tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-176179282011-12-31T22:55:43.967-05:00Scripture Study Combined with the Actual Walking-Around, Living-and-Breathing Life Here on Earth That We All ExperienceDrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comBlogger5401100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-77122460944060250222011-12-31T22:44:00.003-05:002011-12-31T22:55:43.980-05:00

It has been a wonderful year, and it's also been quite a while since I entered anything in my blog. I'm writing this with a little over an hour until the new year of 2012 comes our way, and I wanted to take time to reflect on the many good things that have happened this year to the Zockoll family here in Tennessee:My wife Jill has been growing stronger - bit by bit - and getting help to be able

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-76759555708536599572011-06-18T07:18:00.002-05:002011-06-18T07:38:06.018-05:00

This summer has been fantastic. I've just completed the week of the Summer Creative Writer's Camp and the participants showed excellent talent in writing fiction. I have a few manuscripts to send in to my publisher. Nicholas and Alexis are coming by this weekend, bringing along their two jolly pets, a dachshund named Jack and a German Shepherd named Sam. These two will mix it up with our

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-57403984182924585702011-06-11T07:05:00.002-05:002011-06-11T07:09:00.151-05:00

I wanted to share a key Greek word with you this morning:In 1 Corinthians 4, and I've found a powerful word for us to review. The time of the writing was when Paul was dealing with a pride issue with the Christians in Corinth. He reminds them that Christianity is not a fashion, but a relationship with Jesus and a ministry! He brings the point home in the middle of a strongly worded passage:

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-6505770059992220822011-06-06T06:52:00.002-05:002011-06-06T07:04:36.521-05:00

I have numerous projects lined up for this summer: completing the outside painting on our home, laying out a brick walkway, and seeing to the insurance settlement for the hail damage to our roof. I've even made it a goal to get back to running and try to lose some weight. Then there's the Writer's Camp that I'll be hosting, along with some other writing assignments from some customers. However,

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-33174243234178044372011-05-27T10:13:00.003-05:002011-05-27T10:32:07.011-05:00

"For the Son of man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."ransom: lutron - "a means of loosing" (from luo, "to loose") It's used in the Middle Voice, meaning "to release by paying a ransom price, to redeem." Infact, lutroo signifies deliverance, the actual setting at liberty. We get caught up in the many rabbit trails of the Christian life and often

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-81408320874128923972011-05-26T06:41:00.006-05:002011-05-26T07:15:16.414-05:00

I'm writing this early in the morning while seated at my classroom desk at the school, enjoying the quiet. It's the last day for all staff - hard to believe the summer is upon us. Yesterday was the final day for the students; a bittersweet day for me. I enjoy my students very much.Sunday is my birthday, and to celebrate my 52nd year on this earth, I've invited my entire Bible class from the

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-65022184043552782002011-05-24T15:55:00.003-05:002011-05-24T16:06:44.844-05:00

We're in exams and it looks like the school year at Grace Christian Academy is just about over. I'll be going back to my writing during the summer - I even have a Summer Writer's Camp in June - and I'll be trying to slow down the pace a bit. We're going in for the Social Security Administrartion court hearing for Jill's fibro myalgia on May 31st. I cannot tell you how much I would appreciate your

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-44228305352154044442011-01-12T07:28:00.003-05:002011-01-12T07:42:55.431-05:00

School has been cancelled for the third day in a row due to snow and ice on the many country roads here in Tennessee. I am able to catch up on some writing and have a chance to spend some more time with the family. And have some more coffee.autarkeia is my mediation word.It's from 1 Timothy 6:6, and means contentment.The powerful verse says "But godliness with contentment is great gain."The goal

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-65412336032737257252010-11-27T07:43:00.002-05:002010-11-27T07:49:46.464-05:00

So much to tell you, but cannot figure out where to begin.The light at the end of the tunnel. Better put, the Light at the end of the tunnel.This has been a frightening and arduous journey but thank God - thank God! - we are seeing joy and peace reign in the Zockoll home as the Lord opens doors of tranquility, giving heart-depth relief from trials.What a joy, what a joy.This Thanksgiving season

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-29314534651782378512010-10-24T06:59:00.002-05:002010-10-24T07:15:40.542-05:00

The Zockoll household has been under many an adventure - some of them not so pleasant - since I have last written in this blog. The times have been trying, but I have learned how important they are to drawing me closer to Christ.I mainly found out that God can show Himself to me better if I just get out of the way.It's no news to you that we've had a pretty tough row to hoe in recent years.

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-6172619045349611472010-07-29T08:44:00.003-05:002010-07-29T08:55:16.050-05:00

The Zockoll household is readying for the fall in July, believe it or not. Peter will be going to Lee University here in Tennessee. Julianne will be heading to Grace Christian Academy into kindergarten - big step in her life! - and Jill will be a homeroom mother, assisting the teacher. I will be teaching Bible and Psychology in the Senior High while helping write articles for the Basketball

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-6542920706134063162010-07-23T08:57:00.000-05:002010-07-23T09:06:20.697-05:00

This one is always a challenge for me to wrap my mind around. 1 Corinthians 13:4 clearly states that the best kind of love - agape love, which is a determined, serious love – is a kind love. It’s a kindness that is interested in the good of others and is eager to make itself helpful or available for serving others. It is beyond emotion - it's a commitment.This means that Christ was committed to

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-10771925527739090212010-07-16T07:02:00.004-05:002010-07-16T07:09:50.784-05:00

I took Julianne and Jill and we headed up past Kingsport where I spoke at Bancroft Bible Camp, a fine campground with a wonderful heritage, dedicated people and a true love for the Lord. Most of the children attending are on scholarship, to my understanding, and the staff gives each child loving and careful attention. The director is Keith Walsworth, and he has a powerful ministry at Bancroft.

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-37284333598019856102010-05-27T10:02:00.002-05:002010-07-05T21:02:29.758-05:00

"God has landed on this enemy-occupied world in human form...The perfect surrender and humiliation was undergone by Christ: perfect because He was God, surrender and humiliation because He was man."--The Case for Christianity

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-83447870827680362712010-05-14T06:35:00.003-05:002010-05-14T06:47:10.724-05:00

I will be teaching at Grace Christian Academy in the fall. I signed the contract about a week ago. Most of my blog will deal with the experiences I have with students and the venture back into the ministry of working with teens once again. I will be continuing my writing career, of course, but the economic times make it necessary for me to have a regular income. What a week it's been! My writing

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-57733026657923291892010-04-21T06:05:00.002-05:002010-04-21T06:17:46.290-05:00

Due to my writing and teaching workload lately it has been more difficult to try to keep up on regular blogging, but I'll try my best. What a see-saw month in the Zockoll household. Numerous contracts with many hard-working companies slow to pay me due to the economy. They're trying their best, but it still makes it extremely hard on our finances. Nevertheless, we have been able to see the Lord

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-50137590010064105622010-04-10T07:07:00.002-05:002010-04-10T07:16:57.345-05:00

1Thessalonians 4:9 ... "... for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another..." The word 'love' here (agapao) means to love unconditionally and sacrificially as God Himself loves sinful men (John 3:16), the way He loves the Son (John 3:35, 15:9). It's more than an emotion - it's an act of the will. A powerful lesson for me as I work in the world.I will be teaching all next week at Grace

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-39520606552978173022010-03-29T07:01:00.002-05:002010-03-29T07:04:06.317-05:00

Ephesians 5:20 "always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God" ...'giving thanks' is eucháristos = being thankful, grateful - actually the obligation of being thankful to someone for a favor done (from eú = well + charízomai = to grant, give). Christian eucháristos comes from perfect submission to the will of God, knowing He is working all things together for

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-55966751313803571982010-03-18T08:47:00.003-05:002010-03-18T08:51:33.646-05:00

Once more with joy O my home I may meetOnce more ye fair, flowr'y meadows I greetMy Pilgrim's staff henceforth may restSince Heaven's sweet peace is within my breast.The sinner's 'plaint on high was heardOn high was heard and answered by the LordThe tears I laid before His shrineAre turned to hope and joy divine.O Lord eternal praise be Thine!The blessed source of Thy mercy overflowingOn souls

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-43182749982131719082010-03-16T07:15:00.002-05:002010-03-16T07:18:07.722-05:00

Agnostic Robert G. Ingersoll's words in reflection on his life in a letter to his brother: "I feel that we have passed the crown of the hill, and that the milestones are getting nearer and nearer each other, and now and then I catch glimpses of the great wall where the road ends. A little while ago, I pressed forward; now I hold back. In youth we woo the future and clasp her like a bride; in age

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-54000600900299774182010-03-15T09:49:00.004-05:002010-03-16T07:20:14.010-05:00

When I came to North America, I found that most churches, pastors, seminaries, colleges, and parachurch agencies and agents were in the grip of this secular passion for successful expansion in a way I had not met in England. Church-growth theorists, evangelists, pastors, missionaries, and others all spoke as if: (1) numerical increase is what matters most, (2) numerical increase must come if our

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-43634000734181315662010-03-01T07:51:00.002-05:002010-03-01T08:07:45.554-05:00

I think of all the achievements and honors that I was fortunate enough to receive in my lifetime and I can in all honesty say that it is so much codswallop.Much like Solomon I feel that anything achieved in human effort is so brazenly cheap compared to the actual blessing-relationship with the Lord. Human praise is overstocked. It's like the end-of-the-school-year awards banquet for teens I

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-44026936896814721122010-02-27T16:20:00.002-05:002010-02-27T16:38:25.096-05:00

Another thought:God might be allowing evil to continue in order to prove a point...From the moment of Adam's rebellion against God, a new order of events began happening which continues to this day. That new order, through the effects of sin, altered the course of both man and creation. Both were affected by sin. Creation was no longer a paradise,(Gen. 3:17-18; Rom. 8:22) and people's very nature

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-24617111145740912272010-02-24T07:37:00.004-05:002010-02-24T07:57:59.234-05:00

This is the first time I've been able to have time to sit down and have a snatch of time to make an entry into the Journal. The last few weeks have been almost manic, to say the least. I've been out of speaking and teaching assignments almost daily, while taking on more writing assignments. The Christian Writer's Workshops went well, and the Zockoll Chronicles site (www.zockollchronicles.com)

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-1095879177413519152010-02-13T07:55:00.002-05:002010-02-13T08:02:36.673-05:00

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!O my soul, praise Him, for He is thy health and salvation!All ye who hear, now to His temple draw near;Praise Him in glad adoration.Praise to the Lord, O let all that is in me adore Him!All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him.Let the Amen sound from His people again,Gladly for aye we adore Him.In all things, in every

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-77967787519951085572010-02-07T07:34:00.002-05:002010-02-07T07:51:28.309-05:00

It's not an easy subject when we deal with the fact that we see suffering all through the world constantly. As Christians we believe God is capable of preventing evil, and God wants to rid the universe of evil. Right?After all, we know God is just (Deuteronomy 32:4), and we know by His sovereignty He can do anything He wishes (Daniel 4:17-25).Then why does God allow evil? If He has the power to

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-13950066169360049822010-01-31T14:41:00.002-05:002010-01-31T15:07:53.670-05:00

THEODICY - The branch of thoelogy that defends how a good and all-powerful God could create a world with suffering and evil in it.This one is a monster issue, and it's going to take careful reading and explanation to address it. As you know, I don't believe in 'sound bite arguments' where someone throws down a huge issue and expects a one-sentence answer as they smugly walk out of the room.

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-14768087510509455252010-01-29T07:28:00.002-05:002010-01-29T07:42:48.167-05:00

Exodus 16 relates the story of God' provision to the Israelites - they had left Egypt with no food or water, according to the Scriptures - of flat, wafer-like substance called manna (literally "what is it?") that lay on the ground every morning, a heaven-sent breakfast from God.I find it most interesting, especially in today's economic climate, that the people were given just enough to make it

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-92170725470374440342010-01-22T07:33:00.003-05:002010-01-22T07:45:59.248-05:00

As we near the end of January, I'm hard at work on the calendar in planning for the upcoming season. I'll be hosting Christian Writer Workshops at churches and bookstores around the country. Yesterday I was able to finalize the meetings I'll have in Maryland and here in Tennessee. Plus, I'm arranging for speaking engagements at churches as I present Koine Greek messages and Apologetics as well

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-72207105509087009652010-01-19T07:50:00.002-05:002010-01-19T07:58:14.351-05:00

I'm reading through Genesis chapter 45 and am enjoying, really enjoying the story of Joseph and his brothers. Well, the first part's not great, what with the selling into slavery and prison time and all - but the last part is fantastic. Joseph is blessed by God and in turn blesses others. The family reunion unifies the clan and the story concludes with joy and restoration that is even enjoyed

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-66437491092864237262010-01-14T07:15:00.004-05:002010-01-14T07:26:57.354-05:00

"Mighty to save." Isaiah 63:1Hebrew: rab yashaRighteousness is might. The work of God is powerful and even stunning. It can change my life, and that's what I constantly want Him to do... and He can. He will. This is my hope, and yours too. Here are the words of the late Bible scholar Charles H. Spurgeon that give me encouragement:"...the divine power is equally seen in the after-work. The

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-65769947576537234222010-01-12T11:10:00.002-05:002010-01-12T11:14:04.637-05:00

The new site has been launched as of this morning! Here is the family reading site, with plenty of new stories that get refreshed every day with new chapters. Please visit it at http://www.zockollchronicles.com

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-17230806665631317452010-01-09T07:02:00.006-05:002010-01-09T07:31:50.710-05:00

"But Deborah Rebekah's nurse died, and she was buried beneath Bethel under an oak: and the name of it was called Allonbachuth." - Genesis 35:8'Allown Bakuwth is literally "The Oak of Weeping," a place dedicated to the sorrow in losing someone close to the family of Jacob. We read nothing else of Deborah but we see that she was a much-loved part of Jacob's clan, and that it was good to make a

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-82563573147008429292010-01-08T07:29:00.003-05:002010-01-08T07:37:50.134-05:00

A nice blanket of snow has hit us here in Eastern Tennessee and as usual the schools have all closed down for the day. I know, I know, you friends from the northern climes are going to laugh at our 1 and 2 inches of snowfall. I realize that your schools don't close until at least a foot or two collapses the whole highway system but cut us some slack - we don't see much of this anymore.

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-70930033732493037042010-01-07T07:25:00.001-05:002010-01-07T07:37:56.729-05:00

"Biblical orthodoxy without compassion is surely the ugliest thing in the world." - Francis Schaeffer

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-23781291939620915672010-01-06T07:01:00.004-05:002010-01-06T07:17:39.156-05:00

I'm reading through the life of Jacob and Esau and came upon this memorable clip in the middle of the story line. Jacob has suggested that the shepherds take their flocks, water them, and head back out to the field. "We can't," they replied, "until all the flocks are gathered and the stone has been rolled away from the mouth of the well. Then we will water the sheep."I've searched the

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-48322574788623949682010-01-01T09:50:00.003-05:002010-01-01T10:07:40.769-05:00

The whole family was out in force at the Zockoll homestead last night, seeing in the New Year. Robert and Marlene Livesay. Jill's folks, were over and leading us in a rousing game of Apples to Apples, which lasted for a good couple of hours of debate and influence (try the game if you're not familiar with what I'm saying). Jill was showing off our new dishwasher (what can I say? We get hyper

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-75520407465239710802009-12-30T07:40:00.002-05:002009-12-30T08:02:56.241-05:00

δικαιοσύνη dikaiosynēRomans 4:3 - "What does the Scripture say? 'Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.'”A lot of people wonder how the people of the Old Testament times, prior to Jesus coming to Earth, were able to obtain salvation in order to get to heaven. The simple answer is that they had faith. Just as today we look back to the sacrifice of and work of the

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-19140462306904151342009-12-27T08:29:00.003-05:002009-12-27T08:54:05.775-05:00

οὐρανός ouranos ("heaven")καινός kainos ("new")γῆ gē ("earth")"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth..."This little phrase that starts the 21st chapter of Revelation stuns me every time I read it. John writes that he sees a ge and ouranos that are kainos..."an earth and its heavens that are new." This change of heaven (referring to 'blue sky' and 'cosmos surrounding the earth' ) and earth had

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-44492714784787266512009-12-26T07:18:00.004-05:002009-12-26T07:36:08.626-05:00

Yesterday was a fantastic day. Robert and Marlene, Jill's parents, spent the whole day with us along with Nicholas and Alexis. Nicholas has finished up his schooling in Biloxi with the Air Force but must spend a few more weeks there before coming back up to East Tennessee. Peter got a video game which practically cemented him to the screen for the remainder of the day, so we'd see him come up

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-28564212553440911452009-12-24T07:29:00.005-05:002009-12-24T07:49:23.774-05:00

Thank you, Lord for the many blessings of the year. Thank you that our home has been a haven for a number of people who needed a place to stay in difficult times.Thank you for the joy that we have every Sunday night when the college students come over for the Bible study.Thank you for Jill, who has faced trials this year and has been able to still honor and thank you each day.Thank you for Peter

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-11938456205944368802009-12-22T21:09:00.003-05:002009-12-22T21:13:47.699-05:00

Apekdechomai (Phil. 3:20) "eagerly wait for Jesus"...compare our English expression "wait it out"...three words put together:“to receive,” (dechomai) as a welcoming reception for a friend; the word “off,” (apo) the withdrawal of one’s attention from other objects, and the word “out,” (ek) to intensify the already existing meaning of the word.

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-52378155631390451122009-12-19T07:28:00.003-05:002009-12-19T07:38:43.359-05:00

Little Julie was walking around the house singing "Joy to the World" with great enthusiasm, but I noticed a bit of a change in the lyrics. I walked over to my office door and leaned into the hallway to hear her version:Joy to the world!The Lord is come.Let earth receive her King.Let every heart repair in truth...She repeated the song at dinner and Jill and I fought to keep from laughing while

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-86934116079224918722009-12-16T07:38:00.003-05:002009-12-16T07:44:44.494-05:00

This is a lean time of the year for my writing. I've been battling it out, running around and getting assignments and writing jobs wherever and whenever I can. Sometimes it gets frustrating, but I can see that many businesses are suffering greatly in this economy. I wonder if Congress will pass a stimulus package for writers? Naaaah. The joy is in being above the worries of the world. In

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-33551140049783612632009-12-07T07:40:00.006-05:002009-12-07T08:19:29.525-05:00

but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts... (NASB)But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord... (NIV)but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy... (ESV)but in your hearts reverence Christ as Lord... (RSV)The Bible scholar Matthew Henry says: "We sanctify the Lord God in our hearts when we with sincerity and fervency adore him, when our thoughts of him are [full of awe] and reverend,

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-15319073080267320872009-11-30T08:14:00.002-05:002009-11-30T08:30:37.473-05:00

My brother Brent reminded me of my newspaper editor days while at Delmar High School back in the 70s. Not content with the sterile environment of the school's newspaper, the Wildcat, because much was left out of many articles, I launched into an underground newspaper which I proudly called Cry from the Dungeon with all the usual arrogance of a ninth grader. I soon realized, as I gathered a "

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-88175393418128749802009-11-27T07:35:00.006-05:002009-11-27T07:59:25.702-05:00

But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person-such a man is an idolater-has any inheritance in the kingdom of

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-87176096761789858972009-11-26T05:57:00.000-05:002009-11-26T05:58:15.851-05:00

Dear friends,I want to wish you a wonderful and joyous Thanksgiving. My gift to you is the chapter-a-day family adventure story STAMPEDE CHRISTMAS that starts today and continues through to Christmas Day. I've designed this to be a read-aloud to your children, with Christ being the central theme as you draw nearer to December 25th. Please go to http://www.stampedestorytown.com/and read the

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-8805396103642231382009-11-18T09:44:00.003-05:002009-11-18T09:53:14.736-05:00

If you have some time - and you should make time for this - then click on this link and read the debate between Quentin Smith and William Lane Craig on the existence of God. This debate took place at Harvard University on April of 2003.Well worth the time to read:http://www.leaderu.com/offices/billcraig/docs/craig-smith_harvard00.html

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-83556988433543431292009-11-10T07:11:00.003-05:002009-11-10T07:36:32.850-05:00

This post marks the 500th post since I started blogging back in December of 2005. I've written about some pretty exciting experiences during that time. I've also written about some of the darkest days of my life. In looking back through the scores of entries, I've been able to say that in my mountain top experiences as well as the very shadowy days of grief, that Jesus Christ has been there to

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-64343116540619358442009-11-04T07:30:00.003-05:002009-11-04T07:40:04.897-05:00

"Ten minutes spent in the presence of Christ every day, aye, two minutes, will make the whole day different." - Henry Drummond"Prayer strikes the winning blow; service is simply picking up the pieces." - S.D. Gordon"The most important thing a born again Christian can do is to pray." - Chuck Smith"Prayer - secret, fervent, believing prayer - lies at the root of all personal godliness." -

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-2442039137845502812009-10-27T06:51:00.002-05:002009-10-27T07:02:16.987-05:00

Sometimes we are not satisfied with the responsibilities God has given us, thinking we are fitted for a larger ministry. Looking enviously at the size or scope of another believer's calling, we think less of our own work and begin to neglect it.In his book Be Faithful, Warren W. Wiersbe told how C. H. Spurgeon, the famous Baptist preacher, handled that problem. "A young preacher once complained

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-32240947673171506802009-10-23T06:45:00.007-05:002009-10-23T06:57:38.685-05:00

Matthew 5:3 - "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."Read this passage in the different translations to get a better meaning of the deep truth that Jesus was relaying:God blesses those who realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is given to them. (New Living Translation)Spiritually prosperous are the destitute and helpless in the realm of the spirit,

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-30434181462127037682009-10-22T06:13:00.004-05:002009-10-22T06:42:58.994-05:00

E agape makrothumei - 1 Cor. 13:4Love is patient. The word makrothumei, according to dictionary sources, means to be patient and not lose heart. One translation puts it like this: "Love is never tired of waiting." This form of the word is passive - it means that love doesn't want to strike out, retaliate. Jesus had every right to retaliate as He went through the trial. He was blindsided,

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-74965261806610724262009-10-21T06:10:00.005-05:002009-10-21T06:39:31.396-05:00

And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”–which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”Jesus was on the cross, suffering not only physically but spiritually as well. He cries out a sorrowful wail: "Why do you forsake me, Father?"I am familiar with the feelings of being forsaken, having endured a painful childhood after my parents' divorce.

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-17703627699003518752009-10-20T06:18:00.004-05:002009-10-20T06:45:22.581-05:00

"I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-37644407117632085642009-10-19T06:40:00.008-05:002009-10-19T07:22:43.381-05:00

Our Bible study is growing in more ways than one. More young people are showing up on Sunday and the hours of the "open house" study have become longer. We started yesterday at 4 p.m. and continued until 9:30 p.m.with continuous Scripture study. Well, okay, we did take a break for some more nachos and roasting marshmallows over our fireplace, but overall the group of college students were

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-80717088957056596482009-10-15T06:25:00.003-05:002009-10-15T06:45:53.434-05:00

We've just finished setting up the recording studio so I will be able to undertake the numerous radio broadcasting tasks that have been coming into my office lately. Along with recording public service announcements on behalf of the Premier Basketball League teams, I will be doing some charity work for some organizations. Eiva Media's Steven Johnson and his brother Dave have been a great help in

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-28039322257891370462009-10-12T07:17:00.002-05:002009-10-12T07:35:54.053-05:00

LOGOS"In the beginning was the Word..."The word "logos" was used in the spiritual sense around 600 BC when a Greek philosopher named Heraclitus used the term to capture the idea of the supernatural reason or divine plan that would oversee and control a moving and growing universe. Aristotle used the word to mean rational discourse that was above pathos or ethos - logos was pure reason. The

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-32823511742149464652009-10-07T06:21:00.004-05:002009-10-07T06:32:41.086-05:00

If in preaching the gospel you substitute your knowledge of the way of salvation for confidence in the power of the gospel, you hinder people from getting to reality. - Oswald Chambers... in other words, let's pull back on the ego and let Christ speak. Too many times I have heard personal illustrations that cloud the clear instruction of salvation through Jesus Christ. Be careful of the need to

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-118017777569958272009-10-01T07:03:00.009-05:002009-10-01T07:22:12.978-05:00

At this stage of my life (I'm now 50 years old) I look for ways to do the Lord's work with a mind toward helping the next generation. Call it a heritage or what you will, but my deep desire is to minister to young people and pass on the blessings that the Lord has given me through these years.That's why it was amazing to see the ministry results over at Concord Christian School on Tuesday night.

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-66474016466905348992009-09-30T06:25:00.003-05:002009-09-30T06:33:01.307-05:00

It's a bit chilly this morning, and I am reminded of the shorts news article I read yesterday, claiming that this winter could be the coldest in ten years. Happily for us, we have a gas fireplace upstairs and a wood fireplace on the bottom floor. No use taking chances! I'm going out today to check our woodpile, but I am fairly certain we'll have enough fuel to carry us through.I came back

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-39951779831537429872009-09-29T07:00:00.005-05:002009-09-29T07:22:44.238-05:00

God is holy - that truth constantly amazes me and stops me cold whenever I try to follow my own paths. We often overlook God's sacred separateness and try to fit Him into a category that would satisfy our selfish needs. We cannot overlook the fact that the Scriptures constantly remind us of God's holiness.Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness,

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-12708205633863653482009-09-25T06:35:00.004-05:002009-09-25T06:56:00.975-05:00

Tomorrow is the Hot Air Balloon Festival at Pellissippi State.We had a great week with my father coming to visit. I have not seen him since last year and it's great whenever he comes to stay for a while. We treated him to the movies, Italian restaurants, trips around town, Chinese restaurants, shopping, BBQ restaurants... you get the idea. Dad is 80 and moves around like he's 30. WE were hoping

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-27310914871942752912009-09-23T06:14:00.002-05:002009-09-23T06:22:26.784-05:00

This Sunday I will be at Washington DC for the Premier Basketball League Combine, a pre-season tryout camp for players, coaches and even referees. No, I'm not going to take to the court - I never was a basketball player of any worth (one year playing in a church league, where we went 1-11 and the one win was a forfeit. We lost a game by a score of 73-10. I am not kidding).I will be writing

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-41435368985327753422009-09-12T22:23:00.002-05:002009-09-12T22:44:45.024-05:00

"The odds against a universe like ours emerging out of something like the big bang are enormous... I think clearly there are religious implications whenever you start to discuss the origins of the universe."- Stephen W. Hawking, Stephen Hawking's Universe, page 109.

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-32545460029168143752009-09-08T06:51:00.002-05:002009-09-08T07:07:17.866-05:00

The past months have been an eventful, and at times fun, period in our household. Nicholas has now graduated from the AirForce trainiing in San Antonio, and Peter is settled into his regimen at his final year at Grace Christian Academy. My work with the American Basketball Association, Premier Basketball League, TownMe, Project Doulos and other companies has made my office busy to say the

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-26111158402358627632009-08-31T07:02:00.004-05:002009-08-31T07:18:17.316-05:00

Psalm 107:31 - "Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!"The picture you're seeing is of Julianne's second day at pre-school. It was Cowboy Day and she was a rarin' to go. Jill tries her best to keep a straight face but can't do it. Julie is the Human Cartoon. Every day she comes into my office and sits at her little desk and "works"

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-43266435641228457002009-08-29T11:36:00.003-05:002009-08-29T11:49:55.985-05:00

We were all excited this morning. Fed Ex arrived , and - woo hoo! - I received a nice check for some sports league work for the upcoming season - nothing like seeing a little up-front payment to get the morning started! Writing has slowly but surely been getting more steady; the previous months showed me the severity of the economy to many businesses. A lot of them needed me to write for their

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-10726080959974914982009-08-28T06:24:00.004-05:002009-08-28T06:48:25.594-05:00

I'm heading over to Concord Christian School this morning to help introduce Blueprint Doulos, the teamwork and leadership program I wrote, designed for Christian youth groups and high school students. In late September I'm supposed to meet with some organizations in Orlando who may make it a national ministry. Jill and I are praying about this. If it can be part of a Christian organization's

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-54353308771905042802009-08-18T06:04:00.003-05:002009-08-18T06:46:37.378-05:00

Galatians 5:22, 23 -"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. "(self control is the Greek word enkrates from en = in + krátos = power is literally one having power to "hold oneself in" or to "master self". Enkrates means the ability to have dominion over self. The individual

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-49363065138642037172009-08-12T08:21:00.003-05:002009-08-12T08:34:41.575-05:00

The writing career is fun - but it's also a long row to hoe. I face some pretty tough times - as we all do - in having enough work for us to take care of our household needs. The writing profession is not immune to the financial trials of the nation, and each assignment is met with great appreciation. As I pray for guidance and direction each day so that I might receive the work and payments to

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-37711070329280211842009-07-30T12:59:00.001-05:002009-07-30T13:02:35.432-05:00

This is the Brad Zockoll favorite quote of the month:If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this. - C.S. Lewis

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-72677657044026622612009-07-24T07:52:00.003-05:002009-07-24T08:03:08.052-05:00

Attached are some pictures of some of the teens involved with the Blueprint Doulos project in years past. Years back I had created this program and we had 150 churches across the U.S. and into Canada. The Lord has directed me to re-establish this ministry across the United States and right now we are doing a test-run as I try to resurrect the program after more than a decade. The principle of

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-57389395289070880932009-07-23T08:08:00.005-05:002009-07-23T08:33:32.212-05:00

The Zockoll household is undergoing renovation. The whole front section of our main floor has been stripped down, repainted and repatched. We're into our third week of repair, and it's giivng me a feeling of living in a warehouse. Anywhere you talk you get echos. It'll be nice to get the furniture back in here. Tony Skinner's paint and wallpaper crew does a fantastic job. If you live in

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-78165072321228000622009-07-22T15:02:00.001-05:002009-07-22T15:03:58.319-05:00

“If I ever reach heaven I expect to find three wonders there: first, to meet some I had not thought to see there; second, to miss some I had expected to see there; and third -- the greatest wonder of all -- to find myself there.”-JOHN WESLEY

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-32577162871219855732009-07-17T07:56:00.003-05:002009-07-17T08:15:29.173-05:00

Here is a picture of our front yard, including my pet project: the front flower garden. When we moved in, the bushes had been overgrown and a lot of the ornamental foliage had been inexplicably designed to actually block the passerby a look at the flowerbed. I spent the spring ripping out all the shrubs and laying out a whole new design of plants. I aimed for a Victorian style of splashes of

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-79574034124155996162009-07-16T09:47:00.002-05:002009-07-16T09:55:01.353-05:00

I love the depth of Oswald Chambers' work. His insight, like CS Lewis, forces me to pause and reflect. Here are some of his words concerning the passage in Romans:"I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the barbarians." Romans 1:14"Paul was overwhelmed with the sense of his indebtedness to Jesus Christ, and he spent himself to express it. The great inspiration in Paul's life was his view of Jesus

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-81712292180756985042009-06-24T12:29:00.003-05:002009-06-24T12:37:51.549-05:00

I stood on the tiny concrete-pad-and-canvas-awning porch that makes up the front of M&M Barbecue here in Knoxville, Tennessee. At M&M you don't sit down and eat. In fact, you don't even stand up and eat. The place is so small that you're forced to make your choices at an order window and take your stuff home. But, oh, it's worth it. That's why every time I stop by the place I stand in a line of

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-77683671501970258102009-06-15T07:09:00.004-05:002009-06-15T07:33:18.120-05:00

Big week this week in the office. Some major work being done in preparation for the sports leagues starting up in the fall, and time moves quickly. I'm working with Marty on the West Coast as we ready some teams for the work to be done. A couple of tours to assemble, and some columns to write today. Lots of time at the keyboard and on the phone. And all while still celebrating my hometown

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-58001159815063246412009-06-08T07:10:00.004-05:002009-06-08T07:35:46.703-05:00

"It is better to be poor and honest than rich and crooked." Nicholas and Alexis stopped by for a visit this weekend. Peter is establishing a small online business, and we'll see the first steps this week. Jill may have caught another round of poison ivy, believe it or not. Julliane is getting over a small cold. My writing career is now stable and I thank the Lord for the many literary

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-37030765797863474692009-06-05T07:15:00.002-05:002009-06-05T07:26:03.503-05:00

"A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies." Here I am with Jill at my 50th birthday party. Of all of the wonderful gifts God has given me, Jill is at the top of my list. She has been my support and encourager through the hardest times of my adult life, and she has been a support whenever I tackled a project that was daunting yet attainable. Most of all, she has

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-87005113630949162272009-05-29T09:39:00.005-05:002009-05-29T09:51:10.339-05:00

Here on my birthday there are a lot of significant things that I could say as I look back upon my life but I'll spare you the boring details by giving you the best secular quote I've read this year:You were born an original. Don't die a copy. ~John MasonOutside of the Bible, I think that's about the best advice I've ever read. I firmly believe itand now pardon me as I prepare for our garden party

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-39214103305968933982009-05-28T07:03:00.003-05:002009-05-28T07:17:16.262-05:00

Here's a picture of Julianne and me taken at the Knoxville Ice Bears minor league hockey game. Tomorrow I will be 50 years old, and I must tell you, I enter into tomorrow's celebration a thankful man. God has been good, amazingly good. Even in the trials He has patiently taught me and brought me along, so that, as stupid as I am, I can still learn. He's placed some wonderful lessons in front of

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-46043752095850383942009-05-22T06:48:00.003-05:002009-05-22T07:22:25.410-05:00

In high school we had one of those "married couples." You know, the guy and the girl who were so attached that it's hard for you to visualize the time when they were actually walking on their own. Danny and Tanya were that way. They were always together. Always together. You couldn't pry them apart with a crowbar. It seemed like when he breathed pepper, she would sneeze. We would put down bets as

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-76837586447473301932009-05-20T05:30:00.005-05:002009-05-20T05:48:35.370-05:00

Here is a picture taken at Nicholas' wedding. Jill is with her very dear friend Sharon McDuffie. Jill and Sharon have been friends for almost twenty years now, and Sharon was instrumental in making a fantastic presentation of Nicholas' and Alexis' wedding. Jill and Sharon both brighten any room they enter. My wife Jill has a heart for the Lord that is a constant encouragement to me, even in these

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-39470755935937458642009-05-14T07:12:00.003-05:002009-05-14T07:17:23.403-05:00

We're moving quickly around here, preparing for the press conference tomorrow. I will be picking up Meadowlark Lemon at the airport at 4 p.m. He will be coming into town to announce his part of the ownership of the new ABA team, the Smoky Mountain Jam, along with his new tour with the Harlem All Stars - everything will be based in Maryville TN, right next to Knoxville. Meadowlark has been a good

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-679411586123690022009-05-14T07:05:00.002-05:002009-05-14T07:12:19.151-05:00

Here are Nicholas and Alexis (picture taken with my Blackberry -sorry for the sloppiness. I'll post better pictures later.) What a wonderful time we had. Goid blessed us with great weather and wonderful family and friends. Nicholas and Alexis are spending their honeymoon at Daytona Beach this week. It's great having Alexis as part of our family, and I'm proud of Nicholas for the wise choice he

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-38290052389293170072009-05-08T05:20:00.003-05:002009-05-08T05:31:04.645-05:00

I received a phone call last night from my youth group member of 27 years ago, Dan Guerrero. We talked of many events and joys of those days in Hollister, California, and of the journey since then. What a powerful thing to talk to someone to whom you ministered over a quarter of a century ago. I thought of the many things that have passed through my life since then, of which you read in my blog.

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-18044879645424873932009-05-05T06:40:00.003-05:002009-05-05T06:46:47.243-05:00

Peter and Libby before Saturday night's prom. They had a great time, and both of them looked great. I can't tell you how enjoyable it is to be able to see them at this special event. I can remember my Junior Prom - I wore (I am not making this up) a forest green tux that was not fitted properly so the pants came up over my ankles. I should have patented the style: high-water formal. Libby and

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-2304329548130710992009-05-04T06:49:00.003-05:002009-05-04T07:04:55.763-05:00

It has been about five straight days of rain. The azaleas are in bloom. This is the our last week with Nicholas in the household. As of Saturday he will be a married man. he and Alexis will be settlign in Jonesborough TN as he pursues a career in the Air National Guard. I can still recall him as a child with me pushing him around the house on a Big Wheel truck (yes, it was indoors - we did get a

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-74995231163589984912009-05-01T06:34:00.002-05:002009-05-01T06:46:08.737-05:00

Now here's what we call a good snow in eastern Tennessee. This was taken of Jill and Julianne this past winter as I pulled up to the house after work. I bet it took Jill all of an hour to make that little snowman. But Julianne thought it was practically a blizzard. My friends in Colorado called about an hour after this picture was taken to tell me they had two feet of snow on the ground and more

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-70320781796638102572009-04-30T05:13:00.002-05:002009-04-30T05:27:14.404-05:00

I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. - Psalm 37:25The truth of God's protection is that His children are given care and guidance ... even when they may not know it. Many times I've encountered Christians who find out the protection they've been given even when they were not aware of it at the time. the word f"forsaken" in this

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-146601898838005392009-04-29T05:50:00.002-05:002009-04-29T06:04:53.830-05:00

Psalm 37:4 comes very much into mind in these recent days. We've been preparing for Nicholas' wedding, including the rehearsal dinner we'll have here at the homestead, which adds to the family traditions and history that this home is bringing to our family. Peter will be taking Libby to the prom this Saturday night. Julianne is "working" with me every day for 1/2 hour in my office here at the

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-17870820028538268862009-04-28T05:17:00.002-05:002009-04-28T05:20:36.783-05:00

I've been doing some writing for the local minor league Knoxville Ice Bears, winners of the Presidents Trophy as league champions the last two seasons. Here is Julianne with the mascot, Chilly. Highlight of her evening. Any resemblance between the bear and any member of my family is purely coincidental.

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-52146166300196556162009-04-23T06:50:00.003-05:002009-04-23T06:59:06.646-05:00

Teach me to do your will,for you are my God;may your good Spiritlead me on level ground. I've highlighted the words that mean so much to me. God's will is what I want to do. My will is dull and dead-end, because it will only serve to focus attention on me, nad what eternal use is that? I serve God because I love Him...so much so that I call Him my God, and according to the Bible, He enjoys

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-14130535192011778482009-04-22T17:41:00.003-05:002009-04-22T17:46:28.027-05:00

...and here is Julie - at the time she was 3 years old, coming out onto our back deck to show off her finery. I want you to look closely: she is wearing a tiara, a two-piece bikini, a boa, a Hawaiian lei, a purse, and wrapped around her neck like a scarf are Curious George's legs from a long-departed stuffed animal.She announced that she was a princess.You know, I promise I'll get back to the

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-8020017518123861242009-04-22T08:42:00.003-05:002009-04-22T08:43:34.885-05:00

Here is Julianne at breakfast, obviously stunned at my latest creation: a Mickey Mouse pancake. Those cooks on the Food channel have nothing over on me, baby.

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-6163460242271692382009-04-13T06:52:00.006-05:002009-04-13T07:16:56.132-05:00

I was probably seven or eight years old when Dad had us all stuffed into his old Volvo station wagon and pulled up to a fellow's house just outside of Hershey, Pennsylvania. When Dad came out of the man's house, he threw open the back of the vehicle and slid in two crates.Those crates were stuffed with comic books.Yeee hah.This began my venture into the world of the mortals who could achieve

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617928.post-5896789525708778652009-04-12T11:18:00.002-05:002009-04-12T11:42:51.120-05:00

In my childhood, Easter was a time that my mom would drive us over to my great-grandparents' farm in Tarentum, PA where we six Zockoll kids would run around my Grandpap's (Mike Paholich's) 65 acre farm, looking for Easter baskets filled with chocolate and jelly beans. Although I enjoyed the excitment of the day, I can honestly say I never really figured out the odd secular celebration. The idea

DrZockollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15637096276223452738noreply@blogger.com