George's Notes...

Steve and Molly

2011-02-28T18:44:00.000-08:00

A perfect day in Destin!

2011-02-20T05:22:00.000-08:00

The view from my house

2011-01-12T05:42:00.000-08:00

I looked out and saw this fire truck a few minutes ago in front of my house responding to a wreck on our street by someone trying to get out. They stopped to avoid going down the hill and when they tried to back out, got wedged sideways on the street.

I am in Aviary subdivision off Morton Road and State Bridge in Johns Creek. Thanks to all these fine folks keeping us safe!

Merry Christmas from the Hoffman's House!

2010-12-26T06:48:00.001-08:00

Unexpected Blessings!

2010-08-02T20:04:00.000-07:00

We had a really disappointing dinner at a Destin restaurant Saturday night that we'd been looking forward to all day. The meal took forever and the food was cold. From there, we left for a place on the shore to enjoy the beach. By the time we got there, a massive lighting storm came up and we only had 15 minutes to enjoy the sand and surf. So things didn't turn out exactly as we had hoped. But then, after we left the beach and drove over the Destin toll bridge, we looked west out over the water and saw the most amazing sunset! The sun was a huge orange fireball cut in half by the horizon over the water. And on the east side of the bridge was a giant wall of water hiding the eastern horizon with the massive greenish storm filled with lightning that had chased us from the beach. Amazing clouds and sky all around. If we'd been there five minutes before or after we wouldn't have seen it. Christy said, "Bad service and a lightning storm provided us with a beautiful sunset!" I've been thinking about what she said and how disappointments we experience that can seem frustrating or meaningless can also lead to unexpected blessings!

A touching male bonding moment at the Hoffman house on Saturday...

2010-06-07T06:26:00.000-07:00

The guys were hanging out while Christy had her wonderful baby shower with so many friends. I caught this wonderful male bonding moment between Jon, Josiah and Sam David. So touching... : )

Josiah - the first kid to be arrested for not eating his Chik-Fil-A nuggets...

2010-06-07T06:23:00.000-07:00

Christy and I were sitting with Josiah and Sam David at Chick-Fil-A in Montgomery on the way back to Crestview. Carol was walking Minnie. Sitting across from us were two of Montgomery's finest. Josiah said he wasn't going to eat any more nuggets. One of the police officers said, "We've arrested kids for not eating all their nuggets," with a smile on his face. Josiah looked at him and ate some of his nuggets. I asked if Josiah could see their police car. There has to be a cute caption in here somewhere

Georgia has its Bulldog, Tech has its Minnie Mae...

2010-05-19T18:44:00.000-07:00

Meet the newest addition to our family...Minnie Mae!

When Birds Go Bad...

2010-04-04T14:36:00.001-07:00

The Dogwood Flower in My Backyard

2010-04-04T14:09:00.000-07:00

What a beautiful Easter today. Carol and I sat on the deck this afternoon and enjoyed the beauty of God's creation. The weather has been brutal this winter and the Dogwoods have really suffered. One of our older Dogwood trees didn't live and is barren amidst others that are usually brilliant on Easter every year. Those that survived are just now sending out reluctant buds. But blooming next to the tree that didn't make it, we saw this remarkable little Dogwood flower, with its cross-shaped petals pointing to heaven. I realized it would never have been noticed if the winter had been warm and it was now surrounded by thousands of perfect blossoms. It was like God said, "this is your day to shine for Me!"

Jesus was like that. He suffered and died in a harsh and brutal world so His face could shine like this flower when he rose from the dead on Easter morning about 2000 years ago! And I rose from the dead when I saw His face in His Word and trusted Him.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not unto your own understanding. All all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths."

Proverbs 3:5,6

Abigail looking out our back door

2010-03-02T18:54:00.001-08:00

Let it snow!

2010-02-12T18:52:00.000-08:00

I took these photos of the snow at our house when it was dark outside. I turned on the lights in the house and shot it at 15 second exposure. There is about 4 inches of snow in our front yard! Awesome!

A digital painting from St. Augustine...

2010-01-11T18:55:00.000-08:00

This is a digital painting I did of my lovely bride Carol and me from one of our trips to St. Augustine. Just found it buried on my hard drive! Painted with a Wacom Intuos tablet and Painter X. Click the picture to enlarge.

Ava Turns Three!

2009-12-28T17:42:00.001-08:00

This picture says it all. The joy of turning three. What a special day for a special little girl...oops...I mean a BIG girl : )

A little painting of Ava

2009-12-28T16:29:00.001-08:00

I did this little digital painting of Ava a while back and just found it! What a cutie. She's three now but just as adorable as ever! Click the painting to see an enlarged version.

Painted with Corel Painter X.

Happy Halloween from two princesses!

2009-11-01T03:04:00.000-08:00

Josiah's Dream Truck!

2009-09-30T20:26:00.000-07:00

As Christy and Justin are giving directions to the moving men, Josiah
took this first picture of his dream truck while sitting on my knee.
He seemed to be in awe of the giant machine! Grammy was showing him
where the horn sound came out of the truck when the nice guy that ran
the moving crew asked if Josiah'd like to sit in the truck. Josiah was
in truck heaven! He was grinning ear to ear. Then the man showed him
how to pull the cable to make the really loud horn sound. And the
steering wheel horn with the little beep. Josiah pushed and pulled all
the levers while we all wondered if he'd fall head first out of the
truck. No, he was holding on quite well. In fact it took three of us
to extract him when it was time to go back to work! But Josiah didn't
fuss a bit. He kept smiling at the nice man and said a polite, "Thank
You" as he walked back to the house.

Smile this big sometime today! Thanks Ava!

2009-09-05T03:25:00.001-07:00

Edwin Burr Johnson 1863-1922

2009-09-04T12:28:00.000-07:00

I am rummaging through some of my old family photos and matching them up with my genealogy research. Here's a photo of my great grandfather Edwin Burr Johnson on my mom's side with the genealogy all the way to my grandkids! Great-grandpa Johnson was born in Brooklyn, New York. It looks like he knew how to have a good time!

I couldn't include the bottom half of the tree because it wouldnt fit. Sorry folks : (

Brothers with Chain Saws...

2009-08-30T11:34:00.000-07:00

Here's a picture I found today of my brother Steve and I cutting up some wood at Mom's place about 5 years ago. It was a fun day even though we looked pretty rough when we got finished!

Cars for Barkers

2009-08-25T18:07:00.000-07:00

I heard a car pull up in the driveway next door and didn't think too
much about it. After a while I got the feeling someone was watching me
so I looked up to say Hi....

Josiah's first picture of Daddy...

2009-08-22T05:59:00.000-07:00

Check out the sequence of these pictures.

1 ) Josiah was playing with the checkers at Cracker Barrel.
2) He threw them on the ground.
3) Josiah saw Papa George's camera. "Josiah take picture?" He asked.
4) Papa George answered "Sure." and showed Josiah where to push the
button on the camera as Josiah pointed it at Daddy.
5) Papa George found this photo taken by Josiah of his Daddy the next
day!

Best Concoction Ever...

2009-08-22T05:21:00.000-07:00

Get a bowl, spoons and find an impervious surface to work on. Start with love and forget what a mess you'll have to deal with when it's all over. Add some chocolate, baking soda, flour, sprinkles, salted peanuts still in the shell, mustard, pretzels, season salt, instant oatmeal, raisins, sliced carrots and some dishwashing soap. Then pour in a cup of vinegar to watch the bubbles appear. Pour into cup cake containers and decorate. You'll have the best concoction ever and a lot of good memories! : )

Thought for today...

2009-07-26T07:22:00.000-07:00

Only do what ONLY YOU can do.
-Andy Stanley

Carol read this and suggested I explain Andy's statement.When Andy uses this expression, he is referring to concentrating on those things God has gifted each of us to do. He says we should develop the abilities God has given us, and not try to do those things others think we should do, or try to develop in areas where our talents don't exist. Much of the corporate "career development" world concentrates on making us well rounded in all areas. The best strategy is to concentrate on where we are strong and become more expert in those areas. In the church, a person gifted as a teacher shouldn't spend time becoming an administrator. Thus the expression, "Only do what ONLY YOU can do!" Hopefully that helps!

Portrait of Christy and Sam David #2

2009-07-09T02:53:00.001-07:00

Portrait of Christy and Sam David

2009-07-06T04:14:00.001-07:00

I did this portrait of Christy and Sam David from our trip to Hilton Head last week. What a blessing! I used a picture we took next to the window looking out on the pool and Painter X to do the digital painting.

Book announcement!

2009-07-05T20:02:00.000-07:00

I am very excited to have illustrated a book for my wonderful son-in-law Jon Huggins! Jon wrote a story based on a conversation he had with Abigail one night. He called me and asked if I would consider doing some photo illustrations for the story. After much research and trial and error on choosing a look for the illustrations, I decided on a photoshop technique I have been developing. Lisa, Jon and I took some photographs with Abigail (not giving away why to Abigail). Jon and I put his book together entitled "A Day With Daddy" and he gave her the first copy on her fifth birthday. I did some research and chose Blurb.com to do the publishing and am really pleased with the incredible quality of the book. Click the graphic to see a preview of the book and purchase a copy for your own!

From "Safely Home" by Randy Alcorn

2009-06-28T14:13:00.001-07:00

Some very thoughtful words from a book I'm reading.

"He who sacrifices his conscience to ambition burns a picture to obtain the ashes."

Chinese proverb

A couple of videos from last weekend...

2009-06-17T20:17:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful time keeping Josiah for a couple of days. Tractors and water ruled the day!

They start early with 'them Dawgs."

2009-06-14T20:40:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful afternoon as we drove our pure unspoiled grandson down Morton Road to go by the "lion house." We were greeted by "roar, roar, roar!!!" from the back seat as Josiah saw the two lion sculptures on the tops of the fence posts in front of one of the houses on Morton. This has become a bit of a tradition to go anywhere now. We take a detour to the "lion house," and then hear Josiah say "lion house" for miles from the back seat followed by a loud "ROAR!"

But this time it turned ugly. We parked in front of the Patio at 141 and State Bridge for Carol to get her tea. Instead of the "Roar, Roar!!!" we heard:

"Ruff, Ruff, Ruff....Go dawgs." I couldn't believe it until I looked in the rear view mirror and saw my precious little grandson say those awful words again. He barked three times, "Ruff, ruff, ruff," and then said clear as a bell "Go Dawgs." I'm not sure if he learned it from Jon or Justin. Surely it wasn't from one of own my dear daughters!

I went searcing for a little bee outfit right then...

Otis and Elmo

2009-06-09T19:53:00.001-07:00

I found Otis upstairs like this. No, he's OK. He somehow finds a way
to wrap a towel or blanket around himself to take a nap. Poor Elmo
didn't stand a chance!

Update on this...
This was the last photo we took of Otis. We had to put him to sleep a few weeks ago after a siezure he had while we were on vacation. He surely is missed. : (

Happy Birthday Josiah!!!

2009-06-08T19:13:00.000-07:00

Makin' Rainbows

2009-06-08T18:56:00.001-07:00

What a blessing - Josiah, Abigail, Sam David and Ava!

2009-05-28T20:03:00.001-07:00

We got together at Christy and Justin's for Carol's birthday. What a blessing to have the kiddos pile up in the bed together for a group shot! God is good!

All it takes is a sunny day and a sprinkler!

2009-05-17T03:21:00.001-07:00

Ava and Josiah on Mothers day at Jon and Lisa's house. What fun we all
had watching them light up when the sprinkler magically came on!

Josiah Loves Music!

2009-05-04T18:39:00.001-07:00

Click the play button to brighten your day!

Three Amigos...

2009-04-28T20:00:00.000-07:00

Some Favorite Church Bulletin Typos and Bloopers...

2009-04-21T18:31:00.000-07:00

I love those church bulletin bloopers. Here are a few of my favorites. Send me some you like and I'll post them here!

The Fasting & Prayer Conference includes meals.
Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands.
The peacemaking meeting scheduled for today has been canceled due to a conflict.
Miss Charlene Mason sang 'I will not pass this way again,' giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.
The Rector will preach his farewell message after which the choir will sing: 'Break Forth Into Joy.'
Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.
Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.
Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want remembered.  
The church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertainment and gracious hostility.
Potluck supper Sunday at 5:00 PM - prayer and medication to follow.
This evening at 7 PM there will be a hymn singing in the park across from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.
The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare's Hamlet in the Church basement Friday at 7 PM. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.

In the beginning...

2009-04-13T17:43:00.001-07:00

I met the most beautiful girl in the world in March of 1974. She is
more beautiful today than ever! And her beauty starts in her heart with a sweet love for Jesus. Carol, thank you for loving Him all your life and me for 35 years!

Your hubby, George

Little Blessings

2009-04-03T20:52:00.000-07:00

Here are three pictures of each of our four grandchildren when they
were newborn. These were all taken when Abigail, Ava, Josiah and Sam
David were a month or younger. We are so blessed! Can you tell they
are brothers, sisters and cousins? The pictures are not in any particular order!

Josiah and His Patio Cookie

2009-04-03T20:14:00.000-07:00

Josiah sure loved the cookie Carol got him from the Patio! It was a red car with black tires, but you can't tell it from the pictures. He didn't like the black icing on his hands at all. "Uh oh! Mess!" he said more than once! (Hit the Play > button on the viewer to see all the pictures)

Meet Sam David!

2009-02-25T16:03:00.001-08:00

Samuel David Wyatt (a.k.a. Sam David) was born on Sunday, February 22nd at 10:12 a.m! We are all so excited! Christy, Justin, Josiah and Sam David are doing great and are back home. I'll be posting the full photo chronicle as soon as I edit through a couple HUNDRED pictures over the next few days! But here are a couple to start with. The close up of him I took when he was about one hour old (with the "mohawk" done by the nurse at his first bath) brought me to tears when I saw it. And the perfectly formed little hand. (Click on the photo to see it up close).

Such an amazing thing to see God's handiwork and artistry. And that's not even close to an adequate description of how God weaves us together in the darkness of the womb...

To hear the "rest of the story" visit The Wyatt Intermezzo.

The life centered on God...

2009-02-25T05:33:00.001-08:00

"The life centered on God will remain chaotic, but will be changed and
ordered by His presence."
from Carol's leader at Bible Study Fellowship

Thank you George and Laura Bush...and Karl!

2009-02-05T03:09:00.000-08:00

I had the opportunity to go to the Georgia Chamber of Commerce Eggs and Issues breakfast. It was a great meeting for a lot of reasons, but for me personally, it had one of those special memories. It was on the Tuesday just a week before George and Laura Bush were to leave Washington and move back to Texas. Karl Rove was there with Donna Brazile as keynote speakers. Before the meeting Karl walked around some of the tables and said hello to people. Our table was one of those. When he got to me I stood up and looked him in the eye and said, "Mr. Rove, please tell Mr. and Mrs. Bush thank you for their years of service. Tell them for me and my family." He paused, looked me in the eye with a smile that showed his love and respect for the Bush's, and without any hesitation said, "I will do that. I'm flying back with them on Air Force One to Texas next week and I'll do just that." He then squeezed my hand as if to say, "I really mean it." It was quite a moment for me. I have watched Karl Rove, George Bush and Laura Bush over the years and believe they are people of great integrity and leadership that will be missed. Like I heard Mr. Bush say at his last commencement address to VMI, "I know my decisions haven't always been popular, but at the end of the day, I look in the mirror and ask if I was true to my convictions. If you can do the same and say, yes, then you will be doing the right thing and you will be successful." Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Bush...and Karl!!!

I just said a prayer for each of them. When you read this, please do the same.

Forgiveness

2009-01-29T09:11:00.001-08:00

"Forgiveness is the fragrance the violet sheds on the heel that has
crushed it."
- Mark Twain

Abigail and Barack Obama

2009-01-04T11:22:00.000-08:00

Ok, I know grandfathers think their grandkids possess special talents that no other kids possess. But I must say, my jaw dropped the other day when we were at BJ’s warehouse with Jon, Lisa, Ava and Abigail. We were browsing around the book section when I saw this big book about our new president to be, Barack Obama. Abigail (age 4 1/2) was with me and I pointed down to the cover of the book which had Mr. Obama’s photograph on it about life-size. I said in that voice you sometimes use with kids, “Abigail, did you know that is our next president?” She looked up at me and said “Papa George, that’s Barack Obama!”

Abigail Black and White Print (8x10)

2008-12-28T21:16:00.000-08:00

I did this portrait of my granddaughter Abigail from a photo a couple years ago of me holding her outside a shopping center. I "painted" it in Photoshop CS4, converting it to black and white, painting out unwanted background details and using a pencil tool to draw in details.

Lisa and Laughing Ava

2008-12-28T19:54:00.000-08:00

The little cowboy with a tux...

2008-12-25T14:28:00.000-08:00

A letter from Robert...

2008-12-22T03:45:00.001-08:00

Robert Alter Hoffman, originally uploaded by George G. Hoffman.

Yesteday, my mom gave me a few letters that my brother Robert had sent her from prison 10 years ago. He always claimed he was innocent of the charges, but also said it was one of the best things that had happened to him. His view of my visit was quite different from mine. I will never forget asking to see Robert and then him walking around the corner with that orange prison jump suit on, grinning ear to ear!

Robert died suddenly 5 years later from congestive heart failure. The last thing he said to me was, "Look at me, I look like Rocket Man!" and I guess he was right with all the tubes and wires poking in him in the hospital. But it was like him to find the humor in a situation and not take himself too seriously.

This letter really touched me. I wish I could have been able to tell him I loved him just one more time. So I'm telling him in writing this. I still wear the coat he has on in this picture and there's a tie in my closet that was his. I only pull it out for special meetings where I'm going to be stressed out. Usually it doesn't match my suit very well, but I don't care. It gives me a sense of comfort and puts things in perspective.

On the back of the program for Robert's funeral I put the quote: "There's not enough darkness in all the world to put out the light from one small candle." It was originally written on the tombstone of a little cat that had been killed in England during the bombing of London in World War II by it's loving owner. It reminds me of Robert and how all of us shine a little bit of light in what can be a very dark world.

Take a minute and call or write that person you've been meaning to get connected with again and say "I love you."
-----------------
July 14, 1998

Hey Mom,

Thanks for the card. Sure is nice to get a letter. I love to read about what is going on at Lake Muddy. Sounds like a circus. So funny about Bonnie. What a mess she is. One thing is...you've got to love the old gal. She is so old yet so young at heart. What a personality. Just thought about her chasing that cat and then not being able to move for two days! As you would say, "she's all stove up." Can you believe that I've been in jail for 72 days? (and counting).

My belief in God is so strong that I have never said "why me" or gotten angry. I think if I didn't know it is His will I would be mad that they put me in here knowing I'm innocent. But when you trust God, you have a peace in your heart and know that He has a purpose for this. I know one thing, I sure do love my family and know that I'm loved by my family. What a wonderful feeling this is. George came by Wednesday. It was great to see him and feel the love he has for me. He said 3 times "I was hoping I could give you a great big hug!" Wow, what a good feeling. I sure do love him. This world would be so much better if all families were like mine.

I sure do miss you. Often I think of the three of us eating dinner then watching Home Improvement and eating ice cream and cake. (Notice I included Bonnie). She sure is part of the family now. Just thought of what you said about her jumping off my bed and landing in the hall with eyes like saucers. Anyway, hope this letter is readable. It's late and the lights are about to go out. It's Saturday night so I hope I'll see you on Sunday. Miss you and love you so much,

Your son, Robert

p.s. Give the old girl a treat from me and tell her Robert misses her too.

Jesus Messiah

2008-12-20T19:04:00.001-08:00

We went to North River Baptist for the Christmas Cantada. Here's Justin and Christy and the worship team and choir singing Jesus Messiah. What a beautiful worship service!

Abigail and Ava

2008-12-20T17:39:00.001-08:00

I took this picture in April last year of Abigail and Ava. I just found it on my computer. Sometimes those computer files run off and hide!

I really love this photo. It really captures Abigail and Ava's personalities. They are a year and a half older now but you can see in their faces the love of life they have! I converted the original to black and white in Photoshop CS3 after a few modifications in Aperture.

Our Wonderful Small Group Christmas Party

2008-12-20T05:23:00.001-08:00

Click on the photo to see a slideshow...

What a fun night of food, fellowship, fun at Greg and Nadia's house. We made gingerbread houses and toured the neighborhood in our convertibles to see the amazing Christmas lights. The grand finale was a White Elephant gift exchange that left us all richer...well, if you can call owning a copy of the book "You might be a Redneck" by Jeff Foxworthy richer!

The Graciousness of Uncertainty by Oswald Chambers

2008-12-18T19:58:00.000-08:00

I love this quote from Oswald Chambers' "My Utmost for His Highest"

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"It doth not yet appear what we shall be." 1 John 3:2

Naturally, we are inclined to be so mathematical and calculating that we look upon uncertainty as a bad thing. We imagine that we have to reach some end, but that is not the nature of spiritual life. The nature of spiritual life is that we are certain in our uncertainty, consequently we do not make our nests anywhere. Common sense says - "Well, supposing I were in that condition . . ." We cannot suppose ourselves in any condition we have never been in. Certainty is the mark of the common-sense life: gracious uncertainty is the mark of the spiritual life. To be certain of God means that we are uncertain in all our ways, we do not know what a day may bring forth. This is generally said with a sigh of sadness, it should be rather an expression of breathless expectation. We are uncertain of the next step, but we are certain of God. Immediately we abandon to God, and do the duty that lies nearest, He packs our life with surprises all the time. When we become advocates of a creed, something dies; we do not believe God, we only believe our belief about Him. Jesus said, "Except ye become as little children." Spiritual life is the life of a child. We are not uncertain of God, but uncertain of what He is going to do next. If we are only certain in our beliefs, we get dignified and severe and have the ban of finality about our views; but when we are rightly related to God, life is full of spontaneous, joyful uncertainty and expectancy.

"Believe also in Me," said Jesus, not - "Believe certain things about Me." Leave the whole thing to Him, it is gloriously uncertain how He will come in, but He will come. Remain loyal to Him.

Good photographs...

2008-12-15T09:02:00.000-08:00

Here are some great quotes I read at a photography exhibit:

"There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs." - Ansel Adams

"A good snapshot stops a moment from running away." - Eudora Welty

"When you photograph people in black and white, you photograph their souls." - Ted Grant

Probably not the Christmas card photo but too cute to pass up!!

2008-12-14T16:11:00.001-08:00

Josiah loves me...and my shoulder

2008-12-07T20:46:00.001-08:00

I'm not real sure why, but Josiah loves my left shoulder. He can be
running 55 mph in all directions at once and when he sees my arms he
says "Papa" with a big grin , holds up those strong 18 month old arms
and prepares for a launch from the floor to an elevation of about 5
feet corresponding to the approximate height parallel to the floor of
my left shoulder. His little head immediately lands sideways on my
flat shoulder top, he'll grin slightly, then I give him a kiss and
firm hug and push his head into a "nap" position and start to pat his back. He utters a quiet "Papa" and is still for, oh, maybe 5 seconds!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

2008-12-04T16:57:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas Everyone!, originally uploaded by George G. Hoffman.

I love this picture of Josiah under the tree at Christy and Justin's house last year.

Walking with the Father and Renewing your Mind

2008-12-03T03:44:00.001-08:00

My wife Carol has a web site she named "www.WalkingWiththe Father.com" and I love this entry she made in her blog (click the WWTF Blog button)! I am a lucky man to walk with her as we walk with the Father together! Her heart is to be an encourager and she does that every day, not just to me, but to the store clerk at Belks or the person at the counter at the Patio or one of us lucky enough to be in her family!

Here's her last post:
----------------

Walking With the Father and Renewing Your Mind
Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned Christ!-- assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:17-24 (ESV)

It is so easy this time of year to take a vacation from our walk with God and get into the world thing and yes I mean decorations, presents, commitments, parties, staying up way too late, eating food we later regret, complaining, arguing, not getting along with others, blaming others for our problems and yes do I need to add more to the list? I write this out of my own convictions for this time of year. I have lived long enough now to know the battle rages around this time to know the importance of renewing the mind daily as there is much competition for doing the best thing and that is my time with God. If there ever is a time you need to do this it is now before the world tells you what you have to do instead of slowing down to hear the voice of God. I am sitting in my favorite leather chair with an undecorated house and much to be done for Christmas and stopping to think the most important thing I can do this morning is meet with the one whose birthday we celebrate. Much is going on in my life to bring before the Father, much prayer needs to be offered for friends who have contacted me with serious family needs but most of all I just need to sit and renew my mind and think upon who came and died for me. Might I encourage you today to start your day with Him and walk with Him throughout the day! Don’t let your heart become hardened to the things of God with trying to finish your to do list. Make Him the first thing on your to do list and watch what happens afterward. Your spirit will be softened, you will be walking in the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. and your goals and direction will be different. Your light will shine as bright as the many trees sparkling around our world. Might these words cause us all to ponder as we back out of the driveway for the miles we have to travel. And let us encourage one another...” - Carol Hoffman, 12/2/2008

Ava and Her Babies

2008-11-30T06:52:00.001-08:00

Ava and Her Babies, originally uploaded by George G. Hoffman.

Thanksgiving was a wonderful reunion of our family! Not the least of which was Ava seeing all her babies!

Shortest lived beard in history...

2008-11-29T16:14:00.001-08:00

Shortest lived beard in history..., originally uploaded by George G. Hoffman.

I started growing this beard about 10 days before we had Ava and
Abigail over to the house so Jon and Lisa could have a night out. It
was getting a bit itchy and had almost gone down the drain a couple
times already. So when I asked Abigail what she thought about it and
she said, "I don't like it! Please shave that thing off right now!" its
fate was sealed...

Tiny and Vast...

2008-11-24T18:02:00.000-08:00

I found these amazing photos on Apple's Science Web site. The first is a picture of the human iris in the middle of the eye. Looking out from the eye is a nearby galaxy called the Tarantula Nebula. Too amazing to grasp the infinite riches of His universe both tiny and vast!

Ava and Baby

2008-11-21T21:15:00.001-08:00

Ava and Baby, originally uploaded by George G. Hoffman.

Ava loves to nurture all kinds of things...baby dolls, living cats, large dogs, grandfathers, a random piece of soft cloth shaped like a newborn or a pitiful remnant of a doll her mommy played with 25 years ago. She has the most tender spirit. She completely embraces her beloved, feeds it, changes its diaper, wipes it bottom and dresses it back up in perfect form (well, sort of). And she loves to watch other (real) babies. There is something in her that wasn't taught. It is part of her being that God gave her as a gift. A highly developed and creative connection and caring part of her personality that mirrors God's love. It's not fake or put on. It starts with athought that comes from deep within her and radiates out and results in an endearing smile and a unique dimple in her left cheek when it's in full blossom. A touch of joy as she makes connection with another imagined or real soul.

Abigail at Wills Park

2008-11-21T21:00:00.001-08:00

Abigail at Wills Park, originally uploaded by George G. Hoffman.

I took this photo of my granddaughter Abigail at Wills Park in Alpharetta. It really caught her spirit and life! She's so full of life! Shot with a Nikon D300 and 18-200MM Nikon VR lens.

A visit with Mimi and Papa

2008-11-20T19:51:00.001-08:00

A30_6815, originally uploaded by George G. Hoffman.

Carol, Christy and Lisa took Josiah, Ava and Abigail to see their great-grandparents Mimi and Papa this week. There was another little guy there too in Christy's tummy but he is a bit too shy to pose for a picture yet! Josiah showed great skill in balancing that candle on his head...

Birds in the back yard...

2008-11-09T21:02:00.000-08:00

I made a note from Scot McKnight's talk this weekend at a leaders retreat at North Point Community Church. I'm not sure I wrote it down exactly, but hopefully you get the idea. Scot said he has a number of bird feeders in his yard that he keeps stocked. Carol and I have five bird feeders and dozens of birds that pay a visit every day. He likened the birds to the people God puts in our lives. He used the example of a blue parakeet that visited his feeders one day. It had apparently escaped from a neighbor's house. All the other birds shunned the new visitor and watched it with great suspicion. When it squalked they all flew away. The were afraid of it because it was different. But it was a truly beautiful bird. The other birds didn't see its beauty. They rejected and feared it. Scot then made the statement that really hit home with me. "You can't choose what birds visit your back yard. You can only choose to feed them." I like that.

Humility

2008-11-08T09:24:00.001-08:00

"Humility is thinking less about yourself, not thinking less of yourself."

John Ott, North Point Community Church

Your future...

2008-11-05T14:16:00.000-08:00

Here's a great thought for the day. It came from a sermon from Matt Ballard at Perimeter Church back in August...

"Your future is as bright as God's promises!"

That sounds pretty bright to me!

Monster in our basement...

2008-11-01T07:57:00.000-07:00

This little chameleon made its home in our basement. Abigail and Carol
found it. OK, it's not really a monster. It's head is about 1/4" long
and he's now happy living under a rock in the back yard!

A Trip to the Atlanta Aquarium

2008-10-31T03:59:00.001-07:00

We picked up Christy, Justin, Josiah and baby boy Wyatt (still in Christy's tummy) and headed out for the Atlanta Aquarium. This place is amazing. We had a great time. Seeing a one year old face to face with an octopus for the first time is amazing! We stopped by Atlantic Station and browsed some of the shops and had a great meal at Doc Greens. Josiah did his impression of a catfish and ate everything in sight! It was a wonderful day... Here is a photo gallery from my Kodak Gallery.

Saints and Sinners

2008-10-21T05:02:00.000-07:00

I heard this quote today...

"Every saint has a past. Every sinner has a future. "

George Washington Hoffman (1734 - 1829)

2008-10-20T20:22:00.000-07:00

Here's yet another George Washington Hoffman from my family tree...

George Hoffman, born in 1734 in Germany, was in this country in 1755 according to his obituary. He served as at teamster under General Braddock at the battle of Fort Duquene, near present day Turtle Creek at Pittsburg, on July 5, 1755. He purchased property known as Hoffman's Barrens in 1762. He owned many acres of land in West Whiteland township of Chester County and was known as one of the founders of the Grove Methodist Episcopal church located near his farm. George had 11 children, 7 sons and 4 daughters. Two of his sons, George Washington Hoffman and Isaac Hoffman moved west to Williamsport, Pennsylvania (now Monongahela City) during the summer of 1816. George Died on 30 December 1829 and his son Benjamin, became sole owner of the family estate.

The Little Bird

2008-10-20T06:38:00.000-07:00

I love birds. We have several bird feeders at our house...to put it
mildly! And we bought a book on "Birds of Georgia." Each time we see a
new bird species, we turn down the page of the book. It's amazing how
many of God's most amazing creatures live amongst us! One day I was
watching from about 12 inches away from the feeder at our back window. A
little bird landed on the feeder. A second bird landed just above it and
to the right. The smaller bird on the bottom didn't quite seem to know
what to do. The bird above quietly reached into the feeder and got out
just the right seed. He (or she?) took the seed and reached down. The
smaller bird reached up and took the seed from its parent's mouth. They
both lingered a moment and flew off. I know this happens hundreds of
times a day all around us! But what a picture of how God takes care of
us!

George Washington Hoffman (1783-1816)

2008-10-18T17:56:00.000-07:00

Here's a note about my great-great-great-grandfather who lived from 1783-1816.

George Washington Hoffman, born in Chester County, married Rebecca and bought and operated the Eagle Tavern in Uwchland township from 1805 until 1816 when he sold the business and moved westward. He began purchase of a farm in Noblestown, Allegheny County, Pa, just before he died unexpectedly in late 1816. His wife, Rebecca and his brother Isaac, completed the purchase and Rebecca moved to the farm. George and Rebecca had three children; Washington George, Jefferson S., and Matilda. Washington George was so named to prevent confusion between he and his father. Rebecca remarried to Joseph Johnston and they lived on the farm until her death.

Here's a link to the current Eagle Tavern history site:

http://www.eagletavern.com/history.html

Someone's Listening!!

2008-10-14T02:44:00.000-07:00

Carol and I had been dating for a while and we had a date that night. I don't remember all the details of the day, but I had been working on my potters wheel and hadn't taken time to get completely cleaned up before going to her house. Well, that's putting it mildly. Carol claims I was covered from head to toe with mud! I really knew how to make an impression on a date! When I got to the house I was greeted warmly by all. Mimi, Papa, Carol, Dick and Bonnie (their poodle). Bonnie wagged her stub of a tail in one of those motions that just about make it invisible it's going so fast. All of us went into the living room and Carol's mom found me a chair that wouldn't be permanently damaged by the mud I'd leave behind and the polite conversation began. Bonnie, who had, like all dogs, a few trigger words, sat politely nearby. After the usual chit-chat Carol's mom said, "Well George, if you need to GO GET YOU A BATH, please feel free! The conversation lingered a bit longer and I finally decided I better get cleaned up. It was at least 15 minutes later. So I went down to the bathroom on the hall and pulled back the shower curtain to reach the faucets. Who is looking up at me with those dark black eyes and a bit of an excited, panting tongue sticking out? Bonnie! Throughout our whole conversation, she heard the words she had awaited all day...GO GET YOU A BATH! As soon as the words had rolled off Mimi's lips to me, she'd taken it as an obedient signal that it was time for HER bath and she dutifully walked to the bathroom, hiked over the edge of the bath and sat in her position patiently until the wonderful time was to arrive!! I went and got the family who hooted and hollered and praised Bonnie as the good girl she was! I'm sure there are some spiritual lessons in there somewhere which you can comment on like "A master hears his voice and dutifully obeys"

What others do you see! I just remembered this the other day and laughed out loud!

I Am David

2008-10-11T06:12:00.001-07:00

One of my favorite books is a book by Anne Holm called "I Am David." I
was browsing my journal and saw this quote I'd written down as I read
it the first time. The story is about a young boy name David who grew
up in a prison camp during World War II. He was able to escape and
went to try to find his mother traveling by himself all over Europe.
All his life he had been surrounded by the bleak gray prison walls. It
is a story of his discovery of the things we all take for granted
every day. Here's a quote as he sees a flower after the rain...

"One morning, by the side of the little stream he had found a red
flower. A drop of water had fallen onto one of its petals, and a ray
of sunshine had caught it and made it tremble on the flower in David's
hand and glisten with many colors. And David thought that if a ray of
light from the sun could have made a drop of water speak, its voice
would have been like the clearest note of the violin..."

I love that book!

Josiah and a Reflection of His Father

2008-09-30T18:49:00.001-07:00

Glittery Pink Shoes and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

2008-09-26T17:49:00.001-07:00

Carol took Christy and Lisa on a Target run the other day. Abigail (age 4) saw some really cute glittery pink shoes. Is this a special gene at work here? Maybe heredity! Anyway, she just loved the shoes and, of course, they were soon checking out with them in the bag. When she got in the car, Abigail put on her new glittery pink shoes and exclaimed, "Grammy, I'm going to wear these shoes the rest of my life and even when I get to heaven, I'm going to wear these pink shoes!"

I have been really sick the past few days and last night Carol asked me if there was anything I was craving to eat. I told her I'd love a grilled cheese sandwich and some tomato soup. When she brought me the sandwich and I took a bite I said, "I hope when we get to heaven, we all get to eat grilled cheese sandwiches!" Then I remembered what Abigail had said. Isn't it neat to think that all the great things we like about this life - pink shoes, dogs that we know we'll see in heaven, grilled cheese sandwiches - are just a foreshadowing of infinite joy and riches that await us in heaven! Of course I know there will be riches beyond pink shoes and grilled cheese sandwiches! But isn't it exciting to think of what we REALLY have to look forward to? It makes the troubles of the day a bit easier to take!

St. Augustine Sky

2008-09-23T19:13:00.000-07:00

I created this with my Nikon D300 using the time interval set at 1 shot every 15 seconds. I then imported it into Quicktime Pro and exported to a movie file. This was shot in St. Augustine, Florida as Hurricane Hanna approached. These are the outer bands of clouds shot over a period of about 4 hours.

A thought from Benjamin

2008-09-21T12:58:00.001-07:00

"Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing."

Benjamin Franklin

You're great...

2008-09-20T03:51:00.000-07:00

I was sifting through some notes I took at an event at North Point. It is really true.

"We are drawn to people who think we are great!"

I guess that sounds selfish, but I think it's our nature. If you want people to be drawn to you, look for their greatness and let them know how you feel! This also points to a truth - we are drawn to God the more we realize he loves us and "thinks we're great!"

A Church Sign

2008-09-18T21:00:00.001-07:00

I was reading Justin's blog about his calendar with funny church signs. I have one of those "church sign per day" calendars and there is something about it that makes you pick it up and read. Attempting to be cute about something as majestic and infinite and mysterious as God is quite an impossible stretch. But some do make me chuckle. Some make me cringe. But I saw one that made a very insightful statement. I think (I hope) they were just trying to be cute, but the message on the sign pierced a truth. The sign said "Visitors welcome, members expected." A simple statement but quite frankly a dangerous approach to the church body or to corporate worship. The sign was saying "you might feel welcome when you get here, but if you stay around long enough, that's going away! We expect certain things done (I imagine a stern thin man with a ruler in his hand) and you better know you're expected to perform." That's not all bad. People accomplish what you expect. If you have low expectations, you will get low results. If you have high expectations, the person will be more likely to meet the expectations. And a healthy church involves it members in the life and service of the body. The point was the "worker volunteers" were worked to death without appreciation. And serving without a word of thankfulness and a sincere feeling of welcome each time you drive to the parking lot to serve, the experience can lessen the joy of "servanthood." That's one of the things I love about serving at North Point. Carol and I get unexpected cards (even gift cards) from the staff at the church saying thanks. The appreciation is real and heartfelt. It tells us "members" are welcome too!

Blue Like Jazz

2008-09-18T02:33:00.000-07:00

The first book I read by Donald Miller was Blue Like Jazz. I love his writing. These two quotes are from the intro and the first paragraph in chapter 1 that got me hooked. There's something about his heart that draws me into a deeper love for life, for the people around me and for God.

"I never liked jazz music because jazz music doesn’t resolve. But I was outside the Baghdad Theatre one night when I saw a man playing the saxophone. I stood there for fifteen minutes and he never opened his eyes. After that I liked jazz music.
Sometimes you have to watch somebody love something before you can love it yourself. It is as if they are showing you the way. I used to not like God because God didn’t resolve. But that was before any of this happened. "

"I once listened to an Indian on television say that God was in the wind and the water, and I wondered at how beautiful that was because it meant you could swim in Him or have Him brush your face in a breeze. I am early in my story, but I believe I will stretch out into eternity, and in heaven I will reflect upon these early days, these days when it seemed God was down a dirt road, walking toward me. Years ago He was a swinging speck in the distance; now He is close enough I can hear His singing. Soon I will see the lines on His face. "

A lost puppy found! Sort of...

2008-09-16T21:26:00.001-07:00

It bothered me when I heard Ava lost her little stuffed puppy. She was so excited when Carol and I bought her a little $7 stuffed TY puppy from the Claire store at The Avenue after celebrating Justin's birthday. I looked really out of place in the store with all the bows, bells, lace and "pink". The little puppy was all white with a little TY button. It looked real, even though it was only about 6" long. A perfect little replica of a white toy poodle. Ava latched on to it as soon as she saw it in the store. There was just one clerk in the store. She didn't seem to mind that Abigail tried on the feather "wrap around your neck" thing, the huge sunglasses, the princess crown, the Cinderella shoes, several strings of beads and a couple wig thingies. I expected any minute for the girl to say something, especially with pink feathers flying in the air as Abigail and Ava danced in front of the mirror. Ava mainly wanted to hold the little TY doggie. "Puppy, puppy, puppy..." she said as she showed it to everybody. I got a cute picture of Ava and her puppy before she took it home. But then somehow she lost it outside the house when a big dog scared her. I hated she lost it. I stopped in three different stores to pick out just the right one to replace it. They sell them at magazine stores for people traveling to take home to their kids...or grandkids. Finally tonight, Carol went back to the Claire store, bought her one just like it and gave Ava her puppy back. I was home sick, but got to talk to her on the phone while Carol was taking her to the mall. "Did you have a good day?" "uh-huh!" "Did you eat Chick-fil-a?" "un-huh" What else happened, Ava? "I got a puppy and a baby!" It reminded me of a Steve Brown story about his little dog. I'm sure Ava prayed in her heart that the little puppy would come back. She didn't understand exactly how the prayer was answered. But she did experience grace. And as a result...joy!

Hilton Head "Hudsons Restaurant"

2008-06-08T03:51:00.000-07:00

Carol and I ate at a little restaurant in Hilton Head. Next door was Hudson's Restaurant with a working boat doc. I love the square format and am using it with some of my paintings. I did a photoshop layer that took out some detail to use as a source for a painting.

Charlie and Amy

2008-05-31T12:36:00.000-07:00

I was sorting through some of my favorite images and found this photo I took of Charlie and Amy at her wedding. I used several adjustment layers and masks.

Blue Jay Buddy

2008-05-30T03:38:00.000-07:00

This little friend comes around everyday to visit one of our many bird feeders. After all, we live on Aviary Drive!

Nikon 300
ISO 1600
Tamika 100-400 Zoom

Abigail's Swing

2008-04-07T21:33:00.000-07:00

This is an animated GIF file created in Photoshop CS3. Shot in high speed mode on my D300. It is seven photos composited together. Quite a nice swing by our three year old grand daughter Abigail! I say sign her up for the "big leagues!"

Georgia 400 Buckhead Tunnel

2008-03-05T20:28:00.000-08:00

I took this about 6:30 a.m. of the Buckhead Tunnel where Georgia 400 goes under Atlanta Financial Center on Peachtree. I didn't think it had a "shot" at coming out but it's pretty nice!
Nikon D300 Camera
Nikon 12-24mm lens

Ava

2008-02-17T05:05:00.000-08:00

This sweet photo of my granddaughter Ava reflects the gentle spirit and loving person she is. I love the atmospheric quality of this photograph. I used PhotoShop CS3's Black and White sliders to tone this and created a blur layer and layer mask to focus on her beautiful eyes.
- Nikon D300, Nikon 60mm Macro Lens, SB800 flash, ISO 800, 1/250, F 3.2.

Christmas Cousins

2008-02-15T21:18:00.000-08:00

PhotoShop CS3 Tutorial:

1) Original Photo - the original photo is really nice, but I want to put it in a dark frame and create a more artistic and timeless feel to the picture. These are my three grandkids and I want the to look...well, adorable!

2) I added a layer with an extreme gaussian blur. I created a layer mask and painted away the blur from the faces I wanted to be in close focus.

Here's what it looks like at this point.

3) I added an adjustment layer for hue and saturation and then darkened the whole photo with the sliders

4) Using the layer mask for the adjustment layer,
I painted out the areas I wanted the original bright tone.

5) Finally, I wanted a less saturated look with a bit of
a brown tone. I created another adjustment layer for
Hue/Saturation and hit the Colorize button, Hue 38
and Saturation 15. I then used the layer mask to paint
color back into the faces and bring out some of the red.

It's really fun to get three wiggly kids to sit in one place at a time, especially when there are so many things to explore!

Equipment: Nikon D300, Nikon 18-200 VR Lens, SB800 Flash, Gary Fong attachment.

Josiah

2008-02-14T19:56:00.000-08:00

This shot of my grandson Josiah was taken in our great room while he let mommy and daddy go out for a little while. He always seems so thoughtful about things and loves to explore gadgets. He's particularly fond of my Blackberry but cell phones and cameras place a close second...

Nikon D300, SB800 off camera with Gary Fong attachment, Nikon 18-200 VR Lens, 1/60, F 4.8 ISO 200

Abigail

2008-02-13T20:55:00.000-08:00

This captures our granddaughter Abigail so well. She has a confidence and wonder about her that is absolutely contageous! I used Aperture's adjustment features to convert to Black and White. Aperture Rocks!

Nikon D200, Nikon SB800 with Gary Fong attachment, f 6.3, 1/60, Nikon 18-200 VR Lens.

Just got the D300

2008-02-13T20:13:00.000-08:00

Well, I got the Nikon D300 actually about a 6 weeks ago from Best Buy. It was hard to find locally and i was thrilled to see it online. It had taken me months to get the D200. I already have a nice compliment of lenses from having the D200 a couple years.

Cameras: Nikon D200, D300, Canon Powershot 750 ELPH for keeping in my pocket

Lenses: I'm using the Nikon 28-105 Macro, Nikon 12-24 wide angle, Nikon 18-200 telephoto (which is almost always on the camera). At the suggestion of a photography friend, I got the Nikon 60mm Macro lens which has quickly became my favorite lens. The clarity of the lens , accuracy of focus and ease of manaul mode, especially in the macro mode is amazing.

Flash: Nikon SB800, SB600, Gary Fong (www.garyfong.com) diffusers

Software/Hardware: iMac 20", Macbook, G5 Dual tower, Aperture for Photo management.

I am so impressed with the D300. It is clearly superior over my D200. To get really technical, it just takes better pictures. I don't know exactly why yet. I really love the setting that allows you to see exactly what is in focus within the 51 area focus grid. I also really like the view that shows the photo, the histogram, the setting, white balance, etc. I should also mention my other equipment - mainly the SB800 flash and a Gary Fong lens thingy. I use is almost all the time indoors and most of the time outdoors. I guess I ought to post a recent photo now and hit the sack...