This posting will be about a mundane thing which I have thought about writing but it is surely nothing profound. I write it to get it out of my mind- so out it comes.
Every time you purchase something it comes with an operator's manual/instruction book. Being a true man, I promptly pitch the manual into the trash with the box and proceed on with life. This worked well when your better half retrieved the manual and kept it in a filing system for future reference (and saved the day on many occasions.) The worst of these manuals is always with a computer software program which promises "plug and play" ease of operation. Being the simpleton I am I always assume that "plug and play" means that your slip the disk in and install the operation and, 'whoohoo', it works. But I have learned that in the box, underneath the shiny disk, lurks a manual - at least 100 pages worth! Do they really expect me to read this stuff? Never in a 25years! That's why you marry someone who does read the manuals!
Life changes real fast when your 'manual reader' is no longer around to save the day. Either life gets much simpler because you abandon anything more complicated than "a+b=c" formula or you begin to read the manuals so you can stay in touch with the world of new and improved "gizmos".
So now I save the manuals (I always have so that Joyce would not have to later dig them out of the trash) and pile them somewhere with all the other stuff I may need someday. My non-orderly filing system was no match for Joyce's filing system. Think in terms of "chaos vs. order".
After one month without my manual reader around I am helpless in programming my TiVo. this simple task would have naturally fallen on Joyce's shoulders but alas, it it now up to me to find the manual and learn to do it by reading the manual without having someone show me how to do it. Did you notice the operative word in the previous sentence was 'find'. It is not that I can't read the manuals - the problem is I can't find the manuals. Auuugh !!!!! Sometimes being absent minded is the pits.
Wow! Just as I finished typing the above paragraph I glance up from this post and there it is tucked away on the bottom tier of the coffee table! I have found the manual! Now I can learn to operate the TiVo and my life will be made easier - so they say.
Life is good so keep smiling. Blessings
Friday, June 19, 2009
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Fortitude
I am at the present time in Safford, AZ attending a conference. The hour is late so I thought it would be cool to bring out of my poetry files something of the past that has not seen the light of day before this time. Below is a poem I wrote on 12/31/2004. Hope you enjoy it.
Eucatastrophe -- a word coined by J.R.R. Tolkien to describe a momentous turn of events ushering in good fortune.
Blessings
FORTITUDE
There is no truce
Surrender is not an option
Embracing uncertain outcomes
We move forward
Surrender is not an option
Embracing uncertain outcomes
We move forward
One step at a time
Toward one certain Outcome
We travel light
Assured by the Word and Spirit
We look backward only to see abundant grace
We stay not where we are
Our hearts drawn with yearning
For a new tomorrow
Onward . . . always another step
Never give up the journey
Eucastrophe awaits around the corner
And there . . . there is our goal
Our Lord and Savior with outstretched arms
"Well done, good and faithful servant."
Eucatastrophe -- a word coined by J.R.R. Tolkien to describe a momentous turn of events ushering in good fortune.
Blessings
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Yearnings
OK. I have just lost my recent great post on yearnings. Where it went I have no idea. It seems that 3 mistyped keys in random order (or secret code unknown to anyone in the universe) will vaporize a masterpiece. Trust me, it was a good post. Does this happen to others or is it just my unique abilities that are able to accomplish this?
So here is a substitute post for the masterpiece just lost. Ten days ago we had a series of storms blow through. It appears the only damage of consequence was that the hummingbird population around my house was either blown into the next county or did not survive the storms. Either option has left the hummingbird feeders void of any activity since the storms. Now they only serve as a reminder of the former days of enchantment while we wait for a new batch of "Hummers" to find the feeders. Now, today, I see that I have Roadrunners in my back yard! That's cool but they don't have the color nor quite the same 'enchantment factor' of the hummingbirds. Still I will take the Roadrunners over the crows who come by for the pecans. All in all it is an amazing world God has placed us in and given us the responsibility to steward.
And for those reading this blog who watch what you eat, here's a interesting observation that may relieve some of the worry about what to eat.
Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
Germans drink a lot of beer and eat lots of sausage/fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
Italians drink a lot of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
CONCLUSION: Eat and drink what you like. Apparently, it is speaking English that causes heart attacks!
Blessings
So here is a substitute post for the masterpiece just lost. Ten days ago we had a series of storms blow through. It appears the only damage of consequence was that the hummingbird population around my house was either blown into the next county or did not survive the storms. Either option has left the hummingbird feeders void of any activity since the storms. Now they only serve as a reminder of the former days of enchantment while we wait for a new batch of "Hummers" to find the feeders. Now, today, I see that I have Roadrunners in my back yard! That's cool but they don't have the color nor quite the same 'enchantment factor' of the hummingbirds. Still I will take the Roadrunners over the crows who come by for the pecans. All in all it is an amazing world God has placed us in and given us the responsibility to steward.
And for those reading this blog who watch what you eat, here's a interesting observation that may relieve some of the worry about what to eat.
Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
Germans drink a lot of beer and eat lots of sausage/fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
Italians drink a lot of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
CONCLUSION: Eat and drink what you like. Apparently, it is speaking English that causes heart attacks!
Blessings
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Eating Right and Healthy Diets
Note: For the humor challenged, please eat a celery stalk before reading.
O.K. Students of the culinary arts - it is time to answer a few questions about healthy foods. In today's society there are many varieties of diets. All thevarious diets seem to produce over the long run is many misconceptions. So below is an attempt to put balance back into the discussion of healthy eating.
Q: I've heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life. Is this true?
A: Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that's it . . .don't waste them on exercise. Everything wears out eventually. Speeding up your heart will not make you live longer. That is like saying you can extend the life of your car by driving faster. Want to live longer? Take a nap.
Q: Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables?
A: You must grasp logistical efficiencies. What does a cow eat? Hay and corn. And what are these? Vegetables! So a steak is nothing more than an efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to your system. Need grain? Eat chicken. Beef is also a good source of field grass (green vegetable). And a pork chop can give you 100% of your recommended daily allowance of vegetable products.
Q: Should I reduce my alcohol intake?
A: No, not at all. Wine is made from fruit. Brandy is distilled wine, which means they take the water out of the fruity bit so you get even more of the goodness that way. Beer is also made from grain. Bottoms up!
Q: How can I calculate my body/fat ratio?
A: Well, if you have a body and you have fat, your ration is one to one. If you have two bodies, your ration is two to one, etc.
Q: What are the advantages of participating in a regular exercise program?
A: Can't think of a single one, sorry. My philosophy is: No Pain ... Good!
Q: Aren't fried foods bad for you?
A: YOU'RE NOT LISTENING!!! Foods are fried these days in vegetable oil. In fact, they're permeated in it. How could getting more vegetables be bad for you?
Q: Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the middle?
A: Definitely not! When you exercise a muscle, it gets bigger. You should only be doing sit-ups if you want a bigger stomach.
Q: Is chocolate bad for me?
A: Are you crazy? HELLO. Cocoa beans! Another vegetable!!! It's the best feel-good food around.
Q: Is swimming good for your figure?
A: If swimming is good for your figure, explain whales to me.
Q: Is getting in shape important for my lifestyle?
A: Hey, 'Round' is a shape!
I sincerely hope this Q & A session has cleared up any misconceptions you may have had about food and diets.
Enjoy the day and Many Blessings
O.K. Students of the culinary arts - it is time to answer a few questions about healthy foods. In today's society there are many varieties of diets. All thevarious diets seem to produce over the long run is many misconceptions. So below is an attempt to put balance back into the discussion of healthy eating.
Q: I've heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life. Is this true?
A: Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that's it . . .don't waste them on exercise. Everything wears out eventually. Speeding up your heart will not make you live longer. That is like saying you can extend the life of your car by driving faster. Want to live longer? Take a nap.
Q: Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables?
A: You must grasp logistical efficiencies. What does a cow eat? Hay and corn. And what are these? Vegetables! So a steak is nothing more than an efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to your system. Need grain? Eat chicken. Beef is also a good source of field grass (green vegetable). And a pork chop can give you 100% of your recommended daily allowance of vegetable products.
Q: Should I reduce my alcohol intake?
A: No, not at all. Wine is made from fruit. Brandy is distilled wine, which means they take the water out of the fruity bit so you get even more of the goodness that way. Beer is also made from grain. Bottoms up!
Q: How can I calculate my body/fat ratio?
A: Well, if you have a body and you have fat, your ration is one to one. If you have two bodies, your ration is two to one, etc.
Q: What are the advantages of participating in a regular exercise program?
A: Can't think of a single one, sorry. My philosophy is: No Pain ... Good!
Q: Aren't fried foods bad for you?
A: YOU'RE NOT LISTENING!!! Foods are fried these days in vegetable oil. In fact, they're permeated in it. How could getting more vegetables be bad for you?
Q: Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the middle?
A: Definitely not! When you exercise a muscle, it gets bigger. You should only be doing sit-ups if you want a bigger stomach.
Q: Is chocolate bad for me?
A: Are you crazy? HELLO. Cocoa beans! Another vegetable!!! It's the best feel-good food around.
Q: Is swimming good for your figure?
A: If swimming is good for your figure, explain whales to me.
Q: Is getting in shape important for my lifestyle?
A: Hey, 'Round' is a shape!
I sincerely hope this Q & A session has cleared up any misconceptions you may have had about food and diets.
Enjoy the day and Many Blessings
Friday, May 29, 2009
Beauty In The Garden
This week has been so incredibly beautiful. The garden in the front and back yard of my home is at its peak before the heat of summer begins to incite stress on the plants. As I sit outside to read in the beauty of the morning or evening I marvel at the garden which Joyce so loved to work and improve. After 3 years of toil and selecting various plants over and over again, this spring required very little additions to the garden. About the only work that has been required is the need to weed!
As I reflect on all the work Joyce put into her "living art project" it strikes me how closely her life resembled her garden. She worked diligently at the garden in order for it to produce beauty. It is not some random plants surprising us with their beauty. They were planned and cultivated to produce their beauty. The plants that could not stand the soil and heat conditions had to go to make room for plants that were better suited for the conditions and thus were more productive. Then there was the nurturing of the plants to bring them to maturity so they could show forth their "glory". Oh how Joyce loved to work in the garden. Well, as I said earlier, she did a good job of enabling the garden to show forth it's "glory".
The beauty of a person's life takes much the same type of "garden work." Unless we plant and cultivate certain qualities and characteristics within our spirit we will not have much beauty showing forth from our lives. The qualities of generosity, love, kindness, gentleness, peace, contentment, awe and wonder do not arise and exhibit themselves without being planted, cultivated, and nurtured. Only as they grow and become mature do their beauty become pronounced enough to "shine forth". The '"glory" of our lives is ultimately linked to the fruit of our lives which reflects God's handiwork in and upon our lives.
Weeding in the garden is a constant just as is it necessary to weed out of our lives those "things" which will overtake the cultivated plantings of our lives. If I want to see the fruit of generosity shine forth then I must make sure that greed, fear of the future, self-indulgence, and various other "weeds" remain plucked out of the "garden of my soul."
In other happenings: I just received a call from a monument dealer wanting to send literature about a burial plot. The caller asked my age and then asked if I was married. I instinctively said yes and then quickly added, "wait a minute, I mean no". Then I had to explain that my wife had died 3 weeks ago. To this information the caller said, "Oh my god, I am so sorry for this call." The caller fumbled through the rest of the call and I found myself laughing at the awkwardness of the scenario. I didn't have the heart to tell the caller I won't be needing a burial plot as my wife was cremated so I probably will be too. So in a few days will come some junk mail about burial plots I will not be needing.
Enough of this post for today. It's time I go cultivate some good plants "in my soul" and do some more "weeding" at the same time!
Blessings
As I reflect on all the work Joyce put into her "living art project" it strikes me how closely her life resembled her garden. She worked diligently at the garden in order for it to produce beauty. It is not some random plants surprising us with their beauty. They were planned and cultivated to produce their beauty. The plants that could not stand the soil and heat conditions had to go to make room for plants that were better suited for the conditions and thus were more productive. Then there was the nurturing of the plants to bring them to maturity so they could show forth their "glory". Oh how Joyce loved to work in the garden. Well, as I said earlier, she did a good job of enabling the garden to show forth it's "glory".
The beauty of a person's life takes much the same type of "garden work." Unless we plant and cultivate certain qualities and characteristics within our spirit we will not have much beauty showing forth from our lives. The qualities of generosity, love, kindness, gentleness, peace, contentment, awe and wonder do not arise and exhibit themselves without being planted, cultivated, and nurtured. Only as they grow and become mature do their beauty become pronounced enough to "shine forth". The '"glory" of our lives is ultimately linked to the fruit of our lives which reflects God's handiwork in and upon our lives.
Weeding in the garden is a constant just as is it necessary to weed out of our lives those "things" which will overtake the cultivated plantings of our lives. If I want to see the fruit of generosity shine forth then I must make sure that greed, fear of the future, self-indulgence, and various other "weeds" remain plucked out of the "garden of my soul."
In other happenings: I just received a call from a monument dealer wanting to send literature about a burial plot. The caller asked my age and then asked if I was married. I instinctively said yes and then quickly added, "wait a minute, I mean no". Then I had to explain that my wife had died 3 weeks ago. To this information the caller said, "Oh my god, I am so sorry for this call." The caller fumbled through the rest of the call and I found myself laughing at the awkwardness of the scenario. I didn't have the heart to tell the caller I won't be needing a burial plot as my wife was cremated so I probably will be too. So in a few days will come some junk mail about burial plots I will not be needing.
Enough of this post for today. It's time I go cultivate some good plants "in my soul" and do some more "weeding" at the same time!
Blessings
Monday, May 25, 2009
Rainbows Do Exist
Saturday evening. 6:05 PM. Wall of rain approaching from the south. Sun shining in the west. It was beautiful outside. I so enjoy standing outside (under a covered shelter of course) and watching a storm approach and unleash the torrents of water from the clouds. Having grown up on the plains of Kansas it is an awesome sight to take in - the approach of the storm - the fury of the storm - and then the RAINBOW! Living here in Texas has certain perks, but Rainbow spotting is not one of them. They tend to be infrequent and small when they do make their appearance. (I suppose this is one reason leprechauns are an endangered species in Texas.) Saturday I was reminded of the glorious goodness of God as I went outside to watch the approach and experience the fury. And then there it was - a RAINBOW arching over CTC! Oh the beauty and joy of simple pleasures.
Tomorrow the first of the CTC'ers head out for missions. Sherry Williams heads off to Camp Dry Gulch for the summer as she serves as a counselor at the camp. She is the first of 13 we will send out to various corners of the world during the next six weeks. Places such as Oklahoma, Africa, Guatemala, Honduras, Italy, and Mexico will have CTC'ers walking on their soil.
I am expecially proud of the Mexico team. Many times we let inconvenience stop us from "going forth". In this case, there was the concern of the violence in Mexico that caused some to hesitate, then the "Swine Flu" outbreak caused some hesitation. Through it all, Joe Yosten, leading the team kept his eye on the goal, never waivered and now is two weeks from launching.
Thunder clouds are building up around here. It is Memorial Day so this is expected. No problems here at the Hall household though as I had 20+ over for a grill out last evening. This afternoon I go over to someone else's place and let them worry about a rain out!
Last night as the last guests left the house I noticed the sign by the front door Joyce had made many years ago to identify our unigue status in the world. The sign reads, "Welcome to the Hall's Nuthouse". The thought crossed my mind that now that all the females have left the house, maybe the sign should go. Then horror of horrors - the thought occurred to me that perhaps it was I who made the sign necessary! So, the sign stays until I notice some consistent, long-term signs of normalcy around here instead of short spurts that vaporize all too quickly!
Have a great Memorial Day. God bless our troops! Blessings
Tomorrow the first of the CTC'ers head out for missions. Sherry Williams heads off to Camp Dry Gulch for the summer as she serves as a counselor at the camp. She is the first of 13 we will send out to various corners of the world during the next six weeks. Places such as Oklahoma, Africa, Guatemala, Honduras, Italy, and Mexico will have CTC'ers walking on their soil.
I am expecially proud of the Mexico team. Many times we let inconvenience stop us from "going forth". In this case, there was the concern of the violence in Mexico that caused some to hesitate, then the "Swine Flu" outbreak caused some hesitation. Through it all, Joe Yosten, leading the team kept his eye on the goal, never waivered and now is two weeks from launching.
Thunder clouds are building up around here. It is Memorial Day so this is expected. No problems here at the Hall household though as I had 20+ over for a grill out last evening. This afternoon I go over to someone else's place and let them worry about a rain out!
Last night as the last guests left the house I noticed the sign by the front door Joyce had made many years ago to identify our unigue status in the world. The sign reads, "Welcome to the Hall's Nuthouse". The thought crossed my mind that now that all the females have left the house, maybe the sign should go. Then horror of horrors - the thought occurred to me that perhaps it was I who made the sign necessary! So, the sign stays until I notice some consistent, long-term signs of normalcy around here instead of short spurts that vaporize all too quickly!
Have a great Memorial Day. God bless our troops! Blessings
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Light Headed
I feel light headed at this time. Something is missing. Wait. I know what it is. Proverbs 12:4 states, "A wife of noble character is her husband's crown." That's it. My crown is missing! It is amazing how we men do manage to 'marry up' most of the time.
Speaking of crowns. Twila Paris' song Let No Man Take Your Crown has these lyrics:
Great song, great lyrics. Guard the crown the Lord has given you to wear!
Blessings
Speaking of crowns. Twila Paris' song Let No Man Take Your Crown has these lyrics:
A crown is heavy, you could fall beneath the weight
Consider carefully before you abdicate
The King has given you responsibility
And when you wear it, you wear His authority
Let no man take it, let no man take it.
Let no man take your crown
Let no man take your crown
Till at His feet you lay it down
May you be ever faithful found
Let no man take your crown
If I'm unwilling to be sure the job is done
Then I compel the King to find another one
Who will be diligent to carry out the plan
Let us determine to accept every command
Let no man take it, let no man take it
He had a reason for choosing you
You have a reason to follow through
Let no man take your crown.
Great song, great lyrics. Guard the crown the Lord has given you to wear!
Blessings
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