Rep Jackson suspect United Incident had racial tinge

Of course she does.  Rev Jackson went on to say it is a shame.  Yes, it is a shame.  Why does every negative incident have to be a bout race.  The complaining lady thought she was complaining about her seat but the congress woman had to make it a racial incident.
  There would have been no "racial tinge" if it had been between two whites or two blacks or two Orientals but if a black person is involved then they are quick to play the racial card even when race is not involved.  That is the sad part.  How can we all come together as Americans when some people do their best to keep the races separate by complaining we are separate.  No one mentioned race except for the Congressperson.

financial mistakes my Mother made

My mom was a whiz at handling money.  She didn't begin working until after her children graduated high school and she worked low paying retail jobs so she didn't maker much money.  My father worked good paying jobs until we graduated high school   That was when he decided to go into the ministry full time so he took a big hit financially.  Still, their income was high enough to pay all their bills and still put money back for that rainy day.
   Mom paid every bill the day it arrived, purchased everything on a cash bases, and never borrowed anything.  She had enough put back to handle about anything and still leave her children a nice inheritance, or so she thought.
   Her first big mistake was not properly executing her will when Dad passed away in November 1998.  The will stated that if Mom went first then Dad received everything but if Dad died first, then
the house was to be deeded equally to the children.  Mom didn't follow the instructions in the will.
Mom liked to be in control and I believe she was afraid that we might take advantage of her if she executed the will as written.  For whatever reason she didn't do what she was supposed to do. ,
  Fast forward seventeen years and Mom is now blind and deaf and to weak to take care of herself anymore.  The only decision  that one could make for her was a nursing home.  Still, she was strong enough that she would live several more years and she didn't have enough money to pay nursing homer cost for more than one.  All her assets would have to be liquidated except for $2,000. and prepaid funeral expenses.
  All that money she had frugally saved was now gone and there was none to give to her children.  .
She had neglected to take care of necessary repairs to her home so the value of it was greatly diminished.
  $2,000.00 will only pay so many bills and even a vacant house has property taxes, insurance, and utilities.  The money was stretched as far as it would go but ran out in June.  I do believe that having to get rid of everything in the house broke Moms will to live.,  She died in December, 2 years after going into the nursing home.  The condition of the house had deteriorated to the point that the house wasn't worth much because it would cost so much to make it a viable, marketable house.
   Mom should have executed the will so the children would have at least had the house.  Instead of trying to save more and more in her retirement years, she should have taken some of her money and kept her home repaired and updated.  Had she done that, she would not have changed her lot in life one bit but would have lived in a nicer home, and would have left a house worth something to her children.  Instead all they ended up with is years of caring for her and a lot of work settling her estate after she was gone.

depressing things about the 2017 NFL season

  An article on MSN highlights depressing things about the NFL season.  I didn't read the article because it was, well, about depressing things.  Life is bad enough in some aspects that I don't need to read about depressing things.  My brother just sold my moms house for $30,000 under market value, the paper work that was sent for me to sign has my wife's name spelled wrong, and I have a cold.  And to add insult to injury the house has actually belonged to me for 19 years  as it was stated in Dad's will but it was never executed and I didn't find out until it is too late.  Now the state gets all the money to cover Mom's Medicaid debt.
  As far as football is concern I'm not interested enough to find it entertaining or depressing.

$110M lawsuit hits Brentwood, NY school district in MS-13 murder

A teen age girl and her friend were beaten to death after enduring two years of taunts by MS-13 gang members.  Her parents are suing the school district because the school district did nothing,

My question to the parents is exactly what did you do?

  If the parents perceived the problem to be serious then they should have taken steps to remedy the situation.  They could have changed schools, home schooled the girl, or brought a law suit charging the school district with endangering their daughter by failing to take action yet they did nothing but complain.  Granted, programs should have been in place to reduce bullying but there is not enough rules or people to enforce the rules to prevent all bullying.

I'm amazed how many people file s lawsuit after a tragedy after failing to take steps to protect themselves before anything happened, like those who sued the theater for failing to provide adequate security.  If the movie-goer felt the security inadequate then they should not have gone to the theater.
 There is absolutely no way that any business entity can provide enough security to insure every ones' safety.  Those gang members knew that there is a law against murder and that the penalties for violating that law is stiff yet their hatred of that girl was greater than their fear of the law.  How exactly would a school district stop people with that mentality?

  By the time a person reaches that stage of immaturity about all that can be done is wait for them to commit a serious enough crime and then lock them up for a long time.

  If your response is to ask "Why does God allow these things to happen"  I suggest that you go to church every time the church doors are open, study your bible like it was gospel.. and pray without ceasing.  In other words let God have control of your life.

  Not willing to do that?  Then quit complaining because allows you to live your life like you want to instead of the way He wants you to.    

Sometimes it's hard to keep an open mind

  The headlines read 'Women killed in Colorado in 2013 by boyfriend shorty after announcing she was pregnant.:
  The first sentence of the article said that the boyfriend was a former basketball standout.  The woman was a very pretty white woman.  I knew before I read any further or saw the picture of the suspect that the boyfriend was black.   I was correct.
  It seems that getting pregnant and telling your partner about it can be a dangerous thing.  So can leaving an abusive partner.
  I can fully understand the boyfriends reluctance to becoming a father.  He should have used protection, abstained from sex, made sure the girlfriend was on the pill, or had a vasectomy. Only one of the above methods is foolproof so it is always a good idea to use that one.  If you just can't abstain the using at least two of the remaining three options is wise.
   The consequences of having sex should be discussed before you do the deed.  But now here I go again discussing responsible behavior when it is obvious that no one in this story was behaving responsibly.   of course not.  No one thinks the consequences will happen to them but the truth is sexually transmitted diseases are a reality as well as unwanted pregnancies and sometimes one person will kill the other to escape acting like an adult.  Changes are high that as the person is being killed they wish they had chosen a more mature approach to having sex.  It is too late then.  Some things once done cannot be undone.  
   I can understand why the guy didn't want to father a child.  It is either a big responsibility or expensive and/or both and it is possible to change ones life in a negative way.  I remember  Ray Caruth of Carolina Panther fame who killed his girlfriend because she was pregnant with his child.  I bet he wishes he had done the "honorable thing" or at least the responsible thing.
  I realize also that this time of crime is committed by men of every race and against women of any race and is certainly not limited to black on white or black on black.  it is human on human.  It's just hard to keep an open mind when your suspicions about who the perpetrator is correct only because the description of the incident leads you to that suspicion.
  I don't know why it is this way.  Killing another person may seem like a viable solution but after one commits the act then he begins to realize that the murder creates a host of other problems and some far worst than the problem he was trying to escape from.  Murder isn't a good solution for any problem.

Sexual Harrasment claims

Women seem to be coming out of the woodwork claiming they were sexual harassed by a famous/influential person.  While I don't discount all of these claims, I do think some are illegitimate.  Garrison Kellor was fired and I think his termination was unjust.  Granted we should never touch anyone without their permission and yet there are many circumstances that come up in life when it only seems normal and natural to reach out to comfort someone and most often we do so without much thought.  I will almost guarantee that if the office hunk whose attention that woman would have love to garner had been the one to touch her back there would never have been a claim made.
  Some of these claims are made hoping for a payoff (like the woman who recently made a sexual harassment claim then offered to settle for $15 million.  Some claims are made just to get ones name in the paper or to get a little attention.  Some are made from a misunderstanding and sometimes such claims are made because the complainant just wants to get back at someone for a wrong or perceived wrong.
  I do think all complaints should be taken seriously but I also think that if one makes a complaint that is shown to be completely false, the complainant should receive the same punishment that they wished for the person they complained about.  I'm not talking about incidences where facts show there might have been some inappropriate behavior but the evidence wasn't strong enough to support the claims but those times when a person makes up a claim or blows something small out of
proportion.
  An example would be a woman is clocking in for work and she steps backwards not realizing their is a man behind her.  He instinctly puts his hands on her shoulder so she doesn't knock him over.
Granted he touched her without permission and he intentionally did so.  If it be found that he did so legitimately then neither should be punished.  But if an employee is upset with their boss, then they should be punished for bringing a claim when no incident happened.

Garrison Keillor fired, says he put hand on woman's back

  If his version of the event is correct, the Garrison Kellor was fired for an unintentional act.  He said he apologized at the moment it happened and she said she understood.  He claimed he was shocked when he received the letter from her attorney.
   I don't have the phone number of any women in my phone except for my wife.  The only time I ever touch a female other than my wife or mother is to shake hands and then only in a public setting.  I'm just as careful of my conversations as I am of my actions.  Treat others with respect and others will respect you as well.
  Touching someone else, with out their permission is not only inappropriate but it can be considered assault, even if our intentions were honorable.  Our words and our actions can be considered suspect as well.
  It seems women have been embolden to speak up about inappropriate behavior and indeed they should.
  Be respectful to each other.  

Typical but erroneous reactions

    There is a home evasion and the home owner runs out of his bedroom to see what the noise is and is shot and killed.  My observation was that although running towards a commotion is a normal reaction is is an erroneous one.  It is far better to hide in his room and call the police.  One man took me to task for that response.  I suppose many gun owners think they can be heroes just because they have a gun.  My contention is that the man is dead.  If he had a gun he could have used it for protection if someone had broken into his bedroom but the truth is, no matter how big your gun you are safer if the   criminal does not know you are there.  The police have a much better chance of catching the burglars while the crime is going on than they do after the criminals have left.
  If you shoot and kill one of the crooks, then it is possible you could be charged with a crime yourself.  In this case the home owner may not have had a gun nor access to it if he did.  Regardless, he is dead.  But this is a normal reaction for many people.  How many times in old TV shows does the homeowners hear a noise while in their bed and the wife urges the husband "to go see what is going on".   What if they called the police in stead of going to see?
  There was another story that piqued my interest last week.  A youth pastor pulled a gun and shoot dead his wife, her daughter and the daughters husband.  As you know on MSN one cannot comment on articles.  I suppose it's a good thing because so many comments are just emotional or reactionary responses and  have no reasonable thought behind them.  In the first story I mentioned some one involved was a black American and most of the comments were anti-black From the comments I assume the victim was white because people kept asking where was Al Sharpton.  The color of the people involved in that crime doe not change human nature but does fuel hatred.
  The reaction of people in the second story, I have been told, was anti-Christian.  It is a shame that a pastor was involved in a crime.  We must remember that he is human.  One does not reach faithful maturity at conversion.  People join churches for many reasons and some even become church leaders and never really become true believers.  Christianity is really not a religion.  It is a relationship.  It is not a set of rules or a moral code.  And what we get ourselves involved in does not change who Christ is.
  I know Christianity has fallen out of favor in recent history beginning when Madam O'Hare got prayer banned from school and schools started teaching evolution.  I have never understood evolution.  If animal life began as a single cell animal that could divide itself then what was the motivation to change?  And if that life was so bad as needing to evolve why do single cell animals still exist?  Evolution talks about animals changing but when di one change into a plant?  Plants are an entirely different life form than animals and the chances of one kind of life form coming into existence from nothing boggles ones mind but to have two is outrageous.  Then to have both at the same time is beyond belief and then to discover that both life forms have the ability to evolve; preposterous.
  I know the idea that God has always existed is difficult for many to fathom   but those same people readily accept the Big Bang as fact.  But if something did not already exist then what could possibly
interacted with something else that didn't exist and magically create everything else that didn't exist.  Amazingly all that stuff that suddenly came into existence from nothing lives in perfect harmony with other things that didn't exist.
   If someone wants to have a serious conversation I'm willing to talk.  But if all one ones to do is poke fun at my beliefs and call me names then there isn't anything to talk about.  

videos on you tube

I post videos of our church services on you tube but this week I made a mistake.  When I posted the video somehow two videos got posted with the same title and date.  I know how to post one but I do not know how to take one down.  My pastor transfers my videos from you tube to Facebook.
   There are several ways to view the videos.  One is to go to you tube and type in my name "Dale Sperling", another is to visit Academy Street Baptist Church on Facebook and the third is to view the pastors Facebook page.
  I do apologize for the error this week and hope you are able to clear the confusion up.

Cities and towns with low crime rates

Just read an article listing cities and towns with almost non-existent crime rate and all but one town was in parts of the country that are cold.  The places were small, wealthy and situated in areas that suffer harsh winters.   The lone exception was a town in Texas yet it was  small and wealthy.
   Being wealthy helps prevent crime against you property because your neighbors have their own stuff, your homes are probably more secure, and it's less likely that people are just wandering around the neighborhood.
  I'm sure the wealthy are just as engaged in crime as poor folks are but it's not usually violent or property crimes.  Many of the crimes rich people commit may not be illegal and the ones that are are much harder to prove in a court of law.
  Even so, being poor is not a cause of crime nor an excuse for being a criminal and being wealthy is not proof that one is an upstanding citizen.  

Doomesday

  Man predicting doomsday nervously awaiting Sept 23 (2017).  I guess he can relax now.  We are still here.
  Doomsday won't happen until 7 years after all Christians disappear.  The folks remaining probably won't notice.

Pie and Praise.

Six Pm November 19 at Academy Street Baptist.  Pie and Praise service.  I'm baking a Banana Pudding Pie and a lime pineapple pie.  Debbie is making a chicken pot pie.  Please join us.

Victim shaming

  One Olympic star has admitted to being molested by the team doctor  while another said we (the girls on the team) bear some responsibility because of our choice of clothing.  She later apologized for that statement.  
 
  What we wear or don't wear does have an effect on how others view us.  That is why "strip clubs" are a most popular place for men to spend money while "putting on" clubs don't exist.  Women put on makeup to enhance their looks, where high heels to help show off their legs (surely not for comfort) ,  One never sees older women wearing bikinis at the ":y".
  While that all is true no matter how we dress no one has the right to touch us if we do not want to be touched.  
  While that is true what also is true is that not many are going to respect the boundaries society has set unless we are willing to enforce those boundaries.  Id someone like Weinstein violates us then we cannot remain silent.  If the first woman who Weinstein violated had complained publicly or to the police she might have suffered because of his power and/or the likelihood she could not prove it but if the second and the third woman had complained right after it happened then chances are the abuse would have stopped there.  Sometimes we have to suffer for the betterment of society.
  Still, some people need to learn to make better choices about the situations they place themselves in to.  

Kiss gone crazy

Two days after defending a "controversial" statement by Gene Simmons, the KISS star went crazy at FOX News earning himself a lifetime ban.

Pond transformation almost complete

If you have followed by blog for any length of time you are aware I have two water ponds.  I have had water ponds for years and sometimes they look good and sometimes there are problems.  When I first dug these ponds I knew I was going to have problems with the big one as the ground was so hard digging was almost impossible with pick and shovel.
  Starting out the small upper pond looked really good but then I planted the wrong kind of bamboo and instead of getting the fast growing kind I got a slow growing and fast spreading bamboo instead.  It was just a mess and chocked out my ground cover plants.  The bigger pond was never level and I never could solve the problem of the water level even after redigging it several times.  Algae was the biggest problem because the sun shinned on both ponds all day long and even with UV sterilizers continued to be a problem though less so when the sterilizers were working.
   I finally decided to change my set up and pulled up the liner to the bigger pond and moved the hard side liner from the small pond to the lowest spot in the hole where the big pond was.  I then back filled around the small liner from the dirt that originally came from the hole building a ramp down to the liner.  I then dug out a hole about twelve inches deep at the top of the ramp.
   I put my pump in the hard side liner, used my soft liner to cover the ramp and to fill the small hole at the top creating a stream.  I put my filter in the small hole.  The pump pumps the water from the small pond up the stream and fills the small hole.  Placing rocks around the filter allows for a bubbler effect from the discharge end of the pump.  The water then flows back down the hill into the small pond.
  The place I am at now is the liner, pump and filter are in place and everything is running smoothly.  I now need to trim the excess from the soft liner, place rocks in the stream to create a waterfall and a naturally looking stream bed, to fill in some low spots around the hard liner and to plant some additional ground cover plants.  I'll take some pictures and post them when the work is complete.  It will take a couple of years for the ground cover plants to fill in the spots so the area looks it's best.  I sure hope it solves the algae problem.
  The inspiration for this came about when my breeder koi had carp babies instead of koi and I had nothing to sell.  I now have no koi as the small pond is too small to raise koi in.  But I do have plenty of goldfish including twenty new babies.  I'n really excited to share the pictures with you soon.

Controversy statement by Gene Simmons of KISS

"Women have a choice," he told the Post. "They can dress in potato sacks, (but) as soon as they pretty themselves up with lipstick, lift and separate them and point them in our general direction, they're gonna get a response. Guys are jackasses — we will buy them mansions and houses...all because of sex."

Hoda and Kathie Lee asked him to explain that notion.

  Hoda and Katie Lee cannot be that stupid.  Men like beauty and will use money to obtain a beautiful woman.  Women like power and will use beauty to get a man with power.  It's survival of the fittest.  It's a natural instinct which all animals use.  Why the peacock feathers and the fancy dances and the fighting moose's and giraffe's.  That statement is only controversial because we think we are above that as a society but ignoring the truth does not make it not true.  

Which is worse for you: MJ or alcohol?

Both substances are mood altering drugs.  Proponents of marijuana have claimed for years that it is safer than alcohol and a resent study shows that while it has many harmful effects it is indeed safer than alcohol.    While some think that is good news and therefor think it should be legalized doing so will not solve the alcohol problem but only give us two legal intoxicating substances.  I really don't understand the need to get intoxicated with anything but if I did feel the need to get drunk or high I'd choose alcohol because I would not drink and drive and I'm not a violet person but if I mess with anything that burns I'd burn a hole in something even if I didn't burn the house down which is a possibility.  I know many others would choose the marijuana.
   I think if we were to make marijuana legal then we should make alcohol illegal.  You can have one intoxicating substance but not both.  Really, just how much stuff do you need to get stoned on?  And do you not like yourself enough that you need to have your mind altered to be enjoyable?
  And no,  a football game is not better with a beer.

How to save and still good a good shave

I've heard about extending the life of a razor by keeping the blade dry.  These three blade razors blades are expensive so to make them last longer and get a good shave sounded like a good idea.
  My first efforts were mildly successful.  Just dry the blade off after use.  I could get three to four weeks out of a blade versus the recommended two.  Then I got the idea of baby oil.  I'd coat the blade with baby oil after each use.  From the dollar tree one can get a 16 oz bottle for a dollar.  Cheap enough.
   One day I man said that the oil only lubricated the blade and nothing could extend the life of the blade.  I replied it didn't matter because now I got two to three months from a blade versus two weeks and even if it was just lubrication it was well worth the cost of a little baby oil.  Still, the man put a challenge to the theory that blades deteriorate due to moisture and not use.
   So earlier this year I decided to try a grand experiment.  I had two identical razors and purchased a new back of blades.  One blade I put in my travel kit I carried when I went to Hickory.  I always showered and shaved after doing my Moms lawn.  I used both blades for the first time in February.  The blade in the travel kit I just put up as one normally would.  The blade I was using at home I treated differently.  I got an old plastic soap dish and filled it with baby oil and dropped the blade into it after shaving.
  The second time I used the razor in my travel bag l thought it would rip my face off so I got a small bottle of baby oil to coat the blade with and it helped some but not much .  It was still a rough shave.  After the third attempt I decided to shave before going to Hickory and to just shower after yard work.  The lubrication helped just a little but it hurt a lot to shave and it wasn't a smooth shave at all.
The experiment with the travel blade seemed to confirm that  lubricate did not extend the life of the blade.  But what about my blade I was using at home?
   It has now been a little over nine months since I put that blade in my razor and i shave four or five times a week with it and the shave I had this morning was just as smooth and close as the very first shave I got with it back in February.  I use less baby oil soaking the blade this way too.  I still have 12 oz left from that 16 oz bottle and it took 3 oz. to fill my soap dish.
  Say what you will about extension of life or just lubrication but I believe I have demonstrated that lubrication alone didn't help much but to keep the blade dry will cause the blade to stay sharper longer.  I'm satisfied with the results and a little richer too.  And I do so much enjoy being clean shaven with a smooth close shave to boot.  

Two faithful witnesses

  Interesting discussion tonight about the identity of the two faithful witnesses in Revelation chapter 10 and eleven.  Early church fathers believed that the two were Enoch and Elijah because these were two men who did not die.  I pointed out that if that was the bases of identifying these two people then all Christians who took place in the Rapture would also have to be considered.  God said that "the first shall be last and the last shall be first" and God has often chosen the most unlikely person    to be the hero..  Based on that the witnesses could very well be an illiterate person that loved God's Word so much that they have committed it to memory.
   Based on the scripture in Revelation in making reference to certain events, it would make sense that the two witnesses could very well be Elijah and Moses.   Even though these two men are associated with lack of rain and miracles involving water the powers to do these things belong to God not to these men so I would not rule them in based on the miracles the two witnesses performed.
  The strongest argument for these two men being the faithful witnesses belongs to the Mount of Transfiguration in which Moses and Elijah appeared to testify to the deity of Christ.  

Stephen Hawking: Earth could become 'ball of fire'

Stephen Hawkins is considered one of the most intelligent men on earth so it is of no surprise that it becomes news when he makes a profound statement.
   Stephen Hawkins is a scientist and as such doe not believe science and the word of God can co-exist.  Apparently because of that belief Stephen Hawkins never read in the word of God that the earth will be destroyed by fire.  News flash Stephen Hawkins:  you are over two thousand years late to the game.

Dustin Hoffman Allegedly Groped Meryl Streep During an Audition in the ’70s

We have a statue of limitations for a reason.  If it's been 40 years just suck it up to experience.

Mold and mildew on vinyl siding.

Just saw advertisements for cleaning vinyl siding.  Yea, it is unsightly to see that green mold growing on the sides of your home.  It seems many people just let it grow white some others grab for the pressure washer.  The problem with the pressure washer is that it takes a long, long time to clean every square  inch of ones home and if the pressure is too high one can damage the vinyl leaving the owner with even more problems.
  As an owner of a home with vinyl siding with a desire to keep the outside of my house looking good. I want a safer and more time conscious method of cleaning my house.    I have settled on a pump sprayer and bleach.  I mix a solution of 1/2 bleach and 1/2 water and just spray the house from top to bottom.  If desired one can spray the house down with water after giving the bleach a few minutes to work.  I usually don't do this but if the mold is heavy doing so may be necessary.
  It is reasonably inexpensive to use bleach, won't damage the house, and just takes a few minutes.  It does a good job which  last longer than cleaning with a pressure washer.  The only drawback is that one will probably have to dispose of the clothes one is wearing while spraying the house.

Are more guns helpful? In Wal-Mart shooting, armed shoppers hinder police investigation

First of all let me make it clear that I do believe in gun ownership, right to carry laws, and most thing that the NRA advocates for.  I do not myself own a gun nor do I want to own a gun.  I feel that gun ownership serves to endanger my life rather than serves to protect it.  I do not hunt.  I see no reason to own a gun.  I fully understand that you can make a case for me as to why I should own a gun and I can make an equally valid case why I do not need one.  We'll just call it a wash and leave gun ownership up to each individual.
  I am not an idiot for not owning one nor are you an idiot for owning a gun.
  In this story I do understand why it took the police longer to identify and arrest the suspect and I do agree that those that had guns should have left them holstered until the situation presented itself that they were threatened.  But to pull ones gun hoping to get a shot at the shooter is inviting trouble.  You may have the shooter and three good citizens with guns.     Good citizen A spots the shooter, takes aim and fires.  Good citizen B sees citizen A fire his weapon and assumes citizen A is the shooter so he shoots.
The police see citizen B fire his weapon and assumes that he is either the shooter or an accomplice.  When all is said and done it could be a bloody mess.  A gun does not make one a super hero.  

Mom;s Passing

My mother, Margaret Elloise Sperling, died Sunday October 29. 2017 and was laid to rest Nov 1, 2017.  She was a strong woman with a sense of purpose.  For her life was simple especially since she was blind and deaf but despite her disabilities and her simple lifestyle she accomplished more than most people ever do.  She like to bake cakes and it was her coconut cake that was by and far everyone's favorite.  She furnished her living room by baking cakes and won several awards for her cakes and pies.  She also was a florist who worked with artificial flowers and specialized in wedding arrangements.  Her business was sustained totally by word of mouth.  She did not advertise nor did she have a formal place of business.
  As talented as she was in those areas that is not what made this lady special.  It was greeting cards.
Simple cheap greeting cards that she filled with messages of hope and encouragement, and well wishes and God's love that she sent to everyone, as often as needed, to friends, acquaintances, and strangers alike.  It was difficult to go many places in Hickory where someone didn't know her or know of her and all would save she was the sweetest person.
   Her last two years of life were spent at a nursing home and yet there she was a delight to other patients and staff alike
  She is missed already.

You've been making coffee wrong your whole life

The headline is the title of another stupid MSN article.  There are so many things wrong with that headline  but I'm just going to leave that to your imagination.

Thanks for your support

  Academy Street Baptist is having a fall fest Sat Oct 28 as an alternative to Halloween.  The following businesses have contributed to the fall festival:  Shapes, South Point Vets, Melvin's, Lily of the Valley Florists, Food Lion, Betty's Kitchen, Randleman Hardware, Sunshine Pets, and the Biscuit Company.  Much appreciate for their support.

Free Fish

  I have a Koi pond and each year I would have 200 to 500 babies to sell but a few years ago my babies were all black.   I have decided to turn my koi pond into a stream with a goldfish pond so I need to find home for the black koi (carp).  If interested call me at 336 460 9474 or text me.  ,Fish  are six to eight inches And they are free.

Fake News

CBS, Fox and NBC chose to stay in commercial breaks during the pregame presentation of the flag and anthem. Once they returned from commercial, network play-by-play announcers and analysts paid little or no attention to what players

   Pretending an event didn't happen is just as fake as telling us something happened that didn't.  To keep protests of the manner of protests down news agencies have  decided to stay in commercial rather than to angry fans as if fans have their heads in the sand.  As far as angry fans booing the protesters; those people need to just stay home and quit supporting the players and teams with their money.
   I understand that these people love football .  They can watch Canadian football, college football, high school football, outlaw league football, or play a game of backyard football but if they feel that kneeling during the anthem is not a acceptable form of protest, then they need to quit supporting such protests with their money.  Just to boo and get angry only encourages the players In fact, just watching a game on TV  is still a form of support.  If ratings go down teams lose a significant channel of revenue and when teams start losing money them teams will end that form of protest.
  Sponsors need to quit giving endorsement to players that kneel.  If players want to carry protest signs  they have every right to do so.  I would love to see an event where the fans all dress up as police officers and as soon as the game begins, all the fans turn and file out of the stadium.
  I bet CBS, FOX and NBC would pay attention to that.

Alex Morgan after Disney incident: 'I can't imagine what black people go through'

  Alex Morgan ( a payer on the USA woman's soccer team)  had been drinking and when stopped by police she got a little testy.  She later issued an apology, half hearted at best.  In her apology she claimed she was not drunk and said nothing wrong.  If that be true what then did she apologize for.
  People go through whatever their actions dictate.  In almost every case, if one does what they are asked to do and behaves in a manner fitting mature adults, then they go home none the worse for the experience. If a person believes they were stopped or ticketed or arrested unjustly, the by all means tell the judge on your court date.  Arguing with, insulting, or resisting an officer of the law will only make the situation worse.
   Yes,  people get stopped for different reasons, not all of which are justified.  I got a free ride in a patrol car when I was in college from a Yokum, Texas police officer who mistakenly thought there was a warrant out for my arrest.  I was stopped recently by an Archdale police officer who punched in my tag number incorrectly and thought my vehicle was stolen.

How to fry a perfect egg every time.

The Technique
1. In a medium, preferably nonstick skillet, heat enough olive oil to just cover the bottom of the pan over medium-high until shimmering. (A 10" skillet fits 2 eggs; scale up if you want to cook more.) It may look like a lot of oil, but you’ll need it.
2. Add 2 large eggs, one at a time and spacing evenly apart, shaking pan gently between additions to allow edges to set without sticking together.

   Don't do this, please.  If it's a non-stick pan one doesn't need the olive oil and if you do decide to use oil in a non-stick pan always use on low heat ( per mfg. recommendations).  To cook an egg on medium high heat will leave the edges of the egg burnt, the bottom brown and crusty and the top undercooked and runny.  I do not much care for runny crunchy eggs.
   I have two eggs almost every morning (but not on Sundays).  I use a non stick pan with no oil but I set my stove for a little less than medium heat.  I also use a clear glass lid.  The lid helps hold the heat in the pan and allows the top to cook  but just a little slower than the bottom.  The clear lid allows you to judge the doneness of the yolk.  Some like the yolk soft and others prefer it stiff while some like it hard.
  The article went on to say that all one needs to add is salt and hot sauce.  I disagree with that too.  We have too much salt in our diets already.  Hot sauce is high in sodium and provides enough to bring out the flavor of the egg.  If you like (and I do) sprinkle your egg with pepper.  Use salt only if you don't like hot sauce (or it doesn't like you).  

New program

I am anxiously awaiting arrival of my new video editing program.  I make the videos at church but I do not do the entire service, just the sermon.  But the problem with my videos is that the video starts abruptly and ends abruptly.  I need a header, fade-ins and fade outs, and a way to add titles and credits.  With the new program I am going to be able to do that and also to add music to the opening shot.  Of course it is going to take some practice to get the procedures right but I'm excited about it.       Maybe I can post some of my work here.   Or maybe I can put it on you tube.

Las Vegas

  The police assume they know the identity of the shooter in the Las Vegas massacre.    If I wanted to do something like that which I don't, I would have staged the room, killed a man in the room just before opening up on the crowd and fleeing to another room  before the authorities showed up.  The police think the suspect killed himself and I would get away once the commotion died down. 
  I'm not putting ideas into anyone's head as such an act is stupid to do but just thinking like a crime writer.
  I don't understand why things like this happen, why someone would think this is a good idea, and how no one noticed that something just wasn't right.  In light of what's going on in the world maybe we should start paying more attention to the people around us, especially friends, family,  neighbors, and co-workers.  maybe we should also give more thought to what happens when we die.  With all the storms, wars, and crazy people around now a days coupled with all the other forms of accidental death, changes seem good that many are going to die young.  If you think there is no God and Jesus was just a good man  you could be right.  But if Jesus was who he claimed to be  and you believed wrong, then what?  If the bible is not true then everyone breaks even but if it is true then where would you be?  Is there anything in this life worth taking that chance for?    

football and protests

It seems some teams are backing their players by allowing them to stay in the locker room during the National Anthem.  It is their right to do so.  If this behavior sticks in your crawl, then by all means feel free to engage in your own protest.  If you attend games, then stop.  If you watch football on TV then stop that too.  Sooner or later the NFL will be hurt financially and when you hurt their pocketbook (yes I said that) then they will stop this protesting by disrespect.  I know you really want to see that game but what is more important to you?

   If you really believe that not standing for the National Anthem is insulting to our country and for what we stand for then by all means vote with your wallets and quit paying the guys that are refusing to stand and the media that enables them to do so.,   Soldiers put their lives on the line every day for our freedoms so the least we could do is to not watch a football game.

Pro sports and the White House

It was once considered an honor to be invited to the White House but many players today are using "not going" as a form of protest.  When Curry announced he wasn't going  after his team won the NBA playoffs President Trump uninvited the entire team.  One may not think it fair that the entire team was uninvited because of the actions of one player but  the whole idea of "team" is it is one for all and all for one.  They stand or fall together.
   Many players are upset with Trump and that is okay.  Trump is upset with many players.  The players believe they are protesting in a legitimate way for a just cause.  It is their right too and our constitution guarantees that they may say inappropriate things in inappropriate ways.  What the players don't have the right to do is criticize the President of the United States for exercising the same rights of free speech to do something they feel is inappropriate.
   President Trump has his faults as do all men who have held that office but the President does believe in respect for what the flag and this country stands for.  There has to be a better way to protest violence than disrespecting the flag and the country.  President Trump is just making the point that there is consequences to ones actions.  The President is not in favor of shooting unarmed persons that pose no threat to anyone.  But if you disrespect the country that he is President of then he has every right to not want to honor you.
   I do believe if the issue the players are protesting is so important that next game day those players refuse to suit up for the game.  As they say "Put your money where your mouth is".  I do believe that fans, team mates and team owners won't be so quick to support the players actions then.  Get real or go home.  

Power wheel chair, update

I found a home for the two wheelchairs.  Several years ago a lady was involved in an automobile accident and suffered a severely injured leg.  Complications caused by her diabetes caused her to suffer mightily and she recently lost her leg.  She has a few more weeks of hospitalization and then several months of recuperation before she can get her new leg.  Until then she will need a wheelchair to get around.  I pray for her speedy recover.  

The man whose biblical doomsday claim has some nervously eyeing Sept. 23

Why do people take crackpots like this seriously when Jesus himself has informed us that no one knows nor can know the time of the end except God .  How a non existent heavenly body is going to strike earth on Sept 23, 2017 (that's Saturday folks) and bring in the tribulation period is beyond reason.  The event that begins the tribulation period is the rapture of the church so if you are a Christian you have no reason to fear.  If you are not a Christian then you do have reason to fear but not because this fool says so but because God says so.

Cotton stems at Hobby Lobby are Racists, claims a Texas weomen.

  That claim is so ridiculous I almost fell out of my chair laughing.  Cotton has no opinion abut anything.  My grandfather was a cotton farmer.  He was not a slave owner but he was a drunk.  I suppose he was a white man as grandma is white and my dad is white as well as all his brothers and sisters although I wouldn't swear to it as I never met the man.  or even seen a picture of him.  I'm sure I would not have liked him as he was a mean man.  I know this because I have seen the permanent injuries he inflicted of several of his children.  My dad picked cotton.  I suppose he picked some on his daddy's farm but he also worked for other people.  He made a $1.00 a day plus meals
  My father also planted cotton.  No, he wasn't a cotton farmer.  He planted cotton in his front yard along with rose bushes and Iris and daffodils, and dozens of other flowering plants.  Why cotton?  It is my understanding that cotton blooms are pretty.  They must have been because people would line the streets to drive by Dad's house  when things began to bloom in spring.  To tell the truth I've never seen a cotton bloom; not even a picture of one.  I did, when I was a kid, go out into grand dads cotton field a pick a few balls of cotton just to see what it was like.  The cotton plants were brown but did not give up cotton fluff easily.
  Before I would pick cotton I would have had to be held at gun point.  It is not fun nor pleasant.  I cannot imagine working in the hot fields under a blazing sun picking cotton from a plant that was so reluctant to turn over its prize to me.    When I looked at the cotton fields I never did think of slaves and plantations but images of cotton shirts and underwear filled my mind.  I sometimes think of my dad.  If I had grown up like he did I would have a great disdain for the cotton plant but he saw the beauty in it.  I suppose his ability to see and appreciate beauty where others see none is what made him a  special human being.

Most Americans are more racists than they think

  The article on MSN did not go into a great amount of detail as to who took the survey  but from the recap it seems that it is a measurement of white peoples views.  All of us, regardless of skin color are racists.  We all feel more comfortable around people that look like we do, share the same beliefs we do, and are close to us in age, background, income levels, etc.  The most segregated place in America is the Church who teaches that love loved us all.
  I watch TV and see how Steve Harvey interacts with guests on his shows.  Blacks make of 50% of the contestants on Family Feud yet only 15% of Americans are black so I know racism goes both ways but Americans are afraid to call people like Steve Harvey out.  But that is no justification for white people to continue to prejudge someone because of their race.  Still, as fair as I try to be, reality has a way of smacking one upside the head.
  In my immediate area, all the known crime has been committed by my black neighbors.  When showing looters in Florida they were all black,  But if you decorate yourself with body piercings and tattoos and wear your underwear above your britches, I don't care what color you are, I'm not going to be your friend.
  If you assume I don't like you because I'm white and you aren't, then who is racists?  When I worked at a convenience store I had a black man   accuse me of watching him and believing that I thought he might be a thief because he was black.  I told him I wasn't concerned about him because he had prepaid with a credit card.  I was watching the bikini clad women at pump nine but not because she was in a bikini but because she did not prepay, she was young, and that is the pump drive-offs like to go.  Once there was  a black man, mid forties, and a black woman, in her 20's came into the store at the same time, seemed to shop together, and came to the register at the same time.  Both put their purchases on the counter at the same time.  I asked "Is this all together?" and the man accused me of being a racist "you just assume that all black people know each other" he complained.
  I remember one black fellow complaining that white people would not sit near black people at the coliseum. " Why don't you get up and go sit with them"   I asked.  Just because someone does not act the way you expect them to or want them to
   I cannot judge who you are on the inside.  I can only see the side of you that you present to the world and if that picture isn't attractive don't get mad at me.
  The problem is not that we are prejudiced, for we all are, but the problem is that we chose to act on our prejudices at times when we should not.  None of us has the right to harm another person no matter how we feel about that person.  

Power Wheel Chairs

If you need or know anyone in need of a power wheel chair that cannot afford one please have them contact Anthony Green at Academy Street Baptist Church in Randleman, NC

The Electorial college

Every time a person is elected President of the United States by winning the Electoral College vote while losing the popular vote,  a cry goes up claiming the Electoral Collage is defective and the losing candidate got robbed, etc but the truth is the Electoral College system actually preformed as it was supposed to.
  We have two houses:  the representatives and the Senate.  Each state has two Senators and each state has a number of Representatives based on population.  This was done for a reason.  If every thing was by population, States like Kansas, Iowa and even North Carolina would be at the mercy of the big states like California and New York.  All States are equal in the Senate. 
  The Electoral College follows the same logic.  For example, if there is one state that has 12 Electoral College votes and 7 smaller states that have a total of fourteen.  Let's say just for arguments sake, that the total population of the big state was 10,000,000 and the total population of the smaller states was 10,000,000.
  Let's say that a candidate for President favored a policy that would be devastating to the six rural states but was good for the other state  and  was widely popular with the big state.  If, say, 8,000,000 people voted for the man from the big state, and 3,000,000 from the small but non-rural state giving them 11,000,000 votes and 14 electoral votes.  That seems fair.
    But say that he wasn't popular in the big state and only carried the vote by 5,200,000 to 4,800,000,  The candidate could have been as equally controversial in the small sates and although losing all 7 smaller states, he margins were small with 5,1000,000 for and 4,900,000 against.  The total vote would have been 10,3000,000 for and 9,700,000 against but he still would have won 14 to 12.
It could have well been that he won huge in the big state, say 8,000,000 to 2,000,000 but had a much closer race in the seven smaller state losing 4,000,000 to 6,000,000 giving him a total of 12,000,000 for and 8,000,000 against him yet he lost the election even though he won the popular vote.  The Electoral College was designed with the protection of the smaller states in mind
 

Mom's last visit

I picked Mom up from the nursing home yesterday at 6:30 am and took her to her home.  I had come the week before and mowed so I could just sit and talk with her one last time in her home.  She had plenty of laundry to do so I busied myself with that.  She got cold so I had to hunt her a jacket.  Then there were some items she was looking for so I helped her find them.  Several times she needed to take a bathroom which entails getting her out of the wheelchair onto her walker, finding her clean underwear and a new paid and helping her clean up and get dressed.
  While she folded the first load of laundry I ran out and got lunch:  chicken for me, bologna for her.  We finished our lunch so I thought maybe we have a few minutes to talk before I take her to her hair appointment.  I didn't even get my first sentence completed before she accidentally turned the "on" button on and pushed the joy stick to the right spinning the chair in a circle and throwing her skidding on the carpet.  She tore big hunks of skin from both legs and had "strawberries" on her elbow and shoulder on her left side.  I propped her against the back of a chair while awaiting the EMY's to come and bandage her up and check her out.  When they were done I had to take her to her hair appointment.  I had a quick errand to run then I went back to the house to clean up the small pool of blood on the carpet.
  Then I had to pick her up from the beauty shop and take her back to the nursing home so they could fill out their report of her injuries and to dress and treat her wounds and to help her change her wet and bloody clothes.  And of course she had company.
   I'm sad because I spent the whole day with Mom and never had the opportunity to just sit and talk and so sad for her since the last day in her home turned out to be a painful one fore her, physically and emotionally.

spiders

  Every once in a while a spider will build a web near one of my security cameras.  Actually there is only one camera that seems to attract the creatures.  Now and then I have to do a clean sweep of the camera to clear the lens.  When I did so Saturday I must have made the resident spider mad.  Apparently that spider must have hired a hit spider because when I woke Sunday morning I had a painful right foot.  Sunday evening my foot was badly swollen.  I stayed in Monday watching TV and had an ice pack strapped to my foot
   Tuesday morning the foot was so painful I had to get a cane to help me hop from place to place until my doctor's appointment at 3:30.  It takes a lot for me to place a call to a doctor but this sore foot was adversely affecting my quality of life.  I made the correct decision to go as it was determined that the cause of my dilemma was from a bite from a brown recluse spider.
  I had an uncle that drove a truck.  He was in Louisiana when he got bit but choose to ignore it until he got to New Jersey.  He could not walk and was hospitalized for three days.  An aunt of mine also suffered a brown recluse bite but is so stubborn she refused to go to the doctor.  She is permanently
crippled as a result.
I was given some antibiotics and some prednisone and after a few hours my foot began to deflate.  It is about half the size it was when I went to see the doctor and most of the soreness if gone.    
  I think I will start spraying my shoes with Lysol before putting them on.

Do the math

Texas alone produces nearly three-quarters of the country’s supply of one of the most basic chemical building blocks. Ethylene is the foundation for making plastics essential to U.S. consumer and industrial goods, feeding into car parts used by Detroit and diapers sold by Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
With Harvey’s floods shutting down almost all the state’s plants, 61 percent of U.S. ethylene


   3/4 is 75%,  61% expressed as a fraction is about 3/5.  2/3 is 66.7%.
  I know fractions are not many peoples favorite thing but seriously?  Don't confuse 3/4 and 60% as being nearly the same and expect me to take you seriously.     

Game difficulty

I like a good game and the changes one brings.  There are plenty of solitaire games that one can play that that brings a level of challenge but not to the level of being frustrating.  Regular solitaire, spider solitaire, mahjong, free cell are a few.  Those games use tiles or cards and have endured for many years not only because they are easy to learn and can be played by one person. but because even though the layout of the cards is entirely random one's chances of winning can be  improved as ones skill level improves.
    There are other games that are also fun like cookie jam and candy crush saga that can only be played on a computer.  While those games are fun each section gets progressively harder until one gets to the point of not being able to win unless enhancers are introduced.  These objects can be won but the game makers really want the players to purchase them.  If one choses not to purchase these enhancers certain levels cannot be won without a great deal of effort.  I have noticed that after persistent effort even the most difficult level can be won because the game will suddenly give opportunities it didn't previously.  I like winning but it's like the game creators feel sorry for you and decide to give you a change to win.  
 All levels of Free Cell can be won except for one.  Some games are easy while some seem to be impossible.  Each game is independent of every other game and the next game does not get harder than the one just played, at least not by design.  And one doesn't have to win the current game in order to play a different layout.  I suppose that is what has led these game to be popular as well as enduring.
  I do think that the designer who can make a computer generated game with a random difficult level  which is challenging and fun  will have an enduring and loyal following.  These other games will only keep people playing as long as they can continue to move forward without costing them a lot of money.

Which Bible version should I use?

Which Bible version should I use? is a common question in these days.  I took a course in biblical interpretation and the instruction spent some fair amount of time discussing the popular versions of the bible.  The biggest objection with the King James version is that it is written in a way as to make it difficult to understand.  I will admit that we say "you and instead of thee or thou and there are better choices for some words.  In one verse, for example , the translators of the KJV used the word "meet" but a better choice would have been "right".  Paul is translated to have said "If you etc" but a better translation would have been "Since"  In II Corinthians 5:17  the verse reads "all things pass away, all things become new".  A better translation would be to have used "becoming" and "passing" as we don't go from a new born convert while we are praying and a fully mature Christian as soon as we say amen.  It takes 24 years for the average human being to reach full maturity but if someone calls themselves a Christian everyone expects them to be an Apostle Paul from the get-go.
   The professor went on to discuss the various classes of translations, giving us their strengths and weaknesses.  At the end of his discussion he made this statement " The King James version is a very good translation."  What this professor and many others like him are saying is that as far as being true to the original transcript, the King James version is the best translation out there.  Our problem is not with the age of the language used in the translation.  If we could but know the original language then we could have a greatly appreciation of the poetry that many sections of scripture really are.  If we could but have an appreciation for the culture that the writers of the various books lived in then we could better appreciate their viewpoints.  If we just knew the questions that Paul was answering from the various churches then we could have a far better understanding of the answers.
  If you think I am just blowing smoke consider the instructions on many devices we buy today.
I recently purchased a smart band.  Instruction one reads as follows:  The smart band need to pair with smart phone through app.  Before downloading please refer to working condition for mobile."
That is very poor English even though it is an accurate translation When I first read this I had no idea what the manufacturer was trying to tell me.  One can translate the manufacturers words several different ways but one will never understand what he is trying to say unless you understand his way of thinking.  I have learned that what was meant to be conveyed was that if you have an Android phone that is a version 4.4 or less the smart band will not work.  Required is a version 4.5 or newer.  Most people understand what a 4.4 or 4.5 version means.  If you don't know then you will need to do some additional research.
  The same thing is true of scriptures.  It takes study and research to fully understand what the bible is teaching us.
  If I do not own a smart band or a Android smart phone then the instructions will never fully make sense.  If you have not accepted Jesus as your savior and Lord, then the bible  will never make sense.
Some parts are written to the lost and those parts everyone can comprehend.  You are lost,  Jesus is the savior.  Accept Jesus and live.   That is simple.   Have smart phone of a 4.5 version or greater, have a smart band, download app for smart bands.  You are good to go.

That's not right

From an MSN article "In Maine, Christmas directions should be taken down before January 14th. After that, it’s a law violation."

  Maybe the article meant to say decorations.

Confederate flag and southern soldier statues.

  Many Southerners, especially conservatives,  want the right to fly the Stars and Bars claiming it is their heritage and that flag wasn't the battle flag.    When I was in high school, back before integration, the school band played  "Dixie land" after every touchdown our school scored. The year the school integrated that practice stopped.  The song was about regional pride and had nothing to do with slavery but I suppose certain people found the line "in the land of cotton" offensive but it is hard to find a rhyme for forgotten.  At first I thought it was wrong to quit playing that song and I have never been to see my high school play another game.  It was a matter of school pride.  Somehow I thought that if we accepted some of their culture then they should accept some of ours.
  Being white, I know how others were treated and how we think  of other races.  It is okay to dislike another person for whatever reason you find to dislike them.  We don't like all our co-workers, our neighbors, our associates, or even our family. Many times we don't even like ourselves.   What is not okay is to act on our dislikes to the harm of that disliked person.  It is wrong; legally, morally, and religiously wrong.
  Over the years I have come to appreciate the value of symbols.  I'm  old school when it comes to dressing for church and I have a different lapel pin for each of my suits.  I have an American flag, a fish, a cross, praying hands, a song note, and other symbols.  A cross represents what Christ did for us at Calvary, the flag represents the ideas and ideals that this country stands for, at least in principle.
Symbols are an easy way to convey a message.  I think the swastika was once a peace symbol but after it was adopted by the Nazi party it has become to stand for white supremacy and hate.  The Bars and Stars once stood for Southern Pride but as the country has tried to move beyond the thoughts and fears that divided us, certain segments of society  has adopted that symbol as a rallying point for keeping alive the old ways and wrongful thoughts.  That symbol once stood for pride, and for a few it still does, but for the most part it stands for hate, white pride, or just plain refusal to let go of the past.    To be honest, statues are more than just symbols.  They are a larger than life tribute to a person's life and to what they stood for.  To a southern white Robert E. Lee was an honorable man of great character, a brilliant mind, brave, strong and true.    To a black person, he represents the mindset that wanted to keep them in slavery forever.   If the circumstance had been reversed, I don't think whites would like seeing statues to the person who wanted to keep them in bondage either.

   Most white people claim they aren't prejudice but that just isn't so.  They are just as prejudice as I am.  So are blacks, Asians, and every other person walking the face of the earth.  We all prefer to be with people that are similar to us in age, looks, values, income levels, education levels, and race.
  Dixie once represented the best of my high school, the confederate offered a sense of pride in my identity, and Robert E. Lee was a good man and a great leader. I no longer listen to Dixie, pat homage to the Confederate flag,  nor do I look with pride at Robert E. Lee.  He was a good man and a great leader and he may have been against slavery.  I don't really know.  But I do know that now his likeness represents southern pride.  I'm still a proud southerner but not of the all  things  Southern.
 
   I can also embrace Malcom X and Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks, and David Barr who invited me to share Thanksgiving with his family when I was having a hard time with life, and to Geneva Brown who taught me the evil of discrimination and Junior Dula who taught me the value of all people.

Car Problems

My wife and her granddaughter went to the beech for several days back in June and on the trip home the check engine light in her car came on.  We took the car to the repair shop the next day and except for 5 days it has been at the repair shop.  The check engine light is still on.  Every time on part is replaced the codes indicate there is another problem.  The entire computer system has been replaced but the car still says it is still having problems.
  I told the shop not to worry about it. I'll pick up my car this morning.  It's not fair for the repair shop to keep chasing non existent problems around and the expense is to the point that the car is no longer worth it.

Shrinking Crocs

  It took a lot of convincing before I wore my first set of rubber shoes with holes, known as crocs.  I wear them as water shoes when I go to water aerobics three times a week.  I have my own water weights and stuff my crocs into a bag with the water weights and leave them in the back seat of my car.  Apparently that wasn't a good idea as the crocs are now too small for me to wear.
   I never really thought about the crocs shrinking  but they do.  My wife ordered me a new pair and they are the same size as the ones I have been using but comparing the two pairs, the new ones are a full two inches longer than the old pair.  The crocs themselves are in good shape with no cracks or tears or obvious signs of wear: they just shrank.
  I suppose that is the way with most things.  Eventually everything will let you down .  Everything but Christ.  My savior is one thing that I can always depend on.   If you haven't accepted Jesus yet please do so.  You are also welcome to come worship with me at Academy Street Baptist in Randleman.

Family turned away from airport lounge for wearing Minnie Mouse t-shirts

How and why did this story make the news?  From the headlines one would think that the lounge had a stupid discriminatory policy  or was just being plain  mean by denying a cute little girl access to a lounge her parents had already paid t enter.
  I'm sure the lounge didn't call the press and I doubt the press had reporters there waiting for a big story.  The whole problem is the lounge had a policy in place which is provided to all customers and this lady choose to ignore it assuming that she is the exception to the rule.
  What is really difficult is for the lounge to make a policy that clothing with offensive pictures or language is prohibited.  What one employee of the lounge would determine to be offensive would be okay with another and maybe what would be acceptable to the lounge would be offensive to a customer.  The lounge decided it best to prohibit all clothing with writing and/or pictures.  I know it is just Mickey and Minnie Mouse but Mickey has been banned in some countries because he doesn't wear pants.
  What the headlines should have stated was "Woman's children banned from airport lounge because the Mother neglected to read or decided not to follow lounge policy."  The truth is you are really not that special and the rules do apply to you.

Work postponed

I didn't get to mow last week as I was away at summer camp and couldn't mow until today because my mower was in the shop.  Of course, with all the rain today mowing is also out until tomorrow or Friday (I'll be in Hickory Thursday, I suppose).  My car is still in the shop.  The replacement part came in and has been installed but the check engine light still came on indicating one of the parts recently replaced is now not working.  Hopefully I'll get it back to my wife can go to the doctor and I can go see my mom.
  My wife got home from the beach on the 15th of June and I took it to the shop on the 16th.  I got the car back on Monday June 26th and had to take it back on June 30th I got it back the second time on July 14th and put it back in the shop July 16th.  It was in the shop until July 28th and I had to take it back on the 30th.  It like I'm borrowing my own car every two weeks to go to Hickory to see Mom. It's getting rather old.  My other car just received a recall notice and the way things are looking I may be without a vehicle.  At least I could drive my mower, if only it were legal.

Getting it back together

Yesterday, my first day back from camp, was a good one.  I went to the lawn mower repair shop, paid the charges and arranged for delivery then by the barbers for a haircut.  Met people at the church to help a widow move and afterwards went to the store and purchased a new phone and got it programmed.  I also took care of the financial situation.  Hopefully I'll get my car back Monday or Tuesday.

  It certainly will be good to get things back on track.  I will still be minus a TV set but it was a free one although a nice one so I don't feel like I lost monetarily and it was one I never watched (which was the reason I was moving it to begin with).

Finally made it back

  I dropped a TV set and broke it, then my check engine light came on in my car so I sent it to be fixed.  It was the computer system that needed replacing.  My rider mower kept throwing the belt off so I sent it to the shop.  Being the first of the month I had a lot of bills to settle up on and other financial problems to deal with  but I was off to summer camp for the week.
  The first day I was in a canoe which sank.  it was bad enough being drenched in stinky stagnant pond water and sucked into the thick murky bottom but I realized once I was out that I still had my phone with me.  It lasted another day before it gave up the ghost.  Three days later I broke my Kindle and it had to be disposed of.
  Yea, it feels really good to be back home and now I can start taking care of things.  I can now handle the financial problems, deal with the medical appointments, and get the mechanical problems
fixed.   I do have a lot of work to do to get my life back on track but at least now I have the time.
  The fun and games were great and the food was descent but the sleeping conditions were horrible.  I'm glad I finally had the camp experience but I don't think I will want to repeat it, especially at my age.

Good News/bad News

The good news is I got home safe from my resent trip to Hickory to visit Mom.  She is now almost totally blind and almost deaf so at 92 is quite a handful to get in and out of the car.  She didn't get to go home but I did get her out for lunch and to her hairdresser.
  After having my car in the shop for two weeks, I got it back in time to make the trip to Hickory but the check engine light came on for the third time in a month.
This time the news was bad.  It seems it is the computer system.  That makes me scary of my other car.  I have owned two Kia's and a Hyundai and in one Hyundai and one Kia the computer system went out soon after the vehicle reach 60000 miles and I have just turned over 60000 miles on my other car.  

The case for Christ

Today, being a Christian is not popular.  Once upon a time even non Christian showed respect to church going people and to the pastors of churches but in todays culture not even God gets respect and most people think of Christians as being delusional. But I find serving Christ to be the one thing that gives meaning to life and security to everyday living.  Without Christ I am nothing.

sears and Amazon

Amazon.com and Sears came to an agreement by which Amazon.com will begin selling Kenmore appliances.  I have done a lot of business with Sears during my lifetime  but mainly because they carried what I needed but Sears didn't always make doing business with them a pleasant experience.  I distinctly remember one time I purchased a small item but got the wrong one so I took it back to Sears.  I expected to give them the one I had and get the one I needed and go home.  My item was unopened and the two parts were the same price.  But no, Sears could not even handle the transaction at the register.  I had to go to the back of the store to customer service, stand in line fill out a form get a refund then go back to the department to make my new purchase.
  Not only lousy customer service but one never felt appreciated but did feel like they were paying more for an item than it was really worth.  Even so Sears was always a fun store to shop it because they had everything and they were everywhere.  But now I do most of my shopping at Amazon.com.  Shopping is easy, fast. accurate and returns are not problematic at all.    But still one has to be cautious.  Not everything on Amazon is cheaper.
  In fact this week I wanted a certain book and it was $29,00 to $31.00 on Amazon but from the publisher it was $12.99.  In many cases the prices are the same and if they are I'll buy from Amazon rather than the original supplier for two reasons.  First, buying most of my stuff from one place limits the number of places my personal information is and the second reason it is much easier to return things for credit, exchange or Refund through Amazon.  Convenience and confidence means a lot.
  One would think being able to see and handle merchandise before purchasing would have an advantage over ordering from an impersonal website, especially if there was a live person to ask questions  but the truth is, the live person doesn't always know what they are talking about and I have had to return just as big a percentage of items I've purchase in a store as I have things I bought online.  Comparison shopping is so much easier sand one is more likely to find the exact item that meets ones needs online.  I only shop at stores if I need it now or if it is a perishable item (can't see buying ice cream on line even if it does come with free one-day shipping).
 The funny thing about Sears is they began to really expand when they put their emphasis on their catalogue dales.  Roebuck sold his part of the company because he didn't think there was a future in catalogue sales.  Instead of printing and distributing catalogues it would have been so much easier to distribute a web address and Sears could have been the first Amazon.  They had the name recognition and the supply line to have been successful.  But knowing Sears, they would have made you go to a customer service counter and wait in line to make a return
   Not so many years ago Sears made the fateful decision to get out of catalogue stores and concentrate on their brick and mortar operations when the wiser thing to do was to which over to online sales.  But many times we get stuck in a rut and think that if we just refine business as usual we can reclaim our former glory when we need to be either changing with the times or become innovative and initiate those changes.  One has to in order to be successful.

Birth Order matters

The article says 2nd born children most likely to be delinquent.  maybe.  Another article describes traits that indicate intelligence and according to that I have to be stupid.  Not so either.  I suppose if you pick and choose your criteria you can make anything true or false depending on your agenda.

I would be a Democrat except for....

One thing I don't like about politics now a days is that instead of education and the information sharing that is so available with computers today, people seem to be driven further apart by their party labels.  Everything someone of the other party thinks is right is wrong and is destroying our country.  It should not be this way.  Politics has denigrated into the rich versus the poor, big business versus the workers and the religious right versus the non believing left.
  Democrats picture Republicans as being for big business and against the little people and as a bunch of closed minded religious nuts and Republicans picture Democrats as being anything goes,free spending, government program producing, child killing, alternative lifestyle loving socialists.
   I'm a Republican and I do believe our health care system needed fixing, the working man needs help, and we all should be able to live free and feel safe from oppression.   I also believe that if women want to be responsible for their own bodies than they should take care not to have babies they don't want to bring to term.  We should all know how babies are made.  But I don't believe abortion should be a criminal offense  but I don't believe it should be encouraged either.  I don't think homosexuality is an acceptable lifestyle anymore than I believe lying should be socially acceptable.
Lying isn't illegal except under certain circumstances (perjury) and sex isn't illegal (except with minors and as defined in rape statues) Just because I believe homosexuality is an unacceptable lifestyle doesn't not mean I an homophobic any more than my believing lying is unacceptable means I'm misanthropic.
   I do believe the rich are becoming richer and therefor should be paying a bigger share of this countries expenses.  The rich are making much of their money off the backs of the working poor and suppressing the non working poor and should help alieve this problem by investing more in the people
  But I cannot support a party that believes killing babies is acceptable and that homosexuals have the right to get married.  I accept God's law as superior to man's law.  A man does not have the right to lie in court even though our constitution guarantees us freedom of speech.  Homosexuals do not have the right to enter into a marriage even though they do  have the right not to be discriminated against.
One is not the same as the other.

Sponsored click bait

I once enjoyed my home page as a source for news.  One on computer I had MSN and on the other I had Yahoo.  But now it seems that half the articles on the home pages are "sponsored" sites, or in other words, that articles are nothing more than a series of short articles or pictures intended to bring you a long series of advertisements.  They will get you with headlines that read "What Justine Batmen looks like now is simple amazing"  When you open the site they have 27 pictures of various actresses and Justine Batmen will be number 24.  When you finally click through the whole thing you realize you have viewed a series of formerly hot women who are now just a bunch of old folks and you realize that your fantasy women is no longer desirable and you just wasted 15 minutes.
   I do my best to resist the temptation to click on these sites but once in a while a headline really gets my interest.  I had no idea what a teapot scandal was   so instead of click on the article I just searched the term "teapot scandal" and read an article that contained all I wanted to know without having to click the next page button.
  More often, I click on one of these sites because I read the headline but missed the word sponsored hidden by the white background or printed so small that it was difficult to see.
  As a result of these sponsored sites I seldom read my home page anymore and have gone back to watching the news on TV.  I always hated TV news.  They tantalized us with :This common product could be deadly to you and your family" and then promised to give you the details 7 hours from now, leaving you wondering if you are about to use a product that could kill you and then realizing the news comes on 4 hours after you go to bed because you have to get up at 3 am in order to be at work at 5 and won't be able to watch.
  At one time a person could just search his home page for the news article and find out now.  But it seems that in the present day one goes to his home page, finds an article "Common products that kill" click on it and find it is a sponsored site and the newest product in the 48 listed on the site was made unavailable in 1974.  All the while you will used and frustrated so you set your DVR up to record the local news and watch it the next morning while you are fixing your breakfast hoping that no one used that product the night before and you or someone you love won't be found dead in and hour or two.
    When cable TV first came out it was promoted as "Pay TV" but the big selling point was that there were no advertisements.  But now there are more ads on cable than there ever were on "free" TV.
 The same seems to be happening to  computers.  The more we depend on them then more companies try to get us to click on an ad.  We have to watch a 30 second clip before watching a news video nd many times the only difference between the news articles and the headlines is just one or two words.
  Another trick I see is the "Read more" button.  It reminds me of the "continued on page five tagline one finds on headline stores in newspapers.  Page five always turns out to be in section B of the paper which your wife or roommate is reading.  Oh please give me a break.
   It was a cardinal rule of newspapers to never put advertising on the front page.  Except for the Sunday edition and the Wednesday paper, people bought newspapers for the news.   The same is for our homepage.  It should be for the news and now for ads or sponsored sites.  Now, MSN won't even let a person comment on articles.  I guess that is because no matter what is discussed, people will soon resort to political statement and name calling, just like they did in the days when everyone had a CB radio.  The immaturity of the American mind is so unbelieveable.

long hard week

Monday and Tuesday were spent in working in the yard.  While needful and rewarding it was also hot and tiring.  Wednesday I walked the streets passing out tracts for the upcoming church event.  Thursday I went to Hickory to see Mom and then went to church and cleaned the front of the building to tidy things up for tonight's show.  Friday I dropped off my car for repair, mowed the grass and then picked up the food for our pastor's surprise birthday party.  Saturday I spent the morning helping someone move.
  The Anchormen were everything one could hope for and the church was packed out.  I believe it was a successful event for Jim's kids

Jim's kids and the Anchormen

 The Anchormen held a concert at Academy Street Baptist Church in Randleman last night, July 13, 2017.  The church was almost filled to capacity.
  The show was opened by Summit's Trace, a "Country Gospel" band.   The crowd was polite but it was obvious this style of music wasn't a popular choice.  It sounded very much like rock gospel because it had no beer, momma, trains, pick-up trucks, or broken hearts over girls or horses.  They only way I know it was country is because that what the band said it was.  The group even managed to insult the only female service member in attendance.
.  The Anchormen were the opposite.  The group were dressed in suits as opposed to Summit Traces casual  street clothes and they sang Southern Gospel.  The group was totally professional and thoroughly entertaining.   They delivered what the crowd came to hear.
  If you were there then you know who I am.  I was the only person in a suit and tie that wasn't an Anchorman.  Why, you may want to know, was I the only one who wore a suit?  The answer is simple.  I was in God's house and all that I did: printing and passing out mini flyers, painting the railing at the church, and sweeping the cobwebs off the front door just minutes before the first quests arrived was done with the idea of bring glory to my Lord and Savior.  I didn't see last night as only a
fundraiser event for Jim's kids but an opportunity to get a unchurched person into God's house.
  I fully recognize that almost everyone there came to be entertained and entertained we were.  But I saw an opportunity to bring glory to God's name.  We were in His house after all.  So if I am different from everyone else that is okay.  I exist not to please man but to honor God.  Now I am not saying that wearing a suit makes one any more or any less holy than another person .  It isn't about them.

The planet is doomed

Reading stories on my home page this morning and found an article on climate change.  The gest of the article is that we are warming up faster than anticipated.  The horrors the article points out is that by the end of the century Miami and Bangladesh will no longer exist and over half the world's population will have died from heat.  When the permafrost melts off the trapped carbon will accelerate global warming to such a degree that the world will most certainly become uninhabitable for humans.
  But, according to the article, this doesn't have to me.  If only we took the threat more serious and began doing things to prevent the increase in warming we will be able to prevent much of the tragedy,
  The article does mention that there have been 4 or 5 previous periods of time when the climate changed and life on earth was virtually eliminated.   All of these events were climate related except for the meteors that killed off the dinosaurs.  Man was a non influence in all of these events and they happened anyway.  We neither caused nor could we prevent climate change in the past and yet we are urged to believe we are the cause and the prevention method for the current one.  But there is something even more startling than that.  The author said we should pray for the cornfields.
  I suppose in a sub-conscious way he is acknowledging the possibility that there just might be a God.  But from the tone of the article man is in control even if we are out of control and we get to decide our future within the context of science and nature.  Well, the writer is not totally wrong.
  The end is coming and there is  nothing man can do about that but our future is up to us.  That non existent God the writer said to pray to does exist but the way to limit the affects of climate change is through prayer and not controlling carbon emissions.  Accepting Christ as our Lord will assure us that we will not be here when the end comes but will be safe with Jesus.
  Many people don't believe in climate change just as many people do not believe in Jesus but that makes neither any more or any less real.  Many people believe that man can solve our own problems and those many people are correct. but man cannot solve our problems through man but only through Christ.

mark 16;16

All the commentary I have read assumes, as does most Christians, that the baptism is speaking of immersion by water but the verse does not specially say that.  I know the church has two ordinances, The Lord's Supper and Baptism  but those two things are meant to be testimonies and are not requirements for salvation.  What did Mark mean then when he said we must believe and be baptized?  This statement is written in such a way as to make baptism a requirement for salvation.  Scripture seems to make clear that baptism is not a requirement yet this verse states that it definitely is a requirement.
  Most commentators state that baptism is strongly recommended and that Jesus strongly suggested that we should get baptized. and those statement are all well and good but they do not say what this verse says.  This verse states that baptizing is a requirement.  It does not suggest anything.
  I think commentators fail to recognize the truth of this verse because they fail under the power of suggestion.  People have been interpreting this verse as to baptism referring to water baptizing and even in all their learning fail to realize that it is not.  They try so hard to make the bible fit what they believe by trying to explain away the seemingly contradiction between this verse and other scripture.    I do believe that one has to be baptized to order to be saved because the scripture says so as well as that fact demonstrated elsewhere but I do not think this requirement is water baptism but Spiritual baptism.  Jesus told the disciples to wait until the Holy Ghost comes upon them.  I think Paul makes it clear that when a person is saved that received the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  One must believe and be baptized (in the Holy Spirit).
  We cannot make scripture say what we want it to say but must let scripture interpret itself.  
 

Not for Men Only

 Some time back there was an article about saving money on shaving supplies.  I commented that coating my razor blade with baby oil after each use prolonged the blade and thereby saved me money.  Someone replied saying that could not be true but was a matter of lubrication only.  I didn't have an adequate response but I did know that without baby oil I used a blade for two weeks and using baby oil I used a blade for at least two months.  Was it just a matter of lubrication or does baby oil really extend the life of the blade?
   I have two identical razors so I laced a new blade in each.  One I packed in my travel kit and the other I put in my shower.  I purchased a 6.5 oz bottle of baby oil at the dollar store and a plastic soup holder and filled the soup holder with baby oil.  I used this razor before heading to the mountains and got a good shave and the next day I used the travel razor with the same results.  I did not use baby oil on the one in my travel kit.
   Three months later I shaved again with the razor from my travel kit and thought it would rip my face off.  A month later I coated it in baby oil and then shaved with it and while the shave was no rougher it wasn't any better either.  Meanwhile the razor I use every day is still giving me a smooth shave after 5 months.
  My conclusion is that coating a razor with baby oil extends the life of the blade.  Better yet is letting it soak in baby oil between uses.  

Granddaughter's visit.

  My wife's granddaughter visited us for nine days.  Her father is an atheist and she is a non-believer herself although she doesn't seem to mind calling upon the Lord's name when she wants to insert bad language into her sentences.  It was our hope to be an encouragement to her and to let her see how Christian people act and what an influence Christ can be in our lives.
   She had some good experiences here.  She saw the ocean for the first time, saw lots of forests (she's from Iowa) and discovered that chickens aren't born in nuggets.   She liked the zoo but not sitting around the house.  My wife had visited her in Iowa for a week and brought her back to NC when she returned home so it is hard for a grandmother to keep on the go for that period of time just to keep a teenager entertained.
  The granddaughter was nice enough but she seemed so negative, only ate hamburgers, chicken nuggets, pizza and candy and had an excuse for ever thing she didn't want to do like riding the miniature train at the Jamestown Park wasn't an option for her because she suffers from motion sickness.
  She's been back home less than a week, has never said thanks for the trip to her grand mother but sure didn't mind complaining that she only wants someone to love her.    Some one does.

Garen News June 24

June 23rd was my 13th wedding anniversary and I'm still in love with my wife.  She has suffered greatly over the last few years but that has only provided me with opportunities to show her how much I really care about her.
  Yes, I know this isn't about my love for my wife but about my garden.  I picked two cucumbers from my garden yesterday, my first two, and it was on my anniversary.  Don't think there is any correlation there; it just happened to occur on the same date.  So how is your garden doing and has all the rain be a good thing or bad thing for your garden?  

How will America end?

All great empires have come to an end and I doubt America is any different than any other dominate people in world history.  Assyria was crushed by a superior military force, Babylon fell when an enemy found a weakness in their defense system, and Alexander the Great's kingdom fell prey to the Romans when his kingdom was divided among his generals.  The Roman Empire fell because of its decadence
   The Roman Empire ruled the world for over three hundred years and at the time of it's collapse was still the greatest military power in the world.  The empire had come apart at the seems politically and society was collapsing in upon itself because of moral decay.  It was as if Rome was a fine piece of clothing that had been sewn together with cheap thread and as the fabric aged the cloth became brittle and the thread rotted and the piece of clothing just crumbled.
  It seems that there is a pattern to the growth, stability, and eventually collapse of each of the world's greatest empires and America fits that same pattern.  Will it be the Russians that take America down, the Chinese, ISIS. or some unknown force that has not come to the forefront yet?     In my opinion it will be none of these.  America will be toppled from within and not from some outside force.
  Our liberal immigration policies are allowing enough people into this country, some who want to change America, some who want to destroy it, and many others who just want to take advantage of us.  We seem to have forgotten what made this country great and has allowed the attitude of respect for the beliefs of others to disintegrate into embracing and accepting everyone as they are.  I think that we will lose our national identity     and no longer know what we believe in, becoming a nation of divided factions  each of which wants to live their lives after their own beliefs rather than living their lives for the benefit of the majority.  A house divided against itself cannot stand.