Life Review: Memorial Day Remembrances

 I was commissioned as an Ensign in the US Navy on 7 June 1972. We were still at war in Vietnam and the cold war was going strong. I had worked hard and earned as slot in the USN Naval Flight Officer School. Pres. Nixon ended the US bombing north of some arbitrary latitude line and suddenly the need for NFOs was sharply reduced. At that instant the need for newly commissioned officers to spend time on surface warfare vessels was realized to be urgent and my orders for NFO training were delayed indefinitely and I was assigned to the Guided Missile Destroyer, the USS Sellers DDG-11. She would be sailing for COMMidEast Forces in the Persian Gulf. As soon as I got the full word on that I suddenly felt the need to give back to those young incoming Plebes (freshmen) who were to be taught sailing their first summer. This permitted my new bride, Brenda, and I to at least get acquainted as husband and wife before I deployed to the Middle East.

After a blissful summer, we moved temporarily from Annapolis to Charleston, SC. We set sail and Brenda went back to her parents and old job in Canton, GA. There was NO internet, no email, and no zoom, so hand-written snail mail was our only recourse. We wrote each other daily and my intense dislike for being at sea on a ship w 400 sailors did nothing but deepen. Since all officers except the XO and the Captain stood 4-hour watches at sea, we only got a full night's sleep every 4th day.  I like my sleep, so this only added to the miseries I experienced.

But, I came back from deployment after about 7 months, in one piece.

Many of my comrades in arms were not so fortunate. They lost limbs, wives, and some lost parts of their emotional/mental capacity.

All gave some, some gave all.

Many Americans have given their lives in service to their country. Most everyone who has served as given somethings of themselves. Let's pause a moment from our festivities to thank the L^rd that He set the example and the quote, "Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friend." Jn 15:13.

Amen.

Life Review: Wedding Postponement!

 One of the most difficult events Brenda has endured was the postponement of our wedding. We had originally set our wedding for 9 June, 1972--immediately after arriving back home from my USNA graduation. Some days before--maybe April--G^d had spoken to me about moving our wedding back some. I didn't now immediately what day, so didn't know how long the postponement might be. When Brendy heard the news, she didn't know if I was talking days, months or years!

I am pleasantly surprised that I was listening to the L^rd and more surprised I was obedient. At some time, we learned that my mother was going into the hospital for some surgery about the original date of our wedding. Had we stuck with the original date, my mom would NOT have been able to attend our wedding.

Thanks be to G^d that almost 49 years later, we look back at that traumatic change and re-enjoy that G^d's plan was once again so much better than ours.

Praise be to Him!

Removable Items in a Best Western Motel room (that must be replace/returned after a flood):

 

Removable Items in a Best Western Motel room (that must be replace/returned after a flood):

1.       Carpet tack strip

2.       Carpet pad

3.       Carpet

4.       Tile floor

5.       HVAC unit

6.       Floor lamp

7.       Curtain valance

8.       Sheer curtains

9.       Curtains

10.   Desk

11.   Desk chair

12.   Desk lamp

13.   Chest of drawers

14.   Loveseat or sofa chair w ottoman

15.   Microwave

16.   Refrigerator

17.   TV w remote

18.   Power strip to connect TV, refrig and microwave (some rooms)

19.   2 twin (king) or two single box springs

20.   King or 2 single mattresses

21.   King or 2 single headboards with holders

22.   King or 2 single wooden bed frames

23.   King or 2 single bed skirts

24.   King or 2 single mattress covers

25.   King or 2 single fitted sheet(s)

26.   King or 2 single top sheet(s)

27.   4 pillows (King) or 6 pillows (single)

28.   Either 2 nightstands (King) or 1 (single)

29.   Either 2 lamps (King) or 1 (single)

30.   Clock radio

31.   Telephone

32.   3 framed pictures

33.   2 Mirrors

34.   2 types of towel holder

35.   Shelf

36.   8 coat hangers (2 with pants clips, 6 w/o)

37.   Coat-hanger rood

38.   Iron

39.   Iron holder

40.   Ironing board

41.   Ironing board holder

42.   Bathroom door

43.   Toilet

44.   Robe holder on back of door

45.   Shower curtain

46.   Bath mat

47.   Toilet paper holder

48.   Tray with:

49.   coffeemaker,

50.   ice bucket,

51.   Tissue paper holder.

52.   Door for under-sink access

53.   Hair dryer holder

54.   Hair dryer

55.   Smoke detector

Ye      Yep, there are 55 items that must  be replaced in a flooded hotel.

Y

 

 

 

Bastante!

 I have now been retired as a prof for 4 years come July. One of the things that convinced me to retire was the recognition that I had enough money. Yes, enough is enough and we had enough money.

I understand inflation and other aspects of personal finance. One day we may starve or not be able to heat our house or pay other bills. It is possible. But G^d has given enough money and it took me a while to recognize that enough is enough.

I never expected this day, in capitalism, that I didn't need to make, earn, inherit, win any more $$$. I am happy with what G^d has provided. I understand that G^d has blessed me, and perhaps you haven't been blessed to the same degree.

But, there is a lot to be said by deciding you have sufficient money. You don't have to look for ways to earn more. You don't have to be envious of the wealth of anyone. There is a remarkable sense of having enough--bastante.

Sadly, most people in the world never get to this point. As the rich old man on "The Simpson's" tv show said, "I'd give up all my wealth...for just a little more." Most of the people I have met in the USA and in many other countries appear that they will never have enough.

But, I may be slow, but I realized and still know, I have enough.

Thanks be to G^d for bastante.

A True Story of the State of Christianity on a Public Uni--A while back!

Way back in the early 1990s, one of my friends, C, was enrolled at a large southern Uni. that really loves football (doesn't narrow it down much, does it?). He tells the story, that he, “... had grown up in a Christian home, but at the University his History teacher and his English teacher and his Anthropology and Philosophy teachers as well, attacked vigorously the truth of the Holy Scriptures and the stories of the gospel. In History, the resurrection of Jesus was “an odd rumor”; the Israelites were originally polytheistic and Moses got the idea of Monotheism from Pharoah Akenaten, plus Noah and the flood was a myth. His English teacher stated as fact that the Bible was passed down orally for hundreds of years, supposedly using rhyme and meter to help with memorization. In Anthropology he was assured that we descended from apes and the creation story in the Bible was myth. In Philosophy of Mind he was taught that the self was no more than a few pounds of gray matter inside our skull and the non-existence of a soul or of God was assumed.”

My friend believed his many profs, and so by the time he graduated he had rejected one by one the reliability of all the books in the Bible except for Matthew and John, because they knew Jesus personally, unlike Paul, Luke and Mark. He didn’t abandon his faith, but it was hanging by a thread. His sister majored in Anthropology and eventually became an atheist.

Right after graduating C came across an article in the campus newspaper written by a senior student in Arts & Sciences. The student was an atheist who had been challenged by apologetics and was losing his faith in atheism. This was the first C had ever heard of apologetics. One of the authors the atheist writer recommended was Josh McDowell, so C immediately went to a Christian bookstore and bought Evidence That Demands A Verdict, volumes 1 and 2. These books gradually rebuilt his trust in the Bible and “saved” his faith.

The thing that strikes me is the timing. In 1991 the Supreme Court of the USA declined to hear an appeal of an 11th Circuit Court opinion that had ruled that a University was justified in telling a professor that he could not mention Christianity on the University campus. The first Amendment of the US Constitution states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press...”.

So let's step back. It appears that, at the time, it was illegal to speak POSITIVELY of Christianity, but perfectly legal to speak NEGATIVELY of Christianity.

Regardless of your legal knowledge or even your personal views of Christianity, do you see anything wrong with this picture??

G^d Speaks and Knocks--Even Today!

One of my friends, K, shares a story of a visiting student from Japan, named M. One day early in M's visit to the USA, one of her Christian friends challenged M to ask G^d to speak to her. M did not believe in G^d, but decided to put G^d to a little test...

Later that evening an American Christian walked up to M, without knowledge of M's "prayer" and handed M a Bible in Japanese! M was shocked that G^d apparently had answered her prayer so quickly and clearly. She began to read the Bible a bit.

Our friend K kept ministering to M faithfully and looking for opportunities to share the gospel. One day, M posed the important question to K, "How does one come to know Jesus?" K happily responded and shared with M, Revelation 3:20, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me."

After K elaborated a bit, M ended the conversation without further comment. K was disappointed but invited M to our congregation's Palm Sunday service in which our service leader invited everyone into observed a few minutes of silence to confess their sin by writing it onto a small slip of paper (some folks needed 2 or 3 slips).During this time Mami thought “ K said that J was knocking at the door of my heart. I do not hear his voice, and I do not hear him knocking.”

After confession, the leader provided hammers and nails for people to come up front and nail their sin to the wooden cross up front. The first person came up and their hammering sounded exactly like someone knocking so very loudly on the door. And that person was followed by another "knocking", followed by another and another.

G^d's message to M was very clear. G^d was knocking loudly and longly. And M got the message and accepted the truth of the gospel. G^d was speaking and knocking, and M accepted the truth of G^d and His promise to respond to the invitation to come into her life.

G^d speaks, even in these modern times.

Tired!

 Whew, I have experienced new levels of fatigue that I don't recall before. And, before you ask me if I am sick, heat as to why. Monday, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays I have volunteered to help out a friend at a local BW motel that was flooded back in July 2020. I do some backbreaking work including moving very heavy stuff and hauling commodes out of bathtubs singlehandedly. I walk a few miles going for tools, hauling boxes to the dumpster and others.

Wednesdays I am up for a campus-focused prayer that begins at 0730. At 1000 I have a meeting with some friends. At 1145 is our UA Christian Faculty and Staff meeting. At 2 PM we have our nationwide FC prayer time and at 2:30 I and Brenda lead a study for Christian Graduate students. At 6:30 we have shepherding group. So every day is full.

Three days each week, when we can, Andrew and I run 4.97 miles in our neighborhood. There is a good mix of hills and flat, and we enjoy it--but it's tiring on top of everything else.

I am not getting any younger. As a late-20's, early 30's, youngster I trained by running 106 miles per week and competed in 26.2, 50- and 100-mile footraces. I would be tired, obviously, but I don't recall feeling this tired except maybe at the very end of the race.

But I make up for the fatigue with about 9 hours of sleep per night. The only drawback to sleep is, on the hardest days, I often cramp right AFTER I fall asleep.  Go figure. I would not have expected that. Once my muscles are in the relaxation of sleep, I would think that there would be no trigger for cramping, but i am wrong--again.

Well being very tired gives me a whole new appreciation for rest. And, it's not likely that this will change this side of heaven. Another of the joys of an aging body.

Thank you L^rd that you allowed me to see this old age. Many of my friends didn't make it this far.

Blessings,

No matter how bad or good, for some folks this life is the worst things will ever be

 I read a quote in Dane Ortlund's book, Gentle and Lowly that goes something like this, "For those who Follow the Christ, this life is the worst that life will ever be. For those who don't follow the Christ, this life is the best that life will ever be."  I can't find my copy of the book, but this captures the spirit of the point.

And, whether your life is good or bad, for Believers, this is great news.

TV ads about what???

 I just, on broadcast TV, watched 4 consecutive ads about what...prescription drugs. Yes I did. And I didn't mention the "Claritin" or "Prevagen" OTC ads.

Why is that blog worthy? Well, I have NO interest in Ozempic, Trulicity, etc. I suspect most folks don't. But these ads cost a lot of money, so the markup must be impressive.

I also note a LOT of ads for legal services.

Stephen L Klimjack, Mike Slocum, Alexander Shunnarah, Morgan and Morgan, Morris Bart...and others. Some of these are pretty good, other's not so good (Mike Slocum may take the prize for the worst).

The fact that I can rattle off their names should tell us something. Alex S spends millions of dollars on billboards, as well as tv ads. What does that tell us? The law business must pay off pretty richly to pay for all these ads.

At least you don't need a doctor's prescription to buy legal services. I am guessing that millions of patients ask their docs for some of these advertised drugs by name. Sad that patients do this for trained professionals--but it obviously happens for the prescription drugs. Law requires that they mention side effects, and some of these sounds pretty serious.

I have mentioned before how crazy the ads are for car insurance.

So, let us all learn a little lesson. Folks buying tv ads are making a ton of money. If they are making a ton of money, we are supplying it to them. It might be a good idea to largely avoid any drug or service that advertises on tv--it's our money paying for tv rather than quality.

Think about it.