Hello Thursday, it’s nice to see ya again. However, I do wish that it wasn’t yet another overcast day. I’m looking forward to some sunshine for a change. Cloudy days just seem to put me and other folks in a funk. It kind of just takes the energy out of a person and makes you feel like doing nothing but sit and stare at a wall. I’ve read studies that say that cloudy weather in long stretches will hamper production mentally and physically and I think it is true. So, let’s all hope some sunshine breaks through the clouds before the day is over.
I went up to the churches yesterday and did some cleaning out of stuff that really needed to go. There was stuff in the desk drawers that I put in them years ago. Needless to say, the stuff wasn’t relevant any longer. But, people do that, I know I have. When I started up at those churches years ago there was stuff that I had no idea about what to do with so I just left it alone and it sat there in the file drawers and in the desks and on the shelves. I left up there three years ago and my replacement obviously did the same thing that I did. So, yesterday, I brought home three garbage bags of irrelevant stuff and put in my trash can. I need to get things ready for when they deliver the new furniture next week for my office at St. Lucas.
I went yesterday to St. Paul’s and ran the large print bulletins. They still have the same copier that they had when I left and it works well. I only wasted three pieces of paper re-familiarizing myself on how to do it. In fact, the copier still had the piece of paper with instructions on it that Ms. Kate had put there several years ago. It was literally like I had never left.
I need to take Ms. Kate to get her glasses fitted today. We were going to do that a few days ago but she wasn’t feeling well and we put it off. I don’t know if they have gotten bent or what but they seem to be too tight on her and it gives her headaches. So, we’ll go see if they can bend them out a little and re-fit them to her face and temples. Other than that, I don’t think we have any big plans today. Tomorrow we meet our friends at St. Joe Inn for lunch. We always look forward to that.
There is a squirrel sitting there on a branch about three feet from the glass and it is giving me the “evil eye” because the feeder it want to eat from is empty. And we know that I only live to make sure squirrels have their feeders filled. He will have to wait. The cardinals and the mockingbird and the finches and woodpeckers seem to be having no problem finding something to eat, so suck it up Buttercup. I don’t care how hard you swish your tail at me. LOL
Tie to go. Have a blessed day.
Thursday, January 30, 2020
Tuesday, January 28, 2020
It is another dreary morning; it’s thirty degrees and cloudy without a hint of sunshine. My guests this morning mostly consist of a couple of starlings and a mockingbird, and one lone cardinal. I had a wren here for awhile but it has gone on to work I guess. If you watch the leaves on the ground closely, you will see some of them moving; that would be the junkos rummaging around. I love to watch the junkos but generally when you see them, snow isn’t too far behind and it looks like a day when we could let some flurries at least.
We had a fairly productive day yesterday. Ms, Kate and I got the laundry done first thing in the morning. Then we went to Office Depot and I put in my order for furniture for my St. Lucas office. The desk and two bookcases will arrive next Monday, the 3rd, and the cabinet/wardrobe will arrive on the 7th. Then the guys at St. Lucas can figure out when they are going to assemble it all. That will take a few hours to do. We went to the office yesterday and figured out how to run the copier and I ran the bulletins for both churches yesterday. I still need to go to St. Paul’s and familiarize myself with that machine again. It is the same one they had three years so I should catch on fairly quickly again. I’ll run the large print bulletins for both churches up there. I plan to go back to the churches tomorrow. I have a bunch of things to take up there but will do that over time. It did feel wonderful to be able to”hang my shingle” outside y office door at St. Lucas though. Heather bought me a beautiful one several years ago that I hang outside the office door at that church. It felt very natural hanging it back up there. I had taken it to Zoar and put it on a shelf but since I was an interim and co-pastor, I didn’t invest in taking a bunch of stuff to that office. Now, I’m in the last pastoral job I will be in.
Did I tell you that my daffodils are coming up? The ones in the northeast flower bed are up about four inches. They always come up first. I haven’t checked the ones we have back here in the back yard. But spring is about six weeks away now so we should start to see the early plants coming up a little. My backyard needs a really good raking this year. That will wait until we get a few seventy degree days though. Right now, all of those leaves out there are doing a good job of mulching and protecting the daffodils and tulips that have yet to sprout up.
I have work to do so I better get at it. Enjoy your day. If it is cloudy and gloomy wherever you are —- stop and give thanks to God for all of the blessings you woke up to this morning. That little conversation will help to brighten up your day. Peace my friends.
We had a fairly productive day yesterday. Ms, Kate and I got the laundry done first thing in the morning. Then we went to Office Depot and I put in my order for furniture for my St. Lucas office. The desk and two bookcases will arrive next Monday, the 3rd, and the cabinet/wardrobe will arrive on the 7th. Then the guys at St. Lucas can figure out when they are going to assemble it all. That will take a few hours to do. We went to the office yesterday and figured out how to run the copier and I ran the bulletins for both churches yesterday. I still need to go to St. Paul’s and familiarize myself with that machine again. It is the same one they had three years so I should catch on fairly quickly again. I’ll run the large print bulletins for both churches up there. I plan to go back to the churches tomorrow. I have a bunch of things to take up there but will do that over time. It did feel wonderful to be able to”hang my shingle” outside y office door at St. Lucas though. Heather bought me a beautiful one several years ago that I hang outside the office door at that church. It felt very natural hanging it back up there. I had taken it to Zoar and put it on a shelf but since I was an interim and co-pastor, I didn’t invest in taking a bunch of stuff to that office. Now, I’m in the last pastoral job I will be in.
Did I tell you that my daffodils are coming up? The ones in the northeast flower bed are up about four inches. They always come up first. I haven’t checked the ones we have back here in the back yard. But spring is about six weeks away now so we should start to see the early plants coming up a little. My backyard needs a really good raking this year. That will wait until we get a few seventy degree days though. Right now, all of those leaves out there are doing a good job of mulching and protecting the daffodils and tulips that have yet to sprout up.
I have work to do so I better get at it. Enjoy your day. If it is cloudy and gloomy wherever you are —- stop and give thanks to God for all of the blessings you woke up to this morning. That little conversation will help to brighten up your day. Peace my friends.
Monday, January 27, 2020
Good morning from my kitchen table as I have my bagel and cream cheese. I do like my bagel and cream cheese. It is a relatively recent acquired taste, as in the last decade. I don’t know when I started eating them. My favorite is the “everything” bagel. When we actually have them in the house, I’ll eat them as a snack anytime of the day. So, they go rather quickly.
I’m having trouble typing this morning. Saturday evening I had a “pointer finger” fingernail break partly off and instead of getting up out of my chair and getting a fingernail file or clipper I tore it the rest of the way across. Bad idea! I took some flesh off with it and now it is sore as the dickens to the touch. I’ve done that a lot of times over the span of my life. One would think that I would learn. But, I guess not. I’ll give it a couple of more days and by then it should have grown back out some. Until then, I’ll just keep banging it on stuff and double typing letters when I write and fuss at myself for being dumb.
I’m officially a PIT as of today thru Friday. That’s “Pastor In Transition” in case you were wondering. I’ve done my last sermon at Zoar but I’m “still on the books” until the end of the month. So, while I’m still on the books, I’m available for clergy duties in case an emergency come up with one of our people at Zoar. However, I’m not yet “on the books” at the Ft. Branch churches, I’ll be going back and forth up there to set up my two offices and will learn how to run the copier ( yes, they put the new toner in yesterday) and I’ll get the bulletins run for Sunday. Hence, —- I’m PIT; getting paid but not working at one place and not getting paid but working at the other. Aren’t you glad you don’t have to keep up with me?
It’s a 32 degree cloudy day and doesn’t promise to get too much better. I think the high today is supposed to be about 38. But nothing is falling from the sky so it’s all good. Ms. Kate and I are going out after while. I need to take her to the optometrist and have her glasses adjusted. Then I guess we will head up to the churches and try to do some stuff. I really don’t know what we will do except this will be the first time we’ll have the place to ourselves and can take our time making decisions. Ms. Kate bought me a new office chair and I’ll put that together and we will find out how the copier works. It’s all a matter of falling into a new routine and settling down.
The backyard is a bit muddy still so I think I’ll wait another day to go out and fill feeders. There is plenty of food out there but the squirrels have depleted most of the sunflower seed. Too bad for them. They should have spaced it out a bit instead of sitting there stuffing themselves all at once like hogs.
My bagel is gone and my cup is empty for the second time. I reckon that is my signal to get off of here and get busy. Ms. Kate and I are doing laundry before we head out for the day. You have yourself a blessed week. Take care of yourself and take care of other people too. Peace.
I’m having trouble typing this morning. Saturday evening I had a “pointer finger” fingernail break partly off and instead of getting up out of my chair and getting a fingernail file or clipper I tore it the rest of the way across. Bad idea! I took some flesh off with it and now it is sore as the dickens to the touch. I’ve done that a lot of times over the span of my life. One would think that I would learn. But, I guess not. I’ll give it a couple of more days and by then it should have grown back out some. Until then, I’ll just keep banging it on stuff and double typing letters when I write and fuss at myself for being dumb.
I’m officially a PIT as of today thru Friday. That’s “Pastor In Transition” in case you were wondering. I’ve done my last sermon at Zoar but I’m “still on the books” until the end of the month. So, while I’m still on the books, I’m available for clergy duties in case an emergency come up with one of our people at Zoar. However, I’m not yet “on the books” at the Ft. Branch churches, I’ll be going back and forth up there to set up my two offices and will learn how to run the copier ( yes, they put the new toner in yesterday) and I’ll get the bulletins run for Sunday. Hence, —- I’m PIT; getting paid but not working at one place and not getting paid but working at the other. Aren’t you glad you don’t have to keep up with me?
It’s a 32 degree cloudy day and doesn’t promise to get too much better. I think the high today is supposed to be about 38. But nothing is falling from the sky so it’s all good. Ms. Kate and I are going out after while. I need to take her to the optometrist and have her glasses adjusted. Then I guess we will head up to the churches and try to do some stuff. I really don’t know what we will do except this will be the first time we’ll have the place to ourselves and can take our time making decisions. Ms. Kate bought me a new office chair and I’ll put that together and we will find out how the copier works. It’s all a matter of falling into a new routine and settling down.
The backyard is a bit muddy still so I think I’ll wait another day to go out and fill feeders. There is plenty of food out there but the squirrels have depleted most of the sunflower seed. Too bad for them. They should have spaced it out a bit instead of sitting there stuffing themselves all at once like hogs.
My bagel is gone and my cup is empty for the second time. I reckon that is my signal to get off of here and get busy. Ms. Kate and I are doing laundry before we head out for the day. You have yourself a blessed week. Take care of yourself and take care of other people too. Peace.
Saturday, January 25, 2020
Some of mmy favorite guests are here this morning. There are at least a dozen cardinals at the feeders right now and probably a half dozen wrens, although the wrens are so quick and flitty that it is hard to get a count on them. There may only be three but it seems like more. I also have a couple of woodpeckers, a mockingbird, finches and sparrows and a couple of doves. It is a busy place today.
I’m up way too early today for absolutely no reason. Well, truth be told, it’s Ms. Kate’s fault. She turned over in the bed and in the process punched me in the back and it woke me up. I lay there for a few minutes and then checked the clock and it was a decent time to be getting out of the bed. So, here I am. She woke up too a few minutes later and came out and checked on me —- but she went back to bed. I donn’t blame her, we have nothing on the schedule for today and I may just plop the recliner back and have a snooze after awhile myself. I love a lazy day.
Yesterday afternoon we went out to SAM’s to see if they had any office furniture and pick up some stuff that we needed. They didn’t have anything on display. I thought they used to carry desks and stuff but all they had was some chairs. So we took are frozen food home and put it in the freezer and then went to Office Depot to talk to them. I didn’t order anything just yet but I did find a nice comfortable desk chair that was half price so I bought that. Office Depot has a “furniture guy” that allegedly you can contact and he will help with the selections available etc. They don’t have a lot in stock. I took down the web address for them and sent a message last night. But, it is a weekend and I doubt I will hear from him until Monday if in fact the message got through. Somehow, I don’t have a lot of confidence in that process butI’m i no real hurry so I’ll give it a chance. The guy is in Indianapolis and when I put in the advertised web address I ended up on “Linked -In” for the guy and that isn’t what I wanted. So, I sent an email to him at the web address. I’m probably better off just ordering it on line at officedepot.com.
So tomorrow is my last Sunday at Zoar and I think I told you that I get to do an infant baptism for my last Sunday. That makes me very happy. I love doing infant baptisms because I love it when parents bring their children to God’s altar for dedication. To me, it is a very special time. I was honored a few years ago to baptism Lauren and Jon, two of my grandchildren. Baptizing them and doing my daughter Heather’s wedding ceremony are the highlights of my ministry career.
It’s refill time for the cup so I’m gone. Have a blessed weekend. Go to your house of worship and take timee to give God glory and thanksgiving. Peace.
I’m up way too early today for absolutely no reason. Well, truth be told, it’s Ms. Kate’s fault. She turned over in the bed and in the process punched me in the back and it woke me up. I lay there for a few minutes and then checked the clock and it was a decent time to be getting out of the bed. So, here I am. She woke up too a few minutes later and came out and checked on me —- but she went back to bed. I donn’t blame her, we have nothing on the schedule for today and I may just plop the recliner back and have a snooze after awhile myself. I love a lazy day.
Yesterday afternoon we went out to SAM’s to see if they had any office furniture and pick up some stuff that we needed. They didn’t have anything on display. I thought they used to carry desks and stuff but all they had was some chairs. So we took are frozen food home and put it in the freezer and then went to Office Depot to talk to them. I didn’t order anything just yet but I did find a nice comfortable desk chair that was half price so I bought that. Office Depot has a “furniture guy” that allegedly you can contact and he will help with the selections available etc. They don’t have a lot in stock. I took down the web address for them and sent a message last night. But, it is a weekend and I doubt I will hear from him until Monday if in fact the message got through. Somehow, I don’t have a lot of confidence in that process butI’m i no real hurry so I’ll give it a chance. The guy is in Indianapolis and when I put in the advertised web address I ended up on “Linked -In” for the guy and that isn’t what I wanted. So, I sent an email to him at the web address. I’m probably better off just ordering it on line at officedepot.com.
So tomorrow is my last Sunday at Zoar and I think I told you that I get to do an infant baptism for my last Sunday. That makes me very happy. I love doing infant baptisms because I love it when parents bring their children to God’s altar for dedication. To me, it is a very special time. I was honored a few years ago to baptism Lauren and Jon, two of my grandchildren. Baptizing them and doing my daughter Heather’s wedding ceremony are the highlights of my ministry career.
It’s refill time for the cup so I’m gone. Have a blessed weekend. Go to your house of worship and take timee to give God glory and thanksgiving. Peace.
Friday, January 24, 2020
Sitting here in my recliner I can see squirrels on two of my feeders and two more in Margaret’s trees looking this way, probably trying to decide whether to come on over and start a fuss and chase. At the moment they are my only guests at the Backyard Buffet. I had three cardinals come through and swipe a bite but they didn’t stay. It looks like I may have to fill a couple of the sunflower seed feeders some time in the next couple of days. It is a bit sloppy out there today yet and according to my AccuWeather app, we have more rain starting this morning. That’’s no bueno. But, it is forty degrees ut there and hat’s not bad at all. I keep waiting for the “snowshoe” to drop. So far we’ve only had the one minor snow and as far as I’m concerned, we don’t need any more. But, winter is only half over and we’ve been known to have snow as late as April around here. God will send what God will send.
I went to meet with Dave, the current pastor, yesterday so he could show me how to work the copier. Well, I got there and the machine was. Still out of toner and we couldn’t run any. UPS had been to the church to deliver it butt since there was no one at the church they didn’t leave it. So, Dave called the council president last evening about it. I don’t know what they are going to do about it. It’s not my problem until next week. LOL Technically, it isn’t my problem until a week from tomorrow, but I can’t wait until then to start setting up my offices. (Yes, I have one at each church.) I have a bunch of “just stuff” to take up there and I have a bunch of book that I want to move from my office downstairs to one of the offices, probably St. Lucas, to use up there. Ms. Kate and I need to go to Office Depot and place our order for the new furniture for the St. Lucas office. What they have is at least twenty years old and is really showing it’s wear and tear. There simply isn’t space at that church to do too much so the Pastor’s office is also the room for the filing cabinets and the copier machine. Back when it was all built, the pastor was living in the parsonages next door and worked out of there. I feel that the Pastor’s Office should have a certain setting that says professionalism. I know the church budget is limited and we need to use our money to support missions etc. so, I told the council that I would buy the stuff myself if they will assemble it. The office at St. Paul’s is a “new addition” to the building and the furniture in there is in much better shape. I don’t spend a of of time in either of the offices so maybe it isn’t a big deal but I hope to are it look a little better and be more “user-friendly”.
My aviary guests are starting to arrive and the mockingbird and the starling are going to do battle of the one feeder. So, I think I will refill my cup of coffee and sit “ringside “ for the Battle Royale. You go have yourself a blessed day. Peace.
I went to meet with Dave, the current pastor, yesterday so he could show me how to work the copier. Well, I got there and the machine was. Still out of toner and we couldn’t run any. UPS had been to the church to deliver it butt since there was no one at the church they didn’t leave it. So, Dave called the council president last evening about it. I don’t know what they are going to do about it. It’s not my problem until next week. LOL Technically, it isn’t my problem until a week from tomorrow, but I can’t wait until then to start setting up my offices. (Yes, I have one at each church.) I have a bunch of “just stuff” to take up there and I have a bunch of book that I want to move from my office downstairs to one of the offices, probably St. Lucas, to use up there. Ms. Kate and I need to go to Office Depot and place our order for the new furniture for the St. Lucas office. What they have is at least twenty years old and is really showing it’s wear and tear. There simply isn’t space at that church to do too much so the Pastor’s office is also the room for the filing cabinets and the copier machine. Back when it was all built, the pastor was living in the parsonages next door and worked out of there. I feel that the Pastor’s Office should have a certain setting that says professionalism. I know the church budget is limited and we need to use our money to support missions etc. so, I told the council that I would buy the stuff myself if they will assemble it. The office at St. Paul’s is a “new addition” to the building and the furniture in there is in much better shape. I don’t spend a of of time in either of the offices so maybe it isn’t a big deal but I hope to are it look a little better and be more “user-friendly”.
My aviary guests are starting to arrive and the mockingbird and the starling are going to do battle of the one feeder. So, I think I will refill my cup of coffee and sit “ringside “ for the Battle Royale. You go have yourself a blessed day. Peace.
Thursday, January 23, 2020
A blessed mid-day to you. How has your morning been. one has been uneventful. It is Thursday and that means that a “new case” comes out on my computer game; Criminal Case. It’s a simple game but it is fun and it is good brain exercise. I think a case could take you a week , maybe two to play if you just played one time a day. I, on the other hand play it at least four times a day between my PC and my IPad. Therefore, I’ll be through this case no later than Monday evening. Then I go into “time-out” and have to wait until Thursday for another case. It’s a hidden object game so the brain part is remembering where things are because you play each panel many times and they keep adding objects to find as well as the old ones. Besides the Criminal Case, I also play Bingo Bash so that takes up a couple of hours of my morning while I have my coffee and watch my Backyard Buffet guests.
After my games, I cleaned up and got dressed for the day and then got on my recumbent bike and rode for just over an hour for 8.3 miles. I have been very lazy about getting on the bike and riding and that isn’t a good thing. This was my first ride this week. I enjoyed it. I put on my earphones and my IPad on You Tube and watch videos or I pull up one of my albums and listen to that. I had hoped to do ten miles this morning but “nature called” and I had to stop. And once I’m off, I don’t start again. I could go back and ride another couple of les but somehow, it seems to me that I’m cheating if I take a break. Yeh, I know that’s silly but that’s me.
I’m going up to St. Lucas church in a few minutes and meet with Dave, the current pastor so he can show me how to run some of the equipment. They have a new copier since I worked there and since next week I’m going to need to know how to run that thing, I better get some instruction. He’s going to ru his bulletins today so I can watch him do that. If I learn nothing else, I need to know where the instruction book is.
It is drizzling a few drops of rain at the moment. I think the rain is supposed to pick up and get heavier yet today. And then we are expecting showers again tomorrow. BUt, it is warming up just to about normal temps so that is a good thing.
Okay, I’m gone. You have a wonderful day and stay i touch with The Lord. It will make your day go so much better. Shalom.
After my games, I cleaned up and got dressed for the day and then got on my recumbent bike and rode for just over an hour for 8.3 miles. I have been very lazy about getting on the bike and riding and that isn’t a good thing. This was my first ride this week. I enjoyed it. I put on my earphones and my IPad on You Tube and watch videos or I pull up one of my albums and listen to that. I had hoped to do ten miles this morning but “nature called” and I had to stop. And once I’m off, I don’t start again. I could go back and ride another couple of les but somehow, it seems to me that I’m cheating if I take a break. Yeh, I know that’s silly but that’s me.
I’m going up to St. Lucas church in a few minutes and meet with Dave, the current pastor so he can show me how to run some of the equipment. They have a new copier since I worked there and since next week I’m going to need to know how to run that thing, I better get some instruction. He’s going to ru his bulletins today so I can watch him do that. If I learn nothing else, I need to know where the instruction book is.
It is drizzling a few drops of rain at the moment. I think the rain is supposed to pick up and get heavier yet today. And then we are expecting showers again tomorrow. BUt, it is warming up just to about normal temps so that is a good thing.
Okay, I’m gone. You have a wonderful day and stay i touch with The Lord. It will make your day go so much better. Shalom.
Wednesday, January 22, 2020
Wednesday! Hump Day! And --- last "office day" at Zoar United Church of Christ. Sunday I will preach my last sermon and I will put my robe in its zip-up bag and walk out the door and Monday I will start at my new church. That really sounds strange to me. I usually have a break between assignments but not this time. There is too much to get done. There is always a flurry of stuff to do when you start a new job and a lot of it is just "stuff" like arranging the office like you want it so it can work best for you., -- going through left over stuff that you know is of zero importance. When I was pastor at that parish before, there was stuff that I knew was of no value and had been there for no one knows how long, but I let it set there because I thought I might offend somebody by throwing it away. Well, I looked in the cabinet that is in the office up there and nothing has been moved or touched which means the current pastor didn't know what to do with it either. LOL. Well, this time I'm going to be a bit more bold in my house cleaning.
Last night I went through all of the bulletins that I have to produce for February. Since I have two churches, that means I have two sets of bulletins. I use basically the same service at both churches but there are tailored ting for each church, so I can make just one bulletin; although, I'm going to work on that problem. So, now I am completely ready for February. It will just be a matter of printing out the bulletins each week. I also got started on the March bulletins, or at least the bulletin for March 1st, which is the first Sunday of March. That will be a communion Sunday and those bulletins take a bit more work.
When I leave the office today, I'm heading to a parishioner's home and do an in-home communion with them. He doesn't get to church do to illness (cancer) so I try to do comunion with them at least every six weeks and they seem to appreciate it. But, this will be my last opportunity so I don't want to miss it. I've known these folks for at least seventy years and they are great people.
Having said all of that, I need to close up shop here and go see my people. Have a blessed week. ---- you're half way through the work week. Peace.
Last night I went through all of the bulletins that I have to produce for February. Since I have two churches, that means I have two sets of bulletins. I use basically the same service at both churches but there are tailored ting for each church, so I can make just one bulletin; although, I'm going to work on that problem. So, now I am completely ready for February. It will just be a matter of printing out the bulletins each week. I also got started on the March bulletins, or at least the bulletin for March 1st, which is the first Sunday of March. That will be a communion Sunday and those bulletins take a bit more work.
When I leave the office today, I'm heading to a parishioner's home and do an in-home communion with them. He doesn't get to church do to illness (cancer) so I try to do comunion with them at least every six weeks and they seem to appreciate it. But, this will be my last opportunity so I don't want to miss it. I've known these folks for at least seventy years and they are great people.
Having said all of that, I need to close up shop here and go see my people. Have a blessed week. ---- you're half way through the work week. Peace.
Tuesday, January 21, 2020
“We’re having a heat wave — a tropical heat wave.” At least that’s how the song goes. (Now you’re humming it; — sorry) It’s not exactly tropical but it is warmer at 27 degrees than it ever got yesterday. So, we’ll take it.
Not much is happening in the Backyard Buffet this morning. I had a couple of squirrels come by but they were more interested in chasing one another all over the yard than stopping to eat. I had a small gaggle of starlings come by for about five minutes and then they all took off. Now, just a couple of cardinals remain steady with an occasional woodpecker showing up. But, give it another half an hour and it will be morning feeding time for everyone. I have their habits and schedules pretty well set. Even when the feeders go empty, they come back at their normal times. That’s why I try to refill feeders when it is getting to be feeding times. My guests seem to be watching and as soon as I walk away from the feeders they swoop in.
I had aa productive day yesterday. I left the office and went to do a hospital visitation. I’m happy to report that my parishioner was moved out of SDICU, I think that means “Step Down Intensive Care Unit, for those not as critical. So, he should be back in a “normal” hospital room this morning and maybe they will even get him up and walk him a little bit. He has a long way to go for his recuperation and of course with his particular surgery, he will never have the life he had before. But, as I have said, at his age and with his temperament, he is doing marvelous. He’ll be 91 in a couple of weeks. Heck he may out live me.
After my visitation, I went to lunch at Bob Evans. I like to have breakfast meal any time of thee day and Bob Evans is as good a place as any especially since it was close. From there I came home and Ms. Kate and I sat in our recliners and took a short nap. After dinner, I went down stairs and got on my computer and finally finished the sermon that I had been working on for over a week. It had turned into “one of those”; the sermon that you get half way through and hit a mental road block. But, last evening the brain dam broke and I was able to get the last couple of pages finished. Now I can start on my sermons for March. I haven’t looked at the liturgical calendar yet to see what the scriptures are going to be. But, as of February 26th, we will be in the Lenten season for the next seven weeks so the season kind of dictates what the messages will be. In case you didn’t know, Liturgical Calendars run in three year cycles. So every third year you start repeating the scriptures that you used three years before. That often makes it difficult to try to find something fresh to say especially if you have been preaching sermons for a long time. But, we’ll give it a go and see what happens.
That’s about it for today. Say a prayer or many prayers for our nation. Today the US Senate began the Impeachment Trial for the President of the United States. This is only the third time in the history of our nation that this has happened. I would be lying if I said I even thought that prayerful heads and thoughts would prevail because I know they won’t. This thing has sorely divided our nation and I pray God will place a hand of calm on the hearts and minds of those involved. God be with us. Peace.
Not much is happening in the Backyard Buffet this morning. I had a couple of squirrels come by but they were more interested in chasing one another all over the yard than stopping to eat. I had a small gaggle of starlings come by for about five minutes and then they all took off. Now, just a couple of cardinals remain steady with an occasional woodpecker showing up. But, give it another half an hour and it will be morning feeding time for everyone. I have their habits and schedules pretty well set. Even when the feeders go empty, they come back at their normal times. That’s why I try to refill feeders when it is getting to be feeding times. My guests seem to be watching and as soon as I walk away from the feeders they swoop in.
I had aa productive day yesterday. I left the office and went to do a hospital visitation. I’m happy to report that my parishioner was moved out of SDICU, I think that means “Step Down Intensive Care Unit, for those not as critical. So, he should be back in a “normal” hospital room this morning and maybe they will even get him up and walk him a little bit. He has a long way to go for his recuperation and of course with his particular surgery, he will never have the life he had before. But, as I have said, at his age and with his temperament, he is doing marvelous. He’ll be 91 in a couple of weeks. Heck he may out live me.
After my visitation, I went to lunch at Bob Evans. I like to have breakfast meal any time of thee day and Bob Evans is as good a place as any especially since it was close. From there I came home and Ms. Kate and I sat in our recliners and took a short nap. After dinner, I went down stairs and got on my computer and finally finished the sermon that I had been working on for over a week. It had turned into “one of those”; the sermon that you get half way through and hit a mental road block. But, last evening the brain dam broke and I was able to get the last couple of pages finished. Now I can start on my sermons for March. I haven’t looked at the liturgical calendar yet to see what the scriptures are going to be. But, as of February 26th, we will be in the Lenten season for the next seven weeks so the season kind of dictates what the messages will be. In case you didn’t know, Liturgical Calendars run in three year cycles. So every third year you start repeating the scriptures that you used three years before. That often makes it difficult to try to find something fresh to say especially if you have been preaching sermons for a long time. But, we’ll give it a go and see what happens.
That’s about it for today. Say a prayer or many prayers for our nation. Today the US Senate began the Impeachment Trial for the President of the United States. This is only the third time in the history of our nation that this has happened. I would be lying if I said I even thought that prayerful heads and thoughts would prevail because I know they won’t. This thing has sorely divided our nation and I pray God will place a hand of calm on the hearts and minds of those involved. God be with us. Peace.
Monday, January 20, 2020
Monday morning, January 20th. It is 18 degrees and it is snowing. It is a light snow, and it is a dry snow so it just blows around. That means it won't amount to much. I'm glad that it is staying light because when I leave the office I need to go to do a visitation at the hospital. Evansville drivers are bad enough in good weather, and throw a snowflake or two around and they act like total idiots sometimes.
This is my last week at Zoar church as the co-pastor. I'll preach the sermon this coming Sunday and then we have a congregational meeting that I'll attend and that will be that. I have already claned out everything but my pastoral robe and the stole for this week's baptism so moving out will amount to leaving the keys on the desk and closing the door. It has been a wonderful experience being the co-pastor here and I have truly enjoyed working with Rev. Dr. Art Christmas as his co-pastor. I have learned so much from him and he has been a great mentor.
I went to meet with the second of the two church councils that I will be dealing with beginning next week. It was a good meeting and I think we are all on the same page. Ms. Kate and I are going to order new furniture for the office and pay for it. It will just be a donation to the church. I found some nice looking stuff on line at Office Depot. I told the council president that I will order it and pay for it but --- they will have to put it all together. That's some heavy stuff.
Julie came over for the weekend and we had a realy good visit and she got some rest because Jim had her leave the dogs at home with him. She had to head back home yesterday rather than today tough because she had bloodwork to be done first thing this morning. Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day so it is a federal holiday which means school was closed for her.
Time to go, sorry this is short. Have a blessed week. Try to stay warm.
This is my last week at Zoar church as the co-pastor. I'll preach the sermon this coming Sunday and then we have a congregational meeting that I'll attend and that will be that. I have already claned out everything but my pastoral robe and the stole for this week's baptism so moving out will amount to leaving the keys on the desk and closing the door. It has been a wonderful experience being the co-pastor here and I have truly enjoyed working with Rev. Dr. Art Christmas as his co-pastor. I have learned so much from him and he has been a great mentor.
I went to meet with the second of the two church councils that I will be dealing with beginning next week. It was a good meeting and I think we are all on the same page. Ms. Kate and I are going to order new furniture for the office and pay for it. It will just be a donation to the church. I found some nice looking stuff on line at Office Depot. I told the council president that I will order it and pay for it but --- they will have to put it all together. That's some heavy stuff.
Julie came over for the weekend and we had a realy good visit and she got some rest because Jim had her leave the dogs at home with him. She had to head back home yesterday rather than today tough because she had bloodwork to be done first thing this morning. Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day so it is a federal holiday which means school was closed for her.
Time to go, sorry this is short. Have a blessed week. Try to stay warm.
Saturday, January 18, 2020
Hello rainy Saturday morning! We haven’t seen one of you around since, oh —— last weekend. But, rumor is that you are bringing along your friend, Mr. Winter-cold Weather. I know it is January and it is winter time; but, you could have left that dude up north. We’ve really been enjoying having our friend Lady Mild-Temperature here. Forecasters say we are going to be getting two or three days of bitter cold. Nothing about that sounds remotely like fun.
As I suspected, I have a lot of guests here this morning despite the rain. I have lots of cardinals, finches, woodpeckers, doves, a mockingbird, wrens, and of course —- squirrels. When the “tweet” (sorry for the pun) goes out that the Backyard Buffet is open for business, the customers do come flying. Even the squirrels appear to be flying, the way they jump from tree to tree.
I’m down to only two Sundays left at my current position as co-pastor at Zoar UCC. Next Sunday, my last Sunday, I will have the honor of doing an infant baptism. What a wonderful way to finish up a ministry. It has been such an honor to have served at this church because as I have told you, it is my “home-Church”, the one I was raised in, baptized in, and confirmed in. Tomorrow afternoon I meet with the council of the second of the two churches I’m moving to. It gives me a chance to requaint myself with them and ask and answer any questions we have have of one another. And I want to take a look at the pastor’s study and see how they currently have it arraigned.
Julies came down yesterday afternoon and is staying through tomorrow. She is busy working on her college homework. She came without the puppies this time so hopefully she’ll get better rest since they won’t be waking her up and constantly wanting to go in and out. They are good dogs but they are “needy”. Just another reason I’m past having animals. I like having a dog but I’m past the having to walk them, and clean up after them, and let them in and out and cleaning up the hair etc. I have had a lot of dogs over the years s that niche has been filled.
It is Saturday morning so of course I’m going to remind you to go to church tomorrow. God has once again given you a week a blessings whether you have been able to recognize them or not. So, take the opportunity to sit with your fellowman and give praise to the glory of God and be grateful. Peace.
As I suspected, I have a lot of guests here this morning despite the rain. I have lots of cardinals, finches, woodpeckers, doves, a mockingbird, wrens, and of course —- squirrels. When the “tweet” (sorry for the pun) goes out that the Backyard Buffet is open for business, the customers do come flying. Even the squirrels appear to be flying, the way they jump from tree to tree.
I’m down to only two Sundays left at my current position as co-pastor at Zoar UCC. Next Sunday, my last Sunday, I will have the honor of doing an infant baptism. What a wonderful way to finish up a ministry. It has been such an honor to have served at this church because as I have told you, it is my “home-Church”, the one I was raised in, baptized in, and confirmed in. Tomorrow afternoon I meet with the council of the second of the two churches I’m moving to. It gives me a chance to requaint myself with them and ask and answer any questions we have have of one another. And I want to take a look at the pastor’s study and see how they currently have it arraigned.
Julies came down yesterday afternoon and is staying through tomorrow. She is busy working on her college homework. She came without the puppies this time so hopefully she’ll get better rest since they won’t be waking her up and constantly wanting to go in and out. They are good dogs but they are “needy”. Just another reason I’m past having animals. I like having a dog but I’m past the having to walk them, and clean up after them, and let them in and out and cleaning up the hair etc. I have had a lot of dogs over the years s that niche has been filled.
It is Saturday morning so of course I’m going to remind you to go to church tomorrow. God has once again given you a week a blessings whether you have been able to recognize them or not. So, take the opportunity to sit with your fellowman and give praise to the glory of God and be grateful. Peace.
Friday, January 17, 2020
And now it is Friday afternoon. I just came in the house from filling bird feeders. I filled fifteen of the nineteen that I have. While I was filling them, the wrens were up in he trees making the announcement that the Backyard Buffet was being restocked. As I closed the door to the sunporch the birds started landing at the feeders. There are at least a dozen cardinals out there darting from feeder to feeder as well as wrens, doves, woodpeckers, junkos, and chickadees. I saw the squirrels over in Margaret’s trees watching as I went from feeder to feeder. They will be here very shortly as well as the starlings. We are predicted to have a little wintry mix for weather this after noon later so everybody is grabbing while they can. It’s not supposed to amount to much.
Yesterday, Ms. Kate and I took a short “day-date” trip up to Montgomery IN. It is about 60 miles north of our house. It is an Amish community and they have a really good Amish restaurant and bakery there as well and a hotel and gift shop. I was hungry for one of their delicious lemon angel-food cakes and it was worth the drive to me to go get one. Unfortunately the last one they went out the door in the hands of the ladies that I held the door open for. LOL So, the clerk gave me their business card and advised me to call next time a day ahead of time and they will make me one and hold it for me. How cool is that??? Of course while we were there we had to go eat from their buffet. It was delicious as it always is.
I have been trying to get business cards for the new job and it hs been a real effort to find some that are affordable. I had started by going to Office Depot. I had one left over from the last time I was the pastor of those churches so I thought that maybe Office Depot could simply copy those. Well, their estimate came back for Over $100.00 for 500 cards. Next I went to a printing place where I was sure I had gotten the originals made but they couldn’t find me in their system. But they said they would check it out and give me a quote. Well their quote came back at $450.00 for 500 cards. So, yesterday evening Ms. Kate suggested that I try Staples. I went out to Staples and the young guy said, “sure, we can do those”. It cost me $21.34 for 500 cards. Staples did digital imaging and printed them out. I don’t know what the other people were trying to do or look at doing. BUt, I am a very happy camper because today I went and picked them up already.
I wish you were here to watch my aviary menagerie out back. There are birds flying in and out constantly. So, I think I’ll just sit here and watch them until my nap begins. Have a blessed day.
Yesterday, Ms. Kate and I took a short “day-date” trip up to Montgomery IN. It is about 60 miles north of our house. It is an Amish community and they have a really good Amish restaurant and bakery there as well and a hotel and gift shop. I was hungry for one of their delicious lemon angel-food cakes and it was worth the drive to me to go get one. Unfortunately the last one they went out the door in the hands of the ladies that I held the door open for. LOL So, the clerk gave me their business card and advised me to call next time a day ahead of time and they will make me one and hold it for me. How cool is that??? Of course while we were there we had to go eat from their buffet. It was delicious as it always is.
I have been trying to get business cards for the new job and it hs been a real effort to find some that are affordable. I had started by going to Office Depot. I had one left over from the last time I was the pastor of those churches so I thought that maybe Office Depot could simply copy those. Well, their estimate came back for Over $100.00 for 500 cards. Next I went to a printing place where I was sure I had gotten the originals made but they couldn’t find me in their system. But they said they would check it out and give me a quote. Well their quote came back at $450.00 for 500 cards. So, yesterday evening Ms. Kate suggested that I try Staples. I went out to Staples and the young guy said, “sure, we can do those”. It cost me $21.34 for 500 cards. Staples did digital imaging and printed them out. I don’t know what the other people were trying to do or look at doing. BUt, I am a very happy camper because today I went and picked them up already.
I wish you were here to watch my aviary menagerie out back. There are birds flying in and out constantly. So, I think I’ll just sit here and watch them until my nap begins. Have a blessed day.
Wednesday, January 15, 2020
Hello Wednesday, you beautiful thing. It is fifty degrees and there is a light layer of fog that is easy enough to see through but still is beautiful. I’ve often told you that I love a foggy morning like this. The air is still and the earth is silent. God has pulled up the sheets for an extra moment or two to snooze.
I’m not going in to the office this morning. I spent about six hours at the hospital yesterday with a family. The dad was having a serious surgery and much of the family was there. The mom is a member of our church and I have known her for probably seventy years. She teaches the Sunday school class I attend. Dad is catholic so he has his own clergy support but, I’ve known him for thirty years too and at a time like that it really doesn’t matter what church folks are from, prayer is prayer and we need all we can get. I’m very happy to report that the doctor said the operation was successful. he fella is ninety years old but is a fighter with a zest for life. It is still going to be touch and go for awhile as he has a lot of healing to do, a lot of pain to manage, and some drastic life-style changes.
I’m hoping the yard will dry out just a little bit today. The bird-feeders are all empty or almost empty and I need to get out there and fill them this afternoon, It is “warm” today but cold weather is coming by Saturday. The weather forecaster said that the last half of January is going to feel like the winter that we are supposed to be having this time of year. Fortunately, he also said for “snow-lovers” to not get too excited. That makes me excited. LOL But I haven't had any guests here this morning to speak of. I had a couple of cardinals come by and snack on some safflower seed, and a woodpecker or two came by. There is a wren out there at the moment but that is about it. I guarantee you though, as soon as I fill all of the feeders, they will be swarming in.
I’m having lunch today with the current pastor of the parish that I’m going to in February. We’ll talk about how he feels things are at the parish, any changes he has made, and why he has chosen to leave; and since he is also a retired USAF officer, I reckon we’ll talk that kind of stuff too. Dave is two months older than me ad has only been ordained three years. So, I’m anxious to know why he is retiring after only three years. Becoming an ordained minister is not an easy path to follow and I know he worked hard to achieve that goal. I also know that being a pastor can wear you out. That is why I “retired’ from it three years ago, but my “retirement” only lasted a year and I was ready to jump back in. So, basically I just took a year long sabbatical to refresh and review.
Ms. Kate is making a big ol’ pot of veggie soup today. I know what I’ll be having for supper. I love her soups. I can't think of a single soup that she makes that I don’t care for. She makes her vegetable soup very much like her mom did, and I always loved her mom’s soup.
That’s enough for today. I hope your day is filled with joy and love. Peace.
I’m not going in to the office this morning. I spent about six hours at the hospital yesterday with a family. The dad was having a serious surgery and much of the family was there. The mom is a member of our church and I have known her for probably seventy years. She teaches the Sunday school class I attend. Dad is catholic so he has his own clergy support but, I’ve known him for thirty years too and at a time like that it really doesn’t matter what church folks are from, prayer is prayer and we need all we can get. I’m very happy to report that the doctor said the operation was successful. he fella is ninety years old but is a fighter with a zest for life. It is still going to be touch and go for awhile as he has a lot of healing to do, a lot of pain to manage, and some drastic life-style changes.
I’m hoping the yard will dry out just a little bit today. The bird-feeders are all empty or almost empty and I need to get out there and fill them this afternoon, It is “warm” today but cold weather is coming by Saturday. The weather forecaster said that the last half of January is going to feel like the winter that we are supposed to be having this time of year. Fortunately, he also said for “snow-lovers” to not get too excited. That makes me excited. LOL But I haven't had any guests here this morning to speak of. I had a couple of cardinals come by and snack on some safflower seed, and a woodpecker or two came by. There is a wren out there at the moment but that is about it. I guarantee you though, as soon as I fill all of the feeders, they will be swarming in.
I’m having lunch today with the current pastor of the parish that I’m going to in February. We’ll talk about how he feels things are at the parish, any changes he has made, and why he has chosen to leave; and since he is also a retired USAF officer, I reckon we’ll talk that kind of stuff too. Dave is two months older than me ad has only been ordained three years. So, I’m anxious to know why he is retiring after only three years. Becoming an ordained minister is not an easy path to follow and I know he worked hard to achieve that goal. I also know that being a pastor can wear you out. That is why I “retired’ from it three years ago, but my “retirement” only lasted a year and I was ready to jump back in. So, basically I just took a year long sabbatical to refresh and review.
Ms. Kate is making a big ol’ pot of veggie soup today. I know what I’ll be having for supper. I love her soups. I can't think of a single soup that she makes that I don’t care for. She makes her vegetable soup very much like her mom did, and I always loved her mom’s soup.
That’s enough for today. I hope your day is filled with joy and love. Peace.
Monday, January 13, 2020
Monday, January 13th, 2020. Look at that, the first month of the year is almost half over already. I don't think I have done a half a month's worth of work yet but I probably have. Time just slips by doesn't it? I have only two Sunday's left here in my current assignment and they will be busy. Two sermons, one baptism, one council meeting, a couple of in-home communions to go here and of course I'm also getting things in position to transfer to the new parish. Yesterday I had a good meeting with the church council of St. Paul's just get the lay of the land and to kind of remind ourselves of where we stand on things. Nothing has changed to speak of at that church. This coming Sunday I will meet with the St. Lucas council for the same purpose. I suspect nothing has changed much there either. I do want to get a look at the pastor's study and see how it is arranged so I'll know where I'm going to put my computer and printer etc. Ms. Kate and I are also looking at buying a new desk and donating that to the church. The desk that I think is there is probably at least twenty years old and was rickety when I left there three years ago. But, I have to measure the door first to see what the width is. I'm told the door has to be a minimum of 29 inches to turn the desk on its side and get it through a doorway.
I'm currently at the office and we've had the usual Monday morning folks come through. When I leave here I'm going to stop by a nursing home and see a parishioner. I have some magazines that I ant to take to him that I know he will enjoy. Bless his heart, he is paralyzed on over one half of his body and can't do very much. He can't speak nor can he chew so I can never take him comunion. But, I can go and talk to him and I can leave him a couple magazines. He can read and he can turn pages with one hand.
Next I need to take Ms. Kate to the doctor to have her bloodwork done. Her gout seems to be subsiding some at least. She was able to get out to church yesterday and she went to Ft. Branch to the meeting with me. She is able to put a shoe on and get around fairly well. She's doing laundry this morning so her life is getting back to normal, albeit very slowly.
This evening I have the church councl meeting to attend. It will be my last one here at Zoar. The council has been great to work with these past two years. I have been blessed throughout my years as a pastor that I have never had an argumentative church council to have to deal with. I know so many pastor's that seem to be at odds with their council and it makes for a terrible working and worshipping environment. I suspect that it will continue to be the sme when I move up to "The Branch" again.
Well, I have some sermon work to do so I guess I will drop off for the day. Have a most blessed week. Peace.
I'm currently at the office and we've had the usual Monday morning folks come through. When I leave here I'm going to stop by a nursing home and see a parishioner. I have some magazines that I ant to take to him that I know he will enjoy. Bless his heart, he is paralyzed on over one half of his body and can't do very much. He can't speak nor can he chew so I can never take him comunion. But, I can go and talk to him and I can leave him a couple magazines. He can read and he can turn pages with one hand.
Next I need to take Ms. Kate to the doctor to have her bloodwork done. Her gout seems to be subsiding some at least. She was able to get out to church yesterday and she went to Ft. Branch to the meeting with me. She is able to put a shoe on and get around fairly well. She's doing laundry this morning so her life is getting back to normal, albeit very slowly.
This evening I have the church councl meeting to attend. It will be my last one here at Zoar. The council has been great to work with these past two years. I have been blessed throughout my years as a pastor that I have never had an argumentative church council to have to deal with. I know so many pastor's that seem to be at odds with their council and it makes for a terrible working and worshipping environment. I suspect that it will continue to be the sme when I move up to "The Branch" again.
Well, I have some sermon work to do so I guess I will drop off for the day. Have a most blessed week. Peace.
Friday, January 10, 2020
A light rain is falling this morning; it rains, it stops, it rains, it stops. I think it is supposed to be this way most of the day which makes for a fairly yucky day. The blessing, (I think it is a blessing) is that it is fifty one degrees and what is falling from the sky is not snow. The gulf moisture stream is alive and well and we will be having this until sometime tomorrow afternoon. Tomorrow morning we are facing really heavy rain and possibly storms for awhile as this thing passes through. But, we are so much better off than much of the country which is going through some very dangerous, and proven deadly, snow storms.
I don’t have a lot of guests at the Backyard Buffet this morning. Once in awhile if the rain really slows down an occasional titmouse or cardinal comes through and grabs a bite. The squirrels favorite two feeders are empty. (Who’s fault is that ya’ fuzzy tailed rats??) So, they are havig to do some stretching gyrations to get to the others. Of course with the rain, the poles are all slick so it takes several attempts to climb the poles. It’s fun to watch as they jump up, and slide back down.
So, what to do with myself today?? I need to get on the bike and go for a ride to nowhere for about an hour. That will give me about 7.5 miles. Then I reckon, shower, get dressed and probably go downstairs and do a little writing. Or, —- maybe I’ll come back out here to the sun porch and actually just read. I have two Stephen King novels sitting beside my chair that have just been ignored for maybe four months. These are all good options. I could also go sit at my wonderful keyboard and amuse myself for awhile and play some music. I don’t do that near often enough. That thing cost me a lot of money and like so many things, in our lives, we go hot and heavy at it for awhile and then just kind of get away from it. Unfortunately, I’m guilty of that with my recumbent bike already. I started out riding three days a week for about 5 - 10 miles and now, I’m down to a couple or sometime even only one day a week @ 7.5 miles. Anyway, I have lots of options for this rainy day. What I know for sure is that if I just sit here doing nothing. I’ll end up drifting off to sleep and making no use of my time. That would be no bueno.
It’s Friday and that means the work week is coming to a close. I hope your weekend is filled with joy and love. Do something nice for someone this weekend that isn’t expecting it. It will brighten their day and yours as well. And don’t forget to attend your house of worship. Peace .
I don’t have a lot of guests at the Backyard Buffet this morning. Once in awhile if the rain really slows down an occasional titmouse or cardinal comes through and grabs a bite. The squirrels favorite two feeders are empty. (Who’s fault is that ya’ fuzzy tailed rats??) So, they are havig to do some stretching gyrations to get to the others. Of course with the rain, the poles are all slick so it takes several attempts to climb the poles. It’s fun to watch as they jump up, and slide back down.
So, what to do with myself today?? I need to get on the bike and go for a ride to nowhere for about an hour. That will give me about 7.5 miles. Then I reckon, shower, get dressed and probably go downstairs and do a little writing. Or, —- maybe I’ll come back out here to the sun porch and actually just read. I have two Stephen King novels sitting beside my chair that have just been ignored for maybe four months. These are all good options. I could also go sit at my wonderful keyboard and amuse myself for awhile and play some music. I don’t do that near often enough. That thing cost me a lot of money and like so many things, in our lives, we go hot and heavy at it for awhile and then just kind of get away from it. Unfortunately, I’m guilty of that with my recumbent bike already. I started out riding three days a week for about 5 - 10 miles and now, I’m down to a couple or sometime even only one day a week @ 7.5 miles. Anyway, I have lots of options for this rainy day. What I know for sure is that if I just sit here doing nothing. I’ll end up drifting off to sleep and making no use of my time. That would be no bueno.
It’s Friday and that means the work week is coming to a close. I hope your weekend is filled with joy and love. Do something nice for someone this weekend that isn’t expecting it. It will brighten their day and yours as well. And don’t forget to attend your house of worship. Peace .
Thursday, January 9, 2020
It’s 45 degrees and cloudy this morning. It doesn’t feel a lot like winter. But that is just fine with me. I used to say that I hope it gets cold enough to kill the mosquitoes but if you think about it, if cold weather kills mosquitoes, how come every spring the mosquitoes come out by the billions in Alaska? Things that make you go —- Hmmmmm! But — while the mosquitoes might drive the people and animals a little nuts — God also put a half dozen types of swallows in Alaska as mosquitoes control. Don’t you just love how God makes things work?
My morning started off quite nicely. I was sitting there having my coffee watching the Backyard Buffet and along came a pair of Bluebirds. They were sharing a feeder with a couple of Cardinals. Now how much better can it get than that? And, both birds seemed to get their fill and fly off before the starlings moved in. It was such a delight and a blessing start to my day. My feeders are all about half full. We are forecast for 3-5 inches of rain between this evening and Saturday afternoon. The guests will have emptied the feeders by then. So, once it dries out enough to walk out there, I’ll have to fill them again. I think the northwestern half of the Tri-State is to get the majority of the rain but we are right on the edge where it could go either way.
I finally got the Christmas tree taken down and some of the other stuff boxed up. Now it sits there looking at me me because I can’t get to where it needs to be to put it away. Jim carried it all up and in for me and I guess I’ll have to wait until he returns to put it away. In the meantime, it can sit there in the living room. It’s not like we will have company and be sitting in there. I don’t think the couch has 20 “butt-hours” on it yet and it is maybe five years old. Isn’t it strange that people don’t go visit one another anymore? Gosh, over the yers we have thrown so many parties and had so many people to our house, but not any more. I think we have maybe had three large gathering at our current home since we moved in back in 2001. But, we are getting too old to throw events like that anymore and people are too busy being busy. I recall fondly the days when we would go to one another’s houses and play spades or canasta, maybe grill some burgers or dogs, have some cheap snacks and a beer or cocktail or two. Maybe some people still have those days, but certainly not Ms. Kate and me. We have arrived and moved in to “Old Fartsville”.
Gotta get cleaned up and go into town and pick up my computer. You have a blessed day. Peace.
My morning started off quite nicely. I was sitting there having my coffee watching the Backyard Buffet and along came a pair of Bluebirds. They were sharing a feeder with a couple of Cardinals. Now how much better can it get than that? And, both birds seemed to get their fill and fly off before the starlings moved in. It was such a delight and a blessing start to my day. My feeders are all about half full. We are forecast for 3-5 inches of rain between this evening and Saturday afternoon. The guests will have emptied the feeders by then. So, once it dries out enough to walk out there, I’ll have to fill them again. I think the northwestern half of the Tri-State is to get the majority of the rain but we are right on the edge where it could go either way.
I finally got the Christmas tree taken down and some of the other stuff boxed up. Now it sits there looking at me me because I can’t get to where it needs to be to put it away. Jim carried it all up and in for me and I guess I’ll have to wait until he returns to put it away. In the meantime, it can sit there in the living room. It’s not like we will have company and be sitting in there. I don’t think the couch has 20 “butt-hours” on it yet and it is maybe five years old. Isn’t it strange that people don’t go visit one another anymore? Gosh, over the yers we have thrown so many parties and had so many people to our house, but not any more. I think we have maybe had three large gathering at our current home since we moved in back in 2001. But, we are getting too old to throw events like that anymore and people are too busy being busy. I recall fondly the days when we would go to one another’s houses and play spades or canasta, maybe grill some burgers or dogs, have some cheap snacks and a beer or cocktail or two. Maybe some people still have those days, but certainly not Ms. Kate and me. We have arrived and moved in to “Old Fartsville”.
Gotta get cleaned up and go into town and pick up my computer. You have a blessed day. Peace.
Wednesday, January 8, 2020
Good afternoon my friends. I’m just gonna drop by and say howdy today. I’ve been to the church all morning doing office hours. As is usual, not a single soul came by to talk to me about any earth shattering events in their lives. A couple of the ladies from the Wednesday Bible study did stop in and say “hi”, but they didn’t stay log. So, as a result I had uninterrupted time to finish the sermon for February 16th that I had started. I have one more sermon and worship service to put together and February will be wrapped up.
I’m waiting on a call from Staples. They are supposed to be fixing the computer that I took to them. The hard drive in it was “toast” for whatever reason. They had said they would have it done by 1700 last evening but then they called and said the hard drive was so damaged that they were having trouble extracting my data and files from it. They said they needed extra time so I said it was fine. I mean, what else would I say?? I don’t need the computer for another three weeks or so. And frankly, I have no idea what files are on it because it was Ms. Kate’s computer. Since she has another one, as far as I’m concerned, I don’t need her files. But —- we’ll see how it turns out. They are putting in a Two TB Hard drive. That is uber-huge.
I came home from the office and Ms. Kate had lunch waiting for us. Now, lunch is done and as I sit here in my recliner, the sun is now burning out my retinas. LOL. That means I need to change recliners, then close mmy eyelids and check to see if any holes were burnt into them.
I hope you have a great day. Stop right now and take a minute or two to give God thanks for the blessings he has given you yet again today, Peace
I’m waiting on a call from Staples. They are supposed to be fixing the computer that I took to them. The hard drive in it was “toast” for whatever reason. They had said they would have it done by 1700 last evening but then they called and said the hard drive was so damaged that they were having trouble extracting my data and files from it. They said they needed extra time so I said it was fine. I mean, what else would I say?? I don’t need the computer for another three weeks or so. And frankly, I have no idea what files are on it because it was Ms. Kate’s computer. Since she has another one, as far as I’m concerned, I don’t need her files. But —- we’ll see how it turns out. They are putting in a Two TB Hard drive. That is uber-huge.
I came home from the office and Ms. Kate had lunch waiting for us. Now, lunch is done and as I sit here in my recliner, the sun is now burning out my retinas. LOL. That means I need to change recliners, then close mmy eyelids and check to see if any holes were burnt into them.
I hope you have a great day. Stop right now and take a minute or two to give God thanks for the blessings he has given you yet again today, Peace
Tuesday, January 7, 2020
Good morning on this bright cold Tuesday morning. It is sunny and thirty-five degrees with a bit of a breeze. And on the street on the other side of Ms. Margarets yard there are two guys putting a new roof on a house. There is nothing quite like the sound of being woken to the tappity tap, tap of roofing hammers first thing in the morning. I’ll bet they are cold. But, it is better to be roofing in this kind of weather rather than mid-summer when it gets hot as the dickens up there. I’ve done that in my much younger years. A buddy of mine asked me to help him do a couple of roofing jobs back in the early 1970’s. I I called that the summer of the sore thumb. In those days there were no battery operated or air driven nailers that you just walked along and nailed the shingles down. But, I see these guys are using hammers at the moment because they are tacking down the underlayment. I can’t tell but it looks like a plastic type of barrier. In the “old days” that would have been a layer of “tar-paper”. I don’t know what they use now but I’m sure it has to be more eco-friendly than tar paper.
I’m happy to report that Ms. Kate is doing much better with her gout attack, although the medication tends to make her stomach queasy and it gives her a slight headache. Yesterday she was actually able to get a shoe on that foot for the first time in a couple of weeks. She is no longer using even a cane so life is improving. LOL, we do look like a pair when we go anyplace as we hold on to each other and limp along together. We look like old people or something. It’s her left foot and my left foot so we are kind of choreographed as we hobble along. It is hard to believe, in a way, that it has now been eleven months since I fell down those stairs. It is even harder to believe how blessed I am to be getting along as well as I do. Wearing my brace gets old but, I thank God that wearing a brace is the worst I have to contend with. As I have said a thousand times, that fall could easily have killed me or paralyzed me for life. Instead all I have lost is an Achilles’ tendon, but I have gained a whole new realm of respect for our wounded military veterans who have lost legs and arms and and have come back to be successful citizens. My injury is a bandage scratch compared to them. So, all praise to God for looking after me and helping me through my surgeries and rehabilitations.
I’m taking a computer to Staples this morning for diagnosis and (hopefully) repair. It was Ms, Kate’s computer and it started causing her massive amounts of problems several months ago, so we bought her a new one. I don’t know what the problem is with it or even recall what problems she was having with it. What I do know is that it has a one and a half terabyte hard drive in it which is huge, but it also has a Windows 7 operating system in it which is no longer Microsoft supportable. So, I’m taking it to the experts to have it diagnosed and see if maybe they can put in Windows 10. Everything i read says it can be done — it just depends on the cost. That’s why I have to have the thing diagnosed first.
Time to get busy. We’ve a few things to try to accomplish today. I hope your day is full of joy. God loves you, Christ walks with you and the Holy Spirit is your guide. What could possibly go wrong? Peace.
I’m happy to report that Ms. Kate is doing much better with her gout attack, although the medication tends to make her stomach queasy and it gives her a slight headache. Yesterday she was actually able to get a shoe on that foot for the first time in a couple of weeks. She is no longer using even a cane so life is improving. LOL, we do look like a pair when we go anyplace as we hold on to each other and limp along together. We look like old people or something. It’s her left foot and my left foot so we are kind of choreographed as we hobble along. It is hard to believe, in a way, that it has now been eleven months since I fell down those stairs. It is even harder to believe how blessed I am to be getting along as well as I do. Wearing my brace gets old but, I thank God that wearing a brace is the worst I have to contend with. As I have said a thousand times, that fall could easily have killed me or paralyzed me for life. Instead all I have lost is an Achilles’ tendon, but I have gained a whole new realm of respect for our wounded military veterans who have lost legs and arms and and have come back to be successful citizens. My injury is a bandage scratch compared to them. So, all praise to God for looking after me and helping me through my surgeries and rehabilitations.
I’m taking a computer to Staples this morning for diagnosis and (hopefully) repair. It was Ms, Kate’s computer and it started causing her massive amounts of problems several months ago, so we bought her a new one. I don’t know what the problem is with it or even recall what problems she was having with it. What I do know is that it has a one and a half terabyte hard drive in it which is huge, but it also has a Windows 7 operating system in it which is no longer Microsoft supportable. So, I’m taking it to the experts to have it diagnosed and see if maybe they can put in Windows 10. Everything i read says it can be done — it just depends on the cost. That’s why I have to have the thing diagnosed first.
Time to get busy. We’ve a few things to try to accomplish today. I hope your day is full of joy. God loves you, Christ walks with you and the Holy Spirit is your guide. What could possibly go wrong? Peace.
Saturday, January 4, 2020
It’s Saturday morning, 38 degrees, cloudy, and if my AccuWeather app is correct, rain will be starting in the next half hour. None of that sounds particularly fantastic except I’ll say once again —- it isn’t snowing or icing, or sleeting!!! So, I need to be grateful for what I have and remember that “This is a Day the the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!”
Unbeknownst to you, I took a large break after my first paragraph. Walgreens called and said Ms. Kate’s medicine was ready for pick-up. So, that meant I had to shower and clean myself up presentable to leave the house. While I was gone I decided to get my hair cut because it was getting long around the ears. I came back home and picked up Ms. Kate and we went to Meijers, then Fresh Market, the to Donalds for lunch, and the to Office Depot to check on the business cards I’m wanting made. Now we are home, have the fireplace going and guess who is about to go close their eyes for a nap! Yep, us old people. When we went out it was doing a combination of rain and snow, and then just rain and then just cold wind. We are ready for nap time.
See ya’ in church tomorrow. Have a blessed afternoon.
Unbeknownst to you, I took a large break after my first paragraph. Walgreens called and said Ms. Kate’s medicine was ready for pick-up. So, that meant I had to shower and clean myself up presentable to leave the house. While I was gone I decided to get my hair cut because it was getting long around the ears. I came back home and picked up Ms. Kate and we went to Meijers, then Fresh Market, the to Donalds for lunch, and the to Office Depot to check on the business cards I’m wanting made. Now we are home, have the fireplace going and guess who is about to go close their eyes for a nap! Yep, us old people. When we went out it was doing a combination of rain and snow, and then just rain and then just cold wind. We are ready for nap time.
See ya’ in church tomorrow. Have a blessed afternoon.
Friday, January 3, 2020
Rain, rain, go away; I don’t need to see you today. The rain is not unexpected and I think it is to last on and off throughout the day and maybe into tomorrow. But the temperature is holding around forty something degrees so at least it isn’t snowing or icing or storming. As our forecaster says: “Just plain old rain”.
The Backyard Buffet is mostly deserted this morning. I’ve had an occasional Cardinal come through and once in awhile a downy woodpecker drops buy, but that is it. Not even the squirrels are out. Earlier this morning I had a small flock of starlings come through but they didn’t stay. So, it is pretty quiet in the back yard.
It has been quiet in the house this morning too. Ms. Kate had a rough night and didn’t get to sleep until sometime around 0500 & 0600. We finally heard from her doctor’s office yesterday and he had prescribed prednisone for her and it seemed to relieve her pain pretty well. However, last night she took a Tylenol too and I think the combo kept her awake and also gave her a nauseous stomach. She has another medication that she is supposed to be taking but it is held up by the insurance company for some reason. I think it is Uloric or the generic form of it. Substituting the generic is probably what the question is by the insurance company. The medicine is to deal with the raised uric acid problem. She needs to contact Dr. Jackson’s office this morning and see where they are in solving the problem. Otherwise, we’ll be running into a weekend and people won’t be around and it will be next week before she can get it. This is day eleven that she has had to deal with this.
My week has been messed up again. Tues/Wed holidays just befuzzle my brain’s time line. I thought yesterday was Saturday and here it is actually only Friday now. There are life indicators that keep your mind in line. For instance, for us, Thursday is “trash day”. Well the holidays delayed that a day for the second week in a row. How am I supposed to keep up with life. Add to that the fact that I’m not working on this weeks sermon and service, I’m working on February 16th. II’s no wonder I don’t know if I’m coming or going.
That’s all for today my friends. I hope you take some time out from your busy schedule and sit down and have a nice chat with God. God really desires to hear from us for something besides personal “gimme’s” . Take time to thank God for all of the blessings you have received. Peace
The Backyard Buffet is mostly deserted this morning. I’ve had an occasional Cardinal come through and once in awhile a downy woodpecker drops buy, but that is it. Not even the squirrels are out. Earlier this morning I had a small flock of starlings come through but they didn’t stay. So, it is pretty quiet in the back yard.
It has been quiet in the house this morning too. Ms. Kate had a rough night and didn’t get to sleep until sometime around 0500 & 0600. We finally heard from her doctor’s office yesterday and he had prescribed prednisone for her and it seemed to relieve her pain pretty well. However, last night she took a Tylenol too and I think the combo kept her awake and also gave her a nauseous stomach. She has another medication that she is supposed to be taking but it is held up by the insurance company for some reason. I think it is Uloric or the generic form of it. Substituting the generic is probably what the question is by the insurance company. The medicine is to deal with the raised uric acid problem. She needs to contact Dr. Jackson’s office this morning and see where they are in solving the problem. Otherwise, we’ll be running into a weekend and people won’t be around and it will be next week before she can get it. This is day eleven that she has had to deal with this.
My week has been messed up again. Tues/Wed holidays just befuzzle my brain’s time line. I thought yesterday was Saturday and here it is actually only Friday now. There are life indicators that keep your mind in line. For instance, for us, Thursday is “trash day”. Well the holidays delayed that a day for the second week in a row. How am I supposed to keep up with life. Add to that the fact that I’m not working on this weeks sermon and service, I’m working on February 16th. II’s no wonder I don’t know if I’m coming or going.
That’s all for today my friends. I hope you take some time out from your busy schedule and sit down and have a nice chat with God. God really desires to hear from us for something besides personal “gimme’s” . Take time to thank God for all of the blessings you have received. Peace
Thursday, January 2, 2020
Happy cloudy, quasi-warm Thursday. The thermometer might say it is 47 degrees out there but there is moisture in the air and a breeze and that makes it feel cold. Actually the temperature has dropped three degrees since I got up. And, my accu-weather app shows rain on and off for most of the day and the forecast calls for rain through tomorrow, but the bright spot on the radar is that no snow beyond a flurry is predicted any time soon. So, in terms of the weather —- I’ll take it.
I have some happy squirrels now. Yesterday between the squirrels and the starlings, they finished off all of the sunflower seed and the bark-butter bits, and most of the seed cylinders. This morning there was a squirrel that as driving itself nuts trying to figure out if it could jump onto a certain feeder that I have hanging down about three feet from the gutter. That squirrel must have spent forty minutes running back and forth and stopping and looking at that feeder. It would sit there with its tail twitching and it feet moving back and forth, and then it would run off. A couple of minutes later it would be back and do it all over again. Sometimes it would move down the branch and sit there looking in at me and then run back up the limb. Finally it made the big leap and landed it. Of course it was having to hang underneath the feeder with three legs and try to reach through the cage to try to peel off a little bit of food and eat it. So, I waited until it was good and settled, and then I opened the door of the sunporch and shot it with my BB gun and drove it off.
So now, I have gone out and filled the sunflower seed feeders and the bark-butter food feeders. Everything has calmed down. The cardinals are happy, the squirrels are at two of my feeders, the woodpeckers and finches are happy and all is calm, all is bright, —- and it is starting to sprinkle. Bless their little hearts, Now they will all go find some cover. Well, probably not the squirrels. After all they are just fuzzy tailed rats and could care less about the weather.
Ms. Kate’s doctor has finally returned to the office and read her chart and and complaints. He has called in a prescription for prednisone and Uluric acid. The prednisone is for the pain and the other is to combat the uric acid problem. I was able to pick up the prednisone for her but there is an insurance hold up on the other. But at least she can get started on the pain medication. I suspect the hold up on the other is that the insurance company will pay for a generic pill and needs the doctor to okay a generic. Walgreens has sent a note back to the doctor and they doctors office and Tri-Care need to work it out and get back to Walgreens. I just want her to get the medication and if I have to pay for it —- okay, I’ll pay for it,
I guess that is enough for today. Have a great 2nd day of January. Peace.
I have some happy squirrels now. Yesterday between the squirrels and the starlings, they finished off all of the sunflower seed and the bark-butter bits, and most of the seed cylinders. This morning there was a squirrel that as driving itself nuts trying to figure out if it could jump onto a certain feeder that I have hanging down about three feet from the gutter. That squirrel must have spent forty minutes running back and forth and stopping and looking at that feeder. It would sit there with its tail twitching and it feet moving back and forth, and then it would run off. A couple of minutes later it would be back and do it all over again. Sometimes it would move down the branch and sit there looking in at me and then run back up the limb. Finally it made the big leap and landed it. Of course it was having to hang underneath the feeder with three legs and try to reach through the cage to try to peel off a little bit of food and eat it. So, I waited until it was good and settled, and then I opened the door of the sunporch and shot it with my BB gun and drove it off.
So now, I have gone out and filled the sunflower seed feeders and the bark-butter food feeders. Everything has calmed down. The cardinals are happy, the squirrels are at two of my feeders, the woodpeckers and finches are happy and all is calm, all is bright, —- and it is starting to sprinkle. Bless their little hearts, Now they will all go find some cover. Well, probably not the squirrels. After all they are just fuzzy tailed rats and could care less about the weather.
Ms. Kate’s doctor has finally returned to the office and read her chart and and complaints. He has called in a prescription for prednisone and Uluric acid. The prednisone is for the pain and the other is to combat the uric acid problem. I was able to pick up the prednisone for her but there is an insurance hold up on the other. But at least she can get started on the pain medication. I suspect the hold up on the other is that the insurance company will pay for a generic pill and needs the doctor to okay a generic. Walgreens has sent a note back to the doctor and they doctors office and Tri-Care need to work it out and get back to Walgreens. I just want her to get the medication and if I have to pay for it —- okay, I’ll pay for it,
I guess that is enough for today. Have a great 2nd day of January. Peace.
Wednesday, January 1, 2020
January 1st, 2020; Happy New year, Happy new decade. Did you stay up and watch the decades change? Was it a big deal for you? We stayed up, but then we stay up past midnight most nights so this was no different. Ms. Kate was watching some series that she had recorded on the DVR and I was watching The Twilight Zone reruns for the “how manyeth time”. This was our 57th New Years together starting back with 1963. We weren't always in the same place, but we were definitely together. So, let me be the last one to wish you a Happy New Year. I’m sure by now all of your friends have wished you well through social media of some kind.
Actually, my NYE was productive. My brain got to flowing and my fingers got to working and I wrote a sermon last evening. I had started it a few days ago and it was going absolutely nowhere. But it all clicked last evening as I sat in front of my computer so I got it done. February 9th is now in the file folder.
Ms. Kate is still not doing any better or maybe a minuscule bit better with her gout. The problem is that our doctor is out of the office on vacation. He is a wonderful doctor and works his rear off and certainly deserves his vacations. It is unfortunate that she had to come down with this over the year end holidays. We got the results from the bloodwork that she had done and it showed that her uric acid levels were way out of whack. But, that is all we know. No one in the doctor’s office has followed up and prescribed any treatment for her. So, she is still hobbling around and taking her Tylenol every eight hours on the dot. I wish I could do something to make her feel better.
So it is 2020. Where are the flying cars and George Jetson houses and all the other things that the sci-fi folks predicted for us? Remember the old television show “Space 1999”? We’re supposed to be colonized on a runaway moon by now. Well, thank goodness that one isn’t true. Without a moon to hold our gravitational pull in check, earth just wouldn’t exist anymore.
So do you have any big plans for this brand new year or even this brand new decade? Of course you know that in a month, I’ll be changing jobs and taking on two churches full time as opposed to one church part-time. That will certainly make a difference in what we do around here. In June we plan to have our family reunion in Branson Missouri. It will be so wonderful to have all of my kids and grandkids under one roof for a week. The in September I think we’ll be heading to Michigan for a long weekend reunion with my old military guys. That should take care of most of my plans for 2020.
Time to get on the recumbent bike and crank out. Few lies. Have a blessed day.
Actually, my NYE was productive. My brain got to flowing and my fingers got to working and I wrote a sermon last evening. I had started it a few days ago and it was going absolutely nowhere. But it all clicked last evening as I sat in front of my computer so I got it done. February 9th is now in the file folder.
Ms. Kate is still not doing any better or maybe a minuscule bit better with her gout. The problem is that our doctor is out of the office on vacation. He is a wonderful doctor and works his rear off and certainly deserves his vacations. It is unfortunate that she had to come down with this over the year end holidays. We got the results from the bloodwork that she had done and it showed that her uric acid levels were way out of whack. But, that is all we know. No one in the doctor’s office has followed up and prescribed any treatment for her. So, she is still hobbling around and taking her Tylenol every eight hours on the dot. I wish I could do something to make her feel better.
So it is 2020. Where are the flying cars and George Jetson houses and all the other things that the sci-fi folks predicted for us? Remember the old television show “Space 1999”? We’re supposed to be colonized on a runaway moon by now. Well, thank goodness that one isn’t true. Without a moon to hold our gravitational pull in check, earth just wouldn’t exist anymore.
So do you have any big plans for this brand new year or even this brand new decade? Of course you know that in a month, I’ll be changing jobs and taking on two churches full time as opposed to one church part-time. That will certainly make a difference in what we do around here. In June we plan to have our family reunion in Branson Missouri. It will be so wonderful to have all of my kids and grandkids under one roof for a week. The in September I think we’ll be heading to Michigan for a long weekend reunion with my old military guys. That should take care of most of my plans for 2020.
Time to get on the recumbent bike and crank out. Few lies. Have a blessed day.
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