Cubic Yards of Fun

Most, if not all, of the people that would visit this site more than likely have some form of a garden... probably. But how many of you know how many cubic yards of materials are needed in said garden? 

If we use my drawing as an example, I'll show you how to determine the amount of dirt, in cubic yards, that is needed to put three inches of dirt in all six of the raised planters.

In a nut shell, and to give you a full measure of the math, we are going to go, mathematically, from square feet to cubic feet to cubic yards... if you can multiply and divide you're good to go.

Square Feet: There are 4 planters that measure 6' long (length) by 4' wide (width) and there are 2 planters that measure 4' long (length) and 4' wide (width). NOTE: The math below does not account for the potato planter as it is filled continuously as the plants grow.

• 6' x 4' = 24 sq ft x 4 (planters) = 96 sq ft (subtotal #1)
• 4' x 4' = 16 sq ft x 2 (planters) = 32 sq ft (subtotal #2)
• 96 sq ft (subtotal #1) + 32 sq ft (subtotal #2) = 128 sq ft (total #1)

Unfortunately, this information is, basically, only useful for the purpose of communicating the sheer size of your garden when speaking with friends, neighbors, family, and colleagues.

Cubic Feet: To find cubic feet, you need to add the dimension of depth. So, say I wanted 3" of dirt in each planter. To get to cubic feet, I simply multiply L x W x D. However, I first have to convert any dimension that is measured in inches over to feet. As a result, I need to divide my depth (3") by 12". Therefore, 3" / 12" = 0.25'.

• 6' x 4' x 0.25' = 6 cu ft x 4 (planters) = 24 cu ft (subtotal #3)
• 4' x 4' x 0.25' = 4 cu ft x 2 (planters) = 8 cu ft (subtotal #4)
• 24 cu ft (subtotal #3) + 8 cu ft (subtotal #4) = 32 cu ft (total #2)

OK, so now we're getting somewhere. We now know that we have 32 cu ft (total #2) in the six raised planters.

Cubic Yards: Now that I have cubic feet, I need to divide total #2 (32 cu ft) by the number of cubic feet in a cubic yard, which is 27.

• 32 cu ft / 27 = 1.19 cu yds

If I round up the purchase to make sure I have enough dirt due to settling, I'll purchase 1.5 cu yds of dirt. Well, technically I won't be purchasing the dirt as the dirt is already available back at my house... that's a completely different problem

Amount of Pathway Rock Needed

Calculating the amount of rock needed is a bit more complex because, while the pathways are contiguous, you have to add up the length and width and depth (2") for each pathway. What I did for this calculation was to determine the vertical paths (4) and the horizontal paths (2)... look at the image above again and you should quickly see what I am referring to. Here's what the math looks like for that:

• Overall Pathway Depth: The entire rock path will be 2" deep. So I need to convert that to feet --> 2" / 12" = 0.16' (D).
• Overall Pathway Width: The path is 1' 6" all the way around for both the vertical and horizontal paths. As a result, I need to convert the 6" in the 1' 6" dimension to feet. That's easy --> 6" / 12" = 0.5', then simply add the 0.5' to the original 1' dimension --> 1.5'. The 1.5' (W) dimension will be used hereafter.
• Vertical Pathway Length: Each vertical path in the image is 4' long (L1).
• Horizontal Pathway Length: I have two pathways that measure 13' 6" in length. Just like the Overall Pathway Width, I need to convert the 6" to feet. Since we know that number is 0.5', I'll just that to the original 13' dimension which gives me 13.5' (L2).

Calculations:

• Vertical --> 4' x 1.5' x 0.16' = 0.96 cu ft x 4 (vertical paths) = 3.84 cu ft / 27 = 0.14 cu yds
• Horizontal --> 13.5' x 1.5' x 0.16' = 3.24 cu ft x 2 (horizontal paths) = 6.48 cu ft / 27 = 0.24 cu yds
• Total Rock Needed: 0.14 cu yds (vertical paths) + 0.24 cu yds (horizontal paths) = 0.38 cu yds total

Rounding up the 0.38 cu yds indicates that I'll need about 1/2 yard of rock.

Easy peezy... now you know how to estimate. 

Outdoor Fireplace

Decided to get away with the family for the girls spring break and we stopped at a friends home along the way. When I describe it to people, I generally state that the home looks like a giant hunting lodge. I used this home as my muse when I described Edward Tomason's retreat in Montana in Chapter 5 of Part I - When Rome Stumbles. 

While we were there, I decided to take some pictures of their outdoor fireplace. The one I'd like to build would have some modifications... of course.

What I would like to add would be a firewood box on one side or another for additional wood storage as well as the ability to add a grate for cooking. The homeowner did highly recommend the implementation of a modification he made which was to increase the height of the chimney stack by a further 18". By adding some additional height, he was able to keep smoke from drafting down on the seating area in front of the fireplace.

The downside to my construction would be the fact that I would have get a footer below the frost line which he didn't have to do given his location. I also would have to present "plans" to the suburb for a permit... and I'm sure my prickly neighbor would have a few choice comments given my desired placement.

Regardless of the drawbacks, I very much look forward to constructing one of these! 

EMP Related Information

Anyone who is paying attention knows that our nations electrical grid is susceptible to a wide variety of threats. This is especially true of an EMP style event. William R. Forstchen wrote a pretty comprehensive fictional piece called One Second After where he utilized the information he'd gleaned from the Critical National Infrastructures Report (and Executive Report) regarding research that had been conducted by the U.S. Government and the aftermath of an EMP style event. More recently, Ted Koppel has even written a piece exploring this vulnerability in his book Lights Out. Heck, in Chapter 2 of of my book, By the Dawn's Early Light, I broke down exactly how an EMP works:

Scott proceeded to walk over to the easel and pick up a marker. He drew multiple columns and labeled each ‘E1’, ‘E2’, and ‘E3’ respectively.

Chester nodded his agreement.

“Okay. Regardless of altitude at detonation or magnitude contained within the warhead, an EMP from an atmospheric blast is basically comprised of three components,” he began and pointed to the labels.

“The E1 phase is very fast and extremely intense. This is the part that causes electrical surges and begins to fry everything. The gamma radiation travels at almost 90% the speed of light and it does this by using something called the ‘Compton Effect’. That gets kind of technical so we’ll just write ‘surge’ for E1.

“E2 is like lightning,” he continued and paused to write the term under the ‘E2’ heading. “Most everything is shrouded against common weather related power surges and electrical storms through USB’s and surge protectors, but E2 adds insult to injury because it immediately follows E1. The E1 phase provides a gateway through the protection because, as I said, it fries everything. To be clear, by ‘fries everything’ I mean the amount of energy coursing through the lines amps up so quickly and intensely that the blast of electricity pushes the insulators and diodes beyond their maximum thresholds. Once the E1 component takes out the initial defense of the system, E2 comes along and hits everything as if it were never protected to begin with.

“E3 is the big brother sucker punch that keeps on giving. The first two components only take seconds or milliseconds, but this piece, on the other hand, can last a few minutes. Once E1 and E2 are done, part three shows up like a solar flare, or geomagnetic storm. This is commonly referred to as the Carrington Event.”

Scott paused and turned to the board once more. He wrote ‘solar flare’ under the appropriate heading and then chose a different color and jotted down ‘milliseconds’ under ‘E1’, ‘seconds’ under ‘E2’, and ‘minutes’ under ‘E3’.

“The EMP aspect of this phase takes out the high voltage lines and low orbiting satellites. You’ll know it when you see it because it will appear similar to an aurora borealis.” The student then paused and turned to Chester and asked, “How’d I do?”

The mentor smiled and began clapping. “Bravo, Scott. Bravo! I do have one correction though. The blast needs to occur above thirty thousand feet in order to induce ionization, but that takes us well in to the realm of the technical.”

An EMP is a very real threat to this country especially by actors like North Korea, Iran, and any group of highly skilled and funded terrorism elements. For example, Forstchen's fictional attack was launched from a cargo container ship sitting off the coast of the United States. I had extremists infiltrate Minot AFB. 

I bring all of this up because, as I was working my way through a weekend's worth of emails, I clicked on an email from My Patriot Supply. Granted, they were using the topic as a means to offer their long term food options as well as their heirloom non-GMO seeds, but the subject matter caught my attention enough to post something in my blog. Here's the link to what they had to say on the matter: Special Report - When the Lights Go Out for Good.

More Evidence of Science Gone Wrong

I've made no secret of my disdain for the GMO industry. Hell, I wrote Part I of my series for that purpose alone. Therefore, it came as no real shock when I found this article in my news feed this morning: 13 Surprising Sperm Killers.

Granted, probably not the title I would have chosen, but the title did serve it's purpose as click-bait because, damn it, I clicked on it!

However, the article's opening paragraph got my attention:

Sperm killers are everywhere. They saturate you in the shower, seep into your skin in the checkout line, and even ooze into the convenience food you grab on the run. No matter the point of entry, many everyday chemicals are zapping their sperm counts and even silently scrambling DNA sperm data for men all over the world. Some cause sperm mobility problems, leaving your swimmers not swimming so well. And since the last time we wrote about this, a few more sperm busters have crossed our radar screen.

As I read it, I had two prevailing thoughts. 1.) Thank goodness I'm done have children; and, 2.) Is there nothing that won't kill you or lead to untold horrors for your offspring these days? Seriously, I might as well start living in a friggin' bubble to protect myself from all this crap!

Honestly, those were my first two thoughts.

My third thought was, 3.) Thank goodness I was blessed with two healthy children.

Suffice it to say, the article was quite thorough in its research. To save you from having to read the entirety of the article, here are the highlights for things men should avoid as they contemplate the starting of a family with their spouse (italicized text represents quoted text):

• Bacon (and processed meats) - interviewed men visiting a fertility clinic and found those who ate just one piece of sausage or slice of bacon a day saw a 30 percent decrease in normal sperm. Instead, their sperm was more likely to be misshaped and puny.

• Cash Register Receipts - coated with the hormone-disrupting chemical bisphenol A (BPA), which has been linked to fertility problems and heart disease... men with higher BPA levels in their urine experienced low sperm counts and lower sperm quality than men with lower levels.

• Canned Foods - almost all of those metal cans are coated with a BPA resin, which migrates into the food. Acidic canned products, such as tomato paste or sauces, are particularly saturated with BPA.

• Vinyl Sex Toys - devices made of vinyl... unleashes phthalates, plastic-softening chemicals linked to cancer, allergies, birth defects, and infertility.

• Shower Products - Phthalates don't just linger in your sex toys, but also in scented soaps, shampoos, and cleaners, and in vinyl shower curtains.

• Produce - Pesticides are designed to kill pests... [but] don't see much difference between your precious seed and a hornworm.

• Heated Car Seats - Heated car seats, heating pads, and even prolonged time in a hot tub heat up testicular temperatures just enough to decrease sperm production.

• Fish/Seafood - PCBs... are banned, but the ones that are already out there will remain in the environment indefinitely, where they especially accumulate in fish.

• Non-Stick Cookware - Nonstick chemicals used in pots and pans and in raingear often contain perfluoroalkyl acids, known as PFAAs; common types include PFOA or PFOS... men with the highest levels of PFOS and PFOA had half the number or normal sperm cells compared to men with smaller amounts of the chemicals in their bodies.

• Natural Gas Drilling - The industrial solvent benzene isn't just a cancer causer, it's also a sperm mutator... benzene-exposed men exhibited significantly higher genetically damaged sperm compared to unexposed workers, increasing the risk for birth defects in their children.

• Preservatives - Parabens are used in many cosmetics, cleaners, and even some processed foods as preservatives due to their cheap chemical antimicrobial activity... studies have linked parabens to not only breast cancer, but also abnormal genetic changes in the sperm of male mice fed parabens.

• Flame Retardants - once-popular flame retardants polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs) are phased out due to health concerns surrounding them, their replacements may cause their own issues... men living in higher household-dust concentrations of the chemicals displayed lower sperm counts and declining thyroid hormone levels.

• Sugars - Hidden in almost every type of processed food... added sugars are likely killing your sperm count... researchers found that when they fed mice sugar similar to what the average American eats daily, they were 25 less likely to successfully reproduce. Interestingly, the mice generally didn't get fat or show signs of high blood pressure, but were more likely to die and have fewer babies.

Between this new information and the GMO research I've done, plus the doctoring of, and the increase in, vaccinations, it just seems to me that the entirety of science these days reeks of an un-holy trinity of mayhem and destruction for the human race... 

Click on the link I provided above to read the full article and see what steps men can take to avoid these chemicals.

Garden Plan 2017

Due to an interesting series of events, we (my family and I) find ourselves living at my in-laws house due to a late starting home remodel project. Long story short, between zoning ordinances and building codes, my garden, for this year at least, was sacrificed in the name of a new A/C unit and whole house generator. 

That being said, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that my mother-in-law has also read my books. Ever since then, she has been itching to have me build a large "English" style garden for the extended family. I did a little research, but remembered that my cousin had posted this on Facebook so I took a screenshot and showed it to her.

Needless to say she loved it so this is basically what I'll be building (not with pressure treated though... not really sure what they were thinking. At least, it looks like pressure treated lumber to me). I'll be making one major modification though. Instead of two beds that appear to be 3' x 16', I'll be building 6 beds that measure 4' x 6'. That's 144 sq. ft. of space instead of the approximate 96 sq. ft. pictured above. My original garden (the one that was sacrificed), measured 20' x 4' (80 sq. ft.) so this is going to be just shy of double in size. If you include my planters and what-not, I'd safely round that up to 100 sq. ft.

In that 80-100 sq. ft. space, I had:

• Basil
• Beans
• Butternut Squash
• Cantaloupe
• Chives
• Corn
• Cucumbers (2 varieties)
• Dill
• Garlic (2 varieties)
• Green Peppers
• Lavender
• Oregano
• Potatoes (2 varieties)
• Rosemary
• Sage
• Tomatoes (3 varieties)
• Watermelon
• Zucchini

Using the "English" garden as a bit of inspiration, I drew up the following:

UPDATE: 03/20/2017

After a brief conversation with some co-workers, plus confirmation from the mother-in-law, several modifications regarding what we are growing have been implemented to the plan.

Going left to right and top to bottom, the following changes were implemented:

Bed #2: The peppers previously slated for the back right box with the Sweet Corn are being moved to several pots that will have less than optimum soil.

Bed #3/#4: The sizes of the beds have been reduced to 4' x 4' instead of 4' x 6' in order to make room for a planter of potatoes that measures 2.5' x 4'.

Bed #5: In the front left bed, we now have:

• One row of Nantes Carrots
• One row of Radish
• One row of Finger Carrots
• One row of yellow onions (Spanish)
• Two rows of Asparagus

All told, we will be planting:

Bed #1:

• 2 Beefsteak Tomatoes
• 2 Roma Tomatoes
• 2 Cherry Tomatoes

Bed #2

• 18 Sweet Corn

Bed #3

• 2 Zucchini
• 1 Watermelon
• 1 Butternut Squash
• 2 Eggplant

Bed #4

• 6-8 Pole Beans
• 4-6 Cucumbers

Bed #5

• ~24 Radish
• ~24 Nantes Carrots
• ~24 Finger Carrots
• 6-8 Spanish Onions (yellow)
• 12 Asparagus

Bed #6

• Sage
• Parsley
• Dill
• Thyme
• Oregano
• 3 Basil
• Chives (Green Onions)
• Cilantro

In between all of the raised beds will be an 18" wide path filled with rock. The rock actually aids in keeping the plants warm over night as it will absorb the sun's heat throughout the day and release it after dark. In a small way, this helps extended the growing season. Not by much mind you... couple of days, maybe a week at best, but every little bit helps.

Borderless

I was watching a movie last night (X-Men: Days of Future Past) and one of the characters delivered a rather memorable line... which I promptly forgot. I was immediately struck with an idea for a new stand alone piece of fiction. I am tentatively calling it "Borderless". Here is what I put down on paper last night based off of this one characters ten second spiel...

Chapter 1

The head of the research institute approached the lectern. The muted conversations among the assembled press corps ceased. Red lights atop the video cameras went active and flashbulbs began popping.

“My name is Dr. Ian Blackburn. I am the lead researcher in the Infectious Diseases Division of this institute. For months we have been trying to determine the origin, and a cure,” he said with emphasis. “Together, with our peers here, and our colleagues at the CDC, along with other research labs around the world, we have been working tirelessly, in twenty four hour shifts, all in an effort to solve this latest riddle from Mother Nature. Here’s what we know.

“In the last two months, at least two million people have died from a variety of causes. At first, it presents as flu like symptoms with severe congestion and itchy watery eyes. Within twenty-four to thirty-six hours, it progresses into a very aggressive form of pneumonia. These ailments persist all the while forcing the body to overproduce fluid at a rate we’ve never seen before.”

Dr. Blackburn paused before continuing.

“The body will literally drown in its own fluids within seventy-two hours. We know it is a virus that is somehow immune to all known antivirals. In the last six weeks, we’ve confirmed at least two mutations. The virus is literally getting stronger. It can be spread via fluid exchange, but we now believe it is capable of surviving in an airborne state for a maximum of forty-five minutes to an hour.”

One of the reporters quickly interrupted. In a panicked tone, they asked, “What are you saying? What options do we have?”

“What I’m saying is simply… once contracted,” he continued. “It’s a death sentence. It doesn’t matter how physically imposing you are, or how mighty your intellect, no matter how strong and robust a barrier the stoutest of nations can erect, all nations the world over… are now effectively… borderless.”

Several of the gathered reporters began weeping. The stress of covering the pandemic coupled with a seeming death sentence sent many over the edge. More than a few whipped out their cell phones and called their loved ones.

“My advice to the people watching me on TV or listening to the sound of my voice is as follows. Stay where you are. Do not go outside or associate with anyone not in your residence for at least two weeks. Use plastic, sheets, blankets, tarps, trash bags anything you can find and seal all doors and windows. If anyone in your home begins showing any of the symptoms previously mentioned, evict them from your home immediately or everyone in that space will be dead within seventy-two hours. In two weeks’ time, the virus will burn itself out if it cannot find a viable host.”

A flurry of questions came fast.

“When will you have a cure?” a lady in the front row screamed at him.

“What can we expect after two weeks?”

“Is this a new black plague?” one shouted.

Ian held up his hands to signal that he was prepared to stay and answer questions.

“Ladies and gentlemen, please. One at a time… one at a time.”

The room quickly quieted down.

Knowing that the planet’s population would want answers, Dr. Blackburn had prepared himself for the barrage he was now facing.

“When will we have a cure?” he reiterated. “I can’t say. As I mentioned previously, we are working diligently to find one. No this is not related to black plague in any way shape or form. As for what to expect beyond two weeks… I’d say –,”

Suddenly, Ian was interrupted.

From the back of the room, a thick man with a head of thick red hair, and an even thicker horseshoe style mustache, blurted out, “Is this a global killer?”

Dr. Blackburn placed both his hand on the lectern and shuffled contemplatively on his feet. Bowing his head slightly before answering, he could barely look the room in the eye when he responded.

“If the people don’t do as I’ve instructed by barricading themselves in their homes, and they continue to move about freely and associate with one another, this virus will spread like a wild fire. The only people left will be those living in secluded and remote areas far from population centers. So to answer your question bluntly, yes, this has the potential to be a global killer.”

I'm Still Alive...

I'm still here... alive and well. No, I didn't have a near death experience. We've started a home renovation project and had to move in with the in-laws for a time while they are doing the bulk of the demo work. During this time, I've been writing more of Part IV and generally showing friends and acquaintances a great deal of restraint by not completely hammering them for the manner in which they are conducting themselves when attempting to intellectually present their arguments regarding their political views. 

My wife keeps telling me to smile and nod, let it go, 'you can't fix stupid'.

Number of Servings is a Myth

My Preparing to Prepare non-fiction work attempts to walk the 'uninitated' through the process of disaster/disruption/preparedness planning with an basic education and a simplified approach. (Don't worry, there's plenty of stuff in there for the 'intiated' as well.) To aid me in keeping all of the information as concise as possible, I've broken the book down into three parts based on the duration of the event.

In sticking with a 'basics' theme for the uninitiated, I expose the reader to some of the things they might prepare for and provide examples. For example, I grew up in the southeast US. This area is generally hit by 3-5 hurricanes per decade. This means our family, and just about everyone else's family, needed to be prepared in the event a hurricane was headed toward us. The duration for a hurricane related event was usually 7-14 days depending on how close it came to us. As a result, my parents kept enough food and water on hand for a family of 6 given their self imposed two-week duration. This inventory was added to the inventory of batteries, charcoal, firewood, dog food, kerosene, spare propane tanks, etc.

However, back in the late 70's and early 80's, we didn't have the glut of preparedness food suppliers and manufacturers to choose from like we do today. Everything was either in a can or was frozen. Freeze dried anything barely existed. Now, because most of it was canned, it also meant that the sheer weight of it all prohibited us from doing anything other than 'sheltering in place'.

As I continue to do my research and writing for the non-fiction work, I am coming across something I find to be a bit disconcerting. Namely, some of the food suppliers that are offering one-week, one-month, three-month, six-month, one-year supplies of emergency food are misrepresenting the number of servings that it will provide. And by that I mean, the supplier will state that their 6-month supply of food is "Over 500 servings!" Another will state something like, "That's 510 servings!" 

Sounds impressive... except when you apply some basic math.

1 person  X  3 servings a day  X  180 days (6 mos)  =  540 servings

Here's my warning/advise: Do your self a favor and make sure that the supplier you are considering is using the correct numbers for the duration you are planning for -OR- you adjust your purchase to account for the full number of servings desired. How much would it suck to have to be one that has to tell their family/group that they are going to run out of food a week, a week and half sooner than expected.

Hopefully, you are growing food at that point and it won't be that taxing, but people do strange things.

Anyway, to aid you in this endeavor, I've constructed these handy tables.

Each table breaks down the number of total servings needed by multiplying the three variables together ('Servings per Day per Person', 'Family Size', and 'Duration of Disturbance'). 

For example, you have a family of 5 that you want to feed 3x a day for 3 months. Go to the third image above, go to the 'Family Size' row of 5, slide your finger to the right to the '90 (3 months)' column. There you will discover that this fictional family of 5 would need a minimum of '1350' total servings in order to make it the full three months. 

Easy peezy!

Most of the suppliers do generally allocate for a 2000 calorie diet in their calculations, but not all of them. So keep an eye on the quoted calorie count too.

Seems That I Was Correct

Today (January 17, 2016) I learned... it seems that I was correct in my assertion that we are currently embroiled in a Second Civil War. Or at least, I had my thoughts validated by none other than Dennis Prager (syndicated national conservative talk show host). 

In July (2016), I posted a Note on my Facebook author page that laid out the premise for such an event. I took my time, contemplated, and deliberated this topic with myself for some time before posting the article (Note). In a nutshell, I tried to provide substance to the following question(s):

     What if we actually were already in the middle of a Second Civil War, but instead of cannons, the smell of gunpowder, and bullets whizzing by, this iteration is more akin to a Cold War... Would you be able to recognize it if we were?

While listening to Mr. Prager this afternoon, I was struck by his comment regarding a Second Civil War and how we were actually already in one. Consequently, according to him its between the 'leftists' and the conservatives... he has made a clear distinction between leftists and liberals where as leftists hate everything about America and liberals are patriots simply on the other side of the political spectrum from conservatives.

You can hear Mr. Prager's thoughts on the subject here: Dennis Prager Archive (search for Tuesday, January 17, 2016 and select the link for the first hour of his three hour show - you will need a membership, but I believe it's free).

During the course of his discussion, he referenced, on numerous occasions, an article he wrote for Townhall.com (and other right leaning resources as well as dennisprager.com). I've copied the contents down, formatted it, and pasted it below. I've also included a download button for my original Facebook author page Note.

Basically, Mr. Prager tried to provide a viewpoint by viewpoint breakdown regarding the differences between the left and right with regard to political, moral, ethical, and worldly views and ideologies.

UPDATE** (01/25/2017) Dennis Prager has also recently published an article at Townhall where he takes the image above and fleshes the concepts out into an article format. You can read the article here.

Now That Was A Sermon

The family and I have made it more of a priority to attend church more regularly. On Christmas Eve, the wife decided she wanted to try a church she'd heard many wonderful things about so we decided to go there for services instead of her cousins church on the other side of town. She has a big family that lives here in town and we tend to rotate through each others church for the holiday message.

During the Christmas Eve service, they, being a church that is trying to grow its congregation, had announcements and rattled through a calendar of events for their parishioners, but one of the announcements caught our collective attention. The associate pastor proceeded to tell the congregation that the next series the church would be addressing is the clashing of what culture and society at large says is acceptable compared to what the Bible deems acceptable.

The series, on its face, was of interested to the wife and I because we, like any other parent, seem to be in the never ending job of working with our teenage daughters to help them understand what is acceptable and what is not as a result of their truncated world view... and by 'truncated' I am referring merely to their ages. They simply haven't seen enough in their brief lives so we try and help them navigate those waters.

Today's sermon was just what the doctor ordered and I'm glad the girls were there with us to hear it for themselves. I've downloaded it so I can listen to it again... it was that good. Both parts of the series (I believe in the end it's supposed to be 4-5 parts), if you're interested in hearing it, are available here: Grace Fellowship.