23rd Spiritual Birthday

In the midst of the presidential election madness that grips our nation (although I doubt that most folks are terribly gripped at the moment), we hear a lot of talk about "change." Of course the change of which most politicians speak is nothing more than a lame attempt to get them elected to the office they seek. True change just doesn't happen in the political world. I once was naive enough to believe that change could occur through the political process. Then I grew up.

I placed my vote for true change 23 years ago, when I was buried in the watery grave of baptism, and raised up into a new life in Christ. Yes, I am celebrating my 23rd birthday today. The change in my life is real, and Jesus is the reason for that change. Before I surrendered my thoughts, my will, and my very life to Christ, I was a hot-tempered, angry, ego-driven, self-centered narcissist. While I still struggle with many of those traits from time-to-time, people who know me now would be surprised to hear my description of Scott Blount in the preceding sentence. The change in my life is 100 percent attributable to Jesus.

If we want true change in our personal lives, we need to look to Jesus. If we want true change in this nation, we need to do the same.

Back on the Planet

Wow. Last post was on Elliott's birthday. Guess I fell off the blog planet for a while. Life is certainly busy, especially when you are "getting rid" of your baby girl. Yeah, Emily has now graduated from high school and is a freshman at Florida Christian College.

I am also stating up and will soon merge DaBlounts.com as my primary source of blogging. Not that I have kept that site up to date, either, but eventually it will happen.

So, in the months since I last posted, here's what has been happening:
**The aforementioned situation with Emily.
**The increasing number of locally produced videos for our church (check out our YouTube account.
**Learning and teaching lots of "new" worship songs to our praise team.
**An amazing two weeks in Sunset Beach, NC. Lots of pics on my flickr site.
**An expensive lesson on the Florida legal definition of "Scooter."
**I got to spend lots of time with my Bride, which while listed last in this "extensive" list, is the most important and most favorite part of my life! yes, I saved the best for last!

Okay, as I am sitting in the S-U-B at FCC awaiting Emily to finish up a class before we head for lunch, and as I am attempting to download my dablounts.com files to this iBook, I will sign off for now, and promise to post again before another seven months pass us by!

Be God's,
Scott

Crabby Birthday

So, today is actually Elliott's birthday, but last night, we had the opportunity to get together with Terri, Alvin, Amber & Bradley because they are in Orlando for the week; with Nanny & Papaw, because they went up to Orlando to hang with the Parkers; and with the birthday boy and his bride. Elliott suggested that we go to Joe's Crab Shack in Celebration. None of us had ever eaten at Joe's before, but it was an experience we all enjoyed immensely and will absolutely have again in the future. The food was fantastic, the service impeccable, the floor shows hilarious, and when they made Elliott ride a broom around the room because it was his birthday...well, the pictures tell the story. What a great evening with the people we love so dearly!

All Clear

The power of prayer was on display for all to see at our doctor's office last week. Peggy had viral contagious pneumonia diagnosed on a Monday afternoon. She received the first of what would be four daily IV antibiotic treatments that afternoon. We were blessed that she could be treated outpatient by going to the doctor's office each day last week instead of having to be hospitalized. On Friday morning, a chest x-ray revealed that Peggy's lungs were all clear. No sign of the massive pneumonia that had wracked her lungs earlier in the week. The nurses were all in amazement. The doctor was pleased beyond words. No one could believe that there was no sign of the pneumonia after only four days of treatments.

We told the nurses and the doctor that we had lots of folks praying for Peggy. When Peggy asked our doctor about going to church on Sunday, he said that would be no problem and ask her to say a prayer for him. Peggy assured him that she would, and we both did. Not just on Sunday, but every day.

We believe in the power of prayer. We are grateful to all those who prayed for Peggy last week, and we appreciate those who pray for us on a regular basis.

YEAH, BABY!

(AP Photo/Ed Reinke)
I am a Kentucky basketball fan, and that has been a tough thing this year. With a new coach (after the shameful way we ran off Tubby Smith), plenty of injuries, and a team that has underachieved for the most part this year, it was amazing to watch them come back from a 10 point deficit not once, but twice last night and then pour it on at the end of the game against the "hated" Tennessee Volunteers. 72-66 is a sweet score, and we will gladly take the win over Tennessee. The fact that they were ranked 5th in the nation makes it nice, the fact that we gave them their first conference loss (and are only one conference loss behind them in the standings now) is sweet, and the fact that we BEAT Tennessee is the best!

Okay, I'm through gloating (not). In my next post, I'll update the two of you who read this blog on Peggy's health (all-clear), and other family-type happenings.

Knock Me Over, Feather!

Contagious viral pneumonia. You could’ve knocked us down with a feather. That was, however the diagnosis from the doctor when Peggy finally broke down and went to see him. She had been sick for several days, but being the “trooper” that she is, she taught Sunday School, we hosted a family for lunch after church on Sunday, we hosted youth groups Sunday night…you know, the typical Sunday for us. Now, as she undergoes her third IV antibiotic treatment in the doc’s office today, we await results of her chest x-ray to see if the pneumonia is clearing up. Fortunately, we didn’t have to hospitalize her. Fortunately, I can take her to the doc for her treatments, and work in the waiting room because of my iBook (have I mentioned lately how much I LOVE my iBook?). Fortunately, she seems to be improving each day.

Peggy is “really excited” about having to miss a week of work. She is “really excited” to learn that her pneumonia shot covers only bacterial pneumonia, not viral pneumonia. We are “really excited” at the thought that we inadvertently exposed lots of folks to a viral pneumonia. But mostly we praise God that it was diagnosed when it was, and that we are getting things taken care of. Praise God for the knowledge of medicine He has given those caring for Peggy’s needs. Praise God for the ability to take care of her at home. Praise God for being surrounded by people who love us, lift us up in their prayers, and who are willing to do anything we ask of them. Praise God we haven’t had to ask, yet!

The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Indian River County

Frog Away!
Originally uploaded by blountman

My apologies to Samuel Langhorne Clemens. I got my frog in my stocking which was opened on New Year's Eve. Ian and Emily were both off of work and at home with us. Elliott, Abi and Jayla came over to help us celebrate. It was a perfect evening. I had my Bride, my children, and my granddog around me to ring in the New Year. We even had Turlte and Jordan with us

For more pictures from the event, check out my flickr site.

My Baby

My Baby
Originally uploaded by blountman

Don't faint because I am posting two blog blurbs in one day. It's catch-up time. In spite of the fact that my sinuses are on the warpath and my head feels like it weighs a ton, I need to get this business taken care of.

Emily is now 18 years old. There, I've said it. I don't believe it. Oh no, not for one minute. You see, you can't go from 12 to 18 in one fell swoop. So, I guess I can call her 13 years old now. Alas, her birth certificate proves otherwise. Perhaps this is why I feel so yucky today. My baby turned 18 yesterday. Yeah, that's what I'll go with...it is all HER fault that I am sick today.

No, Emily. I am so proud of you. The only way I could be more proud would have been if you had worn the "get in line" shirt on your birthday. Because that shirt is the straight up truth and you know it.

I love my Chick-A-Boo, and I am proud to be her "Pau Pau."

Christmas Day Blessings

My Favorite Kids
Originally uploaded by blountman

We got the spend the day on Christmas Day at Nanny & Papaw's over in Palmetto. Elliott and Abi came down from Clearwater, so we had a nice, intimate, celebration. It is so wonderful to be surrounded by family. I know that I am a blessed man. I am married to my soul mate, who keeps me drawing closer to Christ all the time. I am the dad of three beautiful children (and while I can never take the place of Papa Pardue, I will count Abi as one of mine, making it FOUR beautiful kids). Peggy's parents have always treated me like a son, not a son-in-law. I am, without a doubt, the luckiest man on the planet.

Having had the chance to make my Bride tear up with joy as she opened presents this year, because I finally got it right and got her the things she really wanted, and having had the chance to watch the joy in the faces of our children as we spent time together, made this Christmas the best one ever for me.

Taking the picture of the four children in front of the lake by Nanny & Papaw's reminds me of how blessed I am. You are looking at my 3rd favorite gift - our children. First is my salvation through Jesus Christ, and 2nd is my Bride Peggy. After that, it is all icing on the cake, my friends.

Christmas Ponderings

In Luke 2:19 we read: "But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart." When examining the 2nd chapter of the Gospel of Luke, we see that Mary and Joseph have traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem (a distance of about 80 miles) when Mary is VERY pregnant. That is a trip that could not have been fun for Mary. When they arrive in Bethlehem, there is no place to stay, so they wind up bedding down in a cave-barn behind an inn. There, Mary gave birth to her first son. Not exactly a sanitary setting for childbirth, in the hay next to the donkeys, but that is where God chose to have the Savior of the World born. The first visitors to worship the Christ child were shepherds! Not exactly the top of the social strata, these guys had been visited by an angel declaring the birth of God's Son, and had witnessed a heavenly choir of angels singing glory to God. So, these shepherds set out for Bethlehem and found the Babe just as th angel had said. The shepherds left from there declaring the Good News: that Jesus had come into the world. The, we read the famous line quoted above.

Oh, to be like Mary. Not that I want to give birth, I just want to be used by God for His Purposes. No matter where that leads, no matter how far out of my comfort zone that takes me, no matter what He asks of me. That was the attitude Mary had when she told the angel that she was a bondslave of the Lord. That is the attitude I need to exhibit. No that is the attitude, I need to live out. By submitting my life to the Lordship of Jesus when I was immersed into Christ on August 27, 1985, I promised to be a bondslave of Christ.

I know that it isn't Christmas yet, but I am already in sermon mode for Sunday, December 30th. Yeah, I am preaching on that date, and as I contemplate God's message for the last Sunday of the year, I am contemplating what it means to truly commit to a New Life Resolution. My New Life Resolution is found in Philippians 2"14-15: "14Do all things without grumbling or disputing;

15so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a)crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world," now THAT is something to ponder.

"Duel" Services

Christmas Lights

Christmas Lights
Originally uploaded by blountman

This year, we have added to our outside display of lights, the manger scene. In this close-up of Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus, you can also see roses blooming on our "rose tree" just behind the manger scene. I love Christmas in Vero Beach. I was in jean shorts and a tee shirt as I hung the lights on the house on November 29th, and the seat was rolling down my face into my eyes! Roses are still in full bloom. Yep, THAT's my kind of Christmas season weather.

Speaking of the Christmas season, I want to take the time now to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. May you always keep in mind the true meaning of the season: God loves you, and He gave you the ultimate Christmas Gift - Jesus!

There are a few more pictures taken on Nov. 29th of the lights around our house, and one of the rose blooms that are about eight feet off the ground. Just check out the flickr site.

May this season in which we celebrate the coming to earth of the Savior of the World, find you and yours doing well. Thank you for your continued prayers for us Blounts. We'll take all the prayers we can get!

Birthday Cake

Several people wore as much of Ian's birthday cake as ate it, including the birthday boy:

So It Ain't So!

It is hard for me to believe that my baby boy, Ian is 19 today! Words cannot express the love I have for our "middle child." We have been (and continue to go) through so much together! From his "hurry up, here I am" birth, through various physical challenges in his infancy and toddler years on up to today, Ian is absolutely one of a kind. A fact for which Peggy and I are eternally grateful!

I know there are plenty of challenges ahead for our "Ieebee Dah Man" and I pray that he will draw closer to Jesus, and let the Lord of all Life be his guide through the good times and the bad. I am so blessed to be Ian's Dad, and I am so unworthy of that honor. I just pray that he always knows the depth of the love I have for him.

Bearded Lady

Over the past several months our Children's Church gang has been collecting an offering to go towards Vero Christian Church's "Connecting Christ With Community" campaign. Our goal was to reach $500 before Commitment Sunday, which is this Sunday, November 11th. We have achieved our goal, and will present our offering at the end of the adult worship service this week. I will be wearing a dress (and possibly makeup, a wig, and high heals depending on how much offering is collected this Sunday)! Yeah, I am a fool for Christ. I will do whatever I can to help kids get excited about worshiping God by the giving of their offerings to Kingdom Work. The Children's Church gang knows that we will continue collecting offerings each week, and that other goals will be set, not always with a goofy consequence for me. Anyway, I decided a couple of weeks ago to let my beard grow out (such as it is) so I can be the "Bearded Lady" on November 11th. The things we do for love.

Missing My Mom

This is my favorite picture I took of Mom, catching her "in the act" of ironing. She hated to iron, and she is telling me not to take the picture. I disobeyed. I miss Mom. On this day that is the anniversary of her birth, I celebrate the blessing of being Bettie Johnson Blount's son. I can't believe it has been over 14 years since she passed on. Time hasn't flown, and what I wouldn't give for her sage advice over a meal of choice Mexican food.

Costume Bible Study

Da Crew with Scott
Originally uploaded by blountman

Our college age group Wednesday night Bible study group decided to go with the theme on October 31, 2007. We studied 1 Samuel 17, "Facing the Giants," but we also dressed up, ate chicken wings, and other munchies and handed out candy to a handful of Trick or Treaters. It was a great time! A great study, fantastic discussion, and plenty of laughs before and after the study. If I haven't mentioned before, I really love this group of college age students.

Oh yeah, BABY!

Best college football game EVER. Don't even try to argue with me on this one, folks!

Enjoying Greta

One member of Ed's family that didn't make the move to Anniston last week is his Scooter, "Greta." Now, Ed got Greta to combat the high cost of traveling back and forth to work with Gracie. Now that Gracie has retired (and Mercy is now Ed's main mode of transport), and now that Ed is living in SWEET HOME ALABAMA where the hills are large and the necks get red at the sight of scooter (jk), Greta is now residing with me here in Vero Beach. She took me to work this past Monday and it was a blast. I had a motorcycle back before Peggy and I got married, but have been without motorized two-wheeled transportation for over two decades until now.

Anyway, this morning, Greta dutifully took me back to work, so I thought I would at least take her picture in front of the office so that Ed and others could know how much Greta is loved and appreciated. Oh yeah, with the "dry season" coming soon here in Florida, Greta will be my MAIN mode of transportation to and from the office, and I am truly looking forward to all that this entails (savings in gasoline costs, less mileage on our "road vehicle" Pistin and the thrill of the ride).

Having heard from Ed almost daily since his move, I am thrilled by what is happening in Alabama. I am thrilled by how God is using Ed to accomplish so much, and by the attitude with which Ed approaches this time in his life. I just wish my attitude was always as good as my Lil Bro's! Maybe more time with Greta will help in that regard.

Mmmm...Sonic!

So, we got Lil Bro moved up to Alabama this past week, and while there are plenty of stories to tell about that adventure (which turned out splendidly, by the way), I want to just focus on our supper jaunt on Tuesday night. After a day of cleaning out the garage and moving in Ed's stuff, Ed, Dad and I made a "late night" Wal-Mart run and then headed to: Mmmmmm...Sonic! Dad says he has never eaten at Sonic, so I wanted photographic proof of our visit and I wanted a picture of Dad's goatee. He kinda reminds me of Harlan Sanders with his new look, but for now we will just be satisfied with Mmmmm....Sonic.

Ed is now settling in with Dad, and that is an answer to many prayers. There are many others to lift up on Ed and Dad's behalf as they make the adjustments to life together under one roof in Sweet Home Alabama.