almost to tired to post

Had a flat tire in Statesville last night and I had to wait 4.5 hours for help. 

Too much money

    Mom has been wise in the handling of her money, paying all her bills the day she receives them, saving where she could and investing the best she knew how.  Even after Dad suffered through cancer Mom still had a nice nest egg for a 90 year old.   Trouble is, it is either too little or too much.  She never expected to go into a nursing home but it became obvious to even her she could no longer take care of herself.  It looked like she would not be able to give her children the money she had saved for them all these many years.  That is where I am trying to help her.
   The only investment she is allowed to keep is her home so I am trying to fix it up to increase the value of it so the cash she would have given to her children will be given to them in the form of home equity.  Hopefully some of the money I am spending on the house will return a value.  I know cutting trees will not increase the value of the home but it will make selling the home much easier.  Changing the fuse box to a circuit breaker box will increase the value of the home.  So will adding a range hood and new flooring.  I can only do so much living so far away and under time constraints to get things done and still be able to care for Mom. 
    This is not an easy task.  If Mom had know she could have spent the money while she was in the home and made life easier and safer for herself.  But she didn't know. 

Full Moons and double rainbows

Dec. 25, 2015 was the first time in 40 years there was a full moon on Christmas day.  On my drive to Hickory yesterday I saw a rainbow in the Northern sky and as I drove on towards Winston-Salem there appeared a second rainbow.  Beautiful.
  Mom had on her Christmas sweater Debbie had given her.  We took Mom to her house and then took her out for some Christmas dinner which turned out to be at Arby's but Mom enjoyed eating something besides institution food. 

I had no idea how working late would make me feel

   I was in Hickory Tuesday and Wednesday while the painting crew was there .  I worked on raking leaves Tuesday and earned myself a few blisters for my efforts.  Wednesday I took the hardware off the kitchen cabinets to get them ready for painting.  I made the trip to the store to purchase all the supplies I would need to get the job done. 
   I left home at 4:30 for the two hour drive to Hickory and began work as soon as I got there.  I took my first break at 4 pm. because I needed to get hoses for the new washer and I picked up something to eat at Popeyes.  The chicken tenders were good and the buffalo dipping sauce was the boss.  I was feeling tired then but I really wanted to get the painting finished.  I had planned to paint one side of the cabinets and all the walls then get some rest and finish the job Friday morning but I wasn't about to sleep in Mom's room and the guest bed was made up so pretty I just couldn't mess it up because I knew I could never make it up correctly.  I normally sleep on the couch but I had it full of boxes so I decided to just keep working. 
  I really wasn't aware of the time as I worked.  I finished painting and put all the hardware back on the doors and even hung the doors and cleaned the kitchen.  It was then I checked the time and realized it was 2:30 am.  Too tired to sleep I decided to head for home and with the aid of coffee I made it home by 4:30.  I went straight to bed but I was so sore and tired that I found it hard to rest.  Saturday was awful and I didn't feel much better on Sunday.  Still a little off center today.  I guess I'm just to old to be doing what I did daily a decade ago. 

getting closer

Yes, that could mean the holidays, especially Christmas, but that isn't what I am referring to.  I've been trying to consolidate Mom's money into one account, spend as much on repairs to the house, and get her as close to $2,000 before the deadline set by Medicaid.  I just don't like giving her hard earned money to the government while the house she cherished for so many years crumbles around us and her children inheriting a dilapidated house that one would have to spend a fortune on to unload. 
  The hardest part is trying to hire someone to do the work.  So far I hired a painting crew and Window World.  I can't find an electrician to  change the fuse box to a circuit breaker, someone to cut down three trees, or a paving company willing to give me an estimate on a paving job.  Just try finding someone to fix a ventilation system  for a stove without a range hood. 
  By fixing up the house I can save some of the money for Mom's heirs but I really only have until the 20th to get everything done.  Can't even consolidate money or find companies willing to work in that short period of time.  I thought Americans have been begging for work in our sluggish economy. 
Apparently not.

wearable tchnology

     It has been a long held belief of many Christians that the number of the beast would be a number stamped onto ones forearm on forehead.  Sixty years ago people were not sure how this would be accomplished.  With the technology available then (remember there were no electronic calculators nor a mechanical  one small enough to carry around ) people thought a national ID card would be the way of tracking people.  Now, people are wearing technology.  Pets have microchips to track their location and some people wear pacemakers and other medical devices.  Dick Cheney had the wireless portion of his pacemaker disconnected to prevent hackers from doing him harm. 
   What if it became mandatory that in order to receive medical care on had to have a chip?  With government controlled health care now it would be much easier to require you to have an implant.  Once you had the implant there would be no reason the government could not force the use of that chip in order to purchase food under the pretense of protecting scarce resources and/or to prevent fraud of government programs. 
  The parts of the world that comprised the old Roman empire are becoming stronger, the United States of America has become morally bankrupt after turning its back on God, embracing Muslims while still at war with Islamic militants.  It seems now that Americans are willing to embrace any idea under the sun except conservative and Christian  beliefs.  It seems within the realm   of possibility that Christianity may be outlawed one day.  Preposterous, you say.  Did Jesus not ask "When I return will I find faith on the earth?"  the answer to which was no. 
   Some would have you believe  that Christianity is a religion of hate and intolerance but the truth is
Christianity is not a religion at all but a relationship.  If you understand that then you will understand that the changes are inevidentable, America will fall, but you have no reason to fear.  But if you don't know that then you have every reason in the world to be afraid.  If I were you I'd fall upon my needs and beg forgiveness and give your life to Christ and follow Him as closely as you can. 

Too busy

   No, I'm not busy as in Christmas shopping busy.  I'm busy taking care of Mom's affairs in Hickory.  It would be so much easier if I had the power of attorney but because of family reasons I don't so I have to do the best I can do. 
  I have been trying to get her financial affairs in order.  To keep from turning everything over to the state I can spend some of the money to do repair work to the home but I have a very narrow window to get things done.  Painting, replacing windows, changing out the fuse box for a circuit breaker, paving the driveway and cutting down three trees. 
  Wish me luck.
 

God Isn't Fixing This

      One newspaper featured the above headline in response to the latest shooting, this one in San Bernardino, California.  I suppose the paper is blaming God for the shooting as if God is going to protect us from ourselves.  It is obvious the newspaper doesn't know God.  It amazes me how people want to blame God for the evil in the world while living their lives as if God doesn't exist. 

Road Trip

     I used to dread going to Hickory every month because of the cost of gas.  It was about 240 miles round trip, gas was $3.00 or more a gallon and my vehicle got 21 miles per gallon on a good day.  The only thing that made the trip tolerable was seeing my mother but the trip wasn't a social call.  I took her grocery shopping, to the bank, out to lunch, and did yard work and repair work while I was there with little, if any, time for socializing. 
    Mom is now in a convalescence home and I still drive to Hickory and I still do all her yard work.  I don't get to take her grocery shopping anymore but I have been working hard trying to help her find a way to pay for the home.  I manage to spend a couple hours with her and I do go once a week, at least.  When she was in the hospital I went three or four times a week.  She is doing much better now and may get to go home if the doctors can find the solution to her last infection. 
  She is the delight of the nursing home.  Most residents are sad, lonely people who have either given up on life or life has given up on them but Mom, at ninety, is the most cheerful person there and her therapist says Mom is the hardest worker That is what a strong faith in Jesus will do for a person. 
   If one thinks that going to church is the same thing as having faith in Jesus then they don't really know Jesus.  He isn't a religion but a person.  There will be Pope's and bishop's and priests and preachers and youth pastors and song directors and Sunday School teachers and pillars of the church and winners of attendance awards and heads of committees and all sort of church people in hell.  Salvation isn't in what one does but who Jesus is.   Mom knows. 

Been busy

 With Mom in the rest home I've had a lot to do.  My two brothers share power-of-attorney but both live out of state.  One is busy building a house and the other just had surgery so it's hard for them to find the time to get the information I need to get Medicaid for Mom.  Finally got all the stuff together today. 
Had her new alarm system installed.  It is a wireless system.
  I could tell someone has been in the house.  I don't know if its someone with a key or someone who uses the lock box to get the emergency key but they will have a big surprise  next time they try to get in.  The combo to the lock box has been changed so they can't get the emergency key.  If they have a regular key they will be surprised when they try to key in the alarm code and discover it has been changed.  No one has any need to enter Mom's home since she isn't there now.  She may return one day but not for awhile. 

CPI Security: a rant

A few months ago my Mom, 90 years old and blind and deaf had her home broken into so it is important that she have the protection of a working security system.  In October Mom got sick and had to be hospitalized so the person that was paying for her cable and phone discontinued the services.  I cannot blame them .  The solution should have been simple enough: just have her system converted over to a wireless system so it would need neither cable nor a phone.  After a month of effort nothing has been accomplished except overpaying CPI.
   The semi-annual payment was due which my older brother had sent in the payment for but only my younger brother can authorized the new installation so he also sent in a payment along with the authorization to change the system.  Funny but they received the money but not the authorization.  He resent the authorization again but they can't find that either.  They didn't return his phone calls and only one of mine.  Things shouldn't be this complicated so I wrote to the President of CPI about the problem.  I have no qualms about cancelling CPI and having a different system installed but I shouldn't have to pay extra to do so and neither should Mom.   

Battle of the ex's

No, not that kind of battle.  While a sophomore in college my brother married a high school girl and she was just about the prettiest girl in town.  The only turn-off was she had a deep voice but she was pretty, slim, and had a very nice figure.  I haven't seen her in 40 years but I figured she must be a little heavier than she was then (aren't we all) and a little grayer but I wasn't prepared for what I saw. 
  She is probably in her  mid sixties but honestly she looks older than my ninety-year-old mother.  What a shocker.
   Seeing her gave me an idea so I checked a face book of one of my ex's children and going back 5 years I finally found a picture or two of my ex.  She was never a beauty queen by she wasn't unpleasant to look out.  She was tall and slim (weighed only 120 pounds) with long sexy legs.  She looked really good in those tight fitting jeans.  She and my brother's first wife are the same age, a few years younger than me and I do admit she looks about right for her age.  She still had flaming red hair without a hint of gray (but this is a five year old picture) but she had arms as big as my thighs and was so fat she would make a pig jealous. 
   I don't know which would be more embarrassing: to be seen dating ones mother or Petula Pig. 

tatoos

What is with the recent fad of writing all over ones body is permanent ink?  Some of it pretty and some of it is actually sexy but most of it is just juvenile and tacky. 

Muslims buy motel

There is a motel in Asheboro, NC that is no longer in business.  It was probably a nice place to stay at one time but one doesn't know it's there is on US 64 and there just doesn't seem to be a way to get to it off the old new 220 by-pass or what is now know as I 73-74.  The final selling price is far below what the appraised value of the property but people opposed to the sell were unable or unwilling to come up with a counter-offer.   People's objections to the sale based on emotional or religious reasons just can't prevail in today's money and political climate.
   Even though the Islamist in Asheboro purchased the property with the intention of making it into a Mosque and considering 9-11 and what is going on in the middle East and the potential threat to the local community by having a potentially hostile group in the mist of the city of Asheboro, denying the Muslims the right to purchase the property because of who they are is a bigger threat to our freedoms than the group would be even if they were known to have strong Anti-American feelings.  After all wasn't the 'New World" occupied and established because of persecution based on religious beliefs? 
   I know it's not quite that simple.  I think monetary reasons far outweighed religious freedom in motivating people to settle in this part of the world but religious freedom played a great part in the forming of this nation and the framing of our governing documents.  Many people claim to oppose Islam based on a religious belief that they do not themselves practice.  They have turned into people with the same mindset as the people whom the settlers of this country opposed and cited as a reason to rebel. 
  Kind of sad, really.

Example of Bad News stories

Man severely beaten by deputies in jail cleared of wrongful arrest

by WABC – NY 2:14 mins

The man who was handcuffed and beaten while visiting his brother at the Los Angeles County Men's Central Jail has won a major legal victory.

Buttered toast. Really?

An article on Yahoo proclaims to teach us how to butter toast as if that was a skill that will be life changing.  Really.  Do some of us need help buttering our toast.  Yea, I know there are those with learning disabilities, and some have aged out of being able to help themselves and then there are  those that are to young to make toast and I am sure that there are many who have physical disabilities but honestly those aren't the people the article is written for.  After all if one can't butter toast then I doubt if they can operate a computer, click on and understand the article. 
  Maybe if one wants to get technical I suppose there are people who can do that but still can't butter toast but if we are honest, we will have to admit the article was written for normal (relatively speaking) everyday people like you and I who fixes ourselves and maybe others toast with butter now and then.  I didn't actually read the article so I don't know if it was recommended that one use margarine instead of real butter and whether the toast was light, medium, or dark, but to tell the truth it really doesn't matter because putting butter on toast isn't like rocket science and doesn't require a technical article to accomplish. 
   I would rank the usefulness of this article right there with "the best way to tie one's shoes". 

Bad News Stories

It's not BAD news but bad stories about the news.  Sometimes in writing it is impossible to place the emphasis where it should be so that is why I want to make it clear that I'm writing about bad stories  as in poorly written or presented rather than stories that are about news that is bad. 

Exactly what I'm talking about is stories that are headlined like this " Twin sisters are found at the bottom of a well".  Your curiosity is peaked and you wonder how they got in the well, how old they were, and most of all, you wonder if they are okay, injured or deceased.    You click on the headline to read the story and there, in all it's glory is the entire story:  Twin sister are found at the bottom of a well. 
  Right above this story is a video and if you click to play this video you have to sit through a commercial and then some news reporter's talking head appears and in the background you see an out of focus video (ain't it fun watching a video of a video?) of an ambulance crew and police standing around and a woman crying on the shoulders of another woman and then the talking head says "Rescue workers at the scene where twin girls have fallen into a well.  There are no details about the welfare of the girls."
  Wow. 
  

I Voted

Yea, I voted in the Randleman election today.  Turnout was light and only three races were on the ballot.  One of the candidates is a fiery red head and has a temper to match and her agenda seems rather personal rather than for the good of the city.  A few years ago a tree from her yard fell into the church yard so I got there early and began trimming the tree.  Some other men showed up along with the pastor.  This lady showed up in her housecoat and started yelling at us for cutting her tree and then accused us of lying to her about cutting down some other trees on our property. 
   She said a non-existent person had told her we wouldn't cut the trees down.  She said we were destroying life.  But she never apologized for her actions until she saw me at NASCAR days and then only because she was running for alderwoman.  (The title is actually alderman so draw your own conclusions).    
  If she was truly repentant she could have walked from her yard into ours and apologized anytime in the past two years but then she wasn't running for office.  She claims our beliefs are so different she could never attend our church but I just wonder how she knows. 
   Anyway unless people know her I'm afraid they will vote for her as it seems she has gone all out to win this election.  I do have to give her an "A" for effort.  Maybe her opponent is over confident, broke, or not so smart but he didn't put half

Family Crisis

A few weeks back I took a call informing me Mom was sick and needed someone to stay with her so I packed an overnight bag and headed to Hickory.  I spent that night but couldn't spend the weekend so I arranged for friends to stop by and check on her.  I drove to Hickory on Monday but she had not shown any improvement.  I went again on Tuesday but I left a couple of hours sooner than I normally would which turned out to be a good thing as I found Mom in the floor. 

I called 9-1-1 and she was admitted into the hospital in critical condition.  After spending a week and 2 days there she was sent to a convalescent home.  Chances are high she will never go back home. 

Yahoo does it again

It's my fault that I still use Yahoo as my homepage but that may change soon.  It was bad enough that every other story was actually a video.  Now, every other story is a one liner and then there is a video one has to watch to get the real story.  I can usually get the story from the comments without watching the video but now Yahoo will completely change the story after about 5 seconds and one can't back arrow to it.  I am not being forced to watch a commercial in order to watch a video to inform me of what I am interested in.  I can always buy a newspaper and read an article as many times as I want and never have to read an ad. 

Mom doing better

My mom is being moved into a regular room from ICU because there is no treatment done in ICU that can't be done from a regular bed.  I'm glad she is improved enough to be moved although I know she is still in danger,  After all 90 year old people with pneumonia are in a precarious position. 

Serious delimna

Mom is 90 and recently got bronchitis and the doctor said she wasn't to be alone.  I spent Thursday and Friday with her and stopped in to see her Saturday after the balloon fest.  Tammy was supposed to be with her Saturday.  Regina was with Mom Sunday am and Christie was supposed to be with her Sunday pm. 
  I don't have anyway to take care of Mom, one brother tried and it was a disaster, and my other brother isn't able or willing.  I can't keep driving from Randleman to Hickory.  Neither my health or bank account will allow for that.   She refuses to leave her house and as long as she is of sound mind
she can't be made to leave.  So what am I supposed to do?  

Set-up for the future.

In December 2014 my younger brother decided to take Mom back to Georgia with him without consulting any of her children.  Now if he has asked me I would have advised him to get a small apartment near where he lived for her so she could be by herself yet close enough to check in on once in a while.  But no he took her to his home and dumped her on his wife to take care of. 
   I know she is his mother but he has been removed from her for so long he has no idea what it would be like trying to care for her.  But he is the rich one so he thinks being able to make money makes him smarter than everyone else.  In less than a month he bundles her up drives her to Hickory without stopping and drops her off at her house.  She has no running water, no food, no telephone, and no one knows she's there except him and he no loner cares.  People only discovered her whereabouts when they called wanting to speak to her and he claimed "he took her home." 
   No, he took her to a cold empty house with no way to survive on her own without notifying anyone.  Now one would think this saga would have ended there no his wife began making demands for payment of a stair climbing machine that David had purchased.  Mom refused to pay saying she never asked for the machine and never used it but once.  When she saw how much effort was required to pull her up stairs she refused to use it again.  David's wife said that if Mom refused to pay while she was living she would pay when she died. 
   Saturday David drove to Hickory from Georgia dropped off the stair climbing machine and went back home.  Mom's relationship with David is like King David's relationship with Absalom.  Even though Absalom rebelled and tried to dethrone David and would have killed the King if an opportunity arose, King David forever mourned Absalom's death.   Mom has forgiven David for all his transgressions and doesn't believe David will allow his wife to bill her estate and collect for the stair climbing machine.  Even though David is the executor of the will Mom thinks he will do the right thing.  Well so far he has demonstrated his willingness to acquiesce to his wife's demands.  She is an intelligent lady and she is also a trained accountant and I have no doubt that she will be paid for this piece of equipment, especially now that Mom has procession of it. 
   I get so tired of people trying to take advantage of old people, especially one's parents.  They gave you life and care while you grew into adulthood.  Shouldn't we at least him them respect in their old age?  David could sell the machine and he is well off enough to absorb the loss.  But the plan, I'm sure, is to dumb the machine on her and at her death to present the bill to her estate and collect payment in full. 

      

Good Cop/Bad Cop

    I just saw an article on the meltdown of a little girl who blames her "Barbie" for her nail polish disaster and wonder how is it that's gets national exposure when some really heart warming stuff goes unnoticed.  I know we see stories abut bad cops all the time and occasionally one about a good cop: like one who purchased a pair of shoes for a homeless man without any or the two policemen who bought a buggy load of food for a family living in a car.  But what about the average person, the me and you people, who work hard, pay our taxes, and whose only contact with the police is when we get stopped for speeding?  Isn't there any angels of mercy out there that would just give us a little hope and faith in our fellow man, someone to give us a helping hand, a smile and a little encouragement?  
     Well, for one lady who had always been a hard worker, never even got that first speeding ticket, and now is entering the last days of her life, her turn has come.  She is ninety years old, almost deaf and blind but still managing to take care of herself.  It all started with a tragedy when someone burst out a window in her house to gain entry and steal.  Yes, they were eventually caught and normally that would have been the end of the story.  MPO Vang of the Hickory police department came over to the ladies house on his own time and at his own expense and repaired the damage to the window.  MPO Roberts also did her part by helping this lady get back and forth to the bank helping her recover the $900.00 that was stolen from her. 
   Those act alone are commendable and they were as the ladies son wrote letters to the city, the local paper and to the police department about the good deeds.  But even policemen with hearts of Gold have families and needs their downtime to pull themselves back together.  They have received their accommodations and one who think it's time to move on.   Yet, on Wednesday these two people came over to the ladies house and cleaned broken limbs and debris from off her roof and cleaned out her gutters and raked her yard. 
   You may feel like it seems the vocal majority of Americans do and cops.  But there are good ones out there and then there are some that are truly special.  Officer Vang and Officer Roberts are two angels in blue.

"I'm a Christian" death sentence

    It is rumored that the Oregon shooter asked people what their religion was and if they replied "Christian" he killed them.  If they answered differently he either wounded them or didn't shoot them at all. 
    Herein lies a dilemma.  If you consider yourself a Christian and someone points a gun at your head and asks what your religion is and you deny being a Christian in order to save your life, will Christ deny you?  But what if you answer you are a Christian and you really aren't, what then. 
   I know the likelihood of you, me, or any one else being in that situation is very remote but it did happen to those college students overseas about a year or so ago, it did happen in Colorado at that high school and it is believed to have happened in the recent shooting in Oregon.  Those people had no idea it would ever occur to them. 
    There are thousands of people murdered in the USA every year.  I have two friends that have had children murdered and back in 2000 when I was living in Greensboro, NC I was acquainted with  all the people murdered in that city that year but two.  How many people die in automobile accidents?  Add to those who die suddenly of heart attacks, industrial accidents, sports injuries, or some freakish method that one would never dream of, and you have a lot of people who die each year that had no idea when they got out of bed that day it would be their last on earth. 
    80% of Americans claim they are Christian, 50% of Americans belong to a church, and only about half of those attend church at all.  Many people think as long as their name is on a church roll somewhere, or they have been baptized, or they acknowledge that Jesus was a real person they are a Christian.    Are you sure you are One? 

Who is a terrorist?

Some people complain that whites who commit shooting at work, schools, and colleges are referred to as mentally while people of color are called terrorists.  Why? 
   I don't suppose it has anything to do with skin color or lack thereof but the motivation behind   the crime.  If a person commits a mass shooting or bombing like was just happened in Oregon or what happened in that movie theater or the college in Virginia and the reason for committing that crime is revenge or anger or just to see what it was like the shooter or perpetrator is classified as mentally ill.  But if the person who di such acts commits those acts  does so in support of a movement or greater ideology espoused by an organization or country  then that person who be a terrorists. 
  The two men who did the Boston Marathon bombing did so not because marathon runners bullied them but because they made easy targets and the act was in support of their Muslim beliefs.  They felt they were part of a greater cause.

Will gays go to hell?

    It seems many well meaning people who consider themselves Christian claim if one is gay they are condemned to hell.  It's a shame that so many people think being a Christian is abiding by a set of moral codes and being a good person and nothing could be further from the truth.    No one is condemned to hell  because of what they do or who they are.  Hell is not a place of punishment for doing bad things.  Hell is a place of torment created by God for Satan and his angels.  However, man is a sinful creature and God cannot condone sin.  He has declared that no sin shall enter into His presence.  Only sinners will go to hell.  The scriptures declare that None are righteous, no not one.  We all are sinners and if one claims he is not a sinner he is a liar.  So how does one escape hell?
    It certainly isn't by attending church or reading one's bible or by telling people their lifestyle will send them to hell.  None of us are good enough to make it on our own.  It has become popular today to make salvation too simple.  Many people today believe that because they accept that God is real that they are heaven bound.  Others think because they joined a church or was baptized they have made it into heaven.  Well, that isn't true either.   The scriptures tell us that there will be many who will claim that they did so and so in Jesus name and therefore are qualified to enter heaven and they will be told to depart because they are not known. 
  No one gets into heaven by being moral or good or by attending church or anything else one thinks that they need to do to feel righteous.  They can't get into heaven by following or preforming rituals. 
The only way to enter into heaven is by having a personal relationship with Christ. 
   It is true that the Bible looks upon homosexuality as a sin but it isn't grave or serious sins that condemn one of hell.  There is only one sin and that is the sin of unbelief.  It is equally true that if one accepts Christ as their Lord and Savior that they will no longer have a desire to sin but have a desire to live their lives as Christ would have them live it.  We will still make mistakes because we are still wrapped in this body of flesh.  If one continues to practice sin after claiming to have become a Christian then there is something wrong with their claim.  If they still sin but have a desire to follow Christ then that is evidence of salvation.  A sinner doesn't become a saint at conversion   any more than a fetus because an adult at birth.  It takes time to grow into maturity both as a human and a Christian. 
   One cannot interest another in Christ by condemning them but by showing them the love of Christ. 

High School reunions

    My classmates just celebrated our 50th reunion with 168 (out of 435) in attendance.  I declined to go.  High School wasn't the best of experiences for me and it seems the people I was close to either didn't graduate or haven't been heard from in years.  My very best friend disappeared in 1966 when he joined the Navy. Going to the reunion would be pointless to me.  I see no benefit to hanging around with a bunch of old people I don't know and will only see every five years for a few hours. 
   Honestly I would rather remember them as the young vibrant people we were back then rather than what we have become. 
  

Talking about funny signs

  Really, we weren't but our sign maker at the church has made another funny one.  Actually they are never intended to be funny but the man can't spell and is to lazy to find out how to spell a word correctly.  One Way Baptist is having a revival from Sept 14 through the 18th starting at 7 pm. 
Our signs now read "revival 14 thu 18".  That's all.  No time, no date and I have no idea what thu means.  It's funny but a pathetic funny. 

Hassles, delays, and other irratating stuff

Hassles are things that should be easy but turn out not to be, delays are things that should be happening now or very soon but won't be, and irritating stuff is every thing else that doesn't go as we think they should go.  Life has been like that for me lately. 
  I suffered through some losses (including the most recent stock market slide) and because of the loss of my vehicle I had to get another one.  I no longer hand a way of towing my trailer so I sold it to pay for the denture brined I broke.   My newer vehicle had some dings and dents and chips on it so I though a little tube of touch-up paint would do the trick. so eight days ago I went to the dealership and ordered a tube for my car.  "It'll be here in a couple of days, probably closer to the end of the week (that would have been Friday).  Well, I'm still waiting. 
   The same day I had my rider mower picked up by the repair shop hoping I'd get it back by Friday.  The same thing is wrong with it now as it was this spring, just on the opposite side.  In the spring I got the mower back the day after I dropped it off but that place no longer repairs mowers so I sent it to a different place.  I questioned the mans ability when he put the mower in reverse and slammed it into my brand new car, then claimed there was transmission trouble because he had to put it in 8 to get it up the ramp but I always mowed in setting two or three and use one to put the mower in my utility building which is as steep and much longer than the ramp to his trailer. 
   Stopped in the shop yesterday morning and was told they were going to start repairing mine "right after lunch".  I honestly don't believe they have. 
   I like to play Sugar Crush but I'm not reading and signing a 41 page document to continue to play (I'm on level 206).    
  So, what's bugging you lately?    

Church Work Day

We got a late start.  We scheduled  a work day for 9 am but people just straggled in but we finally got going.  The church building received  two coats of fresh white paint today. 

Sugar Crush

Sugar crush had an electronic agreement I am supposed to read and sign before I can play the game again.  The agreement showed up on my wife's computer as well.  I haven't checked my Kindle but I'm sure it's on there as well and probably on everyone else's copy of the game.  I don't know why it is necessary.  At first I thought it was because I had reached level 200 but as it turned out it doesn't.  Anyway, I decided it better to  delete the game rather than  read and sign a multipage document.  In fact I think there were more than one agreement to be read and signed. 
  Anyone know why?

Gardening News

I still have a couple of watermelons that look good enough to eat, albeit, they are small but the end of season melons have been better this years although last years crop was sweeter and the melons were two to three times as large.  I took down my tomato garden and pulled all the green tomatoes off the vines in the plants I set out in the melon garden. 
  I canned 12 pints of green tomatoes and hot peppers.  Some jars I used Anaheim peppers, some jalapeno peppers, and others I used a hot pepper a friend gave me.  Not quite sure what kind they are.  I changed my formula this year and added a little sugar to the batches at my Mom's suggestion. 
  I didn't replant anything this year but I seldom ever do.  I did pull up an apple tree yesterday.  It seems the truck was decaying below ground level, maybe from insects. 
  I finally see some red clover growing in my peach orchard.  It's not really an orchard: just 8 trees planted together but I'm not sure how many peach trees it takes to make an orchard so I'll call my little group an orchard unless someone objects.  Anyway, clover is supposed to add nutrients to the soil that the peach trees need and the clover should help control weed growth as well. 
  I just can't hardly wait until next year.  I should have a good crop of berries, cherries, and peaches  and maybe even an apple or two. 

Roll-a-coaster Stock Market

Even though the market made a good recovery yesterday I'm still down $800.00 from the 14th.

Shooting of reporter again brings up talk for the need for gun control.

     Taking guns away from American citizens is not a good idea.  During WWI and WWII the American soldier was the most feared soldier in the war.  There are two reasons why.  The first is the Americans grew up handling weapons and were much better shots than people from other countries, including the professional soldiers of Germany.  The second reason is the fierce independence of Americans.  The American soldier did not always react the way enemy soldiers expected and that unpredictability made us fiercesome.   
    What is happening is that there are too many guns in the hands of the mentally unstable and the criminal element.  Where the problem lies is in second hand sales between private citizens and lose of weapons because of theft.  If we could solve those two problems then we can let private, law abiding citizens have their weapons in peace. 

I know what the sign says but....

I know the sign at the church says we are having a yard sale but we aren't.  The man in charge of changing the sign hasn't done it yet.  We are, however, having a painting party the Saturday. 
Talking about yard sales, someone purchased a cat tree at our yard sale but I forgot to give him all the pieces.  If you hear of someone complaining about that then have then come by the church on Saturday and I'll get then the missing piece.  They'll know which church even if you don't. 

Things evened out today but that's not necessarily good.

Found someone to fix and mower and they even came to pick it up and they are local.  That's good but when the man went to load my mower he put it in reverse and slammed into my brand new car which I haven't driven except to bring it home from the dealership. 
  The stock market opened 600 points up but closed 200 points down.  I'm afraid to look. 
I had to send the police to Mom's house because her phone has been off the hook since at least yesterday afternoon.  Glad she's ikay. 

Troubles come in bunches

It was said that troubles come in threes but that would be nice if they stopped there.  I've already told about the computer system going out on my van, leaving me stranded, and causing me to have to junk my van.  What I didn't mention was my lower bridge broke.  I know the original cost was $240.00 to make a mold.  I go get my new bridge or my repaired one today. 
   Either one of those is bad enough but I lost a lot of value n my stocks from the big slide the market took the other day.  That's my three but there is more.  My rider mower has a broken left spindle so it only cuts with one blade  so I have to take it to be repaired.  Only trouble is, the vehicle with the tow bar is sitting in a junk yard somewhere. 
   And it's only Monday. 

Busy week, rough Thursday

  I had much to do on Thursday.  Since Mom's burglary her banking has been up in the air so I needed to help her with that.  I needed to mow, help her clean, and take her shopping.  I also needed to pick up some cakes for her and get them delivered.  In anticipation of the big day I woke up extra early and left Randleman around 6 am for the 2 hour drive to Hickory. 
   I always hate driving through the road construction in Statesville.  If you haven't been there, I--77 and I-40 intersect there and I-40 is being widened to at least six lanes through Statesville so one has to maneuver around orange barrels and weird traffic flows.   The speed limit drops from seventy to fifty-five so when I got to that point I cut off my cruise control and just let my van slow itself down.  When it got to 55 I was just about to give it a little gas when the engine revved and the speedometer zoomed up to seventy and then just as quickly settled back down.  I thought it strange but not so worrisome.  After sneaking my way through the construction, traffic had thinned out and it was again safe to drive with cruise control except my had quick working.  At least that explains the sudden jump in speed or so I thought.
    Everything was fine until I pulled off the interstate in Hickory.  At the first intersection I had to stop and when I did my engine stalled.  The van quickly restarted   and I thought everything was again okay until I stopped the second time.  The engine stalled again.  I knew then something was wrong and I needed to get it checked out.  I thought maybe an hour or two and a couple hundred dollars and I'd be back on my way but I got no where near a garage.  The third time my van died I was moving forward and not stopped.  Fortunately I managed to pull it off the highway   into a parking lot of a business that was not yet opened.  It was 7:55. 
    I called my auto club and a wrecker was dispatched.  I didn't arrived until 9:10 and it was so dilapidated I wasn't sure if it could pick up my van or not but it finally did.  I didn't get to the garage until   9:30 but the technician who could diagnose the problem didn't come to work until 10 and I was told it would be an hour to run the diagnostic.  After making all the appropriate phone calls and waiting patiently I walked up the street at 11:00 to have a bite to eat.  Around 12:30 the garage told me I had to have the van towed to the dealership because the computer system had blown out.  The same tow truck showed up and it took longer the second time to pick the van up than it did the first.  After another 1 mile two my van was dropped at the dealership around 1:30. 
    I had called my wife to come to Hickory.  She could at least help me with Mom as it was way too late for me to get much done by myself.  While waiting for her I decided to dump the van as it was now a piece of junk (it was a 2004 but only had 76,000 miles on it) due to the cost of the repairs.  The dealership generously allowed me $500.00 for it.  I picked out a 2014 Optima and it was 3 o'clock by the time all the paperwork was done except for running my credit and signing with the financial officer.  My wife showed up at the very moment I needed her input but by the time everything was done it was 5. 
  We hurried to Mom's, took her to purchase groceries and put everything away for her.  After a short prayer Debbie and I hit the road. stopping only at Burger King for a well deserved meal.  It was 8:57 pm when I got back home; just enough time for a bathroom break before out 9 o'clock prayer. 
   Bad stuff happens to good people so my troubles for the day was taken it stride.  I was very thankful that the van didn't leave me stranded in Statesville.  When the tow truck came to take me to the first garage I had the thought that it needed to be towed to the dealership but in the heat of the day and the waiting for the wrecker to work the thought slipped my mind.  Sometimes even the most dedicated Christian misses the voice of God giving us instructions.  I wished I had listened but I do give God thanks for keeping me safe.   

Number of jahadists growing

"The number of jihadists is growing" the young lady is quoted as saying before her and her boyfriend were arrested at the airport on their way to the Mideast to join ISIS.  Sadly, she is probably correct. 
The militants are passionate about their cause and though it doesn't make sense to Americans they are willing to die for their hatred of the United States of America.  What can be behind all of this?
  I don't believe there is a military anywhere that is strong enough to defeat the military of America but not all battles are won by might.  Half of Vietnam held the French and then the Americans at bay and finally won victory.  We lost heart in the fight.  The same happened to Russia in their war in Afghanistan.  But even this is a different kind of war. 
  It is a war of the minds and it shall go to the ones with the most resolve.  For many years America was considered a Christian nation and even the non-believers had respect for the cause of Christ.  But this country decided first to embrace evolution and then separation from religion and then we became a nation that embraced the causes of the minorities.  Abortion became the law of the land and then political correctness and then we accepted illegal  immigrants as our own and now we welcome gay couples into our neighborhoods.  Heterosexual couples eschew  marriage but gay couples embrace the ritual.  Our love for Christ has eroded into a acceptance of liberal ideas and now into a hatred for Christians.  Even our churches no longer accept the things of Christ. 
    The scriptures tell us the meaning of them is hidden except to the true believer but instead of trusting God to reveal the scriptures to us we decided to change the Word of God to something easier to read and then to change the parts we find objectionable into something that fits with our ideas. 
In order to attract members preachers left off teaching and preaching the more controversial parts and
then began allowing more of the "world" to come into the church.  One denominations biggest problem with retired ministers is alcoholism.  Now some churches welcome gay couples as members and even appoint gay ministers. 
   It isn't unusual to see beer trucks backed up to the fellowship hall  at some of the larger churches. 
Even the music has changed from dignified to southern gospel   to Christian Rock.  For the few that still go to church it is more of a Sunday Morning thing and most churches are little more than social clubs.  There is no passion for Christ in America anymore.  Even among the fundamental churches that still cling to the King James Bible few can be found that really live for Jesus. 
  Today, it is easier to turn a smart, beautiful, talented  teenage American girl from her dreams of becoming a doctor into a person who wants to kill Americans and destroy America than to interest her in going to church.  America is no different from other world powers.  A leader begins with a passion and as the country grows stronger and stronger the passion eventually dies and the ideas and ideals of that nation begin to decay from within and eventual that nation becomes so corrupt it can no longer stand and it collapse from within.  Babylon. Assyria, Rome, and Russia all fell under their own weight. 
  No, no one will defeat us in battle.  We are decaying from within and one day we will fall. 

If it had been a white guy it might have been different.

   "If it had been a white guy it might have been different."

  A white police officer, 49 years old but new to law enforcement, followed a black guy into a car dealership in response to a burglary call.  It is suspected the officer did not follow protocol.  He was fired because he didn't call for back-up  but he did have his training officer with him.  The officer ordered the unarmed black man to lie down but instead of complying the man approached the officer. 
   The police officer was equipped with a Taser but he pulled out his service pistol and fired 4 shots, killing the alleged burglar.  It is not known at this time whether he pulled his weapon on purpose or by mistake.
  In writing an article for the paper the journalist included a quote from one of the local residents.  Now when the person claimed that "had it been a white guy it might have been different" I don't know what he meant.  Possible choices
1.  If the man killed had been white, no one would have cared.
2.  If the man killed had been white the officer would not have killed him
3.  If the man killed had been white   then it would have been okay if he had been killed.
4.  If the man killed had been white then he would have been Tasssed.
5.  If the man killed had been white the officer would have waited for back-up.
6.  If the man killed had been white he would have complied with the officer's commands.
7.  If the man killed had been white he would have a better way to break in to the dealership rather than drive a car through the showroom window.
8.  If the man killed had been white Obama would have invited him to the white house for a beer. 

  Let's not forget that the officer was in training and nervous.  As often is the case with inexperienced people, we tend to react instinctively and not put or classroom training into practice.  I'm not defending the police officer.  He should have followed his training and in not doing so he put his life in danger plus took the life of another person.  He doesn't deserve to be a police officer.  Maybe a security guard or a school crossing guard, but not a armed officer.  Ill reserve judgement until all the fact are in as to whether he committed murder or some other offense. 

Garden News

Cantaloupes were a bust this year and most of my watermelons were tiny things that ripened to quick and burst open or were tasteless green globes. Insects and birds ate all my grapes and poked holes in my tomatoes as soon as they began to ripen. All my peaches disappeared last Sunday. Tree was loaded on Saturday but on Monday morning there was not one to be found anywhere. Jalapenos were plentiful and the green peppers and chili peppers are producing. The squash died quickly from worm infestation and the green beans didn't produce at all. The yellow wax beans were good though. Cucumbers grew so fast I was picking 30 to forty a week so had to give most of them away. I suppose the lack of rain had a lot to do with the crop failure this year but I just don't understand the reason for the abundance of Japanese beetles and June bugs. What the draught didn't kill the beetles and bugs ate. The saddest thing is I fought harder against disease and insects this year than I ever had before but it seems all I got accomplished is bleaching out the color on my rose bushes. Last fall I removed 300 cedar trees from the vacant lots next door and sprayed my fruit trees earlier and more frequently and cedar rust was just as bad if not worse than ever. I planted three rows of beets but because of the lack of rain I picked only a few and I forgot them and they dried out before I could get them in to fix. Carrots and onions were a bust also as the ground was so hard and dry they had no way to grow. It's almost enough to make a man want to give up gardening. It's been so hot I couldn't even go fishing and with not doing the yard at the church for the first time I just haven't enjoyed my summer as much as in the last several years. A spate with my wife's oldest son kind of put a damper on enjoying my vacation. Car troubles and cataract surgery and Mom's break-in caused me more money than I had anticipated spending and a slumping stock-market cost me dearly. 2015 began with so much promise but unless things improve this year will be as unproductive as my garden.

Liar, liar, pants on fire

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – A tourist claims to have captured video evidence of Bigfoot in North Carolina, but his small-but-fearless pet dog scared the beast away. WBTV reported that Eric Walters of Boone was visiting the Asheville area Thursday morning when he claims to have spotted Sasquatch in Henderson County. Walters said he was walking his Yorkshire Terrier named Zippy when he stumbled upon the mythical creature. He said he originally thought it was a bear, so he started filming with his phone. Zippy immediately sprang into action, allegedly chasing Bigfoot away. “I quickly realized it was not a bear, but a Sasquatch,” Walters said, according to WBTV. “Zippy could tell I was scared and got so riled up that he got loose and went after it.” Walters said Zippy saved him from a “possible encounter” and that he now loves his dog more than ever. “Yorkies are small in size, but bigger than even a Sasquatch in heart,” Walters said. Walters had been renting a cabin with his wife and another couple at the time I saw the video and the little dog and the man with the camera were on the opposite side of the road and the little Yorkie ran back to the man's vehicle. The dog did not chase the creature. It seemed strange to me that the man had what he claimed was an elusive big foot yet he turned away from it to film his Yorkie running away. The sasquatch was probably a friend in a monkey suit.

Where's the outrage?

A 19 year old boy, unarmed, was shot and killed by a police officer and the boy's father asks "Where's the outrage"? He claims his son's death is being ignored because his son is white and the officer is white. What happened was the boy was with a 23 year old woman who had made a drug deal with an undercover officer. When a uniform policeman moved in to make the arrest the boy allegedly accelerated his car towards one of the officers who then shot in self defense. The boy's father claims his son was shot in the back and the attorney hired by the father claims the autopsy proves the car was not moving at the time the boy was shot. I for one can't understand how an autopsy can prove whether the car was moving or not. I can understand how the boy was shot in the back. There were two officers, one in front of the car and the other to the side of the car. The boy could have exposed his back to the shooter as he turned to avoid a full frontal target for the gun aimed at him. That isn't the only possibility. He could have been struck by a bullet from the officer on the side of the car. It could have been a ricochet. An autopsy can't determine that either. What it can do is establish a cause and a time of death and a likelihood cause for his death. What actually happened will most likely be determined by the state's police agency and if their is reasonable cause to believe wrong doing the final determination will be by a jury. We don't need any more outrages or riots. Being a policeperson is a tough job at it's best and a lot of qualified people are not interested in the job because it seems everyone hates the police these days. I do believe it is because so many people smoke marijuana and think it is harmless. Also people think that laws are for everyone else but them. Just drive the speed on our highways and see who the slowest driver is! I have encountered a rotten cop and a few who seemed to enjoy being a legal bully but most are just descent, hardworking folks. Two of the officers helping with my Mom's case are two of the nicest people. The male officer cleaned up the glass from the broken window and then came back later on his own time and his own expense repaired the damage. The other police officer, a woman, has talked with Mom, gave her good advise and a ride to the bank so Mom could get her financial stuff in order. In fact, yesterday the lady officer brought my Mom some peaches and some blueberries she picked herself from a garden. People can badmouth cops all they want but I find that most people approached by the police are just downright disrespectful and it is to the cops credit that they don't get mad. Most are professional and some are just super nice people. If people would drop the antagonistic attitude and realize most often when they deal with the police they are actually in the wrong, and what the police are doing is actually for their benefit or the public good then they wouldn't be so anti-cop. I know it makes one mad to get pulled over and given a ticket one can't really afford and it is embarrassing but it wasn't the cop who made you break the law.

"Who has the right" the young lady asked.

A high school student was given an honorary column in the Courier-Tribune and she asked the question "Who has the right to tell someone their religion is wrong?" Her problem is she wasn't really wanting an answer as she proceeded to tell people that religion is a crutch that makes people feel good and as long as they were happy then they should be left alone. While she is correct about what parts of the world follow which religion it was obvious she lacks a deep understanding of world history, Christianity, and religion. Christianity isn't the religion of Caucasians although most Christians are probably white. It was originally an oriental religion but through the efforts of the Apostle Paul it spread north and west and eventually it was rejected by Jewish people because "nothing good comes from Galilee". Actually Judaism began with Abraham and Sari. God had promised Abraham a son and when Sari became to old to give birth she encouraged Abraham to "go into" her handmaiden, which he did, and a son was born. Later on when Sari was 99 she became pregnant and gave birth to a son by Abraham. Because of birthright issues, Sari encouraged Abraham to forbid her handmaiden and son to continue to reside in their camp so Abraham told them to leave. Abrahams firstborn son, Ismael, was the first born of the people's that settled the Middle East while his son by Sari was the firstborn of the people that would become Jews. Both people's followed the same God but the descendants of Ismael eventually turned to idol worship. Isaac, Sari's son, became the father of Eassu and Jacob, and Jacob had 12 sons, one of whom was Joseph. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers and was taken to Egypt where he rose to prominence. Jacob took his family to Egypt during a famine and his dependents became slaves in Egypt. They were known as Hebrews. After 400 years Moses lead the Hebrews out of Egypt and they settled in the land of Canaan which was occupied by the decedents of Eassu and Ismael. The two people's have been at war ever since. Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem but grew up in Galilee in Israel. Followers of Christ eventually became known as Christians. His birth had been promised since the beginning and prophets of old gave accurate details of his birth and death. A man named Mohammed arose many hundreds of years later and felt oppressed by the political system in his area. He wrote a book called the Koran (Quran) in which he claimed it was from God. Islam spread throughout the Middle East mainly by force. The girl mentioned Buddha, Islam, and Christianity, as well as other religions. There are a few differences that are worth nothing. Christianity is the only religion that was established by God. The others were established by man. Christianity is the only religion that serves a risen savior. Mohammed is dead, Buddha is dead, and the founders of every other religious movement is dead or will die. Jesus Christ is the only one that rose from the dead. Islam is a religion, Buddhism is a religion, and every other religion is a religion. Many people think Christianity is a religion too and if one thinks of the Roman Catholic Church as representative of Christians then they would be correct. But in reality Christianity is not a religion but a relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ. So who has the right to say whose religion is right and whose religion is wrong. God does. And God says that there is no other name under heaven whereby a man can be saved except Jesus Christ.

Rowdy

Rowdy Ronda Rousey is a highly rated fighter. I never watch the stuff but was fascinated by her winning times: 14 sec, 26 sec, 34 seconds. Unbelievable times. I thought maybe she was a kick boxer, a "sport" I don't like. When I was growing up I was the little kid and a target of bullies. I discovered early on that if I threw the first punch I won more often. If the first punch didn't win the fight I just took my opponent off his feet. That made us the same size. What I'm saying is that if the person I'm fighting wants to kick me he better be prepared to kick up because he was definitely going down. Anyway, I just watched some of her fights for the first time. She is more of a wrestler than a boxer or brawler. I never did like wrestling either,

I'm not from Texas

I'm not from Texas so I wish it would rain. Actually, that's not the entire truth. From 1967 to 1968 I went to school in Texas. I joined the service and after my discharge I lived in N>C> for a brief period of time before moving back to Texas. If I had not moved there my life would have been far different. But then, that's another story. The point of that comment is that after Texans have suffered through excessive rain this year I'm sure rain brings a little fear into their lives. All the rain meant for the western and eastern seaboards have fallen in Texas and left us high and dry. My water ponds are clouding up again from excessive algae and the water level has dropped. Even with the monster pump and UV sterilizer I have in my pond, sun shine causes algae to grow much faster than mechanical means can handle. I hate having to add spigot water to the pond. Not only is it expensive but the chemicals in the water are not really good for the fish. Oh what is a man to do? I suppose I'll have to add the water anyway and continue to hope for rain.

Leaky Vessels

One Baptism but many fillings is a popular belief. In support of that view of the scriptures is another popular saying that the Holy Spirit cannot dwell in an unclean temple. However there is not a verse of scripture that supports that last statement although there are two verses taken together from I Corinthians that some claim support that interpretation. I am of the opinion that we are not leaky vessels. I suppose people think we are leaky vessels because they equate the Holy Spirit with a feeling of euphoria or empowerment and sometimes when they are down they believe it is because the Holy Spirit has leaked out. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit comes to all believers when they are saved and places them into the body of Christ, or the church. We are instructed to be filled with the spirit but I believe that command isn't given us because the spirit leaked out. The Holy Spirit is not a feeling but a living being, part of the trinity of God. Jesus said that when He went away he would send a Comforter which is the Holy Spirit to indwell us. I do think that we can become so wrapped up in every day living that we hinder the work of the Spirit. Jesus promised up that he would neither leave us nor forsake us. If the Spirit leaked out then we would not have the Comforter. I know Jesus said if He does not abide in us and we in Him He has no part with us. Based on that if the Spirit leaked out then we would have lost our salvation. But the scriptures tell us we are sealed unto the day of redemption. We are sealed by the Spirit and if we are sealed then the Spirit can't leak out. At the Last Supper Jesus knelt to wash the feet of the disciples but Peter refused. Jesus told Peter that if Peter would not allow him to wash his feet then Peter had no part of Jesus. Peter then said "Not my feet only but all of me". Jesus refused that request to. Peter missed the point of the whole exercise and I do believe many others also miss this vital point. When we are saved and baptized with the Holy Spirit, we have been made clean. We are saved from sin but we are still in the flesh and still dwell in the world. Just as Peter bathed before coming to the upper room but got his feet dusty and dirty on the trip to meeting, we to are cleaned up when we are saved but we still commit sin as we live in this world. Christ doesn't have to be crucified again nor do we have to be resaved every time we sin. We do, however, have to ask forgiveness each day as we transgress against God. That is the washing of the feet. It is true that the Holy Spirit will not dwell in an unclean temple (the temple is the body) but once Christ has cleaned us up we are no longer an unclean temple. But just as any building in this world needs to continually mow the grass we continually need to be forgiven. There are no scriptures that instruct us to be refilled with the Spirit just as there is no scripture that says we are leaky vessels. I think people are confused when they view the scriptures from a human viewpoint rather than a spiritual one.

Windows 10

I now have windows 10. My wife purchased me a new desktop with windows 8.1 at a deep discount price and a free TV and I just upgraded to windows 10. It installed quickly. It seems to be doing fine.

Evidence recovered

Police have fingerprints and DNA evidence in the break in at Mom's Tuesday night.  Today the Newton-Conover police recovered her ID and check book cover.  The thieves have written several checks and had their pictures taken in the process.  The suspect are know to the police.  It's just their whereabouts that remain to be discovered.  That will come in due time. 

Mom Bularized

Last night someone broke into Mom's house while she was sleeping.  Mom is 90 years old, deft, and legally blind and didn't know someone had broke in until the security company called her and asked her to let the police in.  Someone broke into the converted carport through a small window Dad had built when he enclosed the carport.  Fortunately for Mom and the police Dad was a smart man. 
    When he designed the window he put up burglary bars, two screens and a sheet of glass.  What made this window special was Dad had driven nails all around the window frame  with the points facing the open part of the window.  The screens hide the nails but when the man crawled through the window opening the nails ripped his arms and probably his back.  He stole Mom's pocketbook with $28.00  and her checkbook and her lipstick.  She had no credit cards or debit cards.  The worst thing he got was her house keys.
   Mom had  three fives and thirteen ones but he dropped one in the yard.  He left plenty of blood and some fingerprints at the scene.  Mom was able to identify a potential suspect: a man just released from prison who borrowed $20.00 from her last week and who lives in the neighborhood. 

No **** allowed

When an institution sets out to ban something, more often than not the thing they choose to ban simply reflects back on that institution’s way of thinking.
So what does it tell us about the Oxford University Press that they are banning authors from using words that refer to pigs?

Yes, you read that correctly. Oxford UP is prohibiting authors from using the words pig, pork, sausage, or other pig-related words because they are afraid of offending Jewish or Muslim readers who consider pigs and pork to be off-limits for religious reason.
Now, I can understand how Oxford UP would perhaps consider editing out a photo of someone stuffing their face with bacon in a manuscript where another photo could equally serve a purpose, but to eliminate all references to pigs is absurd.
Cutting out references to an entire species of animal isn’t an example of careful editorializing to avoid offending a particular group of people who don’t believe in eating that animal. What it is, however, is an example of removing language, information, and accuracy from a book to cater to the beliefs of another.

While freedom of press and speech may be a uniquely American ideal, it is absolutely wrong to impose a ban on a subset of information. No matter how hard Muslims or Jews try to imagine it, pigs are a species that exist on planet Earth. Not talking or writing about them isn’t going to make them disappear.
Furthermore, the issue begs the question whether any Muslim or Jew was actually offended by references to pigs and pork in works published by Oxford UP. Was the publishing house receiving an inordinate number or complaints due to depictions and references to a species of animal?
If that was the case, I suspect that Oxford UP would have used those complaints to give their editorial stance some weight. As it is, however, they simply said that they want their material to appeal to the widest possible audience so they don’t want to risk offending anyone—I paraphrase.

Some zoo pictures

The zoo in Omaha, Nebraska is a magnificent zoo and it's getting better.  There is an I-Mark theater, a train, a chair lift, and even camel rides.  Trinity's favorite was Stingray Beach where one can actually pet live stingrays as they swim by. 

                                                   Siberian Tiger

                                                    Eel

                                                           Stingray beach

                                                                Peacock

                                             Bubble( one can climb in and get a closer look

Gun ownership and the Marines

I'm sure after what happened today at the military base in Tennessee there will be more outcries for more gun control and then there will be the gun owners who will push back and of course we will have the obligatory hero who would have dropped the bad guy with one shot had he been there.  I haven't read any accounts of the shooting and how or who killed the shooter but having served in the military for 4 years, 36 months overseas and with two tours of Vietnam, I know that sailors and soldiers don't walk around the base carrying weapons. 
  The fact that only four marines were killed speaks volumes about their training.  Had a like incident happened at a civilian facility casualties would most likely be much higher.   To kill 4 in a crowd of unarmed people when none are expecting   anything is not a great feat but one an untrained civilian taken by surprise would have been unable to prevent. 
  This isn't an argument against any form of gun ownership but just a wakeup call to all the braggarts out there looking for that opportunity to shoot someone legally.  Your dream of being the hero is a fantasy, most likely.  To be honest with you, I would just as soon you left your weapon in your car when you go out to eat or out shopping.  I really don't need you to be my hero. 

I'm Back

My wife and I went to Iowa to visit her sons, one who lives in Ames and the other in Boone.  The weather was nice and the youngest son and his family were sweet and very kind to us.  The oldest son is an oddball but I really like his daughter.  Went to Nebraska Tuesday to the zoo which was really
nice.  Flew United going and Delta coming back.  Delta planes were nicer but having to go to Atlanta sucked. 
  Had a lot of work to do when we got back.  Glad I went but more glad I'm back home. 

Same-Sex marriage

     Same sex marriage is constitutional as ruled by the Supreme court.  It seems those that have supported that proposition thinks that all those who were opposed to the idea are haters.  I agree there are some misguided people who are going to hate what you believe or stand for or do or don't do or think no matter what it is.  But honestly, two people can disagree without either being a hater. 
   There are many people who supported same-sex marriages who probable find the idea of a homosexual relation repulsive.  There are many of us who opposed same-sex marriage yet have no negative feelings towards a homosexual at all.  I love my wife dearly but we don't always agree but I certainly don't hate her.  "That's not the same thing" you argue.  Why, yes it is.  I agree there is more at stake on the marriage issue but it all boils down to one thing.  We disagree. 

Rebel Flag

    When I was in High School we had great football teams.   Hickory High won their conference 22 times in 25 years and won state 11 or 12 times.  After every touchdown the band would play "Dixieland".  I associated the song with great football but the year after I graduated the school integrated.   Actual, everyone was excited about that because the other local high school, Ridgeview,
had won their games by an average score of 70-0 for several years running.  With them on our side Hickory would be unstoppable. 
    The first sign that everything wasn't going to be as hoped is when the song was changed.  I was home from college and decided to take in a football game and when Hickory scored a touchdown I was expecting Dixieland to play.  I don't know what it was but it certainly wasn't the spirit raising fields of cotton.  When I discovered the song had been changed over prejudice against the song for being prejudicial, I went home. 
  I just didn't understand: no body from Ridgeview high nor their parents, had ever picked cotton on a plantation.  The song wasn't about that but about being proud of who we were and where we were from.  The kid from Ridgeview was just as southern as I was.  I have never been to a reunion or a Hickory High football game since. 
   Now before some of you start accusing me of racial attitudes you better discovery the entire story.  I once flew from Atlanta to San Diego with a black female seatmate.  She was a student at UCLA and she thought I had to be the worst kind of WASP.  At flights end she said she would never forget me and would always consider me a friend. 
   When the schools merged many white families moved so their children could attend the all-white St. Stephens school and someone wrote  a scathing letter against forced bussing and how it was unsafe for the kids.  I wrote a reply informing the people that for six years I walked a mile to school and for three years I then had to catch a bus to take me across town but no one objected then.  The trip was especially grievous since  there was a perfectly good school closer to my home than either the Junior High I walked to or the High School I was bussed to.  I just didn't buy into the argument that the objections to bussing was for the safety of the black kids because they were never concerned about the safety of their own.
   Not long after the football game thing I went to the community center on a Friday night only to discover it was now a private club for the sole purpose of denying entrance to people of African ancestry.  I thought the price of membership way to high for a one time or even an occasional visit.  Funny thing is they had a membership available for me but none for the black kid that wanted to buy one.  So I purchased a membership card and gave it to the rejected fellow. 
  No, that doesn't make me a saint nor an activist.  I just have a keen sense of what is right and what is wrong.  That is something someone who is yielded to the Holy Spirit has. 
    I have never owned a Rebel Flag (not even a toy).  Most people I see displaying that flag  are trailer-trash rednecks whose only way of bringing themselves up in this world is by bringing everyone else down.   The war between the states ended over one hundred and fifty years ago and the south lost.  The southern slogan is "the south shall rise again" but I certainly don't think reverting back to plantations, cotton fields and slavery, is much of a come-up pence.  The South cannot fully recover and live up to our potential on the backs of the minorities. 
    Oh there are plenty of good descent people that want everyone to believe that the Stars and Bars is just a piece of cloth and only represents Sothern Pride and in no way represents 'White Pride" or southern traditions of slavery  and oppression.  That's a load of crap.  The confederate flag represents more than the fierce and stubborn independence of the southern spirit but a longing for what many perceive as the ole glory days of the gentle' southern way of life. 
    I have a flag which represents what I believe in and I fly in proudly at various and appropriate times in my yard at home.  I willingly offered up my life to defend what that flag represents and I believe whole heartedly in the ideals that flag represents.  That flag is the Stars and Strips of the United States of America.  I'm not a white American, just an American.  I'm not a Southern American but just an American. 
   If the South is every to rise again it needs to put behind us what those that flew Confederate flag
hoped to accomplish and strive to embody the ideals that our nations flag purport to represent. 

Cats haven't recovered

    My wife and I took our two cats, Smoky and Ryder, to the vet Tuesday for their annual checkup.  They were also given a booster shot.  I know no animal enjoys their trip to the vet and they seemed to know exactly when you are going to catch them for the vet trip.  It doesn't matter how calm and normal one tries to be a cat just seems to know. 
   Smoky is a sweet and gentle lap kitty, a long haired Maine Coon, who not only doesn't mind being handled but often seeks out a lap to lay on.  Ryder, a short-haired tortoise shell, loves to be petted and rubbed but on her terms.  Don't ever try to pick her up and if she  chooses to sit on a chair with you,  you should be honored. 
   Smoky is my wife's cat and Ryder is mine.  Ryder outweighs Smoky by 5 pounds although by looking at the two cats together Smoky looks bigger.  Maybe that's why Ryder always seems to defer to Smoky; that and Smoky is a more take charge cat.  Ryder prefers to observe first.    Ryder even sneaks up on her food bowl.  Before this trip to the vets, the behavior of the two cats was predictable.  Now it's like we have two very different cats.
  The days we brought them home they spent hiding.  It is like they felt betrayed by the trip.  Wednesday Smoky sleep most of the day in my wife's desk chair and Ryder hid where ever she was.  Yesterday both cats slept on my wife's bed.  Finally around 7 pm Ryder did come into the living room and slept in her tunnel but she was only there because my wife ran her out of the bedroom. 
  Normally Ryder comes to bed with me around two in the morning and Smoky is in here at 4 when I get up ready to be given her morning treat.  This is the third day without Ryder in my bed and Smoky begging for her special meal.  I knew the cats weren't happy about the vet trip but I thought they would be more forgiving than they have been. 

Eleven Happy Years

     Gorgeous wives of the NFL the headline enticed.  Yea, I know, all us men want a beautiful wife.  My first wife was just that.  She was just a little thing and she looked so child like.  I was once accused of robbing the cradle even though we were the same age.  I quit taking her to nightclubs because someone would always threaten to beat me up if I ever hurt her.  When she cheated on me it was with a man half her age, literally.  She was 42 and he was 21.  That's right, she cheated on me.
    My current wife is far from a beauty queen.  She suffers from involuntary movement and curvature of the spine and is a little hefty around the middle and she doesn't make friends nearly as easily as my first wife did  as she is quieter and has higher expectations of people.  But she is an absolute joy and I wouldn't swap her for my first wife on her best day or for any beauty anywhere. 
   Would I prefer that she be better looking?  It doesn't matter to me unless if her being pretty would change who she was I'd rather her to remain as she is.  I always clean my car before I take her out.  I open the car door for her, always let her go in the house first, and always stand at the bottom of the steps before she walks down so I can catch her if she falls.  I almost lost her once but God gave her back.  His gift to me is most precious.  She may not be a beauty to you but she is a precious gem to me. 

Garden News: the good, the bad, and the ugly: picture tour

First time I've ever had 4 blooms at once.  Wow.

Gardenia is getting ready to bloom

Lilies

Loaded tomato vines

This one is loaded too

German Johnson

Another German Johnson

The bad:  Squash had been productive but went flat.  Sigh.

Cone flowers

The ugly