIN&max=13

Donation ideas for our relief mission...

Here is a list of ideas for our Mission of Compassion to Arkansas...
diapers, towels, blankets, trash bags (industrial size), trash cans, pillows, sheets, toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, you get the drift, eh? Just look around your home & imagine that there is nothing there. What could you use to survive & begin the clean up process....
If you want to help, just drop me a line at ontheedgeyouth@sbcglobal.net.

Oh, and also items for the kids, stuffed animals & toys....

The relief mission is on....

Well, it looks like our destination is Melbourne, Ark. area. From Cotter, to Zion, to Ash Flat and possibly more. I am excited about the outpouring of help that I have recieved so far!
More later......

Tornado destruction.....and a relief effort?

Here's the text of an e-mail that I sent to my friends......

Good afternoon,
As most of you know, there was a tragic outbreak of tornadoes last evening in Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Kentucky. As of noon, there are 50 dead, and countless injured. I started sensing the Lord prompting me to head up another relief mission last night as I was listening to coverage & watching my radars. I knew that it was going to be bad, and it was. Storms moved through at 50-60 MPH and just shredded peoples' lives. Many were trapped in a dorm at Union College in Jackson, Tn. and tragically some in other areas lost their lives. I can't bear to think about the lives that were taken, and the kids that will be petrified anytime that it rains or storms now. Details of this tragedy are still sketchy at this point, but I feel the need to do something.....

What can we do to help? Well, the past our "Missions" have been very successful as far as us being able to help hurting folks to cope with their losses. I kinda have in mind loading our ol' yellow box van up with water, diapers, blankets, stuffed animals, towels...etc. and rolling east towards the damaged area and helping out as the Lord leads us. I will need help from volunteers......if you are sensing the need to help, please contact me via email or call me at 918-808-4683----I think we need to get this going fast. I know that we can help some hurting lives with the resources that we all have.

I have been in contact with a couple of folks from Ash Flat,Ark., and Jackson, Tn. and I feel that the doors have been opened, and there will be places for us to go & deliver supplies.

Snowstorm part 1....

Well, here is a little video that I shot on the way to Tulsa to work this morning.

Shot about 7:30am in east Tulsa.

...the most depressing time of year....

The devotional that I read, Our Daily Bread, states that the 3rd week in January is the most depressing time of the year, and I thought about that for a bit......and then I realized that during this time 13 years ago I suffered the loss of a good friend......probably one of the best friends I've ever had.
He was with me throughout my childhood and young adult life. He would swing me as a youngster on the family swingset, play cars with me as I grew fascinated with them, bought me a pedal tractor that I rode the wheels off of, let me drive his tractor on his lap, watched storms with me, taught me how to drive, sometimes yelled at me, shared wisdom with me, and loved me and thought that me and my brothers were the best thing since sliced bread......yes, I am writing about.......my dad.
It has been a long road without him, and I blamed him for a lot of things. Dad was an alcoholic and I have been too hard on him, especially when I share my testimony. You see, I became an alcoholic just like dad, that is, until I found Jesus. Jesus has helped me over that problem and many others. You see, I thought that Jesus was a big & bad judge that was gonna send me to hell for all that I had done. But I realized that He loves me, wanted me to ask His forgiveness, and wants to help me to live for Him.
Alcoholism is a disease, and has NOTHING to do with a man's character. My dad was awesome! I love him. I miss him.

Here's to you, dad!

Feeling better......

Tuesday morning, finally feeling well again--for the most part. It's hard trying to keep a busy schedule while being sick.
...on a lighter note, I am 2nd in the points race for the rookie slider r/c class at Adams Creek Raceway! (see post about my new hobby below) I had a blast racing & crashing my car......I'll be tweaking the setup on my car in the coming weeks & hopefully win some races!!

Jeff, the red-nosed photographer!

Yuck! Ive got a cold! I would be a good candidate for a cold medicine commercial.....except.....that....NONE OF THEM WORK!!!!

I need your help, how about some home remedies? I've tried Alka-seltzer cold medicine, Day-Quil, Thera-flu, Sudafed, Zicam, and none have helped.....in fact....I think the drug companies are in this huge conspiracy to keep us all sick (buying more medicine) and put ingredients in the medicine that keep us down....lol---j/k.

C'mon, let's hear about them home remedies!!

and......

DON'T LET ME SNEEZE ON YOU!!

...another hat to wear...

Well, it looks like I have found yet another hobby. My son & I have kinda gotten into r/c racing. It's a hoot!
Stay tuned! I will post video in a few days!!

Big storms 1-7-08!

I got to chase storms east of Tulsa Monday night. It was good to give the ol' chase gear a workout. Everything performed flawlessly and I actually was streaming live video back to the station! Here's about a minute & a half worth of lightning edited down to about 30 seconds......

I was in the KJRH studio last night, and Dan & I were talking about January outbreaks, and how rare they are....makes me wonder if we will have a January-June storm system....whew!

I didn't see anything major, just a lot of rain, some small hail, and 60-70mph winds. Thankfully, no reported tornado touchdowns in Oklahoma.

Total miles-approx. 200

Time on road-approx. 6 hours

What a shot!

Here's my latest sunrise shot--1st one from 2008. No big news from here, just glad to get out of the deep freeze that we've been in for what seems like forever. 60s & 70s coming over the weekend with a chance for severe storms on Monday......better gather my chase gear!