One of my favorite stories

1 Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the LORD; Thus saith the LORD, To morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.

2 Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if the LORD would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.

3 And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate: and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die?

4 If we say, We will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there: and if we sit still here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians: if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die.

5 And they rose up in the twilight, to go unto the camp of the Syrians: and when they were come to the uttermost part of the camp of Syria, behold, there was no man there.

6 For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host: and they said one to another, Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us.

7 Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their asses, even the camp as it was, and fled for their life.

8 And when these lepers came to the uttermost part of the camp, they went into one tent, and did eat and drink, and carried thence silver, and gold, and raiment, and went and hid it; and came again, and entered into another tent, and carried thence also, and went and hid it.

9 Then they said one to another, We do not well: this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace: if we tarry till the morning light, some mischief will come upon us: now therefore come, that we may go and tell the king's household.

10 So they came and called unto the porter of the city: and they told them, saying, We came to the camp of the Syrians, and, behold, there was no man there, neither voice of man, but horses tied, and asses tied, and the tents as they were.

11 And he called the porters; and they told it to the king's house within.

12 And the king arose in the night, and said unto his servants, I will now shew you what the Syrians have done to us. They know that we be hungry; therefore are they gone out of the camp to hide themselves in the field, saying, When they come out of the city, we shall catch them alive, and get into the city.

13 And one of his servants answered and said, Let some take, I pray thee, five of the horses that remain, which are left in the city, (behold, they are as all the multitude of Israel that are left in it: behold, I say, they are even as all the multitude of the Israelites that are consumed:) and let us send and see.

14 They took therefore two chariot horses; and the king sent after the host of the Syrians, saying, Go and see.

15 And they went after them unto Jordan: and, lo, all the way was full of garments and vessels, which the Syrians had cast away in their haste. And the messengers returned, and told the king.

16 And the people went out, and spoiled the tents of the Syrians. So a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the LORD.

17 And the king appointed the lord on whose hand he leaned to have the charge of the gate: and the people trode upon him in the gate, and he died, as the man of God had said, who spake when the king came down to him.

18 And it came to pass as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying, Two measures of barley for a shekel, and a measure of fine flour for a shekel, shall be to morrow about this time in the gate of Samaria:

19 And that lord answered the man of God, and said, Now, behold, if the LORD should make windows in heaven, might such a thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.

20 And so it fell out unto him: for the people trode upon him in the gate, and he died.

This is one of my favorite biblical stories. The situation is as follows: The Syrian Army had lain a trap for the King of Israel but the King escaped. The general was upset but tried again and failed a second time. This time he was furious and accused his men of treason. One of the men spoke up and said that Elisha the Prophet had been the one to inform the King of the trap so the General lead his men in search of Elisha. Upon finding him Elisha convinced him that Elisha was elsewhere and if they followed him he would take the Syrians to him. Elisha then led the Syrian Army into downtown where the Israelite's had them surrounded.

Instead of attacking, Elisha forbade the King and instructed that the Syrian Army be treated as guests and feed.

When the Syrian Army returned home with their report, the Syrian King was livid and lead his whole Army back to Israel and surrounded the city, blockading food and water from coming into the city. After a certain time, the Israelite's were starving to death and some were eating their children. The King blamed Elisha and vowed to take his life.

Meanwhile outside the city were four lepers. Lepers were outcasts as a means of preventing an outbreak of the disease. Their family members would bring them food and leave it and then the lepers could retrieve the food. But with the situation caused by the Syrian Army, there was no food for them and they knew that they too would soon starve. They knew they could not enter into the city in search of food for there was none and they knew that starvation was a cruel way to die. They also knew if they entered into the camp of the Syrian Army then would more than likely be put to death but decided it would be a quicker death than starvation and was worth the chance.

Upon entering the camp, they discovered the camp was empty and all the belongings of the Syrain Army had been left behind. There was food galore and money and fine garments and the four ate their fill and helped themselves to some fine clothes and jewels, gold, silver and other monies.

They soon realized that there was more than they could eat, more than they could wear, and more than enough money to meet the needs of a poor leper so they sent word to the King of their discovery. Even though the King suspected a Syrian trap he sent out a small scouting party who discovered that the story was true. With the food, clothing and monies and with the supply routes opened again, the people were soon filled and the city saved, prices of goods fell to all

time lows.

The reason I like this story is that it reminds me of what life is like without Christ and how we, as Christian who are weak in the faith react to worldly goods, but how we will react towards the lost once we realize all that is our through Christ.

Nov 11, 2018 Walking with God: Noah

I'm beginning to understand

  I started attending my previous church when it had just a handful of people.  The first thing I did was ask the preacher if I could mow the grass.  That winter I started coming over to the church on a daily bases working on clearing the land, cleaning the church, doing painting and repair work, and anything else I saw needed to be done.  My work didn't go unnoticed because I was asked to serve as a deacon.
  I later became the regular Sunday School teacher.   The church began to grow, slowly, but then we had a big boast in membership when a man and his family decided to join.  He had been a member of his precious church for 17 years but wasn't happy because they didn't let him do anything.  Besides him and his wife, he had two children,, a brother-in-law and his wife and their three kids.  Our congregation jumped from 25 to 34 and it was obvious we needed a new building but the church could not afford one.
  When I sold my pickup truck, a man gave me an idea about how to get an adequate sized building for almost nothing.  We looked into it and liked what we saw but there was no way the church could afford to purchase the building so I bought it and the church agreed to pay me back,  It was then that I noticed a change in my position at the church.  It seems I was excluded from helping with the setup and preparation of the new building, the fact that I was the one who purchased the building became a well guarded secret, and I started getting pressure to share my teaching duties.
  The new member, the brother-in-law was quickly appointed a deacon and him and the preacher started doing things together without my knowledge or inclusion.  I discovered that the other fellow had taken over my visitation privileges with the preacher and I wasn't even informed when someone was hospitalized.  The preacher soon quit conferring with me and started using all the men members for consultation.
   I was being exclude more and more from activities around the church and was being criticized for the things that I did do.  In fact, I was forbidden from even mowing the lawn.  I wasn't sure what was going on or why.  I had been a loyal supporter of the pastor and the church and did all I could to see that we had a clean building, nice grounds, and a pleasant atmosphere.  It seemed not only to be not appreciated but resented.  After two more years of this it was time for me to move on.
  After searching for awhile I finely found my new church home.  I had not been there long before I became a Sunday School teacher.  I fill in sometimes when the pastor is absent, I do the church sign, and I am the assistant treasurer.  But I still pray for my former church and the pastor and his wife.  I never fully understood what went wrong but as events unfold and time passes I am beginning to understand.
   Part of what went on is the desire to build a church and the desire to make a new member feel welcomed and useful but it is more than that because not all new members were treated as warmly.  A year after these nine people joined another family came and with all their friends there was a total of 17 of them.  One became the Sunday School teacher, another a deacon and a third was put on the board of trustees and this just a month or two after they joined the church.
  But I noticed also that all these people were either looking for something or just following their families leader.  They were seeking to exercise their talents, which is not bad in and of itself, but I believe the purpose of church is a place to give, not get.
   My desire is to serve God and his people in any capacity whether it is changing the church sign, taking the garbage cans to the curb or just stopping by to empty the dehumidifiers.  With motivations in mind, I believe the problem was that my former pastor felt threatened by all that I did, erroneously thinking that I was trying to divide and conquer and take the church away from him.  He all but accused me of that once.  I do admit that he treated half the congregation poorly and they felt that I cared for them.
  But I cared for them all.
  AT my current church I am still involved in many things but I try not to do it all.  I do not take my turn in cleaning the church and I share my teaching duties.  I have started a bible study group outside of the church.  I stay involved but take more of a back seat role that I am used too.  I have found that egos are a fragile thing, even among Christians for they are only human too.
  As for my former church. The brother in law split from his wife and he followed his sister and her husband to a new church.  Of the seventeen that joined only one is left.  I don't know why any of them left but I do believe some left because they perceived the grass was greener elsewhere.
  I get a scent of jealousy from some members of my current church so I tread lightly.  I am not there seeking to satisfy some desire of my own but to serve God but serving the church in what ever capacity I can.

Two candidates for governor lose their bid

  At least half the people seeking election as a state governor lose but these two were up and coming "stars" of the Democratic party and were campaigned for by Barrack Obama and Oprah Winfrey.   Although voter turnout showed a big increase and voters showed excitement not seen since Barrack won the Presidency, the candidates still lost.
  What the most shameful part of this defeat is that the race of the candidates played a big part in the excitement in their running and in their defeat.  I would love to see the day when there is no more black candidates or women candidates but just people running for office.  We are all Americans and there should not be agendas by a candidate for one segment of the population nor agendas against a segment of the population but what is best for the country regardless of where chips may fall.
   We are a long way from there.  After centuries of persecution and the outrage of the holocaust, there is still much prejudice against the Jews for no other reason than they are Jewish.  I am so sick and tired of the divisions in the country along what makes us different. We should  celebrate our uniqueness as individuals and not lump people into groups and make them all have the same negative characteristics.

Nov 7, 2018 Amazing Grace

Bible Study at the Commons

  While teaching my Sunday School class I was urging them to be more involved in the community it dawned on me to take my own advise so I began a Bible study group at the Commons in Randleman.    I am well pleased that it is going well and I have a good mixture of people from different churches.  My pastor has been so kind and gracious to bring his guitar and lead us in some singing but most of all, I am learning as well as teaching.  One lady has been attending the same church from the day she was born and another is 97 years old and is still able to drive.  She has that joy in her heart that will lift anyone's spirit.
  I really look forward to Tuesdays at 5 o'clock..

I voted

  A friend of mine mentioned that he only voted in the Presidential year elections.  I try to vote in them all.  I have missed a few during the years.  Some years I was in the military, some years (before early voting) I was out of town on business, and once or twice it wasn't in my best interest to go.  That sounds like a lot of misses you say but I have been eligible to vote for the last 51 years so I've made 75% of the off year and special elections that have been available to me.  Better than most folks I dare to say.
  No, I don't always vote for the party line.  I also don't always vote Democratic or Republican either.  I try to vote for either the person who most closely reflect my values or who I believe is the most capable person for the job.  I voted that way again this time.

What I learned in bible study group

     We began bible study in Genesis.  In the first 3 chapters we learned:
1. God exists, and has always existed and will always exist.  He alone is the only unchanging thing in existence.
2.  God is the creator
3.  God is Elohim (God in three persons)
4. God is a spirit
5.  the messiah is God
6. God is a God of order
7.  Jehovah means Lord
8. Gods wants a relationship with men
9. God wants what is best for man
10 God establishes the rules
11 God does not force man to be His friend but gave man free will
12 God is a loving God and a forgiving God, making a way of escape

  There are many other things we learned.  We learned about the Sabbath day, the institution of marriage, about Satan and his methods and also about the first death.
  No, the first death was not Abel but was the death of an animal to clothe  Adam and Eve.
  The first three chapters are short and take only a few minutes to read.  These chapters are not meant to be a scientific explanation of creation but a meant only to lay a foundation where upon which we may build the truth.
  I've learned not to read into scripture things that are not there and also not to gloss over things that are.  Some believe in a gap theory to explain dinosaurs and the age of the earth but if the gap theory were a fact God would have told us so.  We know that God created the garden of Eden for Adam and Eve and we know that Adam and Eve were told to be fruitful and multiply.  What we are not told is how long they were in the garden before being forced to leave because of their sin.  There is no reason for u to make up stuff to fill in the blanks that God leaves.
  One may think that it takes a lot of faith to believe in the God of scripture, and it does.  But it takes more faith than I have to believe that the perfect order of the universe happened by pure chance.  The original question was "where does stuff come from?"  and one cannot have two forces collide or a single force just explode to create things because one still has to explain where the force or forces came from.
  This coming week we are going to discuss some prophesies concerning the messiah.  I call it gold mining:  digging out the little nuggets of gold concerning the coming messiah.  Then I am going to do an overview of the old testament so we can put it into perspective and make it more relevant and meaningful.

Assured I John 5: 13-21 Oct 21, 2018

To all Republicans

  Someone posted the following om my Facebook page.  This just after I asked people not to post political stuff, especially if some stuff has hurtful or hateful rhetoric.  

"To all Republicans who insist on banning abortion because it kills human babies.

    So do chemical spills in our waters,  And gun rampages in our malls and at our schools.  And starvation because mothers can't earn a living wage even working 60 hour a week.  And curable diseases when parents have no access to affordable health care.
  And yet while you sanctimoniously stick your nose in my family planning choices, you have smugly opposed every attempt at safety regulations, gun control, raising minimum wage, and the ACA.
You are the worst kind of hypocrites: arrogant and ignorant.  You are what's wrong with America today."

   When I took my first job as an adult, minimum wage was ninety cents an hour.  When I got out of the Navy minimum wage had risen to $1.80 an hour.  That year I worked 48 hours a week at $2.25 an hour and my wife worked 40 hours at minimum wage.  We rented a nice apartment, purchased a new car, bought new furniture (cash) and I'm talking about quality furniture that I owned for 45 years, ate well, and still saved a thousand dollars that year.  When I retired I made twice the minimum wage, rented an apartment that was half the size and less than half the quality of my first apartment, drove a used vehicle, had second hand furniture (the place was too small for the good stuff I had purchased 35 years earlier) and was just barely able to put food on the table after paying my bills.
  In all the years of raising the minimum wage did nothing put hurt my standard of living.  The things that improved my lot in life were better and more education.  Gun ownership is guaranteed by the constitution  and in cities with the strictest gun control measures the murder rate is among the highest in the country because only the criminals have access to weapons.  The affordable health care act was passed by a Democratic President and Congress so if it is ineffective don't blame the Republicans.
  I have no idea what the ACA is but I can tell you that women who get pregnant and don't want the baby so have an abortion did not practice any form of family planning.  A prophylactic or a birth control pill is cheaper and safer than an abortion.  The time to exercise control over ones body is before the act not afterwards.  Don't blame us for loving our children.
  Calling me arrogant and ignorant and a hypocrite just throws up barriers to an open and hones dialogue about how to solve problems.  Just because you disagree with my views doesn't make me wrong and more than it makes you right.  The same principle works for me as well.  name calling is a tactic that is used by the ignorant who have no other way to get their thoughts across.  

David and Goliath

  The story of David and Goliath is a well know bible story about a young shepherd boy who was delivering food to his brothers who were part of the King's Army fighting a battle.  The enemy had a giant who would come out daily and challenge the Israeli Army to a one on one battle, winner take all.  No one would accept the challenge but David convinced King Saul that he could defeat the giant.  Why King Saul saw fit to let this skinny youth fight the giant when the fate of his Army lay in his hands I have no idea.  He did though.
   Goliath was 6 cubits and a span or about 9 feet six inches tall.  Extraordinary and unusual but I do believe from the description of Goliath and his actions that Goliath suffered from giantism.  That is a condition cased by a tumor or other malfunction of the pituitary gland that regulates growth.  That condition is called Acromegaly and the symptoms include enlargement of the hands and feet, forehead and nose, joint pain, thick skin, deepening of the voice, headaches, and vision problems.
complications can include type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, and high blood pressure.
  I believe that Goliath had vision problems because he needed the aid of a shield bearer.  When David was winding up his sling, Goliath made no effort to raise his shield to block the toss of the stone farther enhancing this viewpoint.    We all know how the story ends:  The stone from David's sling hits Goliath between the eyes and he falls to the ground.  He is killed when David takes the sword of Goliath and cuts his head off.
  This story is almost always given from the vantage point of David being the underdog and is used to encourage people facing overwhelming odds.  Most don't have the courage of David.  But David didn't act like an underdog.  The soldiers in the Israeli Army did.  That's why they did not come out to fight.     But the truth of the story is David was no underdog.  Actually, Goliath was.  He had never been tested in battle, needed guidance to get to the place of the battle, and couldn't see his opponent well enough to defend himself.  David, on the other had,  was well  skilled in the use of the sling and had tested his skill when his flock was threatened by a bear and a lion.  David also knew that God was with him.
  To often we as Christian face our battles as if we were the underdogs and as such we often shrink from the fight.  God has given us the skills we need to fight  and with God on our side we are the champions answering the challenge.  Too often we act like we are mere mortals when, in fact, we are the sons of God.  

I live in a cat house

I live in a cat house.  No, not that kind of "cat house" but one with cats.  I have two, Smokey and Ryder.  Smokey was rescued from the local animal shelter and Ryder was adopted from a pet store in downtown Asheboro.  Ryder was housed with a ferret and I believe she thinks she is part ferret.
   I named her Ryder because on the way home she escaped from her box but instead of reacting the way most cats do to being in a moving car she really seemed to enjoy the ride.  Ryder is a tortoise shell short haired domestic and has the typical tortoise shell (tri-colored calico) personality.
  Smokey is a gray Maine Coon hair with brown highlights which gives her that smoky color.  Smokey is the sweetest little girl.  And by little I mean she is small for a Mine Coon.  Maine Coons are the largest breed of cat generally weighing over twenty pounds but Smokey only weighs a shade over nine.
  Our living room has a love seat and two recliners.  My wife and I prefer the love seat but if one of our cats is curled up in one of the seats we will sit in a recliner.  It is my habit to rise early, fix my breakfast, and then relax in my half of the love seat with my morning coffee and my e-reader and read scripture.  Smokey will join me.  Sometimes she wants to be covered up with a blanket.  if she does, she will scratch my thigh to let me know to spread my legs so she can nestle between my legs and then she will stare at me to let me know she wants to be covered up.  If I don't respond she will paw my inner thigh to signal her desire.
   It amazes me how well she can communicate with me without being able to speak.  Ryder is more of a loner cat but she follows me from room to room but the only time she wants to be petted is when I'm in my bedroom.  She will jump on my bed and expect her message.  Smokey is a lap kitty while Ryder prefers to be left on her four feet.  I learned quickly not to pick her up.   The only time I ever try to pick her up is when it is time for her vet visit and she has to go into a carrier.
  It doesn't matter how subtle my wife and I are about that day Ryder can sense it and will find a place to hide.  As soon as she knows she is going she gets standoffish and we have to close all the doors to keep her confined to the main part of the house.  We have to run her until she gets to tired and then we can grab her and put her in the carrier.  Smokey doesn't like going to the vet either but she is much easier to deal with.
  Our cats never go outside and we have provided them with a wide variety of cat trees and cat toys.
Cats don't know how to tell time and should not know what day of the week it is but they know when it is Sunday.  That is the day they get soft food and Sunday morning they start circling the kitchen and dinning room in anxious expectation of their weekly treat.
  I know most men prefer dogs and many men hate cats but I have found felines to be every bit as good an companion as most dogs and much more entertaining.  Whatever concessions we make to them is richly reward in love, affection, and cat antics that have us laughing.  I love it when Smokey gets wound up because she does so many weird things.  Ryder is just weird.  She sneaks up on her food bowl and water dish as if they will jump out and eat her.  Before Ryder jumps on my bed she has to peer on the bed to check for monsters,  If there is something on the bed she wasn't expecting, she will reverse herself in mid-air.  It is so funny.
  I find the sentiment that people owns dogs but are only care givers to cats to be fairly true., I don't mind at all because I get so much more in return.

A Plea: Stay out of Restaurants Before 6pm If You Don't Have Kids

   This is one of the dumbest articles I have ever read.  I've been a parent and have taken my kid out to restaurants at various hours with nary a problem.  I also have been a foster parent and have taken care of three or four children of various ages and maturity levels and have never had a problem with my kids disturbing other patrons.
  Telling me I cannot eat before six so your brat and misbehave without judgement is just ludicrous. I'm old enough to decide when I want to eat and where.  If your peace and quiet is so important to you and you known your kid will bother others, get a babysitter.
  I'm a diabetic and I try to follow the rules about controlling the disease.  No, I didn't get this disease because I'm fat.  I got this disease because I was exposed to Agent Orange  during the Vietnam War.
Diabetics are supposed to eat at the same time everyday to help prevent blood sugar spikes.  I eat at 4 am, 11 am and 4 pm.  I don't have to explain to you why these are the times that I eat.  They just are and I don't care if my eating habits disturb you.  Apparently many others also eat at these times too (well, except maybe the 4 am one and while I'm having lunch I notice many people are having breakfast.  maybe that's because their bratty kid kept them up all night.
  I've got one other question for this complaining author:  why do you feel the need to consume alcohol before six, especially when you have a child in your care?  Can't you wait until you are in the safety of your own home before consuming a mind-altering substance?
  This article just affirms for me why you have a bratty kid.  maybe you should just order delivery.    

 

Is "Me too" for real?

     I do believe it is in the nature of the human male to be aggressive.  Males are bigger, stronger and faster than females and when it comes to physical activities men will always come out on top.  No, every male cannot defeat every female but overall the females are the weaker sex.  When it comes to other areas of life, emotional stability, intelligence, leadership, etc. the sexes are about even and maybe with the edge in the female corner.  My discussion is not about who is more dominant nor is it about the equality of the sexes.  It is about what makes men men and women not men.

  Being strong and being aggressive is meant to be a good thing. In  times past when wars and life in general took strength and endurance and aggressiveness to make things happen being a man was an advantage.  In todays society those qualities are not as necessary in the technology field and the business world but even so, men are hard wired differently than women.  That is why men have usually been the aggressors in all areas of life, including mate finding.
 
   As children, we all test the boundaries of parental permission.  That is how we establish what is right from what is wrong and what is permissible and what is taboo.  It is often that our parents have had to tell us no.  Sometimes we continue and the parent relents, sometimes the parent says no because they don't want to be bothered and sometimes the same act get different reactions.  We only learn that no means no when the same action always results in a no.

    Rightly or wrongly, the burden of saying no in relationships has always been placed on the female.  In recent decades girls and women have been given more permission to share responsibility and males are expected to take more of the responsibility for showing restraint.    Sometimes a boy or man will engage in an activity and be told no but if he persists the objection is withdrawn.  I see this all the time.  At church a child will be running and the parent calls him/her down and says 'stop running."  The child will watch the parent and as soon as the parent is distracted the child will resume his previous activities.  More often than not, the parent ignores the child.

   If that is the way the child was raised, then  when it comes to relationships, if at first the other person says no, does no really mean no or does it mean give me a minute to adjust to this new idea or does it mean to just slow down a little?  Has the behavior already crossed the lines of committing a crime?  Do we always have to ask permission before touching another person?   If being grouped by a boy in high school sexual assault?  if so, the almost every girl can claim "me Too".

   How many of us at 42 act or think the same as we did at 16?  Often I've heard people talk about the stupid things they did as a teenager.  If someone committed a crime against you then by all means report it.  If it is past the statue of limitations then live with it./   It's not right that things a person did when they were kids should be held against them for the remainder of their lives, especially when proof is no longer available.

   I am not advocating that overly aggressive behavior should be over looked or condoned.  I'm not.  I do believe we should show respect for each other in all stages of our life but sometimes we confuse what is acceptable and what is not when engaging in situations that are totally new to us.    Petty crimes we commit when we are kids are dripped from our criminal records when we turn 18.  No reason to ruin a kids entire life because of an act committed when immature.

    As parents we should do a better job at teaching boundaries and acceptable behavior and as adults we need to be more responsible when reporting crimes.  Report as close to the act as possible.  It doesn't matter if the authorities believe you are not. If every woman reported sexual assaults then when the third woman reports the same man for the same crime, it is more likely that he will be stopped and all vindicated.  Why wait twenty years and then cry rape.  People wonder what's your agenda.

Keeping up with the Jones"

   It has been many years since I've had a neighbor that seemed to care what I did.  When I owned my second home my next door neighbor duplicated everything I did.  That included the planting of trees, digging of a drainage ditch, to building a fence.  They had the nicer house with a deck out back while all I had was a utility closet that wasn't big enough for anything except for a few long handled tools.  When I decided to move my hot water heater out of the laundry room to the utility room so I could have a full size washer/dryer I suppose the neighbors had had enough so they sold their house and moved.
  My neighbor across the street isn't exactly like that but he does keep up with me when it comes to mowing the lawn.  Every time I mow, he will mow later that day.  The only difference is I have a riding mower and he has a walk behind.  Sometimes it takes him two days to mow because it gets too dark for him to see.

   I mowed my grass last Monday.  I had gotten behind in my mowing duties due to my surgery recover period of six weeks and it is more than just tall grass.  Weeds took over the flower gardens and vegetable gardens and it is impossible to get a smooth cut on tall grass because the moisture holds the grass flat so it doesn't cut smoothly or evenly .  I got my okay to resume working in the yard on a Monday so I cut my grass the following Tuesday and the first of the week ever since.  
  I prefer to cut my grass on Thursdays  because I'm used to going to swim class M-W-F and I like my yard to look nice for the weekend.
   The week after my vacation I had cut my grass on Monday and when my neighbor got off work he cut his grass also.  Knowing that I had a doctor's appointment on Monday and my wife had one Tuesday and the weather man was calling for some rain on Wednesday I made the decision to mow again on Saturday so if I didn't get to mow this week it would not look so bad the following week.
Again, my neighbor mowed his grass on Saturday as well.  I wondered if it had dawned on him he had mowed twice in one week?
   I'm not complaining about him mowing on the same days I do except that he mows in the evening when everyone is in for the day and having supper, preparing lessons or reading or even watching TV and the noise is distracting.  Even so I'm glad I have a neighbor that takes care of his yard.

There are no buts

   My former pastor was talking with a preacher of a different denomination.  My pastor believed in assurance of salvation and the other pastor believed one could lose their salvation.  My pastor quoted a scripture that seemed to support his viewpoint and the other preacher quoted the same verse and then said "but"  and then proceeded to expound on why that was fully accurate.
   My pastor informed me of the conversation and I told him there wasn't any "but" in the bible.  He misunderstood me and thought I was saying that the word "but" was never used in scripture.  That was not what I was saying at all.  I really meant that there was no "but"  after that verse in the bible.
  I realize one cannot pick one verse and build a doctrine out of it.  One has to take a verse in context and then interpret it in light of it's usage in the entirety of scripture  But neither can one add your own interpretation to a scripture because you don't want to agree with what it is saying.
  It is hard for some because to accept that salvation is free and one doesn't have to do anything to get it except for accepting it.  Some think that becoming a Christian is a get out of hell free card and that once saved they can live like they want to.  But the bible makes it clear that once you accept  salvation that you have been purchased with a price.  You are no longer a servant of sin but you still have a master.  You have to serve one or the other.  If you say you belong to the Lord and yet still serve Satan, scripture says you are a liar.  You no longer want to live the way you did when you were lost nor will you.
  Those people who believe that you have to follow a set of rules and live a certain way in order to go to heaven have missed the reason for Christ's death on the cross because if you have to live a sin free life then what is the point of the cross?
  No, God said what he meant and he meant what he said and we cannot be adding "buts, if's or maybe's to the end of scripture.

'Vengance in mine"

   "Vengance is Mine" saith the Lord but sometimes getting even is so sweet.  Back in the days when I was a working man (I mean with a paying job)  I usually has a day or two off during the week. My wife worked manufacturing so was employed Monday through Friday.  Even though she worked close to home she preferred to take her lunch to work but one of her friends who also worked at the same place preferred to eat a home cooked meal.  Unfortunately for me it was my home where she preferred to eat.
  She would pop in several times a week while Nana was fixing lunch and help herself.  She did this once when I was home and I ask Nana about it.  Nana was a quiet woman and didn't complain much but she did confess this habit was unsetting because it often left the meals skimpy for herself and the kids.  I decided then I would fix her a meal she would never forget.
   My next day off during the week, I saved some leftovers and added some unsavory ingredients to it.  Nothing would make one sick or be hurtful in any way;  it just tasted awful.  Anyway, the woman stopped by for lunch that day.  She just walked it, grabbed herself a bowl and helped herself.   and never bothered to even tell me hello.  She took a few bites and remarked that I needed to speak to Nana about her cooking as the food was really bad.  "How can she even think about feeding this stuff to the kids?" she remarked.
   "She doesn't intent too." I answered.  "She made that for the dog."
   Needless to say she didn't finish her meal nor did she ever come back for a free lunch.

Going around in circles

  I celebrate each victory no matter how small in my battle to regain control after my prostate cancer surgery.  There has been small steps and there have been some setbacks too.  I am supposed to do these squeezing exercises to strengthen  the muscles that control the bladder release and I had been doing them faithfully until one night they seemed painful.  The next morning I passed a small amount of blood.  I held off on the exercises for a while and have resumed them but not so vigorously.
  Friday was my best day making it to the toilet 5 out of six try's without any leakage but yesterday was a disaster.  I felt like I have regressed back to the day when the bag was first removed.  Every little move, no matter how slight, created a sprinkle.
   Things are starting out a little better this morning ,  I crawled out of bed at 1:30 because I couldn't get comfortable.  Having to crawl in and out of bed every hour and a half is hard on my back and after the second or third time it gets sore and I can't get comfortable.  I usually just get out of bed, play a game or two on the computer, check my face book page,  and read the news until time to fix breakfast, then read some commentary before taking a nap until my wife gets up around seven.
   But this morning I can't have breakfast as I have a doctor's appointment and I have to fast. My appointment isn't until 10:30 and that is almost my lunch time.  I'm okay for now with a glucose reading of 100.
  I'm at that age when one thing gets better another goes wrong and some things will never get better
but I'm not old enough to accept defeat.  I'll keep doing what I can as long as I can.  

Vacation's Over. It's time for church.

   Went to the mountains for the week and the weather was absolutely perfect.  The traffic was heavier than expected due to people fleeing the hurricane.  The locals were courteous drivers and we only saw one aggressive driver; some guy in a white pickup truck that thought he had to be first to where ever he was going.  However, once you got near the college, you were on your own.  The college students were discourteous and aggressive.
  The GPS on my wife's phone didn't like me.  I wanted to head from my motel to the Mast General store.  The shortest and quickest way was to turn right out of the parking lot, go 1/2 block and make a left and  go straight for two miles.  The store would have been on my right. Instead it had me make a left. go two miles and three turns then make another right on Blowing Rock Road and then drive the two miles back to the store.
   The only time the GPS had me turn right out of the parking lot was the one time that turning left would have been quicker.  Once, we were headed to the Moses cone Estate on the Blue Ridge Parkway and the GPS sent me winding through backroads and residential neighborhoods and then into desolate areas where the roads were not even paved.  It got us there however freaky the route and we had a good time, which was what was important anyway.
   Spectacular September is half over with two preachers down and two to go.  The first one was kind of hyper and had the ability to work the congregation into a frenzy.  I'm not a big fan of this style of preaching because so often it consists of a series of well worn phrases that are designed to get one excited and contains little or no real substance but this preacher had a really good message to go with his delivery.  Well done.
The first preacher was young and has been a pastor only 6 years, the second week we saw an older man (56) who has been pastor at the same church for twenty of those years.  His style was more of a teacher and he used a lot of illustrations.  The first preacher came on the 4th and the second was there on the 11th.  They were both good and I can remember what they both preached about.  Most people can't tell anyone what the sermon was about by the time they get home for lunch so they had to have been good messages.
  The third installment is this coming Tuesday night, the 18th.  I have no idea what to expect accept another good message is spite of the delivery style.  But before then, we are having our regular church service this morning.  Will you join us?

Pastor David Mims Sept 11. 2018

Sam's club is hard to deal with.

  We purchased some playground equipment from Sam's club and paid to have it installed.   When the installers finished they took our existing playground equipment with them.  They were contacted and promised to return the merchandise within the week  but didn't.  They said they had been busy but would return it soon. They never did.
   I contacted Sam's Club and informed them of the problem and their response was that there was a miscommunication between myself and the installation crew.  I said there wasn't.  It was made perfectly clear that the kiddie slide and balance beam were to stay.  They said they understood.
Sam's Club then responded that they needed the purchase order number.
   I said no you don't.  My merchandise just needs to be returned.
  Sam's Club then replied that since I failed to respond they considered the problem solved.  I told them they solved nothing.,
  We were given a replacement kiddie slide by someone in Charlotte and I rebuilt the balance beam.
it is just a shame that big companies like Sam's club have no concept of good customer service.  It's just not them.,  Almost all the big companies are that way/  I've had problems with Duke Energy, CPI, AOL, and other extra large and large companies. Often one cannot talk to a real person and if you do get a person they can't solve the problem or don't speak good English.  I think Sam's Clubs problem is that they don't want to discipline their crew and they have no interest in making fair compensation for the items taken because that would cost them their profit margin.
   The small amount of business I could do with them isn't enough to entice them to do the proper thing and they know I cannot influence enough people to hurt their bottom line.
  That's okay.  I can live just fine without Sam's Club.  Big companies come and big companies go.  people go where they get the best deals and everything being equal, people will shop where they get treated better.
  But the situation is our own fault because we are motivated by the almighty dime.   I've seen people waste a dollar of gas looking around to save a penny or two per gallon.  Even if they save 5 cents a gallon they will have wasted more than they saved.  I, for one, would rather shop at Melvin's than Walmart.
  But some of the big stores better watch out.  Amazon is putting a hurting on some of the big box stores and for good reason.  For example I'm in need of a new chain saw chain.  Stopped in Walmart and they had a 10", a 14": and several 16", some with a new bar and some with just the chain but no 18".  Went home, searched Amazon and ordered one cheaper that The chains at Walmart.  I'll get it tomorrow.  I didn't have to get dressed, waste gas, or look around.  The only reason to go to a brick and mortar store is for an idea you need immediately or for one that you know is going to be too expense online.  That's what I was doing there in the first place.  I broke the tip off of  a fishing pole.  Shipping would have cost more than the tips.
  One would think with competition from other retailers and from Amazon that the big box stores would try harder to please their customers but the decision makers have so isolated themselves that the system is not flexible, the employees hands are tied and the owners only care about their lifestyle.  But like Montgomery-Ward, W. T. Grants, Sears and Roebuck, Roses, JC Penny, A & P, and a slew of other companies that have died or are dying, they had better learn to care  Saving a penny is not always worth the price you pay.  .          

First Spectacular September Service a Success

  Our first Tuesday night Spectacular September meeting was a huge success.  Pastor Tyler Gaulden conducted the services.

Good report from the doctor

  Went to see my Urologist Tuesday and received a good report.  My incisions are healing properly and I was released from restricted activity.  During surgery 7nodes were removed for examination and all seven proved to be benign.   That's a really good thing.  I hope to get the results from mu PSA tests in a day or two.

   My next appointment is in 2 1/2 months but the doctor wants me to go to Kernersville for a PSA test a week before seeing him.  After that, all my exams should be in Kernersville.

  Before surgery, I walked every other day and did water aerobics for and hour and a half every other day but since been on restricted physical activity it seems I have grown soft.  Starting today I'm going back to walking and hope to be back to my old self soon.  It will be a while before I can go back to the pool.  I have to regain bladder control, otherwise it would not be fair to everyone else to be constantly leaking into the pool.

  The doctor said it would take me about twice to heal as it takes most people because of the size of my prostate as more nerves were damaged.  He suggested that I do my exercises every hour 10 times instead of the 20 times 4 times a day normally done.

Recovery from Cancer

    I'm able to do more physically but where my incisions were feel like little pin pricks so make me aware I need to reduce the amount of stress I'm used to putting on my body.  Yesterday I built a balance beam for the kids at church.  There was no heavy lifting involved yet I could tell I had maybe overdone it a little bit by how pronounced the incision pricks were.  I can live with being careful about how much strain I put on myself but it is the bladder control problem that is hard to deal with.
   I can sleep for an hour to an hour and a half before I have to go.  The pressure isn't painful like it was before surgery.  In fact the pressure is so light that it isn't really recognizable except the urge to go woke me up.  If I scoot to the bed's edge and swing my legs off the side of the bed while sitting up, I do fine.  But if I roll over then swing one leg at a time off the bed, then I squirt.
  During the day, every time I stand I must go immediately to the bathroom .  If I hesitate or do anything on the way I will squirt and once that starts going to the bathroom becomes a mute point in many cases.
   Monday will be 6 weeks since my surgery and I do go back to see the surgeon so he can access my progress. And as frustrating  as each day seems to be I know I am making progress.  I change undergarments less often and they are getting drier overall.  Most trips to the bathroom are successful.  The trips I have the most problem with are at church.  The bathrooms are to far away so I try and stay seated
  Yes, it is embarrassing and uncomfortable and inconvenient  and necessary to wear black pants it is getting better.

Mid-week church services

   I enjoy Wednesday night church services.  Prayers are more sincere and deeper and bible teaching is more informative.
  Our attendance on Sunday morning is increasing.  In fact it has almost doubled since I have been attending the church.  One thing I realized this morning is that almost half the people attending Sunday morning have little idea of who I am.  To most of them I am the man in the bow tie who operates the camera.  But there are many other things about me that these people do not know.  To know me is not the important issue here.  What is lacking is the many blessings that are being missed by not becoming more involved in Christian service.  
   I doubt that any of the ones who just come on Sunday mornings has ever said a prayer for me or any other member who is or has suffered physically.  None of the Sunday only crowd attend Sunday School so they are missing out on some great lessons from scripture.
   I am fully aware that some have good reasons for not being there on Wednesday nights.   Some have jobs that have them working late or have them out of town.  But most people just don't see the need to be there except Sunday morning.  I've noticed that the Wednesday people are actively involved in the church while the Sunday morning crowd have a more passive role.
  There is a difference in the services for me also.   On Sunday morning I am in a more giving role.  I teach a Sunday School class, I video tape the services, I am the church treasure, and occasionally I am called on to preform other tasks.  Sunday nights and Wednesday nights I am more of a receiver .  On Wednesday nights I take the prayer requests and do video tape the services but I have less to do with people and have more time to devote to the learning and study of scripture.  That's the part of church I enjoy the most.

Five weeks later

  I'm a couple of days past the 5 week mark since my surgery.  The incisions were deep so there is still some pain associated with them and I am still not in control of my bladder yet.  I do well when sitting but if I stand I must go immediately to the rest room.
  My sleep isn't very good as I wake every hour and a half to two hours to go relieve myself.   I'm still limited as to what I can do physically.  I still have all the wood from the playground set stacked up in the yard and there are several trees I need to cut down but I'm having to wait until my body can handle the stress.
 It is my hope that no one else will ever have to go through this surgery and I am glad there are other choices now.  If I could have chosen radiation I certainly would have.  I suppose I could have but my prostate was so large it would have taken at least two years to shrink it to a size that would allow for radiation treatments and in that time my cancer could have spread beyond the prostate.  It wasn';t a risk worth taking.

 

Fuishing Trip

   Yesterday I picked a friend up and headed out to City Lake park in Jamestown for a morning of fishing.  I baited my hooks in hopes of catching a big one or two for my friend.  He caught nine; none big enough to keep and I caught none.  It was a cool overcast morning so the day was perfect weather for being outdoors fishing.  I suppose the rains overnight had washed enough bugs into the water there wasn't much need for the fish to get excited about our bait.
  Even so, I enjoyed the day and so did my friend.  I know he was disappointed that we didn't catch enough for a meal but he came away with breakfast, a new rod and reel and a tackle box and I came away glad that I finally had gotten away for a while after being cooped up for a month while recovering from surgery.
   Hopefully we will have better luck Thursday when we try a friends private pond.  

Real Christain Behavior

   So many people believe they are Christian even though they seldom, if ever attend church, never read their bibles, never tell others about Christ, and usually only pray when they need something like their favorite team to score or to obtain some goal they had set for themselves.  People who attend church regularly often feel that they are more Christian than most.  When they speak to others it is usually in a condescending way.  They say things like "You two shouldn't live together." or "You drink to much.  You need to leave that beer alone and start going to church."  In other words, many regular church attendees want to correct the lifestyle of the people they consider "lost".
    So far, I've never met a person that said "Yea Grandma, you are right.  I'll quick doing drugs and become a Christian."  It is far more likely that the only reaction Grandma will receive is one of disdain or anger.  It is like telling a stuntman that he needs to quit doing stunts because he might get hurt.  he knows that.  He doesn't care;  he just wants to succeed at a more dangerous and thrilling stunt.  maybe what he needs to hear is "In order to make that stunt work, what you need is a lighter motorcycle with a more powerful engine.  Perhaps we can find a person that knows how to design such a bike."
   I think that many Christians lack compassion for others.  We all have problems and shortcomings. If we can keep the joy of Christ in our lives and live our lives as a positive example of what Christ can do with a sinner,   then how we live our lives will speak louder and more positive about Christ than all the urging to change ever will.  It is our job as a Christian to light the way.  It is God's job to
do the changing.,  

Science is better than God

   A lady claims she believes in science but not in God.  I can fully understand where she is coming from.  The bible says that to those who do not believe scriptures are foolishness.  I can see that.  It's hard to fathom that some being created everything with just a spoken word, then decided the only way to save mankind from his own folly was to come to earth as a human baby, die on the cross, and rise from the dead.
   It takes a great deal of faith to believe that.  But it also takes a great deal of faith to believe that where nothing existed, that two forces that didn't exist collided and a perfectly formed and in sync existence was created.  One scientific law is that something cannot be created from nothing.  If there was once nothing then where did the two forces come from?  The fact that something exist is proof that something has always existed.
  So many things that science didn't know is recorded in scriptures. Isolation of plaque victims was Jewish law and it wasn't until doctors practiced that was the black plaque ended.  In one country 11 out of 14 pregnant women died until the doctors discovered hand washing, which also was a Jewish law.
    The bible also said that God sat upon the curve of the earth, the word for curve meaning a ball or sphere.  The Egyptians, great mathematicians, believed the earth was supported by 5 pillars but the bible says it was suspended in space.    Sailing around the globe was made possible when one sailor realized the bible spoke of pathways in the sea, or currents.
   The bible is not a book of science but many scientific discoveries were mentioned in the bible hundreds of years before science discovered them.
   It takes less faith to believe in God that in happenstance but one has to accept Christ.  Then the bible makes more sense than any other explanation.  So what are you going to do about Jesus?

Free apples

  Several of my apple trees produced this year but the trees are infected with cedar  apple rust, a disease I've been trying to find the solution for without success for several years now.  There are plenty of apples but they are small and most are deformed.  The taste is good though.
   I suppose the best use of these apples would be for deer bait.  I don't deer hunt and the woods surrounding my neighborhood are full of deer but my health won't allow me to pick the apples myself.  If anyone would like to come pick them you are welcomed to.  No charge.
   I'm seriously considering cutting the trees down as the disease seems impossible to control and they block the sunlight from my peach trees and cause brown rot.
Also, I know some craftsmen like apple wood for some of their crafts so I will have some available.  

Whole Hog or Die

   My dad had a few saying and "Whole hog or die" was one of his favorites. That means to give something all you have and don't give up, no matter what.   In many ways my father and I are alike.  I can see of lot of my mother in me too.  I am a composite of my parents.  My personality is more like my mothers but I am more like my father in my physical makeup and motivations.
  I have taken a "whole hog or die" approach to many things in life.  When I do I am successful.  When I do not fully commit to something, then things don't always work out as they should.  Once, when I was in the military, the base was hosting a horseshoe tournament and I decided to entry and not just to enter but to win.  I practiced at least eight hours a day  and was often seen practicing all night s well as during the day.  I not only won the tournament but I was national champion of Puerto Rico and All-Navy Campion as well.
  At Chowan College I took an Economics class under Mr. Helms.  I remember he was from Cherryville, NC and he graded different from every other professor.  In fact in his over two dozen years of teaching, no one had ever earned an "A" in his class.  I determined to be the first.  I was.
Unfortunately,    so few things in life have so motivated me to give myself over to it completely and I've had a half hearted approach to life.
  Several years ago, I began to realize that doing things my way wasn't getting me where I wanted or needed to be in life so I decided to live for Christ.  But if I live for Christ, I was going to go "whole hog or die".
  It's more than church attendance, bible study, or even prayer and it's certainly not about trying to be a better person.    I didn't seek out any offices in church nor did I try to live up to what most people consider Christian values.  I didn't have any preconceived ideas about what a Christian was supposed to be or about what the scriptures mean.
  I just started attending church.  The first thing I did was ask if I could mow the grass.   Then I spent much of my spare time clearing the overgrowth from the church property.  The land was in such poor shape it took two winters working 4 hours a day to get the job done.  Then I planted a pumpkin patch.
 I cleaned the church, did maintenance, changed the church sign,  planted flowers and bushes, laid timber to define the parking lot, cut trees, took care of the trash and recyclables, nd every other task that needed to be done.  I purchased my own equipment for mowing, my own tools for other jobs.  I never took one dime from the church for anything.
    No, I wasn't trying to work my way to heaven. Christianity doesn't work that way.  But if I'm not willing to serve and do the small stuff then how could God use me for the bigger stuff.  And eventually He did.  But I learned many things along the way.  I learned that He is good and faithful and when I needed Him most, He was there.  I've learned that in seemingly tragic events  that the only real tragedy is if we fail to use that event for His glory.  He puts us through things not only to strengthen us but because he knows we are strong enough to handle the events and know how to properly view things.
   A good example of that is my cancer.  How in the world is having cancer a good thing.  It is and I give God thanks for allowing me to go through this.  I've learned that we will all die of something sooner or later so the fact that I have a life threating disease is not the tragedy here.  It is just part of living.  We will all die of something.  That something is "sin".  Even the best Christian in the word will die a physical death because of sin.  That is the nature we were born with and that can't be changed.  We cannot live good enough lives to overcome that sin nature.
  But there is a way out of the situation.  God sent His son to pay the death penalty for us so that we don't have to die that second death.  The cancer doctors gave me three options in my battle with cancer and God gives us three choices in our battle with sin.
   We can ignore the problem and we may be lucky and not die of cancer but we will die of something.  Another options is radiation treatments and the third option is surgery.    God gives us three options:  We can ignore or deny or sin and eventually we will die.  We can turn over a new leaf and try to live a better life, maybe even become church members and maybe even leaders in the church.  We will still die.  Or we can take the third option, accept Christ, and live.
   In my battle with cancer there are things I need to do to speed my healing and to improve the quality of my life.  I don't have to do these things and I can live in my misery.  Or I can work hard and recover sooner.  The same is true in my Christian life.  I choose to serve Christ "whole hog".

It is appointed unto men once to die

I can detect small changes for the better with each passing day. Some days I have had setbacks and I know I have months of healing before I can consider myself recovered. Please don't feel sad for me because I don't. I thank God for allowing me to go through this. I'm consider it a reward because He trusts me enough to use my illness for His glory .
How can I do that?
When I was first told I had cancer I was given three options: I could take a wait and watch approach which is the best approach in most cases, I could take radiation treatments, or I could have surgery.
Chances are good that if I made the correct choice, cancer would not be the cause of my death. It doesn't matter for all of us are going to die of something. Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead but he died later anyway.
A friend asked me what caused cancer and I said I didn't know, but I realized I do. It is sin. Our physical bodies are infected with sin and we will eventually die because of it one day.
But we also have a spiritual side. We have three choices: we can take and wait and see approach to life, waiting for that moment that we have that great revelation of truth or we realize our life is used up so we might as well give in to Christ.
Choice number two is we can start to live better, maybe even attend church on Sunday mornings. Or we can use option number three and accept Christ and live for Him.
It's appointed unto men once to die. Yes, we will all die one day but we only have to die once. Reject Christ and we die twice. Don't let the cancer of sin take your soul too.

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Rainy weather hides the truth

 
    I don't know many of my neighbors by name but all my neighbors recognize me because of my yard.  I do so enjoy getting outside and working in the dirt.  One neighbor uses a professional lawn care service so he has the greenest grass but I have the prettiest and best kept lawn.  That is, until my operation.  I cut my grass as close to the time of surgery as I could   but I left the grass a little on the long side due to lack of rain.
  The last few weeks we have seen a lot of rain and the grass has grown substantially the last week yet my lawn  has not been mowed.  I'm sure the neighbors have noticed but with the continual rainy days, I have an excuse for not mowing.  It also keeps the neighbors from knowing there is something wrong at my house.  

blood sugar

  The medicine and the stress my procedure has placed on my body has made controlling my blood sugar difficult.  It is currently 79 which is about perfect for this time in the morning (I usually have breakfast at 4am) and my average for the week is128, which is too high for just before ones first meal.  The recommended level is in the high eighties.  Normal is 90 to 110.
  This is my highest weekly average in 13 weeks.  After my trip to the emergency room my reading shot up to over 240 although I had not eaten.  It isn't always food that causes a diabetic to lose control and contrary to popular opinion it isn't the consumption of sugar that causes all high readings.
  Not being able to exercise is taking it's toll too.  Simple tasks are sapping my energy.  I will be so glad when I can get back to the gym and my daily chores.  

First Day after catherter

   I know this is personal and not a interesting subject but then this is my personal journal.  I had one bag removed yesterday but the G-bag, the one on my side that captures the drainage from my side is still there but the discharge seems to finally be declining.
  Every time I think I'm making progress I cough (suffer from allergies)   which makes me squirt.  But I have made it from the cough to the bathroom which is great.  The only thing is I have to think and concentrate in order to do it.  That's something we take for granted because, as adults, we have been doing it so long it no longer requires thought.  But think back to when you were a baby.
  That's what I thought.  The muscle that controls the flow was detached during surgery and then reattached The gland that surrounded that muscle has been removed so the sensation one has is totally different and the brain and that muscle have to be trained to work together.  The doctors say it could take up to a year but the more dedicated I am to doing my exercises, the faster I will improve.
  It's like our relationship to our heavenly father.  The more we talk to each other the closer we grow.  Any relationship takes work, including a spiritual one.  

One Step forward, two steps back

   We have all had days in which we feel we are making no progress and somethings feel as if we are going backwards.  Well, that is me this week.  I was excited Monday when the tubing in my body was removed even though I am unable to exercise full control of my bladder, I have learned how to dress to minimize the effects and am doing my exercises to strengthen the necessary muscles to regain control.
  I took my first shower Tuesday Morning and it felt so good to be clean from top to bottom. Things were fine that first day.  Wednesday  after I got dressed I noticed a wet spot on my shirt.  I couldn't remember splashing water on myself but thought that must have been what happened so I continued with putting on my socks and shoes.  Once I was fully dressed I noticed the wet spot had grown larger.  I pulled up my shirt and noticed that a stream of liquid was squirting from one of the incisions on my left side so I grabbed a change of clothes and headed to the Emergency Department at the Salisbury VA.
  It was 8 am when I left home and I was released from the ED at 3:30, catheter back in place in addition to another bag attached to my side.  If that wasn't miserable enough, I  arrived home just in time to change into my church clothes.  I was leading the services.  It had been my plans to spent part of the day putting the finishing details on my message. Even though the main body of my message was one of the best of my life, I realized I had not had sufficient time to work out the close so I just had to stop.
  Even though I had made notes,    I looked at them only once and decided I was fine without them.  Although my message was briefer than normal and without a sufficient closing statement, I do believer it was a powerful message and the small congregation was visually moved, some to tears.   God has a way of taking the inadequate and making something significant from it and He did so with that message Wednesday.
  Today I am heading to the Salisbury VA again to have what was installed Wednesday removed so maybe, I can start the healing process in earnest today.